“No, we probably can’t. Not when a lot of what we need to talk about involve my brothers too.” I sighed, thinking of Jason and Nico. We would need to discuss what happened in those last couple of days together, but that was a conversation for a different night.
“Marcos, I am truly sorry for everything I’ve said or did since I’ve come back.” She sighed heavily. “Everything was intended to hurt you intentionally, to keep you away. I needed the distance. I couldn’t have you guys looking at things too closely—Nico especially.”
I laughed dryly, “Fucking Nico.”
A smile tugged at her lips. “Yeah, ever the persistent one.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t think to push or fight harder. It felt like every time I tried to get answers, you pushed me away harder.”
“I did.” She nodded. “I had to.”
“Yeah,” I deadpanned.
Silence fell between us as I held her in my lap, her hot core pressed against my dick. I rubbed circles into her the sensitive area just inside her hipbones, absentmindedly as I stared into her eyes. Her fingers traced over the tattoos on my chest, tracing over her name on my heart. The tat I got after our first year together, when I knew she was it for me.
Needing to get all the truths out there, I continue our conversation. “Your mother told me the truth. Elaine gave me a copy of his birth certificate; she thought I should have a copy in case anything happened to you and I needed to get custody of Luke.”
Maya gasped, her eyes flying to mine.
“Yeah. I saw you listed my name as his father on his birth certificate. When did you do that?”
Her eyes softened as she met his gaze. “I did it from the beginning. Your name has always been listed as his father. I took one look at him, and I knew he was yours.”
I leaned forward and kiss her softly, sensually, needing the connection between us. I slid my hand up her side, grazing her breast before I cupped the side of her face and held her against me, deepening the kiss.
Maya’s hands on my chest slid up and around my neck and she leaned into me, pushing me back into the headboard with her weight dropping on my chest. It was a delicious feeling, holding her on top of my body after so many years. She’d lost weight though the last couple weeks, and I didn’t like how light she was. Her ass wasn’t as round.
Moaning, Maya pulled away and yawned deeply, making me realize it was still the middle of the night. “Sorry,” she muttered, sheepishly.
I can’t help but grin. “Don’t worry about it. Do you want to try laying down again? Jason brought in a night light.” I nodded my head toward the mini lamp on the nightstand.
Her smile was a bright cool balm on my broken soul.
“I don’t think I can sleep yet.”
I nodded, knowing that was probably the case, despite her yawning. Enjoying the closeness of having her in my arms, I slid down the mattress and held her tight against me as I laid down with her on top of me.
Shimming us around, trying to grab the sheet and blankets, Maya chuckled as I jostled her slightly. Finally, I managed to grab everything and pulled the covers over us. I hit the remote on the nightstand for the overhead light and shut it off, plunging us into darkness. “Shit, sorry,” I muttered, when Maya stiffened against me. Blindly, I reach out for the mini lamp and turn it on, basking us in a dim light.
Maya relaxed atop me and let out a heavy sigh. “Thank you.”
I rub my hand over her back while I squeezed her hip with the other. “Anything, Mi Vida.” I spoke softly, as if the dim lighting created a more intimate setting between us. “Now tell me about learning Spanish.”
A startled laugh burst out of her and I felt myself breathe easy for the first time in a while. She was alright—would be alright. We would be alright.
Together, we’d figure it all out.
Maya
Iwoketotheshrillsound of a cell phone ringing. Still wrapped in Marcos’s arms, I grumbled when he jostled me to reach for the phone. The room was still dimly lit, but there were thick blackout curtains covering the windows, so it was hard to tell. All I knew was that I was exhausted still, considering we lay awake talking to the early hours of the morning.
“Yeah,” Marcos grunted as he answered the phone. “What?” He slid me off of him and sat up.
I sighed, curling on my side to watch him. He looked concerned.
“Alright, see you soon.” He hung up the phone and stood from the bed. “That was Kara, she and her guys are on their way over here.”
I sat up and frowned. “What happened?”
