Page 58 of LA Reign

Wow. She might be the teenager, but I’m the one getting schooled. I think about Alejandro’s distance earlier and only hope she’s right.

“Thank you, Lucia. For reminding me of that. I think sometimes, it’s too easy to forget. Too easy to slip back into old patterns of mine, where I don’t feel…worthy, I guess. I can be my own worst critic.”

“I get that,” Lucia says sadly. “I do it too.”

“It’s crap, isn’t it? We women are so much more powerful and strong than half the world gives us credit for, and the sad thing is we struggle to remember it ourselves sometimes.”

Lucia nods as she stares at me. Like she’s memorizing every word. I hope she is.

“Don’t you ever forget that, my little warrior,” I say to her as I reach out and touch her hand. “You are one of the strongest and bravest people I have ever met.”

She squeezes back. “So are you.”

I smile at her. “You really think so?”

“Yeah. Like, to the max. You’ve got the King of LA whipped, haven’t you?” she replies, then dissolves into a fit of giggles.

It’s highly contagious, and I find I’m laughing along with her. “Don’t let him hear you say that. He’d probably toss you out on the street.”

She nods as she starts laughing even harder. “Can you imagine his face if I told him he was whipped?”

“Yes, I can,” I nod, picturing that very thing. His stern, handsome features would be even more stern, and then she’d give him that brilliant smile of hers, and he’d start to melt. To forgive her.

When we’ve finally stopped laughing, I speak again. “I really am sorry, Lucia. I shouldn’t have left without talking to you first and telling you what was going on. You’re a part of this family, and you deserved to know. I get that it might take time to win back your trust, but I promise you I will never do anything like that again. You can count on me every single second of every single day. You got that?”

“Yeah,” she smiles. “And did you mean what you just said? About me being part of your family?”

The words just slipped out without me really analyzing them, but I realize I mean them, completely. “Yes, I did. Families can come in many shapes and sizes, Lucia, and I’ll be yours for as long as you want me.”

“That’s excellent news. In that case, I’ll probably be in your guest room until I’m a hundred.”

“That’s fine by me, sweetheart.” I let out a long breath, thankful that we’re on good terms again. One down, one to go, and I know Alejandro will be a lot tougher to crack. Without warning, just as I’m about to stand up and leave, Lucia launches herself forward and wraps me up in a massive hug. “You’re going to be a great mom one day,” she says softly. “However that looks.”

I hug her back. “Thank you, sweetheart,” I say as I choke back a sob.

Chapter

Twenty-Three

ALANA

Alejandro is still busy, and there’s nothing I can do to fix things between us right now. Instead, I join Lucia and Kelsey in the garden, enjoying the evening sunshine and their pleasant, soothing company. I’ve missed this, I realize, as we regale Lucia with tales about our college days. Most of the funny stories involve Kelsey, but I was there for a lot of them. It feels good to simply spend time with women.

Magda has set us up with snacks and drinks, and on the outside, everything must look easy and normal. Inside, though? I’m worried, about everything. About Mateo and Maria. About who shot him, and the fact that it might start a war. About the news that Dr. Kelly gave us, what feels like a lifetime ago now. Mainly, of course, about him. My husband. The love of my life. The man who, right now, seems to want nothing to do with me.

I keep thinking I should get up, go and knock on his office door. Take him a snack from the spread Magda prepared. I meant what I said earlier when I told him he needed to rest and recover. He made that little joke about me being his mom, and that was the last lighthearted moment we shared.

Lucia’s reaction to my homecoming seemed to trigger him again, bring his anger and frustration rising to the surface. I became the enemy, and I don’t know how to deal with that. I occasionally see Hugo walking in and out of the house, his phone stuck to his ear, and at one point Jax turns up, too.

He’s busy, I tell myself. He won’t welcome my intrusion.

As it starts to grow dark out, the security lights spring to life. I know there are guards out there, keeping us safe from any threat. The real danger, though, is already in here. Alejandro and the pain he’s carrying around with him.

Kelsey starts yawning, and I realize how little sleep I’ve had as well. I yawn too. Then Lucia. All of us laughing as we catch each others’ fatigue.

I notice the light in Alejandro’s office switch off. It’s time to go. “Shall we call it a night?” I suggest.

“Sounds good to me,” Kelsey replies. “That king-sized bed in your guest room has been calling to me for hours. I’m so whacked I’m not even sad I’ll be in it alone. I hoped to persuade Hugo not to be such a gentleman.”