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“Luna,” he repeated, and at the sound of his voice, I sprung into action, darting to the SUV, but I wasn’t quick enough because she blocked it with her body.
“I’m not letting you leave,” she growled out, her gaze batting between me and Mateo.
“Move,” Mateo told the woman, dragging his hand across his jaw. “I don’t have time for your bullshit tonight.”
“My bullshit?” she screamed, slapping her hands against the door of the SUV. “You fuckin’ left without a word.”
“And?”
“And.” She licked her bottom lip, the dark circles under her eyes swallowing half of her face. “And I need money.”
Mateo laughed, the sound echoing in the open space. “Money?” He stepped toward her, and I watched like I was in a theatre consumed by the latest blockbuster hit. I couldn’t look away, even if I wanted to. “Figures that’s all you’d need.” He grabbed her arm and hauled her away from his car. “Luna, get in.”
I darted forward and practically dived in the car. But I still didn’t look away. She scraped her nails down his arm, fighting him to let go. “You’re not gonna get away with this!”
“Away with what?” he asked, his face impassive. He let her go and wiped his hand on his pants.
“You…” She pointed at him, grabbing her hair, and pulling it with her other hand. “You…” She screamed, so loud that I was sure she’d gain the attention of everyone in the apartments. She was losing her mind, and I had no idea who the hell she was. Was this something to do with the Mafia? I gasped. Maybe she wanted drugs from him. My stomach churned. Was he one of the people who fed people like my parents’ drugs?
Oh my God. I didn’t know who this man was and I was about to leave with him.
She paced in front of him, throwing her hands up as she tried to grasp at straws, then finally she paused in front of him, her lips spreading into a wide grin. “The kids.” His body snapped upright, and even I could tell from the back of him that those two words had affected him more than anything else she’d said. “They’re my kids.”
“No. They’re not. They’ve never been your kids.” He slammed his fist onto his chest. “I’m the one who has been there for them. Not you. You were too busy getting lost in your latest fuckin’ bottle!”
My body sank lower into the seat as I realized this was his mom.
Wow. This was his mom.
She reminded me of mine.
“All it’d take is one call.” She placed her hand on her chest. “One call to say you took them from me. Kidnapped them.”
“You think anyone would care?” He laughed as he pushed his hand into his pocket, but his movements were jerky. She knew what to say to get a reaction out of him. My eyes narrowed as he handed over some cash to her. “Here. Go get drunk and leave us the hell alone.”
She greedily snapped up the money, not giving him a second look as she sprinted away from him, bypassing the apartments. She was going to spend the money on the only thing she cared about: her vice. She was an addict, just like my parents.
Damn.
Mateo stood there for several minutes, staring at the empty space where his mother had just been. I wasn’t sure what to do. Did I get out and see if he was okay? Did I stay put and let him come to me? I bit down on my bottom lip, trying to figure out what was best, but by the time I came to a decision to stay put, he turned. His feet carried him to the driver’s side, and he didn’t say a word as he got inside the SUV then turned the engine on.
He pulled out of the lot, the silence in the car almost deafening. I opened my mouth, not sure what to say. The entire night had gone to shit, and I didn’t think anything I spoke could have made it better. But there was no harm in trying, right?
“So…that was your mom?”
“Yep.” He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel in time with a beat that only he knew. “She’s a drunk.”
“I can see that,” I said softly, dipping my shoulders down to make myself smaller. “I get it.”
He hummed a noise in the back of his throat, not committing to actual words. He didn’t want to talk about it. I got it. I truly did. Which was why I pinched my lips together and stared out of the window. It looked like we were headed back the way we’d come, and for a second, I wondered if he’d changed his mind.
But then he pulled into a small driveway in front of a house. I couldn’t make it out completely in the dark, but I could see the trees surrounding it and toys scattered around on the front lawn. The rumbling engine cut off, but neither of us moved to get out.
“Why?” I asked, the burning question taking root and demanding to be voiced. “Why did you tell him I was your fiancée?”
Mateo laughed, shaking his head. “It was the only way to get you out of there.” He turned in his seat, his arm leaning on the top of the steering wheel. “Do you understand what you did?” His voice was deeper now. “You sealed our fate.”
I frowned. “No. I—”
