Not Even Close

By Elizabeth Reyes

Bitter. Broken. Explosive.

He should’ve known he was in trouble the moment he heard that sweet laugh. Normally, something that sweet would’ve annoyed his bitter ass. Instead, he was drawn to it—to her—like he hadn’t been drawn to anything in too long.

He should’ve run the moment he found out she was just eighteen. Normally, he steered clear of girls that young and their drama. Instead, he succumbed to the unrelenting draw.

He should’ve been relieved when she admitted she was in no way ready for anything exclusive and serious. Normally, he’d be all for that. Instead, the thought of her not being exclusively his infuriated him.

Except nothing was normal about how alarmingly fast she’d brought him to his knees. In all his twenty-five years, not a single girl had ever done that.

Not Even Close.

But she’s still just eighteen and she still isn’t exclusively his. With his past making him so cynical it’s not a matter of if he’ll eventually blow but how badly.

NOT EVEN CLOSE is a New Generation series featuring the offspring of couples from my previous series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Elizabeth Reyes
• Release date: Mar 23, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005818876

Elizabeth Reyes

Elizabeth Reyes is the USA Today bestselling author of the Moreno Brothers, 5th Street, and Fate romance series. She lives in Southern California.

Book preview

Prologue

The splatter of blood to Byron’s face jerked him out of the trance he’d entered. Barbara’s cries and the tugs at his arms from the frantic frat boys telling him that the guy he’d just beat to a pulp was out cold, barely registered. He got off his knee and stood as his previously blurred surroundings came back into view. For a moment, he considered calling Barbara a whore, considered telling her he never wanted to see or hear from her lying, cheating ass again. But despite his still breathless and enraged mien, he didn’t care about her even half as much as he knew the stunned crowd surrounding them now were thinking. This hadn’t even been about driving up and seeing Barbara making out with another dude. If the guy hadn’t gotten out of the car and called Byron out like an obnoxious asshole, Byron might’ve just driven away.

Without uttering a word, and before the cops rolled up and threw his dumb ass in the backseat of a squad car, Byron had the presence of mind to just walk away as he should’ve to begin with. He drove slowly, his eyes going from the road before him to the bloodied knuckles clenching his steering wheel. Breathing in deeply, he tried in vain to forget what his rage tonight had really been about. He did not want to sink back into that darkness.

His rage today stemmed back to the last time he’d had to nurse his bloodied knuckles. His mother’s untimely death had been the impetus for a few fists through walls and even a window. She was the reason he’d given a relationship with Barbara a shot to begin with. It’d been nine years since he’d considered doing more than just bagging random girls. His mother was the one who’d pulled him out of the darkness he’d sunk into the first time. Then she waited years to point something out that he’d never even contemplated.

When he’d slunk in one morning earlier that year from a night out with yet another might-as-well-be-nameless girl, his mother had asked, as she’d begun to do more often, about the girls he’d spent the night with. As usual, Byron couldn’t tell her much since he always made it a point not to get to know them. She’d shaken her head disapprovingly, but mostly she seemed concerned.

I know Lizette was your first and only girlfriend, Byron. She’d spoken with obvious caution. "I know losing her was an unexpected and tragic shock. But you two were just fifteen, and you two hadn’t even known each other that long. How profound could your connection have been?"

When he’d begun to protest that she’d been his first love, his first everything, she countered that it was because she’d been his first everything that he’d put her up on a pedestal that no other girl could ever reach now. Honey, I don’t doubt that you loved her but only as much as a fifteen-year-old is capable of loving. At that young and impressionable age, everything feels that much more frantic. You can’t go the rest of your life hoping to replicate exactly what you felt for her because you’ll never be fifteen again. Your heart and soul are older now. While a new relationship might not be the same, trust me, it’ll still feel frenzied. Just in a different way.

After his mother’s sudden and unexpected death just weeks after that conversation, he’d vowed for her sake to be more open to finding love again. So, when he met Barbara a few months after his mother’s death, and she showed interest in trying for more than just his usual, he decided to give it a shot.

