After the Before by Jessica Gomez Read Free Book Online Page A

night? Or does she not want to talk to me because of my father’s involvement? Her rejection bothers me more than I care to admit.
    We roll up to a club that’s a halfway point between my gang and our rival gang. We usually keep a truce at this place, but tonight, I’m not interested in keeping the peace – I’m looking for a fight, and by the looks on my gang’s faces, they are down for whatever I want to throw their way.
    I step off my bike, tilting it so it stands on its own. It’s an old bike, but I worked my ass off to make the money to buy it. The seven members of Infiernos Guerreros I brought with me tonight follow my lead, knowing I came here for nothing but trouble. They all stretch out their limbs, getting ready for the brawl we are no doubt about to engage in. I may not be able to figure out what or how I am feeling about Jasmine, but I can figure out how to slam my fist into someone’s face.
    I push through the front door of the club, scanning the room until I spot the poor sap that is going to get the brunt of my anger ; he is second in command of our rival gang. I walk right up to him without saying a word and smash my fist into the side of his temple, causing him to tumble to the floor. Ten people around him jump up while he peels himself off the floor to face me.
    “What the fuck is your problem, Alex?” He spits out.
    “Your ugly mug is my problem, gilipollas.” My gang approves of the fight; they
flank my back without saying a word.
    “You really want to do this, hombre?” He gives me a chance to back out , but he doesn’t know me – once I start something, I do not back down… I stand my ground.
    “You want to take it outside?” I give him the option of where they want to get their asses kicked. I’m being generous, if I do say so myself.
    “Fuera.” He says , and flicks his head toward the door.
    We meet outside and circle around each other, each person tense, waiting for someone to make the first move. I am no longer willing to wait, so I lunge for number two, punching him twice before he gets a couple of slugs in himself.
    We are going at it a couple of minutes before I start to notice my people gaining ground . Number two notices about the same time, so he ups the ante by pulling out a knife.
    I hardly register the gleaming weapon in his hand when I lung e for him again, punching him square in the face and breaking his nose, but not before he slices a deep gash down my right arm. I barely feel the fiery pain as I climb on top of him and continue to punch his face in.
    I lose track of everyone around me. The only thing I can feel is the pleasure of releasing my pain, the feeling of my knuckles cracking against bone, and the fire lancing up my arm from my knife wound.
    Hands start to pull on me, breaking me out of my trance. “Come on, Alejo. Cops!”
    The word cops slams me back to reality. Being busted again is not an option. It would mean jail time for sure.
    I drop number two ’s shirt and get to our bikes, rocketing out of sight.
    Within seconds, we are safe. No one from the other gang would go public on us… they know better. I will expect retaliation, and be more than ready for it. The more I fight, the more I push my feelings for mi Hermana and mi padre far away from my heart. Even now, I’m lying to myself, denying that the person I want to keep my mind off of the most, is continuing to creep in, no matter how many people I go out and fight with. How can one day of seeing her cause me to feel… whatever the hell it is I’m feeling? I have every intention of pushing her out, but I have a feeling that she’s not going anywhere.
    Once w e reach my house, everyone notices the slice on my arm.
    “Holy shit, Alex! You’re bleeding.” Carlos, my closest friend , says to me. “You want to go to the hospital?”
    I’m shaking my head before he can finish speaking. “Hospitals ask questions.” I pull off my shirt to get a better look at the damage.
    The cut starts at the