Page 53 of Daddy's Little Farmer

“I’m not sure what to tell you,” Rafael said.

Tony sighed. “This is one mistake I will regret for the rest of my life.”

“What?”

“Letting you near her.”

“Wha…” He heard Tony hang up and sat there with a sick feeling in his gut.

There was no question he loved her. It washow muchthat scared him. She was the only thing in the world that would devastate him if he lost her, and it seemed he’d been losing her and not seen it.

Fuck, how did he fix this?

“Are you ready?”

He looked to see Tabitha, an old friend he usually took to these things. He wouldn’t have tonight, but there would be some people he wanted to do business with, and they were big on families. The thought of taking Mara popped into his head, but he had no idea how she would handle something like this, and it was too important to ruin it.

“Yes. Let me get my jacket.”

The two walked out of the building and into Rafael’s limo.

“Thank you, Jorge.”

“You’re welcome, sir.”

They got comfortable in the back.

“Since when do you thank the help?” Tabitha asked.

Rafael was shocked that she said that, but because of Mara, he’d become more human. Tabitha had grown up in a family much like his but would always be the self-righteous snob. Since they hadn’t had a personal relationship for years, he didn’t have to see her often and so didn’t have to deal with her.

Tabitha cuddled up beside him and wrapped her arms around his.

“How about after the party, we head back to my place? It’s been a long time.”

He looked down at her. “Tabitha, you know I’m in a committed relationship.”

She rolled her eyes. “For one thing, that has never stopped people in our circle from having fun on the side, and another, your little woman is an ignorant country bumkin. She’ll never know.”

The thought made him sick. “That will never happen. I love Mara.”

Tabitha snorted. “I don’t know why. If you love her so much, why am I here instead of her? Maybe she’s just a convenient fuck. She’s always there like a quiet little mouse and does whatever you want?”

He’d never wanted to strangle her this much in his whole life. “I want you to shut the fuck up.”

She gasped.

“You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Really? I’m here, and she isn’t. That says it all.”

Before he opened his mouth, the door opened. He hadn’t known they had stopped. She climbed out, and he followed. He saw the way Jorge wouldn’t look him in the eyes.

“Thank you, Jorge.”

“You’re welcome, sir.”

Still, there was no eye contact, and the driver’s tone was as cold as possible. Why did he care that the driver disapproved of what he was doing? He paid his fucking wage.

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