Sleeping with the Frenemy (Vega Family Love Stories #3)

Chapter 11

11

Summer in Chicago had always been Sofi’s favorite and nothing kicked it off better than Fiestas Patronales Puertorrique?as. She still remembered how amazed she’d been during her first Puerto Rican Fest in Humboldt Park. It had been the first time she’d felt so surrounded by her culture since leaving Puerto Rico at age nine. Of course, by the time her first Boricua Fest had rolled around, she’d already been familiar with the Puerto Rican flag arches on either end of Division Street. But there was something about seeing the huge crowds of people all decked out in their favorite Puerto Rico attire walking under and past the arches that had made her eyes water. Even the cars driving along, bumping their favorite Puerto Rican artists while large flags hung out of the windows, made her emotional. When she’d gotten closer to the park itself and saw the rows and rows of vendors under tents, her heart had begun to pound with excitement. There had been everything from freshly squeezed tropical fruit juice to handmade jewelry or art and informational pamphlets announcing community resources. Almost everyone around was speaking Spanish or some version of Spanglish as they greeted family and friends, spoke to customers, and just chatted with their fellow Boricuas. Everything had reminded her of Puerto Rico, the place of her birth that she’d still missed. Now, seventeen years later, she still felt that sense of culture and community as she walked up to the El Coquí booth with Leo on one side of her and her new dog on the other. He was doing pretty well although he didn’t seem to be enjoying the crowd.

After leaving animal control, they’d rushed through the pet store to pick up all the essentials including a new harness, leash, and collar. She’d even grabbed a mesh muzzle just in case. She had a collapsible water bowl in her backpack and a bag of training treats. The only thing she didn’t have for the dog was a name, because she refused to call him Dumpy. That wasn’t happening.

“Mira quien decidió aparecer,” Valeria said when she saw Leo walking toward them. His hair was still wet from the shower he’d rushed through at the apartment while Sofi sat trying to get the dog to let her put a Puerto Rican flag bandana on his neck.

Leo’s dad and siblings, including Liam, who’d been rushing around the booth in their matching El Coquí shirts trying to get things organized and set up turned to face them. They all froze at the sight before them.

“I’m sorry,” Leo said. “But we had something to do.”

“Umm. Whose dog is that?” Kamilah asked with the most confused look on her face.

Sofi didn’t blame her. She still wasn’t sure what was going on and she was the one who decided to keep the dog.

“Ours,” Leo replied a bit too proudly for Sofi’s liking.

Kamilah’s face just became more confused. She looked at Liam, who looked back at her. They had yet another wordless conversation.

“That’s the dog you found in the alley?” Saint asked.

Apparently, Leo had at least told his brother what was going on.

“Yeah,” Leo answered. “We took him to animal control, but they said they thought he was from a drug bust they’d done and they’d already gotten a bunch of other dogs in from it.”

“Dogfighting?” Cristian concluded.

Sofi and Leo nodded. “Neither one of us could leave him there,” Sofi said. “So now we basically have a dog.”

“Wait. Wait.” Eddie waved his hands. “Let me get this straight. So not only are you and Leo roommates, but now you’re co-parenting this dog?”

“I guess,” Sofi said at the same time Leo said, “Yes.”

There was a moment of silence. The only thing Sofi heard was hundreds of strangers’ voices and the old-school Big Pun song about Puerto Rico. Suddenly everyone started laughing. Sofi thought Santos was going to pee his pants, he was doubled over laughing so hard.

“What’s so funny?” Papo asked as he walked up holding hands with Rosie. Right behind him Lola was walking with her grandfather, her arm in the crook of his elbow as if he were guiding her when Sofi was pretty sure it was the opposite.

Liam wiped his eyes. Yes, they’d reduced the most humorless man on earth to tears of hilarity. He gestured to the dog. “Sofi and Leo just adopted a baby together.”

That set everyone off even more. This time Papo joined in. While Lola and her grandpa just looked on in confusion.

