get it,” Mishmash said quietly. “Sorry to bring it up.” He chuckled darkly. “Que putaso. Well, you’re well rid of a piece of garbage like that. Hitting females is just wrong. You don’t do that.”
Riel nodded, wiping her eyes. Mishmash smiled and leaned forward, patting her foot. “That crap is all over for you. You’re safe with me. And maybe you’ll get your chance to get back at that culito for what he did, eh?” He grinned wider, and Riel gazed at him, startled. Then she felt a smile spread across her face.
“Maybe,” she said.
Mishmash laughed. “That’s the spirit. I think we’re going to enjoy working together, you and I.”
A desire for revenge flared up inside Riel. All those months in prison had been because of Isaias. And then he had the audacity to try to make her pay him back for the drugs and lawyer fees.
I’ll kick that guy where it hurts. I’ll twist his balls into a knot. I’ll make him wish he were dead and that he never heard the name Gabriella Hernandez.
Chapter Eight
They spent a few days in San Diego before heading over the border for their next pickup. Most of their days were spent at the beach, or in the Jacuzzi tub in their hotel room, though they did find time to go clothes shopping. Evan insisted on paying for everything himself; he even wanted to get her a couple of nice dresses.
“Save your money,” he said. “It’s your college fund.”
Riel ran the fabric of the dress she was looking at between her fingers. Evan had given her half of the money he’d gotten from Mishmash for the run, and they’d set her up a bank account in her fake name—Nora Mejia. She hadn’t picked it, but it had a nice sound. Mishmash would do a direct transfer for future work under the name of one of his San Diego businesses, as if she was a legitimate employee. Having the money already laundered was one of the benefits of working for him, but this perk did little to dispel her nervousness about the job in general.
“It’ll take a long time to save up for college,” she muttered, putting the dress back on the rack. “College is expensive.”
He grabbed the dress back off the rack, handing it to her again. “At least try it on. And I’ll help with college and your expenses. Plus, you can get scholarships. You’re smart.” He ruffled her hair, grinning, then patted her ass, nudging her towards the dressing room. “Come on, Riel. Just try it on. I want to see it on you.”
She rolled her eyes and ducked behind the curtain, wondering if he was really serious about helping her. I’ll believe it when I see it.
And he had an even sweeter surprise for her after that. After they left the clothing boutique, swinging their shopping bags by their hemp handles, he took her by the hand. “Come on. I saw another store down here that I wanted to visit.”
“I already have enough clothes, Evan.”
He smiled, his eyes shining. “Just come on.”
He led her down a side street, and Riel’s breath caught when they stopped at a storefront and went in.
Guitars of all types hung from hooks on the walls. “Evan…”
“You had to leave your axe behind, and that’s my fault. I know how much you miss it.”
Despite her protests, he had the clerk bring her an assortment of acoustic guitars. She picked up each one, plucking out chords and listening to them resonate warmly through their hollow wooden bodies.
She stroked the polished sides of a blonde-wood classical guitar that made her bones ache with its perfect tone. It was over a thousand dollars. “This one is beautiful, but…”
“We’ll take it,” Evan said.
“Evan…”
He handed the clerk his credit card. “Don’t listen to anything she says. We’re taking this one, and a nice hard-shell case too.” He kissed her lightly on the lips. “I love listening to you play. You’re really good. So think of it as a present for me too.”
Riel looked up at him, blinking back tears. He seemed too good to be true, and she figured there would be a catch sooner or later.
***
They checked out of the hotel early on Wednesday morning and drove over to pick up the cash for the shipment from Mishmash.
“You need to come back across the border between seven tonight and two in the morning,” he said. “Use lane three when you cross. That’s my guy working then, goes by the name