Bones (Bonetti Brothers #1)

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

BONES

The doctor leaves, and I watch Athena nervously messing with the tie on the robe. I’m not used to doing the right thing when it comes to women, but I’m trying with her.

“I should make you something to eat.”

“I’m filthy, I need to take a shower and brush my teeth.”

She doesn’t appear dirty, so I assume she’s referring to what that fucking piece of shit did to her.

“I’ll start the water for your shower.”

Walking into the bathroom, I turn the water on and after it’s hot, I call to her, “Come on, baby. It’s ready.”

She comes in and drops her robe and steps into the shower.

“Are you coming in?”

Fuck, I want to, but I shouldn’t.

I turn to walk out the door, and she speaks in a low, shaky voice, “If you’re going to end this, can you just do it? I can’t handle the suspense.”

My head snaps around before my body has a chance to catch up. “What? I’m sure I misheard you.”

She stares at the floor and speaks, this time barely above a whisper, “If you’re going to end this, can you just do it?”

Walking over to her, I climb into the shower with my clothes on and take her hands in mine. “Butterfly, look at me.”

She lifts her head, and gazes at me with watery eyes, and I ask, “Why the hell would I end this marriage?”

A tear rolls down her cheek. “Look at me, Luca. That’s right, you can’t. I repulse you and honestly, I don’t blame you for it. ”

“What?”

I’m so fucking lost, I may as well be in complete darkness. I have no clue where any of this is coming from? End this? Everything that happened tonight was for her. How could she even suggest I’d walk away?

“I am looking at you right now, Athena.”

She shakes her head in disagreement. “No, Luca. Since you found me, you haven’t been able to look at my body. Tell me I’m a liar.”

“Jesus Christ, Athena. I just rescued you from a cage. You were fucking naked. He raped you. Maybe he didn’t touch your pussy, but he fucking raped you. I’m trying to be respectful. I’ll admit, it’s not something I’m used to, so maybe I’m doing it wrong. I have no issues with looking at your beautiful body and, when you’re ready, I’ll have no problem fucking it either. This marriage will not end. Not today, not tomorrow, and not fifteen fucking years from now. You’re mine, and that has not changed.”

I lean over her, and nearly lose my mind when her breathing picks up. Her chest rises and falls with heavy breaths, and it takes everything in me not to rip my clothes off, and give her a reason to breathe heavily.

“Do we understand each other?”

“Yes, Luca,” she nearly pants.

If she were any other woman, I’d likely already be balls deep inside her. But she isn’t any other woman. She’s my goddamn wife, and has been through hell. I need her mentally stable when she has my children.

I have not had to jerk off in years, but staring at my beautiful woman, I know I will have to soon. The last thing I want to do is push her too soon, and cause more psychological damage.

“Tell me what you need from me.”

“You.”

I soap up my hands, and gently wash her skin as the tears roll down her cheeks.

“Tell me specifically what you need, Butterfly. ”

She closes her eyes like she’s wincing from pain. “I need you to touch me. Hold me. And tell me everything is going to be okay, even if you yourself don’t believe it.”

Quickly, I rinse her body and get her out of the shower and into a clean fluffy robe, before stripping out of my drenched clothing.

When my wife asks me to touch her, I’ll never hesitate. I stand beside her as she brushes her teeth, and pays special attention to her tongue. I know she wants to wash away what he did to her even though she can’t. But I’ll let her try. Whatever makes her feel better.

“All done,” she sighs audibly, as she places her toothbrush back in the holder. I scoop her into my arms, and walk her over to the bed and lay her down, before climbing in beside her and pulling her into my arms. She’s the perfect fit, like her body was made to be molded with mine. I’m fucking crazy about this woman. It was never part of the plan. Hell, I never even imagined I’d like her, but here we are. I would turn into a serial killer like my brother if I had to, in order to keep her safe.

Rolling onto my back, I pull her on top of me as she cries, with her face pressed to my neck.

