Chapter 17

Aléjandro

Any pain in my arm was immediately forgotten as a wave of red pinkened Mia’s otherwise pale skin, floating up her chest, to her neck, and coloring her cheeks. Waiting for my reply, she veiled her gorgeous eyes. Their usual hazel shade morphed with her declaration for a change in rules, darkening her orbs as they swirled with a deeper, richer green hue.

I wanted to reach for her and take what she just offered. There was no doubt that I’d enjoy every second of fucking her pouty lips. If my damn arm wasn’t covered in plastic and bandages, I would. Instead, being down one arm, I censored my usual desire for domination.

With Mia’s nipples hard and her round tits heaving with anticipation, perhaps it was best to let this progress at her speed. With only the mention of her sucking me, my dick was three times the size it was a moment ago.

“I can be persuaded,” I said.

Mia looked up, a smile curling her sensational lips. Dropping the washcloth to the floor, she kneeled, her soapy palms sliding down my legs lower and lower as she came face-to-face with my erection.

I’d never taken the time to consider the woman’s thoughts as she fell to her knees before me until now.

What exactly is she thinking?

Her pink tongue darted to her lips as she rinsed her hands under the spray and reached for my heavy cock.

Fuck, does Mia have any idea how fucking gorgeous she is?

With her wet hair flowing down her back and her body glistening with water, she was a goddess come to life. Amphitrite, the Greek queen of the sea and the one chosen by Poseidon.

Fuck that. I wasn’t sharing her with anyone, not even a Greek god of mythology.

This woman was mine.

Just as her name suggested, Mia.

She hadn’t even brought her lips to me. Yet watching her expressive eyes as she tried to fist me, her fingers and thumb unable to meet, caused me to bite my tongue, careful not to blow my wad.

Time stood still as she slowly and painfully leaned forward. My grip of the shower door tightened and every nerve in my body exploded as she ran her tongue from the tip of my cock to the base.

The fucking door was in danger of breaking as she moved her lips back down and swirled her tongue, licking the slit. My muscles tensed when she opened her pink lips and took me in.

Fucking warm and wet.

The damn world turned black as I fought the heavenly sensation.

Originally, I mentioned Mia to mi padre not only because I was attracted but because she didn’t reciprocate. It was a power move that I could probably only admit to Rei. In a little over twenty-four hours, my thoughts had shifted. Mia was doing something to me that I could never have predicted.

Not the blow job.

She was wedging her way into my thoughts.

This wasn’t about a power play anymore. Mi padre had been right. A wife was a weakness but fuck if I didn’t want to explore more with my new weakness—more of her body, mind, and soul. I wouldn’t be satisfied until I possessed all of her, every thought in her head while being responsible for all her pleasure.

Bobbing her head, Mia tested her own resolve. Once in a while, gagging, she backed off. As I watched, I marveled at the idea that I hadn’t married a virgin. I hadn’t wanted that. Of course, up until yesterday, I assumed her experience would mean wild and hot sex from the first night.

The woman before me was a dichotomy of sorts.

Confident.

Insecure.

Poised.

Uncertain.

My breathing stuttered as Mia used her hands, with one gripping my cock and the other teasing my balls. “Fuck yeah.” I couldn’t have stayed quiet if I tried. Every move she made felt too good.

With my free hand, I wove my fingers through her wet hair and resisted the desire to direct her movements. Damn, she had this more than covered.

The shower’s spray continued to assault my back as my muscles tightened.

“Fuck, Mia.”

Wrapping her arms around my thighs, she continued her head bobbing and the sounds of her mews and moans combined with the warm humidity of the shower. I released her head, conscious of scaring her.

Mia didn’t stop, taking every drop as I came, over and over.

“Fucking better than jacking off,” I said as I offered her my hand.

Her shy smile was stunning.

I cupped her cheek with my one good hand. “Do I need to get injured to earn your affection?”

Mia shook her head. “I’d rather you not be injured.” She looked up at me with wide eyes. “I’ve never…” She shook her head again. “I know you don’t want me to talk about…before.”

I didn’t. I wanted her fucking first husband to be obliterated from her mind. Yet, she looked so damn pleased, I had to encourage her. “You’ve never what?”

“Initiated…anything.” Her smile blossomed. “I wanted to do that.”

We were sailing in fully uncharted territory. And even without a fucking map, I wanted to explore everything about this woman, from her luscious curves to her flat plains and her deep valleys. However, as I stared at her smile, I wanted to go beyond the surface, to learn what she was thinking and feeling.

I tilted my forehead to hers. “Consider this an open invitation, Señora Roríguez. My cock is always available anytime” —I ran my thumb over her swollen lips— “you get the urge to suck.” I lifted my eyebrows. “It’s available for more than that.”

Mia nodded.

“Now, it’s my turn.”

She stiffened. “Your parents are waiting for us for dinner.”

“Does that mean that you’re not turned on?” I tilted my head. “If I ran my tongue over your pussy, I wouldn’t find it wet and your clit swollen?” I peered pointedly down at her tits. Her areolas were a deeper shade of red, and her nipples were hard as diamonds. “Your nipples are telling me something else.”

Her stare softened. “I am turned on, and you’d find all you predict. I’ve just never been the guest of a drug lord before, and it seems to me that after giving us this amazing place to stay, punctuality isn’t too much for him to ask.”

“Just know, Mia, that when I look at you or reach for you during dinner, I’m thinking about the permission you’ve granted me. I’m thinking about my tongue claiming your pussy until you scream out my name. I’m imagining my face and chin drenched in your sweet juices.”

