22. Chapter 22
Chapter 22
Mateo
"Hi," I say, hoping she’ll let me in. She's been crying, and the thought of her father doing anything to hurt her ignites a fire in me.
"Hi," she responds, her gaze as blue and beautiful as ever. "You want to come in?"
I step into the living room and come face to face with Stan.
"Stan," I say, keeping my tone neutral. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to see my daughter," he sneers, his anger toward me clear in his voice.
"You said you came to see Mateo," Lisa says, confusion clouding her expression.
"What else did he tell you, hermosa ?" I ask, struggling to maintain control, my temper barely in check.
"Nothing," he says, his eyes darting everywhere but never landing on me. "Do I need an excuse to visit with my child?"
"Actually, yes," I reply, raising an eyebrow. "Lisa and I just got married, and we’re on our honeymoon, so your timing is less than ideal."
"Your husband offered me money to be here!" Stan exclaims, finally revealing the true reason for his visit. The only thing missing is the finger pointing. The sight of him reminds me of my little brother, running to Mama to tattle on me, crying and pointing, demanding I be punished for some imagined transgression.
"Stan, Stan, Stan," I say quietly. "If you recall, I visited you several times during my stay in LA and made every effort to convince you to show up for your daughter." I glance at Lisa to gauge just how much this is wounding her. Her expression gives away little. Good job, hermosa .
"And I said no!" Stan blurts, his dull blue eyes widening.
"Yes, you said no," I remind him. "And then you demanded a payoff in exchange for your appearance at the wedding, remember that?"
"That’s a lie!" he protests. "You offered me the money. Even after I said I’d do it because it was the right thing to do, you insisted on paying me."
"Your memory is failing you, my friend," I reply coolly. "I never offered you money. In fact, when you demanded it, I told you absolutely not and walked away."
"Then why am I here?" he asks, as though that somehow explains everything—and, worse yet, explains his presence here at all.
I lock eyes with Lisa before continuing. I don't want to hurt her more than I already have, and knowing how deeply this must affect her makes my heart ache.
"You showed up because you thought you could extort money from me after the fact," I say, keeping my gaze on Lisa. I long to reach out, to comfort her. "You approached Aaron at the reception and told him that if I didn’t pay you twenty thousand dollars to keep your mouth shut, you’d find Lisa and tell her I bribed you. And when Aaron told you not to waste your time, you decided to follow through on the threat. That's why you're here. To hurt your daughter one more time."
"I'm okay," Lisa says, her voice quiet, but steady. "Dad, I've seen your greed firsthand. I don’t believe a word you’ve said."
She crosses her arms and walks towards the door. "I love you, Dad," she says, "but I’ve realized that I need to love you from afar. You might love me in your own way, but it’s not enough for me. I need more. I need something you're simply incapable of giving me. I hope, someday, you'll recognize how your words and actions have affected me."
"Well, I never!" Stan says, his lips trembling, as though holding back words he wants to unleash.
"This breaks my heart, Dad, but I have to ask you to leave."
I watch as she opens the door and waits for Stan to leave. She's not crying, not emotional. She's calm, stoic, and the strength in her gaze makes me admire her more now than ever.
Stan stands and walks out the door without another word. She shuts the door before turning her attention to me.
"Are you okay?" I ask, my heart aching to comfort her. More than anything, I want to convince her that her father’s indifference, cruelty, and bad behavior say everything about him and nothing about her.
She nods, her fingers instinctively pulling the collar of her pajama top closed. "I know we need to talk," she says, her voice quiet, "but do you mind if I take a quick shower first?"
"I’ll wait," I reply, offering a reassuring smile, though all I want is to pull her into my arms and hold her until the pain, doubt and uncertainty of the last few days fade.
I watch her retreat into our bedroom, her steps light. The door closes behind her, and I realize I’ve yet to see the room that now belongs to both of us.
