Chapter 44
It had been almost a month since my first kill and I could still see the blood on my hands.
Was I cut out for this? The first time I brought it up, Arturo told me each one gets easier.
But each night he held me still as visions of the man I had killed haunted my dreams. I would wake up screaming with the smell of burning hair and flesh in my nostrils.
Ever my protective shadow, Arturo covered for me when I was too exhausted to train and couldn’t bring myself to sit and eat dinner with my family.
I felt weak, but when I brought this up in front of him all I saw was understanding.
“You ain’t weak, Bella. You took a life, that’s no easy th ? —.”
“And now my conscience is punishing me for it!” I yelled, stomping over to the punching bag hanging in the corner of the gym. As I began to pummel it, he caught my hands from behind.
“Would it make a difference if I told you what we knew about the guy?” I stopped trying to throw him off and stopped.
“What?”
“He’s a low life. Battered his missus and got another pregnant. He was also sellin’ to people he shouldn’t have been.” I frowned as Arturo spoke. I knew so little about this business because I didn’t want to know the details.
Sighing, I turned, “That… helps, but it doesn’t change the fact there’s blood on my hands. I’m a killer.” A tear rolled down my face which I swiped away. “Nothing’s ever going to be the same.”
“No, it won’t.” he confirmed with a nod and one eyebrow raised. “You’ll be disgusted with yourself. Hate yourself even. Some days you’ll want to drink or batter your head against a wall just to get the visions to stop.” I frowned as he swallowed.
“You… went through this?” I asked, stepping closer to him.
“Let’s just say the first is always the worst.” He stepped away and sat down on the mat, elbows resting on his knees.
“Who was it?” I asked, sitting down beside him.
“Just some geezer. The guys I was with laughed so fuckin’ hard when I chucked up right outside the room we were in.” He bumped my shoulder with his. “Point is, you’ll get through it. And if you can’t bring yourself to do it again? We’ll figure it out. Okay?”
I nodded, releasing a breath of relief, “Yeah, okay.”
Arturo understood what I was going through, and he’d been far younger the first time he took a life.
Swiping my fingers under my eyes, I glanced sleepily over at the bedside table, noticing a delicate box sitting pretty in the middle. I ran my fingers along the silver trim, before opening it. Inside was a stunning gold, ear cuff, decorated with diamonds.
Arturo…
There was a small note inside. Unrolling it, I smiled as I took in the surprisingly neat handwriting.
My love, I thought you needed an upgrade. Saw this and thought of you. I love you. A x
Smiling, I wasted no time in removing my stud and replacing it with the cuff. It was beautiful and something I would have chosen for myself. It was as I made it to the door that I realised, today was the first time since we’d left the docks that I’d woken with a smile.
As I entered the kitchen, I spotted my mother preparing breakfast and Theo trying his best to steal whatever he could get his hands on.
“Auntie B!” he squealed, jumping into my arms.
“Hey, little man.” I squeezed him tight, as he wrapped his arms around my neck.
“A helped me with my math. He’s a genius!” he giggled as Arturo joined him from the table.
“Aren’t you a lucky boy?” I ruffled his hair and set him back down on the island beside my mother.
“Indeed he is,” my mother smiled as she pinched Theo’s cheek.
“Bella, we’re heading out today. A little trainin’ exercise I’ve organised in the woods.” Arturo strummed his fingers against his coffee cup. “The team are comin’ too.”
“What are you planning?”
“You’ll see, but trust me, it’ll help.” he smiled. With a bump, Theo jumped down from the island and bounded over to him. It was clear to see that Arturo was becoming one of Theo’s favourite people. “Be ready to leave in thirty minutes.”
“And what have you got cooked up for my daughter today, Arturo?” came my father’s voice as he strode into the room, wrapping his arms around my mother. He nuzzled his face into her neck, making me smile. Their love was something I aspired to have, something I wanted with Arturo.
Something we would no longer have to hide…
“Takin’ her out of her comfort zone. ‘Bout time we did a little exercise to show Miss Impatient over here just how far she’s come.” Arturo replied, striding toward me. “That’s if she’s up to it?”
“I’m up to it.” I nodded, sipping the green tea my mother had handed me.
“Good girl,” he crooned, making my insides twist and warmth pool low in my belly.
“You’d better go and get ready, Bells, you don’t want to keep Arturo and the guys waiting.” My father patted my hand across the island, flashing me his usual smile.
“See you in thirty,” I replied, turning my attention to Arturo.
