14
Luna
After Mateo’s confession, which really wasn’t one, it was more or less the truth, except for my part in the story, I do what I need to, sucking it up, pulling up my big girl panties, plus a whole lot more.
“There was no note when I was awakened up by some weird guy standing over the bed, spewing garbage at me. Calling me a beach bunny. I had never met the guy before. The bed was still warm from sleep, but I was naked under the sheets. I probably asked all the wrong questions and did all the wrong things, but I swear to you, I wasn’t there to be known as the girl who got with you to make the next headline or take some kind of prize money.” I take a breath trying to make sure I tell Mateo every detail. I vividly remember the night before, how we met at the bar, he bought me a couple of drinks, we talked, he flirted. It worked so much so that he got me to dance with him for hours on end. When Mateo kissed me, it curled my toes, and I knew I’d follow him anywhere, which was exactly what I did.
“When I left, you were still asleep. The only person who had access to my room was my manager. I’m assuming that was River from our conversation we had earlier. My height, hair slicked over to the side hiding his bald spot, slim build?” Mateo asks me, not letting me move from his lap.
“That would be him.” He maneuvers me so I’m straddling him.
“I should have known something wasn’t right, what with the way he kept looking my way after I tore the hotel apart, and Luna, I knew the minute I saw you, you weren’t a beach bunny.” My head tilts as I look into his warm eyes, reading him. I can tell he’s at a low simmer when it comes to being pissed off, which is only going to make things so much worse when I tell him this next part.
“Thank you. I really did try to look for you, but I didn’t know your first name, and there are a lot of Cruzes in the world, and I wasn’t paying attention completely when he wouldn’t leave for me to change back into my clothes.” I wince, closing my eyes. I can still feel his leering eyes as I tried to hold the sheet to cover myself while slipping into my dress, not bothering to try and find my bra and panties. The asshole kept screaming he’d get security and then the police, not even allowing me to change in the bathroom.
“Me tienes que estar jodiendo!” Mateo roars out in rapid-fire Spanish. I have no idea what he’s saying. Clearly, he isn’t worried that he could wake up Sailor, let alone scare me, which he kind of is. I jump off his lap, not knowing what could happen next. Not that I think he would hurt me, but then again, it’s not like we’ve known each other this entire time.
“I’m going to go check on Sailor,” I stammer out, my body almost shaking, reminding me of the last time I was scared.
“Oh fuck, mi diosa, no. Never. I’d never fucking hurt you. There’s no way I could ever do that, let alone think it.” He comes up to me, but I’m backpedaling until I’m against the wall. Mateo cups my cheeks with the palms of his hands, but I saw the way his hands shook when he moved them.
“Okay, but please, don’t be upset anymore.” My voice is a whisper in the quiet house. Apparently, our son sleeps a lot like his mom, dead to the world.
“I promise. That doesn’t mean I won’t hurt River. More shit went down that would floor you, but this takes the fucking cake, and I’ll be calling Slade tomorrow. River Harris isn’t getting away with this. If something like this happened to you, who knows who else he did it to, but it stops now. My job is to protect you and Sailor. The world needs less people like River, and I’ll be glad to get rid of him.” Mateo’s lips meet my forehead, lightly kissing it, before he captures my eyes.
“Always promise to come home to me, no matter what,” I tell him. The thought of him going after River, of something happening to him, and Mateo being taken away from me and Sailor, that would completely devastate me.
“Siempre volvere a casa contigo,” Mateo responds. My head cocks to the side as I try to decipher the words but only picking up home. “I will always come home to you.” Mateo’s lips find mine. He feasts on them, a fire built up inside of him that I don’t think will ever be put out, and I know this conversation is over and I’ll finally have Mateo. This time, it won’t just be foreplay. No, I’ll finally feel him deep inside me, where I’ve missed him more than I want to admit.