Placing the tip of my dick at her opening, I gently bit down on her nipple, giving her exactly what she craved.
“Te amo,” I whispered, “I love you.” Needing her to hear it.
“I love you, too,” she repeated, moving her hips, beckoning me to keep going. I lowered my hand toward her clit, playing with her already over-stimulated nub. Slowly easing my way inside her.
“Hmm…”
“Are you okay?” I groaned into her mouth.
She nodded, trying to catch her bearings as I pushed in further and deeper. Nothing compared or even came close to the feeling of Sophia. To the sensations that only she stirred within me. Slowly I pushed in inch-by-inch, letting her pussy adjust to my cock. Thrusting through her barrier till I was balls deep.
A throaty moan escaped my lips as she whimpered in pain.
“You’re mine, Sophia,” I huskily reminded, causing her to smile through the discomfort.
I took a moment when I was fully inside her, cherishing the feel of her for the first time, not stopping the friction of my fingers against her clit. I gradually started driving in and out, rubbing my fingers faster and with more determination. Her body began moving in perfect sync with mine as I grabbed her ass, pushing her further and further down my shaft.
She was so fucking tight, so fucking wet, and so fucking perfect.
I kissed her again, savoring the silky feel of my mouth claiming what was mine. Before resting my forehead on hers, thrusting a little faster.
A little deeper.
A little harder.
Her back arched off the bed in a frenzy from the pain and pleasure of it all. It didn’t take long until she started matching my thrusts, grinding her hips with mine. Her legs opening wider for me.
“I want to fuck you so hard right now, baby. I want you to feel me in the morning. I want you to feel me all fucking day, but you’re so tight and I’m holding back as much as I can,” I growled.
She didn’t say anything, just lifted her hips. Making a silent plea to take it further. Positioning my knee higher, her leg inclined with mine. Her breathing elevated, and I knew I was hitting her g-spot better from that angle. I grabbed the back of her neck to keep our eyes locked. My forehead hovered above hers as we caught our breaths, trying to find a unified rhythm. I once again brought her lips to meet mine. Pushing my tongue in, claiming every last goddamn inch of her.
My movements became harder and rougher, her body responding to everything I was giving her.
Everything I was taking…
Her eyes dilated in pleasure, but also in pain. I immediately lapped at her breasts unable to get enough of her, and wanting to take her mind off the sting and focus on the ecstasy. Moving back up to her face, our mouths were now parted as we both panted profusely, unable to control the movements of our bodies.
“Oh, God… I’m going… I think I’m going to come…”
I thrust faster, moving my fingers hastily.
“Yes… Alejandro… Yes…” she breathed out, climaxing all down my shaft, taking me right over the edge with her.
I came so fucking hard inside her, kissing her passionately and holding her tighter till there was nothing left inside of me.
“Te amo, cariño.”
We stayed like that for I don’t know how long. Enjoying the feel of our skin on skin contact for the first time. I kissed all around her face, her neck, back up to her face again.
She was mine.
For the rest of my life, I would never let her go.
And I didn’t.
In the last year and a half, Sophia really became part of our family. She even helped my mom plan my eighteenth birthday party a few months ago. They went everywhere together for weeks, making sure they had the perfect cake, food, and entertainment. I think my mom saw her more than I did. The party was a fucking shit-show. My mom wanted it to be extra special because I was officially an adult now. A man was what she called me, no longer her baby.
She and Sophia had gotten close in the last year. They loved each other. And since Sophia had lost her mother at a young age, my mom took her under her wing. Sophia was interested in things Amari didn’t give a fuck about, and my mom took advantage of that any chance she could get. She taught Sophia how to cook all my favorite meals, what kind of Spanish spices she needed to have at all times, and other random shit, like how to fold my clothes.
It was how she took care of my father, and if she was trying to mold Sophia to be anything like her, then who the fuck was I to complain?
I let her have that.
I think she tried to pretend like I hadn’t seen the things I had. As if my father wasn’t showing me more and more violence as the days went on. How the world really wasn’t a good fucking place. Seeing bloodshed had become the norm for me. My mom, Sophia, and Amari all looked the other way when I came home with bloody, cut up knuckles or blood-stained shirts.
My father had his dirty hands in everything from drugs to guns to clubs. He was the definition of organized crime, and there was very little that he didn’t own and operate. Politicians, police, FBI agents, they were all corrupt and all in his pocket. Not a damn thing could be traced back to him. He’d built a motherfucking empire on nothing but shady-ass shit.
The darkness that was all around our family only dragged me further and further into the abyss.
Mom didn’t acknowledge the present he handed me on my birthday, wanting nothing to do with it. Two matching 9mm Glocks with a harness that I was to wear under my suit jacket at all times. Never being allowed to leave the house without being strapped. Sophia wasn’t too happy about it either, but didn’t say a word to me. She knew what kind of life I was leading. The look on her face spoke volumes the first time she put her arms around me and felt the guns between us.
The irony was not lost on me.
