Fight for Love Page 12

  “Then why were you texting her in the middle of the night? And don’t try to deny it, because I know it was her. Why didn’t you tell me about her?”

  “Because…”

  “Why?” she screamed at him.

  “Because I didn’t want to lose you!” he yelled back. He bolted from the bed. Standing with his back to her, he shoved his hands into pockets, his body still as a statue. “The first time I lost you, it ripped my heart out. I didn’t want you to find out about her because I know how you feel about living your life in the public eye. I was trying to fix the situation before you found out.

  “Cynthia lives in New York, and our very short—I guess you could call it an acquaintance—had been long distance from the beginning. When I met her, I’d been retired for a year already and had a lot of time on my hands. Too much time. I started thinking about having children, but after a few dates, I realized I’d made a mistake. She became obsessed with everything about me. It was odd. Then she constantly asked me about money and couldn’t stop talking about how her status would change if we got married. I never even suggested marriage to her.”

  He faced her again. “As a public figure, you never know who wants to be close to you for you or for your celebrity status and your money. With Cynthia, I thought maybe I’d finally found someone who didn’t care.”

  “How did it end?” Rebekah asked quietly.

  “I told her she was a great person but it wasn’t working out. Awhile back, she asked me for money, and I refused to give it to her. She became hysterical. She wanted to know how I could be so cold after everything we’d been to each other.” He shook his head. “I was on my way to New York to see her—to try to talk some sense into her in person—when I stopped in Atlanta to visit you. When I got to New York, I told her I had a son and I was still married, thinking maybe she would give up. It worked for awhile, but then she started again. She threatened to spread negative rumors about me to the media. I think she’s unbalanced. Lydia’s getting me a new phone number and my attorney drafted a complaint to the police, but it seems I’ll have to take more drastic measures. For her to show up here today and claim to be my fiancée…” He shook his head. “I may have to take legal action against her.”

  “She had a ring.”

  “I never gave her a ring. I don’t want to have anything to do with her.”

  Rebekah wrapped her arms around her torso and walked over to stare into the fireplace. Were there other women from his past who would surface?

  Just as she’d feared, his life in the spotlight was problematic. Her heart ached for what she was about to lose. There would be no more late nights curled up in bed listening to him explain the preparation and behind-the-scenes events of his matches as they watched them on video. She would no longer be awakened in the middle of the night by Rafael’s kisses and the urgent caress of his hands across her skin. No more trips to the beach to build sand castles, no more watching her son grow into a young man with the help of his father, and no more stroking her fingers across the silky hairs of Rafael’s head until he fell asleep.

  She blinked back the tears and faced him. “She came to our—your house, Rafe. I don’t know if I can handle all these women all the time. When does it stop?”

  “You’re the only woman in my life and the only one who’s ever mattered to me. There are no other women.”

  “There will always be other women.” Her thoughts were like heavy sandbags, weighing down her hopes and dreams.

  Rafael took a deep breath. “I can’t control what they do, Rebekah. I can only control the actions of Rafael Lopez.” His eyes blazed with the urgency of his explanation. “I intend to hold you in my arms every night and wake up next to you every morning. I’ll do my best to provide for you and Ricardo. But there is one thing I won’t do. I won’t—can’t go back to living without you and my son.”

  “If I leave—”

  “I’ll follow you.”

  She paused. “You can’t. Your life is here.”

  “My life is with you, and your life is with me. That’s the way it was nine years ago, and that’s the way it is now.” There was a hard, determined set to his jaw and an embattled, fierce gleam in his eye. “I won’t accept a lifelong punishment for a mistake in judgment I made almost ten years ago, and I won’t be punished for someone else’s actions.”

  “We agreed to try for awhile, but it’s obvious this isn’t going to work.”

  “Obvious to you, maybe, but not to me.” He came slowly toward her. Tension uncoiled in her body as he drew nearer. “I’ve told you she means nothing to me, and she had no right to come here because our relationship has been over for a year now.”

  “It’s not just about her.”

  “Then what is it about?” Rafael demanded.

  “It’s about all of them,” Rebekah answered. “The groupies, for one. And I’ve seen pictures of some of the women you dated in the past. How am I supposed to compete against them—models, actresses? They’re beautiful and well-dressed and–and fabulous. I’m a science teacher!”

  His face softened. “There’s no competition between you and anyone else. I meant what I said before. No one else has ever come close.”

  The sincerity in his voice overwhelmed her. She so desperately needed to believe those words. “Never?”

  “Never.” He extended his hand to her, and she rested hers in it. “And you are the sexiest science teacher alive.”

  She gave him a tentative smile. “They don’t give out awards for that.”

  He smiled back. “They should. If they did, you’d take the title every year.”

  Rebekah shook her head. “You always know what to say, Rafe. No wonder you were able to steal me away from family.” She looked into his eyes. “No more secrets. We’re in this together.”

