Chapter 55
I dumped the bags on the bed, absolutely exhausted. My mother loved to shop, but at just over seven months pregnant following my mother as she bounced from store to store was getting harder. The sound of the door opening behind me caught my attention.
“ Dios mío. I am so sorry. This is the wrong room.” I frowned at the female Spanish voice that floated across the room.
Spinning on my heel, I gasped as I came face to face with a ghost. Her raven hair was cut into a bob and lined with grey hairs.
Her eyes looked strange though, lifeless and vacant.
“Can I help you?” I asked, stepping closer. Her eyes were steady but her slim frame shook with fear and confusion.
“I was looking for my son… I can’t seem to find him.” She dropped her gaze, unable to keep mine. “This is a very big house.” I cocked my head to one side.
“Your son?” I asked, holding my breath.
“Yes, Arturo? He works here. Do you know him?”
A deep shudder ran through me as she confirmed my suspicion. How? How was this possible? As I took another look at her, it was clear she hadn’t been taking care of herself. She was in desperate need of a good bath and some sleep.
Clearing my throat, I composed myself and smiled. “I do,” I replied, taking her arm.
“Oh, you are his?—?”
“ Girlfriend? Yes, I am. I’m Isabella.” Her pupils pulsed as my words sank in. Her gaze drifted down, taking in my bump.
“You are having a baby?” Her voice sounded strained.
“Yes, we’re just over seven months.” I smiled, trying to sound as welcoming as possible. Unease crept up my spine. I needed to find Arturo and ask him what was going on. “Come, I’d like to run you a nice hot bath, if that’s okay? You must be tired.” I asked, taking in her frail form.
“ Gracias , that would be nice.”
Closing the door to my room, I led her into my bathroom and started filling the tub.
Her shoulders were slack as I helped her out of her floral dress which was worn and tattered.
She was barely skin and bone, and there were fresh bruises decorating her back.
Taking her hand, I helped her into the tub.
“You are too kind,” she swallowed, crossing her arms across her body. “Sorry, you shouldn’t have to do this.” Shame spread across her face.
“You don’t need to apologise. You’re family.” I pushed the door closed, leaving a small gap.
“My son is very lucky to have met you.” I cocked my head to one side as she stared aimlessly at her feet. With gentle hands I began to wash her hair, and after a few minutes her eyes fluttered closed. Once I was done, I stood and placed a fluffy towel by the side of the bathtub.
“Mrs Ramos, where can I find your bags? I’ll go and grab you some clothes so you can get dried off and into bed,” I said with a smile.
“I don’t have anything else with me I’m afraid,” she whispered.
“Oh, uhm… not to worry. I’ll find you something.” I dug out a plain t-shirt and a pair of sweats of mine for her to wear. “Here.”
“ Gracias .” I nodded. After a moment, she struggled to her feet. Unsure what to do, I raised the towel and held it out to her. She eased my discomfort by stepping out and pulling the towel around her. Her eyes flickered up to mine as she said, “I’m Maria.”
“It’s lovely to meet you, Maria,” she took my hand in hers and squeezed it lightly. Despite the bath, her palm was ice cold.
I walked her down to the spare bedroom my father had no doubt arranged for her. Concern swirled in my gut as I realised I hadn’t seen either of them since returning home.
Poor, Arturo. This must have hit him hard.
“Do you need anything else?” I asked, as Maria laid back in bed, staring at the ceiling.
“Would you mind, uh… staying for a moment? I have been alone for so long.” It broke my heart to see anyone so lonely, let alone my boyfriend's mother. I sat down on the edge of the bed, as she turned her body to face me. “My son… he seems different. He doesn’t look at me like he used to.”
“I’m sure that this has all just been a shock for him. But I know how much he has missed you.”
“He needs to know that… I tried. I tried to get back to him… My boy.”
“I don’t doubt that, Maria. A mother would do anything for their child,” I whispered, stroking her hair.
