Forever Yours (The Moreno Brothers 1.5)

He was close enough now that when she tilted the screen his way he could see the only two words Leo had responded with.

I’m sorry.

Angel glanced up at her and saw that already those beautiful green eyes were swimming in fresh tears. She quickly swatted at tear that nearly escaped the corner of her eye and then began to respond.

“What are you—?”

Before he could finish asking, she showed him the screen with her own two-word response.

Fuck you.

Without the slightest hesitation, she hit send and then took a deep breath as she dropped the phone in her clutch. She looked up at him with a determined smile, and he noticed the tears that had begun to flood her eyes were gone now. “I don’t know about you, but I could use a stiff drink.”

Slipping his hand in hers, he kissed her temple and nodded. “Whatever you want.”

Yeah, a romantic proposal tonight wasn’t happening.

~*~

Sarah

On her fourth lap on the track around the marina, Sarah pondered the previous months’ happenings. It’d been over a week since she had responded to Leonardo’s apology text. She hadn’t heard from him again, and after her response to it, she didn’t expect to. She hadn’t even bothered trying to contact the man who’d claimed to be her dad either, and though she’d never admitted to anyone, she did check Leonardo’s Facebook page after she unfriended him, and the entire profile had been deleted. It was official. Leonardo Ortiz didn’t exist. Sarah couldn’t have felt like a bigger fool, but she was done trying to figure out why any of this happened in the first place.

Her mother had been livid. She blamed her real dad, saying he must’ve had something to do with it. Still, just like everyone else, she couldn’t understand or fathom what their intentions could’ve been.

Sarah felt bad about being so snappy with Sydney when he’d first informed her that her dad was still in jail, because he’d seen fit to further confirm his findings had been accurate. He said he felt terrible about bursting Sarah’s bubble so hastily and that he didn’t realize she’d be so upset. If Sarah had to be honest with herself, neither had she. But she explained it just as she had to Angel. The excitement of having a brother in her life had been more than she had ever imagined, and she allowed herself to get too sucked into the idea.

There was one thing she kept to herself because she knew rather than help him understand it would only further confuse and possibly even upset Angel. Having a brother like Leonardo was exciting. Except for when he was being protective and a little on the scary side, he was the complete opposite of what you’d expect from him given his looks. The sweet, even if it was a little odd, way he’d spoken to her had grown on her. So when the rug was pulled from under her, that someone who’d seemed so genuinely sweet and sincere had lied so blatantly to her, it was all the more painful.

She was only thankful that it happened sooner rather than later. It was hard enough trying to not fall apart for the sake of not freaking Angel out as it was. The longer he strung her along, the harder it would’ve been on her. One thing still gnawed at her. Though everyone told her she shouldn’t feel humiliated, she couldn’t help it. She did. Most people go their entire lives without anything like this ever happening to them. This was the second time in her life she’d been had by someone she’d trusted even if this time it’d been a more guarded trust. Was Leonardo really that good, or was she just that stupid?

Tempted to stop and have some coffee, Sarah decided it was better if she just kept going and have some at home. Her two-hour class that afternoon had been cancelled, so she decided to use the time to take a run instead. It had always been so therapeutic, and she needed the time to think alone. Angel would be picking her up at the same time as usual for their evening shift together at the restaurant.

She’d slowed to a near walk a few yards from where she’d parked her car. It was the parking lot dubbed the safest by Angel and his brothers because it was closest to all the shops and the burger joint they often frequented. It was the one she always met Sofie at, and more often than not, they’d run into someone they knew. Already today when she’d gotten there she’d seen Eric’s dad driving out of the parking lot and one of the ladies who lived in the same condo complex she did.

Taking in slow deep breaths and slowing down to a leisurely walk, she concentrated on cooling off before she got to her car or she’d be drenched the moment she sat down. The cold breeze felt good against her face, so she stopped just a few feet from her car, closing her eyes and breathing in deeply through her nostrils.

“Sarah.”

Her eyes jolted open at the sound of Leonardo’s voice, and she flinched at the sight of him in front of her car. He wore jeans and a tight-fitting black T-shirt. Both his hands were in his front pockets.

Instinctively, she started toward the car door and checked her surroundings to see who else was in the parking lot. It was still fairly early, and there were plenty of people walking to and from the parking lot.

“I just wanna talk to you,” he said, taking a step back.

Just as her hand grabbed the door handle, she glanced up to see him holding his hands in the air, the expression on his face so reminiscent of that sweet vulnerable side of him that he’d played her with for months. Instantly, the fear morphed into pain, and she hated that she still cared, cared that the sight of this guy—a guy she had no business ever speaking to again—could still choke her up.