Torrez

by Bex Dane

  "Getting the fuck out of there?"

  "Yes. And also staying."

  "Why?"

  "The weakest men are the ones who drop out right before the end. The ones that make it are the men you want on your team. Because they'll survive when others fail. It's not about physical strength. It's about mental fortitude."

  "What does that have to do with us?"

  "This trip we're on ain't gonna be easy. We'll face storms, hurricanes. We'll get pummeled by forces out of our control. Sometimes we'll be sitting balls deep in frigid water. There will be times you'll want to give up and you think you can't make it. But I'll be there. You wrap your arms and legs around me and hold on for the ride." He pulled me in close and his heat sank into my heart. He kissed the top of my head. "Hang onto me. I'll keep you warm. I got the mental strength, and I know you do too. Let me be the man you cling to when you're cold. We can be so strong together. Forever."

  I rubbed my forehead against his hard chest. Damn Torrez. So smart and saying just what I needed to hear. "This you could have said without the demonstration."

  His chest shook with his laughter. "Yeah, but look how hard your nipples are. Feel like rocks against my chest."

  I smacked his shoulder. "Shut up, you numbskull."

  He shook with laughter again.

  His thumbs under my chin tilted my head to his and he kissed me. Salty, cold, divine. I opened for him and his heat invaded my mouth. We both dove deeper and groaned. Oh my god. I wanted him so bad.

  I ended the kiss and pretended to be mad. "Fine. Give me the ring." I held out my hand palm up like a spoiled child.

  "You're already wearing the ring." He turned my palm over and pointed to the giant rock propped there. Oh yeah, right. Well… I forgot.

  I could not tear my eyes from the beauty I saw. A stunning princess-cut diamond beamed from the center like a billboard. Two square rubies graced either side of the massive diamond. Fine platinum bands held tiny ruby baguettes stacked horizontally next to each other in neat rows. It was the most stunning piece I'd ever seen. Modern and yet classic. A little loud and unique too. It screamed my style. Torrez knew me. He knew my tastes already. And any man who could pick out a ring like this for me was a keeper.

  "You like it?"

  "Of course I do. It's perfect."

  "Good."

  "I would've loved the simple ring too. The one you dropped in the ocean."

  "I know you would, meu amor. And I absolutely love that about you. I know you don't give a shit about my money or jewels or whatever else material in this world. I know you love me for me."

  "I do."

  "That's why you'll be my wife."

  "Okay."

  I hated to mention it, but it needed to be said. "Should we uh.... I mean I'm technically still married to Yegor."

  His eyes flashed with anger at the mention of his name. "He's dead."

  "Oh my god. He is?"

  "Pavel turned on him and fled."

  Pavel? How odd. He was the most mild mannered of Ivan's three sons. I didn't even believe he wanted to marry Nariam.

  "Nariam."

  "What?"

  "The girl they forced him to marry. We need to help her."

  He stared at me for a long time, but didn't argue. "I'll talk to Rogan and Zook about going back for Nariam."

  "Thank you."

  "You set a wedding date. I'll plan around it. You want to wait?"

  Absolutely not. I wanted to marry him as soon as possible. "I don't want to wait."

  "Good. Get a dress. Get Cecelia a dress. Whatever you want. We can fly anywhere in the world. Have you been to Atlantic City?"

  "No. And I'd love to go see it, but let's get married right here. On our deck. This home is so beautiful. I can't imagine a better place."

  "Alright. And plan a honeymoon too."

  "Oh, like where?"

  "Anywhere you want. Rogan's stepdad is the Prime Minister of St. Amalie. You ever been there?"

  "Is that in the Caribbean? It sounds familiar."

  "Yep. White sand and warm days. Would love to see you lounging around in your bikini. Or naked."

  "Oh, I'd love that."

  "Then it's set." He kissed me again and my heart melted into his. My man, my love, my life.

  My hands skimmed down his wide back and landed on his ass.

  He planted a kiss on my lips and pulled away with a dashing grin. "Shower first. Then I'm taking your ass."

