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The small lights illuminating the place all around were breathtaking. My eyes wandered off, taking in every single detail, the grass was a vibrant green color and there were flowers of all kinds in every corner. There was a white garden table set up in the center decorated with a string of green leaves all around it.

"This place is amazing"

"I'm glad to see you like it" he smiled; he gestured for me to follow him and pulled out one of the white chairs from the table. "This is where I come whenever I want to be by myself."

"So, who is the other person that knows about this place apart from us?" I asked. It had to be someone special to him.

"My mother" he gave me a sad smile, a look of longing crossing his face. He quickly looked away from me, probably feeling embarrassed. "She was the one who found this place and brought me to it. She was the one who decorated it and made it look how it is now; I've been the one to take care of it since she's gone."

I couldn't help feeling a bit special for being the only other person he told about this place.

"You've done a very good job taking care of it" I responded. "Your mom is probably very happy wherever she is..."

"Thank you."

"I can't believe you decided to show me out of all people"

He smiled. "This is going to sound a bit bizarre" he stated leaning in closer. "But even though I haven't known you for a long, I feel like I can trust you with anything."

Hearing him say this to me made my stomach flutter in excitement. He trusts me? I don't know what it is about this guy that makes me so giddy. He's the total opposite of what I look for in a man, there's no way in the world I would date a drug lord, seriously? Criminals are the last people on my dating list just because of the fact that I know what it feels like to live with one. Am I really going to follow my mother's footsteps?

Ugh. Why can't I just rip away everything I'm beginning to feel for Santiago? I can't let myself get heartbroken by a drug lord.

My eyes flicked up to his face, apprising the pair of blue eyes staring pointedly at me.

"I-I'm glad to hear you feel you trust me this m-much" I stuttered out lamely.

"You should feel special" his eyes on my lips. "I'm not the type of person to talk so freely about his feelings, but you're an exception."

"Why is that?"

He leaned into me, his blue eyes on mine and lips almost touching. "I don't have much time left with you, I've got to make my move while I still can."

His hand cupped my face and he kissed me. My body went rigid for a few a seconds, and then I began relax and kiss him back. The feeling of his lips on mine is something I've never felt before, I forgot about everything else and kissed him back, wrapping my arms around his neck.

I had no idea how long we kissed but by the time we pulled away from each other we were both trying to catch our breath and calm our fast beating hearts, well at least I was.

He leaned in to kiss me again but my thoughts went back to what I've said about dating a criminal and I reached out to push him away gently. "Wait..."

He looked down at me with a frown on his face. "What's wrong?"

"I can't do this" I pushed away from the table and stood awkwardly behind my chair, looking down at him.

"You didn't like it?"

"Of course I liked it!" I replied a little to fast.

"You did?" he asked, grinning at me.

I covered my face and shook my head from the embarrassment I was feeling by saying this out loud. "I loved it, actually. But we shouldn't have kissed , Santiago. I just--I don't-- I don' want more complications in my life."

"You don't want to date a mafia boss" he stated, his eyes going hard.

Exactly.

"You already know what I think about this whole drug dealing thing."

He shook his head. "You're right. You've already mentioned how much you hate the life your family leads, it was very stupid of me to just kiss you and expect you to be fine about it. I'm sorry"

"I've got to be truthful though" I smiled, sitting back down across from him. "I'm glad you decided to kiss me."

He smiled teasingly. "Why is that?"

"I probably would have never had the guts to do it myself" I answered. "And would have gone home hating myself for not tasting your lips."

"Oh, so you've been fantasizing about kissing me?"

"Maybe" I shrugged.

He laughed and folded his arms across his chest in a business like manner. "I'll make you a deal" he spoke in a serious tone. "Let's enjoy the time you're here together and when you leave we can move on like nothing happened..."

My eyes widened and I watched him curiously, trying to figure out if he was being serious or not.

He meant business.

"Like a no strings attached type of relationship?"

He nodded.

No strings attached with Santiago Bustamante? No way. Even though it may sound like a harmless and tempting deal, there's no way I can do it. Any type of relationship is dangerous territory with this guy, it's life playing with fire and I know I'll definitely get burned.

I shook my head. "No, thanks" If it were any other guy I would gladly agree to the deal, but Santiago is not like other guys I've been with, as cheesy as it may sound...he's different and he makes me feel things I've never felt before.

"Mhhh" he rubbed his chin tauntingly. "Afraid you might fall in love with the Mafia boss?"

Yes! That's exactly what I'm afraid of, but there's no way I'm letting him know. He waited for my response and I managed to keep a straight face, which is something practically impossible for me.

"You're stepping on dangerous territory, Bustamante" I warned him. "It just might be the other way around...I'm trying to look out for you here."

"I can take care of myself"

Oh boy. I'm getting myself in big trouble. "Fine, I'm in. And we'll pretend like nothing happened as soon as I go back to Chicago?"

"That's the deal"

"Its on" I smirked, standing up from my chair and walking over to take a seat on his lap.

I got the satisfaction of seeing his shocked face as I leaned in to peck him on the lips.

This is like a dream come true for me. I get to "date" him while I'm still here, I get to kiss him, spend time with him, get to know him better. I'm practically signing myself up for heartbreak but I can't back down now. Oh, I can already see my friend's faces when they see us together...Crap! What is everyone going to think when they see us together? Joel...

They can't find out.

"One more thing" I whispered in his ear. "We can't let anyone find out about us, especially not Joel."

"Why do you care so much about what Joel thinks?" he asked sharply.

"Your brother acts like a jealous boyfriend when I'm with you" I grumbled. "He's already a dick to me every time he sees me with you, I don't want to deal with him while I stay here."

