I got dressed in the adjourning bathroom. The white bikini was more revealing than I initially thought. I should have settled for more than just a picture of Alvaro in his pink Hawaiian shirt. He knocked on the door. "Are you coming out anytime soon, sweetheart?" He asked cockily. "Because I'm already dressed." "Um, just a second," I called back, pulling and tugging on the one piece. Why would they make something like this for swimming. "You can't stay in there forever. Just say you change your mind and I won't call you a chicken for backing out." "I'm not a chicken," I whispered. "Are you sure?" He asked and I was surprised he heard me. I stepped out of the bathroom and as he promised he was wearing the pink shirt. "You look great in pink," I said and his raked over my body. He blinked twice before looking up at my face. "And you should put this on," he said handing me my throw over. I put the short beach cover-up on fastening it on in the front. "I thought you wanted
I felt Alvaro's finger trail up and down my spine and I opened my eyes to see him sitting beside me— fully clothed. It was day three of paradise. I didn't want to leave. The idea that reality was waiting was a daunting thought. Because what did it mean for us. "Coffee?" He asked and I sat up. Memories of the previous night came flashing back and I bit my lip. He made me look at the ocean while he did wickedly pleasurable things to me on the balcony. He made me reach new heights of pleasure I didn't know possible and I passed out from exhaustion afterwards.I took the cup of steaming hot coffee bringing it to my lips. The bed sheet was wrapped around my body and I could feel the breeze from the balcony filter into the room. Alvaro watched me and giddiness flooded my heart. I was falling for him. "What's wrong, mami?" His voice was thick and I shook my head. "Nothing." "What do you want to do today?" He asked, mindlessly twirling a lock of my hair. "They are having a luau tomor
I drove us home from the airstrip and Alvaro kept his hand on my leg the entire time. He was on the phone with someone and every time he'd raise his voice I'd feel his grip tighten slightly. He was worse on the plane. I had to put on my headphones and go sit in the room. He was a person whose basic vocabulary and his go-to proverbial was fuck and then when the word fuck wasn't getting his point across. He'd say puta which I learned was bitch in Spanish.I was just surprised Mateo didn't pick up his language. "No," he said to someone over the phone and did that laugh. That laugh where I'd often thought he was amused but he'd end up saying something threatening. "Hijo de puta! I said I want it finished by tomorrow or else. I don't care who fucked up. Fix it." He cut the call. "La concha de tu madre.""That sounded bad," I sighed. "Everything okay?" "I just haven't been away for so long and I was setting up something important before we left.""What exactly is it that you do?" It was t
I woke up to see Alvaro was already dressed in his formal pants and a white shirt. I sat up and watched as he adorned his jacket. Pulling it over his broad shoulders. I held the sheet around me tighter as my eyes raked over his body.I couldn't stop staring at him sometimes. He turned around and noticed I was staring. "Good morning," he said coming over and kissing my forehead. "Good morning," I yawned, wiping the sleep away from my eyes. "Get dressed. I'm taking you to work today." He stated, straightening out his jacket sleeves. "With you?" I was confused and I was sure it wasn't because I just woke up. "That store you work in," he said like any of this made sense to me. "I'm pretty sure I'm fired. I haven't been back there for three weeks." "Trust me." He had a look of determination on his face. I got out of bed and went into the bathroom to brush my teeth and take a shower. I had a bad feeling about this. Michelle would lose her mind when she saw me. I left the shop unatt
I stared at Marcus and he took a step forward. My past life felt like it fell away when I married Alvaro— not that I had much of a past to worry about.But everyone had a ghost from the past. Something that could come back to haunt.Before Alvaro, we were already broken up for a month and I promised myself I wouldn't go back to him and I was going to stand by it even if I wasn't married. He was not worth the tears, and broken-hearted love songs. "I came by last week and you weren't here," he said, snapping me out of my pensive thoughts. I wanted a black hole to open up and swallow me. I didn't know what to say to him. What could I say to him.Carlos was watching us from the door. "Yeah, I was busy." I put on a strong front but inside I wasn't feeling strong. I was feeling nauseous. Like everyone in my life, he walked all over me and I was tired of being a doormat. It was time for me to stand up for myself. Because it was my life. "So you own the store now?" he bobbed back and fo
