39
Do you love me?
I left my dad's house just as angry as I was happy. A contradiction, I know.
But when the woman you love is accused of betrayal unexpectedly by your own family, a visceral hatred engulfs you that pushes you to annihilate them all for questioning her. If that's not love, then I don't know what is.
I understood that, until recently, she was our enemy, that they could feel wary, even consider what they had suggested in private, but never to throw it like a glove to my wife's face without alerting me that what they intended was an open trial and that they had almost passed sentence.
Nikita had done nothing to be put in such an unpleasant situation, quite the opposite. She stayed by my side, from the beginning, even though she didn't agree with many things. Gradually, we grew accustomed to each other, forging our own pacts of trust. Like any agreement, we modified the clauses, resolved the misunderstandings that had arisen to date, and now that things were getting on track between us, my family started to mistrust, just when she was my wife and our relationship was gaining strength.
It pissed me off to see her cornered, having to claw out because they felt like it. Well, I wasn't going to do the same, I was going to show them that they were wrong and that the real culprit was still at large.
As soon as we reached the outer wall, I pressed my wife's back against it. She let out a cry of surprise and her breath bounced against the exposed skin of my neck.
An "o," born of surprise, formed on her perfect lips as my knee settled between hers. I took her by the chin.
"Repeat it to me," I asked, heatedly.
I had longed for the admission of her feelings in my dreams. To hear the words that I so desired and that she had been forced to declare in the office, in front of my family.
"Do you want me to repeat everything I said in there? Is it about what I told your family about the divorce? I'm sorry, I felt cornered, I needed to clarify that I'm not what they think I am." I offered her a sweet smile and a caress on her cheek.
I admit that the thing about the papers was a sting, but fortunately, it relieved me to hear the motivation that had led my wife not to sign.
"No, amore , I just want the part where you admit that you love me and are dying for my bones," I joked.
Her clouded pupils sparked into a bright green. Her cheeks flushed, and I suddenly had a crazy desire to show those full lips that all her kisses belonged to me.
"You've already heard me."
"I have selective and short-term memory. Besides, I want you to tell it to me alone, looking into my eyes. Is it too much to ask after you left me exposed?"
"You're not Scottish enough to have a gust blow up your skirt for all to see. Plus, your memory excuse doesn’t fly."
"Then tell me because I ask it of you, because I’m dying to hear you say it just to me and no one else." I saw her hesitate, biting her lip between her teeth while her cheeks reddened more. "Don't mess with me," I murmured with a laugh.
"What?"
"The bold and fearsome Nikita Koroleva is scared of love for her husband."
"I’m not scared of anything."
"Oh, really?" I teased, running my thumb over her lower lip.
"No," she admitted, her chest rising and falling from my attentions.
"Prove it," I challenged. She huffed and pursed her lips in annoyance.
"I love you," she muttered under her breath.
"I can’t hear you, I’m also hard of hearing." She looked around, annoyed.
"Such a gem. If I’d known, I’d sell you off piece by piece." I licked her lip and she closed her eyes.
"Tell me, you can do better."
"I…I love you," she repeated, unable to keep her gaze fixed on mine.
"That doesn't count, there’s a clause in this love thing that says the declarant must do it looking at their beloved, otherwise, the declaration is void." Nikita snorted. "In fact, I'm going to end up thinking you’re a coward or that what you said in there was a lie," I said to provoke her.
She parted her lips like a mailbox and maneuvered to switch positions, pinning me between her body and the wall.
"I love you, you damn bastard. Is that clear enough?" she growled. "I didn’t expect it to happen, but it did, and now I have to deal with a pack of panthers in heat roaring in my guts every time you walk by. I’m not thrilled about having an Italian dick as my Achilles' heel." A laugh burst from my lips. Nikita was unique even in her declarations.
"What about butterflies?"
"Creatures born from cocoons? Pass, I prefer those that fight with claws and teeth for what they consider theirs."
"Interesting. Is that a declaration of intentions? Do you consider me yours?" She pushed her lips up.
"Of course, what's yours is mine, and what's mine is also mine."
"Selfish."
"I leave generosity for good people. I always knew I preferred warm places, so I booked my next life in hell."
"I'll see you there."
"Unless you get tired of me first."
"Impossible. At first, I didn’t understand, but now I know it’s a lie that you have to look for someone perfect to fit with, sometimes, it’s enough to find someone you don’t mind not fitting with and having the most epic fights for the most pleasurable reconciliations."
"Then, are we enemies or lovers?"
"You can consider us whatever you like, as long as indifference doesn’t settle between us, we can love or kill each other, you choose, the only thing I know is that I don't want to stop being or being by your side. I love you above all, Nikita Koroleva."
"And I below my sheets, you damn Capulet." I got the impression I had overwhelmed her with so much. "How about we get out of here and I show you the great love I have for you in the best way I know how?"
She pulled me down by my neck to envelop me in lips and tongue.
Someone should have warned me before I fell into her trap that what expelled man from paradise was not a serpent, or an apple, but the betrayal of the woman you love.
Before Adriano came home from school, we had time for a complete demonstration and a shower. We had a family lunch, and in the afternoon Andrey came to visit Nikita. I left them alone at home and went to the hospital to see my men. In the rush, I didn’t realize that I had left my mobile phone at home. I wanted to spend some quality time with them, and seeing that it was getting late, I borrowed one of the boys' phones and called my wife from it, telling her to have Adri have dinner and go to bed, that I would arrive as soon as I could.
Nikita reminded me that Andrea had invited us to dinner, I had completely forgotten. I told her to reschedule for another day with them, or if she wanted, she could go on the condition that one of my men guard her. She mentioned she preferred to cancel, that we would dine another time with the Arasagastis, that she would wait to do it with me.
It was the first time she said goodbye to me with an "I love you," and my heart did a somersault. Naturally, I responded in kind before hanging up and my man, who was listening to the conversation, burst out laughing.
"Don't you dare tell the others that I'm a softie when it comes to my wife." He laughed heartily again, at least his laughter was soothing.
"Don’t worry, boss, your telenovela hero side stays between us." I winked at him and we both laughed.
Fortunately, the next day he was to be discharged along with another one of my men, only one would remain hospitalized. I wished him a good night and told him not to rush back. The priority was for all of them to recover.
I walked down to the parking lot with that little smile that only love-struck fools wear.
I was eager to get home and do something as cheesy as having dinner with my wife, cuddling on the couch, and watching a movie. We hadn't done something as mundane as that yet, and I was looking forward to it.
A screech of tires put me on alert, a car was heading towards me, head-on and at full speed.
The lights flashed in my eyes.
I drew my weapon, ready to blow the brains out of whoever dared to threaten my life.