“Don’t I? It’s because he has more money, isn’t it?”
“That has nothing to do with this.”
“Doesn’t it? Doesn’t every girl think about that stuff? What kind of provider a man would be.”
“It’s complicated. It’s not just about me anymore.”
“What the fuck does that mean?”
I’m about to tell him about the baby when the roar of a motorcycle drags both our attention to the window. A split second later, the glass shatters, and something flies through it, spraying shards all over us.
Blue dives for me, knocking me to the floor, and then fire explodes through the room like some kind of bomb went off.
The curtains go up, the flames roll across the ceiling, and drips of flammable liquid splatter everything, burning.
The front door is unreachable, so Blue grabs my arms and hauls me toward the back door, but it won’t open, and when he draws the curtain back, there are boards nailing it shut.
“What the fuck?” he growls and leads me toward the bedroom. He opens a window and helps me out, then climbs out himself as smoke pours from the opening.
We jog to the carport.
Neighbors are coming out of their homes, and I hear someone already on a cell phone calling 911.
Blue’s bike is in the carport, and his cut is stuffed in the saddlebag. I see it hanging out. He grabs the grips of his handlebars and pushes the motorcycle out to the street away from the fire.
We’re drawing the attention of everyone in the neighborhood now, and someone from the next house brings his hose to fight the fire. While Blue helps him, I back away.
The sirens of an approaching fire engine carry to me, and the blood drains from my face.
My uncle works for the fire department, and I can’t let him catch me here. In a panic, I run toward the church.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Luisa—
Carmen, Ramona and Marcella pace my bedroom while I sit on my bed, staring at my phone. Blue texted me an hour ago. I stare at them, despair filling my heart.
BLUE: So that’s it then? You just leave without a word. Guess you made your decision when you put on that ring. Fine. Have a happy life with Mateo. I’m done with you.
He’s hurt. I hurt him terribly.
“She needs to at least tell him,” Carmen argues.
“No, she doesn’t,” Ramona snaps back. “That’s the last thing she needs to do.” Then she whirls on me. “Wake up, Luisa. He was using you. His life is dangerous, and you have a baby to think about. You’re better off without him.”
“Then why does my heart feel like it's breaking?” I whisper.
“Don’t be a fool. A man like him? Your life would be chaos. He’d probably cheat on you. Is that the kind of man you want?”
“Of course not,” Carmen defends me. “Leave her alone. Blue isn’t like that.”
“And how would you know?” Ramona asks. “It’s not like you’ve spent any time with him. You have no clue what kind of man he is.”
“I know what Luisa tells me.”
“Has he ever said he loves you, Luisa? Has he actually said the words?” Ramona asks me. “No? Because he doesn’t.”
Marcella comes and sits next to me, putting her arm around my shoulders. “It’s because we care about you, Luisa. We don’t want you to throw your life away. Mateo is a good man.”
