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  I nod. “Okay, that’s good.”

  “It’s perfect. Now go introduce yourself. She will love you.”

  Taking a deep breath, I straighten my shoulders and push forward, feeling Luis and Mateo follow. Gabe’s eyes lift to mine from where he stands next to his grandmother. The flutter that ripples in my tummy is a good reminder why it’s important to get the approval of his family.

  His grandmother notices me walking toward her and offers a smile. It makes this that much easier. Returning her smile, I extend my hand. “Hola. Me encanta la verga de su nieto.”

  Her eyes widen in horror and gasps of outrage penetrate the room. Gabe sputters out a cough, choking on air. When I hear Luis and Mateo burst into laughter, I realize I’ve been set up.

  “Luis!” His mother slaps him upside the head, berating him in Spanish.

  Heat invades my cheeks, my heart pounding so loud I swear it’s about to beat out of my chest. The grandmother continues to gape at me with her hand over her heart and I fear she’s about to go into cardiac arrest.

  Gabe comes to stand next to me, a smirk curving his lips as he rubs his jaw.

  “What did I just say?” I ask on a whisper, my mouth feeling as dry as sandpaper.

  He bends down, bringing his lips to my ear. “You just told her that you love my cock.”

  “Oh god.” The words leave me on a rush of air, my tummy churning. I worry I’m about to make things worse by chucking all over the poor old lady in front of me.

  “Don’t worry about it, Blondie. It’s not on you.” Gabe reaches over my shoulders, shoving Luis hard.

  My eyes narrow on both brothers, silently promising retribution.

  Luis shrugs, a cocky grin on his face. “Just seeing how tough you really are, Barbie.”

  He’s going to find out.

  This—means—war.

  “Abuela, this is CeCe,” Gabe introduces, trying to repair the damage I’ve caused.

  “Hello, CeCe,” she greets me. Other than a thick accent, her English is just fine.

  Those lying fuckers.

  Swallowing thickly, I shove aside my humiliation and extend my hand again. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m so sorry about before.”

  “Don’t fret, my dear,” she says, clasping my one hand between both of hers. “It seems my grandsons got you good.”

  “That they did.”

  And revenge will be had.

  “All right, all of you take Abuela out in the backyard,” Gabe’s mother orders. “Ladies who are helping with dinner, come get your dishes ready.”

  My fingers wrap around Gabe’s, refusing to let go for the rest of the night. Unfortunately, that plan is squashed when his mother stops me with a hand on my shoulder. “You come with us in the kitchen, honey, we can get to know each other.”

  Dread seizes my chest. The kitchen and I are not a good mix.

  Rather than voice that, I nod and follow her into the kitchen, tossing Gabe a nervous look over my shoulder. His sexy wink does nothing to ease my apprehension.

  There’s at least ten women gathered in the small kitchen, all of them bustling around comfortably while I stand around being awkward. Much to my dismay, ex bitch is among them. She eyes me up like I don’t belong here. Let’s hope I am not asked to cook, otherwise she will be proven right.

  “Here. You can cut up the ingredients for my homemade salsa,” Marisol says, pushing me up to the counter where an array of fresh vegetables are laid out. “Start with the cilantro. It’s always the most important ingredient.”

  My stomach tightens as I wonder what the hell cilantro looks like. Couldn’t she have asked me to cut a tomato?

  As if sensing my turmoil, the ex bitch watches me, a condescending smirk on her face.

  Ignoring her, I clear my throat and wash my hands then eye all the items in front of me. If I were cilantro what would I look like? I know it’s green but the problem is there are four different green items in front of me and they all look alike.

  I take a wild guess and pick one before grabbing the knife in front of me.

  “Oh, not that one. That’s parsley,” one of Gabe’s cousins says.

  Shit!

  Ex bitch laughs, making me feel dumber than I already do.

  Marisol shoots her a glare and walks over to me, placing her hand on my shoulder. “This one, honey.” She hands me what would have been my second guess.

  I offer her a sheepish smile. “Sorry. I don’t spend much time in the kitchen.”

