The Bridal Candidate 1 (Heart Connections)

by Linda Verji

  "You've got a funny way of protecting me."

  Determination hardening his face, Archie said, "You haven't answered the question. Do you have feelings for Aiko?"

  "No." Damián retorted, his tone clipped.

  "I wish I could take your word for it." Archie frowned. "But the fact that you're here defending her honor…" The older man pulled a face. "… means that's she's already started reeling you in, and you're already in too deep. Didn't you learn from Jeanine? Or from what your mother did to me? Or from that gold-digger I saved you from? Holly… that was her name right?"

  "Oh, you saved me?" Damián sneered as he folded his arms over his chest. "Is that what we're calling fucking my fiancée these days?"

  "I admit it wasn't my finest idea." Archie grimaced. "But you gave me no choice. You wouldn't believe me when I told you that whore of Babel was trying to sucker you into paying her gambling debts."

  "So you slept with her?" Daman asked, disgusted disbelief coloring his tone.

  "To prove that she was with you only for your wallet," Archie defended himself. "If I hadn't done it you'd be stuck with her for life. By the way, she's on husband number three now, and from what I heard she sucked the other two - and their bank accounts - dry. If it wasn't for me you'd be broker than Gary Busey. You're welcome."

  Damián snapped, "I didn't thank you."

  "You will one day," his father countered. "Take my advice, son. This Aiko - cut her loose. If not because of the fact that she's already got your head twisted with what's between her legs, then because she's black."

  "What the hell does her race have to do anything?"

  "Are you seriously asking that question?" Archie stared at him goggle eyed. "I have nothing against dipping your pen in every color of ink, but we're trying to launch your political career here - in a red state. You're already half Latino, we can't have you running around with a black woman-"

  "Enough!" Damián roared. "Enough! One; this is the last time I'm saying this. I'm never - NEVER - running for office. Two; if you ever come within five feet of Aiko again, I won't be responsible for what I do."

  "You're threatening me over her?" Archie's tone was incredulous. "This is worse than I thought. She's not worth it, son. You don't need that kind of bullshit in your life. In fact if you're looking for someone to-"

  "Thank you for your opinion," Damián cut in as he turned back to the door. "I'll try to give a fuck about it."

  "Damián," Archie called at his retreating back. "Damián."

  Damián was shocked that he managed to get back home without crashing his car. The fury inside him was like a storm raging and whipping him into a frenzy. Archie's mention of the previous women in his life, had resurrected painful memories that he thought he'd buried long time ago. How dare he! And the things the old man had said about Aiko…

  She's already reeling you in… got your head twisted.

  Archie had made it seem like Aiko was trying to manipulate Damián - which she was not. Aiko wasn't like Jeanine or Holly. Yes, she also wanted him for his money. However, unlike all the other women in his life, she'd been honest with him about what she wanted from the get-go. She'd allowed him to decide whether he wanted her to be in his life or not, and was giving him value in return for his money. She was different.

  Furthermore, Damián certainly didn't - couldn't have any feelings for her. After everything he'd learnt about women, falling for Aiko, would make him the stupidest fool this side of Pacific.

  No, he didn't have feelings for her.

  Theirs was just a business arrangement.

  They had contracts and everything.

  AIKO ARRIVED LATER the same afternoon to learn that Damián had left to visit Josiah, and Zoe had gone to visit Shelley. After changing into more comfortable clothes, she and Seraphina settled in the dining room to practice reading. About thirty minutes into their reading, Zoe came back home. Aiko expected her to go directly upstairs and lock herself in as she usually did. However, hardly ten minutes later, the dining-room door opened and Zoe walked in with her book bag.

  "Hi," she murmured, as she moved to the other side of the large dining table.

  Aiko was too shocked to say anything more than, "Hi."

  "Zoe." Seraphina was more demonstrative and quickly ran to hug Zoe, who was more than receptive of the embrace. "Why didn't you come to church with us?"

  "Umm." An obviously lost for words Zoe stammered, "I don't go to church."

