Page 45 of Ignacio

“Over the weekend?The fucking weekend?”

She continued speaking in a low, monotonous voice. “He said he wanted to develop my talent and suggested intensive training. There were supposed to be two other girls working with me, but they never showed up. I don’t know if they were really supposed to be there or if he made the whole thing up. He and I were the only ones at his house over the weekend. At first, everything was fine, and we practiced my dances, and he helped me vocally. That was Friday night. I realize now he was getting me to trust him. On Saturday… I was in my room, and he came in…”

Her voice quivered, and he recognized how difficult it was for her to continue.

“How did I not know this?” Ignacio whispered.

“You were in Panama working on a project with your father. I couldn’t reach you, and the opportunity came up to work closely with him, so we took it. When you came back, I broke up with you.”

“I remember,” he said slowly. “I thought you were upset because I had been gone for a long time.”

It was the first breakup in their on-and-off relationship over the years. He hadn’t understood why she dumped him and had experienced mixed emotions for a long time afterward. On one hand, he had been flattered because he assumed she had become upset about their time apart. On the other hand, he couldn’t believe she thought that was a valid reason to end their relationship. The whole time, she had been silently suffering. His insides tightened with sorrow.

“I had this weird mixture of guilt and shame—like I’d cheated on you. I felt dirty and… and not good enough for you. I was so confused.”

“I had no idea.”

“You weren’t supposed to.”

“How many people know what happened to you?”

“Not many. You’re the second person I’ve told. The first was my therapist.”

Her response temporarily stunned him into silence.

“What about your parents?”

She shook her head.

“Delta, you should tell them.”

“No.”

“It’s clear what happened still bothers you. Maybe if you opened up and told?—”

“I went to therapy and learned to deal with what happened. The truth is, I got what I wanted. I received a record deal, and everybody called me the next hottest thing in R&B. So what if some days I feel like a fraud, like I’m going to wake up one morning and the world will know how I achieved my success? So what if I’m hiding this horrible secret and don’t know if I was really good because of how I got the contract?”

Her flippant tone betrayed her pain.

Ignacio walked to her and gripped her shoulders. “You are good,” he said fiercely. “You’re an amazing, talented, beautiful person. You sing, dance, and write. You move people with your music. Your performance tonight was incredible, and it’s always like that.”

She smiled wanly.

“I’m not just saying that, Delta. You’re a rare talent.”

“Thank you.”

Looking into her eyes, he saw the young woman he’d been obsessed with since he was a teenager. If he could go back in time, he would protect her from that pain.

“I loved you so much.”

A faint smile softened her lips. “I wanted to marry you, Ignacio, but I wasn’t sure. I was scared, and I had this horrible secret. And we wereyoung. Only twenty-one years old. But Iloved you too, and I didn’t want to lose you. I wish I’d made a different decision eleven years ago.”

“Me too. I should have come to find you. I gave up too easily,” he said.

“We both did.”

He wasn’t sure who moved first. It could have been him. It could have been her.

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