A few weeks before our graduation, I took Sophia back to that same room where I took her virginity. Following through with my promise, I never gave her a ring so I had to redeem myself. I wanted her to know I was serious. Last time she never gave me an answer, her agreement was left unspoken, but I needed to hear the word, “Yes.” She excitedly agreed as I put a white gold infinity ring on her finger. Making her another promise that I would replace it with a diamond after we told my father we were engaged. I didn’t want to have to answer to him so soon. I just wanted to enjoy our engagement for as long as I could.
There was no hiding it from my mother. She noticed her finger with the sparkling band as soon as we walked in. All she did was smile to herself as she strolled away from us. I knew we had her blessing. It wasn’t her I was worried about.
When I put the ring on Sophia’s finger I also promised her that she didn’t have to do a damn thing once she was my wife. I would take care of us.
She said all she wanted was a family.
I let her know that I would gladly make that happen the night of our wedding, if that’s what she wanted. Prom was in a few weeks and graduation wasn’t far behind that. I couldn’t wait to get the fuck out of school. I wasn’t going to college, that much was a given. I don’t even know why I bothered finishing high school, other than because it made my mom happy. She wanted my diploma to hang right next to Amari’s on the wall or some shit. Amari graduated last year along with Michael. I thought about what she said a few years ago in the attic, all the time. About getting the hell out of here as soon as she graduated and was old enough.
She was still living at home nearly a year later. I was hopeful that maybe she accepted this was her life and at the end of the day…
We were her family.
“Alejandro Eduardo Martinez de la Cruz!” Mom shouted my whole name, pulling me away from my thoughts. She walked right over and stood in front of the television. Yelling with her hands in the air. “Tu le dijistes a Sophia que no sabes bailar?” she roared, adding, “You told Sophia that you don’t know how to dance?”
Fuck.
Sophia had been busting my balls about wedding songs and
mother/son songs. I finally just said I didn’t know how to dance and she could choose whatever she wanted to get her off my ass.
“Mamá, estoy viendo una película,” I replied, “I’m watching a movie.” Moving my head to see around her with a stern expression. “Not right now.”
She didn’t falter, immediately turning around to shut it off. From the corner of my eye, I caught Sophia giggling in the archway, her hands over her mouth as she watched my mom reprimand me.
“What’s so funny, cariño?”
Her head fell back with laughter. She was definitely going to pay for this later.
“I taught you cómo bailar, to dance, by the time you were standing,” Mom reminded in an authoritative tone with a hand on her hip and the other out in front of her, waving a finger in that Hispanic mom way.
If this were anyone else but my mother, I would have never allowed it.
“Why did you lie to Sophia?”
She didn’t give me a chance to explain before continuing her outburst.
“You know how to dance to everything, especially salsa and merengue. I made sure of it.” She patted her chest, moving toward the receiver in the corner of the room.
I knew exactly what she was going to do, and I dreaded every last fucking second of it. Sophia couldn’t stop giggling and gave up on trying to hide it. Leaning against the archway with her arms crossed over her chest, enjoying the show.
“Mi Gente” by Héctor Lavoe blared through the speakers, one of her favorite songs. I took a deep breath, trying to calm the anticipation of where this was leading. She strutted her way over to me, moving her body to the rhythm of the salsa song.
“Ven,” she said, “Come.” Reaching her hands out for me.
“Mamá…” I warned.
“You don’t tell me no. Ven,” she repeated, pulling me toward her. “Show Sophia how you move. Make your mamá proud.” She placed one hand on my shoulder and the other out to the side, waiting for me to get into position. “Ready?”
“I guess I have to be,” I retorted, stepping closer, taking my mother’s hand and wrapping the other around her upper back.
We began to move. I stepped forward as she stepped back and then vice versa. My hips swayed with the beat of the music, doing a basic rock step. Repeating it a few more times, getting used to the movement until we found our synchronized pattern. I took the lead, grabbing her right hand bringing her around in an underarm turn, while our feet kept the basic rhythm going.
It didn’t take long for us to lose ourselves in the music, almost forgetting Sophia was watching.
We moved effortlessly around the living room. I brought our arms up into a cross-arm turn, spinning her and then myself, always returning to our basic hold. Our feet never missing a beat as I brought her across my body, spinning her three times across the floor toward Sophia. She stood there, watching our every move with lust in her eyes. I spun my mom one last time and eased her into a dip, taking her by surprise. Causing her to bust out laughing. It was the second best sound in the world. I loved seeing her like this, so carefree.
I locked eyes with Sophia as I brought my mom up, hugging her to my chest. Kissing her head before letting her go.
Mom danced toward Sophia who took a few steps back, putting her hands out in front of her. Shaking her head no. “I don’t know how to dance to this,” she laughed out.
“Ven, come,” she insisted, grabbing Sophia’s hands and tugging her toward her. “You learn. You need to dance like this at your wedding.” Mom winked, spinning her in my direction, letting her fall into my arms. Sophia’s face paled, shocked by my mother’s mention of a wedding. “Alejandro will teach you. Show her, Alejandro. I want to go get a camera to take pictures.”
“No, Mamá. No camera. I think you have embarrassed me enough for one day.”