Leo rolled his eyes and shook his head. “And you all tell me that I’m a clown.”

“Can I pet her?” Rosie asked, already moving forward.

That sobered everyone up pretty quick.

“Wait,” Saint barked out, coming around the entrance to the booth. “You can’t just walk up to a dog you don’t know.”

“Especially one used for fighting,” Cristian added.

Sofi was offended even though she knew they had a point.

Apparently Leo was too, because he said, “Dumpy is a sweetheart. He let everyone at the pet store come up and pet him.”

“Dumpy?” Eddie asked.

Sofi shook her head, but Leo nodded his.

“Yeah, because we found him living behind a dumpster.”

“Are you serious, Leo?” Lola demanded, crossing her arms over her chest. “That’s so inappropriate and not funny.”

“My dog’s name is not Dumpy,” Sofi told Lola while glaring at Leo.

Leo bit back his grin. “I already told you that if you don’t want me to call him that, you need to come up with something better.”

“I don’t know,” Sofi said. “What about Smokey?”

“Like the bear?” Lola asked.

“Because of his color.”

Leo snorted. “Only potheads name their dog Smokey.”

“That’s true,” Papo said with a laugh.

“You’d know wouldn’t you?” Kamilah said to her abuelo, who stuck out his tongue at her.

All of a sudden Valeria’s voice cut them all off. “Rosie, what are you doing?”

Everyone turned to find Saint’s daughter sitting on the ground with the dog at her side. In one hand she held a half-eaten tostón and in the other a plate full of tostones that the dog was devouring with glee, his whole back end wiggling back and forth with the force of his tail.

“He was hungry,” Rosie said around a mouthful. “I could tell because he was whining. And Papi and Lola said we’re supposed to help people when they need it.”

Everyone was quiet because what were they supposed to say to that logic.

“Well,” Papo said. “I think we just found the dog’s name.” He paused for effect. “Tostón.”

Sofi smiled. “Perfect.”

As everyone started congratulating Tostón on his new name and family, Papo pulled Sofi aside. “I have something for you.” He pulled a flash drive out of his pocket. “Before he died, Killian recorded this video for Kamilah and Liam. He wanted it played at the wedding since he knew he wouldn’t be there in person.” He placed the flash drive in her hand and then sandwiched her hand between his. “Since you’re in charge of the reception, I’m giving this to you.” He let her hand go.

Sofi quickly placed the flash drive in the front pocket of her mini backpack for safekeeping. “I’ll protect it with my life,” she told him.

He smiled. “There’s no need for all that. Eddie made sure there are plenty of copies, just in case.”

Sometime later, after Sofi had left the Vegas to working their food stand while she went to meet up with her mom and Abuela Fina, she was sitting on the grass enjoying a pi?a colada. On the bench next to her, Mami and Abuela Fina had Tostón stretched out between them, rubbing his belly and saying all kinds of stuff about how sweet and cute he was in English and Spanish.

It was hilarious because, like Sofi, neither woman was an animal person. They were especially not fans of big dogs. Mami had flat out asked Sofi if she’d lost her mind, when Sofi explained that Tostón was her dog. Of course, that could be because Sofi told her that he was also Leo’s dog.

Sofi knew she was going to get a talking-to from her mom the minute they were alone. She for sure needed it. She could see herself falling into the same toxic pattern and yet she knew she was going to do it anyway. There was seriously something wrong with her.

“Sofi!” a voice called, pulling her out of her reverie.

Kamilah came bounding over with Liam. You’d think after hours and hours of manning the El Coquí stand, she’d be exhausted but she wasn’t. She was like a never-ending battery. It was as if she glowed with vitality. Something that only added to her beauty.

Kamilah had giant spiral curls, light eyes, a pillowy mouth, and a body like Jennifer Lopez, if JLo also had a pair of Ds to match her jaw-dropping ass. Eyes followed Kamilah as she passed, but she hardly noticed. She was unaware of just how naturally gorgeous she was.