  I’ve never had a problem admitting that before but right now it makes me feel inferior and that bothers me.

  “Don’t you worry about that. Carmen over there can’t cook to save her life,” she says, cracking a joke at one of the cousins. “Her queso will make you violently ill.”

  Chuckles filter through the kitchen as Carmen whips a dishtowel at her aunt. “Ha ha. I am getting better. Just ask Mamá.”

  I smile, appreciating the light moment.

  Marisol taps my cheek affectionately. “If you ever want to learn, you call me,” she says. “I will teach you how to cook my Gabriel’s favorite meal.”

  “I’d like that.” Cooking really doesn’t interest me in the least but learning how to cook Gabe’s favorite would be worth the sacrifice of my pretty nails.

  “Good.” Smiling, she moves back to her task while I begin chopping up the cilantro, hoping I’m not screwing it up.

  “Tell us about your boutique, Cece,” Aunt Camila says. “Where is it?”

  “On the upper eastside. Over in Oakbrook.”

  “Oh that’s a beautiful part of town.”

  “It is,” I agree. “I grew up not far from there.”

  “Surprise, surprise,” Catalina mumbles under her breath but we all hear it loud and clear.

  I grit my teeth, fighting the urge to claw her eyes out. She has a serious stick up her ass.

  “What kinds of things do you sell?” another aunt asks, trying to mask the undeniable tension.

  I play along, knowing now is not the time to get into a catfight. “I sell everything from designer handbags to shoes and clothes. I’ve also been approved to expand for a men’s line. I’m really excited about that.”

  “It sounds like a wonderful place,” his mother says.

  “Thank you. It is. It means a lot to me.”

  “What’s it called?” one of the cousins asks. “Maybe I’ll pop in one day.”

  “I’d love that. It’s called Kensington Palace.”

  Ex bitch scoffs, making things uncomfortable again.

  “Catalina,” Gabe’s mother snaps her name, a furious bite to her tone. “You can go out back now. We’re fine here and don’t need any more help.”

  She looks over at Marisol, hurt pinching her expression by the dismissal. “Are you sure? I’m almost done with the tamales.”

  “Leave it. We will finish them.”

  Her lips press together and she sends a glare in my direction before storming out. Thick silence fills the small space, making things even more awkward.

  “I have a feeling she wouldn’t be up to going for lunch with me at the country club,” I say, hoping to break the heavy moment.

  Thankfully, it works.

  All the women burst into laughter, sharing in my amusement, and things fall back into being easy again.

  “Don’t worry about Cat,” Ariadna whispers, coming up next to me. “She’s always had it bad for Gabriel.”

  I figured as much but the information still has jealousy heating my blood. “Were they serious?” I ask, unable to help myself.

  She shakes her head. “Not as serious as she wanted it to be.”

  That makes me feel a little better.

  “Well, don’t worry about my feelings,” I say. “It takes a lot to rattle me.”

  “I can see that. If I had shared with Abuela what you did, I would have run out of this house in tears.”

  The other women chuckle, obviously listening in on our conversation.

  I
shake my head, humiliation claiming me once again. “I will never live that down for as long as I live.”

  “Let me tell you something,” Marisol says. “My boys are full of shit, especially Luis. Next time you want to speak Spanish you come to me. I will translate.”

  “I appreciate that, but trust me, I will not make that same mistake again.”

  Those little fuckers will pay. I just have to wait for the right opportunity to present itself.

  Once I finish mangling all the vegetables, I ask where the bathroom is and go freshen up. I use the opportunity to reapply my lip gloss and give my hair some extra tease. When I walk out I’m ready to face the large crowd in the backyard. Only I come up to a room where I hear a heated exchange being made and my name is in the mix.

  “I don’t understand what you’re doing with her. What are you trying to prove?” The snotty voice belongs to none other than ex bitch.

  “My relationship with CeCe is none of your damn business.” Gabe’s tone is thick with anger.

  “She’s the furthest thing from your type and you know it. She can’t even hack it in the kitchen with your mother and aunts.”