Because of his indecision about his future after high school, he’d gotten a late start and, at twenty-four, was older than your typical college senior. But at least he was almost done. Against his better judgment, he’d decided to get a little more serious with Barbara, despite her being a nineteen-year-old sophomore. Byron knew firsthand that so many girls that age, just starting adulthood, were free spirits. It’s why it’d been so easy for so long to do the nameless bedhopping without any drama. Now he felt like an idiot about not going with his gut.

In hindsight, he knew the rage he’d felt today was more of the pent-up sorrow he’d been holding in since the loss of his mother. Not since Lizette had he allowed himself to cry. It served no purpose other than to sink him further into that dark place.

But seeing Barbara blatantly making out with another guy, when Byron had just been with her two nights ago, had been a blow to his ego. With his temperament, it hadn’t taken much to get him to react as if he really cared about her. Lesson learned. He could only imagine how much that might’ve hurt had he felt more for her.

He flexed his aching bloodied knuckles with a frown. Well, shit.

As if trying to keep his vow to stay open to love hadn’t already felt like an impossibility, on top of all the emotional baggage he was carrying, trust would now be a huge issue to add to his already broody attitude.

One

Jailbait

A Year Later:

Byron

Once again, the annoyingly cute and now contagious laughter distracted Byron from his crowd control duties. As usual the crowds were huge whenever 5th Street held one of these signings. In the last several years they’d only gotten bigger and bigger for good reason. The big-name athletes participating in the signings weren’t just boxers anymore. They’d since added a multitude of super star athletes from the other sports to their list of signing athletes at these events. It’s why Byron volunteered to come in and help out if they were ever understaffed. He never knew what new big name he’d get to meet in person.

Having a brother who was one of the athletes doing the signing came with its perks. His brother Leo, aka Beast was a former heavyweight champ, but his signature was still high in demand. So, Byron never had to stand in any lines and oftentimes got to hang out with said athletes in private when they lounged around after or warmed up before the events in one of the training rooms.

Byron was currently monitoring the line near his brother’s table. The first time he’d heard the sweet laughter was when the group of girls standing in line made it inside the gym from the line that went all around it. He’d been around enough of his brother’s fights and these types of events to know the difference between groupies and actual female fans. These girls were way too young and innocent looking to be groupies. In fact, they were way too young for Byron to even be looking their way. But it couldn’t be helped. Never had something like this been so damn distracting. For the most part, girls giggling and laughing in and around the gym where Byron had spent a lot of time for years wasn’t anything new. It wasn’t unheard of for people to come to the gym and try to hook up.

Usually, it was pretty obvious if that’s what chicks were up to. It’s exactly why normally Byron wouldn’t give something like this a second thought. But in this case, there was something so genuinely pleasant about the laughter that he was pretty sure there was no underlying motive for it. Sure, there were plenty of guys around and Byron was certain he wasn’t the only one distracted by the laughter, but it just didn’t feel like it was being done for the sake of attention.

Byron couldn’t even pinpoint what it was, but it sounded so sincere. Particularly one of the girl’s contagious laughter. It’s the one he heard most often and each time she laughed so whole heartedly, it had Byron smiling despite not having an iota of idea what that hell was so funny. It’s why it was so distracting. For over a year Byron hadn’t had much to smile about especially not this often.

But as long as he’d been hearing it now, it didn’t appear there was one certain thing that had her laughing. From the likes of it, Byron gathered she was just the type of giddy person who was very easily amused—something he hadn’t been, in way too long. So, you’d think it would annoy him. Instead, he found himself continuing to uncharacteristically smile to himself each time he heard it, even subtly glancing in their direction.

They were close enough now that when he glanced their way this time, he was able to make out whose laugh was the one distracting him most. She was the shortest most petite of the three young girls. As far as he could tell she was Hispanic. Albeit a very light skinned Hispanic girl. Her hair was dark at the top but blended into a golden blonde starting from the middle down to the ends of her long locks. While petite next to the two other girls she stood with, she had curves that contradicted his earlier estimation about her being too young.

