Cadillac

By A. Vasquez

After the death of her sister, Renee Davis is rebuilding her life. She has sworn of bad boys, and anyone who reminds her of the man who killed Hailey. Fate has other plans when she sets eyes on the epitome of what she had tried so hard to stay away from; Isaac.

Isaac Ramirez is tatted up, Mexican man who drives a Cadillac. He is a member of San Diego's exclusive car club, the "Low-Low's". When he sets his eyes on Renee, he is determined to have her.

They have an intense and instant connection, but circumstances of the past and present make them question their relationship.

Lies are told.

Tears are cried.

Wounds are reopened.

Will love be lost or can they overcome their obstacles?

WARNING_ For Mature Audiences Only due to sexual content and adult situations.

This is a standalone novel.

 

What people are saying about Cadillac

“I read this today in a couple of hours and truly liked the story. This story was very easy to see in the minds eye as the characters and plot were all well described. Looking forward to the next book in the series, truly enjoyed the style of writing and was easy to follow.”
       - Bella, Amazon Reviewer

“I finished this one in a couple of hours. Really great book I have been looking for that something different and this was it. For a debut novel it was amazing. It was so relatable to me being from SoCal. Great job.”
       - T. Morales, Amazon Reviewer

“From the moment you finish this book you will want to reread it. It is beautiful, emotional, healing, loving, heartbreaking, sexy and everything in between! You will not be disappointed! I will be a forever fan of A. Vasquez and can't wait for more from her! Congratulations on your debut novel! Loved every word!”
      - Amanda, Goodreads Reviewer

“Raw, emotional, touching, passionate and real! Are all words that come to mind when I read this book. I loved Isaac and Renée's names, and story, with a real to life experience and a love that escalade as fast as an escalade, this story was a beautiful journey of love, trust, fear and new beginnings, that all girls wished they could have for themselves.”
          -K. Goodman, Goodreads Reviewer

• Language: English
• Publisher: A. Vasquez
• Release date: Jan 5, 2014
• ISBN: 9781497724402

Book preview

Prologue

Hailey, I wish you wouldn’t go, or at least let me come with you.  I had been pleading with her not to go down to San Diego with her new friends for almost an hour now. She hadn’t even introduced me to them, and it made me nervous. She ignored my pleas and continued pulling her clothes of the hangers, not even bothering to fold them before putting them in her suitcase.

You wouldn’t even like it there. You wouldn’t get along with them, and probably wouldn’t have much fun. I’m just going to be with Antonio most of the time anyway, she said waving her hand in the air as if to dismiss the idea. It had only been four days since graduation and she was ready to get up and leave all of a sudden.

Well can you at least let me know when you’ll be back. Everyone will be asking when we can all hang out again, and you know mom and dad aren’t going to like this one bit. They don’t even know this Antonio guy. Neither do I. What if something happens? Frustration washed through my body as I tried everything I could think of to make her stay. I had a bad feeling nesting in my gut and I wouldn’t be satisfied until she told me she wasn’t leaving.

I heard a sigh escape her mouth, Nothing is going to happen. He’s nice and he wants me to be with him. I don’t know when I’ll be back, maybe I’ll just go to school down there. I rested my hands on my hips and blew out a breath in exasperation. She was so strong willed and for once in my life I hated that about her. This wasn’t like her at all, to want to leave on a whim.  We start college in the fall and we had planned to do a lot together during the summer. We planned to go camping up in Lake Tahoe for a week, and go to Six Flags and ride the roller coasters all day until we were so dizzy we couldn't stand anymore. We planned on having parties when our parents went on their weekend wine tasting trips. We planned on being together, like we always were.

Apparently she was done with this conversation, not allowing me to get anymore of my unpleasant feelings out. She kissed my forehead before walking by me with her suitcase. I love you Ney, I’ll talk to you soon.

Closing my eyes, I reluctantly said my goodbye. I love you too Halo. 

Those were the last spoken words I had ever heard or said to my sister.  My parents got a call two weeks later after her body was found in an alleyway behind some bar. The detectives said the autopsy confirmed she was raped, strangled to death, and was 6 weeks pregnant. They said they were still looking for any leads, but that they would let us know if they heard anymore. We later learned that Antonio was questioned as a person of interest, but he had an alibi. Even though all the evidence pointed to him, they couldn’t charge him with anything, so he was still a free man.

