From A to Z - Angel Reyes

Chapter 31

The last person Zara expected to see on her porch when she returned from a school supply run was Nestor. She groaned, unsure of what he was doing there but assuming it wasn't good, and got out of the car leaving her purchases in the trunk.

"Wasn't expecting to see you here," she said making her way up the porch steps. "Everything okay?"

"We haven't seen each other since our dinner," he said, "It's been almost a week."

Zara nodded. "I know, I'm sorry. I'm trying to accept it all, think about how this all works into my life and how I'm supposed to go on like I don't know what you're doing. Before there was some plausible deniability but now," she shook her head.

"I figured," he shrugged. "I heard about your lunch with Emily."

"Okay," she said, side-eyeing him.

"There's no going back, Zara," Nestor sighed. "Spending a week hiding from me isn't gonna help normalize this shit. Reyes is proof, you can't have your head in the game."

"Are you breaking up with me?" She asked, looking him up and down with a mix of sadness, surprise and, mostly, relief.

Nestor nodded slowly, "I figured you'd be scared and I know that's what you were planning so I wanted to do you that favor."

"Oh," she whimpered. "That is sweet, all things considered."

"I'm still not gonna hurt you and I'm still," he leaned in and whispered into her ear, "Crazy about you. So if shit changes, you feel different, hit me up."

"Hmmph," she sighed and smiled as he stepped away. "I will remember that."

Nestor's lips lingered on her cheek as he kissed her goodbye but he was held in place when Zara grabbed his arm as he tried to leave. "Uh, you know, I was wondering if there was a way to pin the shooting on someone? Those two are making me nervous," she admitted. Despite it all, Zara still trusted Nestor, with particular things though she knew the limits, and she felt comfortable asking this of him.

He paused, already thinking up a plan, and began to nod as it fell together in his head. "I can do that for you," he said sweetly. Boldly, he kissed her and pulled away wearing a cheeky smirk. "I needed one last good kiss, sorry."

"You're the one that dumped me, remember?'

"I remember," he chuckled. "If you ever need anything, I got you."

"Thank you," she said with a sweet smile.

Zara watched with bated breath as he moved swiftly down the steps and back to his blacked out SUV. She exhaled as drove away and hurried into the house to be bombarded by an overly eager Angel. They hit the door with a thump as Angel kissed her forcefully.

"I heard it," he muttered into her mouth, "He dumped you. You're free and clear."

"I just got dumped," she said pushing him away playfully, "Let me mourn."

"Are you serious right now?" He gawked at her.

"No," she laughed. "How long were you listening?" Zara knew if he heard anything suspicious he'd be asking already but she was still anxious.

"I came down from the shower when he was moving to kiss you," Angel said with disgust. "If you need anything I got you," he said mockingly.

Zara rolled her eyes. "You won, don't be so petty."

"Fuck him," Angel spat.

"Hey," she said sternly. "What's this?"

Angel shook his head. "Him and Galindo think they're so much better than us and they don't even try to fucking hide it."