Page 167 of Arturo's Temptation

“That’s if there’s any left,” Arturo teased, popping a chocolate chip in his mouth.

Looks like he’s getting his practice in, huh?

That wasn’t the voice in my head I was used to…

Tyler?

The one and only… Did you think you’d get rid of me that easily?

Not in a million years.

Told ya you’d never lose me.

Yeah, but it’s not the same…

Maybe not, but I‘ll always be here with you… every step of the way.

Ty… I killed Henry.

I saw and I am so fucking proud.

I’ll always be proud of you, trouble, never forget that.

I won’t… Promise.

“Hermosa, you okay?” Arturo asked, bringing me back to the present.

“Yeah. You know what? I think I am…”

Or will be at least.

54

It had beenseven months to the day since Tyler’s funeral, and not a day went by that I didn’t think about that kid. I had never met anyone like Tyler. The boy had been one of a kind—a true fucking geezer— and he was missed by us all. Supporting Bella that day was hard as I had to watch her heart break all over again. The speech she’d given made everyone laugh. I’d heard her practising it a thousand times but when she got up on that podium she delivered it like it was written in the moment. My woman was stronger than anyone gave her credit for.

“I need to head to the flat,” I said as we lay together in bed. “There’s somethin’ I forgot.”

“Okay. Do you want me to come with you?” she asked sleepily.

“No. You rest, I won’t be long.” I placed my hand on her stomach. “You too little one.” I hadn’t been all that bothered about children or marriage before, but when I met Bella everything changed. Now, all I could think about was making her my wife and watching our many children grow. That’s right, I wasn’t stopping at one… Fuck no! We’d have a whole footballteam in matching Arsenal shirts. “Call me if you need me, I’ll be back in a bit.”

“It’s okay,” she yawned as she stretched. “I need to get up anyway, my mother wants to go shopping for baby things.” She threw back the covers, showing her growing stomach. “What are you looking at?” she blushed as she caught me staring.

“Just at how beautiful you are.” I swallowed as she wandered over to the walk-in.

“Yeah, right. I’m the size of a frigging beach ball,” she scoffed.

“Hey, insult my woman again and I’ll bend you over this bed and spank you,” I smirked, watching her as she shimmied into a pair of maternity jeans, her face glowing red.

“Don’t you have to be somewhere?” she asked, cocking an eyebrow.

“I’m goin’, I’m goin’. I’ll be back well before you I’m sure.”

“I’m sure you will be,” she kissed my cheek.

”Uh, uh,princesa” I backed her against the closet wall. “You can do better than that.”

With a grunt, I claimed her lips, making a soft moan escape her. The feel of her round belly against my abs made my chest swell.

---