Page 52

“All families go through stuff, Luxxy. When she called, I couldn’t say no to her. She’s your mom, and I have the utmost respect for her. I love you, and I wanted to show that by honoring her. She was in tears about coming. I couldn’t say no.”

I want to scream right now. “This has nothing to do with honoring her. She pushes me to be with you, even after everything you’ve put me through. And on the topic of honoring people, did you ever think of honoring me?”

He drapes a hand over my shoulder. “Come on, baby. Don’t be like that. Let’s talk this out.” He turns to Ollie. “My man, give us a minute.”

Heat flushes all parts of my body. How dare he? Oliver isn’t the person I want leaving.

Ollie

I don’t get offended easily. I can’t. A bastard son—the result of an affair, with a mother everyone felt free to point a finger at—can’t afford to take offenses to heart. That’s why I didn’t go crazy when my wife left me for another man.

Life has always looked to offend me.

So, I take the slights from people who look down upon me in stride. It’s a regular thing. Hell, today it is apparently happening hourly, starting with Elias Saunders. But something just pricks at my patience about the way Mateo just dismissed me. He obviously doesn’t remember me. Why should he? It wasn’t like we were friends before, just prospects hoping to make it into the big leagues. The dismissing flicker of his hand is just something else.

Why does it surprise you?

He’s Mateo De La Cruz, homerun god, hero to his hometown and our native country, and darling of New York baseball. His trade contract is one of the biggest in history.

Yet, he has no right to do this. I would never—no matter what my status was—dismiss someone like that.

People won’t always handle things the way you would, Oliver. That’s why you have to be prepared for when it happens.

This is none of my business, and I should let Luciana and Mateo handle this on their own. He’s the ex-boyfriend, and I’m just the guy that caught her on the rebound when she let me in for just a night. The way his hand slides over her skin, I can tell he’s been there too many times to count.

My jaw tenses, unsure of what Lux wants.

Then she shrugs Mateo’s hands off her shoulders and shoves a finger into his chest. “Don’t fucking tell Oliver to go. You have no right to do that. He’s our friend. You will not treat him like you do your employees.”

“That’s not what I’m doing, mi amor. I was just asking him for a moment of privacy so we can talk.”

“We”—she points at him and then herself—“have nothing to talk about. Besides, it’s my brother’s wedding. You show up unannounced with?—”

His hand shoots out to grab hers. “Forgive me. I just want you to make peace with your mom. I don’t want you fighting. I would give anything in the world to be able to have my mom living so close.”

She sighs. “I’ve explained before that Marilyn and I don’t have the same relationship you have with your mom. This is not something that can be solved by you showing up and forcing her on me. Do you know the issues you are causing? If Chase finds out…”

Mateo moves in, and his arms close around her, pulling her into his chest. His hands tighten at her lower back, and his gaze lifts to meet mine. There’s a tiny curve at the corner of his mouth, and his expression tells me everything I should know.

She is his, and he is making it known.

He bends to touch his lips to the side of her temple. “I’m sorry. Please forgive me. I just missed you so much. When she called, I jumped at the idea of seeing you. I want to make up, Luxxy. Let’s go back to being us.”

Now I really have to go.

Their relationship is famous for these breakup-to-makeup phases. I’ve heard Adri talk about it, and it’s all over the internet. This is better, anyway. I shouldn’t have any protective feelings toward her except the normal ones we should have about females we know.

I’m about to turn when she shoves herself away from him.

“I’m sorry you wasted a trip, coming all the way here. We are definitely not making up. I don’t think you’re a bad person, but you treated me like shit, and I don’t want to be with you anymore.”

“Come on, you don’t mean that. After everything we’ve been through. You know what, I’ll leave, but I will stay in town. We can have lunch and spend the day together tomorrow. I know everything you remember is the bad right now, but let me remind you of the good.”

“What good? When you’re not cheating, you’re treating people around me like crap.”

She turns to look at me. Her face is so troubled that I need to get her away.

“Let’s go back inside,” I say, holding out a hand for her.