She took a deep breath before speaking. "Antonio, I'm sorry to interrupt but I just wanted you to know that Teresa just called to confirm that we'd be coming to Christina's birthday dinner tonight. Remember I told you about it last week? She's been cooking for two days, and she is expecting us at six."

Mama wiped her hands on her ap.r.o.n nervously. She was lying for me? She'd never done anything like this before. Surely this would earn her the wrath of my father later.

She licked over her lips, and put on a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I told her . . . um, I hope you don't mind . . . but I said we had an unexpected visitor and were unable to come."

"What are you talking about, woman?" My father's voice was not kind.

Why is she doing this?

Her nerves must have failed her because she dropped her eyes for a moment before lifting her chin and speaking. "I told her that in our absence, we'd send Alessandra and Eduardo over to represent our family. I know you wouldn't want to let our dearest friends down, and she was delighted to have the children."

I watched as my father snorted and closed the gap between him and my mother. Oh G.o.d, I didn't think he'd hit her in front of Don Pedro, but there could always be a first time. After all, he had lost it in front of the bikers all those years ago when Cobra had stopped him.

Closing my eyes, I sucked in a breath. This was turning into a disaster.

All I wanted was to get away, and I didn't want my mother to suffer because of me. She was lying as much as Esme was. Christina had had her birthday celebrations over the weekend when I'd slept over at their house. It was a night of nachos and tacos, nothing extra special, because she wanted to keep it low-key. She and her boyfriend, Miguel, were leaving for Las Vegas, and she told everyone not to be surprised if they came back married since she was eighteen and could legally do so.

Stunned, I watched my father stop short in front of my mother and smile. "You did the right thing. We need to keep to our family commitments. I just wish you'd reminded me earlier. Why don't I remember anything about it?"

Seeing my chance to get free of the Don's sickening grip on my shoulder, I moved toward my mother and stood beside her to chip in. "Oh, it was because I blabbered all night about the science project at school, because I need good grades if I want to be a nurse. Remember me telling you about that?"

Papa swung to me, recognition lighting his eyes. That part was true.

The atmosphere at the dinner table had been so thick after something had gone wrong with one of my father's deals that I'd tried to make conversation just to get through it.

The Don smirked. He really was ugly when his top lip curled up, baring his gums. A shiver went down my spine. If he touches me again . . .

"I don't think you're going to be a nurse, sweet girl." He cleared his throat. "Your papa and I have an arrangement. That's what we need to discuss tonight. It's nearly time-"

A roar of motorcycles cut off his sentence. My head jerked around to see Cobra and his brothers driving through the open gate. I coughed as dust billowed everywhere yet I'd never been so happy to see someone arrive.

Chapter 14 - Cobra.

Hammer could speak enough Spanish to get by, and while he'd gone to buy a few packets of smokes and some beer earlier in the day he'd had a conversation with the guy behind the counter at the little shop on the corner. He raced back to our motel, red in the face from the heat and rushing.

He made wild gestures with his arms as he told me Don Pedro had arrived at Antonio's place with a full entourage, and that n.o.body had expected his arrival. Apparently it was unusual for n.o.body to know he was coming, because everyone was interrelated and knew one another's business.

Five minutes after his arrival, everyone in the small village already had heard the news via their informal network. The man had babbled on and on, telling Hammer how the Don had cheated him, and how much he despised the man. In the shopkeeper's opinion, it meant something sinister was going down, and everyone was talking about it because something sinister usually led to bloodshed and friends and family getting killed.

It can only mean one thing.

The f.u.c.ker was probably there to collect his prize. Alessandra. f.u.c.k.

There was no time to waste. Esme was bringing her to me tonight, and although all I'd planned was to talk to her and ask her to go back to the States with me, the urgency to get out of this place just escalated a few notches.

I didn't have any idea if she was aware of her father and Don Pedro's agreement. Hoping that she wouldn't be the last one to know, I'd offer her the chance to escape with me and start a new life. If she liked me as much as I wanted her-and I was pretty sure that she did-we'd hopefully end up together.

If she agreed, I'd first need to convince Ryder, Hammer and Razor to help me. And Daemon was waiting for the goods we were bringing with us on the other side of the border. We'd set it all up before we left.

Now we needed a plan of action.

So here I was, rolling into the yard of Antonio Alvarez to check out the Virgin Thief, as the locals called the Don.

"Good morning," I yelled as I climbed off my motorcycle a good few feet away from the house, my eyes on Alessandra, the girl who all of this revolved around. She smiled sweetly at me, her eyes big and round. I first greeted Antonio, then Maria and Esmerelda as I got closer to where they all stood.

