Page 23 of The Replay

I scoff. "Why would I stop dating because of you? We're not going to fuck, cupcake."

"Of course not, Dominic. There's no going back. Para atrás ni para tomar vuelo."

She's giving me another saying back. Not going back even to gain momentum.

"Not even if you ask nicely," I say.

"If anyone might get second thoughts it's you."

"I got second thoughts once. The way it went, I'm not going for thirds."

She glances at me from the corner of her eye. "You'd break first."

Ropes keep me in place. My body strains to keep composure. Our words are all we have, and more than we should wield.

"Are you sure about that?" I scowl. "Maybe your memory is failing, after all."

"My memory works perfectly well."

"Then why would you forget how often you initiated?" I gaze down at her. "Hell, how often you took over."

"I deleted it from my brain."

"As if you could, Mari."

I know I couldn't. The frustration has me using the one name I only ever used tenderly. And I pay for it, with a raw, smarting hit to my chest.

She hides the impact the name has on her, but I see it in the way her pupils blow up, and her lips open slightly. Like she needs more air, just to cope withthe memories it brings. I know I'm breathing harder in response to how easily the name escaped me.

I don't apologize. She doesn't say anything.

A car stops in front of us. Mariana checks her phone again, likely making sure it's the car she's expecting, before she grabs the door and opens it.

"Bye, Dom."

I don't help her, except to close the door as she settles in. As soon as the car starts moving, I turn and leave. I ignore the people trying to catch my attention again. Mariana will see me go back into the club, and I know I have no reason for this, but I hope she wonders if I will be the one to go home with someone tonight.

I don't.

Chapter 9

Mariana

On a day that could have turned into another long, boring photoshoot, it's Dom's friends that rescue me again.

We're in a repurposed warehouse. It's retrofitted to hold the staged set ups we planned for the charity calendar. By the end of the first day of shooting, it was all a blur. At some point, watching hyperactive men be directed to pose and change clothes loses its thrill. Put on the suit, take off the jersey. Imagine a roaring crowd, pretend you scored a touchdown. That is, until a group of them decide to make a joke of it.

Evie is here in her role as the PR department coordinator. She'a also recording casual videos of the experience— and of the athletes— for her social media campaigns. I don't know if it was on purpose, but Logan, Saint, and Dom are scheduled in a row. After Saint finished his turn, he stuck around and made so much fun of Logan and Evie, it distracted me enough I didn't see Dom arrive.

I'm cackling when we first lock eyes. Even through the distance, I recognize the tension on his lips. He's bothered by my laughter.

I mentally shrug and turn back to Evie, Logan, and Saint.

It's been two weeks since Dom and I had our conversation… argument… discussion in the club. I'm not sure what shocked me more. The way we devolved into rough banter yet again as soon as we were alone, or how it turned into dangerous territory so quickly. Or worse, the moment he said my name at the end.

Whenever I think about standing next to him waiting for my car, I think about the way he said Mari. Like somewhere inside, in a corner so deep, too far away to reach, a part of him still sees me the way he used to back when we were in love.

I bite my lip. My body softens. Vulnerable feelings push to the surface, regardless of how hard I keep fighting them.