Moreno's: Moreno Brother's prequel (Moreno Brothers) Read online

  Books by Elizabeth Reyes

  Moreno Brothers Series

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  Forever Yours

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  When You Were Mine

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  Moreno’s

  A Moreno Brothers’ series prequel

  By Elizabeth Reyes

  Moreno’s

  Elizabeth Reyes

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you are reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  Copyright © 2020 Elizabeth Reyes

  Edited by Theresa Wegand

  Cover Design by Amanda Simpson of Pixel Mischief Design

  Note to readers:

  If you’ve read my books before, you know I tend to sprinkle Spanish words throughout my stories, usually in the dialogue where the parents are speaking. Most of my characters are Mexican American, born and raised here and, like me, their parents are originally from Mexico and mostly Spanish speaking. This story is a little different. This couple was born and raised in Mexico and their first language is Spanish, but obviously the book is written in English. However, to stay as true to the story as possible, I used a LOT more Spanish words in this one than any of my other books. I had fun cussing in both languages. LOL. I don’t do any translating, but I try to make the meaning of said words clear in the context they’re used. My beta readers said they didn’t have an issue, and most are not Spanish speaking. They also pointed out that, in their readers, they have the translate option, so in case there is a word you can’t figure out, you can always use that. ¡Espero que les guste!

  Table of Contents

  Prólogo

  Capítulo 1

  Capítulo 2

  Capítulo 3

  Capítulo 4

  Capítulo 5

  Capítulo 6

  Capítulo 7

  Capítulo 8

  Capítulo 9

  Capítulo 10

  Capítulo 11

  Capítulo 12

  Capítulo 13

  Capítulo 14

  Capítulo 15

  Capítulo 16

  Capítulo 17

  Capítulo 18

  Capítulo 19

  Capítulo 20

  Capítulo 21

  Capítulo 22

  Capítulo 23

  Epílogo

  Also By Elizabeth Reyes

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Prólogo

  No Regrets

  Alejandro

  The music was playing, the crowd was in good spirits, and all Alej’s could think was, What the hell had he been thinking? While his head reasoned that he deserved to have fun—deserved to let loose and the feelings of guilt were unwarranted—his heart said otherwise.

  “¡Ándale, güey,” Cido urged. “You promised you wouldn’t be a downer. What’s the point in being here if you’re not even gonna try to mingle? See those two at the end of the bar behind me?” His friend took a swig of his beer, looking behind Alej all overly inconspicuous. “They been looking this way, and I’m pretty sure the guerrita is eyeing you.”

  Alej brought his bottle of cerveza to his mouth and took a swig. He glanced over at the girls casually as Cido ordered two shots of tequila. Cido was right. The girl with the blond hair smiled sheepishly at him. Going against his better judgment and only because it felt like the polite thing to do, he smiled back, tipping his hat at her.

  The bartender poured the shots and Cido paid him. “Come on.” Cido picked one up and handed the other one to Alej. “It’s New Year’s Eve, man. Snap the fuck out of it already, and let’s do this.” Clicking his shot glass against Alej’s, Cido lifted it in the air. “To moving on.”

  Alej frowned but took the shot with him anyway. Feeling the burn in his throat and then his chest, Alej winced, chasing it down with his beer.

  “Smooth,” Cido said hoarsely before taking another swig of his beer. “Hell yeah!”

  Glancing at Cido, Alej watched as his friend lifted his beer in the air in the direction of the girls. When Alej turned to them, they were lifting their drinks at him as well and smiling big.

  “I told you.” Still smiling big, Cido didn’t bother looking at Alej. Instead, he leaned in against the bar. “Hey, Chief, can I get four more of these? But I’ll take them down at the end of the bar.” Now he turned to an already panicking Alej and slapped a hand on his shoulder. “Let’s go. I’m done with your mopey ass. Enough of this shit. You’re getting laid.”

  “Wait. What?” Alej started off his bar stool but hesitated. “I said I’d go out tonight. Never said anything about getting laid or even . . .”

  “Well, you can at least have some fun.” Cido tapped him so he’d move, and Alej did reluctantly. “We’ll play it by ear.”

  They walked over and introduced themselves to Patty and Aleida, the blonde batting her lashes at Alej. First thing they mentioned was being sisters, even though there wasn’t much of a resemblance.

  “You girls here alone tonight?” Cido asked.

  “Yeah, but we’re not staying all night. We just stopped by to get a few drinks before heading out to a party.”

  “Party, huh?” Cido smirked as the bartender dropped off the four shots. “This place ain’t good enough for you?”

  “It is,” Patty said, glancing around. “But we’ve had plans to attend this party for some time now.”

  Handing them each a shot, which they happily took, Cido raised his, motioning for Alej to take the last one off the counter. Alej did, despite the knot forming in his stomach. He could only hope these girls would leave for their party sooner than later.

