The Other Marlowe Girl (Marlowe Girls) (6 page)

“Kammy, what are you doing in here?” my sister asked. 

I opened my eyes and light seeping in through Lucí’s window hit me in the face, blinding me. It was already morning. Covering my face with my hand, I said, “The baby cried. I came to check on her. That’s all.”

“Oh. I’m sorry. I never even heard her. I guess I should turn the monitor up. But what’s the golf club for?”

I laughed. “I heard a noise and got scared.”

“Oh. Enrique’s downstairs, and he asked for you. What’s the deal with you two?”

That was a good question. “I don’t know, but he’s hot.”

“There are three of them, and they’re all hot.” Her face filled with color.

I laughed. This was the kind of thing that never came out of my big sister’s mouth, and it was good to laugh with Tiffany again.

“Does your husband know you think his brothers are hot?”

“No. Shut up.”

I pulled myself out of the bed, jarring Lucí, who woke up screaming. Back in the guest room, I surveyed myself in the mirror and realized I needed a serious shower before Enrique saw me. He needed to go to work though, so I sucked it up and headed downstairs with my Frankenstein
 
hair.
 

A smile stretched across his face when he saw me. This guy was non-stop. He was too good to be true, hot, responsible, always happy to see me, and seemingly indifferent to my evil side. It made me wonder what the catch was.

“What are you doing here so early?”

He shrugged. “It’s my brother’s.”

“Uh-huh.”

He laughed. “I like your hair.”

“Oh shut up!”

“You slept well.”

Not really.
 “You got up at the crack of dawn to tell me my hair looks crazy?”
 

“No, I brought you my car. But I need a ride, so come on.”

“Your car? Why? And where are we going?”

“You don’t loan out a BMW to a girl you’ve known for three days,” Luke called, and for the first time, I noticed him at the breakfast bar eating a taco.

 
I felt a crease form in my forehead, and I would have made some smart comment,
 
but Enrique said, “I think I pay for it, so I’ll do what I want. It’s insured.”
 

“Think with your head.”

“Luke, if you don’t shut up, I’m going to kick your ass for the first time since Toni’s high school graduation.”

“When this blows up in your face, don’t tell me about it.” Luke took a bite of his taco.

Enrique looked at me. “
Princessa, 
take me to get my bike.”
 

“Come on,” I said.
 

“Take some tacos,” Luke said.

Enrique rolled his eyes, but grabbed a couple of tacos from the stove before following me out the door.

“I’m twenty-six years old. I’m smart enough to eat without him telling me!”

“My sister makes the best tacos in Texas. Just roll with it,” I said.

“I called Angie in HR this morning. She has time to see you at ten.”

“Thank you.”

I thought of telling him about Daniel’s most recent text. He was the only person I really could tell, but I decided against it. I was already the flake living with our siblings. I really didn’t want to add to that. One thing was for sure: I had to come up with ten thousand dollars and quick, because Daniel was getting impatient.

Chapter 7

The interview at Enrique’s office wasn’t much of an interview. Angie made copies of my driver’s license and social security card and sent me upstairs to report to the attorney I’d be working for. I stopped at the receptionist desk to ask where I might find the attorney, and Luke walked past me. He took two steps past the receptionist before turning around to come back.

“What are you doing here?”

“Um… working.”

“Doing what?”

“I’m Sylvia’s new secretary.”

“Did Tiffany put you up to this?”

This guy really hated me. “No, Luke. She didn’t. Look, if you don’t want me to work here, I won’t.” 

He shrugged. “I’m just shocked. Tiffany didn’t mention it, and I would have thought when Angie saw your last name she would have asked one of us if we knew you. She’s been in HR for ten years. I guess if she felt comfortable hiring you, you’re qualified.” 

Thank God because I needed another job and this paid well. But with this income alone, it would take me four months to pay Daniel, and I was willing to bet, he wouldn’t wait that long.

This was the best job I’d ever had. I had my own cubicle and phone line. I’d never really done this secretary thing before, but it couldn’t be that hard. I talked to my attorney. She didn’t need anything today. Real work would start tomorrow, and one of the other secretaries would help me. I’d only been in my office half an hour when Luke called.

