Page 38 of Arturo's Temptation

“No training tomorrow, just rest.” He laid me back down, pulling the covers up to my chin. “Need anything else?”

“No. Thank you.”

He cupped my chin, the action bringing my gaze to his. “Don’t ever thank me for worrying about you,Hermosa,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to my damp forehead.

I was unsure what to feel. I didn’t know if it was because I was sick and not feeling myself but his gesture made something in my belly flutter. I wanted to hate him and his damn attitudebut something inside me couldn’t. I didn’t want to give into him, I couldn’t. I couldn’t allow myself to.

“Goodnight, Arturo.”

“Goodnight, Bella.”

He rose from the bed, I expected him to look back as he left but he didn’t. He slipped out the door, closing it quietly.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Did I want him?

No, no I didn’t.

Nothing could happen there.

Aside from everything… my father would kill him, no questions asked.

“Good morning,darling, how are you feeling?” I entered the lounge to see my mother watching a movie alone. I still felt unsteady, but I couldn’t spend the day in bed, no matter how much I wanted to.

“Not great, but I just needed to get out of bed.”

“Well, I’ve just put on Mamma Mia, sit down with me,” she said, patting the sofa.

As I flopped onto it, she pulled me into her embrace. Her floral perfume filled my nostrils while she stroked her hand over my hair, gently placing my head on her lap.

“I don’t want you training today, okay?”

“I won’t. Arturo told me to take the day off,” I sighed. I couldn’t deny the guilt that flooded through me.

“Oh? When did you see him? He’s been out with your father since the early hours,” she said pointedly.

“When he brought me some soup last night.”

“So that’s where he went after dinner, he said he forgot to pick something up.” In my haggard state I could have sworn I heard intrigue in her voice. But our family had strict rules when it came to who I could and couldn’t date. Especially now I had agreed to take over from my father. That and she knew better than anyone not to get excited over me and a guy.

“It’s no big deal! He just felt guilty about pushing me so hard in the gym. That’s all.” I didn’t know who I was trying to convince, myself or my mother.

“Isabella—”

“Mama, I know what you’re going to say, but I swear to you, that’s all that it was.” I sat up to face her, my sunken eyes meeting her dubious ones. “Besides, I don’t see myself ever finding anyone. I need to do this alone?—”

“What you need to do is to relax. This is a major change for you, and not one you wanted. Your Papa knows that. You need to trust that he will go at your pace.”

“As long as it’s not snail pace,” I huffed.

“Isabella, your father doesn’t want to lead forever. He wants to pass everything to you and see you flourish. He wants the world and more for you,” she squeezed my hand in hers, her ring catching the sunlight.

“I get that.” Just as I settled back down, she spoke again.

“Bella sweetheart, you’ve always put family before your own interests—even going as far as to accept a position you didn’t want. I just want you to promise me that when you find what it is you’ve been looking for, you’ll trust your instincts.”

I frowned at this. My mama and I rarely had heart-to-hearts but this felt different. What was she trying to tell me? I sighed and rubbed my throbbing forehead. “Yeah, okay, Mama, I promise I’ll try.”

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