Everyone except the Don smiled back at me. It had been a few years since I'd last encountered him. I'd instantly disliked him then and now I wanted to tear him the f.u.c.k apart.

Back then I only wanted to think of him as just another cog in the wheel of our business, yet I couldn't keep my personal feelings out of it. His reputation of paying for unsuspecting virgin girls had left a distaste in my mouth I couldn't get rid of, but knowing he was after Alessandra caused my blood to boil and every instinct in my body to protect her came rushing forward.

This was personal. Don Pedro wanted the same thing I wanted. He must have believed he already had it in the bag, or he wouldn't be there.

My gaze took in his skeletal frame and how f.u.c.king old he was. If a p.r.i.c.k like that ever came near a daughter of mine, I'd slice his off and feed it to the dogs.

I was a good judge of character-I had to be to survive the lifestyle of a biker. I'd never made a mistake about someone before. My first impressions had always been spot on target.

"We must be talking about a s.h.i.tload of cash here. No parent would sell out a child to a man like this without a huge incentive," Ryder said quietly so only I could hear. My f.u.c.king thoughts exactly.

I'd confided in Ryder after one of my recurring nightmares, believing the faceless man in my dreams was the Don. "Want me to take him down?"

"Nah, not yet," I said as we moved closer.

As we climbed the stairs and were within earshot, Antonio hooked his thumbs into the loops of his pants and rocked forward on his feet, a smirk on his face. "Two surprise visits in one day. I thought our business was done? I expected you boys to be close to the border by now."

"Nah," Razor piped up. "I got the stomach bug from all the spicy food. Hate s.h.i.tting in the bush. Too many insects on my a.s.s. Plus we haven't had enough tequila yet."

Everyone laughed. Razor was good at providing comic relief when situations were tense, even though he usually didn't intend to be funny.

I struggled to tear my gaze away from Alessandra. A deep blush had settled on her cheeks, and she looked pretty in a floral summer dress that showed off her long smooth neck and shoulders.

Hammer had made a move on Esmerelda, chatting to her and sharing a private joke they both laughed at. I'd never seen him at ease with a female before, yet he was totally relaxed with the Mexican girl.

"Excuse us, the girls and I need to get started in the kitchen if they want to get away early. Come, young ladies, there are vegetables to peel," Maria said as she made her way inside.

The girls followed, and as Alessandra brushed past me, our skins touched for a fleeting moment. Something in me stirred. Just a waft of her scent was all it took to get me worked up. I longed to reach out and touch her, make her stop and talk to me, but that would be asking for trouble with so many hostile sets of eyes watching. Alessandra kept walking and bit into her lip and fluttered her eyelashes before dropping her gaze.

That was when she stumbled, and I instantly reached out to grab and steady her. She gazed up into my eyes, her blush deepening, and her lips in the shape of an O.

How I want to dip my head and kiss those lips. It was f.u.c.king torture being so close and not being able to do anything. Her fingertips rested against my chest, her touch light yet electric, sending crazy signals all over my body and straight to my c.o.c.k.

The message Esme had sent me flashed through my mind.

Alessandra needs her cherry popped. Will you do it tonight?

I'd thought it a strange request from a friend, yet she must've had a reason for sending such an explicit text. I'd figured it had something to do with the Don, yet it wasn't something I was taking lightly.

Pedro's arrival had f.u.c.ked with my plans, and I needed to speak with Alessandra urgently. Caught up in my thoughts, I was brought back to reality when Pedro's face appeared in my line of vision. He grabbed Alessandra around the waist and pulled her away from me.

"Come here, little darling," he said, an ugly sneer on his thin lips. "This discussion isn't over yet.'

With a cry, Alessandra was ripped from me and the lanky Mexican had her pinned to his scrawny body. Surprise flashed in Antonio's eyes, but he quickly covered it. Maria spun around and clutched her ap.r.o.n, wringing the fabric with both hands.

"I want you here tonight at dinnertime," he told Alessandra. "You can't go anywhere."

Ryder growled next to me. He was ready to take the f.u.c.ker down.

The tall Mexican glared at me. "Don't let me catch you touching her again."

"Now?" Razor asked behind me. I'd bet his fists were already balled by his sides.

"Relax," I said, holding both hands up. I smiled at Pedro, trying to appear calm and nonchalant when in fact everything inside me was ready to revolt. I suppressed the urge to let Ryder and Razor loose on the Don and his men. My boys were ready for a bit of action.

"Or what, old man?" I challenged, ready to lay him out flat on the concrete porch myself. Preferably dead.

