Chapter 20 #2
The next few weeks crawled by, and Arturo and I didn’t exchange two words outside of training. It was worse in the evenings, when I had nothing better to do but read or walk around the garden listening to music. It was then that my mind would wander contemplating what he was doing.
Did he miss me? Was he thinking about me like I was him?
The constant thoughts left me confused and frustrated.
And my confusion hit an all time high one night when I couldn’t sleep.
It had been becoming increasingly difficult to switch off and this night had been no different.
I remembered the time read 3:03am when I finally threw myself out of bed, restless.
I had grabbed the lavender throw from my armchair and wrapped it around my shoulders before plonking myself down beside the window to stare out at the lake.
Just as my thoughts had finally begun to wander, a figure in the moonlight had caught my attention.
Wait, was that Arturo?
My eyes widened as I watched him pelt around a corner of the lake. He was naked from the waist up, and running at full speed.
What was he doing? It was three am!
As I continued to stare, I realised he was sprinting laps and didn’t look anywhere close to stopping.
I sat there for an hour, just watching him go round and round.
He eventually fell to the floor, staring up at the sky.
It may have been dark, but I could see something was eating away at him, keeping him awake.
I wished he would tell me…
After that night, I refused to allow myself a chance to watch him again.
The fact was that the distance growing between Arturo and I pained me more than anything ever had before, and that terrified me.
Besides, the only time he ever seemed to give a fuck was when I made mistakes or when he decided to act like a drill sergeant.
Another day meant another session with Arturo, and this one was just as hard and awkward as the last.
“Isabella, you’re too in your head.” He snapped, jabbing my shoulder. “Focus on your breathin’.” Another jab. “Whatever shit you’re thinkin’ about, shake it off and get your head in the game.”
The third jab to my shoulder knocked me sideways, he cursed and walked away to grab a bottle of water, leaving me flat on my ass on the training mat. “You should have blocked that, what the fuck is in your head?”
Was he kidding me?
Despite all my instincts, I couldn’t hold it in anymore.
“You!” I hissed, jumping to my feet. “You are!”
“Isabella—”
“No! I was fine before you came along with your piercing eyes, killer smile, and knee weakening charm. I was just fucking fine!” I panted.
Arturo stepped towards me, concern and pain flickering in his eyes, but just as he reached for me a thought made him stop. What was that? Blinking, he folded his arms and walked toward the window of the gym, staring out at the pink of the sunrise peeking over the horizon.
“Whatever,” I replied to his back, infuriated by the silent treatment. “I was fine, and I will continue to be fine.” I grabbed my water bottle from the floor and started to head towards the door. “I lost myself for a moment, but I won’t lose myself again,”
“That’s for the best. Throw yourself into workin’ on the woman your father needs you to become. Continuin’ his legacy won’t be easy.”
“You don’t need to tell me what I already know.”
“Well, that’s just peachy then. You know what you need to do. Good for you.” His back was still facing me. It was like he couldn’t even look at me anymore — though admittedly, it was what I had asked him to do.
I didn’t understand.
Why had he pushed me away?
What was I missing?
Before I could stop myself, I blurted, “Why did you stop?”
“Stop what?” he asked, and for the first time in nearly a month he turned to fully face me.
“Before. I saw the way you looked at me. You wanted to touch me.” A flash in his eyes told me to keep pushing. “Arturo, what did I do that night?” I stepped towards him. My feet moved before my brain had even made the command.
“Don’t.” He stepped backwards, the backs of his thighs colliding with the window ledge.
“There’s something bothering you, isn’t there?” I asked, his eyes darkened with each step I took. “Why won’t you tell me?”
“You confuse being fed up of trainin’ someone who doesn’t bother to practise as someone who gives a shit, Isabella.” He took a swig of his water, scrunching the bottle as he drained the final drop. “Now, why don’t you be on your merry way and go do whatever shit it is you need to do.”
“You’re an asshole.” I sneered, backing towards the door.
“Same time tomorrow, don’t be late,” he replied before looking down to unravel the tape around his hands.
