Page 59 of Her Passionate Hero

“Hunter, do you see?” She grabbed his forearm excitedly. “I think she heard me.”

“I see, mi Cielieto.” She warmed at the endearment. He reached up and touched her flushed cheek. “I love this blush. I know when you have strong feelings. You are a slice of heaven. You know that, don’t you?”

She ducked her head. He tilted up her chin.

“Sing another song,” he requested. “You have a beautiful voice.”

Sakra, her blush got hotter. She’d gotten many compliments in college, but none meant more to her than Hunter’s praise. How could he have come to mean so much to her again?

Because he was Hunter Diaz, her heart whispered. He would always mean the world to her.

“We’ve got to go if we want to make it back to the school in time,” Zed said.

She looked over at the other man, she had forgotten he was there. Shorinda was gone. She must have had to get back to other patients.

“School?” Aliana asked.

Zed walked over to them. “We’re going to question Nicolas, and hopefully, he can take us to his sister. Better yet, that scum of a brother.”

Aliana stood straighter. “Nicolas Garcia? My Nicolas? Why in the world would you be questioning him?” she demanded softly. She motioned for the two men to follow her toward the cupboard, so she could put away her guitar and not disturb her mother. She didn’t want to have a knock-down-drag-out in front of her mom.

“Why didn’t you tell us that Mateo was related to one of your students?” Hunter asked.

“I meant to, I just hadn’t gotten to it.” Sakra, how could she have forgotten? “How did you find out?” Then she sighed. “You talked to Lottie, didn’t you?”

“Damn right we did, and it was nice that she was more forthcoming.” Zed said menacingly.

“Back off,” Hunter growled at Zed.

“Quit being so damn soft on her. She’s a big girl. She’s proved it.”

“He’s right, I am. I screwed up not telling you. But really he’s not involved in this, not the way you’re making this sound, Zed.”. I don’t want you questioning him. Full stop, end of story.”

“Lady, you can’t know that. He’s probably part of this gang, so he knows.”

“You’re right, he is. But he’s a good kid. He wants out.”

“And you’re just buying that? You’re naïve.” Hunter and Zed kind of looked alike, with their Mexican heritage, same dark hair, and brown eyes, but Zed’s were looking almost black and cold, while Hunter’s were a warm chocolate. Zed was pissing her off and she glared at him.

“Nicolas is only fifteen. He’s not going to be questioned without a parent.”

Zed snorted. “Let me guess, he’s from a one parent home, and his mother is either working two jobs trying to keep things together, or she’s strung out on drugs. Which is it?”

How the hell did he know that? “Two and a half jobs,” Aliana admitted slowly. “Nicolas is incredible. His paper was a finalist in the Library of Congress literacy contest. That and the scores I expect him to have on his SATs, he’ll be recruited by colleges.”

“Only if a Vice Principal I know happens to be making a lot of phone calls on his behalf,” Hunter teased gently. At least this time, she didn’t blush because dammit, of course, she was going to make those calls. Nicolas deserved it.

“Anyway, he wouldn’t know anything about my townhome being bombed.”

“He has information about his brother, and don’t tell me he doesn’t know anything about LosDemonios,” Zed said.

“He’s a straight-A student,” she hedged.

Zed laughed. “Did I tell you I grew up not fifteen minutes from Bertrum High School? I belonged to a gang. I joined when I was twelve. I got As and Bs. I don’t even want to get into what I was doing by the time I was fifteen.” He sounded sad and bitter.

“I’m so sorry, Zed.”

“I’m not looking for sympathy. I’m trying to explain about gang members. Don’t stereotype us.”