I should have known what I felt days before she left was not to be ignored. It wasn’t like her to just leave her family. She loved us. My parents took it bad. Mom stayed locked away in her room for days on end. My father made sure she ate when she was supposed to and helped her take showers. Honestly, I wasn’t any better. I cried myself to sleep every night. I wouldn’t answer my phone. I ended up throwing it across the room after realizing it was never going to be Hailey calling me again. The funeral was horrible. My mother screamed about her baby being gone. My poor dad, who was always so put together, broke down and couldn't even speak. I ended saying some words about how great of a person she was, and how she would be terribly missed. I truthfully don’t even remember most of what I said. I was in a state of shock I think. Just running on autopilot since I had no drive to do anything. As I sat on the church pew and saw her casket covered in flowers it felt like I was in some dream. No.  A nightmare. One that I tried to forget even happened.

The days and months began to blend together with school and work. I lost track of the time. A year had gone by and I still found myself closed off from anyone that used to hang out with both Hailey and I. My nights consisted of reading books when I was home instead of hanging out with friends, or going to the movies. My parents were constantly down my back, texting and calling to check up on me when I wasn’t home. It was as if I was a young child again, when really I was a twenty year old woman fighting for freedom. Sometimes I wanted to hate her for what she did. How selfish she was to leave and put me through this, and put our family through this.

Most of my time over the course of the year my thoughts were filled with what had happened that night. What could I have done? Should I have followed her? Why didn’t she call me? How could someone do this?

I felt like I died that night along with her. I had to start fresh somewhere other than here, where all our memories remained. Away from everything that reminded me of her, and away from who I had become without her.

Chapter 1

Renee POV

One Year Later.....

It was another gloomy June day here in San Diego. I  quickly grabbed my clothes from my closet and rushed to get myself dressed. My shift was in twenty minutes, and I was running behind. Looking at myself in the mirror, I couldn’t help but think of Hailey. Although we were twins, there were some differences that I was always envious of. Instead of my brown eyes she was blessed with green eyes from our dad. We both had long brown hair. She had the natural waves, mine on the other hand was dull, and straight. Her nose was a little smaller, and face was skinnier. Naturally I thought she was the beautiful one of us two.

We were inseparable throughout the years. We had the same friends and same interests. We both had plans of going to college for Business Administration. In our senior year she started dating this Hispanic guy named Antonio. She met him while she was working at the mall. I never met him, which was the first sign that I should have paid more attention to. Never once did she try to bring him around me or our friends, it was as if he brainwashed her into someone else. All of a sudden she changed. We weren't hanging out anymore. She changed the way she dressed, and how she talked. She started listening to Chicano music, drinking, smoking weed and skipping school. I didn’t know that person at all.

I took a deep breath in through my nose to clear my head. No matter how much time had passed, she was still so fresh on my mind. I couldn’t remember one day in the past two years that I hadn’t thought about her one time or another.

I was wearing my usual black dress pants with black flats and a green floral top. The hospital I worked at didn't have a strict dress code. As long as I had my black slacks and dressed respectfully and professionally, I was good to go. I wore my hair down as I always did, and had some mascara and pink lip gloss on. That's about as much as I ever did. I had never been one for fashion or makeup.

I grabbed a bagel to eat on the way since I didn't have time for anything else. Running out the door, I got into my 2008 black Chevy Malibu and took off. I drove the ten minutes from my apartment to the hospital I worked at and had five minutes to clock in. I prayed it wouldn't be another long night.

It was drizzling as I walked from my car into the emergency room. The waiting room was packed, like it was every Friday night. People lined the halls and filled the chairs. The sounds of people coughing and babies crying met my ears as soon as the doors opened. I made my way around the nurses station and saw Olivia's face smile as she knew I was her relief.  Hey Renee! We have been so busy! I'm so glad I don't work the night shifts, I feel so bad for you! she said as I walked up and placed my purse on the desk.

Gee thanks. You don't have to remind me that I work every night in here. I went to my classes at San Diego State University during the day so I had no other choice but to work the night shifts as the ER unit secretary. I got situated at the desk and was logging into the computer just as a patch was coming through for an incoming ambulance. Let the fun begin, I mumbled to myself. One of the nurses took the patch and immediately called for trauma room 1 to be prepped for a GSW. Gunshot wound. Great. I'm sure it's another young wannabe gangsta. And that means there would be either a fight breaking out or another GSW coming in later. Something was bound to happen.

Two minutes later the ambulance pulled up into the bay and wheeled a young guy in on the stretcher. I overheard the medic telling the doctor that the victims brother called 911 after a drive by shooting. As the nurses and doctor were trying to stabilize the patient, there was mad chaos at the front doors. I saw a man yelling, waving his hands at the woman behind the front desk, demanding to get back there to see his brother. My stomach dropped to the floor. This was why I could never be a nurse. I was such a sissy when it came to emotions. I felt so bad for this guy and I just wanted to run over to the front doors and let him back.

