NINE: Boyle Heights Page 5

  Drew nudged Phoenix’s knee, needing to get off the subject. “So where’s Sean?”

  Glancing away, Phoenix took a sip of his drink. “He had to work.”

  When he glanced back at Drew, she lifted a brow. “Really?”

  Phoenix’s expression was deadpan for a moment. Then he frowned, shaking his head, and looked away again but didn’t comment.

  “It’s been over five years, Phoenix. You can’t keep him a secret forever.”

  “He’s not a secret.” He turned back to face Drew. “I’ve brought him around, and I’m out to both my parents. They accept it.”

  “As long as you don’t bring him around when the rest of the family’s here. That’s not being accepting.”

  Phoenix shrugged. “It’s who they are, Dani. They’re old. I can’t change the way they feel, and it’s just not worth the aggravation.”

  “Really? Sean’s not worth the aggravation?”

  Their eyes locked for a moment until Phoenix glanced away. “Here comes Brad.” He stood up, and Drew knew this part of the conversation was over. “I’m gonna go check on Chelsea. But I’m serious, Dani. I think this guy’s a keeper. I’m really happy for you.”

  “I wish I could say the same for you.”

  Downing the rest of his drink, he put the glass down on the table. “I’m fine. I promise.”

  Brad got back moments after Phoenix left her side. “I hope he didn’t leave because he saw me coming.” Brad set her glass of wine on the table in front of her.

  “No.” She squeezed his knee as he took the seat next to her. “He went to check on Chelsea.”

  She explained about the group of daycare workers they’d hired to keep an eye on all the kids during the reception. They actually had a whole setup just on the other side of the palm trees with a jumper, toys, and carnival-type food machines. It was a kids’ little dreamland. Though Phoenix had insisted there’d be healthy snacks as well.

  “You sure you’re okay with me leaving tonight? I could try to push out my flight until morning.”

  Drew shook her head. “It’d be too rushed. I’m fine with it. Besides, I’ll be busy helping Ali get the baby shower stuff finalized. It’s in a few days, remember?”

  Brad winced because he’d obviously forgotten. “I swear if this could be postponed—”

  “Don’t worry about it.” She assured him. “It won’t be anything nearly as big as this. Both Ali and her sister are pregnant and hormonal and in no mood for big parties. It’s why they’re combining their baby showers and keeping it very intimate. Just immediate family and close friends. But you’ll be here for Ali’s wedding in a few weeks, right?”

  He smiled, nodding. “Yes, I will.”

  “See. So don’t worry about missing the baby shower. The wedding’s a bigger deal anyway.”

  Drew sipped her wine, pushing away the bothersome thoughts that kept coming to mind: that being around Nine again might once again might have her questioning the validity of her reasoning for staying with Brad. He really was a great guy with a promising future who was ready to start said future with her and Chelsea. A perfect guy she just wasn’t that into.

  She hoped there was still plenty of time for her to fall for him. Such a great guy had to grow on her eventually, right? She’d been saying that since before she’d met Nine. Now every time Drew tried to use this argument to ease her worry, another fact kept squashing it. Brad had been her boyfriend now for months, and she was still waiting for him to grow on her. The night she met Nine she thought him smug, rude, and way too foul-mouthed. Yet, he managed to grow on her—in a matter of hours.

  Once again, she shrugged it off. Totally different. They were two completely different guys, and it was unfair to compare, so she was just going to stop already. Besides, more than likely, Nine wouldn’t be at the shower and all of the following events for Ali’s wedding. Brad would be there. So she didn’t have to worry about being alone or having any more of those conversations where he played twenty-questions.

  Done. Brad was her ideal man, and she was through worrying about it.

  Chapter 4

  It was hard not to be a little jealous of Ali. The men in her and Drew’s lives were total opposites. While Drew had what most people would consider the more desirable qualities in a possible future husband—well-educated, clean cut, with a solid no-risk career—Beast was what most good girls secretly had wet dreams about. The heavily tatted big muscled bald guy had danger and bad boy written all over him. And it wasn’t just a look for him. The man was ex Mexican Cartel and had literally killed for her.

