AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“We don't have to tell them.” He grabs on to me tighter. “It can continue to be our little secret. The place we run to when no one’s looking.”
Shaking my head, I sigh softly. “Eventually we'll get caught. It always happens. Could be tomorrow, next week, a year from now, but someone will see us. This wasn't supposed to happen. I shouldn't want you and you need to stop wanting me.” The words nearly rip my heart out but they have to be said.
Tears stream down his cheeks and my chest caves. “How? And why should I when you can't even do what you promised me last night? You were supposed to make me hate you.” He jumps from my lap and closes his robe. “You could have at least given me that if I can't have this.” He gestures between us.
Standing up, I walk closer to him, and he backs away, making it harder for me to breathe. “Pequeño, please. I told you this could only happen here. You agreed. It's how things have to be. We have it once and then walk away.”
He wipes his eyes with the back of his hand and stomps toward the bed. “Maybe it's easy for you to do but it's not for me. I—”
“Don't,” I plead with my eyes. I can't hear him say the words. It's bad enough I can feel it.
He swallows so hard his Adam's apple bobs and his green eyes pierce mine. “I love you and I don't know what I'm supposed to do with it anymore.”
“You need to bury it. We both do,” I say in a strangled voice, my throat aching with each word. “It should have never gotten this far to begin with.”
“Then why'd you let it?” he asks, his bottom lip shaking.
“You know why.”
He shakes his head and fury fills his eyes. “Tell me.”
I take a deep breath. “The same reason you did.”
Grabbing the pillow from the bed, he tosses it at me, his teeth clenching together as more tears pour down his face. “You can't even tell me the words. Don't you think I deserve to hear them after all this time?” He tosses another pillow at me with more force.
Stepping closer, I reach out for him, and he slaps my hand away, his face reddening with anger. It hurts to swallow, to breathe, and to even exist right now.
“You deserve the whole world but not only can't I give you that, I can't tell you what you want to hear either. Let's not make this harder than what it needs to be.”
His palm cracks against my cheek, leaving behind a slight sting, and he uses a balled up fist to pound at my chest hard enough to cause a slight ache. I take all this pain, wanting him to unleash it on me so the agony he feels can't hurt him anymore. “It's too late,” he says in a soft whisper, collapsing down on the bed. He rests his feet on the bottom frame, his body curling over his knees.
I drag my heavy feet forward and sit beside him, reaching for his hand. “What we've had in the last twenty-four hours is what many never experience in their whole life. We need to be grateful for that. Instead of dreading what will happen later, let's focus on the here and now.”
He closes his eyes and inhales deeply before slowly releasing a long, unsteady breath. His gaze falls to our joined hands before slowly meeting mine, his sad and empty eyes causing my throat to tighten. “All we have is an hour. What do we even do with that?”
“Use it the best way we can. Let me hold and touch you until it's time to get back on the plane.”
His chest rises and falls as he rests his head on my shoulder. Letting go of his hand, I wrap my arm around his body, dragging him closer until our sides are fully touching. I use the fingers of my other hand to reach between the flaps of his robe and I caress every part of him I can reach, wanting to imprint his skin on mine so I never forget what it feels like.
His eyes wet the fabric of my jacket and neither of us says another word. I bury my face into his hair and I breathe him in the same way he inhales the fresh ocean air every time he steps onto the beach. On the sand and near the salt water is where he finds peace and he's where I've finally rediscovered mine.
Thirteen
Enrico
A man like me isn't supposed to break so easily. I've been through torture, taken a bullet, been kidnapped by my own sister, almost lost my life more than once, and yet, none of it has been as torturous as him breaking apart from me. A knock sounds at the door, interrupting our last moment alone.
His eyes say what his mouth doesn't need to as he straightens his suit and runs his hands through his hair before walking toward the impatient guest. “I'm coming,” he shouts.
Grabbing my clothes, I rush toward the bathroom, and he waits until I'm fully inside before opening the door. All I hear are loud murmurs from here but it's enough for me to recognize my dad's voice. Using my left hand, I slip on my pants while gripping on to the counter with my right elbow. The zipper is always the easy part. It's the button I have to fumble with more than once before finally getting it in the hole. After cursing under my breath a few times, I slide on my shirt and slowly fasten each button, ignoring the ache in my wrist from overuse.
Reaching for my coat, I slide it on the right side first and then the left, and I don't bother with my prosthetic. I tuck my shirt into my pants and then exit the bathroom with my prosthetic tucked under my arm. Fernando is standing in the room alone, smiling my way with my shoes in his hand. “Are you not wearing your prosthetic today?”
Shaking my head, I grab the shoes from him and drop them to the floor. Kicking them around, I slide my feet into each one. “No point if we're only going from here to the car and then the plane.”
He nods in understanding and pulls my bag from the closet. “I'll pack all the supplies we brought in yesterday. Did you leave anything in the bathroom?”
I look behind me and back at the black bag, placing my prosthetic inside. “My robe is still in there.”
