Chapter 31 - Everyone Deserves A Smile

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This chapter has three different POV's 😅

Enjoy ❤️

~ Madison's POV ~

I was like a woman on a mission.

Once I'd dropped the twins off at preschool, I came back home to take a quick shower while Santiago lay in our bed, trying to find out the whereabouts of Sienna again.

He hadn't heard from her since that day Mackenzie ate the cookie while we all thought Sienna was watching the twins, when she wasn't.

Apparently she wasn't even in the house.

I knew he was worried. Sienna meant a lot to him. After he rescued her from Asher's whore house, I guess you could call it, she lived with him and worked with him until she was financially stable enough to live alone.

He never really admitted it too much, but she did mean a lot to him. They'd been through a lot together.

"Any luck baby?" Stopping next to his bed once I was dressed again and ready to go out on my mission, I rubbed Santi's arm to comfort him.

"No. I even tried Katia but she hasn't heard from her."

As soon as he mentioned Katia I just rolled my eyes.

We hadn't done anything about Katia and Stevie yet. Arturo and Santi tried to find Stevie but she'd completely disappeared and they hadn't bothered to speak to Katia since she was away on business right now.

They decided to leave her in the dark and wait until she was back soon to tell her that they knew what she did.

Instead of focusing on finding Sienna, he turned to look at me when he saw I was dressed to go out.

"Where are you going?" As soon as he questioned me, I began walking to our bedroom door to leave the room, knowing he would try to stop me.

"To demand answers from Arturo."

"Maddie-" Before he could say anything I left the room, heading downstairs while he jumped out of bed to follow me downstairs.

"Madison don't do anything. Just leave it, stay out of it." I shook my head at Santiago as I put my shoes on at the front door, ignoring his pleading tone.

"No."

"He's not going to be happy-"

"Well I'm not happy. She turned up here crying last night because of him! He's lucky I didn't go down there last night and kick his ass." Santiago let out a defeated sigh knowing he couldn't stop me as I grabbed his car keys before opening the front door.

I didn't wait for him to say anything as I went out to his car and got in. It only took me a few minutes to get to Arturo's house and after the pep talk I gave myself, I was definitely ready to give him a piece of my mind.

"Maddie?" He gave me a confused frown as I stepped past him and into his house, turning back around to face him.

He looked as if he'd just woken up from the tired expression on his face, his bed hair and the way he was only wearing boxers.

"You're a jerk."

Instead of saying anything, he just continued to stare at me in confusion until I finally gave him some clarity and told him why I was there.

"Lucia came to our house last night in tears. What did you say to her?"

As soon as I mentioned her name, he turned around and opened the door again.

"Get out."

"No, not until you tell me what you did to make her cry. I thought you two-"

"Madison I won't tell you again, get the hell out." Once again I just stubbornly shook my head causing him to give me a cold glare. All of a sudden he slammed the door shut and walked past me heading into his kitchen.

"Arturo!"

He completely ignored me as he went over to his coffee machine, turning it on while getting a mug out.

"Answer me. What did you say to her?"

Finally when I spoke in a raised voice at him again, he spun around to give me another glare.

"I told her the truth."

"Which is?" Ignoring the way he spat his words at me, I rose an eyebrow at him waiting for him to reply.

"That she's not my girlfriend...among other things." I knew from the second half of his sentence that he'd purposely not told me the worst things that he said.

Knowing how bad his anger could get, I wasn't sure anymore that I wanted to know what he'd said to her.

"I thought you liked her?" When I said this, he clenched his jaw, looking down at the island counter in front of him as I stood across the island from him.

"I never told you that."

"You didn't have to. Arturo what's going on?" He still just continued to ignore me causing me to let out a sigh. "If you don't tell me, I'm just going to kick your ass and get it out of you that way."

Finally he lifted his eyes to look at me, a small smile tugging at his lips at my words before he eventually let out a sigh, turning back to his coffee machine.

"You want some?"