At that moment she was holding her phone out, showing the other girls something on the screen. He watched as the big smile flattened for a second then just like that, her entire face brightened instantly, and she even crinkled her nose bringing her fist to her mouth and laughed again. No, no, keep watching, she chirped through her laughs.

The other girls watched and laughed as well. Whatever the hell they were laughing at must’ve been hilarious because she even did a little dance in place as she covered her mouth and continued to laugh. As much as he hated to admit it, what his surly ass would normally consider annoying, the entire scene was fucking adorable. Byron had been so sucked into the whole show, it wasn’t even until she looked up and their eyes happened to meet that he realized he was smiling just as big as she was.

The dancing in place ceased immediately and her smile slowly went flat. As animated as she’d been that whole time her entire demeanor did a one-eighty. An air of bashfulness seemed to wash over her as she pulled a strand of hair behind her ear and glanced back down at her phone.

The abrupt realization came to Byron in a form of a knot in his stomach. His interpreting her change of behavior as bashfulness was a convenient one. Truth was he’d very likely freaked her the fuck out and he knew it. Now he felt like the biggest creeper on the planet. His cheesy ass smile flattened as well as he felt something he’d never felt before—a spreading heat rise from his spine clear up to his neck and face and even his ears.

He wanted so badly to look her way again to see if she was filling her friends in on the creepy man who’d been gawking and smiling in their direction like a maniac, but he didn’t dare. He envisioned all three young girls digging through their purses for their pepper spray or mace bottles to keep handy in case Byron decided to do more than stare them down.

What the fuck was he thinking? For all he knew she could be jailbait. Despite the curves she could still be a very young teen. She sure as shit had the stature of a high school or even middle school girl.

"Fucking hell," he muttered under his breath.

Glancing around for someone he could wave down to come relieve him, so he could get his ass out of there, Byron was still feeling the heat in his face. Each moment that passed and he didn’t hear the familiar laughter, his face got hotter.

Finally, he heard it again. Albeit a little softer now and he had to wonder if he wasn’t the reason for her hushing it down. Was she afraid to get his attention again? Ironically even as softer as the laughing had gone, she had Byron’s undivided attention still. It was almost as if the buzz of the crowded gym was nothing but a humming drone in the background now and all he heard was that sweet giggling.

Thankfully, he spotted Nine headed in his direction making his way through the crowd with Hector, one of the owners of the gym. Multitasking, Byron motioned for the line he oversaw to move along as he flagged Nine down.

Byron knew Beast was due for a break soon and he needed to talk to him before he made his quick exit out of there. Finding someone to cover for Byron, shouldn’t be too hard or an issue, given how many other guys at the gym would be willing to mingle with the girls in the crowd.

You doing work? Nine tapped his fist to Byron’s in the air then clapped him on the shoulder.

Yeah, but I gotta go soon. Byron tapped Hectors fist next then turned back to Nine. I just need to talk to Beast before I go.

Go ahead, Hector said glancing back at Beast. I can handle it here until I can get someone to take over.

As much as Byron had been trying to avoid looking in the direction of the girls he’d gawked at, they were now at Beast’s table where Hector, and Nine’s attention were also on now. The girls were all smiles and at that moment Beast just so happened to be signing something for her. Beast looked up at her and smiled making what Byron assumed was typical small talk.

Looks like they’re passing out wristbands to the rest of the people in his line, so they can be first when he comes back. Hector motioned to the gal passing out the wrist bands. Means he’s probably gonna take his break now. Go on. I’m good here.

I need to talk to him too, Nine said as Byron started to walk away but turned back to Hector. I’ll come back if you want and take over when I’m done.

Hector nodded and Byron and Nine started toward Beast’s table. Though Byron made sure to take the longer way around the crowds to avoid getting there before the girls moved on to one of the other lines.

