Chapter 16

Mia

My temples pounded with the thumping of the ever-present whirling as I tried to come to terms with my situation. I was approaching the huge superyacht of an infamous drug lord. Oh, and he was also my new father-in-law. My husband had been injured, and I’d watched my brother-in-law pull a knife on a man. It was a lot.

Suddenly, I became self-conscious. Looking down, I registered the fact that I was still wearing the long blue sundress from this morning. “I should have changed clothes.” At the moment it was probably an irrational concern, but for some reason, my presentation spiked in importance.

Aléjandro laughed, confirming the nonissue. “I killed two Russians and was stabbed today.” He made a face as he sniffed. “I’m in need of a shower. Mi esposa, you’re stunning.”

“But this boat is” —I wasn’t sure I had words— “really nice…” I held my breath as the pilot lowered us to the helipad near the stern of the yacht. Once the landing skids touched down, I said, “We should be better dressed for your parents.”

“My parents are happy we’re here and safe. They don’t care about what clothes we’re wearing.” Again, Aléjandro translated the pilot’s instructions, telling me that we were to remain seated until the rotors came to a complete stop.

During the time it took for them to stop, a line of people in white uniforms appeared, all standing with their hands clasped behind their backs. I glanced down at my watch. It was nearly nine at night, and it appeared that we had an entire staff at our beck and call.

My ears echoed with the residual whirling of the propellers as one man came forward and opened the door. He offered his hand. I took it, the leverage helping me step down. The skirt of my dress blew, and my hair tousled in the sea breeze as my sandals contacted the helipad. From the outside, an opening where there could be a window showcased a brilliantly lit, luxurious living and dining area. Above us, the dark sky twinkled with an abundance of stars.

As I waited for my husband to disembark, I couldn’t believe my eyes. This boat was crazy, reminding me of a story I’d seen about a Bezos superyacht. I was certain I was unsuccessful at hiding my awe. By the time all three of us were out of the helicopter, Jorge Roríguez stood near the staff. He too was dressed in white. A short-sleeved linen shirt and long linen pants. Despite his grin, I couldn’t help but see him for the intimidating and dangerous man he was. His smile broadened as Aléjandro guided me with a touch to the small of my back, and we walked toward him.

“Mia,” he greeted, again wrapping me in a hug. The combined scents of spice and cigars tickled my senses. While his accent was thick, I had no difficulty understanding his English. “We’re so happy to have you stay with us for a few days. We can get to know one another.”

“Thank you for having us.”

He spoke in Spanish to Aléjandro and Rei. Whatever he said to them sounded more serious than his greeting to me.

“You can get comfortable,” Jorge said. “We’ll have dinner at ten.”

Dinner.

At the sound of the word, my stomach grumbled. I’d forgotten that I was hungry. The first pang seemed like days ago, not hours.

“Sí,” Aléjandro and Rei replied.

I couldn’t look in every direction fast enough to take in the opulence surrounding me. My father wouldn’t be happy that I’d married into the cartel. Despite his willingness for an alliance, it was obvious he considered himself above them. I smirked, knowing that if he saw me now, he’d be green with envy at the sight of this superyacht. It was quite literally a floating castle.

“I’ll show you around after I shower,” Aléjandro said. “We’re headed to our suite.”

The breeze disappeared as my husband led me down a staircase and through a hallway. I wondered if I would need a trail of breadcrumbs to find my way back out. When he opened the door to our cabin, I couldn’t contain my awe.

“Is this always your room?” I asked, spinning a circle as a man laid both of our suitcases on the bed and left with a bow, closing our door behind him. Not only did we have a king-sized bed, but there was a deck with chairs and a table as well as a sitting area inside. One wall was lined with cabinetry, closets, and drawers. “This is magnificent. It is a honeymoon.”

“I’d like to tell you it is, but it’s not. Being here is all about safety.”

His tone took away a bit of my excitement. “How long will we be here?”

Aléjandro frowned. “As long as necessary.” He stalked my direction and possessively reached for my hips.

I sucked in a breath.

Holding his hand or him putting his hand on my back were becoming more comfortable. The way he held me against him was different—intimate. I could feel his erection hardening against me. “Aléjandro…”

He didn’t loosen his hold as conviction saturated his proclamation. “You were in danger today. I won’t allow that to happen again.”

Trying to ignore his arousal, I lifted my hand to his left arm and gently touched his short-sleeve and the bandage peeking out from beneath. “You were in danger.” I shook my head. “I wonder what I got myself into with our marriage.” I scoffed. “Or what Dario got me into.”

He lifted his hand to my cheek, staring intently into my eyes. I concentrated on the swirling shades of brown until his hand dropped, his eyes closed, and he leaned his forehead to mine. His words came out in a long breath. “I said you wouldn’t regret this marriage.”

“I don’t.”

Aléjandro’s eyes opened. “You don’t?”

I shook my head. 

“I’m not an easy man, Mia. Neither is my father. Some would say I come by it naturally. This war with the bratva is” —he inhaled— “it’s a war we must win. I won’t allow you to be a casualty.”

“Because my death would harm the alliance?”

“That’s true. The real reason is that when I asked for you, I thought I was ready to marry. Mi padre warned me about a wife.”