Smooth, hot, rich, roasted coffee...

"Um...I don't think I should." When I said this, very reluctantly, he turned his head to give me a frown. "What do you mean?"

"Caffeine...it's not really recommended if you're, you know, trying for a baby or something." As I spoke, I looked away from him, instead taking in his ultra modern kitchen.

The dark, masculine vibes of his house suited him very well.

"Wait, what?" This time he turned around properly while I just now gave him a small smile. "You're having another baby?"

"Not yet...at least I don't think I'm pregnant yet. We're trying to though." A genuine smile also broke out onto his lips in response to my words. "I'm happy for you but I'll save the congratulations until you are actually pregnant. I bet Santiago's having fun with it though."

He wiggled his eyesbrows at me causing me to roll my eyes although a laugh escaped my lips, images of our activities last night on his desk coming back to me.

"Oh you have no idea."

Finally once he'd made himself a cup of coffee we sat down at his table before he started telling me what happened last night.

Well, he told me the tiniest details and I had to work to get him to tell me the full story.

"She tried to give me some hand gel and I may have told her not to touch me."

As soon as he said that my eyes widened and when I was about to shout, he put his hand up to stop me.

"I know, it was stupid. I'd been drinking just before with Santi and when she did it, the thoughts that went through my head...they scared me."

"What do you mean?"

"No one has done something like that for me ever before. She cared so much that she wanted to drive my car home and then she tried to give me the hand gel like she cared about me."

"She does care about you, anyone can see that." He let out a sigh, nodding his head.

"I know. I'm not used to it Maddie. It's pathetic but I just panicked. In that moment I suddenly felt like I...I needed her care. But, for all these years I've never needed anyone. I've always prided myself on that."

"Arturo, you're stopping yourself from letting her in. You need to stop that, just let her break the walls down." In response to my words he just shook his head, clenching his jaw as he thought for a moment.

"She'll never be mine Maddie. She works for El Dios Del Diablo. It's not possible, I've thought about it so much but nothing would work."

As he spoke I could see the pain in his eyes so clearly as he averted his gaze back down to his coffee.

"Do you love her?" As soon as I said that word his eyes snapped to mine. For a second I could tell he was about to argue with me until he eventually he looked away again.

"I think so."

His response was so quiet, I knew the only reason I heard it was because we were the only ones in the house.

"Then go and see her because I can tell you, from the way she was crying last night, she loves you too Arturo."

As soon as I suggested it, he shook his head.

"I hurt her too much Maddie. Anyway, it's better if I don't. We can't be together so-"

"Did that stop Romeo and Juliet?" When I said this, he gave me a weird look. "They both died."

When he said this I just waved him off, ignoring his point entirely.

"Eh, everyone dies eventually. Arturo please listen to me, just go and see her. You love her and she loves you. Apologise like hell and get her back, even if it's just for a few months. You never know what could happen in the future, nothing is impossible."

"Maddie..."

"Do it. What else did you say to her? I'll tell you how to apologise." When I mentioned this, he let out a sigh and shook his head. I could tell he didn't want to tell me but when I just gave him the look I use on the twins, he sang like a canary.

"I might have maybe...suggested to her that I might...call one of my whores and sleep with her...?"

His words came out in a questioning tone while I just sat there in shock until I suddenly lost it.

"You said that to her?! What the hell is wrong with Arturo? No wonder she was crying!" Arturo leaned back in his chair as I continued to give him hell for what he said for another few minutes, explaining to him that is not how you treat someone that you love.

"That's not all I said."

"How can it be any worse than telling a girl who clearly has feelings for you that you're going to-"

"Maddie I know what happened, you don't need to say it again. I told her...I told her that I was just waiting to sleep with her all this time."

Honestly I had no words for this man.

"Go upstairs, take a shower then get your ass over there and grovel until she forgives you."

~ Arturo's POV ~

She wants me to freaking grovel.

I didn't even know what that word meant until I looked it up after Maddie left.