  The little girl asked, "Why?"

  "Because I don't believe in God."

  "Why?"

  Knowing her daughter and how persistent she could be, Aiko cut in, "Zoe, how was your visit to Shelley's?"

  Zoe shrugged as she extracted several books from her book bag, obviously not interested in a conversation with Aiko.

  "Watchu doing?" Seraphina, who was now trying to stand on the chair closest to Zoe, asked.

  "My homewor- you're going to fall off that chair," Zoe berated as she reached a hand to steady Seraphina.

  "Phia," Aiko called out. "Get down from there and come finish your reading."

  They soon settled into an easy rhythm with Aiko helping Seraphina with her reading while Zoe worked in her homework. On the outside, Aiko was the face of calm as she pointed out words for Seraphina to read, but on the inside she was grinning like a Cheshire cat. Yes, Zoe was still doing her sulky thing, but the very fact that she'd chosen to be in Aiko's company was something to celebrate. Bonus; she was doing her homework - without anyone forcing her to. Progress.

  "The- lit- little red-red-red truck," Seraphina stuttered through her reading, "cr- cr-cr-"

  "Crossed," Aiko finished for her.

  "… crossed the rail-rail-railway line with a luad-"

  "Loud," Aiko corrected.

  "… loud hoot." Seraphina beamed at her mother as she finished the sentence.

  "Very good," Aiko encouraged. "Now, let's try the next page."

  But before Seraphina could start reading, Zoe interrupted, "Aiko, do you know what Horizontal Integration is?"

  "That's business studies?" Aiko asked. When the girl nodded, Aiko explained, "You know what mergers and acquisitions are, right?"

  Zoe winced and scratched her forehead. "A little."

  "Phia, practice your reading while I help Zoe." Aiko crossed the room so she could be closer to Zoe. "I'm sure the topic is in your textbook somewhere." She flipped through the pages of the tome as she sat down. "But basically a merger is when the owners of two businesses agree to join their firms, while an acquisition is…"

  Zoe listened intently as Aiko explained the terms, even taking down notes. When Aiko was done with the impromptu lesson, she headed back to Seraphina. But now that the ice was broken between them, Zoe had no qualms about asking questions. She kept calling out for help until Aiko told her to just move to a seat closer to them. Not that Aiko minded the running around. Running around was so much better than the tension that had been simmering between them. She and Zoe were no Gilmore Girls. They probably would never be. But this seemed like a ceasefire of sorts - and Aiko couldn't be happier.

  They were wrapping up for the afternoon when they heard Damián's car. Seraphina and Zoe immediately dashed out of the room to meet him. Aiko stayed behind to clear the table and put away their respective books before following them.

  "Have you guys finished your homework?" Damián was seated on the couch in the family room flanked on one side by Zoe and on the other by Seraphina.

  "Yeah!" They both nodded. Seraphina added enthusiastically, "Mommy helped us."

  Aiko smiled indulgently at the intimate scene. She loved that her daughter was getting along with Damián and Zoe. It gave her hope that it would be so much easier for their families to blend when the time came. Plus her daughter needed a father figure in her life, just as his daughter needed a mother. The decision to sign Damián's contract was beginning to seem like the best decision she'd ever made.

  "Hey," Aiko drew Damián's attention away from
the kids as she walked deeper into the room.

  "Hey." He turned to her with a tight smile that didn't reach his eyes.

  Instantly, she knew that something was wrong and her insides knotted in concern. However, it wasn't the best time to ask what was wrong - not with the kids in the room. So keeping her voice even, she asked, "How was your visit to Josiah's?"

  "Good." He shrugged, avoiding her gaze, before turning back to the kids. "Have you guys eaten yet?"

  "No." The girls somehow managed to coerce Damián to give Major a break and order out. While they waited for their dinner, they popped some popcorn. When their pizzas arrived, they carried them and the popcorn to the theater room. While the kids settled on the floor, Damián put on the latest animated movie then settled next to Aiko.