His fingers ran across my thigh, causing me to jump.
To my relief though, nobody noticed where his fingers were thanks to us being positioned on the other side of the island.
Nodding, I turned away and jogged towards the stairs only to collide with Tyler…
who wore the biggest smirk on his adorable face.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk, getting handsy in front of Daddy Dearest.” he teased. The urge to punch him in the gut was all consuming. “Oh, stop with the dagger eyes. I won’t say a word. I already covered that with Mr Terminator back there.”
“You’re such an ass.”
“I love it when you compliment me.” he laughed as he draped his arm over my shoulder. “So, tell me, have you said those famous three words yet?”
“What the fuck, Ty?! What makes you think?—”
“Dude… I’ve known you all my life. You’ve never looked at a guy the way you do with him. He has the same look in his eyes. He’s fucking besotted with you.”
“Shhh. Shut up!” I hissed, gripping the place between his neck and shoulder and dragging him up the stairs, “Come with me.”
Once inside my room he flopped onto the bed.
“Spill!” he grinned, sweeping his hand out in front of him.
“He, uh… told me he loved me.” I whispered.
“That’s amazing!” he bounced, reaching out with both arms in congratulations. “Right?” When I didn’t smile back he pulled his arms back in and winced. “No, not amazing?”
“Of course it is, it’s just… I haven’t said it back yet,” I sighed. “I want to, but if my Pa finds out, who knows what he’ll do to him. That scares me, Ty.”
“Oh, fuck him!” he yelled, jumping up to rest his hands upon my shoulders. “Do you love him?”
“Yes.” That was the first time I had admitted it out loud to anyone besides Peyton.
“Then tell him! Put the dude out of his misery. The guy’s probably up at night obsessing about the fact you haven’t said it back. And I mean the dude sure looks like he could use the sleep lately,” he laughed, but he didn’t know Arturo was actually having sleepless nights because of me.
“I’m scared.”
“Take the leap, Bells. You know Arturo will catch you every single time. The dude may be an intimidating fucker, but he seems like the once-in-a-lifetime promise sort of guy.” Tyler’s words replayed over and over like a broken record.
“Trust me on this. I’ll stand up against anyone who tries to ruin one of the only things that has ever made you happy. Unc Lorenzo included.”
“What would I do without you, Ty?” I pulled him into an embrace, as I buried my face into his jacket.
“Suffer and drown?” he laughed. “Nah! Lucky for you, you never have to find out.” I felt him smile as he rested his chin against the top of my head. “Now, you ready to find out what the A man has in store for you today, or you running scared?”
I wriggled out of his arms. “Get out, I need to get ready.”
“I’ll meet you downstairs. But don’t keep lover boy waiting, don’t want to risk him bending you over Unc’s desk again.” he chuckled, heading for the door.
“Here’s hoping,” I joked, as he disappeared.
“ Mi princesa , I’m puttin’ you to the test today… by takin’ away your sight. You’ll have to sense us with your hearin’ and take each one of us out in the way you think is best. Understand?” he spoke calmly as he slid the blindfold through his fingers, my heart hammered violently in my chest.
Oh god…
“Arturo, are you sure about this? Is it safe?” I asked. But of course it would be. He wouldn’t have suggested it if it wasn’t.
“I’ve had the guys out all mornin’ patrollin’ the perimeter. It’s safe.” he cupped my face, making me relax.
“Okay, let’s do it.” Nodding, he slid the soft material around my face.
I held back my instinct to panic as the world around me went dark.
As he finished tightening the knot at the back of my head, his lips brushed against my ear, sending ripples of excitement across my skin.
“Put these guys on their arses. Show ‘em what I know you’re capable of.” A gentle kiss at the base of my ear made me shudder.
“By the way, the earring looks perfect.” And with that he was gone.
I took a breath as I cocked my ear to the rustle of his long stride moving further away into the forest. Standing still, I took a moment to get a feel for my surroundings.
My ears picked up the delicate sounds of birds darting through the trees.
Leaves rustling in the afternoon breeze.
The sharp snap of a twig beneath someone’s feet.
My head snapped to the side, focusing on the direction of the sound.
He was coming head on, getting closer to me with each passing second.
I clenched my fists, letting my nails dig into my palms, but the person I could hear closing in was no longer the only one approaching.
Two at once… Brave.
I felt one arm swipe through the air as I ducked, crouching to the moss below. This wasn’t so bad, I thought, until my legs were swiped up from beneath me. I yelped as my head collided off a rock.