I turned on my heel abruptly to leave, only to collide with Red, who stood there with an impassive look on his face.
How much had he heard?
“Nice to see you two have finally overcome your differences,” he teased with a chuckle. When I didn’t smile, he frowned and lowered his head. “Bells, is everything okay?”
“Peachy.” I shot Arturo a look over my shoulder.
“What’s going on?” He asked Arturo.
“Nothin’. It’s all good, Red. Isabella here just needs to remember what she’s training for, and to stop fuckin’ around.” Fucking around?!
“Bells,” Red rested his heavy palms on my bare shoulders. “If you’re struggling or need more support, you know I’m here for you, right?” I swallowed as his eyes searched mine.
“She’s good, Red,” Arturo snapped.
“I wasn’t asking you.” His eyes flickered between us. “Bells?”
“I’m fine, Red. I just didn’t realise how much I had to learn.
” I sighed, furrowing my brows. And it was the truth.
Arturo was currently trying to teach me how to fend off multiple attackers and it wasn’t as easy as he and the boys had made it look.
I practically had to have eyes in the back of my head.
“It doesn’t happen overnight, but we’re all here in your corner, including smart ass over there.” He cocked his head in Arturo’s direction, who muttered something under his breath. I rolled my eyes, making Red laugh. “Ignore him, he lost a hand at poker last night. He’s sulking.”
I wish that was the reason.
“Now, go and get showered, you have somewhere to be in just over an hour, don’t you?”
“Shit! Yes, I do. Thank you!” I pecked Red’s cheek, and darted out of the double doors.
Despite my best intentions, I wasn’t able to avoid Arturo for the rest of the day. Just as I was sneaking out with one of my old bodyguards, Papa cornered me and insisted Arturo drove me to Oakwoods retirement home, the one place I visited each month without fail.
“You know, I had important shit to take care of today. And what am I doing instead? Playing chauffeur.” His eyes were hidden behind dark lenses, but I didn’t need to see them to know he was pissed off.
“Knock it off. I don’t want you here any more than you do. But if we don’t start pretending like everything’s fine my father and his men are going to start asking questions.”
“Fine. Then pretend I’m not here.” He strummed his fingers on the steering wheel, as I tore my gaze away and watched the passing countryside.
I wish I could.
“Take a left here, then a right, then?—”
“Let me guess, take another left?” He drawled.
“No, after taking that right, we’ll have arrived.” I sighed, my fingers knotting in my lap. I was ashamed to admit it but I missed the old Arturo, when he joked and tried to get under my skin. Now he was just quiet and contemplative. All his humour and spark seemed to have just disappeared.
“Where are we?” He asked as he pulled up to a grand entrance.
“A place I spend one day a month, more if I can.” I was out of the car before he had time to reply. I didn’t need to wait to hear what he had to say, I knew he wasn’t happy to be stuck with me all day.
“Good morning, Isabella, Lillian is already waiting for you in the library.” I beamed at Harriet and gave her a warm hug. She was woman I’d grown to know incredibly well. She was always so friendly and welcoming.
“I’ll head inside then. I hate to keep her waiting.
” I had only taken two steps towards the door when I remembered Arturo was behind me.
One look at my companion was enough to make Harriet stop in her tracks.
“Uh… He’s with me, although I’m not sure what he plans to do for the duration.
” I laughed as I made my way towards the library.
The moment I entered the library, Lillian’s face broke into the happiest smile I’d ever seen.
“Lillian, I’m so sorry I’m a little late.
I didn’t mean to keep you waiting.” I rushed over to her as she shook her head with a soft giggle.
She was in her late eighties, hair perfectly set without a single strand out of place.
Her amber eyes were framed by a pair of designer glasses, which always seemed to match her attire.
“Don’t you be silly, you didn’t keep me waiting that long. I only just got here myself.” She waved the book she’d chosen for me to read as I sat down beside her on the worn sofa. “I picked one of our favourites.”
“Great! Shall we get started?” I beamed, as she handed me the book.
Volunteering at Oakwoods was one of the only things that brought me true pleasure.