Liam knew it though, and he scowled at every guy eyeing his fiancée. It was sort of funny how deep in love he was.

“Hey you!” Kamilah greeted. She looked unsure of her welcome, but Mami took care of that by standing up and wrapping her in a hug.

“I’m so glad you two have made up,” she told Kamilah. “I’ve missed having you around. I thought I was going to have to miss your wedding.”

“You’re family too. You’ve always been invited.” Both Kamilah’s smile and eyes were bright.

It wasn’t until that second that Sofi thought about how much her distance from the Vega family had affected her mother too. Her mom had also been adopted by the family, becoming friends with Valeria and Santos, along with Rico and his wife, and a few of Santos’s sisters. She worked with Santos and Rico’s brother-in-law, Dr. David Hart, at the hospital as well as Kamilah’s cousin Mia. It had to have been difficult for her mom to be in the middle. She owed her mom an apology and a thank-you.

She turned and found Abuela Fina flirting outrageously with Liam, who was doing his best to be polite but also not engage fully by bending low to pet Tostón sitting at Abuela’s feet.

“I thought you were allergic,” Sofi said to him.

He looked up. His brow was furrowed. “What?”

“When we found Tostón, I suggested taking him to your place, but Leo told me that you’re allergic to animals.”

Liam didn’t even get a chance to respond before it clicked. “He lied, didn’t he?” Sofi asked although she knew the answer already.

“I’m not allergic to anything,” Liam confirmed.

That sneaky son of a— Sofi cut herself off. “I’m going to kill him.”

“To be fair, I still would’ve said no.” Liam let Tostón put his paws on his thighs and sniff his face. “It’s not sanitary to have animals in the distillery, which is why I never had any pets.”

“Plus, we both work such long hours we don’t have time for pets,” Kamilah added. “It wouldn’t be fair to them.” Then she smirked, looking just like her troublemaking brother. “Besides, from what Leo said the dog chose you, not the other way around, and it’s clear you already love him.”

Sofi grumbled about Leo being an annoying know-it-all, but it was true. Sofi had already been second-guessing herself when they pulled into the parking lot of the animal control offices. When she’d seen him shaking in fear on the counter she’d been ready to snatch him up and run out. It was safe to say that there had been a three to five percent chance that she would’ve actually left him there after finding out he didn’t have a microchip.

“Los Rumberos, my abuelo’s old band, are playing soon,” Kamilah was telling Abuela Fina. “Now it’s all the original crews’ kids or grandkids, but they still play every year.”

“And your brother is in the band?”

Kamilah nodded. “Wait until you see him perform. Don’t tell him I said this, but he’s a born star. I never remember a time he wasn’t wandering around singing at the top of his lungs and hitting all the notes perfectly. It used to make me so mad because when I tried I sounded like a squawking parrot.”

“She has the volume, but not the skill,” Liam said, earning an elbow to the stomach from Kamilah.

Sofi, Mami, and Abuela Fina laughed.

“Anyway,” Kamilah said with a hard look at Liam who just grinned. “The family has a spot by the stage. Come join us.”

Sofi grabbed Tostón’s leash from Abuela and they all followed Liam, who used his big body to clear a path.

Once they reached the side of the stage where a large portion of the Vega family was set up with coolers and lawn chairs, Sofi and Mami greeted everyone while also introducing Abuela Fina around. Omar, Kamilah’s oldest nephew—who Sofi couldn’t believe was now seventeen—and his buddies volunteered to hold on to Tostón and walk him around so that Sofi could enjoy the show. It probably helped that a group of cute girls from their high school immediately descended on them to coo and pet the dog. Sofi shook her head.

“Don’t worry. I’ve got my eye on them,” Yasmeen, Cristian’s wife and high school sweetheart, said to Sofi. She did not look happy about the attention her son was getting.

“Oh I do too,” Valeria added. “That girl in the tube top looks like she’s in college.”

“Mmm-hmm,” Yasmeen agreed. “She’s got but one more time to put her fast little hands on my baby’s bicep before I catch myself a case.”