I took a step back. “He warned you about me?”

“No, about taking a wife. He told me that a wife is a weakness.”

My mind was spiraling. “Does Jorge think I’m responsible for your injury or the shooting?”

Aléjandro exhaled. “I’m not saying this right.” He ran his hand over his messy hair. “You, Mia, are important to me.”

He didn’t say he loved me, but I wasn’t expecting that.

He went on, “And anyone who is important to me is a weakness. That was abundantly clear tonight when Rei told me about the men who ambushed his car.” The muscles in his arms tightened as he balled his fingers into fists. “So, when Padre said to bring you here, I didn’t hesitate. Until we figure out who is responsible for breaking into our home, and Silas is overseeing security, you—my weakness—will be where you are safe.”

“Does my brother know where I am?”

“Only cartel know, and only a limited number of us. If Herrera is trying to take us down, we can’t be sure of who to trust.” His expression softened. “Not many people are welcomed onto Bella. You’re an honored guest. And more importantly you’re familia.”

“This yacht is like something out of the movies.”

“It’s strategic. You saw the flag?”

I nodded.

“In international waters, a ship or yacht is governed by the flag they fly. Mi padre is close enough to handle matters in California, yet not staying in the States, therefore not subject to their laws.”

He grimaced as he tugged the black t-shirt over his head, revealing his toned abdomen while simultaneously reminding me of his injury.

“Does it hurt?”

“Like a motherfucker. The doctor gave me pain meds, but I prefer to be mostly clear when dealing with mi padre.”

“Mostly?”

Aléjandro opened a cupboard and pulled out a crystal decanter filled with a light amber liquid. “Tequila.” He lifted two glasses. “Would you like a drink?”

I looked down at myself and back up. “I need a shower.”

“Coincidence, so do I.”

Pressing my lips together, I narrowed my eyes.

He pointed to his arm. “I’m injured. I thought you could reciprocate our earlier shower and wash me. I’d hate to rip the stitches.”

Aléjandro was doing what I’d thought a day ago to be impossible: making me more comfortable around him. Perhaps it was by isolation. While I didn’t really know my husband, I knew him better than I knew anyone else around us.

“I can do that.”

He poured a few fingers of liquor into one of the glasses. “Did you decide on the drink?”

Inhaling, I walked closer. “Let’s see, I was married yesterday. Today, I was shown my new home, taken to a cartel hideout where I was ambushed—your description. And where my husband was recovering from a stabbing. I learned I might be a target and then discovered someone had broken into our new home and ransacked our bedroom. Oh, and then we flew in a helicopter to a superyacht strategically floating outside of US waters.”

His dark gaze shone with amusement. “That about sums it up.”

“Yes on the drink. Make it a double.”

Aléjandro handed me the glass he’d already poured. Next, he poured his own and lifted the glass.

I lifted mine to his.

The two crystal tumblers clinked.

“May you never grow bored with our life.”

I scoffed and took a drink, before coughing.

“Take it easy,” he said. “I don’t plan to lose you to tequila.”

The alcohol warmed my circulation. “That’s a lot for two days. I’m thinking a little more boring would be all right.” 

Carrying my drink, I walked into the attached bathroom, taking in the huge glass shower and the sunken bathtub. When I turned, Aléjandro was standing in the doorway with his drink in hand.

“What are we going to do about keeping your bandage dry?” I asked.

Together, we wrapped Aléjandro’s bandage with a plastic bag we found in one of the cabinets. It was surprisingly easier to step fully naked into the shower with him than it was this morning. This time I was on a mission. I wetted the washcloth and added bodywash. To keep his bandage dry, he needed to keep his arm raised. While he held onto the top of the shower door, I washed his hair, weaving my fingers through his dark mane. It was as I brought the washcloth close to his partially erect cock that I grinned. “Are you sure it won’t bite?”

“No biting until you ask for it.” Aléjandro pistoned his hips. “Keep going and let me know if you like what you feel.”

Asshole.

Biting my lip, I ran the cloth up and down his penis. His length and girth grew harder under my touch. He was considerably larger than Rocco—my only comparison. And yet, despite his obvious arousal, I detected restraint. Aléjandro was letting me touch him at my own speed.

Maybe I was becoming comfortable. Maybe it was our near-death experiences. I wasn’t exactly sure of the cause, but as my core clenched and my nipples drew tight, I sensed a change in my feelings for my new husband. After all, I wasn’t frigid. I’d heard and read the stories about sex being pleasurable. Perhaps Giorgia was right. It could be better with Aléjandro.

With my lower lip between my teeth, my gaze met his. “Let’s change things up a bit?”

He tilted his head, his dark stare swirling with emotions reflecting the intimacy of our position. “What do you want to change?”

“No intercourse. Not yet.”

Aléjandro’s lips pressed together in a straight line as he nodded.

An onset of nerves threatened the strength of my voice. “You see, I’ve been thinking that sex is a rather broad term.”

“Okay.” His voice was gravellier than it was a moment ago.

“We could start with oral.”

His Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat. “Just so I’m up to speed on these possible rule changes, are we talking about you sucking me or me getting to put my lips anywhere on that gorgeous body I want?”

Even under the hot water, my flesh covered in goose bumps as my core twisted. “Both.”