Chapter 9

Mia

Giorgia cornered me as Aléjandro left my side to find us both coffee. Her eyes were huge, and she looked as if she hadn’t slept. “Are you okay?”

“Are you?”

“I couldn’t sleep with the music and for worrying about you.”

I looked around, making sure we weren’t overheard. “I’m good.”

“Did he force you?”

Shaking my head, I smiled. “I was afraid, but he didn’t.” I lowered my voice even more. “But if Antonio or anyone asks, we fucked like rabbits.”

Giorgia giggled. “Is that your agreed-upon cover story?”

“Yes.”

She took my hand and squeezed it. “This is going to be better, Mia. I know it.”

Wrapping my arms around my cousin, I whispered in her ear, “I miss having you around already.”

“Me too.”

Sex may have been a subject with the men, but other than some well-meaning questions as to my wellness, the women didn’t ask for specifics. Flashbacks of the morning after my first wedding reiterated the savage nature of some of the famiglia’s traditions.

Aléjandro was across the room speaking with his brother and friends. I had a new appreciation for the way his biceps bulged beneath the sleeve of his t-shirt. My gaze moved lower, remembering the way he looked stepping from the shower.

The shower had been unplanned. Ten years married and I’d never watched a man jerk off. When I first entered the bathroom, I was unsure what my husband was doing. Once it was clear, I found the vision beautiful, the way his muscles in his back and shoulders contracted and the change in his expression…I was mesmerized, unable to turn away. I probably should have snuck back out, not getting caught with my voyeurism. The more I watched, the more I was trapped, like a deer in the headlights.

When he stepped out of the shower, I was hardly able to look away from his penis. Aléjandro was right I’d seen a naked man before but not one proportioned like my new husband. To say he was blessed would be an understatement.

My fears returned, worried if I would be able to handle his size. I may have even been trembling when he removed my nightgown. My mind was trying to compute, and I didn’t know what I was doing. I could blame my acceptance to enter the shower with him on the guilt of my ogling or maybe it was simply curiosity. Whatever the cause, as he held my hand, I willingly chose to accept his invitation.

Never in a million years could I have predicted the gentle and reverent way he cleansed and caressed my body. When I saw him crouched down, I longed for his lips to go to the one place they didn’t—the place I’d deemed off-limits. If he had searched between my folds, I wouldn’t have been able to hide my arousal.

As I ate a bagel, I spotted the girl from the wedding reception—the one who looked miserable. Emiliano had said she was his new aunt. That would be hilarious since she’s younger than him if it weren’t so sad.

She was standing on the terrace, staring out at the ocean. I waited to see if her husband was about take his place at her side, but he didn’t. Looking around the crowd, I spotted him speaking with Catalina’s father. I can’t explain the pull I had to go to her. Taking a blueberry muffin from the counter of foods, I walked toward her.

“Hi, Liliana, I’m Mia.”

She looked up at me with huge eyes. “Yes. I know. You married Aléjandro.”

“Oh, I guess that’s true.” I handed her the muffin. “I brought you this.”

“Gracias.” As she reached for it, the sleeve of her sweater moved up, revealing the brown and green of a bruise on her wrist. I didn’t think she realized I saw it, and I knew from experience, if I mentioned it, she would make an excuse. I’d used them all myself.

Slowly she peeled away the muffin paper.

“I think Aléjandro told me you were recently married.”

Her face paled as she nodded. “Aléjandro, Patrόn’s son, knows about my marriage?”

“I heard your husband is a trusted lieutenant.”

“Sí. Gerardo works hard.”

“You probably know this,” I said, “but I’m new to the area, and I really don’t know anyone. Since we’re both newlyweds, I wondered if maybe we could get together? Coffee? Lunch?”

Liliana looked around. “We live in Northern California. I don’t know anyone there either.”

“Where in Northern California?”

“Qué pasa aqui?”

Liliana and I both jumped at the booming deep voice of her husband.

“Nada,” Liliana said quickly, lifting what was left of the muffin. “Señora Roríguez brought me a muffin.”

Clenching my teeth, I steadied my shoulders as Gerardo Ruiz turned to me. At Liliana’s use of my new last name, his menacing expression changed. Her husband couldn’t complain that she was speaking with el Patrόn’s daughter-in-law.

“Señora,” he said with enough sugar to put me in a diabetic coma. “Felicidades on your wedding.”

“Gracias. I was just talking to your lovely wife about being newly married and not knowing many people.” Although I saw the way Liliana was cowering, I went on. “She tells me you live north.”

“Sí.”

“It would be lovely if Aléjandro and I could visit sometime.”

