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

  Before she could address what he’d just laid on her, he went on. “Anyway, I was hoping I’d run into you today.” They stopped in front of her house as he opened the leather saddlebag on his horse. “Got you this.”

  To her surprise, he pulled out a single rose and held it out to her. Hesitating to take it, Isabella looked at it then peered at him. “What’s this for?”

  He shrugged, still holding the rose out to her. “Had a feeling you might need some cheering up. From your reaction just now, I take it you didn’t know anything about Lourdes and Alejandro. I wouldn’t make something like that up, Isabella. You can ask him about it. I didn’t see them do anything, just leave together. Then later in the evening I saw him hanging out at her place.”

  Hearing him say Lourdes and Alejandro like they were a thing, and then hearing that he’d hung out with her, only spiked her adrenaline further. Isabella took the rose, just as the sound of hoofs galloping toward them got her attention.

  The sight of Alejandro on Atrevido rushing toward them, after what she’d just been told, had her throat constricting. In all the years she’d known him, Isabella had never even heard of another girl riding with him.

  The moment he reached them he jumped off his horse. “The fuck’s this?” He pointed at the flower in Isabella’s hand before getting closer to Luis’s face. “You brought my girl a flower? Why?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe I misunderstood?” He turned to Isabella, who despite the annoyance over hearing about Lourdes and him, already had one hand on Alejandro’s tense forearm. “I thought maybe things were different, and it’d be okay now.”

  “What the fuck are you talking about? Why would it be?” Alejandro reached for the flower in Isabella’s hand but did a doubletake when she jerked it back and away from him. His brows began to furrow but then leapt up instead. “Oh, I see, is this about last night?” Before she could respond, his big palm slapped loudly against Luis’s chest, and he pulled him to himself by his shirt. “You’re gonna come down here and cause problems first time you think you got the chance? Is that what this is, asshole?”

  “Suéltame, hijo de puta!”

  Between Luis pushing Alejandro back, Isabella wedging herself between them, and then seeing her mother and grandmother rush out of the house, they managed to get Alejandro off Luis.

  Isabella stood in front of Alejandro, hands against his chest, feeling the pounding of his heart against it. “Cálmate.”

  “Dile!” Luis yelled even as her mom and abuela rushed to them. He turned to Isabella. “First you’re coming at me defending Lourdes’s honor, and now you’re here acting all entitled.”

  “Fuck you!” Alejandro barked back. “I am entitled, asshole. Are you gonna tell me otherwise?” He tried to go around Isabella, his entire body radiating with rage, but Isabella held on for dear life, sorry she hadn’t just let him take the rose now. “Are you?”

  “Hijo, que es el problema?”her mother asked, hand at her chest.

  To Isabel’s relief, Luis backed off and got on his horse, as people started out of their homes to see what all the ruckus was about.

  He tipped his hat at her mother and grandmother. “Disculpe la perturbación, Señoras.” Then, to her horror, he turned to Isabella. God no, she was already having a hard-enough time trying to calm Alejandro. “Let me know if things change.”

  “Get the fuck out!” This time Isabella let Alejandro take the rose from her, and he threw it at Luis. “And take this shit with you.”

  After a few louder and off-color threats about what he’d do if Luis ever came sniffing around again, Alejandro turned to her abuela and mother and apologized for both the language and the scene he’d made. The nosey townspeople who’d come out to watch and listen to the show, started back into their homes and businesses once things calmed and Alejandro was no longer yelling.

  Even her mom and abuela went inside, leaving Isabella alone to talk to Alejandro. She turned to him, crossing her arms in front of her. “Well, I guess you’ve been on fire this weekend. You wanna tell me more about your evening out with Lourdes last night?”

  “I wasn’t out with her. I was at the cantina with Cido. You know the kind of shit that comes out of his mouth sometimes.”

  He explained about Cido making a crude remark and including Isabella’s name in the same sentence. It instantly incensed Alejandro and had him throwing him up against the wall.