Beast was just wrapping it up with the last person allowed to stay in his line before he took his break. Byron stood a couple of feet away, feeling strangely nervous when the same girl’s laughter caught Nine’s attention. Nine smirked looking their way then back at Byron. The last thing Byron wanted was for her to notice if Nine made any loud comments. The guy was anything but discreet.

Thankfully, Beast finished up with the last in his line and Byron began approaching him before Nine could say anything. Dude, you’re gonna be here all night. That line outside is insane.

Beast shook his head then shrugged as he took a swig from his bottled water. It’s for a good cause. I’ll save my complaining for when I have to do this all-day shit out of town, and I don’t even get to see my girls that night.

The girl’s laughter in one of the other lines now, had Nine turning in that direction though Byron kept his eyes on his brother. Nine chuckled under his breath but loud enough to have Beast turning to see what he was looking at. Never any shortage of groupies at these things, uh?

Beast turned to Nine, his expression as soured up as Byron was fighting doing the same. Those are all someone’s baby girls, you idiot. Beast’s comment didn’t exactly make Byron feel better, but he was at least glad he’d confirmed what he’d first thought. First year college students at ESU this fall. Had me signing things for their daddies’ and boyfriends. Beast play jabbed Nine in the gut. If my girls ever stood in a line this long to buy me something I’d be pissed if anyone mistook them for groupies.

Nine took the jab to his gut with a laugh. What’s wrong with groupies? They’re some of my favorite people.

Finally easing up a bit, Byron smirked shaking his head. Oh, Dee’s gonna hear about this.

I’m just saying they’re people too, Nine said to Beast with a grin, but turned to Byron looking more serious suddenly. You better not say anything to her, ass. He patted his fist to his chest. "This is man talk."

Get outta here. Beast nudged him as they all began to walk. "Your wife hears you sticking up for groupies and your ass will be down on your manly knees begging for forgiveness."

Yeah, so? Nine said loudly. At least I’m manly enough to admit it. Both Beast and Byron laughed now. Seriously, they may be young. Nine held up two hands moving away from Beast a bit. "And now that you have two daughters you probably don’t wanna hear this, but I’m not sure who’s worse. The groupies or young college girls. ‘Specially ones away from mommy and daddy for the first time. This is their time to get freaky and trust me." He turned to Byron this time with an arched brow. "Back in the day, long before Dee Dee, I had my share of these so-called little innocent college girls. They may be young but they’re adults now—legal—and dying to live it up. He nudged Byron now with his elbow. FYI, out of townies are the best ones to get your freak on with. Kind of like what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Those chicks are open to anything. Doesn’t matter what kind of reputation they get because once they’re done with school, they go back to mommy and daddy, start their new careers with a clean slate, and never look back. It’s why so many of them like experimenting in college. He bounced his brows. Good way to get some three-way action going."

Alright, alright, Beast said looking more annoyed than earlier. Not all girls are the same. Just ‘cause you were always drawn to that type. Until Dee Dee, he added when Nine began to protest. "Doesn’t mean all college girls are looking to get their freak on. This guy. Beast shook his head. Tell ’em, B. How much time did you have to get your freak on when you were going to school full time?"

Byron thought about that for a moment remembering all those weekends he was up into the wee hours of the morning writing papers and studying for finals.

Zero, he said with a frown knowing that was a bit of an exaggeration since he had gotten his freak on more often than not.

Then he had to laugh because he was sure what Nine was thinking. Byron remembered also going into college under the assumption that it was going to be one big party. While he had enjoyed his college days, it’d also been a lot of hard work. Still, given Byron’s own experience with the majority of young college freaks, but especially the one he’d deemed different and turned out to be completely wrong about, he wouldn’t bother arguing.

Byron turned to his brother ignoring the temptation to ask if he could clarify who was getting things signed for daddy and who had the boyfriend. Especially not after Nine’s spiel. Instead, he got right to what he knew his brother would want to know about ASAP—his wife and their temporary sitter. Checked on Ali like you asked. She’s good but your sitter Natasha’s sick or something.