After about twenty minutes the brother was allowed back to the room. As he was walking by me I looked up at him and we met eyes. I swear the whole ER went silent. He was the most amazing thing I had ever seen. He was a few inches taller than me, probably 5'7 or so. He had the darkest eyes. They almost looked fake they were so black. His black hair had a fade style cut, with about a half an inch of hair on top fading to almost nothing towards his neck. His skin was the color of caramel, and boy did I love caramel. His arms were covered with tattoos and on his neck was a tattoo that said Low Low." 

I shook myself out of my thoughts and looked away. My gosh Renee get yourself together, I spoke to myself again.  He was not the type of guy I would even imagine going for. After what happened with Halo I tried to steer clear of bad boys. From the looks of him, I knew that’s exactly what he was.  I was also positive my dad would kill me if I brought home a man that looked like that. The last thing I needed was to worry my parents anymore than they already were. They told me every chance they got that they wished I would move back home.

Isaac POV

Get down! I yelled at everyone. God damn it. Those putos from the City-Low car club were tearing my shop to pieces. There had always been a rival between our car club, the Low-Lows and theirs.

I've grown up here in San Diego since I was six. I lived with my Tio Javier along with my brothers Miguel and Isaiah. Tio Javier was my moms brother and after my dad got locked up for killing her, we had no choice but to live with him. I guess it wasn't a bad thing though. Thanks to my Tio, I grew up around lowriders. I was the youngest out of us three boys, so it didn't take much for me to get into the club with my brothers. We had been rivals with the City Lows since before I could remember.

Apparently our club leader Tony fucked one of the City Low’s bitches and decided to shoot up our club meeting spot, which just happened to be the paint shop I owned. We all dropped to the floor after we heard the first shot. Unfortunately, my oldest brother Miguel was in the back when it started and came out to the front at the wrong time. I turned around just as I saw his body jerk back as the bullet impacted his body and he fell to the ground.

FUCK! I yelled. By now the shots were gone. Those City Lows just did a quick drive by. They didn’t have the balls to stick around any longer than that. I pulled out my phone as I jumped up to run over to Miguel.

911 what's your emergency? The monotone operator asked on the other line.

I need an ambulance here right now! My brother was shot! You need to send someone here quick! My voice was shaking from the adrenaline of what just happened.

Please stay calm Sir. Can you tell me your name? Is the shooter still there? Do you know who did this?

Stay calm? This bitch has got to be shitting me right now.

I don't know who the fuck shot my brother. Just get the fucking ambulance over here to Ramirez Paint Shop now! I yelled.

Ok Sir. The ambulance is on the way. Please stay on th...

Click.

That's all I needed to hear. The ambulance was on the way. By now I was knelt down next to Miguel applying pressure with some shop towels that I found next to me. He was shot in the chest and was gurgling and gasping for air.

Stay with us Miguel! Help is coming, just try to stay with us. I pleaded and repeated to him.

We are going to get them fuckers! yelled Isaiah pacing the room, grabbing handfuls of his hair in his hand.

Those putos have another thing coming now ese. Let's roll out before the police come in, said Tony. Of course he wouldn’t want to be around when they came. Selfish motherfucker.

All the members except Isaiah and I left. No way was I going to leave my brother. I was sure Tony was on his way to retaliate now anyway. Even though I was in the car club I didn't agree with Tony at all. I was here for the cars. He on the other hand was into drug dealing and pistol poppin. I rolled with him most of the time because that's what you do, you have each other's back. But that didn’t mean I wanted to do it. I felt obligated now, especially after that shit he pulled a while back. I could never get out from under his thumb, unless I wanted to go to jail.

Just then I heard ambulance sirens coming in the distance. I ran out and left Isaiah to hold the towels on Miguel. I flagged them down and led them to where my brothers were. I filled them in about the drive by and that I had been applying pressure to the wound. Within minutes they had him loaded up in the ambulance. They wouldn't allow either one if us in with Miguel so we hopped in Isaiah's Impala and followed them to the hospital.

We didn't bother parking. I told him to pull right up in front of the entrance. I didn’t want to waste any time. I'd deal with the ticket later if I had to. I ran inside and asked the receptionist to let me back to my brother.

I'm sorry sir, but you're not allowed back at the moment, she said startled.

Bullshit. You need to open that door right now and let me see my brother. I yelled back at her. How could they keep me from him?

The doctors need to stabilize the patient first. If you'd please take a seat, someone will come get you when it's ok for you to come back.

You listen to me, I said pointing my finger at her. You better open that fucking door right now before I break it down myself! I knew I was being an asshole to her but fuck, I needed to get back there.

