One week later

 

On the big screen against the far wall of Mark’s living room, I watched as my dwarf character got demolished during a battle.

From the big easy chair to my left, Mark laughed, his voice echoing just the slightest bit through the big headphones I was wearing.

Hissing softly, I waited to respawn while Mark and his team kicked major ass during a player vs. player battle. We were in some elven city in this big video game virtual world, battling necromancers or some shit. I was a low level dwarf. I accidentally started with the wrong character race and was too lazy to change it. I didn’t belong anywhere near the front lines of the battle, where Mark and his team were tearing shit up.

It was fun listening to them yell at each other and call out attack orders. Though it was just a game, they moved with the precision of a military unit, slashing their way through everything in their path.

A woman’s husky voice purred through my headphones. “Healing bomb incoming.”

That was Layla, or as she was known in the game, Slay’La. She was the top battlemage of whatever elven city it was we were defending, and one of the few girls on their team. Her whisky and honey voice was pure, undiluted sex. I mean, I’m straight as they come, but even I got a little tingle when she spoke. The woman could’ve made a fortune as an erotic romance audio book narrator, and she was funny as shit.

She was also the closest thing Mark had to a girlfriend. Though he denied it, he liked her. Like-liked her liked her. It gave me no small amount of pleasure to tease Mark about it, but never to the point of tipping Layla off. I think she liked him as well, but neither of them had ever acted on their flirting. Tonight might be different.

Layla was drunk. She’d let it slip that it was her birthday, so she was doing shots. When asked if she was going out to party later, she’d changed the subject and my spidey senses tingled. Mark told me to leave it alone, that Layla didn’t have to talk about her real life if she didn’t want to, but he was a guy. Guys didn’t understand a woman’s need to connect. Layla had certainly been nice to me, and I got the feeling she needed a friend. With Hannah still healing, I’d seen her briefly yesterday and confirmed she was indeed a mess, I missed my girl talk.

By the time I made it to the field where they stood triumphant among the enemy corpses, the fight was over, and our side had won.

I was antsy with anticipation and waiting for Ramón to come pick me up. He’d been gone for the past day and a half on business, and I missed him a lot. In fact, I was becoming downright mopey when he wasn’t around. I had no desire to do anything but veg in Mark’s house when Ramón wasn’t here. Butterflies filled my belly and I know I was checking my phone ever thirty seconds. Thankfully, Mark hadn’t said anything, but I’d caught him rolling his eyes a few times.

I couldn’t help it. Tonight, my parents were coming to meet Ramón’s for a family dinner at the Cordova’s estate. While I knew Judith and Jose would be completely charming with my parents, and that they seemed to love me, it was still a big step. I mean, not only was there the whole ‘nice to meet you’ awkwardness, there was the fact that the Cordova’s lived a crazy lifestyle that I’m not sure my parents had ever been exposed to. I’d had time to get over my awe of them living in absolute luxury, but my mom loved those celebrity home renovation shows, and the Cordova’s pad put most celebrity mansions to shame.

While I was nervous about my parents meeting Ramón’s family, I’m was sure all the Cordova’s would be welcoming—with the exception of Fernando. Ramón had promised me his brother wouldn’t be there, but it didn’t sit well with me to exclude him. I planned on talking with Fernando, if he was sober, before my parents arrived to invite him to dinner. My heart hurt for the poor guy, and I wanted him to know that he was always welcome.

Besides, my mom got along great with Ramón, for whatever reason. Well enough that when he extended an invitation to dinner at his parents’ place, she happily accepted without asking me first. While I knew in the back of my mind he’d talked to my mother—they FaceTimed, so she knew exactly what he looked like—I didn’t know they were making plans without including me in the decision-making process.

That was not cool, so I got pissed. Ramón and I argued, then I gave in because make-up sex on the empty construction site of Ramón’s new home with my man was incredible.

