Page 136 of The Replay

I turn and look at Mariana, even if I'm speaking to her parents.

"I was planning to tell Mariana everything I should have told her more than six years ago. Including— especially— how badly I hope she wants a future together as much as I do. So we may go for it, hand-in-hand. So we may have it all."

Fuck, but vulnerability chains itself to my stomach. It's searing hot and heavy enough to drag my words out of sight. I don't let it. It's hard to read Mariana's reaction to my confession, but I'll take anything. Later. This isn't about what I might get from her. This is about doing my part right. And I'm taking my chance now that I have it.

I turn to her parents. "I know you might not approve, but I will not let that matter more than what Mariana and I may choose for ourselves."

"You're a good man, Dominic," James says. "You have advanced in your career. You went further than most people with your background get to go, and I commend you for that. It takes great work and discipline and a fair amount of luck to do what you've done. I know. I worked my arse off and took advantage of lucky moments myself."

His tone reminds me of the conversation he and I had that night. He treated me with respect that night too. Like a man. He asked to do the wise and kind thing in his eyes. But I was twenty-one, nearly twenty-two, and inexperienced. And I loved Mariana so much I despaired over not knowing how to show her. How to love her the way I knew she deserved.

I'm twenty-eight now. I've learned. His words don't have the same impact. Especially when I get the feeling his compliments will be followed by a 'but'.

"I wasn't asking for your approval—" I start.

"This isn't about who you are," Alicia interrupts. "You've already proven what you're made of. And that has nothing to do with whether you and Mariana choose this relationship over everything else. Is this really how you'll be happy?"

She turns to Mariana. My spine turns to steel. My body knows before I do they'll try to convince her to leave.

"Hija." She frowns. "For years you spoke of taking the Sinclair Montt Charity international. Making it grow throughout the rest of Europe, before bringing it here. Even before you met Henry. You gave it up at the time because it made sense. But are you really going to give it up again?"

Mariana doesn't cower. She stares back at her mom and lets her say her piece.

I purse my lips. Fuck, there's more I need to say, but I have to bide my time.

James' nostrils flare. "You'd have to renounce your dreams and make them small, Mariana. You'd have to accept this life, as it is, for the foreseeable future. Are you prepared to do that? You promised this was a temporary step to something bigger, and we want to see you succeed. We'll help you succeed."

"And is Selena going to be okay with all of this?" Alicia adds, her tone earnest. "That you'll stay because you're involved with a player? Will she let you keep your position? This life could end before it starts, Mariana. Then what happens to your goals? Your dreams? Not to say anything about what this does to Cora. She's Dom's GM. She gets to take action for him or against him. How does it look if one day he's not so lucky as he was with this injury, and she ends up keeping him on the roster because he's part of this family? To please you? If your relationship lasts, everyone would know Cora is related to a player and might be biased."

"And if the relationship doesn't last," James says, "like most young relationships based on passion and fantasies, what then? You have to think about these things."

"And you think I haven't?" Mariana says.

I gaze at her, hoping she'll read my mind, and remember I wanted to stand up to her parents… but the way she looks at me, it's me who reads her mind.

Too bad, she says.I'm not biting my tongue with them anymore.

And I get it. Mariana is fixing things too.

My insides liquefy. I let out a slow breath of relief.

And I can't stop myself— I give her a kiss on the temple. Then I stare at James, then Alicia, square in the eyes.

I stand tall. "Don't make the mistake of thinking you know how all love stories go. What Mariana and I have— the way I feel for her— it wouldn't fade in the face of adversity. If it ever could have, it would have already, and it didn't. So don't insult our goals. Don't assume you understand them. If Mariana wants to go to England, we'll figure it out. If she wants to stay and we need to deal with the Strike's rules around our relationship, we will. No matter what, I'll stick by her side. I'll make sure she sees my conviction every day we have together. And if our happiness isn't enough to convince you, well— I'll help her deal with that too. I won't let your expectations get in the way of us again."

Every single word I said echoes in my head. In my chest. All of my body. They resonate through every nerve, reaching into every corner, pulsating and rewriting history with every wave. I'm not the man I was years ago, and it fills me with rightful pride.

I didn't need to protect myself from going through something like this again. I needed to stand my ground and fight for all my dreams. And Mariana is the sweetest of them all.

Chapter 43

Mariana

My intention was simply to steal a kiss from the man I've been obsessed with for most of my adult life. Three minutes to plan when I might tell him how I feel. What I'm hoping for. So I could go back to this party I've worked so hard to prepare, with the calming certainty that he and I are on our way to truly fixing things the right way. But no. My parents found out I've been involved with my ex and I've had to think on my feet.

Inside, tremors run up and down my long bones. They rattle in my joints. It's fine. I can ignore them, when they remain deep and invisible surrounded by my flesh and blood, warm and radiant with my emotions. When I stand next to Dom and I feel strong in a way I hadn't before. Ever. It's the power of a united front.

Mom purses her lips. "Dom. You have to understand. We've never wished you ill. Like my husband said— you're a good man. But we love our children, and their happiness comes first for us. And Mariana has never said she'd find happiness in Seattle. And when I think of Cora as well…"