The pink was back to her cheeks.

“I fucking love that you blush.”

She lifted her palms to both sides of her face. “It’s one of my least favorite traits. I try to hide my feelings, but it rarely works.”

I stifled a laugh. She was right. Our first few interactions she did a piss-poor job of hiding her dislike for me. I’d take blushing and coming over that.

“Let me help you with your arm,” Mia offered as I turned off the water.

Mia dressed in another long sundress. This one was white with small golden flowers. Saying that she didn’t have time to dry her hair she plaited it into a single braid that she pulled over her shoulder.

If she was fishing for me to apologize for our extended shower, she’d have a long wait. Although I didn’t think she needed it, Mia added a small amount of makeup. The mascara made her beautiful eyes look even wider and the blush gave a rose hue to her cheeks. Her lips were still slightly swollen and so fucking kissable.

I pulled on a clean pair of blue jeans and Mia helped me with a button-up shirt, collar open, tails out, and sleeves rolled up. It was easier to get over my bandages and loose enough to cover my holster.

“I thought you said your father has guards,” Mia said as she helped me button the front of the shirt.

“He does.”

“Why do you need your gun?”

“I have a knife on my ankle too.”

She tilted her head.

“No one can be fully trusted. Father’s guards have shown their loyalty. Duty on the Bella is coveted.” I inhaled. If I went on with my explanation, she might not be able to relax as I’d like her to do.

“Is there more?”

“Pirates are real. It’s unlikely they could get close to the Bella without detection. It’s better to be prepared.”

“Should I?” Mia inhaled. “I’ve never carried a weapon, but Dante told me that Catalina does.”

My eyes opened wider.

“A knife. Em taught her how to use it, and Dario continued her lessons.”

That made me scoff. “Maybe Dario is a braver man than I gave him credit for.” I saw Mia’s expression. “Oh, I know he’s the capo dei capi but to arm his wife…that’s bravery.”

“Maybe the secret is that he treats his wife in a way she doesn’t want to stab him.”

“Tell me, Mia. Do you want to stab me?”

She shook her head with a sexy-as-hell grin. “Not right now. Besides, someone beat me to it.”

I was a bit concerned about mi padre. There was no question that he cared about family, but that never stopped him from putting the cartel first. My hope was that dinner would go well and nothing would come up to frighten Mia more than she already was.

With my hand in the small of her back, my wife and I arrived in the dining area at a minute before ten. Mi padre and mi madre were present, standing with drinks in their hands. Mi padre had tequila. Codigo 1530 XII Extra Anejo Tequila was one of his favorites. Mi madre had a glass of wine. I believed Andrés Ruiz made a point of gifting multiple cases from his wife’s winery in SoCal.

Madre’s smile grew as she came toward us. “I’m so happy you’re all here and safe.”

She was making a point of speaking English for Mia, and I appreciated it. Releasing my wife, I leaned closer and kissed Madre’s cheek. “Gracias.”

Rei entered, also looking freshly showered as Madre gestured toward the set table. “We don’t always eat so late. When we learned you were coming, I was afraid you wouldn’t have eaten.”

“We’ve been a little busy killing Russians,” Rei said.

I shot my brother a scowl. Before I could tell him to shut up, Madre waved him off.

“No talk of that here.” Her gold bracelets jingled as she lifted her hand. A server appeared from the kitchen door.

“Señora?”

She spoke in Spanish. “Fill drinks for our children and now, it’s time for us to eat.”

I turned to Mia. “Would you like a drink with dinner? Mi padre has the best tequila money can buy.”

“It was a gift,” mi padre said with a grin.

Yes, in his line of work, he received many gifts.

“Wine with dinner,” Mia said. “I’ve had my quota of tequila for one night.”

“You’re still standing,” Rei said. “That means you haven’t reached the limit.”

“Vino,” I said to the waiter, “para mi esposa. Tequila para mí.”

As anxious as I was to get Mia back to our bedroom following the dinner, I held no illusion that our suite would be my next stop. As Madre asked Mia about the wedding and our new home, it was painfully clear that our padre wanted time with Rei and me alone to learn what the fuck was happening.

We all took seats around the table. Padre sat at the head, mi madre to his left, me to his right, Mia beside me and across from Rei. One end of the room was open, looking out over the dark ocean. A warm breeze kept the temperature comfortable as the staff began serving our meal.

After the first course was taken away, I laid my hand on Mia’s thigh. When she turned my direction, I lifted my eyebrows, hoping she remembered what I’d said and what would be on my mind. The pink hue filling her cheeks was the answer I was looking for.

Madre’s warning kept our conversation light, at least the part that was spoken in English. Once we were all filled, mi padre told Rei and me to follow him to his office. I laid my hand in the small of Mia’s back. “Rei and I need to talk to Padre about what happened today. Can you find your way back to the suite?”

Her body tensed beneath my touch.

“I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

She scanned from me to Padre and back with only her nervous eyes. “Okay. I’ll wait up.”

We remained quiet as Padre, Rei, and I walked out into the night and up the stairs to the next level. As far as home offices go, the one on Bella was smaller than his office at home. For safety reasons, the room was interior. The ceiling was high, yet without windows, it was as if we entered a golden box. Rei and I dutifully took the chairs across from Padre’s desk as he sat in the large leather seat.

He leaned back, resting his elbows on the chair’s arms, and templed his fingers. “We have the Russians’ phones.”

My brother and I both sat forward. “Any connection to Herrera?” I asked.

He nodded. “It seems we are at war.” He looked at me. “Not a good way for a marriage to begin.”