The Viper (Untamed Hearts #1)(56)

“I just told you.”

“You’re just…you?” Chuito gestured to Marcos. “And she likes it?”

“Yeah, she likes it a lot.” Marcos looked down at his glass that he had refilled at some point. He downed it in one shot and then grimaced and pushed the cup to his cousin. He dropped his head to his arms like Chuito had, and his voice cracked as he said, “I feel like such a pendejo. I just left while she was sleeping. I didn’t even say good-bye. I couldn’t.”

“Then stay.”

“In this town? Where everyone thinks I’m a criminal? No.”

“You are a criminal. You just said she liked it.”

“Look at your arm, motherf*cker. I’m not the only gangster in this room.” He lifted his head and looked at his cousin. “Promise you’ll watch her. I need to know the world isn’t going to hurt her anymore. I can’t deal with the Angel situation until I know you’re watching her. It’s the only way I’ll be okay.”

“Why?”

“Because you get things done. You’re not a f*ckup like me. You always get shit done.” Marcos dropped his face back to his arms as his head swam and the room started to feel like it was spinning. “Always.”

“Not always.” Chuito sighed. “Not when it counts.”

Marcos didn’t know if Chuito was talking about his neighbor or all the other bullshit going on. In truth, he didn’t care. He knew one way or the other, this problem with Angel was going to make it impossible to see Katie again. Angel would keep using Marcos’s aunt against him until he had to go back. Not just his aunt, but his friends. A lot of the OGs were more loyal to Chuito than Angel, and Marcos didn’t put it past Angel to smoke all of them to make his point. Marcos had to make a stand against him. He wasn’t going to be a pawn against his cousin. He couldn’t be, not even for Katie, but he had to know she was going to be safe.

“Please watch her.”

“Fine.” Chuito huffed in defeat. “I’ll watch her.”





Chapter Fifteen


Katie called in sick on Monday. Then she did it again on Tuesday when she realized everyone thought it was because of the situation with Grayson. But she had an obligation to her students and finally put her big-girl panties on and went to work on Wednesday.

Being at school wasn’t easy, and it wasn’t helped by Grayson and Ashley being there. Everyone was talking, even the students, and it wasn’t just about the breakin. Katie didn’t know if Ashley and Grayson had done damage control and spread rumors about her and Marcos, or if it was just the natural curiosity of this town that had the relationship spreading like wildfire.

There was talk everywhere about Marcos staying at her house, and the things some people said about him weren’t nice. It didn’t embarrass her. It just made her angry that he could be so unfairly judged.

Especially considering everyone in this town loved Chuito, but then, Chuito had two title belts and was currently their only reigning UFC World Champion. That apparently made him acceptable.

It wasn’t a lie anymore. She was really starting to hate this town.

She had a horrible headache by the time she got to the parking lot. She hadn’t had much sleep, and she was still fighting tears half the time. She didn’t even care that everyone was saying terrible things about her.

She just wanted Marcos back, which was crazy. He was a legitimate thief now. He’d stolen things she truly valued. Her heart. Her dignity. Her sanity. She was mad at him for leaving, and more so, she was mad at him for making her miss him.

She decided to skip the wine and drink the rest of his rum tonight, the only thing he had left behind. She had nothing to remember him by. Not even a phone number. All she had were the scars on her arm.

She pulled up short, holding on to her briefcase tighter when she saw Chuito leaning against her car, his muscular arms folded over his chest as he stood there as if he had nothing else to do.

“What are you doing here?”

“You didn’t lock your car,” Chuito said rather than answer her question. “This is a high school parking lot.”

“So?”

“A lot of car thieves are teenagers.”

“Whatever.” She stepped around Chuito to open her door, but he blocked her. “Can I help you?”

“You’re not looking so hot. You have circles under your eyes.”

“Thank you, Chuito, for pointing that out,” she said drily. “I wasn’t having a bad enough day.”

“Why are you having a bad day?”

“You know why.”

“’Cause they’re talking about you hitting it with a Latino gangbanger. You embarrassed, chica?”

“I hate you,” she announced more to herself than anyone as she tried to properly evaluate her feelings about Marcos’s cousin. “Yes, definitely. I hate you.”

Chuito laughed and then tilted his head and looked across the parking lot. “Are they giving you a bad time?”

“Who?”

“You know who.”

She frowned, remembering several very clear threats by Marcos to maim and kill Grayson if he bothered her. “What is this about?”

“Nothing.” Chuito shook his head. “Just hanging out.”