Chapter Seven: Carlos
∞∞∞
I watch her sleeping and panic swells in my chest. She’s been sleeping for hours now. I took her home with me and settled her in my bed while I worked out the details for our wedding and talked to Alejandro. He’s out of town now. But he’s stayed in touch with me since I told him what Carmine was trying to pull. He’s the one that told me what the word on the streets is on Carmine’s troubles.
Not that I fucking care. He brought his troubles on himself. Fuck him.
While I pace and make calls, my little angel sleeps like she hasn’t rested in days. She’s dirty, her scanty clothes are ripped and her hair is a rat’s nest. But she’s still the most beautiful sight I’ve ever beheld.
I feel my heart rate finally start to slow, my hands stop shaking. I’ve been terrified for days since she disappeared. It took longer than I thought to find Carmine’s estate. And seeing her looking so tiny and dainty on that damn ledge scared about six years off my life. I want to wake her up and rail at her for taking such a risk. Then I want to kiss her and make love to her and never let her out of my sight.
“Hey Alejandro. Do you know when you’re going to be home?” I ask.
“I told you I’m busy. I don’t know when or if I’m coming back.”
I sigh and ruffle my hair. “I don’t think your dad is going to be very amenable to that. He wants you home so you can take over the business.”
“I’m not taking over the business,” comes his short reply.
“Come on. What’s the problem? it’s not like it’s the morality of it. You’re a damn killer.”
“I’m the best damn killer.”
“I didn’t realize killers could have swelled heads. It’s not like you can brag all over the place.”
“But I can with you,” he laughs.
“Fine. Right. But you still need to make peace with your dad.”
“I’ve got nothing to say to the old bastard. He’s the one that fucked up and got my brother killed. As far as I’m concerned he’s dead to me. Just like Arturo.”
“I know he was your twin but you need to make peace.”
“Nope. I helped you with your little problem. Stop trying to dump my father’s problems on me. I’m out.”
“Where are you?”
“It doesn’t matter. I’m not coming home and I don’t want any of y’all to come see me.”
“Dammit, fine. But I don’t like this. I keep having to lie to your father and sooner or later he’s going to figure it out.”
“Doesn’t matter. None of it does.” I can hear the sorrow in his voice.
“Are you okay?”
He sighs through the phone. “I will be.”
“Okay. Well, I’m going to charter a flight and get Aspen to Vegas. Then I’m going to marry her so I’ll be out of touch for awhile. You know how to get me a message if you need anything.”
“Yes. I’ll be fine. Talk to you later.”
I hang up the phone and move to the side of the bed. The pale light from the doorway slices across her sweet face. Shadow and light. That’s what we are. I’m the man who your mother warned you about and she’s the one your mother told you to find.
“A good woman is damn hard to find,” I whisper to myself, smiling when she sighs and snuggles deeper into the pillows, moaning.
I call the airport and make arrangements with one of the charter companies. Then I get a basin and washcloth together with some body wash that smells like her. Sweet and sexy and a little spicy. Then I carefully wash all over her body. My breath catches in my throat when I feast my eyes on her glorious curves. She’s a vision. A damn angel fallen from grace. Because for an angel to catch a devil’s eyes she has to fall. Just like the devil does.
She moans and sighs and shivers in the cool air and I stride over to the wall to turn the heat up. She’s not suffering one single second of indignity. One second of being uncomfortable. My whole goal in life is to care for her, give her everything she wants and needs. Make all her dreams come true. If there’s a better goal in life I don’t know what it is.
My woman’s going to know she’s loved.
My dick stretches in my jeans and I growl, annoyed. I’ve been hard as a rock since I found her. I’m not going to push her though. She needs time to get to know me. The only thing that I insist on is that she’s tied to me for all time.
I refuse to lose her again.