Page 61 of The Saint

My feet echoed off the tile floor as I stepped toward the front desk. Seated there, filing her nails and chomping on a wad of gum, was Gloria Alvarez, little sister and pain in the ass to Hector Alvarez.

The woman looked up expectantly at the noise, smile bright behind her ruby red lipstick. But the minute she saw me, that smile dropped to something resembling a scowl, and she spoke with the attitude of a teenage girl.

“Can I help you?”

My hands itched as I pulled to a stop in front of the counter. Gloria reminded me too much of the bullies I’d gone to school with. More beauty than brains, riding the coattails of their family and friends, and looking down their noses at anyone who didn’t fit the tiny mold they’d poured themselves out of.

I lifted my chin, reminding myself she was a part of the deal. There was no getting rid of her, no matter how badly I might want to.

“Your boss in?”

She dragged her dark gaze down my body, that scowl coming out to play. “Not for you.”

“I need to talk to him.”

“Well, he’s busy.” She returned to filing her nails, like I was less important than shit on her shoe.

I looked around the shop, at the empty bays, the deserted waiting room, and the wide-open expanse of floor. I lifted my arms from my sides, and I gestured around the space. “Busy with all your customers?”

Gloria let out a huff but didn’t bother looking up from her nails. “Uh, yeah.”

Everything inside of me wanted to scream out, tell her I knew he was doing no such thing. Because I’d been on the phone with Shaw when Gloria twisted the key in the front door, opening the shop for the day. And Shaw had been watching Alvarez in his office the past hour, as he sat drinking his coffee and sighing over the sad state of their finances. Gloria was the only other person in the building, and Shaw had seen to it that their phones were jammed, so no calls were being made.

I wanted to prove to her how little she knew, put her in her place so hard she’d think twice about ever treating anyone like this again.

But I couldn’t.

I knew I couldn’t.

That wasn’t what I was here for.

That chime sang out again as the door behind me opened. Gloria looked up from her nails, that smile taking a second longer to find its place on her face than it had before. But she was all bubbly personality as she looked past me as if I wasn’t there.

“Welcome to Alvarez Autobody. How can I help you?” She slid off her chair, stepping out from behind the counter, wearing high heels and black jeans so tight she would have had to pour herself in them to get them to fit. She fingered the open collar of her work shirt, accentuating her full breasts, and I hated her.

Hated her almost as much as I hated myself for never being able to look like that.

She walked straight past me, stopping near the motorcycle that was on display at the side of the room, and the man checking it over. She posed there, hand on her hip as she cocked it to one side, showing off every one of her ample curves.

My fists clenched as Rolly looked up from the bike, as his hands stilled on the leather seat while he took her in. He gave her a smile, jerked his chin in hello, and my heart rampaged in my chest.

“You should take care of her first.”

Gloria scowled over her shoulder at me, turning it right back into a gorgeous smile as she faced Rolly. “Are you looking for a custom? Or do you have a bike you’d like to refurbish?”

“Excuse me?” The words hissed out of me as she reached out to touch him.

Rolly tossed me a look that was all warning, but it did little to douse the fire that was raging in my gut. His brow raised as he directed his gaze back on her. “No. Really. You should take care of her.”

Gloria huffed. “She’s been helped.”

“Bullshit.”

She ignored me, but she also didn’t catch the flare of annoyance on Rolly’s face. He rose to his full height. “Your boss around?”

Her back straightened, and she turned her glower back to me, her voice raising. “He’s busy.”

“Everything okay out—” Hector Alvarez stepped out from the back room, crumbling up a paper towel between his hands. The moment he saw me, his eyes widened, his body stiffened, and he dropped his gaze to the tattoo on my arm. He shook his head, glanced around the room, finding Gloria, Rolly, and no one else. “What are you doing here?”