“You love him. Anyone with eyes, can see that,” she smiled softly.
“Yes, although it wasn’t love at first sight. He was a pain in the ass when we first met.” I giggled. “No offence.”
“ Ay dios mío. No offence at all, my child. He was always so difficult. So stubborn, like a bull that didn’t want to move.
” I chuckled along with her. “He is so like his papa that way. But he has changed so much. He is not the boy I remember. Now, he’s a man, with a baby on the way.
When he was young, I worried about him all the time.
No matter what anyone said, he never listened.
” She waved her hand in the air, old frustration rising to the surface.
“He was so angry when his papa died. Fighting. Stealing. I was scared he would end up in prison or worse. Gracias a Dios that is not the case. Now, he’ll have a family like I always prayed, and do something good with his life.
” Her hand loosened in mine as exhaustion settled in.
It was clear she had no idea who we were or what we did.
My family were criminals, but Arturo was no longer alone.
And if it took everything in me, I would ensure he would no longer have to take lives.
It was time for his soul to rest. We were nothing like the Henry Duvals of the world, or the family he had been loyal to when he was a teenager.
We were the Riccis and we lived by a code.
And so long as you didn’t cross us, everyone was treated fairly.
After Maria fell asleep, I closed the door carefully behind me. Exhaling, I wandered back to our room, our baby kicking the whole time. Night time was party time, making sleep near enough impossible.
Already keeping me awake at night, my little one.
As I entered our bedroom my smile faded as I noticed Arturo perched on the bed with his head in his hands.
“My love?”
But he didn’t answer. He was back in that place he’d been in for years. The dark place where he used to shut himself off from the world to suffer alone. I crouched on the balls of my feet in front of him and took his hands.
“I’m here, Arturo.” I whispered, rubbing circles into his wrists.
“I can’t, Bella… I?—”
“No. You don’t get to do that anymore. You don’t get to shut yourself away and leave me on the outside. That’s not how our relationship works, remember? I’m not scared of your demons, Arturo, and neither should you be.”
“How has this happened?” His eyes had become glassy. “I held her as she died, and now she’s here tellin’ me it was all a lie. That all this time I’ve grieved her she was alive…? I don’t understand, Bella…” his voice broke as a fierce shudder ripped through his chest.
“Shh, come here.” I wrapped my arms around him, as he pulled me up onto his lap, side on. “You’re okay. I’m here.” He buried his face into the crook of my neck. “It’s going to take time, baby, to understand what happened?—.”
“I know what happened. It was him. Frank Hamilton… He took her. Damaged her.”
“What do you mean?” I pulled back on a frown.
“Shit. It’s hard to explain. But that ain’t my mum. She looks like my mum, and she sounds like my mum. But she ain’t. It’s like she’s been… warped. Does that make sense?” His eyebrows furrowed as I ran my fingertips across his cheek.
“Yes, it does.” He nodded before staring at the wet towel draped across the armchair.
“I noticed what you did for her. You didn’t need to do that.”
“I know, but you’re my boyfriend and she’s your mother.” His hand caressed my stomach, our little one bouncing their foot off his hand.
“I don’t deserve both of you.” he sighed.
“Don’t talk shit about how you don’t deserve us, because you do. I couldn’t think of anyone more deserving.” Arturo was so damn special. Why couldn’t he see that? “Whatever happens next we’ll get through, okay? I’m here every step of the way.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.” His lips met mine, and just like that everything he was feeling melted away.
“So, do you want to show me what you got for our beautiful baby?” he asked with a soft smile.
“ Eres mi sol, mi único sol, me haces feliz cuando el cielo está gris. ”
I awoke to the sound of Arturo singing to my belly, it was the only time I’d ever hear him sing and I loved it. And no matter how cliche it sounded, it was a moment I would cherish for the rest of my life.
“Good morning,”
“Sorry, did I wake you, my love?” He asked, hovering over me.