I thought about Ramón’s new house, and how close it was to being done, and how much I already loved it. We’d gone shopping one day in the antique and furniture district of Phoenix, and we’d purchased a lot of super comfy stuff for his house. He asked me to pick out his bedroom set, and I’d been happy when he’d instructed me to ‘get things that I loved.’ I knew it was his way of reminding me that he considered me already moved in with him, but I wasn’t quite ready to make that commitment yet. Ramón moved fast, very fast, and I had to make sure I was thinking with both my mind and my heart.

Then again…life was short, so why was I fighting it? If we were meant to be together, forever, why wait? It was crazy talk, the kind of fantasy I made fun of other girls for having about instant-love, but damned if I didn’t feel like Ramón was the one. I couldn’t imagine a future without him in it. He made my life…better. My sister Brittney would hate how co-dependent that sounded, but my little sister Winter would understand. She was in love with her soul-mate, anyone could see it, even if she was only seventeen.

I loved Winter to bits, though sometimes I did think she lived with her head in the clouds. Part of me wished she could come tonight—she had some cheerleading camp thing with the eight-year-olds she taught after school—but the other part of me was relieved she’d stay home. I’d have enough trouble handling just my parents, let alone keeping track of my overly honest sibling who considered everyone a friend.

She’d adore the idea of Ramón sweeping me off my feet and my tumbling head over heels into love with him.

My throat tightened as I considered that last thought.

I did love him, and the idea should scare me, but all I could feel was happiness and relief that I’d finally found a man who treasured me.

I bit my lower lip and turned my wrist to admire the gorgeous antique emerald bracelet I wore. The stones glinted with a striking inner fire in the flickering light of the TV. In general I’m not a vain or flashy person. I spent the vast majority of my teenage years wishing I was invisible, but seeing what amounted to a fortune in jewelry on my wrist sent a little thrill through me. It showed me that he cared, that he wanted the best for me, that he thought about me. Ramón had given me a matching set of earrings to go with the bracelet, but I hadn’t put those on. The bracelet was enough—with the earrings added, I looked like I was going to the Oscars.

I’d picked a subdued, black velvet dress decorated with tiny neon blue flowers, surrounded by lime green leaves embroidered on the fitted bodice. It covered me to my neck, but showed the shape of my figure. Instead of heels, I’d paired it with some cute black and blue leather flip flops that showed off my petal pink pedicure. Ramón had sent me to the spa, and I’d gotten the full package and then some. I was rubbed, buffed, and fluffed to perfection. My phone buzzed and I whipped off my headphones, then answered it with a smile.

“Hi, honey.”

Ramón’s deep, smooth voice filled me with tingles of anticipation. “Waiting outside for you.”

“I’ll be right out.”

With a skip in my step, I grabbed my purse then gave Mark a one-armed hug, laughing at his total concentration on the screen. “Later, ‘gator.”

He bobbed and weaved just like his character fighting in the game. “Have fun tonight.”

“Oh, yeah, I can’t wait. Nothings as relaxing as having your parents meet your boyfriend’s parents for the first time.”

“Boyfriend? Joy, that man thinks he’s already your husband.”

I sighed, but didn’t say anything. He was right. Ramón acted more like we were married than dating. It was nice, but it was also annoying.

“Tell your girlfriend I said goodnight and happy birthday.”

He repeated my words, and whatever Layla said in return made him laugh in loud, happy way he only did for Layla.

Yep, he liked her.

His mirth faded behind me as I practically ran through the house, my eagerness to see Ramón making my skin prickle. I missed him, missed his scent, missed his taste. I’d become addicted to his attention in record time, had reveled in his obsession with me. When we were together, alone, we talked about anything and everything for hours. He seemed fascinated with me, and asked me all about my opinions on the world, and he appeared genuinely interested in my thoughts on life. We discussed current events, and he was starting to ask me my opinion on different experimental ideas the Cordova Group was playing around with.

I hated sounding like an intellectual snob, but I’d never dated a man as smart as Ramón. He got me and challenged me in a way few people ever did. I was slowly beginning to understand him, his motivations, what made him tick. Without a doubt, the death of his nephew had changed him, but in both a good and bad way. Good, because he seemed to have this…respect for life—no, he valued life. He valued his time with me and somehow, I knew I was precious to him. Bad, because I could read him well enough to see the unending pain that filled him whenever he talked about Jason. He trusted me enough to unburden himself and his faith humbled me.

