by A. L. Zaun
“I’m offended.” I placed my hands on her shoulders. “I should be indulging Mom with my company and not engaging in this bullshit with the two of you. My life is none of your fucking business.” I moved her out of the way.
“Um, no, you need to answer us,” Liz ordered. “And clean up your mouth. You’re a well-educated professional. I think your vocabulary should be a little more extensive than the constant vulgarity.”
“Look”—I rubbed my eyes, not wanting to run my hands through my hair—”her name is Madison…”
I told them everything—Madison was good to me, she’d helped me with Daniela, we’d become very good friends, and then we’d fallen in love. I excluded anything that had to do with lying, manipulating, and distorting any truths. I also left out the part about that motherfucker, her family, and that she was a recovering slut. God, I feel like such a prick for even thinking that. It was the G-rated version and all that really mattered.
“Are you happy now? I’m hungry, and I want to see Mom before I have to leave.”
They both stood there with their mouths hanging open until Estrella spoke, “I can’t believe you’re that stupid. You really think this girl was helping you? Why would she spend every day with you for over two months, helping you, unless she had her own agenda? She was playing you and sabotaging any chances you had with Dani. If you needed any help, you know you should have come to us.” She pointed between the two of them. “We love you. We know you. We love Dani. We know her. We would have helped you. That bitch screwed you over.”
Oh no, she did not go there.
Tension gripped my muscles as heat rippled through every vein in my body.
“Yeah, I don’t trust her,” Liz huffed, crossing her arms.
My nostrils flared. “This is why I didn’t want to say anything,” I grunted through my clenched jaw. “The two of you are so fucking off base.” I stepped back, shaking my head and running my hands through my hair. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. You are wrong, wrong, and fucking wrong.” Leaning into them with my brows furrowed, I shouted, “Don’t talk about Madison like that—ever! I mean it. You will respect her, or you’ll deal with me. I won’t have that shit, not from my family. No fucking way. Do you understand?”
The familiar tapping of my mom’s steps on the marble floors got all of our attentions.
“What’s going on in here?” my mother asked, directing her gaze toward my sisters who just rolled their eyes. She coaxed me over to her with open arms. “Come here, my gorgeous príncipe. Why are you upset with your sisters?” She brought up her hands to caress my face and placed a kiss on my cheek, trying to calm me down. “I’ve missed you. Come out back and tell me all about your business meeting and your trip.”
We started walking toward the terrace when Liz spoke up, “Mom, why don’t you ask him about his girlfriend?”
Is she fucking twelve?
I looked over my shoulder and shot daggers at her. When I turned back, my mom’s eyes were smiling lovingly at me.
“He knows very well when he needs to tell me about his girlfriend. Until she’s the one, I don’t want to meet her or know anything about her.”
My mom had thought that Daniela was good for me, and they’d grown very close. In fact, on several occasions, my mother had sided with Daniela over me. I’d had to remind my mom where her loyalties were supposed to lie—with me. After Daniela and I had broken up, I’d had the wonderful pleasure of breaking the news to my mom. She hadn’t taken it well. For the first time in my life, she had blamed me for fucking up my life, and then she’d banned me from bringing any women to family gatherings. She had been heartbroken and felt like she had lost a daughter, so she refused to go through that shit again.
She didn’t get that Daniela and I had needed to break up, and we would have sooner if my family hadn’t meddled so much. In their eyes, Daniela was perfect. And for a long time, I’d thought she was too. They had made me doubt myself, giving me second thoughts about breaking up. A few times, before my plans on winning her back, I’d almost called her, but I couldn’t. Something had always stopped me. I wasn’t going to settle. As perfect as Daniela was with the way she’d spoiled me, had fucked me whenever and however I’d wanted, and had given me the most amazing blow jobs, she didn’t have that extra something that I couldn’t put my finger on. My sisters had told me that I was being too picky and just making excuses because I had commitment issues. They were wrong. Madison proved that.