  “A few things broke in the process, and Lourdes heard Fernandez calling the cops. She stepped in to try and calm me, and even Cido agreed I should get out of there.”

  “And she left with you.” Alejandro closed his eyes, but before he could respond, because, clearly, she wasn’t getting a denial, she added, “Then you went and hung out at her place.”

  “I dropped her off at her place not hung out.”

  “So, it’s okay for you to be riding girls around, but if I-”

  “Before you finish that thought, Isa.” he said lifting his hand, brow arching sharply. “Because you already know the answer to that. It was never the plan to have anyone but you ride with me, anywhere.”

  “But you did.”

  “Only because Rivera walked in just as we walked out. She said he was her dad’s friend and less likely to stop me if she was on the horse with me.”

  Isabella scoffed, rolling her eyes. “Oh, I bet she did.”

  “Listen to me, amor.” Alejandro got in front of her before she could walk past him to her front door. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Okay? It’ll never happen again. I swear to you, and I was going to tell you all about it, even if that fucker hadn’t. I’ve no doubt his ass would be more than interested in you if he ever got the chance, but I think there’s more to his being here tonight. Did he really come knock on your door?”

  She shook her head and explained about running into him outside of the mercantile and how he offered to walk her home. But she was curious now, so she stopped trying to get around him. “What do you mean there was more to him being here?”

  “I think he has a thing for Lourdes.”

  Isabella listened as Alejandro told her about Lourdes, the girl he’d just met confessing to having let Luis kiss her in the past. How when Luis rode by them outside her ranch, he was rude. It’s what Luis had been talking about when he said Alejandro defended her honor.

  “All I said was that he should have some respect, and he got even ruder, so I called him an asshole. But you know.” He held her by the shoulders now, staring her square in the eyes. “You know I would never do anything to hurt or risk losing you. This was all just one big clusterfuck, and I’m so sorry shit went down the way it did. But you have to know it was never my intention to go in that bar last night and leave with anyone but Cido.”

  Exhaling as the relief seeped in, Isabella nodded, closing her eyes when he hugged her. She took in his manly scent before glancing up at him. “Only reason I took the flower—”

  “I know why you did. That asshole knew exactly what he was doing. Swear to God I’ve never been so pissed in my life.” He rolled his neck as walked over to grab Atrevido’s reins since, in the midst of the scuffle, he’d spooked and walked a few feet away. “But I need you to do me a favor,” he said as he walked back with his horse. “I have no doubt you thought about it before accepting that damn flower and then whatever he said convinced you to. Let this be a lesson. From here on, whenever it comes to us, go with your gut, at least until I’ve had a chance to explain my side of things.”

  “And you go with your gut because I’m sure you knew I’d be pissed when I found out about your riding another girl around town and you still did.”

  “Fair enough. But speaking of riding around town . . .” He leaned in and lowered his voice. “Let’s go find somewhere where I can get my lips on yours. It’s been two days—too damn long.”

  Just like that, the whirlwind of emotions they’d just gone through all seemed worth it now. At least it should. If Alejandro hadn’t made it clear enough before today, eve
ryone in Pueblo De Oro knew it now, including all the shameless bitches and bar flies like Lourdes who might’ve still had ideas about batting their lashes in vain at him. Alejandro and Isabella were an official couple now. Judging from his reaction to someone else trying to move in on what was rightfully his, he wouldn’t be doing anything to risk letting Isabella allow that to happen.

  Then, months before her seventeenth birthday, Isabella’s world began falling apart.

  Capítulo 10

  The Other Side

  Alejandro

  A few weeks after the scene heard all around the pueblo, Isa gave Alej the disappointing news that she wouldn’t be in town for Cinco de Mayo. The Mexican holiday that coincided with her mother’s birthdate was a foodie day they’d celebrated for years together now with Alej making Isa and her mother’s favorite dish of his: his family’s ever-growing famous Moreno birria. She, her mother, and grandma were once again making the trip to the other side, only this time they’d be going to San Diego. Her mother and sisters had always wanted to go to Sea World and the San Diego Zoo. So, when her mom suggested they use the money they would’ve on a party to make the trip out instead, Isa had been easily convinced.

