lobby. “What’s going on, Byron?” Orlando asked. “You just get here?”
“Yeah, I start at one.” Byron glanced down at his watch before looking up at Danica again. “Were you ever in a gang or hung out with the Echo Park Locos?”
Nine laughed as he came around the counter. “Echo Park Locos? What is this the eighties?”
“They’re still around, ass,” Byron retorted but smiled.
“Does she look like she’d hang with those losers?” Nine asked as he opened and sifted through one of the drawers. Danica shook her head, reinforcing what Nine was implying but dared not look at Orlando.
“They’re not all losers,” Byron said. “I used to hang with some of them.”
“My point exactly.” Nine laughed again.
As Byron brought his fist to his chin, leaning on it at the counter in front of Danica, and stared right at her, she felt her face flush and heart speed up. “You look so damn familiar, and every time I look into those sweet eyes,” he said with a wicked smile, “my brain goes back to Echo Park for whatever reason.”
“Alright.” Orlando shoved him playfully but sounded genuinely annoyed. “She’s got work to do. Get out of her face with your Echo Park gang shit.”
“It wasn’t all gangs,” Byron protested but laughed as he took a few steps backwards toward the shop. “Lots of people went there—still do—to just hang out.” Nine’s phone rang and he motioned to Orlando he was taking it outside then rushed out. “I’ll figure it out.” Byron pointed at Danica with a wink before walking out into the shop.
Danica had just turned to Orlando, about to comment casually on everything Byron had said, when he rushed back into the lobby, snapping his fingers. “Mayra, Mirna, what the fuck was her name? She had an older sister Janet or something who hung out at Echo Park with her friends all the time.” He brought his finger to his lips and tapped on them. “Juanita! That was her sister’s name. It’s where I’ve seen you before. You hung out with her and her friends, tough crowd, right?”
Feeling the blood drain from her face, she turned to Orlando, who did a double take because she was sure she looked ready to faint. “I uh . . .”
Orlando turned to Byron with a scowl. “Will you let it go already? What difference does it make anyway?”
Byron didn’t even acknowledge Orlando because he was too busy still pondering and staring out into space. “Maybe I’m thinking of someone else.” He brought his attention back to Orlando and Danica. “It’ll come to me.”
“Yeah, well, when it does, keep it to yourself,” Orlando said, glancing back at Danica, who was still frozen in her chair. “No one cares, so get back to work.”
As soon as Byron was out of the lobby, Orlando turned to Danica. “You okay?”
“Yes,” she nodded, realizing she’d nearly stopped breathing.
“Listen if his ‘don’t I know you from somewhere’ bullshit bothers you, I can talk to—”
“No, no.” Danica laughed nervously. “It’s okay. You don’t have to say anything.”
“I’m serious, Dani. I don’t want any of these idiots making you feel uncomfortable. I saw you just now. I’ll talk to him.”
That intense stare. There was no way to avoid looking in those eyes since he was standing right in front of her. His concerned eyes bore into hers, and they were doing things to her again. Weakening her. It wasn’t too late to talk her way out of this one. Lie. Go along with his assumption of why she likely looked ready to pass out. Anything but the truth.
“There’s something I have to tell you.” Jesus Christ, she was going to do this.
Chapter 16
Orlando
Bracing himself, Orlando waited for Danica to elaborate about what it was she needed to tell him. Based on her reaction to Byron’s annoying comments, he was beyond curious now why she’d look so uneasy about this. He searched her eyes, but she glanced away.
“You can tell me anything, Dani.”
“Um, outside maybe?” She chewed the corner of her lip, glancing around a bit anxiously. “It’s not something I want anyone else to hear.”
Orlando peered at her, now completely intrigued. Nine walked back into the lobby from outside at the same time Alonso walked in from the shop. “Alonso, cover the counter for a few minutes.” He turned back to Dani. “We can go upstairs.” Both Nine and Alonso looked at them in question. “We’ll be back.”
It’s all he gave them as he motioned for her to head up. Concentrating on what