  I try not to let that remark sting, because unfortunately, it is the truth.

  “What the fuck does that have to do with anything?”

  “Because her designer heels and purses don’t fit in here. Why are you wasting your time?”

  My blood heats at her audacity. Let’s see how well my heel fits up her ass!

  “I’m warning you, Catalina. Back off. You don’t know me or what I want.”

  “Obviously I don’t. It seems you are more like your father than we all thought.”

  A cold silence settles over the room, and I swear the air drops in temperature. Before I can even wonder what her remark means, Gabe speaks, his tone dripping with disdain. “Get the fuck out of my house.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “You heard me. You aren’t welcome here.”

  “I was invited.”

  “Your parents were invited.”

  “And they couldn’t make it. So I’m here on their behalf. Besides, this is your mother’s home.”

  “I pay the bills here, and I am telling you to leave now or I will physically throw you out.”

  I decide if she doesn’t listen my Jimmy Choos and I will gladly boot her ass out.

  “Whatever. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

  My back presses against the wall, remaining out of sight as she storms from the room, heading out the front door. I hear Gabe let out a heavy breath and decide to give him a few moments of privacy before entering. His back is turned toward me, shoulders strained as he drives a hand through his hair.

  “Well she’s lovely, isn’t she?” I say, announcing myself.

  He spins around, his hard expression softening. “Hey, Blondie.”

  “Hey.” I smile, hoping to ease some of his tension.

  “How long have you been standing there for?”

  “Long enough,” I answer honestly. “I have a feeling she doesn’t care for me.”

  He closes the distance between us, pulling me into his arms. “Forget her. She’s a bitch.”

  “Agreed, but she’s also right.”

  His eyes narrow. “About what?”

  “That I don’t fit in here very well, especially in the kitchen,” I whisper. “I can’t cook, Gabe. Like at all. My drawer in the kitchen is full of take-out menus. That’s how I roll.”

  “Well, I guess it’s a good thing I can cook then, isn’t it.”

  His effort to try and lighten the moment falls flat because the cold hard truth remains. I will never be like those women in the kitchen.

  “Look at me,” he orders, lifting my eyes to his. “I don’t give a shit about any of that. I don’t need you to cook for me. I can cook for myself and I’ll cook for you, too.”

  Warmth invades my heart, his words vanishing the small moment of insecurity I had. Smiling, I wrap my arms around his waist. “We’re the complete opposite of each other. You know this, right?”

  He hugs me closer. “Yeah, Bella. We’re the complete opposite, but somehow we fit.” His warm, chocolate eyes hold mine as his head dips, lips sealing over mine in a beautiful kiss that rocks the ground beneath my feet.

  He’s right. We do fit. Nothing has ever felt as right as this.

  By the time he pulls back I’m breathless, my lungs grasping for air.

  “Come on, let’s go eat. The sooner we do, the sooner I will get you all to myself.”

  His possessive words set off a flock of butterflies in my belly. Taking my hand, he pulls me behind him, leading us out into the backyard where the party is in full swing. All the children are playing in the sprinkler, running around in their bathing suits while several groups are formed among the adults as they socialize.

  Aunt Camila brings me over one of her margaritas. “I saved this for you. The first batch always goes quick.”

  “Thank you. I appreciate you having my back.”

  She pats my shoulder. “Show them what you’re made of.”

  Smiling, I take a hefty sip, enjoying the liquid as it coats my throat. It’s not long before a crowd gathers around Gabe and me, most of them his cousins. Their conversation is filled with laughter as they rib one another.

  It’s obvious how close this large family is. It’s the total opposite of how I grew up. Our family gatherings were very small. No aunts, uncles, or cousins. Just the three of us, and even though I wouldn’t trade my parents for the world, I can’t help but wonder if maybe I did miss out on more, especially in the siblings department.

  Feeling a tug on my hand, I look down to find Milia, her soaking wet hair tangled around her young face. “Want to come see me do a cartwheel over the sprinkler?”

  “I’d love to.”

