Keeping his bride

Aria

MATEO HOLDS TRUE to his word, and he even lets me sit on his lap while he types out an encrypted email, informing his contacts in the United States that I’m alive and well and to put out the word to my family.

After that’s done, he takes me on the surface of his desk. He fucks me slow with emotion hidden behind every thrust. I think he’s scared of losing me. And honestly, I’m scared of losing him too. I know deep down we shouldn’t be doing any of this for a billion different reasons, but I can’t seem to slow down or stop. And maybe I don’t want to.

Mateo gets a phone call shortly after our lovemaking, and I retreat to our room to take a hot shower. The water feels so good cascading over my sore muscles. It feels like I just did an hourlong cardio session. Sex with Mateo is just like doing a workout, but better. I get to come afterwards. And I don’t remember that happening in my old spin class.

Stepping out of the shower, I go to the sink and comb out my long hair and brush my teeth. I stare down at my flat stomach, studying it in the bathroom mirror with a frown on my face. The thought of getting pregnant with my captor’s child should scare me. The part of my brain with rational thought is definitely terrified, but then there’s a curious part that wonders…what if. What if I get pregnant with Mateo’s baby? Would he be a good father? Would he take care of us?

I think the answer to those last two questions would be yes. I think he would be an amazing and extremely protective father. But the thought of having a baby down here in Mexico away from my family and in captivity scares the living hell out of me. The realistic part of my brain overrides all curiosity. And that is why when I emerge from the bathroom and see Mateo, I tell him, “I need to take Plan B. Do they have that down here?”

“No,” he simply answers as he goes to the walk-in closet, ignoring me.

I follow him. “No as in they don’t or…?” I ask, my voice trailing off.

“No as in you are not taking it,” he says as he begins stuffing clothes into a black duffle bag.

“But…but what if I get pregnant?”

He turns and looks at me. I can practically hear the gears in his mind working as he looks down at my stomach. I bet he’s imagining me pregnant with his child right now. And I can’t help but wonder what he’s thinking. Self-consciously, I wrap my arms protectively around my naked body; and as if the spell has been broken, he blinks and tears his eyes away.

“I have to go,” he says, dismissing me, as he grabs a few suits on hangers, loading his hands.

“Mateo, we need to talk about this,” I say urgently. “Do you not understand how babies are made?” I ask incredulously.

He stops and pins me with narrowed eyes. “I’m not an idiot.”

“I didn’t say you were,” I say exasperatedly, throwing my hands up in the air. “But it’s like you’re not understanding me right now. Maybe I need to get on birth control or something,” I spit out, rambling.

“We’ll discuss this after I get home.”

“Where are you going?” I ask, annoyed.

I don’t expect him to answer me, and I’m amazed when he does. “There was an explosion at one of our warehouses down south. I need to go and make sure everything is all right. Should only take a day or two at the most.”

So, he’s leaving…for a day or two? I should feel relieved, but I don’t. I feel quite the opposite. Mateo has never left me alone for that length of time before.

“Ignacio will watch over you,” he assures me, and I’m not sure if that’s supposed to make me feel better, but it doesn’t. Ignacio isn’t exactly the friendly type, and we haven’t really gotten along ever since I arrived. I think he feels like I have some kind of powerful ulterior motive when it comes to his boss and friend, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Mateo walks over to me. Placing a finger under my chin, he tips my face up to his. And then he leans down and places a searing hot kiss to my lips, leaving me breathless.

“Behave yourself while I’m gone,” he tells me before he walks out the door, closing it behind him.

I stare after him in disbelief. My fingertips sweep over my lips, reliving that kiss in my mind for a long time after he leaves.

Aria

MATEO’S TRIP TURNS from one day into two, and then from two into three. On the third day, Ignacio lets me know that Mateo ordered him to take me shopping so that I don’t die of boredom. It’s funny how Mateo knew exactly what would cheer me up and make me happy. Even though I’ve been helping Esmeralda in the kitchen and enjoying my time with her – she even taught me how to make concha – I must admit that getting out of the house is exactly what I need.

We’re in our fifth department store of the day when Ignacio hands me a small, black flip phone. “It’s Mateo,” he explains when I look up at him in confusion.

I put the phone up to my ear and ask, “Hello?”

“Buenos dias, Aria,” Mateo’s deep voice answers. “How are you?”Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g

I chew on my bottom lip. It’s so nice to hear his voice. What’s that old saying? Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Yeah, well, it’s completely true. I miss him. Way more than I ever thought I would or could. And much more than I should. “I’m okay,” I tell him. “How are you?”

“I’ve been better,” he grinds out.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, concerned.

“Nothing, Aria. I’m just missing a certain little captive of mine.”

His words steal the breath right out of my lungs. Mateo isn’t the type to confess his true feelings, so him admitting that he misses me is a big deal. And I find myself foolishly blushing like a silly, lovesick teenager.

“How’s the shopping trip?” he prompts.

I sigh deeply and stare across the store at Ignacio and Flora. They’re practically having sex against a shoe rack while nearby employees look on in surprise and horror. “You didn’t tell me Ignacio and Flora are, like, a thing,” I hiss conspiratorially. I wondered why Ignacio was so adamant about her coming along. Now I know.

“I wouldn’t exactly call them a thing,” Mateo muses. “But they’re definitely fucking.”

“Yeah, no shit,” I say sarcastically, and that earns me a dark chuckle on the other end of the line. “They can barely keep their hands off each other, so it’s been hard to get any shopping done when I’m trying not to see…all of that.” I have seen Flora’s boobs and butt cheeks more times than I can count since Ignacio is constantly lifting her skirt or pulling down her shirt and pawing at her like some kind of wild animal.

There’s silence on the other end of the phone, and I wonder for a moment if Mateo grew tired of my complaining and simply hung up. But then he says, “I took care of the problem.”

I glance up at Ignacio, who is looking down at his cell phone with a heavy frown on his face. He quickly backs away from Flora, straightens his back and glares in my direction. And if looks could kill…

“Yeah, I see that,” I tell Mateo, tearing my gaze away from Ignacio, who looks like he wants to strangle me for messing up his playdate with his fuckbuddy. “So, this should be fun,” I groan, rolling my eyes.

“Try to enjoy yourself. I know how much you love shopping.”

I grin. I do love shopping. And I love the fact that he doesn’t care or set limits on my obsession. Several nights ago, I sat on his lap in his office while I shopped for hours online, ordering whatever I wanted. His cock was hard the entire time, and I loved teasing him. And when he finally had enough of the teasing, he took what he needed, fucking me on top of his desk for hours.

I bite my lip, shaking my head to clear my naughty thoughts.

“I have to go, Aria,” he informs me.

“Okay. I…” My voice trails off, but then I decide to suck it up and just tell him how I feel. He’s been gone for three days, and I have an ache in my chest that I don’t think will go away until he returns. “I miss you,” I whisper.

He’s silent for a beat before he eventually says with a contented sigh, “I miss you too, Aria.”

“How much longer?” I ask, and even I’m surprised by how needy my voice sounds.

“Two more days at the most. I promise I’m hurrying.” And then he adds, “Have fun spending my money.”

“Oh, I will,” I say with a grin.

“That’s my girl.”

He hangs up, and I immediately miss the sound of his sexy, deep voice. I stare down at the phone, sighing and wondering just what the hell is wrong with me. Mateo and I have come a long way since he first bought me on that island.

I don’t know what the future may hold for both of us, but I hope that we can find a way to be together. I just pray that when the time comes to make a choice, that it won’t end up in me having to decide between him and my family. Because I’m not sure who I would choose. And that scares me more than anything.