  “Here’s to taking chances.” Cido clinked Patty’s glass. “Living in the now.” He clinked Aleida’s then turned to Alej, lifting a brow. “And no regrets.” With one more lift of his glass, Cido tipped his hat at the girls and they all downed their shots.

  “Taking chances. I like that. Speaking of,” Patty said with a wince after sucking a lemon wedge. “How do you guys feel about coche anchos?”

  “Coche ancho?” Cido asked.

  “Limusinas,” Patty clarified. “Our dad is very overprotective. So, when we told him we were going out for the New Year, he rented us a limu.” She bounced h
er eyes at her sister, who chewed her bottom lip. “Live in the now?” After Aleida gave the go-ahead nod, Patty turned to Cido with a big smile. “What do you say we go drive around for a while and then you two can be our dates for the party? Limo’s fully stocked with liquor.”

  “Hell, yeah,” Cido said without even consulting Alej. Patty started looking through her purse as Cido turned to a now completely panicked Alej. “Hear that?” he said in a lowered voice. “A pinchi limo.”

  “Cido, I can’t, man—”

  “You can and you will,” Cido huffed in an even lower voice now. “Stop with this shit already. You owe this to yourself, güey. It’s New Year’s Eve and two beautiful girls invited us to a party in a fully stocked limo.” He placed his hand on Alej’s shoulder and squeezed. “Don’t ruin this for me. For all you know, nothing will even happen.”

  “Is there a problem?” Patty asked.

  Both girls were off their barstools now, eyeing them in question. “None at all, hermosa.” He clapped Alej’s shoulder again. “My friend was just worried about leaving his car here.”

  “Oh, we can bring you back to pick it up after the party,” Patty offered; then her smile went a little playful. “Or tomorrow morning if you’re not up to driving tonight.”

  Alej pressed his lips together as Cido turned to him with an equally playful smile. “You see there? Problem solved.”

  Swallowing hard, Alej placed his empty beer bottle on the counter as Cido slipped his hand in Patty’s and they walked off ahead of Alej and Aleida. Feeling rude but unwilling to do the same with Aleida, he walked alongside her, not holding her hand. As they made their way through the crowded club, Aleida began to lag. Alej turned to her and slowed. She must’ve taken that as an invitation to hold his hand because she slipped hers into his as soon as she caught up and smiled timidly. Alej glanced down at their now clasped hands, working his jaw. This night was just getting started.

  No regrets, his fucking ass.

  Capítulo 1

  Pueblo De Oro

  Chihuahua, Mexico

  Way Back

  Alejandro

  “Placido and Salvador, this is the last time I ask you to stop talking,” the maestra said loudly as she tapped her pointer stick on her desk. Alej squirmed in his desk. Why she couldn’t just bend and call him Alej like everyone else, was annoying as hell. “The next time I have to interrupt the class because of you two, I’m sending you home. You won’t be allowed back in here until your padres come see me.”

  “Yeah, the solterona would love that,” Cido muttered under his breath.

  “What was that, Placido?”

  “Uh . . . Nothing, Señorita Munoz. I just said, ‘Yes, ma’am.’”

  Alej couldn’t help smirking but still gave Cido a warning look. Cido was always doing the talking. Half the time Alej was just sitting there trying to stay awake, especially on Monday mornings like that day.

  “Now if I could have everyone’s attention, I’d like to introduce a new student to the class.”

  Finally looking away from Cido after giving him a chastising glare, Alejandro brought his attention to the front of the class. He was instantly struck at the sight of the new student standing next to their teacher: a young girl with the biggest most stunning dark eyes he’d ever seen. She stood timidly next to the teacher, holding her pink mochila at her chest.

  Sitting up straight suddenly, Alej waited for the teacher to say the girl’s name. For someone who was still trying to figure out what the big deal about girls was, Alej couldn’t take his eyes off this one. He fully expected the teacher to say her name was Angel because it was exactly what she looked like—a stunning angel with the most beautiful yet shy smile, wearing her hair in braids with red ribbons in them.

  “I’d like you to give a warm welcome to Isabella Franco who just moved into town with her mother and grandmother. Everybody say hello to Isabella.”

  Isabella Franco. Alej took in the name as the rest of the class all welcomed her. He was still too transfixed with her. She continued to smile timidly—awkwardly—as the maestra nodded, clapping and encouraging the class to clap with her. Alej breathed in heavily at the sight of the deep pair of adorable dimples on either of Isabella’s cheeks.

  “She’s cute, eh?” Cido said, elbowing him.

  “I’m gonna marry her.”

  Juana, the girl in front of him jerked around to face him. Giggling, she brought her hand to her mouth. It wasn’t even until that moment that he realized he’d said the words out loud.