  Releasing Gabe’s hand, I follow her over to the water and watch as she does an amazing cartwheel.

  “Wow, you’re good.”

  “Thanks.” She beams. “I take gymnastics.”

  “I can tell. I used to as well.”

  “You did?” she asks, her eyes lighting up with excitement.

  I nod. “I was even captain of my cheerleading team in high school.”

  “That’s what I wanna do, too.”

  “Well keep doing those cartwheels like you are and you’ll have no problem achieving that.”

  She does another one and a few of her other cousins follow, all of them wanting to show me their tricks. It brings a smile to my face and I can’t help but wonder what Rosa will be like at this age.

  She will be the best-dressed kid around if her auntie has anything to say about it, that’s for sure.

  Laughter pulls my attention over to a small group of guys to my left, one of them being Luis. He’s telling everyone a story, using his hands expressively that has them killing themselves with laughter.

  Eyeing the sprinkler not far from my feet, an idea forms.

  Time to get my revenge.

  Kneeling down, I call the girls over. “Is it okay if I borrow this for a moment?”

  “Sure,” Milia says.

  “Thanks.” I tilt the sprinkler to the side and unscrew the hose then bend it to cut off the flow of water. Once I have that done, I slip off my heels, knowing I’ll need to be stealthy and fast.

  The young girls follow me as I keep the hose bent in my hand, dragging it behind me as I approach the group. I stop right behind Luis and tap his shoulder.

  He turns around; the same arrogant smirk on his face that I’ve seen on his brother many times. “What’s up, Barbie? Come to take some more Spanish lessons?”

  “Actually, yes. I was wondering how you say revenge in Spanish?”

  Before he can toss out what I know will be a cocky answer, I whip the hose out from behind me and press my thumb on the nozzle, spraying water all over him.

  “Whoa, shit!”

  The entire group disperses, running out of the line of fire as Luis’s arms flail. I manage t
o soak the center of his jeans before he escapes my wrath.

  I drop the hose on the ground and cover my mouth, feigning shock. “Uh oh! Look, girls, it seems Uncle Luis had a little accident.”

  The entire party bursts into laughter as the girls jump up and down, pointing at Luis. “Tio peed his pants, Tio peed his pants,” they chant, adding insult to the wound.

  Luis’s eyes narrow but it doesn’t faze me one bit.

  Cocking a hip, I flick my hair over my shoulder. “You can call me Revenge Barbie.”

  A devilish grin claims his mouth. “It’s on, chica.”

  The second he reaches for me, I dart right, my feet tearing up the wet grass. Milia screams for me to run faster. Glancing over my shoulder, I find Luis right on my heels. I switch directions and manage to duck under his arm, evading him once more.

  A round of cheers penetrate the air on my behalf. That alone makes this all worth it. However, my time comes to an end, as I knew it would.

  Luis snags my wrist and yanks me back, his arms locking around my waist. Laughing, I fight to break free as he carries me back to the waiting hose, but I have no luck.

  “Milia, quick, grab the hose before he does.”

  My sweet little partner in crime runs for it but isn’t fast enough. Mateo grabs it first and hands it over to Luis.

  Little fucker. I should have got him, too.

  Holding the hose over my head, Luis soaks me entirely. I scream and laugh uncontrollably, begging for mercy.

  It’s not until moments later that he finally releases me, tossing the hose aside. I wring out my hair, a stitch in my side from laughing so hard.

  Luis drapes an arm around my shoulders, pulling me into his side. “Welcome to the family, Barbie.”

  I look up at him with a smile, his words making my cold, wet state worth it. My eyes find Gabe where he stands amongst the group I left him with. There’s a hint of a smirk on his lips, but there’s something more in his gaze, a look that has my heart tripping in my chest.

  That look alone makes every embarrassing moment I endured tonight worth it.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Gabe

  The sun has set by the time we arrive at my townhouse. Lust hammers through my veins as we head up the walkway to my door, the girl next to me wreaking havoc on my barely restrained control. I’ve been thinking about this all week. The moment when we will finally be alone and I can touch and taste every inch of her.