Page 31 of The Vows We Keep

“I am.”

“Wow. Big job.”

He shifts to chopping the peppers and cucumbers and round, ripe tomatoes. The tangy scent of them hits the air as he slices. “Boring as fuck. Would rather be enforcer or something.”

“I know about wanting something different than what you have. I wanted to join Los Reyes. Change their mind about accepting women. I think I had convinced Papá, but we knew we’d never get it through Perrito. He still has too much of the old-school Mexican machismo—women should keep house, make babies, and keep quiet when their husband fucks other chicas on the side.”

Niro places the knife down on the counter and studies me earnestly. “You really want to join the club?”

“I live in hope of finding one who’ll accept me.” I reach and touch the skull and crossbones on his patch. “Respect Few, Fear None.”

We both know what it means. That we’re people who have killed for our clubs.

He places his palm over my hand, holding it pressed to his chest. For a moment, I let him, wondering just how far I’d let him go.

“If you’re not trying to give me a boner, you should stop telling me your secrets, Catalina.”

I pull my fingertips away, missing the heat immediately. “I just want to do things that make me feel alive, Niro. Is that too hard for any man to understand?”

10

NIRO

Islam the knife down on the counter and place both my hands on the edge. “On a scale of one to ten, how offended would you be if I hauled you onto this counter and fucked you?”

Catalina’s eyes flare with interest, but she doesn’t immediately answer.

“I’m serious,” I say. “I’m trying to bury this thing, thistension, between us but it’s not working.”

“I figured you were,” she replies, but there’s a huskiness to her tone. “For all the same reasons I am.”

I feel the need to explain all the reasons it makes sense. She’s fit as fuck—and not gonna lie, so am I. So why shouldn’t two bodies like ours meet their equals? I like her mouth, the way she purses it when she’s thinking, like she’s doing right now.

Tits. Obviously. But that’s more a reason for me than her.

Plus, it would be a good release to all the tension that’s existed between us for the past twenty-four hours.

Except. “It’s a bad idea, right?”

“It would just be sex, right?” she asks.

Yeah. Reason three hundred and seventy-six why I want to fuck this chick who kicks ass, takes names, and doesn’t give a shit that she’s killed people.

“Just sex. We all know you’re going back to Barstow eventually. If it helps you decide, I’m really fucking desperate to feel that cunt of yours around my cock.”

Catalina tips her head to one side. “You got more of that dirty talk?”

“I’ve got more of anything that will turn you on.”

“Then let’s do it.”

I’ve often wondered what it feels like in the exact moment you find out you won the Powerball. One of those mega lotteries with a billion bucks in it. Like, you walk into the store or call the number or whatever, and then whoever you speak to confirms what you thought you knew.

You’re a winner.

Your life changes in an instant.

And as Catalina stands from the stool and tugs her hoodie over her head, I recognize the feeling. Your stomach drops with the holy shit-ist feeling. Your chest tightens. And your cock gets really fucking hard.