Page 112 of Arturo's Temptation

“You really know how to keep your man waitin’, don’t you?” he smirked, his voice low and gruff with seductive intent.

I stood naked before him and swallowed as his eyes darkened. I kept my movements slow, determined to torment him. “And you, Mr Ramos, really know how to keep running out on me.”

“I know, princess, I’m sorry. I was in my own head. I can’t explain it.” I stopped a foot from the bed and frowned.

“Did you regret what we did?” My heartbeat was in my throat as I locked eyes with him.

“No, not in a million fuckin’ years.” He jumped to his feet and grabbed my face, holding it in place. “Bella, tonight was the best night of my fucked up life. I just… I don’t do well with emotions.They fuck with my head. But I promise, no more runnin’. Not anymore.”

“Arturo, I?—”

“I’ve done some fucked up shit in my life. Made many mistakes. But you, princess? You ain’t one of them. For the longest time I just wandered from kill to kill. And I think a part of me feared it’d always be that way. That I’d always be this fucked up version of who I once was…”

“What changed?” I asked.

“You,mi princesa.You lit a fire inside me.” He reached up and stroked a thumb down my cheek. His eyes pulsed as he followed the trail his hand took. He swallowed, frowning, before he continued. “I’m in this til the fuckin’ end.” His eyes then lifted to search mine… for acceptance? Reassurance? I wasn’t sure but it made my heart settle.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed my lips to his. It was time to shut the rest of the world out. Whatever happened prior to our date could wait. Tonight it was just the two of us in our own bubble, I wasn’t going to let anyone or anything ruin it.

“Listen,Arturo, man, I don’t get why you won’t let me be on the security team… Come on, I never get to do anything fun!” I watched as Tyler whined and begged Arturo to let him come along to the wedding.

“Oh yeah? Then how come I know for a fact that you pretty much handle all of the evenin’ runs downtown with your dad, eh?” Arturo chuckled, patting Tyler’s cheek.

“Dude have you seen the snoozefest those runs are? It’s all packages and payments. A threatening word here, an ear there.” He huffed, getting more and more frustrated. “But weddings? Weddings are fun! They’ve got free bar. Dancing. Hot and wild bridesmaids looking for a dick to ri?— ”

“Regardless, nobody other than me and Bella are goin’ to the weddin’. I can protect her at a small event…alone.”

“Ugh, you’re such a spoilsport!” I laughed as Tyler practically stamped his foot on the floor. He was a carbon copy of his father.

“Ty, Arturo isn’t trying to be difficult.” I jumped off the treadmill much to Arturo’s annoyance. “This is about the fact Lily is getting married and I don’t want loads of security there. It’s her big day and I can’t bear ruining that and making it all about “me”. But don’t sweat it. I’ll have Arturo if something goes wrong. You know if it were any other event, you’d be by my side, without a doubt, right?”

“Fine…” He wrapped his arms around me in a bear hug, making Arturo’s nostrils flare. “See, why couldn’t he say it like that?”

“Fuck me, you’re gettin’ right on my nerves, you are!” Arturo pulled Tyler off me without a second thought, making my friend grunt. “Bloody sensitivities. Now, do me a favour and be her sparring partner. Bella needs to work on her backhand.” Tyler didn’t need to be told twice, he was already on the mat showing off. “Bella?” Arturo smiled.

“Yes?”

“Knock the cocky fucker out.” Arturo’s lips turned up into a smirk as he watched Tyler’s face fall.

“Arturo—” I started.

“Bella, knock that lil’ shit out or we’re doing laps,” he demanded. I rolled my eyes at the crushing thought of Arturo’s lake sprints. The guy’s a machine. Even after only three hours ofsleep he looked well rested. I hopped onto the mats and started circling Tyler as if he were my prey.

“Ready, Ty?” I winked.

“Ah, Bells. This isn’t a fair fight, but I’ll go easy on you in front of the A man.” He grinned back and started watching my feet.

Gotcha!

I swung my right arm out on in a smooth arc and clocked him on the side of the head.

“What the actual fuck?!” he roared, shaking his head to lessen the pain. I held back a smile as I felt my body react in one fluid motion catching his unguarded ribs with the flat of my foot. He stumbled backwards with a groan. “Damn, Bells. How did you learn to move that way?”

“Guilty,” Arturo raised his hand from the side of the mat. His eyes were full of a mixture of smugness and pride.

Jab after jab later and Tyler was faltering, caught up in my false strikes and confusing foot work. Months of Arturo’s exhausting training programme was finally paying off! He heaved breaths through his nostrils, frustrated. He was getting tired. Taking a deep breath, I sent one, two punches toward his face, and as he dodged, taking attention away from his feet, I ducked down and swung my leg round in a swift circle, sweeping his legs out from under him.

“Shit!” He grunted, as his back collided with the mat below him. I grinned as he lay there breathing heavily. “I used to know your every move! What the fuck happened to me?!”

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