“Chiquita, I don’t think I could go on without you. If something happened, I’d never force you to stay with me. You can leave whenever you want. But if things end between us, it won’t be my choice.”
“And you believe it would be mine, Daddy?”
“It would have to be.”
“That’s not happening. I’m not going anywhere. We’re in this together for good.”
She leans forward as I grip her hips. We needed the closeness of our bodies joined. The intimacy of being one with no end and no beginning. Now we need another layer of that connection.
As we move together, our tongues duel as our bodies move in sync. I don’t remember the drive from Queens to Manhattan ever being so fast. But it feels like it’s only moments later that we pull into the garage beneath my building. I work to get her off as we pull up to the elevator.
“Daddy, I’m so close.”
“Me too,chiquita.”
She grasps the headrest behind me as she grinds her clit against my pubic bone. I press my heels into the floor as I thrust into her.
“Daddy, I’m coming. I’m coming.”
“Me too, little girl.”
With a moan from her and a grunt from me, we both come. Couples can spend their entire relationship trying tosynchronize their orgasms. It comes naturally to us. That’s its own sign.
I know my driver won’t interrupt us until I tap on the window. The delay in doing that surely gives away what we’re up to if the vehicle’s shaking didn’t already. We take our time exchanging soft kisses before she lifts herself off me, and we put our clothes back on. The uncertainty and irritation that crackled between us earlier is gone as we ride up the elevator arm in arm.
“Just give me a moment in the bathroom.”
“All right.”
I head into the kitchen to make us something to eat since we both agreed we’re starving again. Our meals have been unpredictable for the last couple days.
“Should I open a bottle of wine?”
I look over at Vita when she comes to stand beside my wine rack. “If you’d like to.”
She peruses the bottles until she finds one she likes. She opens it and pours us each a glass while I finish cooking. We seem like such a normal couple as we share dinner together. We’re both growing sleepy after we move to the couch to watch TV.
“Do you want the last bit of this wine, Jandro?”
“Let’s split it.”
She rises and heads back to the kitchen. When she returns, each of our glasses is only a quarter full. I down mine in two swallows before we head into the bedroom. I barely get through brushing my teeth before everything grows fuzzy. I head back into the bedroom already knowing what’s happened. I stumble to the bed where Vittoria lies.
“You drugged me.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Vita
The betrayal in Alejandro’s eyes cuts me to the quick. It’s even worse than what I hear in his voice.
“I did, Daddy. It’s for your own good. You may never believe me, but I have to do this. There’s no way you would ever allow it. I swear I’ll be back before you wake up.”
“Chica.”
He tries to reach for me, but I’m certain his limbs feel like stone, and his eyes grow glassy as he watches me.
“I pray you can forgive me, Alejandro, but I’ll accept it if you can’t. I’m doing this for you, even if you think I’m selfish for doing it my way.”