I had no clue how to do that so I decided to do what I'm good at.

Spending my money.

"Can I get that one?"

The woman behind the counter looked down at the silver diamond bracelet before nodding her head, gently taking out.

"Would you like to see it close up or-"

"No just pack it up for me." Once again she nodded her head and did all the fancy packaging for it before telling me the total amount.

"That'll be $36,000. How would you like to pay?"

"With my freaking card, how else would I pay for it? With freaking pennies?"

Her eyes widened at my response and she quickly nodded her head, getting the card machine ready for me.

I really wasn't in the mood to deal with stupid questions like that.

By the time I was standing outside Santi's house with her bracelet, a bouquet of flowers and a box of fancy chocolates, I felt like a pussy.

An extremely nervous pussy.

"You went shopping for me? Baby, you shouldn't have." I narrowed my eyes at Santiago when he opened the door, giving me a smirk as he took in the items in my hands.

"Screw you. Where is she?" He let out a laugh at my response before pointing to the stairs.

"The guest room nearest to the twins room." I nodded my head as I let out a nervous breath and started towards the stairs. "If you have sex in there you're changing the sheets yourself and then disinfecting the entire room."

I couldn't help but laugh at Santiago's words as he closed the front door before I went upstairs to the room she was in. After a good few moments I finally knocked on the door, hearing her soft voice respond a few moments later.

"Come in."

Pushing open the door I looked around the room until I noticed her figure under the duvet on the bed. She was always an early riser so the fact she was still in bed at midday just made me feel even worse knowing it was my fault.

"Lucia?"

As soon as she heard my voice she sat up, her eyes widening when she saw me. She stared at me for a moment, taking in all the items in my hands. Unfortunately for me, her shocked expression quickly morphed into a glare.

"Get out."

"Lucia please-"

"Arturo, get out. I don't want you anywhere near me." I held her stare for a moment before I let out a sigh, closed the door and then went closer to the bed causing her glare to deepen.

"Are you deaf?"

"No, just...at least hear me out and let me give you these and then I'll leave."

"No, to both. I'm not letting you buy me back." She shook her head once more before she lay back down, pulling the covers over her head.

"Lucia please. I'm so sorry for how I acted yesterday. I know I screwed up, I'm not good at this stuff."

All of a sudden she pushed the covers away from her face, sitting up again to give me a glare, again.

"Not good? No Arturo, there's not being good at something and then just being a horrible human being. What you said last night was-"

"Freaking awful I know. Baby please just let me explain." When I said this she just let out a scoff.

"How could you possibly have an explanation for telling me that you only wanted me for sex? Or that I should stop caring about you? Or that you're going to go and have sex with another woman? Go on Arturo, tell me."

Just from the way she was speaking, I could see how much I'd hurt her and all of a sudden the words just came flooding out of me. I just wanted to take away that hurt, I hated being the reason she was in pain.

She didn't deserve it.

"I was trying to protect myself. Lucia we both work for two different cartels, we'll never be together. I've thought of everything and nothing would work. When you tried to give me the hand gel I almost felt like I needed it...I needed you to care about me, and I panicked and pushed you away. I pushed you away again when you started going on about how much I was drinking. I have all these crazy feelings for you but I know you'll never be mine so I need to protect myself."

She looked away from me as I spoke, taking a seat next on the edge of the bed while I continued with what I was saying.

"If this situation was different, I would have already asked you to be my girl. I probably would have told you exactly how I felt about you too. But Lucia..."

"We can't, because we can never be together." When she finished off my sentence, looking at me with tearful eyes, I just nodded my head.

I could see the pain in her eyes too. Maybe it was from the thought of us never being together or maybe just from what I said last night.

"I'm so sorry baby. I swear to you, I didn't mean a word of what I said. You're the only woman I've ever met that has made me feel things like this and so quickly too. It just got too much for me, I had too much to drink and...I screwed up. I'm so sorry."

She stayed quiet for a while, occasionally wiping away her tears as she looked down at her hands instead of me.