  They sat in the great room of Ali’s sister Lila’s house. Since Lila was a big-time name in women’s boxing now and her husband Sonny Sabian was a mega baseball star, their home in the upscale neighborhood of Los Feliz was ridiculously massive. The great room alone was twice the size of Drew’s modest townhome.

  While Ali had said they were keeping this shower intimate, it was kind of hard with all of Sonny’s teammates and Beast’s connections at the gym now. This was much smaller than Lila and Sonny’s wedding had been. Drew would give Ali that much. But then it was a baby shower, not a wedding. So much for small. The place was crawling with baseball players, boxing legends, and trainers, including some of Lila’s new model friends since the girl had done some fitness modeling just before her baby bump starting showing.

  Drew’s best friend, Charlee, along with the other wives of 5th Street and their husbands made their way in, almost at the same time. It’d be a while before they all made it to their seats since they were stopping along their way to greet everyone.

  Excusing herself politely from the others who sat by her at the table, Drew took off to the bathroom. The one in the great room was busy, so she took the walk down the long hallway toward the huge guest bathroom there. Glancing down some of the hallways, she still couldn’t get over the size of the place. She’d been to museums that were smaller.

  Halfway through the hallway, she paused when she heard the water splash in one of the smaller aquariums she’d seen in the house so far. It made her ponder how even this—the smaller of many aquariums she’d seen throughout the house—would still be too big for her small townhome.

  After getting caught up by the aquarium for a bit, she started back to the party. Instead of heading straight back to the great room, she walked toward the kitchen. The kitchen staff was in there busy working, chatting, and listening to cheery Spanish music. She waved at the housekeeper, Leticia, who was in charge of the crew, then pointed at the elegant sangria dispensers on the counter so she’d know Drew was just going to help herself.

  There were three flavors, so she grabbed two cups. She filled a glass with the peach one first then one with the mango one. Grabbing two napkins, she picked each one up.

  “Excuse me, ma’am. This isn’t Boyle Heights. They frown on guests double-fisting the booze ’round these parts.”

  Feeling her neck flush, Drew smiled—a little too big—because she recognized the voice immediately. She turned to face the breathtaking, evil smirk.

  Surprised by the butterflies in her belly, she shrugged, still smiling. “It’s a big house. I don’t wanna keep having to come back and forth. As a matter of fact, can you grab another two for me?”

  “Yeah!” Nine said with a laugh so loud some of the workers in the kitchen turned their way. “You see.” He turned as if to address someone, but there was no one behind him. “I don’t know where O went, but he was just warning me about not getting wasted at a baby shower.” He rolled his eyes. “Guess they frown on that shit around here too.”

  Drew laughed, enjoying the contagious energy, despite the unease at the pit of her belly. “This”—she lifted one of the glasses—“is actually for my friend Charlee.”

  Nine peered at her for a second before picking up a glass for himself and turning to the sangria dispensers. “Thought his name was Brad.” He filled his glass with the berry sangria. “But, whatever, props to whoever he is for having
the little woman cater to him.”

  Surprised again—this time that he’d remember her boyfriend’s name—she took advantage of the moment his face was turned away to sneak in a better look at him. He wore black slacks with a light blue long-sleeved shirt, but it was folded up to his forearms. Drew had never been so fascinated by tattoos. But after the night she spent with him waiting on a tow, she now knew his were everywhere. Well, everywhere on his upper body anyway. Save for his pretty-boy face, which was a direct contrast to what she already knew about him. From what else she’d been privy to that first night, she knew one thing for sure. The man was a rock hard walking display of art.

  “Charlee’s a girl, my best friend actually.” He turned to look at her, but she went on before he could comment. “And I don’t cater to anyone but my daughter. I just couldn’t make up my mind which to choose, so I thought I’d get her a different one and we could compare and see which we liked best.”

