“Yeah, sure. That’s why you were hiding in the kitchen all the time he was here, and all these tears are just from chopping onions there.”
She splashed her face with water before she shrugged. “Fine. I might have gotten a little jealous when I thought he was taking Mona out.”
“And you want to date him.”
She was about to lie again, but I stared her down. She blew out a sigh. “He’s the most dangerous man in town. I can’t…like him.”
But she did. It was written all over her face. Another antihero romance women swooned over. I got the appeal. Bad boys weren’t afraid to go that extra mile to have you, keep you or save you. They’d make your dreams come true no matter what. It was great in fiction, but in reality, they were no antiheroes. They were the villains. I had no clue how girls fell that easily for real, bad, tattooed, dangerous boys. They did nothing but ruin lives, and the women they loved them always paid the price.
Bianca’s dad was one of those. He ruined her mother’s life with drugs and almost ruined Bianca’s. If it weren’t for Mr. Alfarez who took them in after her dad left, who knew what would have happened to them? Sylvia, too. She’d followed one bad boy after another, breaking Dad’s heart, until she wound up a lonely, drunken bitch that had failed to even notice her daughter went missing for twenty-four hours.
A weak, pathetic excuse of a mother that had chosen the coward’s way out instead of staying to help me find Annie or be there for me.
“Cameron, hey, don’t cry, please,” Bianca said.
I wasn’t aware I was crying until I felt the tears drop on the back of my hand. I should never cry over Sylvia. Only Annie deserved my tears and concern and love.
Bianca held my arms. “Look, I’ll do it.”
My eyes widened at her as I snapped myself out of the hideous memories. “You will?”
“Yes. I’ll help you, Cameron.”
Tears flooded out of my eyes, tears of hope and gratitude, not pain. “Thank you so much. I will never forget this. If you want anything—”
“I want you to get Annie back. That’s all that matters now.”
“Thank you, Bianca. I’ll always be in debt to you.”
“Don’t thank me yet. We still have one problem.”
“What is it?”
“We have to get past Papi Carlos.”
“Mr. Alfarez? Why?”
“He doesn’t want me anywhere near Cosimo. He’s been refusing Cosimo every time he asked to date me, stalling until I get my degree and leave the city. I owe him everything. I can’t do this without his permission.”
The hope that submerged me a minute ago flickered. “Okay. We’ll go ask him. I think when he knows it’s for Annie, he’ll agree.”
“Yes. Sure. I hope so.”
CHAPTER 6
Cameron
“Absolutely not.” Carlos Alfarez shattered all my hopes with two words.
“It’s just one date, Papi,” Bianca said.
“It’ll never be one date. Once you open the door for the devil, he’ll never go away.”
“Mr. Alfarez, I’m begging you.” I was desperate. “The Lanzas are my only hope to get Annie back. They’re the ones who can force the Night Skulls to return her to me.”
He looked at me pensively. “You don’t want any favors from the Lanzas. Trust me.”
“I’m at that point of my life where I’m ready to sell my soul to the Devil himself if he’ll get me Annie. Can you imagine the horrors she’s subjected to every day, every second with those monsters? I’m the only one she has left. I’d be damned if I didn’t do anything in my power to save and protect her.”
