Her father comes out. “Times up. I gave you your two minutes, now you need to go.”
My eyes shift back to Carmen. “Thanks.”
She nods and turns to head inside.
“Wait.” Digging in my cut, I pull out a pen and a Saint’s Outlaws card. I scribble my number on the back and hold it out to Carmen.
She takes it, meets my eyes, then goes inside.
I return to the bikes, and we pull out without a word. My brothers follow me back to the clubhouse. When we walk inside, I move straight to the bar and motion the prospect over.
My brothers leave me alone to drown my sorrows, and I do just that, drinking all night until I can barely stumble to my room and pass out.
It’s late in the afternoon before I crawl out of bed, my head pounding. Steaming water in the shower pours over my body, reviving me a bit. I don’t want to think. I want to escape. Pressing my head to the shower wall, I consider going to the bar and starting in on another bottle of booze, but I know that’s not the answer.
Shutting off the water, I towel off and dress. When I walk out into the main room, some of the originals are there—the five of us who came out here to start this chapter with Rio.
They’re at the bar.
Bandit swivels on his bar stool when he hears me enter.
I head to the door.
“Where you goin’?” he asks.
“Outside to have a smoke.” Moving through the door, I dip my head and light one up, then exhale toward the sky. It’s a pretty day, but my eyes squint against the brightness.
The door opens behind me, and Bandit joins me.
I pull my phone out and text Luisa.
ME: I love you, baby. Please call me. We need to talk.
She doesn’t reply, and after I finish my second smoke, I realize she probably isn’t going to and that I’m waiting for nothing. I think about going to the Sanchez place and demanding to see her.
“You want to take a ride?” Bandit asks. “It’s a nice day for it.”
I shake my head.
My phone rings, but I don’t recognize the number, but I’m desperate for a call from Luisa, so I answer it.
“Yeah?”
“It’s Carmen.”
“Did you talk to her?” I ask immediately. It’s the only thing I want to know.
“There’s something you need to know. I can’t talk long. I snuck off to make this call.”
I press the phone tighter to my ear. “Snuck off from where? What is it?”
“The wedding is today. Luisa and Mateo.”
“What? How can that be possible?”
“It’s true.”
“Where? What time?”
