Say Yes, Senator

King

I knew I was lost without her. I could feel it in my bones. However, Valentina had made it very clear to me that she had chosen her father over me. She didn’t even want to believe what I told her, she was blinded by her loyalty to her family, and I couldn’t blame her. But did she not see that Romero was dangerous? That he could hurt her again?

I left my Moria’s apartment and rode straight to the bar. No Church had been called today, but I went anyway, and as much as I’d predicted, Commando and Girth were there, drinking.

“Where have you been, brother?” Girth called out to me as they saw me approaching them at the bar counter.

“Had some things to take care of,” I replied gruffly and sat down at the bar. A bottle of beer was slid down to me as usual, and I took a large gulp.

“Were you with Valentina?” Girth added with a laugh, and I looked up and caught Commando studying me. I clenched my jaw at him, just as a group of some of the other members walked in and Girth got up to go and greet them.

“All good in Paradise?” Commando said, now that we were both alone.

“It’s hardly Paradise,” I replied to him, and took another gulp of the beer.

“What happened between you two?” Commando asked, and I gripped the bottle tighter in my hand.

“I rescued her from her prisoners. You know what happened,” I said gruffly because I wasn’t in the mood to have a chat about Valentina.

“No, I mean what happened between you two before? You seem like you know her well,” Commando said and I looked over at him, my eyes burning up with anger. I hoped that she was all right. I hoped that she hadn’t been stupid enough to leave Moira’s place where she was safe. No matter what she thought of me, I still worried about her. I wouldn’t ever stop worrying about her.

“She was the boss’ daughter, and she left town to get away from this life. And she stayed away and shouldn’t have come back. That’s what happened,” I said and took in a deep breath. The reality was just sinking in. That was the truth, wasn’t it? What was I thinking to believe that there could be anything more between us? Why had I been foolish enough to believe that she would choose me over her own family?

“She came back for you?” Commando’s voice interrupted my thoughts.

“She came back for her Papi!” I snapped, and I was glaring at my friend. This conversation was only reminding me of all the stupid decisions I had made in my life. How stupid I had been to pine for a woman I could never have, for all these years.

“Has she called him yet?” Commando asked, and my mouth clamped shut in confusion. I had no idea what he was implying.

“What do you mean?” I asked, and he shrugged his shoulders.

“I mean, has she called him since you rescued her? Has she asked for a phone or requested to make a phone call so she can get in touch with him? After all, wouldn’t she want him to know that she’s safe?” Commando’s voice seeped into my brain as his words registered. I had my brows crossed as I glared at him a little more.

“Well?” he urged me when I hadn’t replied and my eyes glazed over. No, Valentina hadn’t spoken to her father yet. Even after she had chance after chance, she hadn’t asked to speak to him. If he was that important to her, and if she trusted in him as much as I thought she did, why hadn’t she called him yet?

I shook my head as I stared at Commando and a smile flickered on his face. He let out a deep happy sigh.

“Somethin’ to think about, King. The girl has chosen you,” he said and tipped his bottle over so that he drank the rest of his beer in one gulp.

I had been so caught up in the things that Valentina had lashed at me during our argument, that I’d forgotten to explore her actions. Even before I’d told her what Romero had done, she hadn’t bothered to call him. She said she was back in town for her father, and she claimed that he didn’t know about her kidnapping, why hadn’t she called him yet? Could it be, because now that she met me again, she was afraid of him? Afraid of what he might think of us?

I emptied the rest of the beer down my throat, and I stood up from the bar stool.

“Ever since you met Ava, you’ve become a fucking sentimental softie. You better check yourself before you wreck yourself,” I said and slapped my brother’s back. He laughed and shook his head because he knew he had been a huge help to me, even if I wasn’t going to admit it to him.

“I have somewhere to be,” I said, as I began to walk away.

“Of course, you do. I’ll warn my sister to stay out of the house!” I heard him say to me and I rushed out of the bar and jumped on my bike.

Did it matter what Valentina had said? What mattered was what she did. She trusted me. Deep down, I knew she did. No matter how much she tried to make, me believe that she didn’t. And it was my responsibility to make sure that she was safe, and I wasn’t going to let Romero Luis come between us again. Not this time. Not after I’d just found her again.

xxx

I opened Moira’s door with the key she had given me earlier, and when I stepped in, I saw Valentina at the kitchen sink, washing a mug. She whipped around to look at me, and she saw it in my eyes; that I wasn’t ready to give up on us yet.

I said nothing, just strode over to her and placed my hands on the sink, cornering her with my body and my arms. Her brown eyes were large, and she parted her lips. I dipped my face towards her and she sunk into me. Her hands rose up to my face, as our tongues lashed against each other’s, lips sliding over lips, stifled breaths mingling.