Through You (The Hidalgo Brothers Book 2)

CLAUDIA

A light knocking on the wood panel wakes me up. I open my eyes, expecting to find the ceiling of my room. I furrow my eyebrows when I realize it’s not above me. My head is. I immediately sit up, and take stock of my surroundings.

Artemis’s room? Wait. . . How did I . . . ?Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

“Artemis, are you in there? I’m coming in.”

The sound of Apolo’s voice makes me curse under my breath.

I barely have time to jump out and hide behind the bed. From under the bed I watch Apolo’s feet parked by the open door.

“That’s strange. I thought he was here.”

Apolo leaves and closes the door. I let out a long breath and stand up. However, the youngest of the Hidalgos seems to have remembered something and he finds me frozen in place when he opens the door a second time. Apolo’s small brown eyes open wide, and his mouth forms the shape of a wide O. I clear my throat. I’m pretty sure my hair is a mess and that I look like I recently woke up.

It’s obvious that I slept here—my smudged makeup and messy outfit from last night are very telling.

“Good morning.” I wave to him, feeling awkward.

Apolo snaps out of his shock and runs his hand through his wet hair. He just showered, and is wearing a white shirt with a pair of jeans. He has his towel hanging around his neck.

“Good morning . . . I—” He coughs a little. “I needed to ask Artemis something.”

“Aah. He must be downstairs, or maybe he already left for work.”

I have no idea what the time is, but if Apolo is still here and not at school, it means that it’s still early.

“Then . . . I’ll go . . . downstairs.”

“Okay.”

“Okay.”

We remain silent for a moment, and then Apolo smiles at me before he turns to leave. I pull at my hair in a dramatic gesture and fall backward on the bed. How did I end up here?

Think, Claudia. Think.

I went out with Gin, Jon, and Miguel to celebrate the great day I was having. Soon after, I had too many shots of vodka followed by a few more of tequila. And that’s when my memory starts to go foggy. I make an effort to remember every detail, but anytime I recall something, the flashback is more embarrassing than the previous one. There’s Artemis picking me up at his bar, then bringing me home. God, the things I said to him.

Do I deserve a spanking?

Do you want a spanking?

From you, I want it all.

Blood rushes to my cheeks. I cover my face and growl in frustration. Have I gone mad?

Can I tell you a secret? I love your penis.

How am I going to face Artemis after saying all those things to him? Even if I was being honest, those were my innermost thoughts, which I usually keep buried.

Well, it appears that it only takes a few shots of vodka and tequila to dig out those deepest thoughts. I walk out of Artemis’s room, combing my hair with my fingers in an attempt to look presentable. I come face-to-face with the nurse caring for Grandpa. She’s carrying a tray with breakfast for him. She raises an eyebrow, and tries to disguise a smile.

“Good morning.”

“Good morning.” I return the smile, and keep my head down.

Am I going to run into everyone in this house?

I hurry downstairs, praying that I won’t meet anyone else. I let out a sigh of relief when I reach my bedroom. However, as soon as I open the door, I freeze. Artemis is sitting in front of my mother’s bed, and he’s laughing at something she’s said. He’s wearing one of his suits, and his hair is combed back, showcasing his finely chiseled face. My mother has a tray of food in front of her.

Did he bring her breakfast?

My heart is touched by the gesture. Maybe he planned to wake me up later but wanted to make sure that my mother had something to eat before he left for work. If that was indeed the case, how can I not love this man?

“Clau!” My mother looks at me confused. “You look like . . .”

Artemis turns his head around and glances at me over his shoulder. A slight smile forms on his lips.

“Good morning,” he whispers.

“Artemis told me that you drank too much last night and that you slept in the guest room. Are you okay?”

Artemis tries to hide a smirk. God, I can’t look him in the face. So I stare at my mother.

“Yes. I’m going to shower,” I inform them, and close the door.

Once I’m showered and wearing fresh clothes, I head to the kitchen, where I find Artemis cleaning up the breakfast tray he brought to my mother.

Act natural, Claudia. Pretend you forgot everything.

I walk past him and pour myself a glass of ice-cold water, hoping it will help my upset stomach feel better. Why did I drink like that? Why?

“You’re very quiet.” The hint of amusement in Artemis’s voice is hard to ignore.

I drink my water and set the glass aside. I look everywhere except at him.

“Well,” he says as he approaches. I smell the scent of his cologne. “I have to go to work. Are you not going to say good-bye?”

I smile nervously at him, and he raises an eyebrow.

“Are you feeling awkward and nervous around me?” He leans over and I take a few steps back. “That’s not like you, unless . . . you remember everything you said to me last night and you’re embarrassed.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Artemis purses his lips but the corners of his mouth curl upward and give him away. He’s trying hard not to laugh.

“Ah, so it’s a no?” He comes even closer and I take another step back until my lower back hits the table that’s behind me. I’m trapped and have nowhere to run. “Shall I refresh your memory?”

“No, thank you.”

He chuckles, and gently grabs my chin. The morning sunlight that streams through the window is reflected in his eyes, making his brown eyes appear a lighter shade.

“I have to go.” He tilts his head to one side and closes the space between us. I melt the second his lips graze mine. Artemis kisses me softly. His lips press against mine, making my heart and breathing speed up.

I grab the jacket of his suit and kiss him back.

Artemis wraps his hands around me and pulls me closer. The kiss becomes passionate. The memory of how heavenly it feels when he’s inside me makes my body temperature shoot up. I want to feel that again, all of him. We kiss as if there’s no tomorrow, and the sound of our fast breathing can be heard all around the small kitchen. Artemis holds me even tighter, and I sense the evidence of his growing hardness against my waist.