I’d never given a shit if my sisters liked a girl I’d brought home, and I sure as hell had never told them to play nice. I loved my family. I knew my sisters were just being protective, but fuck, sometimes, they just didn’t know when to stop.
I opened the French doors leading to the garden terrace and pool area.
My mom tilted her face and smiled. “Thank you. You’re such a gentleman.”
Given her reaction, I’d say this was the first time I’d actually opened a door for her. I needed to change that. “After you,” I said, kissing her cheek.
I rolled up my sleeves as I walked toward my dad, who was standing by the built-in barbecue, grilling some steaks. My sisters’ kids were running around and screaming as they chased each other around the pool and down the steps to the backyard. I opened the outdoor fridge to pull out a Corona for my dad and a bottle of water for me.
Estrella’s oldest son, Gabe, shouted, “Tío,” and came over to hang out with the men.
I gave him a high five and reached in to grab another bottle of water for him, too. After my dad plated the steaks, he joined us on the terrace and gave me a tight hug before taking his beer. The three of us looked over the wrought iron railing at the women huddled together as they set the table and lit the lanterns. Occasionally, they’d glance over at us while they gossiped, no doubt about me. This was the life my family wanted for me—wife doting on me while the kids ran around a house with an SUV in the driveway, and of course, me taking my rightful position next to my dad, Ernesto Marin—the man at the helm and responsible for all of this. But as great as it all looked, I wasn’t sure if this was how I saw myself.
“You see your mother over there, laughing with your sisters?” my dad asked.
I nodded, gulping my water as I wondered where this was headed.
“That’s how I like to see them, but this weekend, she drove us all crazy. You’re a grown man, but she still sees you as her little boy.” He took a long swig of his beer. “Something tells me that you didn’t run off to New York to celebrate some sale.”
I felt the subtle sting of his insult and placed my bottle down on the railing. “To clarify, it wasn’t just some sale. It was huge.”
Our eyes met, understanding communicated between us as he patted me on the shoulder. I picked up the bottle and finished off the last of the water in one gulp, watching my mom make her way to the table while my sisters followed like ducklings.
When I had been Gabe’s age, my dad would take me to construction sites, showing me with pride how he was building an empire that would one day be mine. For as long as I could remember, it had been my parents’ dream for me. They’d wanted me to follow in my dad’s footsteps. I had gotten it, but no one had asked me if it was my dream.
When I hadn’t gone to work for him after college, my dad had nearly blown a gasket. He’d threatened to make me pay him for my education, but my mom had come to the rescue and brokered a deal. She had agreed with me that I should do my own thing, which had shocked both my dad and me. His eyes had almost popped out of his head. But she had known exactly what she was doing when she’d stood between us. She had added the little caveat that I would go work for my dad when I was thirty-two. At the time, I’d thought that it was a lifetime away. I hadn’t thought it through or known how much I’d love having my freedom.
“Gabe” —my dad brought his arm over my shoulder— “your uncle is the best there is. Smarter than his sisters. Shh, don’t tell your mom or your tía.”
Gabe snicker
ed.
“He can talk anyone into or out of anything, like your abuela. I couldn’t ask for a better son.” He motioned with his head toward the table. “Come on, let’s go eat.”
By the time we made it back to the table and sat down, my plate was served and drink poured. My mom placed her hands on my shoulder as my dad sat at the other end of the table. My sisters each took their spots, one to my right and the other to my left. They were going to flip the fuck out when Madison sat at my right someday. Soon, I hoped.
“Can I have everyone’s attention?” Mom reached for a glass of wine on the table. “I’d like to propose a toast.” She raised her glass. “To the Marin family. Each of you is a blessing in my life. I love you all very much.” She leaned down, whispering in my ear, “Te adoro. Solo lo mejor para ti hoy y para siempre.”
I squeezed her hand and smiled at her proclamation of adoring me and wanting the best for me today and always. Then, I looked up at my dad who raised his glass to me. I nodded and raised mine to him.
“Bon appétit.”
