Page 84 of Keeping My Captive

Renato looks in my direction, and I give him a smile. He nods over to the corner of the property, wanting me to join him. So, I tell everyone I’ll be right back before heading over to a secluded part of the party where people are going to be taking pictures under a giant weeping Willow tree.

“Hey,” Renato says in greeting.

“Hey.”

I haven’t spoken to Renato much over the past several months. After our talk when I got home, he decided to take another job for my father, no longer wanting to be my bodyguard. I didn’t blame him for not wanting to be around me, but I must admit that I missed him.

I’d still consider us friends, but we’re definitely not as close as we once were. I think the time apart did us both good; however, because he ended up finding a girlfriend, whom he adores and proposed to a few weeks ago. She said yes, of course, because she’d be crazy not to. Renato is quite the catch. He just wasn’t meant for me.

“I heard you and Leona got engaged. Congratulations,” I say with a smile.

“Thanks.” He stares at the ground with a shy grin on his face before he looks up and meets my gaze.

“I’m glad you’re happy,” I tell him. And I mean that wholeheartedly. Renato and I were on the same path for a long time before fate intervened and we went down very different paths. And now that we’ve both found our way out on the other side, I’m thrilled, for the both of us.

“I feel the same way,” he admits. “And you are, right? Happy?” he asks.

I glance back at Mateo, who is currently staring invisible daggers into Renato. I can’t help but grin at my boyfriend’s jealousy. I’m sure he’ll take it out on me in the bedroom later…and I can hardly wait. Blushing, I turn back to Renato and bite my lip to contain a laugh. And then I tell him, “Yes, very happy.”

“Good. That’s all I ever wanted for you, Aria.”

And maybe I’m throwing fuel on the fire, but I don’t care. I lean into Renato and hug him tightly. He hesitates, but eventually puts his arms around me. “Thank you for being there for me every time I needed you,” I whisper into his ear.

“Of course. That’s what friends are for,” he tells me with a grin when we part.

And that’s exactly what we are. What we’ve always been. At the end of the day, we were always friends before anything else.

“Go back to your girl,” I say. “I’m sure she’s wondering where you ran off to.”

“Yeah.” He gives me a nod, and it feels like something settled between us. I can’t explain it, but I think we needed to have this little talk to clear the air. “See you around, Aria,” he throws over his shoulder as he walks away.

“See you.”

I return to a deceptively calm Mateo. As soon as I’m within arm’s length, he wraps his hand around my elbow and pulls me in close. “Friend of yours?” he asks.

“That was Renato,” I explain.

Mateo’s eyes narrow in understanding. He knows everything about my past. “Ah, I see.” And then he leans down and whispers into my ear, “If we weren’t surrounded by all these people and if this wasn’t your brother’s wedding, I would bend you over my knee, spank your ass red, and then show you who you belong to.”

I gasp, my heart stuttering in my chest. “Can you show me later?” I question breathlessly.

A growl rumbles low in his chest as he stares down at me with a look that screams I’m a delicious meal and he’s a ravenous man. “Oh yes,mi pequeña cautiva. Definitely later,” he promises.

He hasn’t called mehis little captivein a while, and I can’t help the shiver that runs through my body and straight to my core. Mateo smirks and then winks. The bastard knows exactly what his words do to me.

The string quartet begins to play, and someone announces that the ceremony is about to begin. Selina rushes Lucy back into my arms before instructing us to take our seats in the front row.

Watching my brother and Selina get married has me crying more than Lucy ever has in the time since she’s been born. Just seeing them up there, exchanging their beautiful vows and staring into each other’s eyes has my heart pitter-pattering. It took them so long to get to this point.

Who knew that when they met as teenagers, they would someday reunite, fall in love and get married. Their love is the kind of love that people write about or only dream of. They have endured so much to get here. But it was all worth it in the end, because now they will finally have the happily ever after that they both deeply deserve.

When the preacher announces them as husband and wife, everyone cheers and claps. After the ceremony is over, all of us, including the newlyweds, move to the giant tent that’s decorated with lights. We eat, drink and enjoy each other’s company as the party goes on in the background.

All too soon it’s time for Selina to throw the bouquet, and the DJ calls out on the microphone for all the single ladies. Mateo eagerly takes Lucy from me and tells me to join them.

Technically, I’m not single, but I guess not being married yet qualifies me. I feel like an idiot standing there with several cousins that look like they’re half my age. One young girl beside me, who can’t be more than twelve, scoffs at me and says, “I’m catching that bouquet.”

“Game on,” I challenge her, suddenly feeling very competitive.

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