“I know all of that, Pablo. I hope you don’t feel you have to keep reassuring me of these things. My guilt isn’t as easily assuaged as I’d like it to be. Hopefully, it will go away with time. It’s just with so much unresolved and more problems for yourfamily to deal with than usual, it’s hard not to remember I’m still an outsider.”
Pablo merely tightens his embrace. I know he doesn’t want to argue with me or invalidate my feelings. I’m glad he remains quiet because I don’t want him to feel like he must offer me platitudes. We’re quiet for ten minutes. The companionable silence is a reprieve after all the noise from dinner.
“Chiquita, I have to go to Atlantic City tomorrow for a meeting with some developers. It’ll take all day because I have to go around the resort site. We’ve recently purchased a property, and we’re completely renovating it. We’re practically taking it down to the studs.”
What he’s not saying is that it’ll be the longest we’ve been apart since leaving my apartment the first time.
“Is there anything you want to do tomorrow? I don’t want you to feel imprisoned at the condo. I can arrange for guards to accompany you anywhere you want to go.”
It tempts me to remain holed up in the condo, but I don’t want to spend my life waiting for Pablo to come home.
“I’d like to?—”
I release a sigh because I know what I should do, but it no longer feels as appealing as it did when I thought of it. I try again with some false bravado.
“I think I should start looking at apartment listings.”
It’s only for a second, but Pablo’s entire body tenses. I know he hoped I’d changed my mind about that and that I would make the condo my permanent home.
“Do you wantTíaLuciana orTíaCatalina’s help?TíaLuciana is in commercial real estate, butTíaCatalina is in residential. Between the two of them and their connections, they’re bound to help you find a place you’ll like.”
“That would be really sweet.”
I hope he sees it’s a sign of good faith and that histíaswill see it the same way. We are quiet the rest of the way back to the condo, and I fear I’ve ruined the entire evening, not because I cried twice, but because I want to move out.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Pablo
I know tonight was like walking into battle for Flora. If you didn’t know my family’s rightfully earned reputation, they would seem like a jolly group that eats and laughs a lot. But if you know who we are, it probably feels like your last meal before an execution. I can’t blame Flora for her wavering emotions. No one faults her for her tears. She’s left behind her life to join me here.
Yeah, most of it’s because of the ongoing silent threat. In the past week, we’ve discovered nothing. It’s driving me up the wall. But she also left for me. If she’d refused, I would’ve set things up to protect her in Bogotá. We could’ve set her up anywhere in the world if she’d wanted to be anywhere else.
Her suggestion that she look at apartments hurts, but it’s what we talked about. I suspect she feels like it’s what she’s supposed to do. I won’t push her to stay with me, but I’ll show her what life can be like if this is our shared home.
“Chiquita, it looks like there’re some boxes for you on the table.”
Her brow furrows. “I didn’t order anything.”
“Are you sure they’re not yours? Take a look.”
All packages get X-rayed before they come up here. If anything appears questionable, the boxes get opened. I told my men in the security room downstairs that if they had any concerns, they were to set the boxes aside and let me investigate. Under no circumstances were they to open the boxes without me. It’s not like they don’t know what’s in there after the imaging, but I didn’t want to reseal anything or embarrass Flora by having the boxes already opened. I thought about unpacking it all for her, but I want to see her surprise. I’m practically ready to clap and bounce on my toes like a five-year-old going on a pony ride. I’m afraid I’d look more like Dr. Evil fromAustin Powersinstead.
Flora watches me as she walks into the kitchen and grabs a knife. She’s still watching me as she heads to the dining room table. She examines the boxes and notices her name is the addressee. She slices open the first one with care, unsure what might be inside and not wanting to damage anything. I observe, and my excitement builds. I want to rush over and rip it open for her like Juan used to try on Christmas.
“¡Papí, qué es esto!” Daddy, what’s this?!
“Divertido para nosotros.” Fun for us.
“I’ll say.”
She lifts out the packaging with the thigh harness vaginal spreader. She puts that on the table and lifts out a small velvet bag, which she opens and finds a box within. When she lifts the lid, there’s a set of onyx Ben Wa balls. She rolls her finger over the top of one. She hesitates and then sets it aside. She slaps the paddle against her palm before twisting to push her ass toward me. With her mouth open in a perfect circle, she spanks herself.
“Keep your mouth like that much longer,chiquita, and you’ll unpack that box with my cock down your throat.”
She opens her mouth wider and shakes her ass.
I cross my arms and nudge my chin toward the box. She rolls her eyes and goes back to the contents, lifting them out one by one until there’s nothing left.
