Page 37 of Arturo's Temptation

“You good?” he asked.

“Always.”

“Good, but if you need anything, you know where I am.” His eyes were sincere as he handed me a couple of plates.

“I appreciate that.” I worded my next statement carefully. “I’m used to being alone. It’s takin’ some adjustment, you know? To get used to all of… this.” I flicked my eyes around the kitchen before directing them towards the dining room.

“I get that, and I know my daughter hasn’t given you the easiest start. She can be a little…”

“Stubborn?” I joked.

“Exactly.”

“Where is she?” I asked. I knew it wasn’t my business, but fuck it.

“She’s in bed. Ana said she wasn’t well this afternoon,” he sighed. “I worry I’m pushing her too hard.”

“I doubt it,” I gave him a pointed look. “Could be she’s a little under the weather. You want me to take her something up?”

“No, she said she didn’t want anything. I’ve let her be this evening.”

He might have, but I wasn’t going to.

15

“Isabella?”

“Go away,” I groaned at the familiar voice behind my bedroom door. I looked and felt like shit. I didn’t need to see him right now.

The door opened to reveal Arturo, wearing grey sweats that hugged his thighs, a fitted black t-shirt, his usual leather jacket and sneakers. I pulled the covers over my head to prevent him seeing me. My hair was a mess and my eyes were bloodshot. This was a new level of humiliation.

“Go away.” This man and his zero boundaries. He was becoming a pain in my ass.

“Can’t. Sorry. Soup’s goin’ cold.” I could tell he was smiling, but it wasn’t his usual cocky smile, it was a worrisome one.

“I’m not hungry.” The thought of eating something there and then was quickly making me want to hurl.

“Please, just try some. If you do, I’ll leave you alone,” I felt the bed dip as he lowered himself onto it. He pulled the covers back, I already knew my face was pale and my lips were dry and cracking, but he didn’t seem to care. As he helped me to sit up, his eyes roamed over my face, as he supported my weight.“It’ll be the last thing you want, Isabella, you need to try and eat something.”

“Arturo,” I pulled my face away. “This isn’t your job.”

“I’m doing this because I’m worried about you. And it’s got fuck all to do with my job.” He peeled the lid off the soup he’d brought. I noticed it had a label from somewhere in town.

He’d bought that for me?

“You didn’t need to do that,” I breathed out, feeling a wave of nausea pass through me.

“Isabella, for once, stop being so bloody stubborn and let me do this for you,” he huffed carefully, bringing a soup-filled spoon to my lips. Surprisingly, I let him feed me. I didn’t want to, but right now I was too weak to argue. “Good girl, that wasn’t so hard, was it?”

“Can we do this silently?”

“As you wish.”

The flavour was pleasant and it did ease some of my nausea. Arturo continued to feed me until I couldn’t stomach anymore. He placed the tub on the bedside table before turning back to face me.

“Better?” He asked, tucking a stray hair behind my ear.

“A little, thank you,” I smiled as best I could, but it only tugged at the corners of my mouth.

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