Page 41 of Dare To Free Us
Before she could stand all the way I scooped her gently into my arms, trying my best not to jostle her ribs. She let out a small moan of discomfort, then settled against me.
I strode past the guards at the door who opened it and headed straight for our bedroom. My mother was in the second vehicle and I knew she would understand the lack of goodnight pleasantries.
I was almost positive Arianna was asleep before we reached our room but when I laid her on the bed she mumbled, “Stay with me.”
“I am. I just need to get you out of these clothes or you are going to burn up.” Undressing her was as close as I’d come to undressing a dead person. She didn’t help at all. I smiled at the fact she knew I didn’t care in the least.
After she was down to just panties— because she couldn’t ware a bra with her bruised ribs— I stripped my guns and clothes off and crawled in beside her.
I snuggled close and held her to my chest as gently as I could. Deep breaths puffed from my lungs as I thought of how I became too close to losing moments like this forever. Arianna could have died if she’d remained in her seat. I hammered down the fear that tried to rise up. It was over, she was safe in my arms. My heart thumped hard, ensuring I was taking the impact of the day seriously.
My eyes closed and sleep was ready to pull me under. I was so damn tired.
“Matteo,” Arianna whispered. My eyes shot open, astounded she wasn’t asleep.
“What is it?” I whispered.
“I want to go see the girl,” she said, almost half asleep.
“That’s not a good idea,” I said, with a hard “no” hinting in my voice. Arianna just having knowledge of a kidnapping was bad enough. But for her to actively see the girl and become engaged with the situation? Absolutely fucking not.
“Please, Matteo? I… need to.”
There was a desperation in her whisper that grated on my nerves. Whatever this need was I had no doubt it connected to whatever was crowding her mind. However, now was not the time to be talking about it.
“We’ll talk tomorrow. You need to rest.” I kissed the top of her head, curling into her a bit more. Arianna sighed deeply and was out before her next breath. I was only seconds behind.
8
ARIANNA
Iwoke that morning feeling like someone had played the drums on my sides. I know Matteo felt awful for hurting me, but if he hadn’t used all his strength to hold onto me… I shuddered at the memory. Panic tried to rise in my gut, I took a few deep breaths to shove it away.
Placing a hand over my stomach I rolled out of bed like fat seal on the beach. It was too hard to sit straight up so I had to move to the edge, swing my legs over and use the momentum to help pop me upright. That’s when the headache drilled a railroad spike into my skull. The motion of the ocean was inside my head, making me want to fall back into bed.
It wasn’t just my throbbing head or hurt ribs that were sore though. My entire body felt like hammered dog shit. The exhaustion the night before helped keep it concealed, but after a full night of staying in one position I felt like my body was half way to rigor mortis.
Hobbling to the bathroom, keeping all the lights off, I let the hot water in the shower alleviate some of the stiffness. It didn’t do much for the headache but a least I wasn’t dizzy anymore. After that, I could walk without feeling like a hunched-over old maid and went to closet to dress in comfy sweats and T-shirt.
Making my way down the stairs I headed for the gym that connected to the garage. Matteo’s pistols had been sitting on his nightstand so I knew he hadn’t left. The gym was always the first place I looked when waking up to an empty bed.
Opening the door the sound of modern rock soundedtoo muchfor early in the morning and the bright lights did not agree with my brain.
Stepping inside I watched as Matteo jumped up to the high bar and started doing pull-ups. His back was to me so he hadn’t seen me yet. I took the moment to admire my sexy husband who got my lady parts in a tizzy any time I saw an inch of bare skin—or fully clothed for that matter.
Matteo’s back and shoulder muscles bulged and flexed as he completed reps like they were nothing. His tattoos moved and gleamed under the bright lights making my mouth water. The sweat covering his skin and turning the waistband at his back dark told me he’d been at it for some time.
Letting go of the bar Matteo hit the ground with graceful ease and turned. Matteo spied me casually leaning against the wall— well as casually as I could with daggers sticking into my ribs— and smiled. It was one of those smiles that told me I was his world without ever speaking a word.
I could get lost in that smile all day. Not to mention his amazing sculpted body. Matteo and Luca shared the same obsession about being fit. After studying kickboxing together, neither ever lost the drive to work out. Matteo would wake up after a few hours of sleep just to get a workout in before having to be on his way.
He walked towards me holding that smile, his sleep tussled hair giving him an edgy look. I caught site of a bead of sweat dripping down his neck to his hard chest. I licked my lips subconsciously. Between my thighs the heat was growing. My headache calmed to a dull throb.
“Good morning,” he said closing the space to nothing. He looked down at me hungrily and my body responded. My skin heated, wanting him to touch me so I could go up in flames.
“Hmm, is it?” I purred, using my fingertips to trace the tattoos on his arms and side. Screw the headache and the pain, I wanted my man.
“I woke to you in my arms. So, it’s a good morning.” Shadows danced in his eyes at the memory that it could have turned out very different.