Esmerelda moved toward her friend, laughing. "Oh no, you're not staying here to get out of peeling onions. You know it makes me cry so you'll have to help me peel those."

Pedro was about to object, but Antonio stepped in front of the man. "She has a month before her birthday. Let her go with her friend." He patted the man's back and gestured toward the seats on the far side of the porch. "Come. More tequila?"

As she slipped past me, pulling Alessandra by the hand, Esme gave me a stern look and said, "Later."

I gave her a quick nod.

Pedro stiffened and through narrowed eyes, he flicked his gaze from one person to the next. "No. The girl stays here tonight, or the deal is off. You choose, Antonio."

The tension in my shoulders was killing me. I wanted to grab Alessandra and run, riding off with her on the back of my bike.

From the doorway, I heard Alessandra suck in a harsh breath. She swung around, her mouth hanging open as she looked at her father then at her mother. My heart ached for her. I wanted to fold her in my arms and tell her that everything would be okay. I'd protect her from everyone.

Antonio's jaw slacked and splayed open for a brief moment. He took a step backward, moving away from Pedro. Seconds later he locked his jaw tightly, and straightened his back, his face grim. He shooed the women away. "Go now, we have men's business to talk about."

Reluctantly, I watched Alessandra disappear into the house. This was going to kill me. Hopefully I'd get the chance to talk to Alessandra and convince her to leave with me.

One of Antonio's men returned with extra gla.s.ses. Antonio opened the bottle and poured each man a shot of tequila. I held mine up in a toast to my brothers, locking eyes with Ryder, and threw the fiery liquid back down my throat. d.a.m.n, that was good.

I was ready to burn the f.u.c.king place down if needed.

Chapter 15 - Alessandra.

Two things happened out there on the porch. One, for the first time I realized that everything Esme had told me was true. Why else would the Don act so possessively toward me, and that thing my father said about having another month? Yeah, that freaked me out completely.

Secondly, I knew without a shadow of a doubt what I did and what I did not want for my life. It was a no-brainer.

Still shaking from what happened, I leaned against the kitchen counter.

"Alessandra." Mama stood in front of me, a worried expression in her eyes. "I failed you, my child. I'm so sorry I wasn't stronger. It's too late for me, but you . . . you still have choices." She took my hands in both of hers and squeezed.

"I'm so confused," I said. "I don't understand."

"I want you to go with Esmerelda. You can quickly help me here, but then you must leave. Do you understand what I'm saying to you?" Her eyes held mine captive as she waited for my reply.

I nodded. There weren't really words, only questions. Any answers were ones I didn't want to hear. I couldn't understand why Papa would agree to such a thing. I'd always known that deep down he loved me, even if he didn't show it.

As if she read my mind, Mama said, "I love you so much, and so does your Papa in his own way. But sometimes love isn't enough."

This was a strange way to show love. It didn't make any sense.

My heart felt heavy. The very essence of who I was, of me, Alessandra Alvarez was at stake.

"You have to fight to survive. Do whatever it takes to not become like me. Promise me that?" I hardly saw my mother cry, but tears welled up in her eyes. She let go of my hands and undid the gold chain behind her neck. Since my earliest memory, my mother had worn that gold cross around her neck. It was part of who she was.

She leaned forward and placed it around my neck. "Turn around so I can fasten it."

I turned slowly, running my fingertips over the smooth cool metal. "I can't . . . take this. Your mother gave it to you," I choked.

Why is she doing this?

"I want you to have it. Think of me every time you touch it. It will keep you safe." She spun me around and kissed my forehead.

"Mama," I wailed, feeling as if everything were falling apart.

She gripped my shoulders. There was a fire in her eyes that I hadn't seen in years. "Live, Alessandra, really live. Follow your heart and your dreams. He's a good man; I saw that the first time he came to the house. He will be good for you."

"What will happen to you?" Fear for her struck my heart.

"I'm going to be just fine. I'm stronger than you think. Living this life has not been easy, yet I have raised two beautiful children. Make me proud, my girl."

Behind me, I heard sniffles coming from Esme.

"Essie?" I asked.

She wiped the tears with her shirtsleeve. "Oh my G.o.d, see what happens when I peel onions."

Mama went to the cupboard above the kettle and pulled down an old coffee tin. I knew what she kept in there. Money. Every week she'd save a few pesos from the grocery money Papa gave her. Over the years she'd built a healthy nest egg and managed to buy me girly things my father didn't think I needed. She rolled a few notes and put an elastic band around the scrolled paper. I loved her for it, but I couldn't take it.