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Otherwise, his ruthlessness could have been aimed at me, and I’m not sure I would have gotten out alive from that particular confrontation.
“Quit hogging her, Santiago. Come here, girl.” Remi snatches me away and gives me his own dose of hugs. “How was Europe? Broke a lot of hearts?” he teases and chuckles when Santiago punches him in the gut at the suggestion. I roll my eyes. “Since we missed your last birthday, I have a gift for you.” He takes out keys from his back pocket and dangles them in the air, the clicking sound music to my ears as excitement fills me. “Remember what I promised you all those years ago?”
“Oh my God!” I wrap my palm around the chain. “You promised me a motorcycle.” I jump up and down. “I can’t believe you did this.”
“Not just a bike, princess. One of the best on the market and specially designed for you. It has your initials and everything. Limited edition navy-blue color.” He winks at me. “The best of the best for my Jimena.”
“Awww! That’s so sweet.” I kiss him on the cheek and dangle the keys some more. “Where is it? I need to get to it as soon as possible.”
The wind in my hair as a sense of power and freedom wash over me while I don’t have a care in the world is exactly what I need. I can always count on Remi to provide a distraction for me.
He treats me like the little sister he never had but he always respects my wishes and never tries to limit me in any way.
Even though I know he looms in the shadows, ready to protect me from whatever the world might throw my way.
“Over my dead body,” Santiago mutters, ready to steal the keys from me, but I step back. “Jimena, there is no way in hell you’ll be riding that bike.”
“Says who? I got my license last year.” Among other things, but he doesn’t need to know about them. If it were up to my brother, he’d forever keep me sheltered, never allowing me to explore anything he didn’t agree with.
“You go, girl,” Luna says, raising her hand up in the air, so I high-five it, which earns me a deeper scowl from Santiago. “Hi, guys.”
“Where is Vincent?” Remi asks her, putting his empty whiskey glass on the table and picking up two pecans. “Since when does he allow you to roam around without helicoptering your every move?”
So it’s not just me who finds it strange that he does that? Remi noticing this when he mostly gives zero shit about people around him unless he can use them in some way speaks volumes.
“He has no idea I’m here. I ran away,” she says proudly, puffing her chest out, which earns her no reaction from them.
Then again, rarely anyone gets anything from them besides a bored glance here and there. Even that is considered a lot, as most people huff in dismay at their indifference and cold attitude.
Especially women, although no one knows much about them because they never show up with anyone in public.
At least my bruised heart has some reprieve from agony.
“Jimena.” Octavius squeezes my shoulder, turning my attention to him because, in his language, that equals a super long embrace. “I’m happy to see you.”
“Thank you, Octavius. How is Estella?”
“Good. Raising triplets is an adventure in itself.” A rare smile flashes across his lips. “I’m going to say hi to your parents. Make sure to take all the photos on that bike. Seeing your brother’s face will be a glorious moment.”
Ah, how could I forget?
Santiago gifted Estella her first sports car. It drove Octavius insane back in the day, while my brother found it hilarious. I guess payback indeed is a bitch.
“Will do. I’ll print some for you as well.”
“I knew I liked you for a reason.”
“Ah, hermanita. You know nothing about loyalty.” Santiago traps my nose between his fingers and pinches it, so I slap his hand away, rubbing the abused flesh. “We’ll talk about this tomorrow.”
“We can if you want, but I won’t change my mind.” I step back before he can pinch me again. “Stop it, Santiago. I’m not ten anymore.”
I’m just wasting my breath saying that, though, because they all treat me like a little sibling. Shouldn’t that have been a clue for me a year ago?
Focus on the present, Jimena. Only the present.
Octavius walks off in the direction of our parents as Remi follows him along with Santiago, but I grab my brother’s sleeve, halting his movements. “Please be nice.”
He stiffens, the earlier amusement replaced with the familiar tension growing rapidly by the second. His eyes flash a warning that probably would have made anyone else run in fear, but not me.
