Page 71 of Jessica, Not Her Real Name

She came back to the table, eyes averted from the horrors of her boyfriend’s handiwork. Finally, she reached forward for the pack of tissues.

Belinda allowed herself a small smile of triumph. Then smoothed her features into a solemn expression. “But first, you have to help us.”

NINETEEN

The moment Danielstrode into Martín’s restaurant, the man flinched, and the blood drained from his face. The reaction must have stemmed from the look on Daniel’s face. Or maybe it was because he’d caught sight of the fists balled at his sides.

For a split second the old urge rose up in him—to make Martín pay for selling him out, to remind him what betrayal earned. His fists tightened, itching for it.

But Julia’s face flickered in his mind, steadying him. He drew a slow breath, letting the anger settle in his chest. Then he walked past Martín into the kitchen.

Sebastián stood at the sink rinsing a stack of dishes. He glanced up, nodded once, then shut off the water. He yanked the apron over his head and tossed it onto the counter.

Daniel went up the stairs ahead of him; once inside his brother’s room, he closed the door.

“We’re leaving?” Sebastián said.

Daniel nodded.

Sebastián grabbed his backpack off the floor, started shoving in clothes. Neither of them owned a lot of stuff; their lives had revolved around what they could carry with them since they were kids. “When?”

“Tonight. We’re meeting Julia by the lake.”

He straightened. “She’s coming with us?”

Daniel leaned against the door frame. “I should hope so. Seeing as how she’s gonna be my wife and all.”

The kid dropped the socks he was trying to roll up. “You’re getting married?”

“I gave her Mom’s ring. She said yes.”

Sebastián said nothing for a long moment, and Daniel knew he was thinking about that ring, which was the only thing they had left of theirmamá. Or of their family. It was only theirs due to a stroke of luck. Before they’d gotten in that van, their mother had stashed all their valuables on her children, believing that two little boys would be less likely to be robbed than her or their dad. Since then, Daniel had sold everything else to survive. But not that ring.

Sebastián said quietly, “You really love her.”

He met his brother’s eyes. “Yeah,” he said softly. “I really fucking do.”

He meant it, but he also couldn’t quite believe he meant it. He couldn’t believe that in a few short months he’d known her, he’d gone from a guy who’d sat in her driveway with a pistol in his hand, with every intention of hurting her with it, to a guy who was counting down the hours before he could get her before an altar and God and making her his forever.

He didn’t even know what it was about her that had so thoroughly turned his head. If someone put that same gun to his head and demanded to know why he loved her, what would he say? Because she was beautiful, obviously; every time he looked at her, things started knocking in his chest. Watching her dance was an almost religious experience. It was like she was part-human, part-butterfly. It blew his mind that with just her body she could make him feel things that there weren’t words for in any language. The only time his mind was similarly blown was when her body was beneath his.

But if that gun really was to his head, though, if he had to list one reason for loving her, it would be a purely selfish thing. It would be because she made him want things, too. Real things, things he’d never had the chance to want until now.

He wanted to make babies with her and watch them grow. He wanted a place with her he could finally call home. He wanted to live, and not just survive.

Sebastián went to the chest of drawers, the room’s only furniture other than the bed, and started emptying it. He slung his backpack over his shoulder, then wrapped one arm around Daniel. “Te quiero, hermano.”

Daniel swallowed down something that felt suspiciously like a lump in his throat. “I love you too,hermanito.” Then he pushed his brother away and said, “So you wanna go say goodbye to what’s-his-face?”

Sebastián shook his head. “We’ve already said our goodbyes.”

Daniel steered him out the door in front of him. “Let’s get the fuck outta here, then.”

Sebastián turned and said to him over his shoulder, “So, wait. We’re all going to be living together under one roof? You, me and Julia?”

“Uh huh.”

“And you two are going to be having sex, like, all the time, right?”