Page 123 of Arturo's Temptation

Great! Amber. Just what I needed.

“What did you do, try to nose dive off a cliff and miss?”

“I fuckin’ warned you,” Arturo snapped.

Warned her? Warned her about what?

Note to self: ask about that later.

“Arturo, it’s fine, I’ve got this.”

I turned to face the blond haired, blue eyed bitch who had been a constant thorn in my side since I was 13 years old. Fire coursed through my veins as memories of her endless jabs and snide comments flowed through my head.

“You know what, Amber?” I said, narrowing my eyes. She laughed and rolled her eyes as I closed the small distance between us.

“What?” she said, tossing her long locks over her shoulder.

“Fuck you.” With that I backhanded her cheek, sending her face snapping to one side. Her friends both gasped and stared at me in horror.

Damn, that felt good!

“You wait until my father hears about this, you bitch!” she screamed, spit flying from her mouth.

“Oh yeah? Is that how you want to play this? As a game of tattle?” I grinned as her face brightened redder than the tomatoes my mama had in her veggie patch. “Go ahead. ‘Cause I’m pretty sure we could end your family’s name quicker than you can say ‘Rah rah go team!’” I allowed a sly grin to spread across my face, as her eyes filled with horror. “I wonder who’d stick around when poor little rich girl Amber Harding can no longer afford Jimmy Choos.”

“I hate you.”

“Oh, boo hoo, cry me a fucking river. However will I sleep tonight?” I rolled my eyes and stared at her friends. “Now run along back to your pathetic, money whoring lives before I make it so you can’t run at all.” With that her friends dashed off. Holding a palm to her still reddening cheek, Amber sulked her way over to the elevators, in search of her room. As the adrenaline from standing up to my childhood bully wore off, asense of empowerment crackled in my veins. I wasn’t one for putting the fear into anyone but Amber had crossed so many lines it was about time someone put the fear of god into them.

“Well, holy fuckin’ shit,” Arturo draped his arm over my shoulder, pulling into the warmth of his body. “That may just have been the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.”

“Even sexier than me crawling to you?”

“Oh, believe me, it’s up there with it.” he chuckled, kissing my cheek.

“I don’t know about you but there’s no way I’m staying here tonight.” Knowing Lily was jetting off to the Maldives in a matter of hours and the wedding was practically over, I figured she wouldn’t mind us leaving a few hours early.

Arturo nodded in agreement.

“Good call.”

“So… home then, I guess?” I suggested, feeling defeated.

“Nah, I’ve got a better idea.” he said with a wink.

“Oh…?” I asked intrigued.

“Do you trust me, princess?” he asked as he pulled me into his arms.

“Always.”

39

After stopping by the supermarket,I drove Bella back to my old place and it was weird. It no longer felt like a safe haven it had once been. But then again, this wasn’t my home anymore, home was now wherever she was. Dumping our bags down by the door, I chucked the keys onto the side table and cracked my knuckles as she wandered around, taking in the New York skyline.

What a shitty day. I let my guard down for five minutes and look what happened.

My mind couldn’t help reliving Bella throwing herself out of that SUV. The way her body dropped like a rag doll onto the road and the fucker dragging her back. I winced and ran my fingers through my hair. I’d never felt fear like it. Emotions to me were something I never understood them and used to have no use for them. I guessed that what happens when your past is a blanket of pain.

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