Chapter 24
Rick
After dinner, I quickly excused myself from the table. I was running late to meet up with Chris. My mom walked out with me to the car, making me promise to meet her for lunch this week so we could talk more and solidify the plans for the dinner party she wanted to have for me this coming Saturday.
As I opened the car door, she wrapped her arms around me. “Mi hijo bello, I’m so happy you came by today.” She placed a kiss on my cheek. “Did you forget to pack your razor?”
“Something like that.” I laughed, getting into my car. “I’ll see you Thursday for lunch.”
“Te quiero,” she called out, waving.
“Love you, too.”
I pulled out of the driveway. Through the rearview mirror, I could see her watching me drive away. I would tell her about Madison at lunch. That would give enough time for her to process the idea of my bringing a woman to this celebration, but it wouldn’t be enough time for her to ask too many questions.
On my way to Martini Bar, I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel to the songs on the radio, psyching myself out for my meeting with Chris. This was new to me. Normally, I’d bullshit my way out of confrontations or turn things around so that the other person took the blame. This was different. I was different. I understood I’d handled the whole Daniela thing wrong, but I also felt a lot of good had come from it. Namely, I was with Madison, and Daniela had gotten the closure we both needed. I was smart enough to know that Chris wasn’t going to see it like that. I’d put him in a fucked-up position with his best friend. At the end of the day, his loyalties were going to lie with Liam before he sided with me.
As I turned down South Miami Avenue, my phone buzzed. It was Liz. I debated whether or not I wanted to deal with any more of her shit tonight, but I was a glutton for punishment when it came to her, so I checked the message.
Liz: Call me.
Fuck no.
Liz: I know you’re upset. Let’s talk.
She could have said something during dinner or before I’d left. Right now, I didn’t have time for her shit. I needed to get my head straight for this meeting with Chris. I wasn’t exactly sure what he intended to accomplish by talking to me, but I respected him enough that I would let him tell me off and put up with the shit he dished out. I owed him that much. Liz’s drama was back-burner material.
I drove around back to the lot Madison used, and after finally finding a parking space, I made my way to Martini Bar. When I walked through the door, I saw Madison by the bar and Chris sitting at one of the tables close-by. Flipping through his phone, he had a serious scowl on his face that was very unlike Chris.
My eyes met Madison’s, and a slow smile crept up my face. She bit her lower lip, holding back the smile I saw in her eyes. Her hair hung loosely in soft waves. I was tempted to make a beeline for her and run my hands through it. My dick twitched in my pants from just thinking about it. I motioned with my head toward her office, but she shook her head and tilted her chin toward Chris.
Leave it to her to make me be fucking responsible.
I wasn’t exactly sure if I’d be able to pay attention to Chris when the only things on my mind were touching Madison with my hands, licking her with my tongue, kissing her with my lips, and sliding my dick inside her. My eyes followed the curves of her body to see what she was wearing. Yes, a black pencil skirt. I looked up to see her cross her arms and arch her eyebrow. I raised my hands in surrender even though I knew she loved the fucking attention.
My eyes darted from side to side, checking the tables and the servers, and then I looked over at the bartender. Bruce was off tonight. I reached the table and pulled out the chair.
Chris glanced at me and just shook his head softly. “Dude, you fucked up royally.”
“I see we’re going to skip the bullshit,” I noted, sitting down and signaling for my usual.
He sighed. “Well, my cocksucking friend, that’s what you should have done with me from the beginning—checked the bullshit at the door.”
“Tell me you wouldn’t have done the same thing.” I brought the bottle of water up to my lips and drank.
“That’s not the point,” he argued before taking a long swig of his beer. “For the record, Macy gave me the four-one-one on your history with Dani. You were a motherfucker. How you dumped her was low.”
With a slight grimace, I shrugged. “It wasn’t one of my finer moments. However, in my defense, it would have been worse if I let her carry on with the fantasy.” I took another sip of my water, wishing I had something stronger. “I could have strung her along, or I could have let her go. Either way, I was an asshole. I pulled the trigger, and that is the point. You would have done the same thing. You would have dumped her and then used your various resources to get her back. Tell me you wouldn’t have.”
