I chuckle. “You will. But right now, you’re going to let me hold you as you come down off that high. You’re going to let me watch how beautiful you are with your flushed cheeks and plump lips from my kisses. Sleep if you want,chica.”
My hand covers her breast and massages like I did earlier, my thumb sweeping over her puckered nipple. Her fingers slide between the top two buttons of my shirt as she nods. Her eyes are closed yet again. She inhales, then sighs before kissing my neck.
“I dozed in the plane. I never take naps. Yeah.”
She sounds half asleep as she agrees to my offer. I reach behind me and pull the sheet and comforter down. I’m gentle when I stand, then lay her on the bed. She reaches for me, her hand wrapping around my neck as I kiss her. She lets go and curls up as I straighten.
“I’m going to the office to call mytío. Sleep, baby girl. I’ll come back when I’m done.”
She yawns before she speaks.
“I’m yourchiquita,chica, little one, and now you’re baby girl. What are you to me?”
That single word pops back into my head. She’d totally misunderstand what I want if I suggest it. I told her I like all the things that make her independent. If I tell her I want her to call me Daddy, she’ll think I want her to be a Little. She knows enough about D/s dynamics that she’s bound to know what that is. I don’t think she’s a Little or even a Middle. But I want her to truly believe what I’ve told her several times today. I want her to feel safe with me and know I’ll protect her and take care of her.
“What do you want to call me?”
“Papíwhen you’re fucking me. I don’t know what when you aren’t.”
I won’t read into it. It’s a common endearment in Latin America. I could call herMamíjust as easily. In this context, it has nothing to do with parental figures. But I love hearing it.
“If that’s what you want,chica.”
“I’ll come up with something else, Pablo. I just don’t know what yet.”
I kiss her again before I turn away. She’s asleep as I walk out the door.
“Tío, what was I supposed to do? Risk Humberto successfully killing her? Those men might’ve been there just to watch her, but I doubt it. I wouldn’t take the chance.”
TíoEnrique is about as thrilled as I expected that I brought Flora here. Javier took Madeline to another one of our family estates that was supposed to be a secret. That didn’t work out so well. Fortunately, the men who compromised their safety can’t tell anyone else about that estate’s location. I don’t blame him for not wanting a repeat of that situation.
“Sobrino, I trust you to do the right thing for her. But I’ve known you since before you were born. You were stubborn and insistent with the way you’d kick in yourmamá’sbelly. You were never a disobedient child, but you didn’t give in easily. I know I won’t convince you otherwise, but I don’t think this was a good decision. Are you involved with her yet?”
Yet.
“That’s a big assumption,Tío.”
“Yeah, well, family history tells me what’s happening. Are you sure about this?”
“Yes.”
He knows I wouldn’t react the way I am and I wouldn’t have brought Flora here if I didn’t want something permanent with her. I’ve only known her for a couple days—God, that makes everything that’s happened seem so outrageous—but I’ve had hours to consider what I want and what I’m doing. In my world, hours are like months when you usually decide in seconds. Decisions I can’t undo because they could get people killed. Sometimes they do, and that’s intentional. But sometimes they do, and I did everything I could to prevent it. I have to get it right because I live with each man’s death on my conscience. Getting it wrong only makes it worse.
“You’ve taken her to the safest place you could get to quickly. But you know Humberto knows where the compound is. He will show up.”
“If he makes it off his estate, then I’ll kill him just for that. Then I’ll punish every guard who allowed it. Even if he were allowed past his gate, I’d kill him for coming near Flora. Even if I didn’t want her the way I do, I’d still kill him for targeting a woman.”
“But she’s your woman.”
“Yes.”
Mytíosighs.
I expect him to say something, but he remains quiet. He’s waiting for me to confess something, but I won’t tell him anything about my feelings for Flora. He certainly doesn’t expect me to divulge anything he’s guessed has happened between us. He probably thinks I’m already fucking her.
“I’ll call you back if anything comes up.”
“I want regular reports, Pablo. Don’t wait for something to come up. I don’t want to invade your privacy with her, but I’ll send yourpapáor cousins down there if you make me worry any more than you already are.”