“Go on, teach her. I’ll be right back.” She was a very persistent woman who went after what she wanted.
“Muy bien, cariño,” I praised, “Good job,” when I brought her against my chest. Loving the feel of her in my arms. I could never get enough of it.
“I can’t believe she’s okay with this. Us getting married so young?” she questioned with worry in her eyes.
“She married my dad when she was barely seventeen. My grandparents had to sign papers in order for them to have a ceremony. My father is twenty years older than her.”
Her eyes widened in disbelief.
“She loves you, Sophia. It’s hard not to. She would be pleased to call you her daughter.”
She smiled.
I placed her left arm on my shoulder, my hand wrapped around her back, our other hands entwined at our sides. She gasped when I unexpectedly brought my right leg in between hers so she was pretty much straddling my thigh.
I wanted no distance between us.
“I don’t remember you and your mom dancing this close, buddy. You’re invading my personal space.”
“Is that right?” I lifted my leg a little higher, brushing her inner thighs, inches away from her pussy, feeling her heat.
I grinned, forewarning, “Hold on tight.”
“Wha—”
I led us around in fast circles, grinding my hips against hers. Pausing only when the music allowed it. I twirled her around and brought her back toward me, our chests colliding.
“Whoa,” she breathed out.
“Good girl.”
I repeated the same steps a few times till she caught on, and I could show her new ones. She was smiling and laughing the entire time, breathless. Her face was so goddamn beautiful as I showed her basic salsa steps, and how to sway her luscious ass to the music. Never thinking that I would actually enjoy doing this with her.
I hated dancing, but dancing with her, I fucking loved.
“Mira los!” Mom yelled, “Look at you.” Snapping picture after picture with her camera until I excused myself. I could see my mom wanted a private moment with my girl.
“Sophia,” Mom rasped, holding my world in between her hands.
I stood by the archway, leaning against the wall with my hands in my pockets, they hadn’t noticed I was still there. The music continued floating through the air as my mom and Sophia stood face to face.
“You brought life into my son. You brought light and love into his heart. You’re an angel. I have never seen him like this before. This world, Sophia… It’s very hard. It is so easy to slip into the darkness. I have seen my husband turn into a man I don’t know. There are some days—” She stopped herself from what she was going to say.
I lowered my eyebrows, confused. Caught off guard by what she just shared.
“I can’t save my baby from it. As much as I wish I could… I can’t. It’s out of my hands now. It’s in yours. You love him. You love him with all your heart. Always. You show him that light that lives inside of you. You never let the darkness into your home. There’s no going back once it’s there. Do you understand me?”
Sophia frowned, nodding. Her eyes filling with tears.
“Promise me. Promise me,” Mom repeated, her voice breaking.
“I promise, Mrs. Martinez.”
“No more of this Mrs. Martinez nonsense anymore. You can call me Mamá. You’re family now.”
Mom breathed a sigh of relief and kissed her forehead. We spent the rest of the afternoon dancing, laughing, and enjoying each other’s company. It was one of the happiest days of my life.
I couldn’t stop thinking about what my mother said. Never realizing that those words would forever haunt me.
Guests filled the banquet hall for our engagement party. Everyone was dancing, talking, and enjoying the night that probably cost my parents a small fortune.
The clinking of a glass rang through the room. “Ladies and gentleman, can I have your attention for just a minute. As the best man, I’d like to make a toast to the happy couple,” Leo announced, standing up from his seat. “I’ve known Martinez since we were twelve years old, and he saved my ass on the first day of school. We hav
e been friends ever since,” he chuckled, winking at me. “He was a cocky son of a bitch back then, and as you all know, not much has changed.”
The room broke out in laughter, Sophia nodding in agreement.
“I’ve never seen him, the way he is Sophia, with anyone else. I couldn’t be happier for him. You have finally met your match. Sophia, have fun with him, and I wish you the best of luck.” He nodded toward us, and I flicked him off. “Everyone please raise your glasses and help me wish this beautiful couple a lifetime of happiness. Salute.” Leo raised his glass, and our guests followed suit, all wishing us the best.
“Wow, I can’t believe you know all these people. Is our wedding going to be this big, too?” Sophia whispered to me with astonishment.
I shook my head, letting out a small chuckle from the look on her face. Pulling her into a tight hug and kissing her head. “If my mother has anything to do with it,” I replied, drawing back. Glancing at the side of her face as she continued to take in the sea of family, friends, associates, and enemies.
My father always kept his friends close, but his enemies closer. It was another mentality that kept you alive. We finally told him we were getting married a few days after we graduated three months ago. He took the news of our engagement better than we expected. Catching us all off guard when he offered us his blessing. It wasn’t as if I would have given him a choice in the matter if he hadn’t.
Mom insisted on stealing Sophia, walking with her around the room at our party, introducing her to everyone. She was the belle of the ball who had all of my mom’s rich bitch friends hanging on every word she said. Kissing her ass, knowing who she was to me. A part of me knew that as much as Sophia was scared of this life, she was also secretly drawn to it. It was hard not to be. From an outsider looking in it was a glamorous life.