Gah, I sounded like a lovesick moron, but when I saw him step out of his sleek red Maserati, dressed in a black suit with a white shirt unbuttoned at the neck, and his hair slicked back, I had to bite my lip. Damn, he was sexy. My pussy tingled as it began to warm, and I drank him in with a happy sigh. Mine, all mine. He strode toward me, his gaze locked on mine. Tino waited for us at the end of Mark’s drive, his attention focused on the scenery instead of us. I appreciated his discretion, and used our moment of semi-privacy to wrap my arms around Ramón and kiss the hell out of him.

Mmmmm. He tasted as good as he smelled.

When he pulled back, he studied my lips then smiled. “That’s it, I’m buying stock in this cosmetic company. Any lipstick that can stand up to our kiss is worth the investment.”

I laughed, then kissed him again. “And it tastes like peaches.”

“That it does,” he murmured against my mouth. “You look amazing.”

“Thank you.”

“Can’t believe I’m lucky enough to have you.”

“You should be flattered I agree to slum around with you.”

He grabbed my hair lightly in his fist, and tugged my head back. “Don’t I know it.”

Tino revved his engine, and I sighed. “Come on, we don’t want to be late.”

Ramón helped me into his car. When we were on the road to his parents’ place, he reached out and rested his hand on my thigh. “Relax. It’ll be okay, I promise.”

“You don’t know them.”

“Yeah, I do. I know all about your family.”

“How?”

He turned in the fading sunlight, his brow arched in a sarcastic way that made me want to kiss the smirk off his mouth. “You may have talked about them a time or two.”

I groaned, throwing my hands over my face before peeking through my fingers at him. “Then you know they’re all crazy. Please, don’t let them scare you away.”

His laughter filled the car, mingling with the soft R&B station he liked to listen to on long drives. “I don’t scare easy.”

“You haven’t met my sister yet.”

“Winter? She doesn’t frighten me.”

I stuck my tongue out at him as we raced beneath the large palm trees lining the street. “I meant my older sister Brittney.”

“She doesn’t scare me, either.” Before he looked away from me and back to the road, a scary coldness entered his gaze that reminded me of his mother. “If anything, I’m the one she should be scared of.”

“Uh, what?”

Abruptly, his mood turned teasing and the tension in the car melted as if it’d never been there. In a mockingly seductive and heavily accented voice, he said, “Come on, what woman can resist my charm?”

When we finally pulled up to his house, he let the car idle just past the gates. “I need to tell you something.”

“What?”

“Brittney is coming to dinner tonight with your niece.”

With a sick feeling, I hunched forward a little. “Wait, my sister is here? With Memphis?”

“Yeah, she came for a surprise visit with your folks.” He rubbed my back. “My well-meaning mother is trying to make you feel welcome by making an effort to meet everyone in your family. It’s how she was raised.”

“It’s okay. I mean, she’s my sister.” I took a deep breath and let it out. “Everything will be fine.”

“You’re really freaking out,” Ramón muttered. “I hate that your sister does this to you.”

“Look, honestly, Brittney’s been way better since she became a mom, but I’m always afraid she’s going to snap back into her bitchy ways.”

He gave me a reassuring smile as we pulled into the long drive. “You have nothing to worry about, I’ll make sure of it.”

The front door of his parents’ house opened. I couldn’t help but smile at the sight of my mom, holding my almost three-year-old niece while she stood in the doorway.

I didn’t even wait for the car to come to a complete stop before I launched myself out, glad I wore flip flops tonight instead of heels. They allowed me to sprint across the wide cobblestone courtyard to snatch my Memphis from my mother in record time. Everyone laughed, but the moment she saw me, Memphis gave me a toothy little smile and leaned out of my mom’s arms so I could catch her.

She giggled while I slowly twirled us around, making loud kissing noises as I covered her chubby baby cheeks, fat little baby neck, and rounded baby arms with love.

“Aunt Joy,” Memphis said while she pushed at me with her small hands. “Stop.”