  The movie wasn't that great - well, not for an adult; too many Pandas and Mongoose dancing around. But the girls seemed to be enjoying it. To distract herself, Aiko tried to start a conversation with Damián. But it seemed he wasn't interested in talking to her. He answered her questions sharply and curtly until she started to believe that whatever was bothering him, had something to do with her.

  But what could she have done to make him angry?

  When he didn't come to her room as he usually would after everyone was asleep, she tied a silk robe over her nightgown and went in search of him. She rapped her knuckles shortly on his door before pushing it open.

  The room was all Damián. Darkly elegant, neat and distinctly male; it was a blend of shades of blue and white with furniture made of dark wood. The man himself was lying on the bed, his upper body bare and the covers at his waist, seemingly staring up into space.

  He turned his head towards the door at her entrance. "Aiko, what are you doing here?"

  She didn't bother with preliminaries. "Have I done something?"

  His expression inscrutable, he sat up in bed. "What do you mean?"

  "You seemed angry at me this evening." She folded her arms over her chest. "So I want to know what I did."

  He gave her a once-over from head to toe. Usually that would've been an instant turn-on but the look in his eyes as he studied her was… odd. It sent nervous flutters through her body. Which is why when he said, "Go to sleep, Aiko.", she edged closer to his bed and sat beside him instead of leaving.

  "What is going on?" she asked.

  He didn't respond. Instead, he lay back on the bed and went back to staring at the ceiling.

  She racked her brain for something - anything that could have led to this unexpected change in mood. This morning, they'd parted ways peaceably. In fact he'd offered to drive her and Seraphina to church, but she'd refused his offer because she didn't want to inconvenience him. Surely that couldn't be it. Then what was. Something must've happened between now and then.

  She tried carefully, "Is it something Josiah said?"

  Another long period of silence, then out of the blue he asked, "If it wasn't for the money, would you even be with me?"

  What kind of question was that? Of course not. If he wasn't waiting for a bride-for-cash, they probably would've never even crossed paths. But from his expression, Aiko guessed that that was not something he wanted to hear. So she asked, "You mean would I date you if we'd met under different circumstances?"

  He nodded curtly.

  She wanted to lie and say yes. But she didn't. "I don't know. I'd have to get to know you first then decide."

  Silence again. "And if I was broke?"

  She didn't like where this conversation was going but she said, "Money isn't everything, Damián. I'd have to find if I like your personality first."

  "Money isn't everything." He guffawed. "That's what you all say."

  "Me and who?" she snapped.

  There was a long silence then he said casually, "My dad wants you. And he can give you everything - more than I can give you. If you want him…"

  Aiko felt her spine stiffen. Her mind reeled with the idiocy of what he was saying. But just to confirm that she wasn't reading his words wrong, she asked, "Are you offering me to your dad?"

  Silence met her. But that silence was answer enough.

  "Okay, time out." Anger circling in her blood, she stood up from the bed and started for the door, her intent to leave. But her anger got the better of her and she swiveled to face him. "I can’t believe you just insulted me like that. What do you think I am? Some kind of prize that goes to the highest bidder?"

  He shrugged. "I was just informing you of your choices."

  "You're unbelievable." With that she walked out of his room headed for her own.

  Informing her of her choices? What kind of crap was that? Did he really think that little of her? Yes, she was with him because she needed the money. That didn't mean that she'd just trade him in for the next millionaire, or be callous enough to make that next millionaire be his father.

  It was unthinkable.

  Aiko switched off her bedside lamp then angrily jerked the covers to her chin. Unbelievable. But even as anger and disappointment swirled inside her, so did shame. In a way his assumptions were understandable. They both knew that she was just with him for the paycheck. Given how much she'd disliked him on their first meeting, if he hadn't offered money she likely would've never looked at him twice.

  What kind of woman did that make her?

  A gold-digger.

  An honest gold-digger - but a gold-digger nonetheless.