  A zing of excitement ran from my heart to between my legs. "Okay."

  "Got a platinum dildo for you. You'll be double stuffed. So full of me you won't know anything else."

  Oh gosh. That sounded scary and wonderful at the same time. Just like everything with Torrez. "Okay," was my breathy reply.

  He picked me up and carried me to the shower. We warmed our frozen toes. Standing next to Torrez' huge cock and rubbing soap all over him was an orgasmic experience. He ate me out as I gasped and screamed and held his head.

  His kisses were slow and languid as he carried my relaxed body to the bed. He was taking his time even though we were both excited. He lay me down flat on my back and pushed my feet back so my legs opened to him. I was too far gone in the experience of extreme cold from the ocean and the heat from the shower to care what I looked like.

  He took his time, making sure everything was good for me. And it was. I loved feeling so full and connecting with him on this intimate level.

  We both came hard, sweating and grunting through it all. My god, he was right. I'd never leave him. Never.

  He collapsed on me, breathing heavy. His arms supported most of his weight, but he gave me enough to feel safe and warm under him. I hugged him with my whole body. Legs, pussy, arms, even my head pressed closer. He groaned. He felt the love I sent him in that hug.

  "Minha." Mine.

  With his eyes closed, he trailed his fingers down my left arm and found my hand. He brought my wrist up between our faces and kissed my palm near my ring finger.

  "Agora todos que cruzarem nosso caminho, saberão que você é minha."

  "Oh God. That's gorgeous but I can't understand you."

  He laughed and his smile made his already fabulous face even more spectacular. "It means now everyone who crosses our path will know that you're mine."

  I closed my eyes and let that wash through me. I was his. He was mine. We both had received a great gift. Gratitude and joy welled up in me and escaped through a tear from the corner of my eye.

  He licked it away. "I will kiss your tears and drink your sorrow forever."

  "Stop. I can't handle any more."

  "I'll make you happy. You'll never feel lonely again. You'll never have to doubt me."

  "I said stop!"

  "Are you happy?"

  "I'm so blissed out I can't see straight. I'm overwhelmed. I'm so full."

  "Yes. Perfect."

  We cuddled and kissed a little longer before he pulled out and removed the dildo. He tucked my back to his front and snuggled his nose by my ear. "I love you, Teimosa."

  "I love you too, Torrez. Thank you for loving me."

  "Forever."

  Chapter 23

  Torrez

  My wife's ring glinted in the cabin light of the plane. Two weeks alone with Soraya on St. Amalie was just what we needed after the stress of planning a wedding. We'd kept it simple. Just our closest friends. She'd pulled it off without a hitch. She looked stunning in her beachy wedding dress and planned all the details. She handled the entire event with grace, everyone had fun, and she said she felt fulfilled and satisfied, which made me happy.

  The honeymoon, on the other hand, stressed her out. She agreed we should go to St. Amalie, but she couldn't settle on a resort. She felt overwhelmed by all the choices and gave up. I took over and planned the trip.

  I lifted our joined hands and kissed her fingertips. "All good?"

  She smiled and looked up from the travel magazine she'd been studying during the flight. "Yes. I'm nervous fo
r some reason."

  "New places are always a bit scary."

  "I want to see this Poisson Bleu Cove." She pointed to a heart-shaped cove with clear water surrounded by tall black volcanic peaks.

  "It's at the top of the list. You've mentioned it a few times. What is it about that place that intrigues you?"

  "I don't know. The shape of the cove. And you can swim with manta rays. And the crystal blue water. It's all just calling to me."

  "We'll be there in a few hours. Try to relax."

  She didn't of course. She kept reading and re-reading the article about Poisson Bleu Cove.

  ***

  "Where to?" the taxi driver asked.

  "The Pintaro Resort," I replied.

  He nodded and pulled the taxi onto a narrow road that would take us up to the most exclusive resort on the island.