"You knew what I've been through and yet you told me you only wanted me for sex. Even if it wasn't true, how could you say something like that to me?"

Her voice broke as she spoke, causing the guilt to rise up inside me again.

"I'm-"

"And then you come here with flowers expecting me to forgive you?"

When she finally looked at me again, she was back to glaring at me like earlier.

Even though I absolutely hated being on the receiving end of her anger and her glare, part of me was proud of her for sticking up for herself and not giving in to me. She may have always been so caring and pure, but she wasn't a push over either which I liked.

If we were married she would be able to put up with me and keep me in my place.

Unfortunately for you, you're never going to marry her. You've never thought about marriage until now, so stop.

"I'm sorry. I'm so freaking sorry, I don't know why I said it. I made a mistake, a stupid mistake." As I spoke I moved closer to her, gently wiping away the tears from her cheeks. "Please forgive me baby. I'm so sorry."

She continued to stare at me for a while before she turned her attention to the box of chocolates I'd put down on the bed earlier when I sat down.

"I'll take these but nothing else." As she spoke she took the chocolates and pushed the bag with the bracelet in and the flowers back to me.

"Can you at least look at the bracelet?" When I mentioned that it was a bracelet, her eyes flashed to mine and she then looked at the bag with curiosity before shaking her head.

"Maybe later. I haven't forgiven you yet so I don't want to compliment it and make you feel good by accident."

Although she'd just told me she didn't forgive me, I couldn't help but smile at her words as she opened the chocolates and took one out.

Without a word she leaned back against the headboard of the bed and started eating them in silence. I just sat there watching as she checked the little menu with all the different types of chocolates on and then chose which one she wanted. After a few moments of silence she glanced over at me before reluctantly holding the box out to me.

"Would you like one?"

Like I always say, she's so pure.

I had to hide my smile at the way she asked me before eventually shaking my head.

"No baby, they're yours."

"Stop calling me that." She gave me another glare before eating one last chocolate, closing the box again.

"Why are you still here?"

"Because I'm not leaving until you agree to come home."

It's not her home, she'll never share a home with you idiot.

"Arturo-"

"Just come back with me. Please?" She held eye contact with me for a moment before looking away, letting out a sigh.

"You have to cook dinner today then because I'm too tired."

"Okay." Just as I nodded my head, giving her a smile, she gave me another glare.

"And, you have to draw a smiley face on a napkin for me because I do that for you everyday." I nodded my head letting out a laugh at her demand.

"Can I hug you now?"

That's the first time I've ever said that.

I would never ever dream of hugging a girl romantically and even if I did, I would never ask.

After a few moments she nodded her head before pushing the covers away from herself, moving closer to me. As soon as she was close enough, I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her onto my lap as I hugged her.

"I really am sorry Lucia." All she did was nod her head as she hugged me, choosing not to reply.

I knew she didn't forgive me yet, not that I even blamed her, what I said was disgusting.

"Why do you always draw those smiley faces on the napkin?" A few minutes passed in silence before I spoke, asking her a question I'd been meaning to ask her ever since she first made me dinner.

"To sprinkle a little bit of joy into your life." She shrugged her shoulders pulling away from me when she said this before continuing. "Everyone deserves a smile."

The longer I continued to stare at her, the more I knew exactly how I felt about her. Even though I'd only known her for about six weeks, this woman had managed to break down every single wall that I'd spent over a decade building up. She made me feel things and want things I never even thought about for. Before I could even stop myself, those three words left my mouth.

"I love you."

Her eyes widened at my sudden confession and she stilled in my arms. I'm pretty sure she could feel how fast my heart was beating as I waited for her to say something, anything.

"Arturo..." Tears filled her eyes as she looked at me in shock. "We both know how this is going to end."

"I know, but I don't care. I don't want to regret anything, I don't want to waste whatever time we have together." Using my thumb, I gently wiped away the tears falling from her eyes.

"Say something."

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