  That wasn’t too bad. Alej had recently perfected the signature dish they were serving at the marketplace on his own. It was a long process and something they always made ahead of time and most times sold out of first. He’d planned on making some especially for her mother on her birthday since he knew they liked it so much. So now he’d just have to say it was for her mother’s birthday even if he made it before or after. He decided to wait ’til after. The Friday after she returned gushing about her trip, he made more than what they usually made for the weekend and invited Isa over so she could take a good portion home to her mother.

  Normally, for this kind of stuff, he’d invite Cido over as well, but tonight he wanted her to himself. Both his parents and his sister were home, so it wasn’t like he could possibly try anything. Nor would he even think about it. For now, he’d be content knowing they’d be stealing another one of their sizzling make-out sessions soon.

  The moment she arrived bearing a gift for the family from their trip, Alej could feel something was off. He took the Sea World Calendar she handed him and thanked her. Alejandro walked Isa into the kitchen where he had the food ready to be served.

  “I hope you’re hungry.” He eyed her as he began to serve her a plate. “I made a lot so you can take some home to your mom and abuela. But I figured it’ll all go tomorrow at the marketplace.”

  “It smells delicious,” she said as he placed the food in front of her at the table. “Thank you.”

  Before Alej could ask, Isa if anything was wrong, Lucia walked into the kitchen and began looking through the calendar Isa had brought. “So how was Sea World? It looks incredible.”

  “It was,” Isa agreed with a smile. “My mom and aunts fell in love with the whole San Diego area. The beaches are spectacular too.”

  To Alej’s frustration Lucia sat down at the table for a while and chatted with Isa about her trip. Halfway through the conversation, Alej began to pick up on what Isa’s melancholy had to do with. While she spoke of her mom’s and grandmother’s delight in spending time with her two aunts and their families as a good thing, it was obvious there was more to it.

  Finally, when Lucia excused herself to her room and left them alone, Alej wasted no time. “Something wrong?”

  She shook her head. “No, nothing really wrong, but . . .”

  Alej watched her closely as she moved what was left of her food around with her fork. Isa glanced up, meeting his eyes. “It’s just that, the last few times we’ve gone to the other side, my mom and grandma have mentioned how nice it would be if we could move there. Both my aunts, the one in Juarez, and the one in El Paso, have been having some financial issues this past year. Nothing huge, but my uncle in Juarez will be out of a job in a few months and the one in El Paso was thinking of renting a smaller home than they are now because things are getting expensive, and now they have another baby on the way. This trip was one of the last luxuries we’ll be doing for a long time. So, my grandma suggested, instead of them getting a smaller place, especially with another baby on the way, that we all move in with them and help them with the rent. The house is big enough, and they could fix the garage so my aunt and uncle in Juarez could live there. Each time we have to leave they’re all so sad when they say good-bye, so everyone got really excited about the suggestion.”

  “Don’t you have to get your visas first?” Alej asked, feeling the panic inundate him.

  “We have them already. My grandma’s had hers for some time, and my mom started working on getting ours when we first moved here. Took forever but we finally got them a few years ago. Only as farfetched as the thought of moving out there has always been, it never felt attainable. My mom’s been talking about it for as long as I can remember.”

  “You never told me that,” Alej said, feeling a little annoyed by this.

  He’d mentioned his dad wanting to move to the other side plenty of times. How they’d been working on getting their visas as well. Yet Isa had never once mentioned her mom’s aspiration of moving out there too.

