“I can’t believe you’re dating this guy! You gave me the hardest time in the world about criminal activity and now you’re going to end up with the same type of dude as last time!” he yelled as the veins in his neck came to the surface.
I put up a finger in his face. “Like hell you’re talking to me like this! You vouched for your playboy friend! That’s the whole reason I’m living here. He didn’t tell me about his dealings right away. I didn’t know! Give me a fucking break.”
“You didn’t know? The guy rides a bike should have been your first clue,” he shot back sarcastically.
“Don’t even, Palo. Has nothing to do with anything. After you had those motherfuckers of yours try to slip me a mickey at the fucking club!” I screamed, slamming my foot to the ground.
Palo put his hands behind his head and looked to the heavens. He quickly put his hands together and raised them in my face.
“Don’t you understand? Their club was responsible for killing El Diablo! Now you’re dating the guy who’s starting the new chapter. Once he finds out about you, he’s going to call in the others. That’s the problem.” Palo was so mad, spit flew from his mouth and his teeth were bared.
“You don’t know that. Diego’s not like that with me. He’s not that guy, his chapter is legit. El Diablo was a piece of shit and ran the club into the ground. So what if he's dead! El cabron!”
Palo waved me off. “You’re setting the stage for another war! I’m trying to clean it up!” Palo gritted his teeth, slamming the front door behind him. Tears rolled down my face as I put a hand to my temple. Not sad tears, but angry tears. I sensed that Diego would never put me in harm's way. I walked in the house, ready to take a hot shower. I looked at my phone first. There were two missed calls from Diego. I wondered how he had time to text me when he was creeping.
I showered and let the water hit me and wash away the confusion. I dried off and stared at all the books in my room. All the dreams I held in my heart. I stared at my phone and it began to look like Darth Vader to me. I sat on my bed with my hands clasped for a long time. Then I just leaped up and returned Diego’s call.
“Hullo?”
“You’ve been avoiding me,” he said.
“I haven't, I've just had a lot going on with exams.”
“Is it just exams you’ve had going on?”
I held the phone away from my face, looking at it.
“I could ask you the same thing,” I snapped back at him.
He didn’t skip a beat. “I’m down here at the warehouse right now, you should come by.” His voice held a threatening tone I had never experienced before.
“I don’t know that I want to come there right now.”
“Huh? You Spanish chicas love to play games. Come over, I want to see you.” His voice smoothed out again and I reconsidered. I was already on my feet and sneaking out of my room. I heard the television on and Palo on the phone. I tiptoed out the back and silently opened the back door to sneak out the side gate.
“I’ll be there in twenty minutes, send me the address.”
“Okay.”
I clamped my hands to the wheel as the evening dusk of night settled in the California skies. I had my window rolled down as I drove and the mosquitos were out to eat. I rolled it up quickly. I turned on my brights as I came to a large warehouse out the back of nowhere. It resembled an old aircraft hangar.
Diego stood close to the side door resting against the doorframe. He had a toothpick in his mouth, his muscles more pronounced than the last time I saw him. His honeycomb hair caught in the light as intense attraction drew me to him like a moth to a flame.
“Misty.” Just one word and I thought I would melt right then and there.
“Hey, Diego.” I suddenly became shy, but not shy enough for me not to approach him. He pulled me close to him, keeping his eyes open and biting my bottom lip. I closed mine.
I spread a hand on his stomach, softly pushing him away from me. Our greeting made me forget I was mad at him. I walked into the warehouse and looked around. A typical repair shop except for all the space. On the back wall was the club motto hanging as a banner. The place smelled of grease and metal. Two bikes were up on platforms to be worked on.
“Wow, you’ve set up things so quickly.” I turned as Diego managed to grab a few of my fingers and interlace them with his.
“Yes. I did. Are you avoiding me? Come and sit down. Tell me how you’re doing.”
I looked back at him. The guy ignited the furnace inside of me.
Diego sat in the closest chair and pulled me into his lap. He grabbed my chin lightly and tasted my lips. All the anger subsided, he pacified me somehow. I pulled back again.
“Diego, are you seeing anybody else?”
