Sarah’s mouth fell open, and she took a step away from him. “Bruxa?”
“Yeah,” he said, reaching out for her, but she pulled away. “It was stupid. I was mad and I needed a drink. She—”
“The slut who told Valerie’s friend she’d f**k you in a heartbeat, anywhere, anytime, girlfriend or not?”
“I texted Romero,” he said quickly, ignoring her comment and taking another step toward her, but she held up her hand with a murderous glare, so he stopped. “I texted him to come pick me up before we even got to the bar. I had one drink with her before he got there, and then I left. I’m sorry, okay? I wasn’t thinking straight, but I had no intention of doing anything with her. I swear to you.”
Just the thought of knowing Angel had obviously jumped in that bitch’s car since Romero had to go get him had Sarah feeling sick. But she got it. She believed that he wasn’t thinking straight. The hurt in his voice yesterday was something she could feel even through the phone. It was why she’d been so scared thinking maybe he’d ask for a break—or more.
With the ugliness in her stomach and wanting this to be as ugly as it got today, Sarah decided she wouldn’t dwell on this but she might as well get this over with now.
“That photo you saw,” she said, and the panic in his face was instantly replaced with a hard stare. “The one of me touching his arm is not what you’re thinking.”
Angel looked away, bringing both hands to his head and began to pace. She knew now this is what had done it. This is what had made him go ape shit yesterday, and she needed to explain.
“I saw the picture, Sarah. You lifted his shirt, touched his f**king—”
“When I was in Havasu,” she said loudly before he got too heated, “I’d asked him about the tattoo on his arm. Two L’s. He said it had something to do with the gang he was in long ago. Yesterday, when he told me the truth about everything, I was stunned. Incredibly so, but I also felt really stupid. Stupid for having fallen for everything I was told so easily. When I saw the tattoo on his arm again yesterday, it dawned on me that it had nothing to do with a gang. It was suddenly so clear to me, and I had to take a closer look at it because I couldn’t believe it never occurred to me those were his initials. That’s the first thing anyone would think if they saw two letters like that tattooed on anyone but not my gullible ass since, of course, that would mean his last name wasn’t Ortiz. I just . . .” She shook her head, looking away and feeling mad at herself again. “I believed everything he told me so easily. But I know now why I did. I wanted to. If I didn’t, then I’d be admitting that maybe it wasn’t true. I don’t even know why I wanted it so bad. The idea of having more family just grew on me so fast, and when Omar disappeared, I was determined that Leonardo wouldn’t.”
She took a cautious step forward, afraid he’d reject her coming close as she had done to him just moments ago. He didn’t, so she got close enough to reach for his hand and took it. He dropped her hand then wrapped his arms around her neck so fast it startled her, but she brought her arms around him and hugged him back with just as much emotion as he did her.
This was over. She didn’t want to fight anymore—dwell on the fact that she didn’t have a brother and her father hadn’t really come looking for her—or even spend another minute speculating what Angel’s real intentions were when he decided to have a drink with Bruxa in that moment when he’d been so consumed with rage and hurt feelings. All that mattered was that he hadn’t done so and that Sarah could now fully appreciate what she did have and had for years. Something so many people in the world didn’t. She had Angel and all his love for her.
“I’m sorry this turned out the way it did,” he said, kissing the side of her head. “I really am. No matter who Leo turned out to be or why he really wanted to get close to you, I truly am sorry this didn’t turn out like you’d hoped.” He pulled back to look at her, moving some of the hair away from her face. “Even when he was weirding me the f**k out, not once did I wish for things to end this way. If it had turned out that he was your brother, regardless of how weird he was, I would’ve dealt with it. You know that, right? The last thing I’d ever want is to see you hurt.”
She smiled, seeing the genuine empathy in his eyes, which moments ago began to look as enraged as he sounded yesterday.
“I’m fine about it now,” she assured him. “To be honest, I don’t even know what I was expecting? That he and Omar and I would be taking Christmas portraits together or something ridiculous? I don’t know. He talked about me having other uncles and aunts and cousins, and it excited me. I guess I just thought after it being just my mom and me my whole life more would be a good change.”
Angel nodded, but that look of empathy she’d seen in his eyes just a second ago was suddenly gone, and that familiar intensity was back. “I get it, okay? And I didn’t lie when I said I would’ve dealt with Leo had he actually been your brother. But let me ask you something.” He stopped and chewed his bottom lip almost as if he wanted to be sure about what he was about to ask. “You’re not thinking of staying in touch with Leo are you?”
Immediately, she shook her head. “No,” she said and saw the instant relief in his eyes and felt him exhale.
“Good,” he said, but that intensity was still there. “I don’t want this to be an issue in the future, so I want this to be clear now, Sarah. I’ll deal with Syd.” The intensity softened for a fleeting moment as the corner of his lip tugged. “Well, we’ll play that one by ear. With him, I’m at least willing to try. But Leo . . .” His eyes went hard again. “That’s not even up for discussion. If I so much as hear you’re responding to his texts or emails—”