Page 52 of Hate That Blooms
Chapter33
Joaquín
Christmas Break
It’s been two weeks of Gabby ignoring me. She ignores every call and every text I send to her. I need her to forgive me, but I know I need to earn that forgiveness back.
I’m going to do better.
You deserve the best I can be for you. For Mireya. I will do whatever I need to make you believe that I’m worthy of you.
Porque eres mía, Reina. Mi todo.
Along with mending her broken heart—that I so carelessly destroyed—I need to make myself a better person. To work through all of my bullshit. But I also need to find the piece of shit that raped my girl. He made her think I hurt her. Just the thought of her being raped has my stomach in knots, making me want to vomit. I wish she would have told me what the guy looked like. At least I could start somewhere with that.
* * *
We sit on the tailgate of my truck outside my house—Thiago and I dig in the bag of food and go over everything that happened.
“Whoever the fuck it was is going to die, T. I swear to God.” I stare at the unwrapped burger in my hands, no longer hungry.
“I believe you,carnal. Did she call the cops? You know to have one of those kits done? That would help find who it was, no?” He says through bites of his food, and I just shake my head.
“She thought it was me, T. So I don’t think she did. Her hair was wet, as if she had just showered. God, I’m a fucking asshole.” I toss my burger to the ground and breakdown. With my head in my hands, I cry in front of my best friend.
I was so lost in myself that I didn’t hear a car pull until the door slammed. Nathan walks up the driveway with a smirk on his face. That fell instantly when he saw me. “Bro, you good? Who do we need to fuck up? Is your dad drunk again?”
I wipe my eyes and look up at him, drawing in a breath. “After—after she left me last night, she was attacked at her house. Some piece of shit raped her in the driveway. Where her little sister could have seen.” I grab onto his shoulder and lean into him. “Someone fucking raped the girl I’m in love with.”
Nathan sits me upright, patting me on the back as a shitty attempt to comfort me. “Love? I thought you just wanted to fuck with her and then once you had your fun, you’d be over her.”
“He’s always loved her, you fuckingpendejo.” Thiago rolls his eyes and stares him down.
“Well, if Quín would have just stuck with fucking with her, he wouldn’t have all these feelings.”
I draw my fist back and punch him. Searing pain explodes throughout my hand as I feel his nose crunch. Nathan loses his balance, stumbling backwards. I hop off the tailgate and grip his collar. “If I ever see you fucking with her, I’ll fucking kill you, Nate. I’m not playing around.”
“You know what, Quín, go fuck yourself.” Wiping the blood from his nose. “That bitch has you all fucked up! Where did my best friend go?”
He rises to his feet and I take a step back before I really let loose on him. “I think you need to go.”
Nathan spits out blood, nodding his head. “Yeah, I do. Have fun being pussy whipped. Call me when the old Joaquín is back.”
With a muttered curse, Nathan storms down the driveway, flinging himself into his car, and speeding off down the street. Thiago’s throat clearing is the sound that breaks the silence, drawing my attention back to him as he stands behind me. “You don’t think he could have...”
Doubt has already taken root in my mind.I know Nathan has some weird obsession with wanting to fuck her, but would he stoop so low as to rape her?
“If I find out that he did, he’s dead. I will kill him with my bare hands, T.”
Chapter34
Gabriela
Christmas Eve
Cora: Just come to my place. We can do a Christmas Eve sleepover with Mireya. We can bake cookies and watch movies. It'll be fun.
I don’t think Mireya would be okay sleeping somewhere that isn’t her bed. Plus, I can’t run away from being lonely, Cora.