“I can’t believe how big you are.” Leaning back a little bit, I examined her sparkly amethyst purple dress that set off her dark curls. “And so pretty.”

“I told you,” my mom said off to the side in a low voice. “Right to Memphis. Totally ignored me, like I’m not even here.”

Judith gave a soft laugh. “That’s as it should be. Every child should be raised with love by their whole family. Makes them healthier, both mentally and physically.”

Memphis started playing with my hair when I heard my sister say, “Hi, Joy, it’s nice to see you. She hasn’t stopped talking about you the whole trip.”

“It’s good to see you too, Brittney.”

To my surprise, she hugged me tight then gave Memphis a kiss on the cheek. “We were both excited to come visit, right, Munchkin?”

“Right, Mommy.”

Seeing that my sister seemed to be in a good mood, I hefted Memphis on top my hip while I gave first my mom, then Judith a one-armed hug. They all chatted together, totally at ease while Ramón joined us, his straight white teeth flashing as he gave us his most dashing smile. He placed his hand on my lower back, then grinned down at Memphis, who was hiding in my hair.

“Who is this beautiful princess?” Ramón said in a voice that was sweeter than honey and softer than velvet.

It was a voice I’ve never heard him use before, and it made my heart and my ovaries flutter. “This is Memphis, my niece. Memphis, this is my boyfriend, Ramón.”

She lifted her face from my hair enough to cautiously look up, then smiled when Ramón crouched down a little so he was more at her height. “It’s nice to meet you. I hope you’re hungry.”

Memphis slowly nodded her head, watching him closely.

Ramón gave my niece a gentle smile that once again made me think about what a good dad he’d be someday. “Do you like macaroni and cheese? The kind with the pasta shaped like seashells?”

Memphis gasped, because this was indeed her favorite food. “I hungry now.”

We all laughed, and my mom snagged Memphis from me as Jose and my clearly happy dad met us inside. Ramón slipped his hand into mine, and gave me a bemused smile while everyone said hello. Brittney laughed at something my mom said, then waited for us to catch up while the parents went ahead of everyone. Giving me a tight smile, Brittney said in a low voice, “Joy, can I talk to you for a second?”

Ramón gave her a warning look, but I forced him to release my hand as I faked a smile. “Sure. Um, Ramón, you’ll be on the back porch, right?”

“Yeah.” He searched my face, his lovely eyes warming slightly before he gave me a brief kiss. “Don’t be long. Everyone will be waiting on you.”

“We won’t.”

As he walked away, Brittney fidgeted with her hair, and I noticed she’d dropped some weight—and it didn’t look good on her.

Scanning the wide hallway, she said, “Is there somewhere a little more private we can go?”

“Follow me. There’s a music room I think you’ll like.”

“Okay.” Her voice was soft and hesitant as she said, “This place sure is something.”

I led us into a room a couple of doors down one of the hallways, a place where Judith kept her piano and violin collection. My sister had played the piano in high school, and I wondered if that was something she’d continued. We’d had to sell our crappy old piano to make ends meet one year when my dad had gotten pneumonia, and I remember Brittney had been devastated.

When we entered the large room with its pale green walls and elegant green and gold Persian carpets, Brittney let out a soft gasp.

“Wow. Okay, this is just insane. Are these…” she turned around the room with wide eyes until she spotted the carved antique mahogany piano near the big bay window. “Oh, that’s lovely.”

I didn’t bother turning the room lights on, instead leaving most of the place in darkness with soft amber lights illuminating various pieces of art and the piano.

She hesitated before touching it, a weary look coming over her face that I wasn’t used to seeing. “Does anyone play it?”

“I think Judith does.”

Right away, Brittney took a step back. “Never mind.”

Laughing, I joined her at the piano and gently ran my fingers up and down the keys. “It’s okay. I mean, you know how to play and everything, right? I’m sure she’d love to hear some music.”

A look of great longing took over my sister’s face, and tears filled her green eyes, so similar to mine. “Maybe later. I don’t want to keep Memphis waiting.”

“What’s going on?”