"If that's what you want." he pulled me closer to him, hugging me around my waist. "But I don't see why we have to keep quiet for that pendejo." (dumbass)

Out of the corner of my eye, I see him clench his jaw angrily.

There he goes again with the sibling rivalry. What is wrong with these guys?

"Why do you and your brother hate each other so much?" I asked. He opens his mouth to answer me but I don't let him speak. "You already told me that he's mad because your dad chose you to be the leader but there has to be something else to it, did something bad happen between you two?"

"There's nothing else"

"Stop lying."

"I don't want to talk about it" he sighed and stood up, picking me up in his arms without breaking a sweat.

I squealed when he didn't bother to put me down and started walking towards the curtain of green leaves we came in through.

"Put me down, Santi!"

He swung me from side to side not letting go. "Will you stop asking me about me and my brother?"

"I thought you trusted me" I pouted.

"I do. I just don't fell talking about it now..."

"Okay" I mumbled. "I understand. You can put me down now"

He grinned and did as I said. We had already reached the curtain that would take us outside, I turned back to look at the beautiful meadow one last time. I guess Santiago noticed how sad I was to be leaving so he put his arms around me and kissed my cheek.

"I'll bring you back another day, I promise"

"You better!"

We made our way back to the Bustamante mansion hand in hand. He stopped me when we reached the door to the garden and pulled me towards him for a quick kiss before going in. We will have to act normal around everybody else.

I ran my eyes over his face, taking in his blue eyes, his light brown hair that looks almost blonde...I'll have to ask him about that.

"I can't believe I got you to agree to my deal"

I laughed and got on my tip toes and kissed him. "Believe it, Santi"

"We should get in there" he gestured to the large mansion. "They're probably wondering where we are."

"Okay"

I pushed the door to the garden open but I remembered something I forgot to tell about our little no strings attached deal, and I'm sure he will be very disappointed about it.

I turned around and stepped in front of him to stop him.

"I forgot to tell you something..."

"Yeah?"

"There will be no sex"

He had a no idea what I was talking about, so I had to keep myself from laughing at the confused look on his face. "Huh?"

"This no strings attached-relationship of ours" I said gesturing between us with my finger. "We're not having sex"

With that said I turned around and walked straight towards the Mansion without sticking around to enjoy the look on his face.

*~*~*~*

"Se tambalea, tambalea, tambalea nuestro carino devemos evitarlo." my mother's voice sang out loud.

I walked into the kitchen to see the guys sitting around the table watching Sofia, Vanessa and my mom walking all over the kitchen cooking up a meal that smelled really good.

"What is going on?" I asked as I took a seat next to my dad who didn't take his eyes off my mom.

"Mom and the girls are cooking a meal for us" Martin said with a mouthful of salsa chips.

"Close your mouth!"

"Where were you?" Alex turned to me with a frown. "I couldn't find you anywhere."

"I was in the garden" I lied. "I fell asleep behind a bush."

Leo laughed. "That's weird, Gabby. Who falls asleep in a garden?"

Santiago walked in a few minutes after me and took a seat next to his father without even glancing at me.

Just like we agreed.

"Where were you?" Daniel asked his cousin.

"I went out to take care of something."

"It's a little weird how you two were gone at the same time and now you're both back" Joel sneered, glaring at his older brother.

Don Ernesto frowned at his youngest son. "If they were together that's none of your business, Joel"

"Always taking his side" Joel grumbled, slamming his hand on the table and standing up roughly. He walked out of the kitchen fuming with anger.

"Joel! No vas a comer?" mom yelled out at him. "Someone go get him so he can eat something" (Joel! Aren't you going to eat?)

"Don't bother Vicky" Don Ernesto said to my mother. "If he doesn't want to eat he can starve."

Everyone stayed silent after hearing the serious tone Don Ernesto spoke in. I had only gotten glimpses of Big Boss side of him but when it came out, it could make any person cringe in fear.

"I got an invitation from La Familia Michoacana to a party that's being hosted by Ismael Aranza" Don Ernesto informed us while we were all seated down.

"When are we going?" Santiago asked his father.

"I'm sorry my son but only this party is only for the original bosses" the Don smiled at his son who looked shocked.

"What do you mean?" Daniel asked.

"It means the only people invited to the party are Don Ernesto, Rafael, Felix, Carlos and myself" Dad explained to everyone who had no idea what was going on.

"Uncle Felix and Uncle Carlos are going too?" Martin whined. "That's so unfair!"

It had been years since I had last seen my two uncles, my father's younger brothers. Tio Felix was the underboss of the Gulf Cartel, second in command after my father. Just like Rafael was to Don Ernesto, and now Joel is to Santiago, just like Alex is the underboss of the Gulf Cartel, you get the point.

"Originals?" Leo asked with a raised eyebrow. "Hopefully we have a party like that when we have our own kids" I noticed how his eyes went to Vanessa when he said 'own kids', almost as if he were saying it to her.

"Even you're invited, Victoria" Rafael said to my Ma'

A/N: In case you forgot who Rafael is, he is Leo and Daniel's dad.

"Me?"

"Somehow they found out that you're here" dad said to her, sounding a bit uncomfortable. "They think we're back together. You know how rumors travel fast in this business..."

"Yeah, yeah" she waved her hand dismissively. "And when is this party?"

"Exactly two weeks from now" Don Ernesto said.

"A party with all the originals" Alex wiggled his eyebrows at my mom. "Sounds like fun, you should go with them Mom"

"We'll see"

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Short Chapter, but I wanted to get this out there becuase I've taken really long! Tomorrow I take my last Final exam and then its my Christmas Break= Writing all I want<3 Yayayayaya

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