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I hold out my hand, feeling triumphant when he folds his fingers around my hand, “Gracias, Mateo. It’s nice to meet you. Maybe you’ll be able to show me around?”
I let my thumb slide over his rough knuckles, feeling the lift of his skin where scars have formed from either punching bricks or people’s faces.
As though he’s read my mind, his eyes glitter and his smile widens.
“It would be my pleasure.”
My father’s gaze bounces between us before his face morphs back to someone with a fucking agenda. The atmosphere in the room shifts with his mood as he lifts his hand in dismissal.
“You may leave now, Mateo. I’m sure you two will get better acquainted later.”
Mateo dips his head and winks at me when he thinks my father can’t see him, but somehow, he does and when the door once again clicks shut, he’s quick to spell it out for me.
“You are a Calavera, you need to be smart about who you associate with around here, especially the men. We are all like snakes here, only our camouflage is much less threatening.”
“We?”I ask him through my teeth.
He slams his hand down on the table, making me and our glasses jump, “Yes! Me and every man, woman, and child in this town are knee deep in the doings of the devil. There is always someone looking to take what you have, and trust me Val, you will soon understand just how much ofyouthey covet. Smiles are fake, kindness is an act, remorse is false! Do not embarrass yourself by falling for the traps of your peers. Do. Not. Embarrassme.”
He shakes his head before looking deep into my eyes, his words coming out through gritted teeth, “Loveis weakness, and you are covered in it. Your mother ruined you.”
He sits back in his chair, and I copy the movement, feeling as though I’ve been slapped. Fuck this. Fuck swallowing down my words and fuck his stupid way of thinking.
“Love is not weakness, Roberto. It is the most powerful thing in the world because love does not run, it does not hide, it does not cower. People like to assume that love is fluffy, weak, sugar and sweetness, but they couldn’t be more wrong,” I stand from my seat and rest my hands on the table as I lean into my father, “love will kill, maim, slay, and murder for their other half. A person who loves is the most dangerous one in the room because they will sacrifice everyone around them, innocent or not, for the ones they care for. People in love are not the heroes, they’re the villains, and those kinds of villains always win. You think mother ruined me?” I laugh humorlessly, “You better hope she did because if not, I’m going to ruin you.”
I don’t wait for his reply, I just walk as fast as I can out of the door and run face first into a chest, inked fingers wrap around my biceps to steady me.
Mateo’s unique eyes scan my face, “Sorry, princess. I wasn’t expecting you to come through the door like you’re running from a crime scene.”
I narrow my eyes at him and step back, his conniving actions back in my hometown still fresh in my mind but I remember my plan to use him against Rey, so I offer him a forced smile…I wonder if it looks more like a scowl.
I guess it does because he puts his hands up in mock surrender, “I’m kidding, but if it’s true, you can trust me to keep your murderous secret.”
Bullshit, guy. I bet you’d use it against me.Still, even speaking obvious lies, this guy’s voice is so provocative I bet the ladies beg for ravishment from him.
I clear my throat and ignore his joke, “What’s your play, Mateo?”
He shrugs, giving me an effortless nonchalant smile, “No play, pretty girl. I was just doing Rey a favor by checking you out. I can’t say I was disappointed.”
I narrow my eyes, my mouth opening to ask him what he means, but then I see the curious gazes on us, so I change courses, “Wanna get out of here and help me smoke this?”
I pull a joint out my purse and run it under my nose. He licks his lips in that way that guys do so well, “Sure, princess, let’s go.”
As he walks toward the entrance of the restaurant, he undoes the floor length black apron he has tied around his waist. I watch him amused as he balls up the fabric and tosses it into Rose’s face as we pass her.
“Hey! Where are you going?!” She stomps after us like an angry little chihuahua. “You can’t just leave! The rush is about to start, Mateo!” God, she’s a whiny little thing.
Mateo opens the door for me, letting me go first with his hand on the small of my back like I’m his date and he needs to make a good impression. When he turns back to the barking, red faced hostess, his words are completely contrary to his genteel actions.
“Hey, Rose, how about you go fuck yourself with a cactus, mmkay?”
Yeah, I think I’ll get along with Mateo Del Toro just fine.
NINETEEN
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‘ENOUGH’ CHARLIEONNAFRIDAY
