Page 5 of Nocturnal Sins
“No, you don’t. I’ll let you make it up to me though. Come to my house later…” His eyes slid down her curves like grease.
“Are you serious right now? Did you forget all of a sudden that she’s seventeen and you’re twenty-three?” I was trying my best not to cause a scene at the restaurant but Marco was pushing his fucking luck trying to take my sister out.
“Let me get the hell out of here before I get you in trouble. You know Santana has a temper,” Sammie warned Marco, rubbing his shoulder. Just like everyone else, he fell under the spell of her sparkle.
Samira wrapped me in a hug and pressed a chaste kiss to my cheek before breezing out of the kitchen. I heard her tell Pop goodbye and then I heard the doors close. The minute she was out of sight, I swarmed Marco, irritation burning through me. I was at least a head taller than him so he had to crane his neck to look up at me.
“Yo, Santana, you know I didn’t mean shit by that. I was messing with Sam, man.”
“You were messing with her by telling her she could make it up to you by going to your house?” I rubbed the base of my palm over my chin and sighed, shaking my head. “See, that shit didn’t sound like a fucking joke to me. I don’t like motherfuckers like you trying to screw my sister.”
“I wasn’t,” he stammered, holding his hands out. He bared his teeth in an attempt to smile but it didn’t translate. All I saw and smelled was fear. It turned me into a hunter. A wolf stalking helpless prey.
“You were.” My voice was a roll of thunder. The only thing that dismantled the tension was the ding of the bell up front. Pop was ringing it on purpose. He had to be. He glanced into the kitchen from the front and I backed off of Marco a bit.
It was still within business hours so I couldn’t take things out on him like I wanted but the thought of it burned through me. When the restaurant closed for the evening, Marco still avoided me. Ever since I came close to fucking him up he stayed quiet and on the other side of the kitchen.
“Look, Santana,” he began with a lighthearted chuckle. “You know I didn’t mean anything by what I said to Sam, right? I was just fucking around. Harmless flirting.”
“Next time you tell my little sister to come to your fucking house, I’ll keep your teeth as souvenirs. Understand?” My fist held the collar of his t-shirt so tight that he was starting to sputter. Uselessly, he tugged at my fingers trying to get me to drop him. I didn’t plan on it though.
I slammed him against the wall and knocked the wind out of his lungs. I wanted him to have a real reason to sputter. His head banged against the shiny white tile and he pled to me with his eyes.
“Santana, man…I’m sorry. Let me…go.”
I smirked while I watched him struggle. I felt the familiar black water of darkness spreading out in my chest. It pushed me to swing my fist into Marco’s jaw with no regret. I stood back and watch him double over in agony while he held his face.
“So we’re clear then? Next time you say anything to my sister, I promise your teeth will come out.”
“Santana, what the fuck?” Pop’s voice burst through the door before he did but the damage was already done. I shook my aching hand out and chuckled at the sight of Marco in so much pain.
“It’s fine Mr. Alvarez,” Marco stood upright as he could and braced himself against the wall. He shot me a look of pure fury. I dared him to do a motherfucking thing. I would lay him out on the floor and he knew it.
“It’s not fine, Marco. Santana, go. I’ll talk to you when I get home,” Pop snarled. In a huff, I tossed down the dishtowel slung over my shoulder and stormed out. Fuck that shit. I hated having a nine-to-five anyway. I liked quick money. Waiting for a paycheck annoyed the hell out of me.
I peeled away from Papa’s and sped all the way home. I needed my bright spot. I needed my ray of sunshine. Smelling the house filled to the brim with familiar aromas wouldn’t hurt either.
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