***
Lisa steps out of the bedroom wearing a robe, her hair wrapped in a towel. The soft fabric clings to her, and she looks calm, resolute, and breathtakingly beautiful. Every instinct in me wants to close the distance, to touch her, to show her how much I’ve missed her these last few days. Life without her feels unimaginable now—because she is my life.
"Thank you for waiting," she says, offering me a faint smile.
"You're welcome," I say, matching her smile.
"How did you know my father was here?" she asks, her fingers tugging at the towel as she unwinds it from her hair. Red waves tumble free, framing her face. The faint scent of lavender fills the room, but it’s her unmistakable fragrance that surrounds me, intoxicating and utterly hers.
"Aaron," I reply, my eyes tracing her face, her hair, the curve of her neck, unable to look away. "Loren called him to let him know your dad had shown up, so he called me."
She nods slowly, her expression thoughtful. Her eyes meet mine briefly before she drops her gaze, and for a moment, she seems almost hesitant. "I owe you an apology," she says.
I take a step closer, unable to resist the pull between us. With a gentle touch, I lift her chin with my thumb, guiding her to look at me. "I'm sorry too," I say, my voice low.
"For what?" she whispers.
"For not telling you about my trip to LA. I wanted to surprise you. Then when I couldn’t convince your dad, I thought it was best not to tell you. I couldn't stand the thought of hurting you."
"But you let me believe that you and Mar—"
" Hermosa ," I murmur, reaching for her hand, my fingers brushing hers with deliberate tenderness. "I never want to hear that woman’s name again. Especially not here. In our home. In the place we’re building together."
"I agree," she says softly, her nod decisive. "Never again."
Lifting her hand to my lips, I press a lingering kiss to her knuckles, my gaze never leaving hers.
"I knew, deep down, that sooner or later you’d believe me when I said I never saw her," I continue. "I have never lied to you, Lisa."
Her lips part slightly, but she doesn’t speak, waiting for me to go on.
"I was wrong to keep what happened with your dad from you," I admit, my thumb gently tracing circles on the back of her hand. "I thought I was protecting you. But I see now that hiding the truth was a mistake. I should’ve told you."
"I understand why you did it," she concedes. "You wanted to spare my feelings."
"When I told you I'd never hurt you, I meant it," I murmur, each word a promise I intended to keep.
"I believe you," she says, a hint of a smile playing at her lips. Those pink lips I haven't kissed in days.
As if reading my mind, her smile deepens. "Yes," she says softly, "Kiss me, Mateo. Kiss me the way only you can."
Leaning over. I press my lips to her cheek, then trail them down her neck, inhaling the soft scent of her shampoo. "I've missed you so much," I whisper in her ear, my voice low and filled with longing.
"I missed you too," she replies, her blue eyes dark and expressive.
" Hermosa ," I whisper, "I'm going to spend the rest of my life making you happy."
"I believe you." She smiles, the warmth of her gaze pulling me in.
"Your love has changed me," I say, my lips brushing softly against hers. "It’s changed everything—who I am, how I see the world."
"I believe you," she whispers, her breath warm against my lips.
"Are we okay?" I ask, my voice low and edged with need. "I need to hear it from you, to know without a shadow of doubt that what we have—this love that feels unbreakable—remains whole, intact, and perfect."
"Yes," she says, wrapping her arms around my neck. "We're okay."
I kiss her gently, softly, savoring the sweetness of her lips. When I pull away, her eyes flutter open, revealing the endless blue I could lose myself in forever.
"Would you like to see our bedroom?" she asks, her gaze as loving and trusting as I remember.
In one sweeping motion, I lift her into my arms. She squeals, her laughter making my heart soar, as she tightens her arms around me.
"Now, where was I?" I tease, my lips brushing against her neck.
"Whisper my name, Mateo," she breathes into my ear, sending a shiver through me.
"Let me love you, Annalisa," I murmur, as I carry her down the hallway. "Let me love you tonight and for the rest of my life."