A few days passed and I went to sleep alone and woke up alone. Alvaro ate dinner in his study every night and I was sure he probably slept in there too.He was acting strange and I wanted to know why. I always thought honesty was a good thing when it came to relationships, but if I knew he'd react the way he did. I wouldn't have said anything at all. I hunched over the counter trying to count the right amount of change to give to the customer. I kept losing count because of all my intrusive thoughts. This entire situation was making me sick or maybe it was my lunch. I stress-ate an entire bowl of spaghetti Bolognese. I didn't mean to eat the whole thing at once but with my loss of awareness, I only stopped eating when I put the fork to my lips and realised it was empty and so was the bowl. I could only think about Alvaro. I didn't want things to go back to the way they used to be a month ago. Where we would barely say five words to each other while passing during the day. I liked
I laid in bed with Alvaro's head on my lap while he sorted through his emails on his phone. It amazed me that all a big scary guy needed was a little attention and kindness and he became a softie. I threaded my fingers through his hair and he let out a yawn. "That feels good, mami," he groaned. "Ew," I heard Mateo utter from outside the room door. Alvaro sat up next to me. "Come in here, mi hijo." "Hell no." "We are not doing anything," I called back. He turned the door handle and walked into the room. He was dressed in a grey tuxedo and he had a big bouquet of red roses in hand. "And where are you going, handsome?" I asked. "I'm going to go prompose to Julia," he said.Alvaro looked at me. "Do you speak this language?" "I'm going to ask her to prom," Mateo rolled his eyes. "What about the guy that already asked her?" Julia was too nice. Too nice to hurt someone's feelings for her own desires. "I spoke to him about it and he seemed to notice she wasn't into him." "So she'
Alvaro's POV. There were two things I didn't tolerate. One was threats on my family and two was people lying to me and in this business, these two things were a constant. The puta that thought it was a good idea to get me to leave my pregnant wife by kidnapping Carlos was going to pay. They attached a note along with Carlos's thumb. It read: If we can take her bodyguard imagine how easy it would be to get to her. This threat was directed at me. Someone knows what she means to me and they are using her to mess with me. I was going find them and put a bullet in their fucking hard skull if they couldn't get that I didn't take well to threats. I came unhinged very easily when I felt threatened. Consequences be damned. No one on this earth could threaten my family and live to tell the tale. I would kill anyone who dared and that is what I was going to do. I just hoped Carlos was alive because I didn't want Jane to know what was going on. She was pregnant and I didn't want
Mateo's Pov. I always believed I was more lucky than unlucky. I was a homeless boy and then I was adopted by one of the richest families in the city that treated me like their own flesh and blood. I gained a family and it was more than an orphaned boy like me could dream of. I never knew struggle after Alvaro and I was grateful. This time my luck was up again. Maybe I was creepy for this but this was the closest opportunity I'd ever get to see her again. She had tweeted that she would be doing her medical practicals at Hôtel Dieu Hospital in France. I may have admired her from afar for years after I said my final goodbye but I promised her that she would see me again and we kissed one last time. Not a day passed that I haven't thought of her. I saw her in my dreams. From the day I met Julia I was drawn to her. It was like everything in my head just clicked from the moment I saw her in that little boutique. The programme was starting soon and I was stuck in a cab in traffic. I wa
Jane's Pov. 5 years later I sat on a park bench watching a little girl running and leaping with her friends. I couldn't help but wonder how things would be different if it weren't for the sacrifices Alvaro and I made. She was free. I felt two hands come around my eyes and block out the light. "Al?" I asked. "No," I heard Mateo's voice and I sprung up jumping on him. "Easy," he chuckled, stumbling back and trying to regain his footing. "Mat what are you doing here?"I missed him too much to care if I was embarrassing him. "It's Rosie's birthday. What do you think I'm doing here?" He was grinning from ear to ear. "How'd you know we'd be at the park?" I asked. "Today is Saturday. You always come to the park on Saturday to do some bird and people watching." He sat down next to me. Mateo left for college when he turned eighteen. His grades were incredible and he got a bursary to study medicine at Oxford in England. When he chose medicine I asked why and he said it was so he could a
The plane ride was long. My tolerance for travel depreciated. Besides the cramped toilet I couldn't stand being in a compressed space with Alvaro. Especially when he sat close to me. I wanted to choke him and I would have loved to blame my hormones but it would be a lie when I knew it was what I would naturally want. I was upset for a long list of reasons especially this morning when he insisted I get into the car. I didn't know what I would say to my grandmother and mother so he said this wasn't a final goodbye. I could come back after I saw the place and say my goodbyes. Mateo looked between us. He barely spoke to Alvaro it was just mutters and grunts which seemed to amuse Alvaro. "Have you decided?" Alvaro asked him. "Where do you want to stay?" Mateo didn't answer. "Your silence speaks volumes. You chose her, " Alvaro smiled. "I'm not surprised. I knew you would." Mateo looked away from him. "It's okay, mi hijo." Mateo stood and went into the room at the back of the plane.
