Page 75 of Arturo's Temptation

“Security detail, princess? Smooth…” I teased, leaning on the nearest pillar.

“What do you think you’re playing at?” She seethed, whipping around to meet my gaze.

“I don’t know what you mean.” Her eyes blazed as I played innocent.

“You know damn well what I mean! What was with the stupid pissing contest with Henry?” She gripped her hands on her hips, not realising that it was causing her cleavage to burst even further out of her dress. “You made it perfectly clear you didn’t want me! So what’s your damn problem?!” Despite her anger she managed to keep her voice low.

“I don’t like him. End of story,” I smiled, which only angered her more.

“How fucking dare you!” She screeched. “This is my life. If I want to date someone, I will! You can’t choose that?—”

“I can if it affects your safety. And I don’t trust him.” It wasn’t a complete lie… There was something about the guy that gave me a weird feeling. I tried to ignore the jealousy beating at my chest, but I was struggling.

“I can’t deal with you! One minute you’re flirting with me, the next you’re shouting at me.” Her eyes began to glisten. “You know what, fuck you! When I look at you, I can’t decide if I want to smash your face or kiss you—” Her eyes softened slightly as she realised what she said. During our fight, we’d unconsciously stepped closer. Her chest heaved as she drew in breath after breath. The little puffs of air coming from her drowned me in her scent. and it took everything I had not to yank her into my arms.

“Isabella, I already told you that won’t happen again,” I firmly whispered through gritted teeth because that shit pained me to say.

“Then why are you bothered about me going on a date with Harry?”

“You mean Henry?” I joked.

“Fuck’s sake!” She pinched the bridge of her nose, and let out a deep sigh. “Stop messing with everything. I don’t need or want you coming to my ‘rescue’.”

“Tough shit, princess. I was hired to come to your fuckin’ rescue. So if you’re hell bent on going on a date with Ken doll in there, then I will be drivin’ you.”

“I fucking hate you!” I knew she didn’t. If she did, this would all be so much easier.

“Oh,mi princesa, you wish you did, but you don’t.” I stepped toward her, her eyes flashing between mine.

“You’re the one playing games. And you know what? I’m sick of it.” With that she barged past me, a scowl marring that beautiful face of hers.

There’s no way she was leavin’ me, not yet anyway.

24

No matterhow fast I tried to move, he was always faster. His calloused hand wrapped around my arm, bringing my back colliding with the pillar behind me.

Seriously, what does he want?

“Wait,” he whispered as he inched his face closer to mine, a mix of his heady cologne and leather filling my nostrils.

“What do you want from me, Arturo?” I snapped.

“You’re making this so fuckin’ hard for me, Bella,” he rested his forehead against my own, as he let out a steady breath. Rage boiled low in my stomach.

“You’re doing that to yourself,” I shoved his body away, making pain flash through those hazel eyes.

“Look, there is so much I can’t tell you, okay? It’s… stuff I need to deal with alone, and I can’t drag you down with me,” he sighed. What the hell was he talking about?

“Then tell me,” I begged, grabbing his biceps.

“I can’t.. You don’t deserve my shit corruptin’ your life like it has mine.” His eyes filled with sorrow as he smoothed his fingers down my cheekbone, leaving a trail of heat in their wake.

“Stop treating me like I wouldn’t understand. I’m not some innocent little girl, Arturo, who doesn’t know how the world works. I’ve grown up in a life that’s anything but pure and good. You don’t get to decide what I deserve to know.” He groaned as though in pain.

“Bella, you are so much more than I—” he stopped himself and glanced down, heaving in a breath. “I’d never forgive myself if somethin’ happened to you because I took my eye off the ball,” he whispered.

I inched closer to him, our lips so close I could taste his minty breath. “Please, whatever it is, just tell me.”

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