Sick? Beast asked peering at him. She seemed fine this morning when she got there.

Yeah, well you know Ali. Guess Nat’s sniffling and shit got Ali worried about her getting the girls sick, so I told her to go ahead and send Nat home and I’m picking up the girls at school. He glanced down at his watch. Matter of fact I gotta go. They’ll be out in about twenty. Don’t worry your housekeeper is with Ali until you get home. I’m taking the girls to eat and the movies, so Ali won’t have to worry about them for at least a few hours.

Thanks, man. Beast started to dig in his pocket. Easy on the candy and don’t let Elsie talk you into McDonalds. That kid can live off that crap. They like Olive Garden at least that’s better—

I got it. Byron shook his head motioning to the money Beast was trying to hand him. These are my girls too, remember?

Beast smiled nodding as he slipped the two fifty’s he’d been ready to hand Byron back into his money clip. Don’t spoil them too much. Ali says she doesn’t want them to start feeling entitled.

Yeah, does that ever stop you?

Turning away with a smirk, Beast didn’t comment as Nine started asking him something about the shop. Byron said his goodbyes and walked away. Nine’s spiel about young college girls was still in his head. It didn’t happen often, but Byron actually had to agree this time about Nine’s theory. He just hated that Nine had dredged up an unsolicited memory. One he’d since buried way back in his head.

Ever since, he’d sworn off any girls he deemed too young, immature and likelier to put him in a situation like that again. He wasn’t about to allow a repeat of that shit. It’s why he was axing any temptation of getting involved with someone like the little college girl who’d caught his eye today. Especially one who looked young enough to be jailbait. In fact, he shook off all thoughts of her and decided he’d concentrate on the only other thing that ever had him smiling genuinely lately. He’d do just the opposite of what his brother had asked—indulge in some big-time spoiling.

Did you know that owls are nocturnal, Uncle B? Elsa asked as she twirled her pasta with her fork.

Byron nodded wiping his mouth as he finished chewing. He turned to Lucy whose little brows were furrowed just above her glasses and seemed confused. Of cose, they’ah not tuhtles. That’s silly.

Trying not to laugh outright because he knew from experience sensitive Lucy didn’t appreciate being laughed at, he took a sip of his soda.

Not turtles, Elsa said then giggled. "Nocturnal. It means owls are mostly active at night. Like bats and raccoons. We learned about them last year in the first grade, so you’ll learn about them next year, Lucy. She turned to Byron with her big front toothless smile. But we had an assembly in the auditorium today. They brought in animals from the zoo. One of them was an owl."

I didn’t get to go, Lucy said her bottom lip beginning to tremble.

It was only for second and third graders. Elsa turned back to Byron wide eyed now. "I had no idea owls were that big. He was huge. My teacher called him majestic."

I’ve never seen an owl in puhsun. Lucy’s eyes welled up and her lip was really going at it now though Byron could see she was trying to hold it together by pressing her little lips together.

You just turned five, baby girl. He reached out for her hand and kissed it. There’s a lot you haven’t seen or experienced yet. Means you got a lot to look forward to.

She reached up to remove her glasses and wiped her eyes nodding softly with a sniffle, then turned to Elsa. What coluh was he?

Mostly brown but his chest was white.

Elsa went on all bright eyed telling them more about the owl and the other animals at the assembly, but Byron was already all over it. It was too late to do it today, but the shop was fully staffed Friday and while Beast might protest at first, Byron was certain his brother would give in to letting these two play hooky from connecting the dot lessons and coloring in the lines for a day at the zoo with Uncle B that Friday. Since spoiling these two little princesses was the only thing that kept a smile on his broody ass these days this was as much for them as it was for him.