  Isa shrugged. “You and your family moving seemed more realistic to me than us ever making the move, I guess. Your dad has always had a plan. Both you and your sister are older and will be able to get jobs out there as well. I just figured my mom was dreaming. She’d been saying it for so long with no actual plan, and nothing ever came of it, so I thought it silly to even mention it. I figured your family would be long gone before we’d go anywhere out of this little pueblo.”

  “You did?” Alej asked as the pain of her indifference about that sunk in. “And you were okay with that?”

  Isa chuckled dryly. “What was I supposed to do, Alej? Insist you take me with you? My mother would never let that happen, and your dad wouldn’t either.” She shrugged, looking suddenly as pained as he was beginning to feel. “I guess I preferred not thinking about it or hoping, if it did happen, it wouldn’t until I was old enough to be married. Unlike your dad and my mom, I’ve never cared where I ended up, Alej. As long as we’re together.”

  “So now you’re leaving?” he asked as the knot in his stomach grew heavier.

  “I don’t know yet. There’s just been a lot of talk about it. Only this time it’s feeling like it’s really more than just a dream. My aunt and uncle in Juarez have already started to make the move though.”

  “They have?”

  This was more alarming than Alej first thought. That he and Isa would someday be separated because of him moving to the other side had always been in the back of his mind. But as she said, he’d hoped the move would happen years from now when they were married so he could take her with him. His dad hadn’t even mentioned any progress with their visas in a while. Alej hadn’t bothered asking or even bringing it up since he didn’t want to seem the least bit anxious about the move.

  “Well, they’ve given notice to their landlord that they’ll be moving out at the end of the month, and they already started packing.” She nodded, staring at him blankly. “They’re moving for sure.”

  “Has your mom said it’s a sure thing for you guys too?”

  She shook her head, relieving him somewhat, but she still looked too unsure. “We’re tied into the lease at the house we’re renting for at least another three months. Though my grandma said the owner was flexible and would work with them. But that’s all I know.”

  Well, at least he had that. Hopefully, the landlord wouldn’t be too flexible and Alej would have at three months to try and prepare his heart and come up with a plan to be sure they stayed in touch no matter what. As soon as he knew for sure if Isa was really moving, he’d start pestering his dad about those visas.

  As if that weren’t a big enough distraction and change to his world, a week later one of Cido’s uncles was murdered in Juarez. It was a shock to the small pueblo where everyone knew
everyone—a shock only because it was so close to home—but not because of the violent way in which he was killed. Things had progressively been getting more and more dangerous in Juarez, the closest city to the pueblo. Though Cido professed to not knowing anything about it, his uncles had been rumored to be getting involved in some illegal activities in the city recently. But it was never confirmed if that had been the reason for his death.

  A lot of murders occurred in the months leading up to his death, so much so many in the area were talking about moving away. Not only did his uncle’s murder have Octavio and the rest of his brothers also talking about moving away somewhere safer, it helped make up Isa’s mom’s and grandmother’s minds to decide to move for sure.

  Now Alej was down to two months to come up with a plan. But even before her mom and abuela confirmed they’d be leaving for sure, Alej had begun to plan. He’d picked up another gig so he could start saving up to possibly visit Isa before they could actually get married. He knew he couldn’t go long without seeing her.

  Don Elias, the elderly widower that lived just outside of town in a small house by himself, had fallen ill recently. His daughter had come to take him to the city with her where she could care for him until he was better. But he had chickens, a goat, and a dog she couldn’t take with her, so she’d put up a sign outside the mercantile, offering to pay a hired hand to keep an eye on his place and animals until he got back. Alej went out every morning now to feed the animals, do a little yard work, and fix a few things that needed fixing. It wasn’t a whole lot of extra cash, but it was something.

  Just three weeks after letting Alej know she was leaving for sure, he’d been hanging out with Isa as he and Cido sold esquites and corn at the placita. When they were done and Cido wasn’t around, she posed a question that had Alej confused.

  They made their way back to his place. It was their usual time to discuss where they’d be headed to that evening after dinner for their secret rendezvous, when she dropped it on him. “Can you get protection?”