Chapter 33
The second we pulled up to the arcade I could feel the excitement radiating from her. Her whole body trembled as she bounced up and down in the seat, her delicate fingers clinging to my jacket.
“Wait… We’re going here?!” she squealed, sliding off the bike the moment I stopped. Underneath the brightly lit doorway, she ripped the helmet off and shook her long locks out.
“What do you think?” I asked, making my way over to her.
“Are you kidding? I’ve always wanted to come here. This place is amazing!” The smile she wore was a far cry from the sadness that tainted her face earlier in the evening. Frankly, I’d rather die than see her cut up like that ever again.
Raising my eyebrows on a satisfied smirk, I took Bella’s hand and led her inside. It was hard to ignore how perfectly her hand seemed to fit in mine. I’d never understood the obsession with couples holding hands, but it was becoming clear.
Inside, the place was crowded, making it easy to blend in. Even if someone was watching, they’d have to be on their A game to find us in here. She directed me to the basketball games but I had other ideas.
“Humour me?” I asked, and started directing her to the far side of the arcade.
She responded with a pout, which wrinkled her nose.
That right there was fucking adorable. The sound of the claw machines and 80s ballads playing all around us took me right back to my youth.
The occasional Sunday afternoon in Southend-on-sea.
Spending all my father’s 2ps on the machines.
Those afternoons were always the best, even when it was too damn cold we still paddled in the sea with an ice cream.
Those were simpler times… Innocent times.
“So, are you going to win me something or what?” she teased.
“Oh, I plan to, but only once I’ve taught you a thing or two on that,” I pointed in the direction of the arcade motorcycle, and her eyes lit up. “I’m going to teach you how to ride properly.”
“Oh, come on! I’ve already ridden your motorcycle,” she rolled her eyes with an amused smile.
“Uh-huh and you were also wearing a dress and nothin’ to cover your upper body.
” My eyebrow raised of its own accord as she blushed and curled a hair behind her ear.
“Now, one day I’m goin’ to want you riding beside me.
But that ain’t happenin’ till I know you can drive properly.
And what better way than with this?” Her eyes glowed seconds before she slammed her lips against mine, not giving a toss who was around.
My hands slid down her back. I pulled her in tighter, sucking on her tongue as her scent drove me and my dick wild.
Fuck, we were in a public place and I was two seconds short of fucking her right there and then. I pulled away, breathing hard.
“Then teach me,” she said. “Teach me like you do everything else.” The double entendre in her words made my dick bob. I revelled in the fact I had brought new things to her life. Things she’d never had before, and was now learning to crave.
“On you get,” I said and swatted her arse. She gasped but did as she was told.
As she positioned herself, swinging her long leg over the seat, all I could think was just how perfect she’d look naked and sweaty, bent over mine. Her pussy wet and begging to be fucked.
“Well, don’t you look fuckin’ perfect,” I said, settling myself behind her and resting my hands on her hips.
As we followed the race track on the screen, I taught her how to lean and move effortlessly with each corner.
Her laughter was contagious, lighting up the whole room with her beautiful, positive energy.
I splayed my hand across her stomach and pulled her body close to mine.
It was becoming harder and harder to have any distance between us, no matter how small.
“Can we go again?” she beamed. I gave her a bemused smirk before I slotted another coin into the machine. A squeal left her and she clapped her hands together.
It occurred to me then that although she’d been loved as a child, the likelihood was that she had never got to let her hair down or have fun without being watched or followed.
It didn’t take a genius to notice. Lorenzo was no doubt a loving and doting father, but when you are moulding your child to take your place, that particular child would gain the most attention.
And up until he shattered Bella’s world, Luca had taken that spot.
How many days would Bella have wanted to spend time with her father playing slot machines like I had with mine only to be told she had to stay home for her safety while Luca learned the ins and outs of his father’s world.
“I think I’m getting the hang of this,” she relaxed her hold on the handlebars. I shook out of my thoughts and focused on the woman in my arms.
“You see how easy things are when you listen to me?” I whispered, teasing her earlobe between my teeth.
“I’m starting to,” she murmured, her voice taking on a shy note. “Do you like it when I do as I’m told?”
