Chapter Twenty-Five
M y dick is raging hard. There's nothing I can say to Aribella that will explain why I am so hard. Other than that I love her and I want to feel her body against mine. Not wanting to make her uncomfortable, I walk away as the water fills the tub, leaving her to be at peace. Closing the door, I lean against it, trying to get myself under control.
The ache in my balls is turning me impatient, and I know I can't do this to her. I will not barge into that room and fuck her, even if she does want it. I'm trying to be a better man. A man she deserves. Walking to my office, I look at my phone and groan at the sight of Aribella getting naked.. This whole situation is fucked up.
Sitting down, I look at Aribella as she steps into the tub, and I clench my fists. Her body is still healing and I see the damn wounds that will leave her with many scars. A reminder for the rest of her life that I'm the reason she's damaged.
Fucking assholes, I wish I could bring them all back from the dead just to kill them all again, for hurting mi reina so permanently . I should be turned off and wanting nothing to do with her while she's in this state, yet all I can think about is sinking my dick into her wet cunt. "Goddamn it," I growl to myself and pull the bathroom camera up on my computer while unzipping my pants.
If I was a stronger man, I'd let it go, and get to work on rebuilding my damn empire. Instead, I watch my sweet one laying in the tub, head back against the bench and her eyes closed, looking peaceful. My hand is tight around my dick as I stroke it. I imagine walking back into that bathroom, gripping Aribella's hair and pushing my cock straight into her mouth.
Opening my desk drawer, I pull out the panties I stole from her the first night she stayed with me. Three strokes. That's all it takes for me to orgasm into the panties. Shit, how many times have I done this? It never stops. The ache that hurts so damn deep inside of me, hardens me again.
"Fuck!" I bang my hand on the desk and push my dick back into my pants. I can't keep doing this. There will be no more getting off until I'm with Aribella. Going into the office bathroom, I wash myself up and look out the window. I think about how if I were a better man, I'd give Aribella her true freedom and never burden her life again. As it is, I'm not a good man and I refuse to let her out of my sight.
As the sun lowers itself, I move away from the window and go in search of Aribella. Sure, I could look at my phone and find where she is, but I need the chase. To find where she has ended up. The first place I check is the kitchen, but all I find is Jorge and his husband. I smile and move on.
"Try the library," Mossimo says as he hands me Espresso. "And be nice." He mother fucking growls at me, and as I look him in his one good eye, he winks at me. He doesn't even care that he's lost a hand and an eye or that he is five seconds away from me hitting him.
As he leans in close to me, I feel the guilt in knowing that he will never be the same again. "Fucking hurt her, and I'll end you."
Mossimo walks away and I stare after him. What fucking alternate reality have I stepped into? He's never not been on my side, but I see whose side he's on now. It endears my heart and I know that if anything happens to me, Mossimo will take care of Aribella. Fuck, the cat won him and now my girl. I'm batting negative numbers here.
Shaking my head, I look down at Espresso, and he touches my face with his paw. With a soft meow, he head butts me and I scratch his head. "It seems everyone thinks I'm going to hurt her," I whisper to him and he meows at me and curls into my neck. Shit, they are probably right.
Espresso and I were close during the time that we were hunting for Aribella. He's my little boy, too now, and I'm sure that Aribella will be upset about it. Maybe I can get her riled up enough to be feisty and fight with me.
Opening the door to the library, I sit Espresso down and he goes directly to the window where Aribella is sitting. A book is on her chest and her face is turned toward the window. A soft snore leaves her and I smile. I don't wake her up. No, I sit down in a chair near her and watch her sleep.
"NO!" The word resounds through the library and I jerk awake. Pulling my gun, I look around and see Aribella on the ground, cowering, and my heart breaks open.
Holstering my gun, I get on my knees and crawl over to her. " Mi reina , it's alright. You're safe here. There's no one that's going to hurt you."
Her eyes are blurry and she blinks a few times to clear them before she focuses on me. "Vin.. Vincent?" Her sob nearly kills me as she launches herself at me. "You're real," she repeats as she touches my chest.
"Yes, sweet one. I'm real and you're safe." I hold her to me and stroke her hair as she cries.
