Page 61 of Daring to Love You
He settled next to her and sipped his drink. “Thank you for being patient with me,” he said. “Before I tell you about Marisela, I want to apologize for what happened tonight. For lack of a better way to describe who she is to me, she’s a complication from my past life.”
He took a big swig of his drink before setting the glass on the table. A little liquid courage was just what he needed. “I have to tell you about a past that I thought I had buried and moved on from, but each time I see Marisela, I’m taken back to a dark place in my mind.” He told her how it feels like he can’t breathe whenever he sees her or is near her. “This is extremely hard to talk about, Dee.”
Dorian reached for his hand. “Lynix, you have come through for me so much in the last few weeks. I never thought you, the man who used to drive me nuts with your arrogance and banter, would become so important to me.” She smiled, and he laughed.“You can trust me,” she said, using his words that he’d said to her that day at the hotel. “Whatever we discuss here will stay between us.”
Lynix nodded and brought the back of her hand to his lips. “I know and thank you. I’m glad you’re here.”
She took a sip from her wine glass and set it on the table next to his glass. Then she ran her palm over the stubble on his jaw and smiled. “There’s no other place I’d rather be than here with you.”
He needed to hear that. He’d known their feelings for each other had changed, and her words confirmed it. She might not have told him she loved him, but Lynix felt it in his heart. She was his.
He sat back, and pulled her against his side, her head resting on his chest. Maybe if he held on to her while sharing his truth, it’ll be easier to tell her everything.
“My dad’s friend, Mr. Baldwin, is Marisela’s father. Her mother died when she was a little girl, and he raised her alone.”
“Oh,” Dorian said. “That had to be hard for both of them. I wonder if that’s why Marisela is so mean.”
Lynix grunted but didn’t comment. He was sure her father did the best he could with her, but she was a horrible person. He thought by now she would’ve grown out of her mean-girl tendencies, but after her behavior tonight, it was safe to say she hadn’t.
“When I was younger, maybe fourteen or fifteen, my father and Mr. Baldwin made an agreement. They wanted me to marry Marisela after we graduated college.”
Dorian bolted up and shrugged out of his hold. “Wait. She was telling the truth? You were married… or what, engaged to that… that woman?”
“No,” Lynix said in a rush. “We are not engaged, married, or anything. There is nothing between her and I except bad memories,” he said emphatically.
Dorian shook her head. “Then I don’t understand.”
After pulling her back into his arms, Lynix told her about how he and Marisela had known each other forever. They might’ve lived in different households, but their families spent a ton of time together, including holidays and vacations.
“When our fathers insisted we marry, it hadn’t been a big deal. We were always together and had even attended the same private schools. Besides that, we were young and naive. At that age, we did whatever our parents said to do.”
“An arranged marriage, though?” Dorian said. “I thought stuff like that only happened in books or in movies or in other cultures.”
“It happens more often than you think. Some parents do it to ensure acceptable partners for their kids. Partners who have the same family values, cultural norms, or even societal standings.
“I don’t know for sure, but I suspect in our case, Mr. Baldwin was thinking of Marisela’s future for when he’s no longer around. The man is worth an obscene amount of money, and Marisela is his only child. Everything would probably go to her upon his death, and I have no doubt she’d blow it within a year.
“You’ve met her. She doesn’t use good judgment—in anything—and she’s a spoiled brat. From what I used to know of her, she has no moral compass and attracts the wrong type of people, especially men. Mr. Baldwin knows to be concerned about her. He was probably trying to set her up in a reputable family where she’d be taken care of after he’s gone. And my father has always wanted us to hook up with daughters from his circle of wealthy friends.”
Dorian nodded. “That’s probably why he questioned my intentions with you. He doesn’t want you with someone whodoesn’t have money or the same social standings. For the record, I don’t want your money, Lynix. I hope you know me well enough to know that, no matter what happens between us, your money means nothing to me.”
Anger stirred inside of him as he recalled the way his father had treated Dorian. “My father was being a bastard, but for the record, I know the type of person you are. You might not be after my money, but there is nothing I wouldn’t do for you. As far as I’m concerned, what’s mine is yours.”
“Lynix,” she said in what he knew was her warning tone.
He didn’t want to hear her say anything about their relationship being fake. He knew better. Just because she hadn’t admitted to loving him, didn’t mean she didn’t. He could see it in the way she looked at him and the way she treated him. He could feel it whenever they were together.
Dorian’s eyes widened as if just thinking of something. “I was wondering why you introduced me to Marisela as your future wife. It was to get her to let go of the idea that she’d one day be Mrs. Lynix Mathews, right?”
“No, I said that to her because it’s true. Dorian, you’re the only woman I ever plan to marry, and before you freak out, I’m just letting my intentions be known.”
When she started to speak, he stopped her by lifting his hands and shaking his head. He didn’t want to hear her protests, assuming that was what she was about to do.
“Anyway, I broke things off with Marisela during our freshmen year of college.”
Lynix explained how he began to come into his own and started really thinking for himself. He was at the stage of deciding what he wanted to do with his life, and it didn’t include Marisela. He saw how mean she was to some people, and he told Dorian something his mother often said.
However people treat others, that’s how they’ll eventually treat you. Good or bad.
