Beautifully Cruel (Beautifully Cruel #1)(31)

He stares at me. “Yeah. I thought so, too.”

“Maybe they thought you were saying Ruby or Trudie or something like that.”

He shakes his head. “I spelled it for everybody. You weren’t in anybody’s computer system.”

Shifting my weight from foot to foot, I glance away, trying to avoid his penetrating gaze. “Um, I don’t remember much about when I checked in. I might’ve given them my middle name or something.”

“Uh huh.” Pause. “So this ‘good Samaritan’ Buddy said found you and called the ambulance. I’d like to thank him. Did you get the guy’s name?”

“The, uh, the police probably have it. Like I said, I don’t really remember much.”

He’s silent for a second, then says, “You know you’re a shitty liar, right?”

I snap my head around and meet his level gaze. “I’m not lying!”

“You’re not telling me the truth, either.” When I’m silent, he challenges, “Are you?”

“Okay, you know what, Diego? This is BS. I got attacked in an alley by three thugs who wanted to rob the place. I got beat up. I went to the hospital. And now I’m out of the hospital and trying to get back to normal. Why are you giving me grief about this?”

He takes a step closer. His voice lowers. “Because I’ve never seen Buddy act as weird as he did when he told me and Carla what happened. He looked like he was about to shit his pants or leave town for good. And I could tell he wasn’t being straight with us, just like I can tell you’re not either.”

He pauses. “This has something to do with that vato in black who always comes in and stares at you, doesn’t it?”

I press my lips together and look away. “No.”

I hear his huff of annoyance. Then he gently takes me by the chin and turns my face toward his. His gaze drills into mine. He says softly, “I’m your friend, chica. Why are you lying to me?”

Aw, shit.

I whisper, “I’m sorry.” I take a breath and look at my shoes. Diego drops his hand from my face to my shoulder. “It’s just that I can’t…I don’t exactly know how…”

I blow out a hard breath and look up at him. “It’s complicated.”

He examines my face for a moment, then nods. He says softly, “Okay. I won’t push it. But I want you to know that I’m here for you, yeah? If shit gets more complicated, you can talk to me. I won’t judge.”

A lump forms in my throat. I nod wordlessly, blinking back the moisture forming in my eyes.

Diego’s voice hardens. “But if I find out that puto pendejo hurt you, I’ll kill him.”

I stare at him in horror. “Diego! How can you expect me to talk to you after that?”

His brown eyes flash in anger. “So he did hurt you. It wasn’t strangers who attacked you in the alley—it was him.”

“No! Stop twisting this around, it was not him!”

He looks at me with narrowed eyes, a muscle in his jaw flexing.

“I’m not lying about that,” I say, exasperated. “He was the one who helped me!”

The minute it’s out of my mouth, I want to kick myself.

Of course, Diego hones in on that statement like a bloodhound.

“So the man in black is the ‘good Samaritan,’ huh?” Livid, he shakes his head. “Did it ever occur to you that he might have set the whole thing up?”

“That’s ridiculous. Why would he do that?”

“So he could look like the good guy. Gain your trust.”

“You’ve been watching too many crime shows.”

“And you don’t know the lengths a man will go for something he wants.”

I close my eyes, pinch the bridge of my nose between two fingers and mutter, “I can’t believe this.”

“You’re beautiful, chica.”

Surprised, I open my eyes and look at Diego. He stares back at me with a grim set to his mouth.

“Beautiful and sweet. And smart. And funny. I’ve been watching guys come in here and get boners over you for two years. But I’ve never seen any man look at any woman the way that fucker looks at you.”

I hesitate to ask, but curiosity gets the better of me. “How does he look at me?”

“Like he’ll die if he doesn’t.”

My heartbeat is doing something strange. It’s all fluttery and chaotic, banging against my ribcage like a panicked bird. I take a moment to compose myself, then say, “I’m gonna go home now. I’ll be back at work in a few days.”

“Tru—”

“No, Diego,” I say firmly. “I appreciate you’re concern for me, and I value you as a friend. But we’re done with this conversation.”

He tips his head back and looks at me from under lowered lashes. Then he smiles a grim little smile and says, “Okay. I hear you.”

“Thank you.”

He leans closer and says, “But what I said stands—if I find out that fucker hurt you, I’ll kill him.”

He brushes past me and enters the diner, letting the door slam shut behind him.

I stand staring at the closed door with a cold shiver running down my spine.



When I get back to my apartment, I drop my purse onto the console table in the foyer, kick off my shoes, then go to the fridge for a bottle of water. I don’t hear voices from Ellie’s room, so I assume she and Ty are out.