Chapter One
Gentle hands run over the back of a head of brown hair fastened tightly into a French braid as Bailey White heaves out a soft sigh. Sitting across from her is Marcus Alvarez, the cousin of a man she had hoped not to see again. Yet fate was not kind to her as Obispo "Bishop" Losa plops down into the second chair in front of her desk with a smug & charming smile on his face. "As I was telling your cousin, Mr. Losa," Bailey starts to say but she's cut off.
"Why be so formal with me, mija? I thought we knew each other better than that," Bishop says he then proceeds to lift both legs and – much to Bailey's chagrin – starts to place both of his boot-covered feet onto her impeccably spotless and clean mahogany office desk.
"As I was saying, Mr. Losa, I will wipe my hands of all legal affairs for your club if I am given any sort of blood money, payoffs or bribery," Bailey continues, hovering just above the cushioned seat of her desk chair; slender hands reaching to none too gently shove Bishop's feet off of the edge of her desk with a smirk.
However Bailey's not so gentle shove sends Bishop teetering off balance, his occupied chair clattering to the floor with a loud thud. Bishop groans softly then looks at his estranged wife – looking her straight in the eyes – and says, "Damn, Bails, you've grown some balls!"
"Someone had to grow up," Bailey responds with the smirk still on her face. Damn it had felt good to say that after ten years – and actually mean it.
Her deep, heavy thoughts of their decade long separation are interrupted at the thick Hispanic accented voice speaking low in her ear; startling Bailey because she hadn't even seen him approaching. "Sólo espera, cariño. Estarás llorando mi nombre mientras te estás rindiendo," he whispers before walking out with Alvarez following.
"What did you say to her?" Alvarez asks his cousin as they walk out to their motorcycles to head back to the clubhouse.
"Nothing you want me to repeat, primo," Bishop replies, starting the engine of his motorcycle; turning his head as if he was sensing someone's intense stare, smirking when he sees Bailey standing by her office window with the blinds wide open. Realizing he manages to catch her in the act, Bailey quickly shuts the blinds to her office window before retreating back to her desk. Bishop coming back into her life has Bailey reeling & on the edge of her seat, because she was determined to not fall in love with him or let his charm make her weak in the knees like it had done when she'd been in high school. A memory flashes into her mind:
Twenty Nine Years Ago (1989)
Sixteen year old Bailey – as of this very day – makes her way along the hallways in an Oakland high school; nose buried deep in a book about law. Unaware of the jocks her age and older loudly cheering; feet pounding on the floor as they run past Bailey, the leader of that group not only knocking into Bailey but also snatching her book away. A boy around her age grabs the book back from the jocks and hands it back to Bailey before asking the jocks, "Por qué no eliges a alguien de tu propio tamaño?"
"Or what? What are you going to do to me, amigo?" When the jock gets no response, he smirks. "I didn't think so. See ya 'round, Bailey." He reaches out to ruffle her brown hair but Bailey is quicker than he is, catching his hand and smacking it out of her hair's reach.
"Don't ever touch me again," Bailey says with a slightly frustrated sigh. Her patience with any of the boys that roam the halls here seems to be wearing extremely thin and today is no exception.
There was one boy who cares about Bailey enough to keep her from being picked on by the jocks and he happens to be standing right here within her hands' reach. And yet he is only kind enough to place her book about law into her hands before preparing to turn around & walk away but Bailey's gentle touch on the forearm of Obispo "Bishop" Losa makes him pause in his tracks. "How can I express my gratitude?" Bailey asks before repeating it in Spanish. "Cómo puedo expresar mi gratitud?"
"Si esto fue un intento para conseguir una cita a decir gracias, usted no esta recibiendo una," Bishop replies before regretting his decision to refuse an apologetic date.
The bright, twinkling sparkle in Bailey's vibrant but beautiful brown eyes – kind of a deep hazel – turn into emotional & muddy messes. Jerking her unsteady slender hand back in order to get away, sixteen year old Bailey White turns around to get her first feel of walking away.
If only she'd learned that the easy way…
Who's Who
Bailey White Losa – Amelia Heinle
Lorenzo "Enzo" Losa – Jake T. Austin
Mateo-Jameson "M.J." Losa – Nathan Gamble
Gabriella "Ella" Losa – Sami Gayle
Nina Losa – Mary Mouser
Corina Losa – Bailee Madison (twin to Carlos)
Carlos Losa – Dylan Sprayberry (twin to Corina)
Gracie Losa – Alison Fernandez
Glossary
Sólo espera, cariño. Estarás llorando mi nombre mientras te estás rindiendo
Just you wait, darling. You'll be crying out my name as you're surrendering
Primo/prima (male/female)
Cousin
Por qué no eliges a alguien de tu propio tamaño
Why don't you pick on someone your own size
Amigo
Friend
Cómo puedo expresar mi gratitud
How can I express my gratitude
Si esto fue un intento para conseguir una cita a decir gracias, usted no esta recibiendo una
If this was an attempt to get a date to say thanks, you're not getting one