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Thankfully, the garage doors were already open. While Mark’s sleek green Mercedes convertible was there, his motorcycle was missing. I said a silent prayer of thanks he wasn’t here to witness me fighting with Ramón.
I pulled out of the garage as fast as I dared. By the time I had the SUV turned around in the driveway, a shirtless Ramón was barreling out of the house. Fear mixed with anger lumped in my throat as I put the SUV into drive and gave him the middle finger without looking at him as I drove past. While I drove away, I allowed myself one glance back and took in the big, super pissed off man standing at the entrance of the garage, clearly furious. His dark hair streamed around his shoulders in the hot breeze and the muscles of his chest flexed as I swear he snarled at me.
Wow, he was mad.
With my heart pounding, I drove away as tears began to fall down my cheeks. Was I overreacting? Yes, on some level I knew I was being irrational, but I didn’t feel in control of myself right now. My emotions were all over the place, and I didn’t know which side was up. It was only when I reached the guarded gates leading out of Leo’s compound that I realized I had no idea where I was going. Putting on my best smile after brushing away my tears, I waved to the guard as I pulled through, ignoring the way he stared at me while he talked into his phone.
When I hit the main road, I let out a deep sigh of both relief and regret. Now that I was away from Ramón, I missed him and wished I was back in bed, safe in his arms, but I couldn’t be with a man who acted like such an asshole. I don’t care how nice to me he’s been, he dismissed my concern like it was no big deal, like I was being a nosy bitch.
I forced myself to calm down a little and took some deep breaths, trying desperately to get ahold of myself.
Okay, maybe what happened to him wasn’t my business, but he’d made me feel like it was, like we had the beginnings of a real relationship. All the nice things he said, all the nice things he’d done for me…had it all been bullshit? This was the second time he’d been a dick to me, and I was beginning to think his true personality was that of an asshole. Maybe he was just charming enough to get away with treating people like shit. I’ve run into guys like that before, even dated a few, and I knew the warning signs. I had to be smart about this, had to protect myself.
My phone rang a couple times, and I ignored it until I pulled into the back of a shopping center beneath the shade of a small tree. With my fingers trembling, I scrolled through my phone and saw that Ramón had called nine times and left ten text messages, but I deleted them all without reading or listening. I needed to be away from him right now, away from his overwhelming presence and personality. The world and all its problems seemed to disappear around him, but they never really went away. He just seemed to somehow blind me to reality. Was I so desperate for comfort that I clung to the first person who’d offered me any form of solace? Or was I overreacting to everything like a psycho girlfriend?
I took a deep breath and my aching ribs brought back unwanted memories of the feeling of Ray’s foot connecting to my back, the harsh fear that he’d break my spine and leave me crippled, unable to defend myself.
This recollection led to more crying, and I bitterly wished I could go home, but my home was now a crime scene.
Hannah.
As soon as I thought of my friend I snapped upright and took a deep breath, wiping at my face with some tissue I had in my purse.
I couldn’t believe that in my self-absorption, I’d forgotten about Hannah and everything she must be going through.
Looking through my phone, I found the number for Mrs. Cordova and called.
She picked up on the third ring, “Hello?”
Clearing my throat, I said, “Hi, Mrs. Cordova, it’s Joy. I was wondering if I could come see Hannah?”
There was a pause before she said in a gentle voice, “I’m sorry, Joy, but she doesn’t want to see anyone right now.”
My throat tightened, and I had to calm myself before I said, “Maybe, if you like asked her, maybe she’d want to see me? Please? I really need to see her. I promise I won’t stay long or disturb her rest.”
Her tone changed as she carefully asked, “Are you all right?”
