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it and make sure it gets to their teacher?”
    I nodded again, glad for the excuse to get away from the front lines.
    â€œHang in there,” he said softly, turning his head to locate Ramon and rubbing his hair where it had been pulled. “I gotta run. Justice must be served.” Watching him go, I clung to the sense of contentment that still filled me.

Chapter Four

    Mateo
    â€œSo, what’s this all about?”
    Mom’s voice startled me. She hadn’t been home when I arrived, an event that both scared and pleased me. I wanted her to build a life here, and yet I wanted her to stay home and be safe. I trusted that the security detail I hired was discreet and professional. She shouldn’t know she was being followed, but someone should always be near enough to defend her if necessary. Defend her from what was the question. From Dad’s people , trying to force her back home? From our family’s enemies, trying to strike at the heart and make a point? Or would we continue to be, as we had been so far, simply left alone? I had to be prepared for anything.
    â€œWhat is what all about?” I said, relieved to see her. To see her smiling with shopping bags under one arm was an added bonus.
    â€œYou’re playing your happy music.” She waved her arm in the direction of the smartphone dock on the kitchen counter that was currently blaring Rush from its speakers. “And you’re building an enormous sandwich, bigger than you could ever possibly fit in your mouth. And you’re using those forks to play the drums on my granite countertop, which I must point out, I will use to impale you in the eyeballs if they leave a scratch.”
    I smiled, aborting my drum solo mid-beat. Despite the cloud hanging over my family, the past three weeks of school had been good. I had been right about not continuing private tutoring. Being in school was forcing both Mom and me to get away from our circumstances and live life. It was the distraction we both needed, but it was also more than that, because Blake… I stopped myself. Blake had become my running partner and quiet friend, and I struggled to maintain the emotional distance I knew I must. I had to stop thinking about her all of the time. If only I could figure out how.
    â€œI just enjoyed school today. I enjoy interacting with so many people, the physical challenge of football, seeing…” I stopped, afraid to admit that I enjoyed being with Blake. But she was quick, and I had already given away too much information.
    â€œLittle Miss Sad Eyes again? Your heart of compassion is what I love and fear most about you, Mateo.” She sighed and set her bags down. “You have a greater capacity to love than almost anyone I’ve ever known. It scares me so much as your mom, because it has the potential to bring so much pain into your life. What if you love, and you’re not loved back? What if you give your heart and soul to someone and it ends badly? Will you ever be the same? What if you can’t fix whatever is wrong? It’ll torture you, I know. What if you really fall for this girl, and she falls right back for you, and then she gets hurt because of who and what we are? You would never forgive yourself. And yet I can’t ask you to live your whole life and never love. These are really hard circumstances, and I’m not sure how to navigate them.”
    She moved closer and gave me a quick hug. “I don’t know what advice to give you. But I do know it doesn’t matter. You’ll find your own way, you always do. You’ll determine what’s right and stick to that course no matter what, like we’re doing here. Where you get that strength of character, I don’t know. I’m afraid I would fold and run home with my tail between my legs if it weren’t for you, and feel guilty and miserable. I’m grateful to have you, Mateo.”
    â€œI think you have that backward. I’m