Page 59 of Sacrifice

We are silent for a long time before I hear her snoring slightly. Espresso has his paw on her head and I look back at him. "See buddy, I got her. I promise you and her that I will make it so she's happy."

One week later

It's been a long ass week, but it's gotten better. Aribella is up early every morning and I always find her in the kitchen with Jorge, whispering and giggling. Hell, I'm jealous as fuck of their friendship, but I know she needs it. He seems like a safe spot for her when I'm out taking care of business.

Mossimo has become my shadow again, but he has a hard edge that has sharpened so much that I'm afraid he's going to be a ticking time bomb before long. As it is, we are sitting at the casino, talking with my brothers about rebuilding.

"Tear it down," Mossimo chimes in. "Start over. Or not at all," he growls and takes the glass of whiskey, chugging it down.

"Easy, Mossimo." I put my hand on his shoulder and smile at him. "We still have to go to the car dealership." He stares at me for a moment before staring back at the glass.

"Fuck, I'm sorry."

Diego looks between us and shakes his head. "Do I need to send over another man?" He's not trying to be an ass. He knows Mossimo went through hell and he's hiding it well. Yet, I hear him talking to the damn cat all night, like the cat is his only hope that no one will know how fucked up he really is.

"No. Mossimo and the rest of my men are fine." I notice how Mossimo's shoulders relax and I know I've made the right call by keeping him close.

"If we tear down and rebuild, it's a waste of a good space. We need to clean up what is here and renovate it," I tell them, and everyone just nods. "But I want things to be clean here, everything above board. I'm going to be getting out of the seedier side of business."

My brothers both gawk at me and I raise my head. "I have a reason to live and the person I'm trying to be needs to grow. Change."

Mossimo laughs and looks at me. "Aribella isn't asking you to change," he says with a growl, but I see the look in his eyes. The words he isn't saying are that he agrees with this change.

"Very well. We will let you do what you please, as you've already told Diego, that you are letting him expand this land to yours. I have no problem with this and since I'm out of the game, it's best Diego has more say," Miguel says, and Diego raises an eyebrow. Those two have never seen eye to eye.

"Whatever you think, Vincent," Diego replies with a shrug. They've come together for me and that's never going to be forgotten.

"Good. Now, I'm going to leave and get the contractors here by the end of the week. For the moment, Diego, thank you forcontinuing to watch over the place. I don't need looters out here."

Diego stands as Mossimo does, and Miguel and I get up. We all meet on the side of the table closest to the door. Miguel hugs me, telling me to bring Aribella by so his wife and Aribella can have a girls’ day. Whatever the hell that is. Mossimo walks toward the door and I hug Diego.

"Thank you, little brother." I pat him on the back and step back.

"Yeah, yeah, go get the car for your girl."

Walking out of the casino, I look at Mossimo and he grunts. "I've never liked that brother of yours," is all he says as he gets into the passenger seat and I get into the drivers.

"Oh, come now. Diego loves you. He's just really rough around the edges. Just like you."

We drive in silence to the car dealership and I see Jorge with Aribella there already. Shit, I'm running late, which is not like me.

"What are we doing here?"Mi reinaasks as I come to stand next to her. She takes my hand without me having to prompt her to do so. Pride swells in me. Each day, she opens up a little more for me.

Before I answer her, I bend down and kiss her lips. When she moans, I pull her closer, and she melts into me. Thank God. Maybe giving her time to heal is the right thing to do.

"Buying you a car," I say it in a matter-of-fact tone that has her popping her head up and narrowing her eyes at me.

"Why?" She's so skeptical of anything I want to do for her. It's kind of silly, but warranted. Aribella still hasn't learned that I only want her love,not only her body.

"Because if you are going to go to school and work, you need a way around." Of course, I'm not going to tell her that the car is going to have a GPS tracker and its own damn camera systemthat I will have full access to. Nope, that little bit of information is for me only.

Chapter Twenty-Six

“Ican’t believe you are buying me a car.” A smile forms without my permission, but I can’t help it. Vincent has been really nice to me, going out of his way to show me that he’s not going to pressure me into anything.

What’s crazy is that I kind of miss his domineering, in your face, growly attitude. I’m not going to tell him that, though. It’s nice seeing how hard he’s trying to make me comfortable.

He called Groveton College for me and they agreed that I could start in the second spring semester, which means I only have two weeks before classes start. I’m excited to get back to school and to finish the final four classes I have left.

---