“You two are a mess,” Cristian said. “It’s not like he can do anything with his little brothers hanging around. Leave him be.”

“And yet, whenever I brought a boyfriend around you threatened to break his arm if he so much as held my hand,” Kamilah said.

“Who cares?” Cristian took a swig from his bottle. “I also punched one of your boyfriends in the face.”

“What?” Kamilah screeched.

“Hey.” Cristian pointed to his side where Saint sat with a napping Rosie in his lap. “Saint was the one who scared him so bad he pissed his pants.”

Everyone looked at Saint, who was suddenly very interested in the stagehands doing a mic check.

“What did you do?” Kamilah demanded.

Saint pretended not to hear her, but Cristian answered for him.

“He grabbed him by the throat, lifted him with one hand, and told him, ‘I know many ways to kill someone and make it hurt. If you ever put your hands on my little sister again, you’ll experience them all.’ Then he dropped him and walked away.”

“Saint,” Lola gasped, wide-eyed.

Saint looked mildly embarrassed. “That was only after I heard Kamilah tell Sofi and Lucy that he’d pushed her,” he explained.

“What?” Kamilah exclaimed. “Who are you even talking about? I never once had a boy push me. I would’ve kicked his junk clean off his body myself.”

Saint shrugged. “I don’t remember his name.” He looked at Cristian.

Cristian rubbed his chin. “I think his name was Martin or Marvin or something.”

“Melvin?” Lucy busted out in laughter. “That little nerd?”

“There’s no way.” Sofi joined Lucy in laughter, remembering Kamilah’s first official boyfriend ever. “He was in robotics and chess club. Didn’t he skip a grade too?” He’d been a good three inches shorter than Kamilah, as thin as a pole, and about as menacing as a newly hatched duckling. “He was scared of his own shadow!” Sofi hooted.

“I know what I heard,” Saint said.

Kamilah was shaking her head. “I never said that. I told them he was being pushy as in he was pushing me to kiss him when I wasn’t ready. It was why I was going to dump him. Instead, he completely ghosted me and switched schools.” She gave her brothers the evil eye. “Now I finally know why.”

Saint and Cristian shared a look before Cristian shrugged his shoulders, completely unconcerned with the difference. “The horny little shit deserved it, then.”

“I can’t believe my sons are so violent,” Valeria said, looking scandalized.

“Don’t look at me.” Eddie raised his hands. “I was at school in California when all of this happened.”

“Kiss ass,” Cristian coughed into his hand.

“Hood rat,” Eddie returned.

“It’s not like Kamilah also didn’t get in plenty of fights defending her brothers too,” Lucy added.

“What?” Valeria screeched. “My daughter fighting? Como una callejera!” She looked so disappointed.

“We got it from you and Papi,” Kamilah said. “Should we recount what happened any time either one of you caught someone flirting with the other?”

“Shut up and mind your own business,” Valeria said in Spanish while wearing a scowl. “I’m a Christian woman. There’s no way I went around fighting people.”

“Yeah okay, Mami,” Cristian said. “When Leo gets offstage, we’ll ask him about the time you beat the bricks off Olga Pe?a right in this park because she spanked him. It’s his favorite story to tell.”

“Damn,” Lola said, still looking around wide-eyed. “And I thought my family was gangster.”

Papo Vega held up his beer. “Thug life,” he cheered.

Everyone laughed and held up their drinks.

Suddenly, the lights on the stage came on signaling the show was about to begin. Rico Vega, Santos’s twin and the alderman, walked out on the stage with their youngest brother, Gio, a DJ and producer known worldwide—who never missed the event no matter where he was living in the world. Together they gave a brief speech about the importance of the Fiestas Patronales Puertorrique?as to Humboldt Park in celebrating the culture through food, art, and music. Then talked about how Los Rumberos were a part of the celebration since the beginning. They welcomed the band to the stage with cheers from the audience.