By the time Elsa was done bringing them up to speed about her school’s assembly, Lucy was past her minor meltdown and instead seemed completely captivated by all big sis had to share. Byron hadn’t wasted any time. He’d already purchased tickets to the zoo on his phone as Elsa had spoken. The bigger Elsa smiled as she spoke and wider Lucy’s eyes got, the more upgraded their trip to the zoo had gotten. He’d booked the giraffe feedings, something called Flamingo Mingle and a behind the scenes tour. He still hadn’t gotten their parents’ permission to keep them from school Friday, but Byron would play dirty if he had to. Fridays were short days for them anyway. His plan was to show up early at their place and surprise the girls before they were chauffeured off to school.

Ali had a stronger backbone than his big pushover brother when it came to the girls. But even she didn’t stand a chance against baby girl’s big emotional eyes. Beast would be toast the moment he’d look into those trembling lips Friday morning, so it was a done deal.

The movie they watched turned out to be metaphorical and a bit over Lucy’s head. Two stray dogs and a cat went on a journey to each find their way home. It wasn’t until the end when they finally arrived at their destination that the viewer and the animals realize each needed to resolve some personal struggle, they didn’t even know they were fraught with before they could arrive. The home each one was searching for turned out to be their own personal pet heaven.

On their drive home, Byron attempted to explain to Lucy about the animals being stuck between life and death because they each had something to overcome before they could get to heaven. Something they needed to learn or finish before they could cross to the other side and be truly happy.

Do people have to do that too? Lucy asked from her booster seat in the back.

Glancing in the rear-view mirror, Byron’s grip of the steering wheel got a little tighter. "No one really knows what happens when you die. But I suppose it could be true."

"But heaven is a real, right? Elsa who sat next to Lucy was quick to ask. Daddy says that abuelita is in heaven but is always looking down and watching over all of us."

Closing his eyes as they came to a stop, Byron nodded but didn’t comment.

Do you think gwahma had something she needed to finish befoh she could cwos to duh udda side, Uncle B?

Curse the twist ending to that stupid movie. If Byron had any idea he’d be taking the girls to see a movie that might have them asking these kinds of questions he would’ve never taken them to that one. But he refused to go there and let this line of questioning pull him back into that dark place again. He’d managed to stay out of it for too long now. So, the moment he saw it he switched lanes.

I don’t know, baby girl. He turned into the shopping center. Who’s up for frozen yogurt?

I am!

I am!

He switched the subject easy enough to talk about their favorite flavor yogurts instead. By the time they were in the yogurt shop, Lucy was far more interested in all the different toppings she’d be choosing from and Byron managed to snap out of the mood he’d begun to get sucked into.

Note to self: Next time he’d take them anywhere, he’d research and read reviews before going into it blindly. Idiot.

Two

No Distractions

Vannah

I got them all, Felix, Abel, De La Hoya and even that Beast guy. Vannah spoke into her earpiece as she hurried to get her clothes out of the washer and into the dryer. I didn’t bother with the other athletes. Most were Dodgers, Lakers and even a few Raider players but I figured he wouldn’t really be into any of them. And no lie, Nena we were there for over four hours. I was exhausted and starving by the time we were done.

Well, at least you got the most important ones. Nena chirped happily. His collection will be complete now. But let’s get to the most important part. Were the guys there as hot as I’ve heard they are?

Slowing her pace, Vannah bit her bottom lip feeling her face warm when she remembered the hot guy with the delicious smile, she’d caught staring at her. Yes, she said softly even as her sister squealed.

This had Vannah giggling despite her keeping to herself how she’d totally blown it at the sight of that gorgeous smile aimed directly at her. As usual she’d frozen on the spot and glanced away as soon as she’d been able to gather her wits instead of smiling back. She’d save herself the lecture because she knew her sister would be all over her being so shy and attempting to be more approachable and how a simple smile went such a long way. Vannah knew this already and smiling was hardly an issue for her, but she just couldn’t help freeze up when she was nervous or taken by surprise like she had been that day.

She didn’t tell her sister about that guy specifically, but she did fill her in on the amount of eye candy they’d seen that day. "I knew it. Aside from all the hot boxers, Tricia was telling me ever since that model Kara what’s-her-face was discovered there by the owner of that modeling agency who was there being trained by their world-famous trainers, the