  Just like the night she’d met him, he made no qualms about checking her out. She remembered thinking it weird because the very first introduction that same night he’d hardly noticed her. It wasn’t until later when their unusual circumstances had forced them to be alone and chat, that his unapologetic roaming eyes took her in thoroughly. It seemed typical for his type. With looks like his, entitled arrogance just came with the territory. Regardless, it’d made her nervous then, and it had her swallowing hard now too.

  “Well, I got the berry,” he said, sipping his drink. “I’ll let you taste mine if you let me taste yours.”

  He didn’t smirk as he had earlier, but the humor danced in those incredibly dark eyes as he gazed into hers unabashedly. Drew laughed, adding an eye roll in an attempt to mask what that comment and the way he was eating her up with his eyes did to her.

  Shake it off ,Drew. You know his type, and he’s made it all too clear. You will not get sucked in by him.

  “Party that way?” He motioned his glass toward the great room.

  “Yep.” She exhaled casually so he wouldn’t notice her breath had caught.

  They walked back into the great room as he made endless comments about the massive home. “And here I thought Beast’s house was over-the-top. This place is ridiculous. Who lives like this?”

  “Only the best shortstop in the big leagues,” Drew said, taking in the room again. “And from what I heard the highest paid. Almost seems unfair”—she lowered her voice—“that some people have way more than they need while others have nothing.”

  “You mean like the homeless?” he asked with that familiar sour expression she remembered seeing so much of that first night.

  “Well, yeah.” She turned to face him, trying not to get too distracted with his chiseled facial features. “I did a short documentary back in college about them. Went out and interviewed a few and it’s so sad.”

  “Nah.” Nine shook his head adamantly. “They don’t deserve a place like this. I can say that because I was nearly homeless myself once upon a time. And I’ll be the first to admit that shit was by choice. Stubbornness and bad choices. Not saying all the homeless are stubborn and make bad choices, but I can tell you for a fact a lot were and did. They’d take a place like this and ruin it.” He pointed at her with a very serious expression. “There’s a reason why they keep the double-fisting Boyle Heights riffraff out of places like this.”

  Drew laughed as they neared Allison and Beast, who sat near where Charlee was. “Shut. Up. I told you they’re not both for me.”

  “Yeah, you also said Charlie’s a girl. Last I heard Charlie’s a dude’s name.”

  “It’s short for Charlotte.” Drew made a show of handing Charlee the drink when they reached her. “Here you go, Charlee.” She explained to Charlee about bringing two different kinds and why. “By the way, Charlee, this is Nine.”

  The introduction was ill-timed. Hector, Charlee’s husband, approached from behind her just as Nine smiled at her in that way that would make most girls blush. “I stand corrected.” He nodded at Charlee as she smiled back at him. “Very nice . . . to meet you,” he added with a perfectly choreographed lift of both his glass and seductive brow at the same time.

  Mercifully, because Hector looked ready to say something, Nine was called away by O and Beast. “Here we go.” Nine frowned playfully. “I’ll be back.” He shook his head as he walked away toward an irritated-looking Beast. “It’s not as bad as you’re thinking, man.”

  Drew’s eyes were still fixated on him when she finally turned again to Charlee, who pecked Hector before he walked away.

  “Oh my God.” Charlee spoke under her breath as she tugged at Drew to take the seat next to her. “Who’s this Nine guy, and why hadn’t I heard about him until just now?”

  Drew chuckled as she sat down. “He’s one of Beast’s friends, and there’s nothing to tell. I met him once before, and we kept in touch for a little while during that whole drama when Allison went missing, but I hadn’t heard from him since.”

  Charlee peered at her over her glass as she took a sip of her sangria. “Ooh, this is good.” Charlee held it up, looking at it. “What kind is it?”

  “I think that one’s the mango.” Drew took a sip of her own. “Yeah, this is the peach,” she said, taking in the flavors. “This one’s good too.”

  They switched, and Drew was momentarily relieved that they’d gotten off the subject of Nine. Normally, she wouldn’t have any qualms about discussing hot guys with her best friend and whatnot. But it made her nervous to do so with him so nearby.