Sofi’s breath caught in her throat the minute Leo walked onto the stage. He’d changed out of his jeans and El Coquí T-shirt into a pair of khaki linen trousers, a tropical floral print shirt with the first few buttons undone leaving a part of his chest on display, and a Panama hat. He matched the rest of the band down to the loafers without socks. But somehow on him it just looked...better. It was the way he wore the outfit, with confidence and easy sex appeal, that drew everyone’s attention.

The band began playing the very recognizable intro to the song almost every Puerto Rican knew by heart, made famous by Frankie Ruiz and recorded by many of the island’s greatest singers after. The moment Leo held the mic to his mouth and sang the first words, “Puerto Rico,” the crowd went wild. Everyone sang along and the salsa dancing started.

Sofi sang and danced right along with them. She couldn’t help herself. The song filled her with so much pride and happiness and she knew that every single person around her felt the same. Especially when the background singers sang, “‘Boricua soy y siempre seré,’” and Leo replied, “‘Puertorrique?o y de Humboldt Park!’” and the crowd screamed. It was beautiful how so many Puerto Ricans, many who weren’t born on the island or who hadn’t been there for a long time, still felt such love and connection to the tiny island in the Caribbean.

“Let’s move closer,” Kamilah yelled to Sofi a while later. Sofi nodded her agreement and soon they were working their way toward the front of the stage with Lucy and Liza in tow. They’d just reached the front when the song the entire band had been singing together ended. The rest of the singers in the band stepped back and Leo stepped forward.

“This next song I added at the last minute,” Leo said into the mic. “The guys were nice enough not to kill me for it.”

The band and the crowd chuckled.

“I don’t know why, but I really felt the need to sing it tonight. Maybe because there are so many beautiful women in the crowd tonight.”

Sofi froze when he looked right at her. It was a brief look, but still. She had no idea how he’d even known she was there. She looked around quickly, but Kamilah hadn’t seemed to notice. She was just looking at her brother with pride. Lucy and Liza were staring at each other, ignoring the rest of the world.

The horns began playing a familiar intro and Sofi gasped.

He was about to sing “Comerte a Besos,” a song literally about devouring someone with kisses.

He was reminding her of what he’d done to her last night. How he’d eaten her to ecstasy, and she’d loved every single second of it. She wasn’t sure how to feel about that. On the one hand, she hardly needed a reminder less than a day later. She remembered every second all too clearly. The problem was that she had told herself hundreds of times that she wasn’t going to do this with Leo anymore. Sofi firmly controlled every other aspect of her life from her looks to her food and schedule. It was what she needed to feel confident and capable. However, she’d never once been able to control her feelings for Leo. At first it had been exciting and a bit freeing, but now it was just scary and toxic. They simply weren’t good for each other, no matter how physically compatible they were.

The song began with him singing that he’d had to wait so long for her that he’d lost all sense of time, but he was determined to win her. It was inevitable that they’d get together because she was already giving in and he wanted more.

That motherfucker.

During every previous song, Leo had been dancing around with the band and moving back and forth across the stage, but this time he stood right there in the middle, in front of her. He kept the microphone in the stand and held it with one hand while he ran the other hand down his chest to the front of his hip.

Women in the crowd screamed, but Sofi just stood there staring at his package like an idiot. Thinking about what it looked like, tasted like, felt like. She broke out in goose bumps even though the body heat surrounding her had them all sweating.

He moved his feet in a salsa step swinging his hips in sync and Sofi stared at this thighs. He had no right to look like that and sing like that too. It was unfair and unnatural.

The band broke it down and Leo did one of those turns à la Ricky Martin/Marc Anthony/Elvis Crespo pivoting on one foot while rolling his hips. He sang about convincing her to love him little by little, kiss by kiss. Then he had the audacity to look right at her, wink, and laugh before turning his attention to the crowd. It was a clear message to her that even though he wasn’t looking at her, he was singing to her. He wanted her to know that he was coming for her heart and he’d use the rest of her body to get to it if he had to.