Page 31

CHAPTER 31

Lalo

“Yes,” she said.

He gulped. “Yes?”

She rolled her eyes. Carolina swept forward and rested a hand on his chest. His body shuddered in response. “My answer is yes. I will dance with you.”

“Here?” He gestured toward their surroundings. They were alone, save for the chickens sleeping on their perches in the coop nearest to them. And the dogs. Those blasted dogs always seemed to be nearby.

“Why not? We can still hear the music. And everyone believes we are in love.”

Hell, he’d believe they were in love too, if he were an onlooker, simply by the way she smiled at him.

“We might as well act the part of lovers,” Carolina said. “A dance together will be fun.”

“Fun? On second thought…”

She grabbed his hands. “You will dance, Lalo, or else.”

“You really are a torment.”

She bowed. “Thank you.”

Before he knew it, she had him moving to the music. It wasn’t a slow, graceful song but fast and thumping. Their boots moved and slid over the dirt, kicking up dust that tickled his nose. She spun herself around, holding her skirts in a way that showed a lovely array of colors. She stomped and clapped and laughed. Lalo found himself doing the same thing. Not the pulling of skirts part, of course, but the laughing. He laughed with his full chest. He didn’t know if he’d ever done such a thing before.

“You’re a natural,” she said between twirls.

“It is easy when I have you to learn from.”

She put her hands on his shoulders, his went to her hips, and together, they swept through the wide-open space. The grin that beamed from her was as stunning as the night sky. It was vast and unending and full of mysteries he knew he could spend his entire life searching through. He dipped her low and felt his own lips quirk into a smile.

But then, the music slowed and eventually came to an end. And it was the most miserable occurrence. If he could, he’d force the mariachi to never stop.

They stood there for a moment, staring at each other, swaying at the phantom song still lingering in the air.

“What are you thinking?” she asked.

“I was just wondering why I have waited so long to dance.” He had to be made a monster to really understand what he’d been missing out on. And that thing he was missing out on was his own life.

“Carolina!” Se?ora Fuentes called from the barn.

“One second, Amá!”

“Now, hija.”

Carolina winced. “I might be in trouble for that scene with Rafa.”

“Would you like me to accompany you? That was partially my fault.”

“No.” She smiled up at him. “But thank you.”

She stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek.

A shock of pure fire roared through him. He was surprised he didn’t combust then and there. His hand went to his face. To the spot where her lips had just left their scorching mark.

“What was that for?” he asked.

“For the dance.” She peered over her shoulder as her mother called her name once more. “I will find you as soon as Mamá has finished reprimanding me.”

And with that, she raced away. He watched her go. She laughed and swerved around a slender woman standing in the shadows, yelling out her apologies before disappearing into the barn.

Alone, confused, and for some unexplainable reason rather sad, Lalo headed toward his room. He needed to feed again to stave off the claws of thirst raking down his throat.

He had just made it into the casa when a voice boomed down the hallway.

“There you are!” Se?or Fuentes called.

Lalo turned. Three men stood behind el se?or. Lalo recognized Jorge from the journey over. There was an older man who had a hardened version of Jorge’s face—his father, Lalo presumed. And then there was Rafa, eyeing Lalo with enough contempt to fill the valley.

Lalo gulped.

“Come,” Se?or Fuentes said. “If you wish to be a part of this great familia, you must learn what it is we do.”

“Tend to cattle?” Lalo asked, praying to every saint that was what Se?or Fuentes meant. But judging from the whole-chested laughter coming from the other men, Lalo knew that wasn’t what he was speaking of.

“The cattle are important, of course,” Se?or Fuentes said, nodding. “But there are things more significant than making money.” He stepped closer to Lalo, his dark eyes growing serious. “Like protecting the people we love. This pueblo and all who live within it.”

“Can you even ride a horse?” Rafael asked, his chin tilted so high, he was sure to have a kink in his neck the next morning.

“I can.” Lalo raised his chin as well, higher than Rafael’s by at least a pin’s width. “I’ve won many races in my day.” He didn’t know why he said that—he hated horses and races. But he found himself wanting to outdo Rafael at every turn.

“Can you shoot, Lalo?” Jorge asked, his hand resting on the pistol slung from the holster on his belt.

Rafa chortled. “We all know he cannot.”

Lalo raised a brow. “Yet somehow I won our duel.”

“What about hand-to-hand combat?” Jorge’s father asked.

“Does brawling with Carolina count?” This brought on a riotous bout of laughter from Se?or Fuentes and his family. If only they knew Lalo hadn’t been joking.

“What exactly will we be doing?” Lalo asked Se?or Fuentes.

Rafael grinned and nudged Jorge in the ribs with an elbow.

Please don’t let this be about sedientos. Please don’t let this be about sedientos. Please…

“Come along, mijo. Tonight will be an adventure you won’t soon forget.”