“Go ahead and cry, Butterfly. Get it all out, but everything will be okay. We will get through this together and I swear to you, nothing like this will ever happen again.”

“I’m so sorry,” she sobs, “I didn’t want it. I’m sorry.”

Gently, I flip her over to her back, and stare into her wet eyes. “Of course you didn’t. Do not fucking apologize for what he did to you.”

She shakes her head. “We’re married, Luca. It was wrong.”

Jesus Christ, this woman makes me fucking feral for her.

I stroke my fingers down her cheek and, leaning forward, I lick her salty tears and groan. “Wife, we both know you had no choice. You didn’t break any vows. I’m not angry with you. Stop blaming yourself for something you did not choose.”

“Luca,” she whispers, and that one little word is all it takes for me to lose my goddamn mind. I have never asked for permission with a woman. She’s the only one that deserves it. After what she’s been through, it feels necessary.

“Butterfly, please let me kiss you.”

Darting her tongue out, she moistens her lips and says, “Please.”

I press my lips to hers and slide my tongue into her mouth. As always, she tastes so fucking sweet. The fact that I could’ve lost her only increases my need for her. He could have easily killed my wife, before I even realized she was gone. I tilt my head, deepening our kiss, wanting so much more than I can take from her right now. I’m not a good man, the polar opposite, but for her I want to be.

I want her to crave me. Need me. And fall so in love with me she can’t fucking see straight. I want her to be as obsessed with me as I am with her.

Pulling back from our kiss, I ask, “What do you want to eat?”

She shakes her head. “I’m not hungry. Just tired. I promise I’ll eat tomorrow. Please, can I sleep?”

Rolling over onto my back, I pat my chest. “Come here, Butterfly. This is where you sleep.”

With a small smile on her lips, one that makes my heart squeeze, she slips out of her robe and spreads her body semi prone over mine.

She breathes a contented sigh as I place my arms around her and hold her tight. Tomorrow I’ll arrange therapy for her. I glance at the time on the wall, and notice that Stefan should be here soon with her medication, if he hasn’t been already. He would leave it downstairs. He knows better than to come to my bedroom. Eduardo being in the warehouse, and my men knowing about it, will most certainly help them toe the line. Tomorrow I’ll need to find out if he has ever crossed a line with my wife. I’m confident he wasn’t involved in allowing her father to take her, so if he didn’t do something I don’t know about to earn his death, I’ll set him free.

Athena falls asleep in my arms while I watch her. Even with the nasty bruising and swelling on her skin, she’s so beautiful. The moment I saw her in that cage, it nearly broke me. Realization quickly came to me. Now, the day I left her chained in the basement while she cried my name haunts me. Had I known her history, I would’ve done things differently. Hell, had I known, I wouldn’t have gone to Vegas. Instead, I would’ve been searching for her father and killing him. It would’ve prevented him from hurting her again. Yet, I can’t be mad at her for not telling me. Why would she trust a man like me with that information?

After being asleep for less than an hour, she digs her nails into my chest and whimpers quietly.

“Shh, I’m here, Butterfly.”

I rub her back gently, coaxing her back to sleep. Continuing to watch her, I think back to the day she had the gun on Eduardo. Jimmy had said she was going to shoot him unless they killed her. Is that what she wanted? To die?

Shifting slightly, I reach over and grab my cell phone off the nightstand, and see a text from my brother, Psycho.

Psycho: I’m the oldest, asshole.

I roll my eyes at his irritation. Yes, he is the oldest, and if he could be trusted, he would’ve been the head of the family when our father passes away.

Me: Yes, you are. It wasn’t my decision, but I don’t disagree with it either.

I knew he’d be pissed, so this isn’t exactly a surprise. We were always raised with the expectation that he would one day take over the family. He is the reason he won’t be. Chances are good that punches will be thrown, but it won’t go beyond that. As angry as he might be, at the end of the day we are family. Two of my brothers are absolutely unhinged, but we are all close. I know without hesitation, all three of them will always have my back. Psycho will lash out, but if I need him, he’ll be at my side.