Page 46 of Love at First Ink

“I’m not a good person,” Marisol said, voice raspy from crying.

“Because you lost Snowball? Because you couldn’t protect your sister?” Cisco prompted.

Marisol nodded, her bottom lip trembling. “Because I’m selfish. I only think about myself. I hurt the people I love, and I don’t even know how to show them I care. I let my mother shape me into someone I barely recognize, and the worst part? I can’t even bring myself to hate her for it. I don’t blame her. I let it happen. I went along with it willingly.”

“You were a child. A child who wanted her mother’s love and could only get it by pleasing her.”

“That’s what Alice said.” She chuckled humorlessly. “But if that’s true, why was I awful to my sister as an adult too? You know she was dating Archie before me? Yeah. I stole her boyfriend?—”

“Honestly, she should probably thank you for that.” That earned him an elbow to the gut. “Right, sorry. Go on.”

“I made her come to our engagement party—knowing it was going to hurt her—because my mother told me to. I could have fought harder. Could have done something different. But I took the easy way out. It doesn’t matter how many times I say sorry. It’s not going to fix my past mistakes.”

“No, it won’t,” Cisco agreed gently. “But it has changed your future.”

Marisol scoffed, but Cisco pressed a gentle kiss to her cheek. It effectively silenced her.

“This woman”—Cisco pointed at Marisol’s reflection in the mirror—“is a beautiful, kind person who knows when to ask for help. Who has been actively working on her own shit and demons with therapy. Are you perfect? Hell no, but none of us are, Marisol. We’ve all made shitty choices and mistakes.”

He knew damn well how one simple mistake could cause an avalanche of bad shit. It was hard to get out of it when everything else seemed to be spiraling out of control. It was easier just to give in until it wasn’t, and you were drowning in all your decisions. Thoughts of his own past plagued him, but now was not the time to bring it up. This was about Marisol.

Silent tears rolled down Marisol’s face, eyes wide as she looked at him through the mirror. She looked like a lost child, desperately seeking guidance.

“You aren’t a bad person, Princesa. You’re a person. You’vemade mistakes. And now you are taking the steps you need to change that. That takes a lot of dedication and self-reflection. And you know what? Not many people can say they are putting in the work to change.”

“I want to change,” she whispered. “I want to be a good big sister like Lola deserves.”

“Don’t just do it for Lola. You can change for you. It’s okay to want to be more or better than what you are.” Cisco gently rubbed his hands up and down her arms. They were cool to the touch and full of goosebumps.

“You know what I see when I look at you?” he asked.

“Hmm?” she asked but flinched like she was afraid of the answer.

“A strong, capable woman. A woman who wants to experience life and make meaningful connections. A woman who seeks out the help of others to make that a reality. One that I’m thankful for giving me the time of day.”

Cisco reached out and wiped away a few more tears that stubbornly rolled down her cheek. Marisol turned in his embrace, flinging her arms around his neck and nuzzling her head against his chest.

“Thank you,” she whispered, “for everything.”

“My pleasure, Princesa.” If she called again tomorrow, and they had to go through it all over again, he would. As long as he was with her.

Marisol was taking up residence in his heart, making him feel things he hadn’t felt in a long time…or ever. It was strong and new, and he wanted to see how it would develop. For the first time in his life, work wasn’t the most important thing to him anymore.

Cisco’s arms went around her waist and pulled her close.She fit perfectly against him, as if she were always meant to be there.

“Cisco?”

“Yes, Princesa?”

“Will you stay the night with me?”

He had never answered yes to something so quickly.

CHAPTER 21

Marisol

No one outside her family had ever spent the night at her house. Even then, it was only Lola and her husband, Javi. It wasn’t as if she was opposed to company; she simply didn’t have people worth inviting over. Never had a girls’ night where all her friends would eat way too much, drink far too much wine, and watch sappy romance movies. She definitely never had a man she was interested in staying the night.

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