  Thank you, Rogan and your prime minister of a stepdad, for booking us the coveted Treehouse Suite. We'd be up in the tops of the rainforest, with views of the volcanos and the beaches. The waiting list for the room was three years long, but Rogan got us in with less than a month's notice. My plan was to keep her naked and tied up in that room the entire two weeks. I suppose if she wanted to go sight seeing I could untie her for an afternoon.

  I leaned back in my seat and let the island atmosphere hit me. I draped my arm around Soraya. She stiffened and stared out the window of the cab. Now, in the time I'd known my wife—apart from the first night in the hotel in Milton—I'd never felt her stiffen and pull away when I touched her. She always melted into me, welcoming me.

  "Something wrong, babe?"

  She rubbed her thumb and forefinger across her forehead. "It's just a headache."

  "Get you some pain reliever as soon as we hit the resort."

  "No." Her eyes cut to mine and something brewed there. Couldn't read it, but something was amiss. "Can we go to Poisson Bleu first?"

  "Let's get settled in our room first, get you some Tylenol, christen the bed if you're feeling better."

  "No. Let's go straight to Poisson Bleu Cove."

  Okay. Definitely off. My girl never said no to sex.

  "Alright." I raised my voice for the taxi driver. "Change of plans. Can you take us to Poisson Bleu Cove instead?"

  He glanced over his shoulder at us. "It is about twenty minutes away."

  "That's fine. Take us there."

  He nodded again and pulled the car to the shoulder. One other car passed, and he pulled back out into traffic, this time heading the opposite direction.

  When we arrived at the cove, Soraya's eyes were so wide, she wasn't blinking. She'd stopped making eye contact with me, stopped holding my hand, and her stare was far away.

  "God, babe. What's going on?"

  She shook her head slowly. "I need to see the manta rays at Poisson Bleu Cove."

  "We're on our way."

  She looked at me but didn't see me. "Are they still there? The manta rays?"

  I caressed her cheek, trying to get her to come back to me. "Yes, they should be there. You saw them in the magazine, and it's the right season. You want to go in with the manta rays?"

  She gasped and stared at me, pupils fully dilated. "Go in the water? With the manta rays? The water is blue."

  "Yes, babe. The water is blue. Fuck. You're freaking me out."

  I pulled her head to my chest and rubbed her temple with my palm. As if I could wipe away the thoughts messing with her head. Her heart beat like a hummingbird against my chest as we drove into the parking lot of the preserve. Her head popped up, and she craned her neck to see over the cliff down to the cove.

  She jumped out of the cab and skidded on the sand, rushing to get to the path down. I tossed some cash at the cabbie and raced after her. "Soraya!"

  Her feet slipped, and she fell on her ass, giving me a chance to catch up. I helped her to her feet and held her close. She stared at the part of the cove visible from our spot on the winding path. The sea air blew her hair into her face. She wrenched in my arms.

  "Let me go. God! Let me go. No. They're not here!"

  "What's not here? Have you been here before?"

  We locked eyes. Yes, dammit. She'd been here before.

  She took a breath and faked a calm demeanor. "Let me go," she said slowly.

  I released her, and she took off running down the steep path. She stumbled but didn't fall. She ran across the white sand with her knees high. She struggled with the sand, but didn't give up.

  She jumped into the water with her clothes on and ran toward a boat surrounded by snorkelers. I caught her then because I didn't know how she'd react if she actually saw a manta ray. She kept searching the water around us even though my arms held her immobile.

  "They're harmless. They don't bite." She stared into the water, her chest heaving from the run.

  "Manta rays don't bite," I answered.

  "They don't sting you."

  "No, babe. They won't." We were shoulder-deep in the warm water. Her gaze moved to Mount Pintaro and scanned around the beach. It wasn't too crowded. About thirty people on the beach, another ten snorkeling. "We can see the manta rays later. Let's go talk on the beach. Come to me."

  Her lips turned down and her brows pulled together like a frightened child. "Run!" Soraya's yell startled the few people in the water near us. I let her go and she ran for the shore. I tackled her as soon as she reached the shoreline. She went ballistic. Screaming and thrashing under me. "Let me go!" Tears streamed down her face.