“Yes, but in the best possible way.” I smiled, stretching my arms above my head.
“Best possible way, eh?” he smirked, with a mischievous glint in his eye. “Challenge accepted.”
Heat shot to my core as Arturo sank between my legs, sliding them open with purpose. “Voy a perderme en tu cono . ”
I groaned as he nipped at my inner thigh and teased my aching pussy with his fingers.
My legs trembled as he flickered his tongue across my clit. The need to have him touch me had been intense before I’d become pregnant, but now? Now, I couldn’t get enough of him, and he loved it.
Warmth filled my chest as he placed kisses against my inner thigh.
Damn, he’d started all over again. I wriggled against the sheets, frustrated.
But he didn’t leave me waiting for long, he slid a finger inside me as I let out a quiet whimper.
His touch was slower and gentler than usual.
Almost as though he wanted to savour every second.
I couldn’t hide the pleasure I felt as he thrust another finger inside me and began to make come here motions, hitting that delicious spot each and every time.
Just when my clit began to throb, his tongue flickered over it, the sensation so intense it already had me spiralling.
“Esos ruidos serán mi muerte,” he whispered against my pussy. “Mi buena puta nina.”
I gripped the sheets as he alternated between nips and sucks on my clit, my breathing shuddered as his fingers worked me in perfect sync.
I couldn’t hide what this man did to me.
He knew me so well. Better than I knew myself.
Even if Arturo was blindfolded, with his hands tied behind his back, he would be able to could make me come.
Every inch of my body was his to command, his to control.
“Oh, fuck.” That dawning sensation of something uncontrollable building sent sparks flying behind my eyelids. Sweat pricked along my forehead as my body began to quake. “Arturo, I’m close.” His fingers began to thrust harder and faster, and my body greedily took it all.
“Come for me, hermosa . Give me everything.”
With those seven words, I came undone in every way possible. Blood thundered in my ears and warmth spread through me at record speed. I bit into my lower lip, muffling my own sounds of pleasure, not wanting to be heard by anyone in the house.
“Ahh, Arturo.” I gasped, the pleasure coursing through my veins and sending me out of this damn world. He didn’t stop until he’d drained me of everything I had. Everything he wanted, he took.
He looked up at me over my growing bump with a boyish grin, his hair fell onto his forehead, and his eyes lit up with every ounce of happiness you could imagine.
“Whata good fuckin’ mornin’ that was.”
I propped myself up on my elbows, watching as his carefree face dropped suddenly.
“Are you good?” I asked.
“You know what, I will be. I’ve got you and our little one, that’s all I need.” His smile was back. “Now, us three are goin’ away next weekend.”
“What about your mother?” I asked, sitting up with a little more difficulty than usual.
“Lorenzo knows I plan to take you away, he said he will be here for my mother with Ana.”
“Okay, then we’re all yours.” I caressed my naked bump. “Where are we going?”
“That’s a surprise.” He winked, dragging himself from the bed. “I’m goin’ to take my mum out to get some clothes this mornin’, do you want to come?” He asked, hopefully.
“As nice as that would be, I think you need to do that just you and her. I’m going to start sorting our little one’s nursery today anyway.”
“I won’t be long and then I’ll help.” He was so scared he was going to miss something, but putting away clothes wasn’t something he needed to be around for.
“I know you want to help with every little thing and you’ve been incredible so far, but you need this time with, so please, go and enjoy it.”
Bending down toward me I could see how torn he was, fighting with what to believe in his head. His mother had been through an ordeal but so had he, he’d been so alone up until recently, he’d gotten used to it. But why should he have to?
“Smile for me, my love, you know how much I love it.”
A smile brightened his face, and it was one of the many things I adored about that man. Even when I wanted to smash his face in, I still loved his smile. He scooped me into his arms, and headed towards the bathroom where he washed our morning antics away ready for the long day ahead.