Page 69 of Love at First Ink

Lola pulled back and greeted Cisco. “Javi and I aren’t staying long. I suggest you two make an early departure as well.”

“Trust me, I plan on it.” She just needed to be around enough to let her face be seen, and then they could go.

“You can come join us if you don’t want to mingle,” Lola said.

As tempting as that offer was, she knew her father would appreciate her making her rounds. “Later. There are a few people I want to say hi to.”

“Well, you know where we’ll be,” Lola said before turning and walking back toward her husband and best friends.

Marisol exhaled loudly, already feeling overwhelmed by the number of people here. Cisco gently rubbed her shoulders. “Should I get us some wine? I feel like we need wine.”

Despite her nerves, Marisol laughed. “Yes please. And maybe some of those finger sandwiches?”

“On it. Stay here, Princesa.” Cisco kissed her cheek, then she no longer felt his warm body on her back. It didn’t occur to her until now how much of a calming presence he was to her. Without him, she felt exposed. Had these events always been like this?

Finding an unoccupied table, Marisol wandered over to it, putting her clutch down. Part of her wished she had reached out to Stella and invited her, but she didn’t know if that would be weird. After all, they barely knew each other, but she liked hanging out with her. Was that enough to be considered a friend? Why was adulting so damn hard?

“Marisol,” a familiar voice came from behind her.

The hair on the back of her neck rose, and her smile instantly vanished. As if in slow motion, she turned, listening to the rapid beating of her own heart. When she saw who stood in front of her, every horrid memory of him came rushing back. Because standing only a few feet in front of her was Archie.

CHAPTER 30

Marisol

“What are you doing here?” Marisol scanned the room, trying to catch the person who set her up. Surely this couldn’t be real. There would be no other reason for Archie to be here if someone wasn’t playing a cruel joke on her. But no one was paying them any mind. She couldn’t even see Cisco or Lola, and she hated the vulnerability that came from being alone with Archie.

Archie was handsome, if you were into pompous privileged men. He was an intimidating presence with his freshly pressed suit tailored to his body. Piercing blue eyes held so much judgment for all they came into contact with. And perfectly tousled hair, appearing effortless, when Marisol knew it took him a good thirty minutes to achieve the style.

She didn’t know how she ever stomached being around this man, let alone sharing a bed with him.

Annoyingly, Archie raised a perfectly sculpted brow. “Is that any way to greet your husband?”

“Ex-husband,” she supplied automatically.

“Well, not technically. On paper, we are still very much married.” He smirked, his smug voice grating on her last nerves. He had a way of getting under her skin, making her lose all concepts of rational thought. Archie didn’t love her. He simply wanted to control her and use her influential name for his own nefarious means.

It wasn’t lost on Marisol that he didn’t answer her question. “Why are you here, Archie? Who invited you?” It couldn’t be her father because he knew how uncomfortable Marisol was around Archie. Was it her mother? She was conniving and undermining, but would she really stoop this low? Yes, yes, she would. Because Luciana wanted just as much control over Marisol as Archie did.

“I’m here to celebrate your father’s opening.” Archie gestured around the room at all the other guests. “I should be here for this. I’m still part of the family.”

“But you’re not!” she snapped.

An elderly couple near them peered over anxiously at the feuding pair. Marisol knew she needed to keep her temper in check, no matter how easy it would be to give in to the anger growing inside her. She needed to not make a scene. A lesson she learned from her mother long ago.

She did her best to push down the bitter taste of her anger and forced herself to speak with a softer tone. “It’s wildly inappropriate for you to be here, Archie. You are not family, whether you sign those papers or not. Honestly, it's pathetic that you don’t know when you aren’t wanted.”

A red flush creeped up the back of Archie’s pale skin, and he tensed his jaw. “Pathetic?” he asked, a menacing cadence to his voice. “You want to know what’s pathetic, Marisol? You?—”

Archie trailed off, his attention moving behind her.Marisol felt the warmth of another person before an arm went around her waist, pulling her back into a sturdy chest. The familiar smell of mint and cedarwood filled her senses, and she instantly relaxed.

Cisco. He was here.

“Do you want to finish that sentence?” His deep voice was meant to be intimidating, and judging by the way Archie tensed and took a step back, it was effective. But to her? It went straight to her clit, igniting her body. This man coming to her defense was definitely a new kink she’d discovered.

Archie cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable. “So, you brought your new…friend.”

“Boyfriend,” Cisco corrected. “She brought her new boyfriend.”

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