Jane's POV. "We've been here for a week," Mateo mentioned. I covered my eyes from the sun to look at him. The sun was setting and we were outside painting the barn. Maybe I was just trying to bide time until I was all alone. Mateo agreed to come with me to Texas. I thought it would be better to have him with me this time.My grandmother and mom loved him. They treated him like their own and I appreciated that. Mateo wasn't happy with my decision to leave Alvaro but he did support it. The last thing I wanted was to come between him and Alvaro. If he chose to stay with Alvaro I couldn't force him away. "Why haven't you asked me to come with you?" He questioned. His face held a certain amount of offence. "I thought you would by now." "Because I don't want you to have to choose between him and me. I want you to know that you are always welcome to live with me. I'll take care of you. I might not be able to spoil you the way Alvaro does but you'll have a home and you'll be safe." "Wh
Alvaro's Pov.I would rather have someone shoot me. Empty a cartridge of bullets in me, stab me with the sharpest knife and carve out my heart. Hollow me out physically. Any physical pain would do. But not this pain. Not the pain of her leaving me. It was like all the happiness in the world had been vacuumed out. She broke me and I let her because I chose to love her. I couldn't hate her for it. Because I understood why she was leaving. I couldn't strap her down and force her to stay because the hate she'd have for me would hurt more than her leaving. And I couldn't stand the idea of her hating me again when I experienced how much she loved me. She was my slice of paradise the reason I looked forward to coming home. And she left me and she took Mateo with her to Texas. I wouldn't be surprised if Mateo decided to move out and be with her. He proved there was nothing he wouldn't do for her. He would take care of her and she would take care of him but I couldn't take that thought.
Mateo looked himself over in his long mirror. He was dressed in a navy blue tuxedo and his hair was combed to the side. "You look handsome Mat," I complimented. "I hope she thinks so..." He sounded nervous. "She likes you," I said, "why would you think otherwise?" "She's just so great. It seems like a dream whenever I'm with her." "That's cute." I smiled. "Did you go to your prom?" He asked. My memories of high school were fleeting. I didn't have much of a social life. "Yes. I went with a boy I crushed on for two years. We met in tenth grade and then he ignored me until our senior year. He surprised me by asking me." "Seems like a bad boy," Mateo smirked. "He wasn't a complete bad boy. He was a bit of a nerd too." "What happened to him?" Mat asked. "I moved and then he moved. I haven't seen him since high school." "It's nice to know that my wife had many prospects before me," Alvaro popped up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. "Plenty," I teased. "S
I sat beside Mateo holding his hand as the doctors attempted to remove the bullet. Alvaro was speaking to the nurses in private about how the bullet ended up in his shoulder. I owed my life to Mat. Carlos, unfortunately, had to stay a few days in the hospital. They had to do some blood tests, stitch up his wounds as well as do an X-ray. Fernez was also starving him so he had dropped weight rapidly. Mat squeezed my hand as he ground his teeth. "It's okay just a little more, Mat," I said, wiping his forehead with a cold press. His body was burning up and his face was red. "Motherfucker," he yelped and the doctor removed the bullet with something that looked like very long tweezers. "Fuck," Mateo cried out. "Well I need to go wash my ears out with soap after all that cussing, Mr Castillo," the doctor gave him a reprimanding look as he cleaned up his shoulder and bandaged his arm. I didn't know Mateo had such a sailor's mouth but I guess living with Alvaro did that. "Mrs Castillo," A
I never thought a parent would ever be capable of hating their child. Especially a mother. As I stared at Christine I wondered why. Alvaro was good to his family. When he loved —he loved hard. Christine never gave him a chance. She cast him out and that hurt him. She couldn't accept what she did was wrong and now she had gone too far. She had taken his child. "Water?" Christine held a bottle of water out to me. I never wanted to hurt someone so badly before and my body was shaking with the rage I was trying very hard to contain. "No, what I'd like to know is where we are going and where Mateo and Carlos are," My voice held showed my frustration and Christine gulped hard. "How is the pregnancy going?" She asked and I narrowed my eyes at her, "I'm surprised you came at all. How did you manage to escape my son and his many bodyguards?" "Where are you taking me?" I asked again. It felt like we had been driving for hours and I wanted to see Mateo so badly that I was having anxiety. "
Jane's Pov.I couldn't feel my senses anymore. I was unsure if I was even alive at this point. It felt like my soul had been pushed out of my body and was hovering from above. Everyone moved around me and I was sure they were talking because I saw their lips move, yet I couldn't understand a word they were saying. It all sounded like gibberish. "Find him-" were two words that made sense. I prayed that it was all a nightmare. I was waiting to wake up in bed next to Alvaro, knowing Mateo was sleeping soundly in the next room. But I wasn't waking up. Each second trapped in this reality felt like a lifetime in hell. "Jane," someone called. I could feel hot tears rolling down my cheeks as my ears finally popped. Everyone's urgent voices hit my ears at once and it was mind-numbing. "Jane," abuelo was calling me. "Take her home," I heard Alvaro's voice. That seemed to stir an emotion in me. "She can't be here." My head snapped in his direction and something inside me quivered as I