Page 57 of Arturo's Temptation

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I awokethe next morning later than usual to find Isabella sleeping peacefully beside me. The early morning light streamed through the drapes highlighting the breathtaking features on her face. I had never woken up beside a woman before, so this was new.

And I liked it.

She stirred, making her nose scrunch up. I debated kissing her to carry on what we started last night when my phone vibrated from the bedside unit. Careful to not wake her, I reached over and retrieved it.

Looking back, I wish I had ignored it, because the message I was greeted with was one I never wished to read.

Tut, tut, Arturo. Playing a dangerous game, aren’t we? Everyone close to you dies, so what makes you think Isabella Ricci will be any different?

Who is this?

Do you really want to be the one responsible for that beautiful woman’s death? It would be such a shame for you to lose someone else, wouldn’t it?

Who the fuck is this?!

Just someone offering you a friendly warning. The fact is you don’t deserve happiness, Arturo Ramos. Your actions caused your mother’s death, do you really want to cause Isabella’s too?

Fuck you!

I bet Miss Ricci would look spectacular sliced and diced. And who better to watch her life slip away than you?

I can make it happen. Don’t doubt it. Anything to burn that happiness you feel every damn day is worth its weight in gold.

I let my head fall back onto the pillow and pressed my palms into my eyes. I debated what to do as a mixture of rage, panic, and devastation swirled in my gut. For the first time I wasn’t sure what to do.

Had someone been watching us?

I didn’t give a shit if someone watched me, I’d find them eventually, but I couldn’t let any harm come to Isabella. She was an innocent party in my fucked up life. As much as it may pain me to push her away, I knew it was what I needed to do. I needed Isabella to hate me enough to walk away from whatever happened last night. If that’s how I could keep her safe, then so be it.

Whoever the messages were from knew I was to blame for my mother’s death, and I wouldn’t be held responsible for Isabella’s too.

“Isabella.” I didn’t want to wake her, but it needed to be done.

She needed to leave.

“Isabella, you need to go,” I whispered as nicely as possible.

“Five more minutes?” She mumbled, pulling the covers up over her head.

“No, you need to go now.” I sighed, hating myself with every damn word.

She sat bolt upright, the covers pooling at her waist, andfuck meshe looked beautiful first thing in the morning. Her bed hair fell around her shoulders, her lips parted slightly as the surprise in her eyes was undeniable.

“Shit, sorry, you’re right. Anyone could come up here. I knew I shouldn’t have stayed,” she panicked as she jumped out of bed quicker than I’d have liked her to.

But what choice did I have?

“Just go, please.” I buried my head in my hands like some sort of coward. I couldn’t look at her. I knew seeing her face marred with confusion would break my fucking heart.

You’re protectin’ her.My inner voice repeated but I couldn’t listen to that right now.

“Arturo, what is it? I don’t understand what’s?—”

“Bella, last night shouldn’t have happened.” The words pained me to say, but I had to.

“Please tell me that’s some sort of joke,” she whispered, anger creeping in.

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