Seduction (2 page)

Robyn half runs down the steps. She must have heard my voice. She stops in the kitchen doorway and stares at me. “Marisela? Oh. My. God. Where have you been? Mom is so worried. I’ve been looking for you for months.”

I never meant to hurt Robyn. She’s always been my idol. The woman I want to be like. But the older I got, the more I realized there was no chance of following in her footsteps as the perfect college student. She’s the real gem in the family. My mother mistakenly invested all her time and money in me. I’ll turn out to be her greatest disappointment once she sees me and finds out I dropped out of school six months ago. I stand. “Robyn.”

She rushes over and hugs me. I feel her tiny body tremble. “It’s all right.” I try to soothe her. “I’m home to stay.”

She pulls back and looks at me. “Home?”

“College isn’t for me.”

“And what’s all this?” She runs her fingers up my leather sleeve. “You’re a biker now?”

I give her a stupid grin. “If that’s what you want to call me.” It’s hot; I unzip my jacket and wiggle out of it.

“Marisela!” Robyn exclaims.

I look up. “What’s wrong?”

“You have tattoos.”

“Yeah, Marisela,” Craig comments. “What else are you hiding?” He stares at my arms.

Robyn throws him a look. “I’ll deal with
you
in a minute.” She looks back at me. “Well?”

I have two Chinese tattoos on my right arm,
and