  “Are you sure you can handle it?”

  Rebekah nodded. “I can handle it, no matter what comes our way.”

  “Bad press? Rumors?”

  Rebekah nodded.

  He quirked an eyebrow. “No more overreacting? You’ll listen first before you start throwing things?”

  She glanced at the items strewn across the carpet. With an embarrassed smile, she said, “No more overreacting. I’ll listen first.” She wrapped her arms around his wide torso and gazed up at him. “I have a teeny-weeny jealous streak.”

  “Me too.” Rafael pressed a quick kiss to her forehead. “Let me show you something.” He pulled out his wallet and lifted a wrinkled old photograph from it. “I couldn’t make myself get rid of it.”

  It was a ten-year-old photo of the two of them. She hadn’t wanted him to take the photo that day because she’d wanted to fix her hair first, but he’d insisted she was beautiful and convinced her cornrows were fine. Their cheeks were pressed together, and she’d hammed it up by puckering her lips toward the camera in a saucy pose.

  Her eyes filled with tears. “I can’t believe you still have that silly picture.” She had a duplicate copy in a box filled with mementos and photos of them at the top of her closet in her Atlanta home.

  “I want us to be like that again.”

  She swallowed past the lump in her throat. “I do too.”

  Rafael got down on one knee in front of her. “I made a stop on the way home today.” He lifted a velvet-covered black box from his slacks and opened it to reveal a large, emerald cut diamond ring with a platinum band. “I planned to take you to dinner and give this to you.”

  “Oh my goodness,” Rebekah breathed. It was a far cry from the gold wedding band she still had tucked in the same box in her closet.

  “I couldn’t afford to get you an engagement ring the first time,” Rafael began, his eyes filled with love and adoration. “If you’ll let me, I’ll spend the rest of my life giving you everything you deserve. Rebekah, will you marry me—again?”

  The image of him blurred behind a screen of tears that overflowed onto her cheeks. She nodded vigorously. “Yes. I’ll marry you,” she said. “As many time
s as you like.”

  He slipped the ring on her trembling finger, and they sealed the promise with a kiss.

  Epilogue

  The rented house in Maui couldn’t have been a better choice for a first honeymoon. It was right on the beach, and as long as they kept the doors to the balcony slightly ajar as they had them right now, they could listen to the sound of the ocean only feet away.

  “It’s nice having an assistant,” Rebekah said idly.

  Lydia had handled the reservations for their travel, and the entire trip had gone smoothly. She and Rafael had been in Hawaii for two days while Ricardo remained in California with the temporary nanny they’d hired for the two weeks they would be gone. They’d waited until he was acclimated to his new school before taking the trip.

  Rebekah lay on top of Rafael, her head nestled against his shoulder. The only thing covering their naked bodies was his shirt draped across her hips. The arm along her bare back held her close, and Rebekah stroked his head, running her fingers through the silky short hairs in a comforting motion. Their original intention of going sightseeing got postponed in favor of an afternoon of making love.

  “I’ve been wondering about something for weeks. What did my father say to you at the wedding?”

  The outdoor ceremony had taken place at the home of one of Rafael’s friends. A small, intimate affair, only close friends and family attended the renewing of their vows.

  “He threatened to hurt me if I ever messed up again. Then he welcomed me into the family.”

  Rebekah smiled and placed a gentle kiss on the strong, dark column of his throat. “At least you received the welcome you’ve always wanted.”

  “It wasn’t quite what I had hoped for, but I can live with it. Samirah and your brother also threatened me.”

  “You’d better behave yourself then. What about my mother?”

  “No, your mother didn’t say anything. She’s a good woman. I’ve always liked her. Much nicer than her husband.” The last sentence sounded slurred.

  Rebekah glanced at him. His eyes were closed. “What are you doing? Don’t you dare go to sleep on me.”

  “Then stop stroking my hair.”

  When she stopped, he took her hand and replaced it on his head.

  Rebekah continued to caress his head. “Tell me you love me,” she said softly.

  “Te amo.”

  “How much?” She already knew the answer, but it never failed to make her glow whenever he said it.

  “Demasiado.”

  She continued to caress his head until her fingers slowed. She drifted into contented slumber with him, lulled to sleep by the sound of the waves rolling up to drag sand into the sea.

  The End

  About the Author

  Delaney Diamond (delaneydiamond.com) was born and raised in the U.S. Virgin Islands. She has been an avid reader for as long as she can remember and wrote her first novel at the age of 14, which she only shared with her friends. Her writing won her several trophies in high school and a scholarship to help pay for college. In 2008 she started freelance writing, and in 2009 she gave fiction writing a try again, which resulted in her debut novel, The Arrangement.

  A diehard foodie, when her head’s not buried in a book, she’s in the kitchen trying out new recipes or dining at her favorite restaurants with friends. She speaks fluent conversational French and can get by in Spanish.