  “You’re stupid,” Cido said as Alej’s eyes followed Isabella to the desk she was assigned, way on the other side of the classroom. Where the younger kids sat. Trying to snap out of it, Alej sat back in his seat. What the hell was he doing? This was school yard suicide. They’d tease him mercilessly if he continued to act like this.

  For the rest of the morning, he could barely concentrate. It was almost annoying. Nearly done with the sixth grade now, he’d yet to so much as have a crush on any girl, let alone feel this struck over one he’d hadn’t even spoken to yet. Aside from her name and what little the teacher had told them, he knew nothing else about her. So, what was his problem?

  The rest of the week, he was up bright and early and ready to go each day—something so unlike him even his dad had asked what was with him. Of course, Alej had just shrugged and feigned ignorance of what his dad might mean.

  It wasn’t until the end of the week that he finally conjured up the nerve to talk to her. They’d exchanged glances plenty of times since that first day. He was certain she knew about his careless declaration since Juana had wasted no time in going over to talk to her during their first recess that day. Several girls had huddled around her, and they’d all giggled when Alej, Cido, and a few of the other guys had walked by.

  He’d been surprised to find out she was only in the fourth grade. Not only did she look older, she seemed far more mature than some of the other annoyingly silly girls at school. He also knew now that La Vuida Franco was her mother and she, Isabella, and her grandma had moved out of the city to Pueblo De Oro to raise Isabella when her father was killed, because it was cheaper than the city. They’d moved into the old house the Infantes had built and lived in for years. Word about the new folks in town had gotten around fast. As everything always did.

  Alej’s older sister Lucia was making dinner that Friday evening when she ran out of onions. His dad gave him money to run down to the pueblo’s mercantile to buy one. He’d just walked into the small store when he saw Isabella and their eyes met. Just like all the other times that week when their eyes had met, he felt oddly panicked again. Only this time he was determined to say something to her.

  Isabella was standing over by the barrel of frijoles. She was filling a small plastic bag with them. Her hair wasn’t in braids as it had been all week at school. It was long, thick, almost black, and fell beautifully over her shoulders. She wore a red bow in her hair, and unlike the rest of the week when their eyes had met at school, she smiled at him this time. Her dimples seemed even deeper now than when he’d first noticed them.

  Alej wasn’t even sure he smiled back. He was too busy trying not to look as panicked as being this close to her made him. After just a moment, she glanced back down and focused on what she was doing. Taking a deep breath, Alej walked over to her.

  “Hey,” he said, his heart beating so wildly as those big dark eyes met his again. “I’m Alej.”

  “I know.” She smiled sweetly, and once again he was at it like a big sap, breathing in deeply. “Alejandro, but everyone calls you Alej. So why does the maestra call you Salvador?”

  “My first name is Salvador. But so is my dad’s, so my parents have always used my middle name to avoid confusion. Only Señorita Munoz is a stickler for using first and full names. So, to her, I’ll always be Salvador.”

  She nodded. “I have a Tio Alej in El Paso,” she informed him. “My aunt’s husband. But I’ve never met him. Just heard a lot about him.” />
  Alej couldn’t care less about her uncle. Only he did want her to keep talking. Her voice matched his first impression of her. It was the voice of an angel. A couple of boys ran into the store, boys Alej knew from around the pueblo and school. One of them took a look at them standing there chatting and was instantly smirking like a pendejo.

  At first, Alej had been annoyed that word of his declaration about marrying Isabella had gotten around school so quickly. But now he was glad it had. Without realizing it, he’d instantly called dibs on the prettiest girl in el pueblo.

  Ignoring the smirking idiota, Alej turned back to Isabella, who was now tying a knot on the plastic bag full of beans. “You here with your mom?”

  She shook her head. “She’s home with my abuela making dinner. But they wanted to get a pot of beans soaking tonight, and we were out.”

  “So, that’s all you’re buying?”

  She nodded, and he rushed over to grab an onion before she headed over to pay for her beans. They walked to the counter together and paid for their things. Then they left together. The Infante’s old place wasn’t too far out of the way from his, so he decided he’d escort her home.

  “I’ll carry that home for you.” He held out his hand for her to give him the bag of beans.

  She hesitated at first but then did so when he kept his hand stretched out.

  “Did you guys buy the Infante’s house?”

  “No, my mom and grandma are renting. But if they could save up, they’ll have the option to buy it. They just want to see how they like living in this pueblo first.”

  “How do you like it so far?”

  “It’s different,” she said, and Alej couldn’t make out if that was a good or bad thing.

  “You made friends fast.”

  Isabella shrugged. “The girls seemed to like me well enough the first few days, but yesterday and today, I sort of got the cold shoulder from a few of them. It doesn’t surprise me, though. At my old school, I had more guy friends than I did girls.”