Hey bro, calm down.  We don't want to get thrown out of here before we get a chance to see Miguel. Let's just sit the fuck down and wait it out. Isaiah gripped my shoulders and led me over to the chairs where we sat down. Twenty long ass minutes went by and they finally opened the doors for us to go through. We headed back to trauma room 1 where they said he would be. As I was walking by the desk in the middle of the ER, I locked eyes on the chick sitting behind it.

God Damn! Those eyes were toxic. They were the lightest shade of brown, like honey.  She had the face of an angel; soft, and flawless, it almost looked porcelain. She had pink juicy lips that I wanted to suck on. Her brown hair fell past her shoulders, and I pictured my hands pulling on it while I had her bent over in front of me.  She was sitting down, but I could just imagine what the rest of her body looked like; perfect.  She looked eerily familiar but I couldn’t place her face. I had seen a lot of girls around, so maybe that was why. All I knew was that this one took my breath away. I pulled my eyes from her. I didn’t need this shit right now. She looked like a goody- two shoes chick that grew up with loving parents and a white picket fucking fence. She didn’t want to be caught up with a guy like me, I had issues to deal with. I was the type to use them and lose them. And she wasn’t a use them type of girl, I knew that with just one look at her.

I entered into the room after Isaiah and walked up to the bed. The room smelt of antiseptic and death. The heart monitor beeping was the only sound you heard. Miguel looked like shit. There were tubes and wires stuck all over him, and his skin was pale. I bent down close to his ear and whispered, We're here bro. You gotta stay with us ese. We can't lose you too. He didn’t respond except for some fluttering of his eyelids.

A man with scrubs came in seconds later saying they were taking him to emergency surgery. I grabbed Miguel's hand and told him I loved him as Isaiah did the same. Then they took him away, pulling our grasped hands apart. We stayed in the room while we waited. Neither one of us had the guts to bring up what could happen. We were both lost in our own worlds. Isaiah had his elbows resting on his legs, holding his head in his hands. I took in the hospital room, reading all the posters that hung on the walls and looking at all the state of art equipment.  I even counted the tiles that lined the floor and ceiling. After about thirty minutes of waiting I made the mistake of looking over at the secretary desk. My gaze caught with the girls again and I could see the sadness in her eyes.

She was hurting for me.

I was the one whose brother was shot, but yet I felt the need to go over and hold her. I was being such a fucking bitch. I didn't hold chicks. Ever. But something in those honey brown eyes made me want to hold her. I knew right then and there I wanted her. My body tingled from head to toe. No woman could make me feel this many feelings just from one look. What the fuck.

Excuse me, are you with Mr. Ramirez? a woman in a white jacket asked, breaking me out of my trance.

I stood up quickly as she addressed me.  Yes. Do you have any news? When can we see him again? I was ready to get to my brother, and out of this room.

I'm sorry to tell you this, but he didn't make it through the surgery. He lost too much blood and we couldn't revive him. We tried everything we could. I'm so sorry for your loss.

Chapter 2

Renee POV

They brought caramel mans brother up to surgery. I caught myself looking over at him time after time. I couldn’t drag my eyes away from him to even begin to get some work done. And I wouldn’t, I didn’t want to. I was enjoying being able to ogle him without him realizing it. His jaw was defined. His profile was just as beautiful as looking straight on. He was undeniably sexy, and I cursed myself for even thinking that in a time like this. He looked around the room, lost in thought. His face was so sad as he sat in there.

He looked up at me and we locked eyes again. At first he looked sad but then he got an expression which looked like confusion, and then maybe a hint of sympathy? Maybe he did have a heart under that bad boy image after all. Who knows. I knew I never would. He looked like too much trouble and with what happened with Halo I wouldn’t put myself in that situation.

Doctor Winters walked into his room then and started talking with him. I couldn’t make out what she was saying because the ER was too noisy, but I had an understanding. The beautiful man dropped to his knees and put his hands over his face. There was another equally good looking man that I hadn't noticed before, who fell down next to him and they grasped onto each other. Their bodies shook as they cried together. My heart hurt for them and I couldn’t look at the pain in their faces any longer. I knew all too well what it felt like to lose someone close to you, especially a sibling. I got up and walked down the corridor towards the bathroom. Turning the faucet on,  I splashed some cold water on my face to try to pull myself together. I looked at my reflection in the mirror, You don't even know him Renee, you can't help him.  I couldn’t shake the feeling that for some reason I felt connected to him yet I didn’t even know his name. I wondered what it would hurt if I went in there and gave him my condolences. I figured if I did that, my conscious would feel better knowing I at least tried to console him in some way.

I made my decision. No harm done. If he looked at me like I was crazy