“You have no idea. But I happen to know you love it when I spank you,” my voice went gruff as my body went stiff with arousal. “And that tends to happen when you disobey me, doesn’t it?” I felt smug as her body trembled against mine.
“Well,” she whispered back, her voice husky. “I guess you’ll never know which Isabella you’re going to get from one day to the next… Lucky you.”
“Indeed, lucky me.”
After another few rounds on the bike, I ended up winning Bella a small princess keyring. Fitting really.
“Hold out your hand and close your eyes,” I told her, and she did what I wanted, no questions asked. Bloke could get used to that. I placed the keyring in her palm, as she closed her manicured fingers around it. “Open ‘em.”
I watched with pleasure as her eyes widened.
“Arturo…”
“A princess for my princess.” I wrapped my arm around her, pulling her in close. She felt like home. “I have one more thing, come on.” I left her no choice as I practically hauled her into the waiting photo booth.
“Don’t tell me, we’re taking some pictures?” She smiled. Her naive confusion was so fucking cute. It was clear to see she’d never done something like this before. And it brought me more pleasure than I’d ever admit to get to be the first to do this with her.
“Of course. I wasn’t goin’ to bring you here without takin’ some,” I sat on the battered metal bench and yanked her onto my lap, making her squeak and smile from ear to ear.
The countdown began as I gripped her face to cover her cheek with kisses.
Flash.
She turned to face me, heat and desire burning brighter in her eyes than I’d seen before. I couldn’t take my damn eyes off her, but then again… why would I want to?
Flash.
The last photo I knew I had to make count, and trust me, it did.
I cupped her neck and skated my thumb along her jawline before bringing my lips to meet hers.
You know the shit people say about seeing fireworks when you kiss someone?
I’d always thought it was a load of shit.
But right then, I realised it was because you don’t get to experience it until you meet your soulmate.
That one person who would slot into your life with ease.
And boy, did I fucking see them. An explosive array of colours decorating my world and cementing her as mine. Not that I needed it confirming...
Flash.
She hesitantly pulled away, gnawing at her lower lip. “Thank you.”
“What for?” I asked.
“Bringing me out tonight, you know… on a real date,” she blushed, her eyes flitting between mine and the floor.
“You don’t need to thank me for spendin’ the evenin’ with you. I just wish I had been a man and not fucked around before that wanker took you out.”
“I don’t class that shit show as a date. I will forever class tonight as my first date,” her thumb brushed over my lip ring. “Part of me hopes, more than anything, that you’ll also be the last”
“That, princess, sounds like you’re either sayin’ tonight’s your final date, or you fancy spendin’ the rest of your life datin’ me,” I chuckled, which she matched.
“I guess you’ll have to wait and see, won’t you?” she bit her lip in a cheeky grin.
“How about I wait and see while we grab somethin’ to eat?”
“Food sounds good, then who knows, depending on how good it is, maybe I’ll tell you the answer when we get home,” she scurried off my lap to pick up our newly printed photos which she slipped inside the pocket of my leather jacket.
If someone had told me that tonight I’d be sitting with Bella in a back street pizza joint, I’d have laughed in their face.
But this place was top notch. They served the best slices in all of New York.
I’d stumbled upon this particular gem after a gruelling assassination a year ago.
Guy had put up a fight and it had left me starving.
“Always good to see you, Arturo,” Charlie smiled, as he placed two slices down in front of us.
“You too, C,” I handed Bella her slice and she studied it for a moment as Charlie left us alone. “You alright?”
“What is it with pizza joints these days? Years ago they used to overload you with pepperoni, now it’s like they’re on a quota or something.” The outraged concentration on her face was endearing.
I shook my head with a soft chuckle, before picking off several bits of pepperoni, placing them on her pizza. “There, how’s that?”
“You… are the cutest, most sweetest man I have ever met.” Cute? Sweet? Those were two words that I’d never heard associated with me before. “Relax, hardass, it was a compliment,” she winked, biting into her now overloaded slice.
“Hate to break it to ya, but me and compliments? Not exactly mates.” It was true. It had been years since someone had complimented me. So hearing one come from her felt weird yet nice.