  "Soraya. Come back to me. You're lost. It's me, babe. It's Torrez. You're safe. They won't sting you." I'm sure she didn't hear me. She was screaming and fighting too hard. Her eyes were closed. "Fuck." I needed to get through to her.

  I placed my palms on either side of her head and kissed her. Pressed my lips to her wet, sandy lips and just kissed her. We rubbed awkwardly for a few seconds, and then she stilled.

  When her eyes partially opened, she seemed to focus on me. "They'll take me."

  "No one will take you. You're here with me. You're mine. You're safe. I won't let anyone take you." I pressed my whole body over hers, engulfing her in a cocoon of safety. And fuck me, fuck. It all became clear.

  They took her. They took her from here. She wasn't adopted. She was stolen.

  "Did someone take you from here? From your family?"

  Her eyes locked on mine again. Yes, she was calming down and coming back to me.

  Pain crinkled her face, and she tilted her chin to the left. I never wanted to see that look on her face again. An abducted child, scared and confused.

  "They took you from your family. They took you to Veranistaad and told you you were adopted."

  "Yes." She tucked her forehead to my chest and sobbed. "Yes. I remember now. I remember so much. I was afraid of the manta rays. My family went snorkeling with them, but I wandered off. Someone took me and carried me away. I was screaming…"

  "I hear you. I get you're scared and confused. But listen to my voice because I'm gonna bring you back to right here and now. I got you out of Veranistaad and brought you here on our honeymoon. This is a different trip. You're an adult, you're married, and you're safe. I swear to fuck no one will take you. Understand?"

  She nodded into my chest, but the tears didn't ebb. Her shoulders heaved with her sobs. I needed to get her out of here to someplace private. A lifeguard approached us. "Everything alright?"

  "She's fine." I lifted her in my arms. She tucked her head and didn't look at the lifeguard.

  "I can call an ambulance."

  "No. She's just tired. I need a car. Is our taxi still there?" I carried her like a babe in my arms to the path.

  "Let me run and check." The lifeguard took off up the path as I carried her. He ran back and skidded to a halt. "The taxi is there."

  "Tell him to wait for us."

  I followed him up the path running as fast as I could without hurting her.

  ***

  Her breathing evened out within the first few minutes in the ca
b. I stroked her hair and continued to offer encouraging words in her ear. Told her I understood, and I'd help her through this.

  I called ahead to the resort and told them to meet us at the taxi to check us in. I carried her up the stairs to our treehouse and lay her in the bed.

  "Let me get you some water." I brought her a bottled water from the mini fridge.

  She sat up and sipped it. Thank God, my Soraya's light had returned to her eyes. She still looked upset, but the worst had passed.

  "You wanna talk about it?"

  "I don't know how old I was. I can't remember everything. I get images. Scenes. Sometimes memories with no picture, just a feeling. I thought it was déjà vu, but when I saw the blue water and the snorkelers, I remembered. I was with my family. I left them and walked down the beach on my own. A man grabbed me. That's all I remember. I don't remember arriving in Veranistaad or who took me. I don't remember who told me I was adopted. I just always accepted it as a fact. I remember learning the language. I remember when they brought Cecelia and told me she was my adopted sister. Years are missing. But I'm sure I was on that beach with my family and that was the last time I saw them."

  "Can you remember any names? Your name?"

  "I don't know. The name Macy keeps coming to mind. I'm not sure if that was my name or my mom's. I don't remember if I had brothers and sisters. Atlanta. Why do I feel like I lived in Atlanta?"

  "This is a lot to take in. Let's sleep tonight. Tomorrow we'll get you an appointment with someone to talk to. If they don't have a qualified therapist on the island, we'll fly home."

  "What if I forget while I sleep?"

  "I don't think you will. I think more memories are going to come to you." I held her in my arms. "You want to shower first?"

  "No."

  I grabbed a clean tee from my bag and slipped her wet clothes off, helping her into a new shirt.

  "I don't want to cut our honeymoon short because I've had parts of my memory return."