He looked away and rubbed his chin. “I’m not questioning your tactics. When it comes to women, all’s fair in love and war.” With a scowl, he leaned forward. “Except you don’t fuck over your friends. You didn’t owe Lucas shit, but me? Yeah, you fucked me over and didn’t even buy me dinner. You should’ve told me what was going on, and I would’ve handed her to you on a silver platter and saved you the trouble.”
“You’re so full of shit.” I shook my head in disbelief.
“Nope. Just telling you like it is. Lucas is like my brother. If I would’ve known that the girl causing a spike in his estrogen levels was running around with you, fuck yeah, I would’ve put an end to that little pussy fantasy fast. He’s a good guy and a great friend. The last thing he needed was for this chick to put a knife in his heart.” He sat back in his chair. “She doesn’t deserve him.” He stared at his beer bottle while he played with the label.
“What the fuck are you talking about?” I ran my hand through my hair and looked around. I needed a drink. I hadn’t expected him to talk shit about Daniela. “She didn’t do anything. Nothing happened.”
His eyes darted up, and he shook his head. “She lied, and then she told him she needed space to figure things out. She didn’t fuck you, but she wanted to.” He pushed the bottle back and got the server’s attention. “I’ll have another one.”
I knew what he was talking about. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. He was right. I had seen it in her eyes and the way her body had moved. All I’d had to do was slide my hand up her dress, and I would have felt her drenched pussy. She’d wanted it as much as I had. I’d worn her down for months and with alcohol lowering her inhibitions, Daniela had been ripe. But I’d stopped myself when I heard Madison’s voice reminding me to be the man Daniela had believed I was. That guy wouldn’t push her. That guy wouldn’t have her cheat. That guy would make love to her. That guy wouldn’t fuck her in the public hallway. And that guy had been irresistible to her. That was the man she had dreamed of that night. That was the man she’d wanted to pleasure her and give her the damn orgasm she needed.
But I hadn’t stopped because I
was noble. Madison had been pissed at me and I’d wanted to make Daniela need me. I had known how to manipulate her and to wear her down, and I had been right. She told Liam the truth. She would’ve left with me that Saturday morning. Then we would have fucked, and she would have begged me for more. That had been what I wanted until I’d realized that I didn’t. Maybe I never really had.
When I left Lincoln Road that morning, I had assumed they’d work things out. I’d focused my energies on Madison. What I hadn’t anticipated was that Liam Lucas, the most pussy-whipped son of a bitch ever, would actually grow a pair of balls and walk away from her. Daniela had lost everything because of me, just the way Madison had called it.
And I needed to make this right.
“Chris, it’s a well-known fact that every woman wants to fuck me. Look, I got a first class ticket to New York on a closed flight because the ticket agent thought I was going to fuck her. Get over it, and Lucas needs to fucking get over it, too. Daniela didn’t fuck me, and that should count for a lot.”
“On some levels, you’re my idol,” he said. “On others…not so much. You used me to infiltrate the inner sanctum, and you manipulated the information to annihilate my best friend. Then, you leave to live it up in the city that never sleeps.”
I pulled out my best salesman glance and posture, leaning forward for a touch of sincerity. “She loves him. She was just confused because I’m that good.” I hoped Chris would drop this shit already. “Liam needs to grow a pair and stop acting like a fucking hormonal wuss. All she did was talk to me and drink a soda while I ate something. It was nothing more. Did I want her back? I thought I did, but I don’t, and she doesn’t want me either. People fuck up all the time. Deal with it. He needs to get over the notion that people have to be perfect. She’s not fucking perfect, but I think she’s damn perfect for him.”
“You’re selling her to me,” he said.
He had a hint of doubt, but his eyes told me he was buying my pitch. He crumbled his napkin and tossed it on the table.