“I need help.”
“Don’t we all?”

It surprised me when he chuckled. “Yeah, but your job is to help me.”

“I thought my job was to help Sylvia.”

“Yeah, well, everyone else is busy. I’ve got three boxes here that I need six sets of copies of. Do you know where the copy room is?”

“Yes.”

“Okay, meet me there. There is no way you can carry this. I’ll drop them off for you.”

He wasn’t exaggerating. He had three bank boxes piled so high the tops wouldn’t go on.

“Keep everything in order. Make everything look identical to the original, so staples where you see staples, colored paper clips, sticky tab the corresponding copies. Staples, paper clips, and tabs are in the cabinet to your right. Kammy, I need this tomorrow, so don’t screw up.” How stupid did he think I was? How could you screw up a copy?

I’d been standing at the machine for two hours when Enrique walked in.

“Hey, so it worked out. You should have come by and said hi.” 

“We’re at work.”

He smiled. “You’re right. You wanna go to lunch?”

“I can’t. Luke needs this tomorrow, and I’d really like for your big brother to, at some point, quit hating me.”

“Well, slave labor is definitely the way to his heart. I can see you tonight, right?”

I grinned. “Sure.”

He grabbed a binder from the filing cabinet. “Too bad you didn’t agree to lunch. I should be closing in on the fifth date soon.”

I’d never been the type to blush, but Enrique was so hot something about that last comment did it. He winked at me and walked out the door. After another four hours non-stop at the copy machine, I finished Luke’s project. Eighteen boxes. I grabbed the three boxes of originals, put them in a roller chair, and pushed them to his office.

“Come in,” he called after I rapped the door a few times.

Still pushing the roller chair ahead of me, I walked in. “What’s this?”

“Your originals. The copies are in the copy room. I need a few more trips.”

“You finished?”

“Yep.”

“Thanks, I didn’t expect them until tomorrow afternoon. That was a lot of work. Kammy, you shouldn’t have picked those boxes up yourself. I would have done it.”

“Ehh—I can pick up boxes.”

“Well, if you need help, just ask. I’ll get the others.”

“I’ll get the boxes. I want something else from you.” The guy hated me so much I didn’t have much to lose. And I was never going to resolve things with my sister until he quit hating me. And at some point, it would cause problems with Enrique, too. Assuming my drug dealer stalker didn’t break that deal first.

“What?”

“Quit hating me.”

He raised his brows, and his eyes grew wide in surprise. “What?”

“Quit hating me.”

“I don’t hate you. You hurt my wife. And now you’re playing with Enrique.”

“I’m not playing with Enrique.”

“Good to know,” Enrique’s voice came from behind me. “Luke, I don’t know what you’re doing, but if you have to talk about me here, at least shut the door.”

“I didn’t say anything about you.”

“Whatever, I just thought you should know a certain frat boy is at 
mi
 
mamá’s,
 home from school on fall break.” He put finger quotes around fall.
 

“Since when does UT have a fall break?” Luke asked.

“Your intern who graduated from UT two months ago says they don’t. I had a fall break a time or two, but I’m not sure administration recognized it.” Enrique stepped into the office.

“When will 
Papá 
be back from Cancun?” Luke asked.
 

“A couple of weeks. Frat boy has been home for two days. We haven’t seen him because he’s been locked in his room,” Enrique said.
 

“Are you having dinner at 
Mama’s 
tonight?”
 
 

Enrique grinned.
 
“You know what? You’re everyone’s big brother. You deal with it.”
 

Luke glared at him. “While you’re doing what?”

“None of your business. But if you really don’t want to deal with it, just call Dad. He’s only settling 
mi abuelo’s 
will. I’m sure he won’t mind.”
 

Enrique turned to leave, and I followed him out.

I grabbed his arm. “I’m sorry. I—I’m sorry you heard that, but I’m not playing with you.” 
 

He sighed. 

“Are you upset with me?” I bit my bottom lip.

“No, I’m upset with my brother for being in my business and for accusing you. We’re fine, but I’m not talking about this here. Okay?”

