Page 140 of Arturo's Temptation

It was just turningfive am when we started our drive home. As we reached the highway, Tyler let out a whoop. “Oh, A… That was sick.”

I rolled my eyes. “Fucker deserved the punishment, and I’m proud of ya, Ty.”

“Cheers, man, that means a lot coming from you.” He smiled from the passenger seat, still buzzing from the nights events.

Well… that was one thing we didn’t have to worry about anymore.

44

It had been almosta 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.

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