  “I like that one better.” Charlee pointed at the mango one Drew had just finished sipping.

  “Good, ’cause I like that one better.”

  They giggled as they switched again. “Okay, so I’m calling BS,” Charlee said once she had her drink back in her possession. “I watched you two walking into the room. Obviously, he’s a flirt. Don’t get Hector started on that.”

  “Oh shit.” Drew glanced around when she remembered the look on Hector’s face. “What’d he say?”

  “What you’d expect him to?” Charlee shrugged. “Who’s the douche? But seriously, Drew, I can tell you’re crushing.”

  “I am not.” Drew sat up, feeling a little heat race up her neck into her face. “What am I twelve?”

  Charlee laughed. “I’m just saying. Shit, I’m happily married, but if I wasn’t, I’d probably be crushing too. He’s hot. Why’d you two walk in together? But even more curious, why’d he say he’d be back?”

  Drew stopped mid-sip of her drink to think about that. He did say he’d be back. That had completely gone over her head. She’d been too relieved that he was walking away before Hector could address the way Nine had flirted with his wife.

  “I don’t know.” Drew finished taking the sip of her drink, refusing to make more of it.

  “Is Nine really his name?”

  Drew shook her head, sinking her teeth into her bottom lip, remembering her first thought when she’d been introduced to him.

  More like a ten.

  “Like I said, this is only the second time I’ve been around him, but from what Allison has told me about him, he’s—well, used to be—really reckless and impulsive. Kind of a hothead. I guess he got in a lot of trouble and had some really dangerous close calls back in his day. Not to mention he apparently has this competitive streak. Don’t challenge him to anything is what Allison said when she first explained about his nickname. But even revving up next to him on the street could result in a dangerous race. So his friends started an ongoing joke about his nine lives. And his nickname was born.”

  “What’s his real name?”

  Drew stopped to think about it then remembered “Rudy, but he says very few call him that.”

  Charlee asked more about him, but other than the fact that the guy was as close-minded as they came, and an insatiable flirt, they hadn’t gotten deep at all. Not when it came to him anyway, because he sure as heck had given her quite the inquisition. But she’d never asked him
anything more personal or inquired about him to Ali. Even way back then, she hadn’t wanted Allison—like Charlee had so quickly—misinterpreting any curiosity she might have as actual interest in the bad boy.

  Because Drew had none.

  Sure he was hot. She’d give him that. Charlee would surely laugh in her face if she tried to deny it. But he was also cocky, foul-mouthed, incorrigible, and from what Allison told her, his revolving bedroom door needed constant upkeep, it got so much wear. She’d since decided he was everything she’d vowed to steer clear from. Her days of being a douche magnet were long over.

  Nine took the seat next to her, still sipping on his drink. “So what happens at these things? I’ve never been to a baby shower.”

  Charlee sipped her drink with a smirk, glancing away, as Drew straightened out. “Same thing as most parties except everything is baby-themed. I think they do games too and—”

  “Games? Like what games?”

  Drew started to think about it then had to laugh. “Why? Are you planning on winning every one?”

  Nine shook his head, taking a longer swig of his drink. “I just thought for sure I’d be bored out of my skull at this thing. At least games would keep it interesting as long as they’re not too lame.” He handed her his drink, taking hers without even asking. “So which was better the mango or the peach?”

  Drew’s jaw dropped slightly, but she managed to catch herself as she watched him sip her drink. She was then momentarily distracted by the tattoos on his fingers and then his licking his lips when she glanced up at him again.

  “Yours is much better,” he declared then motioned to the one in her hand now. “Taste that. It’s good but a little tart. Too many berries.”

  Not wanting to let on how bowled over she was by the casualness to everything he’d just done, she took a sip of his drink. He was right, too many berries. “Hands down the peach one is the best one. I tried the mango one and the peach is still better.”

  “I’m not usually big on these girlie drinks, but this is pretty damn good.” He handed it back to her and took his berry one.