  Suddenly, the money he was giving her seemed more like a banner announcing her callousness and greed, rather than a beacon of relief for her family. She was going to spend the next six years with a man who thought of her as nothing more than the woman who'd married him for his money. And she didn't blame him. How could she when it was true?

  You could walk away from the money, her conscious pricked at her. How? The mortgage and her father's bills weren't suddenly going to start paying themselves just because she'd fallen in love with Damián. She still…

  What?

  Fallen in love with Damián?

  No, she couldn't have done something so silly, so illogical. Take that back, you stupid heart. But even as she tried to push the words back into the deep dark cave where they'd reared their ugly head from and tried to convince herself that she didn't love him, she was certain of three things;

  One. She could love him. He was everything any woman would want in her husband and more.

  Two. If they spent the next six years together, she was terrified that she would love him.

  Three. He would never love her back. How could he? Why would he? There was no turning back the foundation they'd started on - money. No matter how she felt about him, she'd never be able to convince Damián that she was with him for any other reason. He'd never believe her.

  An ache speared through Aiko at that certainty and tears welled in her eyes. She brusquely rubbed her palm over her eyes. What the hell was she crying for? This was what she'd signed up for. A marriage without love.

  Suck it up, Aiko.

  CHAPTER 23

  The next week was tense. Aiko and Damián were exceedingly polite to each other, but his despicable offer hung over their every interaction like a dark, silent cloud. So many times Aiko started to tell him that she liked him for more than his money and she would never trade him for his father. She stopped herself just as many times. What was the point? He'd never believe her anyway.

  On the upside, she and Zoe were getting along much better. This week they'd had only a few rows; most of them over chores, which was to be expected considering the girl had never cleaned a dish in her life. However, even those fights hadn't been knock-down drag-outs like their previous interactions. A few slammed doors, a few reminders firm reminders of the consequences of disobedience, sulking here and there - eventually the chores got done.

  In general, Zoe had been reasonably faithful in following her father's edicts to the point where she now had her laptop and cradle-chair back. Furthermore, her cussing had tapered off, mostly because of the 'dollar out of
your allowance for every cuss word' rule her father had instituted. Now, Aiko was reasonably sure that she could take the girl out in public without her embarrassing them both.

  On Saturday evening, Aiko approached Damián in his study. "Damián, can I talk to you?"

  He lifted his gaze from the computer screen to her. "Sure, come in."

  Aiko closed the door behind her. Painfully aware of his dark gaze on her, she crossed the room and settled in the chair opposite him. "You know how on Sundays Seraphina and I go to church then lunch with my family-"

  "Yes." He nodded.

  "I was thinking-" Aiko hesitated for a moment then continued… "- maybe I could invite Zoe along. I know you're not religious but-"

  "I think a little church would be good for her," he cut in. Playing with his pen, he asked, "Do you want me to ask her?"

  "No." Aiko shook her head. "I will." She paused for a moment then added, "You can come if you want too."

  His response was even faster in coming. "No, I've got some work I need to catch up on."

  Please come, she wanted to beg. She wanted to him to meet her family. One look at her father and Damián would understand better why she was doing this and not judge her so harshly. She wanted to tell him that given a choice she would've dropped the money faster than a hot rod. But these were her circumstances and there was nothing she could do about them.

  But all she said was, "Okay, thank you.", before she walked out of the study, feeling more deflated than she did when she walked in.

  IT WASN'T THAT Damián didn't want to go with them. It was that he knew he shouldn't.

  The truth was that he didn't want to get any closer to Aiko than he already had. Loath as he was to take anything his father had said seriously, Damián had realized that Archie was right.

  Aiko was dangerous.

  He was only now realizing how much she'd slipped past his defenses. She'd become a permanent fixture in his thoughts, dreams and emotions. She was the one he ran to when he wanted comfort or encouragement. When she was near him he was happy; when she was far he was thinking of her and missing her. And it'd become much hard to walk away from her bed each night. If ever there were warning signs that he was treading dangerous water, then these were them.