Page 22 of The Enemy

My answer was curt and to the point. He didn’t need to know how much that stupid watch hurt me. My father had his grandfather’s watch. Even if Gerald gave me another one, itwouldn’t be the same. In this family, I would always be a second-class citizen.

At the thought, another tear fell.

This time, I didn’t feel the softness of the handkerchief. Without having to look, my heart began to race, and my blood sang at the contact. Neo was using his thumb to wipe away the lone tear that had fallen.

Our gazes clashed, and his eyes, which had been calm seconds ago, were burning up now. He shifted, and I braced to see what he would do next. Neo grabbed my hair and ran it through this pointer and thumb before letting it go.

“Stop fucking crying,” he hissed.

My lower lip trembled, and I felt his eyes track the movement.

“Don’t tell me what to do,” I said in a low voice, trying to stop myself from crying.

Neo got even closer, he rubbed the corner of my eye and trailed down to my chin, where he held it between his thumb and index finger.

Could he hear how my heart thumped erratically just because he held me?

“You’re not weak,” he said as his voice dropped and his face got closer to mine. “So, stop acting like it.”

My intake of breath was soft. A part of me told me to pull away, that this was a mistake. Neo and I were always ready to battle someone else’s war. I don’t know who moved closer, if I did or him, but our noses touched. Having him so close to me was electric. I couldn’t move, and that was probably due to the fact that we were poison to one another.

One kiss never killed anyone.

I looked up at him to make sure this was what he wanted.

Because one kiss might just kill us.

The door to the hallway opened, and Wes called out for Neo, making him jump up as if I had burned him before our lips even touched.

SIX

LOURDES

Twenty-three years old

Two yearslater

Sooner or later,we all have to stop running. No matter how fast we run or how far we go, our problems will always be right behind us.

My time away at college was like a nice little vacation. I got to hang out with people who weren’t from my world and experience the world through their eyes.

I lived my life in a way I hoped made my mami proud.

Todo a su tiempo. All in good time.My mami was wise. Even though my father didn’t pressure me to join the company—hell, sometimes it felt like no one would care if I started there or not—it was still something I wanted to do. It was my birthright.

I grew up watching my parents be a team, which inspired me—all I wanted was to take part in my family's legacy. Was that so bad?

Or maybe when my mami died, I didn’t let myself dream a new dream.

The knock on my door startled me. It was late, and my father knew I had come to sleep early since tomorrow would be my first day of work.

As my hand reached for the doorknob, I hesitated for a second. No, it would be ridiculous to think that Neo would be at my door, especially now. I don’t think he even came to sleep here anymore.

My ridiculous thought was quickly dismissed when I saw my father standing there.

“Is something wrong?” I asked.

Our relationship wasn’t tense, it was just strained. The years got between us, and it wasn’t easy to regain the trust that was lost. He was my father, and I loved him… I just no longer adored him.

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