Page 61 of Keeping My Captive

“No as in you are not taking it,” he says as he begins stuffing clothes into a black duffle bag.

“But…but what if I get pregnant?”

He turns and looks at me. I can practically hear the gears in his mind working as he looks down at my stomach. I bet he’s imagining me pregnant with his child right now. And I can’t help but wonder what he’s thinking. Self-consciously, I wrap my arms protectively around my naked body; and as if the spell has been broken, he blinks and tears his eyes away.

“I have to go,” he says, dismissing me, as he grabs a few suits on hangers, loading his hands.

“Mateo, we need to talk about this,” I say urgently. “Do you not understand how babies are made?” I ask incredulously.

He stops and pins me with narrowed eyes. “I’m not an idiot.”

“I didn’t say you were,” I say exasperatedly, throwing my hands up in the air. “But it’s like you’re not understanding me right now. Maybe I need to get on birth control or something,” I spit out, rambling.

“We’ll discuss this after I get home.”

“Where are you going?” I ask, annoyed.

I don’t expect him to answer me, and I’m amazed when he does. “There was an explosion at one of our warehouses down south. I need to go and make sure everything is all right. Should only take a day or two at the most.”

So, he’s leaving…for a day or two? I should feel relieved, but I don’t. I feel quite the opposite. Mateo has never left me alone for that length of time before.

“Ignacio will watch over you,” he assures me, and I’m not sure if that’s supposed to make me feel better, but it doesn’t. Ignacio isn’t exactly the friendly type, and we haven’t really gotten along ever since I arrived. I think he feels like I have some kind of powerful ulterior motive when it comes to his boss and friend, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Mateo walks over to me. Placing a finger under my chin, he tips my face up to his. And then he leans down and places a searing hot kiss to my lips, leaving me breathless.

“Behave yourself while I’m gone,” he tells me before he walks out the door, closing it behind him.

I stare after him in disbelief. My fingertips sweep over my lips, reliving that kiss in my mind for a long time after he leaves.

CHAPTER46

Aria

MATEO’S TRIP TURNS from one day into two, and then from two into three. On the third day, Ignacio lets me know that Mateo ordered him to take me shopping so that I don’t die of boredom. It’s funny how Mateo knew exactly what would cheer me up and make me happy. Even though I’ve been helping Esmeralda in the kitchen and enjoying my time with her — she even taught me how to make concha — I must admit that getting out of the house is exactly what I need.

We’re in our fifth department store of the day when Ignacio hands me a small, black flip phone. “It’s Mateo,” he explains when I look up at him in confusion.

I put the phone up to my ear and ask, “Hello?”

“Buenos días, Aria,” Mateo’s deep voice answers. “How are you?”

I chew on my bottom lip. It’s so nice to hear his voice. What’s that old saying? Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Yeah, well, it’s completely true. I miss him. Way more than I ever thought I would or could. And much more than I should. “I’m okay,” I tell him. “How are you?”

“I’ve been better,” he grinds out.

“What’s wrong?” I ask, concerned.

“Nothing, Aria. I’m just missing a certain little captive of mine.”

His words steal the breath right out of my lungs. Mateo isn’t the type to confess his true feelings, so him admitting that he misses me is a big deal. And I find myself foolishly blushing like a silly, lovesick teenager.

“How’s the shopping trip?” he prompts.

I sigh deeply and stare across the store at Ignacio and Flora. They’re practically having sex against a shoe rack while nearby employees look on in surprise and horror. “You didn’t tell me Ignacio and Flora are, like, athing,” I hiss conspiratorially. I wondered why Ignacio was so adamant about her coming along. Now I know.

“I wouldn’t exactly call them a thing,” Mateo muses. “But they’re definitely fucking.”

“Yeah, no shit,” I say sarcastically, and that earns me a dark chuckle on the other end of the line. “They can barely keep their hands off each other, so it’s been hard to get any shopping done when I’m trying not to see…all ofthat.” I have seen Flora’s boobs and butt cheeks more times than I can count since Ignacio is constantly lifting her skirt or pulling down her shirt and pawing at her like some kind of wild animal.

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