At least once a month I’d drive up to read, play board games, and sometimes watch reruns of the residents’ favourite shows.
Whatever they wanted to do, we would do.
Many of the residents here had family but they either lived far away or didn’t bother to visit at all.
I hated that for them. As far as I was concerned, everyone deserved to have someone they looked forward to seeing and I would happily be that person for as long as they needed or wanted.
“Before you open that book I’m gonna need you to tell me who that brooding gentleman is over there in the corner?” She whispered, arching her eyebrow.
I glanced over my shoulder to see Arturo standing by the door, his eyes watching me intently.
He looked out of place, and uncomfortable as his large frame leaned against the end of a bookcase.
Black ripped jeans clung to his muscular legs, teamed with a turtleneck cable knit and thick black boots. He looked heart stoppingly gorgeous.
“Him? He’s nobody.” I turned my attention back to Lillian and the book, but I knew her all too well. This wonderful, yet nosey busybody wouldn’t drop it until I gave her a satisfactory answer.
“Nobody, huh? He sure doesn’t look at you like you’re nobody,” she clasped my hand in her much cooler one, squeezing gently.
“Trust me, he doesn’t care about me. He made that pretty clear when—” I paused, knowing the library was quiet enough that he’d likely hear whatever was being said. “How about we get started?” Lillian gave me a knowing look before shrugging.
I began reading but my mind, heart and soul wasn’t in it. All I could think about was him, and what I had done that was so damn wrong.
We read Romeo and Juliet for the next hour before I carefully closed the book shut. “So, same time next week?”
“Next week?” Her face turned to me with a mix of bafflement and joy.
“Yes, it’s your birthday. I wouldn’t miss that for the world!”
Her eyes brimmed with tears as she pulled me into her frail embrace. The scent of her musky perfume filled my nostrils.
“Thank you for remembering,” she whispered.
“I could never forget.”
She released me slowly before we wandered over to the exit, where Arturo remained in the same place, expressionless as usual
“You look after my girl, you hear? She’s special,” Lillian warned as she wagged her finger at him.
“That’s what I get paid to do ma’am.” His lip quirked up, but only a little.
“Uh-huh. You forget sonny, I’ve been around a lot longer than you, and I see things,” she winked before pecking me on the cheek. “See you next week,” she left the pair of us alone in the silence of the library, the distance between us wider than ever.
“You done?” He asked.
“No, I usually spend all day here. You can head home if you want. I’ll get a cab back later.”
“You know I can’t,” he sighed.
“Look, I get that you don’t want to be near me, but this is something I do for me and for them. So if you’re bored, go and sit in the car and stop looming over me like some kind of stalker.”
“You know you’re trainin’ next week.” He disregarded what I said, trying to rub me the wrong way.
“I know, but I haven’t missed Lillian’s birthday for the six years I’ve been coming here, and I won’t start now just because you’ve arrived,” I snapped, pushing past him.
His hand gripped the top of my arm, pulling me into him. The ache at being this close overwhelmed me. I wet my lips as he stared into my eyes, his breathing quick and sharp.
“Arturo.” I whispered. The feel of his thumb brushing my arm through the sheer material of my blouse was enough to make my stomach swirl and my nipples tighten. In that split second, there was something between us, and I knew he felt it just as much as I did.
He let out a deep sigh, the warmth of his breath caused my skin to goosebump. We were so close, yet so far apart. He was the first man who’d ever made me feel something or ever really noticed me for me.
And he was also the first man I’d allowed to hurt me.
Just then, I felt his phone vibrate against my leg, causing him to take a step back.
“You should go.” His arms dropped to his sides without a second thought.
“Yeah, I guess I should,” I snapped. He pulled his phone from his jeans pocket and proceeded to read whatever message just came in.
I stood watching him for a moment, and honestly, I was unsure why.
“You goin’?” He didn’t even glance up from his phone, he was too engrossed in whatever he was reading.
“Don’t worry, I’m gone.” I spun on my booted heel and hurried towards the door to my next point of call. A single tear dropped from my eye and I wiped it away with a sigh.