“I-I’m not just visiting. I left Greg, and I’m staying with Mom and Dad until I can get back on my feet.”

“Oh, shit. Brittney, I’m so sorry.” I hugged her tight, her chin resting on my shoulder as she made a soft whimper. “What happened?”

“Joy…it’s so bad.”

Panic filled me as I pulled back and searched her for injuries. “Did he hurt you?”

“Physically? No. But he eviscerated my heart and trust.”

I grabbed her hands in my own and led her over to the red velvet seat of the large piano bench, making her sit next to me. “Brittney, tell me. I promise, I won’t judge you, but I might kill him, depending on what he did to you.”

“Well…Memphis has a half-sister that’s one year younger than her.”

My jaw must have hit my chest. “You are fucking shitting me.”

“I wish.”

“Holy moly. Did you just find out?”

“Yeah. The other woman—who turns out to be awesome—” Brittney let out a soft, watery laugh, “Anyway, she thought Greg was single, that he traveled a lot for his job, but that he was going to propose to her any day. Then she found out he was married to me, and had me and Memphis waiting for him at home in California, and she decided to talk to me before she confronted him. She was devastated, like I was, but she never acted like it was anyone’s fault but his for being a cheating dick. Karen, Greg’s girlfriend, helped me get a lawyer who made sure I had my fair share of our mutual assets and that my personal money was safe before I filed for divorce.”

“You’re kidding me.”

“And he wasn’t just cheating on me with Karen. I snagged his laptop and let my lawyer take a look. Greg had active profiles on nine different dating sites. I’m so glad I insisted on him always wearing a condom after my birth control failed with Memphis. Thankfully, I’ve tested clean, but I never want to have to go through that fear again. I mean, can you imagine if he’d given me something that had gotten me sick, or made Memphis ill? All because he’s some kind of…of relationship addict?”

“This is so crazy.”

“And get this—Karen’s a lawyer, a really good one. She wanted to make sure Greg paid for what he did to us. Considering I was there the day he founded his company, and considering its current worth is in the millions, Greg will probably buy me out. I don’t want crazy money. Just enough to take care of Memphis and stay at home with her in a nice neighborhood, where I can give her the kind of childhood she deserves.” Brittney sighed and her shoulders slumped. “I know I’ve been a really shitty sister in the past, but I know you’ll be the best Aunt Memphis could ever want. You have so much love to give, and I could use your help once we move down here.”

“Anything you need. I mean it.” My protective instincts went on high alert. “Do we have to worry about Greg coming after you?”

“Probably not.” She chewed her lower lip for a second, her eyes darting away, then back again. “He was really mad when he found half of our checking account missing and one quarter of our savings.”

“A quarter? He got off lightly.”

She wrinkled her nose at me. “Don’t forget, he has to help Karen support her little girl, Opal.”

“So does that make Opal my niece?”

“In a way. Karen says we’ll always be welcome in Opal’s life, and she wants the girls to be able to spend time together. They are sisters, and family is very important to Karen. She’s very…loving.” An odd expression came over Brittney’s face. “She’s really nice and kind. I mean, you’d think she’d hate me, or I’d hate her because of what Greg did, but she’s just an innocent bystander like myself, swept up in his bullshit. I might have lost my husband, but I’ve gained a…friend who makes me feel happy in a way I haven’t experienced in a long time. She’s a big believer in good karma, and I sometimes wonder if what happened with Greg was a result of my past sins.”

I thought I heard something across the room, but a quick glance didn’t reveal much because of the spotlight blinding me. “I don’t think it works like that.”

“I was a miserable bitch,” Brittney said in a rush. “I’m so sorry I took out my bipolar bullshit on you.”

“Wait, you’re bipolar?”

With tears dripping down her cheeks, Brittney nodded. “I’m finally on medication for it, and I feel worlds better. Clear headed in a way I haven’t been in years. Not saying I’m perfect, or that I’m not a bitch, but I’m trying to be a better person for my daughter. I never could have imagined loving someone as much as I love Memphis. I know that if I want to go to heaven with her, I better start stacking up good karma. The more you have, the easier it will be for you to get into heaven and I have a lot of negativity and pain to make up for.”