"I... I was back in that room." She shivers and I lift her face a little so she can see me. "I never... never want to go back there, Vincent."
Lowering my lips to hers, I give her a soft kiss and pull back. "Aribella, I swear on my life you will never be hurt again."
She curls deeper into me and Espresso looks at me from the window perch, judging me. Closing my eyes, I turn so my back is against the wall and I bring Aribella into my arms. "Rest, mi pequina reina . I got you."
We are silent for a long time before I hear her snoring slightly. Espresso has his paw on her head and I look back at him. "See buddy, I got her. I promise you and her that I will make it so she's happy."
One week later
It's been a long ass week, but it's gotten better. Aribella is up early every morning and I always find her in the kitchen with Jorge, whispering and giggling. Hell, I'm jealous as fuck of their friendship, but I know she needs it. He seems like a safe spot for her when I'm out taking care of business.
Mossimo has become my shadow again, but he has a hard edge that has sharpened so much that I'm afraid he's going to be a ticking time bomb before long. As it is, we are sitting at the casino, talking with my brothers about rebuilding.
"Tear it down," Mossimo chimes in. "Start over. Or not at all," he growls and takes the glass of whiskey, chugging it down.
"Easy, Mossimo." I put my hand on his shoulder and smile at him. "We still have to go to the car dealership." He stares at me for a moment before staring back at the glass.
"Fuck, I'm sorry."
Diego looks between us and shakes his head. "Do I need to send over another man?" He's not trying to be an ass. He knows Mossimo went through hell and he's hiding it well. Yet, I hear him talking to the damn cat all night, like the cat is his only hope that no one will know how fucked up he really is.
"No. Mossimo and the rest of my men are fine." I notice how Mossimo's shoulders relax and I know I've made the right call by keeping him close.
"If we tear down and rebuild, it's a waste of a good space. We need to clean up what is here and renovate it," I tell them, and everyone just nods. "But I want things to be clean here, everything above board. I'm going to be getting out of the seedier side of business."
My brothers both gawk at me and I raise my head. "I have a reason to live and the person I'm trying to be needs to grow. Change."
Mossimo laughs and looks at me. "Aribella isn't asking you to change," he says with a growl, but I see the look in his eyes. The words he isn't saying are that he agrees with this change.
"Very well. We will let you do what you please, as you've already told Diego, that you are letting him expand this land to yours. I have no problem with this and since I'm out of the game, it's best Diego has more say," Miguel says, and Diego raises an eyebrow. Those two have never seen eye to eye.
"Whatever you think, Vincent," Diego replies with a shrug. They've come together for me and that's never going to be forgotten.
"Good. Now, I'm going to leave and get the contractors here by the end of the week. For the moment, Diego, thank you for continuing to watch over the place. I don't need looters out here."
Diego stands as Mossimo does, and Miguel and I get up. We all meet on the side of the table closest to the door. Miguel hugs me, telling me to bring Aribella by so his wife and Aribella can have a girls’ day. Whatever the hell that is. Mossimo walks toward the door and I hug Diego.
"Thank you, little brother." I pat him on the back and step back.
"Yeah, yeah, go get the car for your girl."
Walking out of the casino, I look at Mossimo and he grunts. "I've never liked that brother of yours," is all he says as he gets into the passenger seat and I get into the drivers.
"Oh, come now. Diego loves you. He's just really rough around the edges. Just like you."
We drive in silence to the car dealership and I see Jorge with Aribella there already. Shit, I'm running late, which is not like me.
"What are we doing here?" Mi reina asks as I come to stand next to her. She takes my hand without me having to prompt her to do so. Pride swells in me. Each day, she opens up a little more for me.
Before I answer her, I bend down and kiss her lips. When she moans, I pull her closer, and she melts into me. Thank God. Maybe giving her time to heal is the right thing to do.
"Buying you a car," I say it in a matter-of-fact tone that has her popping her head up and narrowing her eyes at me.
"Why?" She's so skeptical of anything I want to do for her. It's kind of silly, but warranted. Aribella still hasn't learned that I only want her love,not only her body.
"Because if you are going to go to school and work, you need a way around." Of course, I'm not going to tell her that the car is going to have a GPS tracker and its own damn camera system that I will have full access to. Nope, that little bit of information is for me only.