Page 76 of Bound to You

But all night I could feel the warmth of Caio’s eyes on me. Even when I couldn’t see him, I knew he was watching, looking over me like always. I can barely imagine the days when he won’tbe around looking out for me. I don’t want to imagine it, don’t want to entertain the idea of not having Caio in my life.

So I take another shot. Wanting to pretend, just for tonight that this reality can be mine, that all of this could really be mine. Even him.

chapter thirty-one

ISLA

I tripover my own feet as I stumble into Caio’s penthouse, the only thing keeping me on my feet is his arms wrapping around me from behind. He’s walking behind me, holding me up with every wobbly step.

I haven’t gotten this drunk in so long. I blame my brother and May, plying me with shot after shot for the remainder of the night.

It was only once May nearly fell off of the karaoke stage that Rafael and Caio stepped in. Rafael tossed May over his shoulder scolding her like an unimpressed parent, and she bashed on his back like a child, I giggle again at the thought of the two of them.

“What are you laughing about, sweetheart?” Caio says, and I can hear the smile in his voice.

“Nothing,” I say, smiling like an idiot.

“Here,” Caio says as he leans me against the wall in the hallway before bending down to his knees. He grabs the back of my calf, pulling my foot on top of his knee. The sudden unbalance makes me wobble.

“Fuck,” I stick my hands to the wall behind me willing myself not to fall on my face right now.

Caio laughs under his breath before he grabs my hands resting them on his shoulders to steady me. He pulls the end of the bow at the back of my ankle, carefully untying the many straps of my heels before he frees my foot, placing it on the ground before repeating the action with my other foot.

“Ever the gentleman,” I whisper.

I see the smirk that he’s trying to hide as he looks down at my foot resting on his knee.

“Come on, clumsy,” he says. Leaving my heels in the hall as he leads me to his bedroom.

He leaves me in the middle of the room as he walks into his wardrobe. I sway on my feet, that king bed is looking mighty comfortable right now.

A queasy feeling starts to swirl in my gut as I stand here.

My mind is blurry, and my stomach feels like it’s spinning around like a washing machine, and I know from experience that’s not a good combination.

I take off, not quite running to Caio’s ensuite. I barely lift the lid of the toilet before tonight’s contents come rushing out my mouth.

Tears well in my eyes as my stomach empties into the toilet. I absolutely detest throwing up, I cry every single time. I really should’ve predicted this considering the last time I took shots with May and Miles.

“Isla, baby?”

“No don’t,” I cough. Not wanting Caio to see me hunched over the toilet, but he doesn’t listen of course, walking in to see me in the worst state that someone you like could possibly see you in.

Before I can protest any further, he’s sitting behind me and threading his fingers through my hair.

It takes me a while to realize what he’s doing, that he’s braiding my hair. He pulls my hair back and out of my face,making sure to tie in all the loose strands floating around my face.

I flush the toilet before turning around to face him. “Why do you know how to do that?”

“Rafael’s sister is a model. When she was younger and going for casting shoots, she taught the both of us to braid her hair so that she could do her makeup, and we could do her hair. Time efficient she said.”

“I didn’t know Rafael had a sister.”

“Marisol,” he says. “She hasn’t been back since their nonna died about two years ago.”

I can only imagine how Rafael would act with a younger sister.

“You feeling any better?”

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