“I’m not agreeing to that because I have to tell you something.” 
 

“What now?”
“You can’t get mad at Luke for telling you what to do,
 
then tell on Toni. Toni 
is
 the frat boy, right?”
 

He shook his head. “He should be at school.”

I nodded, but what I wanted to say was, “and you shouldn’t be dating a loser like me.” I bit my tongue, because I cared about Enrique way more than I should like a guy I’d known less than a week, and I didn’t want to talk him out of dating me.

Chapter 8

When Enrique came to pick me up that night, I blew him off. It was the hardest thing I’d ever done, but I told him he needed to go with Luke to take care of his little brother. True. Though I also thought with the guys gone, I could hang out with Tiffany and Lucí. I didn’t realize how much I missed my sister until I started staying in her house. There was a lot about Tiffany to love, and with Luke away, there would be no one here to remind her of all the reasons to hate me. 

“At least have coffee with me later tonight?” he asked when I told him to have dinner with his family instead of me. It was just coffee. No big deal. But that one line was about the sweetest thing I’d ever heard. He was so desperate to see me, and I wouldn’t even let him kiss me. He was interested in me for me, and I didn’t think that had ever happened before.
 

It turned out that Tiffany was taking a cooking class that night. So much for a chance to talk. I needed ten thousand dollars and quick, so I decided to look for a second job. I dropped by a burger place and a convenience store before I saw the black Escalade behind me. When I noticed Daniel following me, the job search was cut short. I texted Enrique that I needed him to find a way out and meet me.

We agreed to meet at a Starbucks in the same neighborhood as Tiffany’s house. Daniel’s black Escalade tailgated me as I pulled into the parking lot. Enrique was already here, and if not, he would be soon. I was sure of that. So all I had to do was park close enough to the front door that Daniel couldn’t risk whatever he had planned. With outdoor tables on either side of the entrance, there was no way he’d hurt me, and once I found Enrique I’d be safe. But the parking lot was packed. No empty spaces near the door. Hell, no empty spaces near the store. The only thing I could do was park at the bank in the same parking lot and walk. This was bad. Very bad.

The Escalade was on my tail even as I parked. I decided it was best to stay in the parked car. Enrique wouldn’t be able to park either, so he’d see the car and when he did I’d just text him to follow me and leave, but Daniel got out of the car and pounded his fists against my window. Staring straight ahead, I refused to get flustered. 
Stay calm. Ignore him. He’ll leave. 
 

It worked. He got back in his car and pulled out. He sped off across the parking lot, driving like a maniac. He was going to kill someone, but I couldn’t care because he was driving away from me. Until he circled around at the same speed. 
What is he doing? 
The Escalade plummeted towards my car—Enrique’s BMW—way too fast. If he didn’t slow down soon, he wouldn’t be able to stop. 
He’s not planning to stop.
 Before I’d completed the thought, the sound of metal bending rang through my ears and the seat bounced under me. 
Stay calm, Kammy. Deep breaths. Deep breaths. 
Pushing the fear out of my mind, I took a second to figure out what happened. From the rearview mirror, I could see he hit me and he was backing up to do it again. We were far enough away from the Starbucks that no one gave us any attention.
 Just stay in the car. 
But he surprised me. He didn’t hit me a second time. He got out of his car and walked to my window again, tapping on it. I wasn’t getting out of this car. He bent his arm and swung toward the window. 
 

I had to get out of this car. 

One way or the other, he was going to get me out of this car. Might as well do it on my terms, before I was showered with glass and had a BMW window to pay for in addition to the tail end. On top of ten thousand dollars.

I swung the door open and stepped out before his arm connected with the window. 
Thank God. 
 

“You think you’re cute, don’t you? Bitch, you got my money?”

“I just need a little more time.”

“Time? You’re out of time. The pawn shop won’t even take my shit since that damn diamond stunt you pulled.”

“I didn’t buy the drugs. Emmett did. Why don’t you take this up with him?”

His hands came up toward my head. My heart pounded against my rib cage at such a pace I couldn’t breathe. 
He’s going to crush me.
 His palms hit the metal of the car frame. I didn’t relax, but I said a little prayer.