“What the hell is this?” I’ve never moved away from someone that fast. I react by pushing Artemis hard, making him move two steps back.

Sofia Hidalgo is standing in the kitchen door, wearing one of her fitted black dresses. Her face is red, and her clenched fists are jammed on her hips. Her eyes are on me, sparking with fury.

I must admit that I’m scared.

“What in the hell does this mean, Artemis?” Her question lingers in the air as she moves in my direction, looking furious.

“You freeloading bitch!”

Everything is happening so fast that I barely have time to react. Suddenly, my face is forced to one side by a hard slap delivered by her hand. My cheek burns. Sofia pulls my hair and tries to drag me away, but Artemis steps between us and pulls her wrist away before she has the chance.

“No! Don’t you ever lay your hands on her!” I haven’t heard that cold tone in Artemis’s voice in a long time.

Sofia snorts and looks indignant. “Of course you defend her.

She probably has you under the spell of her young pussy, just like the conniving bitch she is.”

It’s my turn to push Artemis aside, and I slap Sophia across the face with all my might.

“How dare you!” She cradles her cheek with one hand. “You and your mother better pack your things and get the hell out of my house!”

“Stop it.” Artemis speaks in a whisper, and I sense his rage.

Artemis is one of those people who appears cool and collected before he blows up.

Sofia ignores him. “What are you waiting for? Get out! We put a roof over your head, and you had the audacity to screw around with my son. I guess when you’re from the streets, it’s hard to shake off the filth.”

“Stop.”

“Not surprisingly, with a mother like . . .”

“Damn it, shut up!” Artemis’s shout is deafening. “Neither she nor her mother are going anywhere. Have you lost your mind?

On what moral ground do you stand to justify this behavior?”

“What’s happening here?” Mr. Juan arrives, looking alarmed.

He probably heard Artemis shouting. Apolo follows closely behind, looking worried.

“Juan, she hit me!” Sofia points at me. “She’s shown her true colors. She’s after our son, so both she and her mother need to leave this house.”

Juan remains silent, assessing the situation.

“They have to go?” Artemis says between clenched teeth.

“Just like five years ago, Mother? When you threatened Claudia, forcing her to reject me?”

I hold my breath. Did I tell him that story when I was drunk?

“What are you talking about?” Sofia looks cornered.

“Did you know about that?” Artemis asks his father, and Juan shakes his head. Artemis goes back to staring at his mother.

“Artemis, I don’t know what lies this woman has told you, but I—”

“Shut up!” His shoulders rise and fall with every breath he takes.

“I won’t let you speak to me like that! I’m your mother! You have to respect me!”

“Fuck respect! You’ve never respected this family, my father, or my brothers. The only thing you’ve accomplished is fucking up this family, why?!” Artemis strides angrily toward his mother.

“Why?!”

Juan steps forward. “Artemis, we need to calm down.”

“No,” Artemis growls; his eyes have turned red. “I can’t keep quiet any longer. I can’t let this go on anymore. You . . .” His voice breaks. “You’ve taken so much from me. It’s your fault I had to take on a role I never wanted because I couldn’t abandon my father, not after all he suffered because of you. And now I find out that you took away the girl I adored. What did we ever do for you to want us be so miserable?”

Sofia tightens her lips, and tears roll down her cheeks.

“I’m just saying out loud what no one in this house has dared to speak until now.” He breathes heavily. “I’m simply telling the truth. Why have we never been enough for you? Why?! Why do you look to other men to fulfill you? If that’s what you needed, why didn’t you leave my father so that he could rebuild his life?

Why did you sentence us to years of watching him consumed by pain to the point that he turned into someone so cold we don’t even recognize him?”

Apolo’s eyes fill with tears and he looks away. My chest grows tight. The pain and frustration is palpable in Artemis’s voice.

“Why, Mom?”

And right there, in front of almost all his family, two big fat tears roll down Artemis’s cheeks. I’ve never seen him look so vulnerable. It’s as if he’s revealing this sadness and how difficult this experience has been for him for the first time. Juan’s eyes have also reddened. He’s just become aware of how much his children have suffered in silence.

“Artemis,” Juan begins, but Artemis raises his hand to stop him while keeping his eyes fixed on his mother.

“Answer me!” he exclaims, wiping away his tears. “Have we ever mattered to you?”

Sofia bows her head and cries.

“Answer me!”

I move closer to him and take his arm. “Artemis.”

He looks at me over his shoulder, and I can see the anger in his eyes begin to subside. It reminds me of the time when he found his mother with another man and almost beat him to death.

I grab his wrist. “Enough.” I entwine my fingers with his. “It’s all right. That’s enough. Let’s go.” He shakes his head and gives me a sad smile. “Please.”

I remember it clearly, as if it was yesterday. The anger radiating off him is very similar. So I bring my other hand down and interlock it with his, and return his sad smile.

“It’s enough.”

I take him away from there, holding hands. The silence is deafening. Not even Mrs. Hidalgo dares to protest or throw an insult at me as I walk away holding her son’s hand. This morning’s discussion has been a wake-up call for this family. Artemis never imagined how his words would change the course of our lives. Sometimes it takes one person to speak the truth out loud to bring about change. I stare at Artemis over my shoulder. He follows me with a sad look on his face, and squeezes my hand, looking like he’s afraid of getting lost if I let go.