I laughed softly and shook my head. “Who are you, and what have you done with my sister?”

“I need you to know I recognize how terrible I was to you and thank you for even giving me the time of day. I don’t deserve it, but that’s the kind of loving person you are. I appreciate it.”

I couldn’t even think of anything to say, so I just sat there and stared at her as she pushed back some of my hair. Movement caught my eye across the room again, and I realized with a start we weren’t alone. A vaguely male shape sat in the shadows, still as could be, his attention clearly on us. Anger filled me that someone dared to eavesdrop on such a private moment with my sister, spied on us when we were at our most vulnerable.

Then that anger turned to worry as Fernando slowly rose from the couch and stepped into the light.

He only smelled like weed now, no alcohol, and his gaze—though bloodshot—was surprisingly sharp.

I don’t think I’d ever seen him this sober.

Wearing a button down black shirt and khaki shorts, his stride was purposeful as he crossed the room toward us. Behind me, my sister startled hard enough that the bench shook. I reached back, putting my hand on her leg. Fernando must have seen it, because he slowed down, sorrow mixing with his determination.

“I won’t hurt you,” he rasped. “And I’m sorry that I overheard you, but I’m not sorry for doing it.”

“Fernando, Ramón’s oldest brother. Recently lost his wife and son in an accident,” I muttered to my sister before saying in a louder voice, “What the fuck, Fernando?”

He held up his hands, his dark gaze focused on my sister who was now clutching my wrist. “Do you really believe that?”

“Believe what?” my sister asked. She released me as she stood behind me, placing a protective hand on my shoulder.

“That if you do enough good deeds, you can erase the evil on your soul and go to heaven.”

I tried to avoid flinching at the grief in his voice, and my sister made a soft sound of sorrow. “I do believe that. Though I don’t think evil deeds get erased. I picture it more like scales. At the end of your life, does the good outweigh the evil? If it doesn’t, what can you do to change that? Who can you help? Who can you be nice to?”

He blinked rapidly, and my heart broke anew for him when I saw a spark of hope lift some of the darkness from his gaze. “I don’t even know where to start.”

“Start with your family, those you’ve loved and wronged.”

She gave my shoulder a squeeze, and I placed my hand over hers, shocked by her compassion and understanding. Without a doubt, she was a different person now that she was on medication for her bipolar disorder, and I was so damn proud of her. A knock came from the door and a second later, an unsmiling Ramón appeared. He took one look at the situation, at our teary faces and took off toward Fernando.

I managed to jump between them and had to literally wrap my arms around Ramón. “If you hit him, you’ll hurt me!”

Instantly, he stopped, but his chest was heaving against mine as he lifted me up and examined my face. “You’ve been crying. What the fuck did he do?”

“He didn’t do anything.” I did my best to soothe him, stroking his face and neck. “I’m okay. These are just emotional tears.”

“What happened?” he gritted out.

To my surprise, it was Brittney who literally stood between Fernando and Ramón. “Ramón, it’s nothing. We were having a discussion about heaven.”

Ramón almost dropped me as he abruptly set me on my feet.

He frowned over my head at Brittney. “Heaven?”

“Yeah,” Fernando said with a harsh, aching laugh. “Brittney here seems to think we can earn our way back into heaven with good deeds. That there’s a chance at redemption.”

Even I could hear the anxious hope in his voice, that Fernando desperately wanted to believe my sister, and Ramón was no fool. “Of course there is.”

“See, I told you,” Brittney said in a gentle, teasing voice. “Never doubt one of the Holtz sisters. We’re always right.”

Fernando didn’t say anything, his gaze distant and tortured.

Looping his arm around my waist, Ramón tugged me to his side. “We need to go eat before the parents decide to come look for us.”

“Fernando,” I gave him what I hoped was a welcoming smile. “Would you like to join us? I’m sure my parents would love to meet you.”

Fernando took in a deep breath, then slowly let it out. “Thank you, but no. I need some time alone to think.”

Brittney gave him a gentle one-armed hug before joining us as we left Fernando alone with his thoughts in the silence.