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When we both came down from the peak, he collapsed on top of me, shaking and spent. His weight pressed my body deep into the mattress, but I didn’t want him to move away. I kept my legs loosely hooked around his hips, weakly demanding for him to stay inside me. I didn’t want to be parted from him. I didn’t want this intimacy to end.
“Mine.” His deep, triumphant declaration teased over my swollen lips.
“Yours.” I sealed my promise with a kiss, proving to him that I would never leave.
Chapter 22
Marisol
Raúl’s deep, satisfied hum rolled through the kitchen in a slow wave when he joined me at the counter. As soon as he reached me, he brushed a kiss against my temple before his big hands set to the task of putting the food away, which had been delivered only minutes ago. He’d stepped outside to take a phone call, but he’d barely been gone for three minutes before he returned to me.
As I bent to store the perishable items in the fridge, the soreness between my legs drew a smile to my lips. Delicious, wicked images of the intense intimacy we’d shared yesterday flooded my mind, and I let out a happy hum of my own.
Raúl’s ferocity had scared me at first, but his harsh possessiveness had tapped into my darkest urges. Finally surrendering to them—surrendering to him—had been the sweetest release. The primal, hungry force inside me didn’t frighten me anymore. There was no reason to fear it when it brought only transcendent ecstasy.
Raúl would never hurt me, so there was no risk that I’d be blinded by my lust if I gave over to it. It wouldn’t cloud my judgment, because he’d given me the time that I’d needed to feel secure in my decision to be with him.
Raúl was a criminal. He was a dangerous man. That would never change.
But there was goodness at his core. I might be the only one who’d ever seen it, but I knew his soul.
Worry for my loved ones lingered, but the painful truth was that I’d left them behind. They wouldn’t be at risk because of my relationship with Raúl, because I no longer had any ties to them.
A wrenching pain twisted my gut at my final acceptance of the loss. I could never go back, could never see them again. But they would be safe, and that was what mattered. It was why I’d risked everything and fled from our home.
The hole in my heart would never fully heal, but Raúl’s strong arms would always offer his comforting embrace, soothing me and softening my grief.
When I closed the fridge, his hand closed around my wrist, calling my attention to him. Automatically, I leaned into his solid frame, lacing my fingers together behind his neck.
His thumb traced my lips with reverence, but his eyes were serious on my face.
“Stefano just called me. Isabel admitted that she acted alone when she decided to make the blog post. She confirmed that you only told her your story in an attempt to defend me.” Calm seemed to settle over his shoulders, relaxing his muscles. “I already believed you, after last night. But it’s good to have confirmation that Isabel has testified to your innocence, for the sake of the cartel. It focuses the blame solely on Isabel. No one will blame you for it. No one will threaten you.”
I turned my cheek into his palm, expressing my gratitude for his trust in me and his protectiveness.
“Will Isabel be okay?” I asked softly. “She was only trying to help me. I couldn’t bear it if she was hurt because of this.”
His lips firmed to a thin line, but his fingers were gentle when he trailed them along my jaw.
“Her family controls too many resources for Stefano to openly rebuke her. He’s made an arrangement to have her closely guarded in order to ensure she doesn’t try anything like this again. She’ll be okay.”
I blew out a sigh of relief. “I’m glad.” My fingers firmed around the back of his neck, commanding his full attention. “I’m sorry this happened, Raúl. I don’t want to leave you. Please, never doubt that again. I want to be with you.”
The lump in my throat blocked my next confession: I love you.
Before I could get the words out, Raúl spoke reassurances of his own. “That makes me very happy, corderita. All I want is for you to be here with me, safe and content.”
My lips spread in a broad smile. “I feel safe with you. And I’m more than content. You are an excellent provider, Raúl.”
His chest swelled against mine, expanding with pride. I knew it meant so much to him that I understood this aspect of his soul. And I suspected that I was the only person he’d ever let close enough to provide for them. Before he’d brought me into his home, there was no one for him to take care of.