He stood taller. “We would be honored.”

“I’ll speak to him.” I turned to Liliana. “I hope you enjoy the muffin. Thank you both for coming to our wedding.”

When I started to walk away, I saw Aléjandro looking my direction with a puzzled expression. Smiling at other guests, I went to him and reached for his arm. My smile stayed in place, and I spoke in a whisper. “She has bruises on her wrists.”

He turned his gaze on me. “Mia, he’s her husband. Maybe it’s kink, not abuse.”

I shook my head. “I offered for us to visit them sometime.”

His lips were pressed together.

“The possibility of a visit from you could save her a lot of pain.”

“And you know this how?”

“I know it.”

Aléjandro exhaled. “We can plan a visit.”

“No. Tell him you’ll let him know the next time you’re in the area. Keep him wondering. I promise it will be better for her.”

Aléjandro wrapped his arm around my back and squeezed me to him. “Day one and you’re causing problems with one of our lieutenants.”

My cheeks rose in a smile. “Dario warned you.”

“He did.”

After brunch, both families gathered around as Aléjandro and I opened the few presents we received. It was more about the thought because we truly didn’t need anything. From what Dario had told me, there wasn’t anything Aléjandro couldn’t afford. Like he said, this was a marriage better suited for the daughter of a capo.

Once my family began to leave, it was also time for Aléjandro and me to go. We both thanked Andrés and Valentina for their hospitality. I gathered my belongings. Next, my husband led me to a Porsche 911 Turbo with a sleek silver exterior and a deep red and black leather interior.

I settled into the soft leather seat as Aléjandro put our bags under the front hood and got behind the wheel. After all the noise and activity of the morning wedding continuation, the quietness within the car was sensory deprivation. There were millions of questions in my head, each one eager to be voiced. Yet as he started the car, and drove down the lane toward the gate, I remained silent.

My thoughts were too random. I was having trouble reconciling the man last night who was unhappy about my demand with the one who this morning carefully and gently caressed my body and washed my hair…and even turned down a blow job.

Soon, the scenes beyond the windows captivated me, being so different than what I was used to in Missouri. The streets were lined with palm trees and flowering bushes. The sky high above was a vibrant blue. He drove us down a road that wound high along the cliffs above the ocean beaches far below. The sea was alive with waves sparkling like the diamonds in my wedding band.

Finally, we came to another gate similar to the one at the Ruiz home. Aléjandro entered a code and the gate slid back, allowing us entry.

“Do we have guards?” It was the first question I allowed myself to voice.

“Sí,” he turned to me and back to the road. “You will stay protected, Mia.”

“I grew up with bodyguards. Rocco kept a guard outside the house.”

“Not inside?” he asked.

I shook my head, realizing I’d said my late husband’s name. Perhaps it wasn’t an issue if we weren’t in an intimate state. I explained, “He wasn’t so much a bodyguard as a jail keeper.”

Aléjandro reached over and covered my knee with the warmth of his hand. “You’re no longer in jail. I have chosen a bodyguard for you, a real bodyguard. You’re free to come and go as you please as long as he’s at your side.” He pressed his lips together. “I had to have someone I trust without question to keep you safe and never act inappropriately. He’s due to arrive tomorrow. In the meantime, we have plenty of guards on the property.”

“Arrive?”

Before Aléjandro could explain, he stopped the car on the wide brick driveway. The building before us was ultra-modern with two large garage doors and a gated front entrance.

I looked up through the window. “Is this all ours?”

“I recently bought it. If you don’t like it, tell me now, and we can look at others.”

“If I don’t like it?” I repeated, surprised my opinion mattered. From what I could see, this was so much more than the townhouse I’d shared with Rocco, and that was without seeing inside. “Aléjandro, it looks massive for just the two of us.”

His smile returned. “Come, let me show you inside.”

Leaving the car on the driveway, Aléjandro opened my door and took my hand. “If you like it, we’ll have a new security system installed.”

That was the second time he’d mentioned my opinion. “You care if I like it?”

“It will be your home. Of course I care.”

I stared for a minute, wondering where the asshole Aléjandro had gone. Maybe my new husband suffered from dissociative identity disorder.

As I pondered, he opened the front gate. The ground between the gate and house was covered in large pavers and rocks. Smaller sandstone rocks decorated the exterior of the lower level. There was also a trellis covered in vines that covered what appeared to be a small patio. I could barely take it all in as Aléjandro put his hand in the small of my back and led me through the door. “Welcome home, Señora Roríguez.”

That was my name.

My father was officially rolling over in his grave.