Page 32 of What She Wants

Marín releases an aggravated growl and hangs up the phone. I don’t thrive on driving a wedge between a man and his mother but it’s better that he gets her because anything I could do or say will end up in her tabloids. I really don’t want to have a record for squaring up with an elder.

“First of all,” I begin as I turn. “Marrying me is an honor forhim, notthe other way around. Second, there is nothing Marín can give me that I can’t give myself. Try remembering whom you’re addressing before you speak again.”

She has no reason whatsoever to have such a low option of me. If I’m being completely honest, it hurts to be so hardly judged by a stranger. It’s one thing to post bullshit about me to annoy my father, it’s another to actually believe the nonsense.

“I know exactly who I’m talking to…”

I turn to look her in her eyes. “No you don’t. You need to respect me and my position on this island. I’m part of the Founding families, not you. My dad is one of the leaders of this country, not yours. It’s one thing to print nonsense about me from afar, but it’s another to come into my place of business and try to talk down on me like you don’t fall under me our hierarchy. So choose your words carefully unless you want my security to drag you out of her and makeyoua headline in your own press.”

Feathers ruffled, Mireya stands to the full height that her heels give her and narrow her eyes at me. I know she’s used to being a boss in her world but she needs to know she’s not the boss of mine. Hell, I’m being nicer than some of the Founder Kids, Oran would have cussed her out. I can tell by her posture that she’s about to say something reckless.

“I don’t care what family you were born into, trash is trash…”

Her statement is interrupted by a voice that causes her to jump.

“Don’t ever address my wife like that again.” Marín threatens with his green eyes blazing.

He saved his mother from a beat down but it’s still sexy how he came in all commanding.

“Wife? You’ve been single for five minutes and have only knownherfor two minutes. This is rebound behavior. You were with Yasmin for years. Engaged! At least, I approve of Yasmin.”

Marín eyes flick to mine, probably remembering that I happened upon them talking the other day. I break eye contact because I don’t like the feeling that knowledge gives me.

“I don’t give a damn about your approval, get out of my place of business and go be an ass somewhere else,” I respond before walking away to allow her son to deal with her. If it’s up to me I’d get her arrested.

They start bickering in Spanish and he grabs her arm and guides her out of the store. I don’t care about what he does and doesn’t say to her but I do care that my feelings are hurt and I don’t like it. His mom is a bitch but I knew that already. Yasmin, however, is a new subject altogether.

My brain is asking questions it has never asked before like is she the reason why he disappeared? Were they planning to go home together when I arrived? Do they still fool around occasionally? Does he still love her? I’m stuck between needing to know and not wanting to know the answers while being irritated that I have questions at all.

The door chimes again and I swear if Mireya shows up again we’re both going to jail. In case it’s one of our clients, I move back to the open area to see who has come in only to run into Marín’s hard chest. The initial shock makes me jump but I relax once my brain catches up.

His left hand warms my arm as his right grabs my chin. His lips cover mine, pulling me into the kind of kiss that coined the phraseLatin Lover.The passion in his kiss is so potent it makes me light-headed. My hands ball up at his chest, grabbing fistsfull of his scrubs shirt as his tongue teases the seam of my lips.

Part of me feels fulfilled as if he’s giving me exactly what I needed and the other part of me is annoyed that he’s worked his way into my system and has made me aware of exactly how long it’s been since he has touched me. He breaks the kiss and runs his thumb across my swollen bottom lip.

“I’d give you everything your gaze is begging me for but I have appointments.” He takes another lingering peck as his big hand cups my left ass cheek. Marín makes his promise against my lips. “But you can come over tonight and I’ll let you ride me until all of your frustrations disappear.” He squeezes my ass with another peck. “8PM, Chispa.”

He walks away and I’m stuck watching his ass as he disappears. Now, instead of focusing on the frustrations, my belly flutters every time my brain replays the moment where he called me his wife.

Chapter20

Esme

I wander around my place,debating if I should go as beckoned or wait and hope he forgot. I doubt he’d forget but one can hope. Each day my situation with Marín seems to become more and more complicated. He’s no longer a man I can simply ignore. In fact, if I somehow manage to talk him out of this wedding, it’d feel like a break up.

The thing is, his mother’s visiting, while hurtful, makes me want to marry him. She tried to scare me away and instead made me want to do the opposite of what she wanted. Since she wants to be a bitch, her son is mine now.

Marín the Evil: It’s 8:15 are you coming?

Me: No.

Marín the Evil: No?

Me: I’m not going to come running every time you beckon me.

Marín the Evil: I didn’t ‘beckon’ you, Chispa. I invited you.

Me: Cool, I RSVPd ‘No.’

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