Delgano: A Dark Contemporary Interracial Romance

He nodded.

She placed the hand on his shoulder and massaged in tender circles. He’d been there, locked up, for a couple of months, but he’d gone even longer without a delicate touch. It was probably why it was so easy to angle his head, lean into it, and shut his eyes. However, when a groan slipped out, he came to his senses and opened them again.

“As you can see,” she motioned to him, “I have no weapons pointed at you. You can trust me, Adrían. From here on out, you can trust me. I promise. I’m not what I seem.”

“Do you live at the villa as well?” he asked.

“Yep. On the other side.”

“What about the other names you mentioned?”

“They’re here. It’s set up a little differently on that side, though. More structured for a team.”

“So why am I isolated?”

“Because you’re new. We all started out isolated. I’m sure there’s a psychological purpose behind it, but you’re the only one having full-on meals with your cute personal chef. Maybe that’s why they picked a virgin. So you’d be less tempted.”

If that was the case, then they’d sent the wrong person. Sayeda nudged barriers. She drank from his glass, made comments under her breath, and as he’d held a knife to her throat, he’d half-expected her to climax.

“I didn’t realize how much I’d miss something as basic as having a man’s arms around me,” Hannah added.

“What about your brother?” he teased.

She punched his sore shoulder. “Shut up. My relationship with Trev is not like that. Plus, he has a girl…kind of. Lee’s cute but prickly, and Spettro disgusts me. Even right after a shower, he still seems…greasy. Then Barnes isn’t my type, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s got half-human, half-bear cubs somewhere. I can’t prove it yet, but the man pays child support in nuts and berries.”

“I think I’m starting to like you, much to my disappointment.” He massaged his brow, unable to stop a laugh from pushing through, and wondered whether he could genuinely be part of a well-functioning unit, especially since one was greasy and the other appeared to be a unique animal lover.

“Jokes aside, Adrían, I’m lonely,” she continued. “I just wanted to know if you’d hold me for a bit. That’s all. We can even keep our clothes on.”

Although his first instinct was to deny her, holding someone would be nice. A few times, his arm or finger had brushed Sayeda, and he’d had to physically stop himself from reaching out. He’d never needed this much contact before, but prior to this, loneliness had always been his choice.

“When?” he asked.

“Tonight. Is that okay?”

“Yeah, sure.”

They finished his “lesson” with a twelve-gauge semiautomatic before returning to the house. The armed guards didn’t follow them inside, and they split up the minute they reached the entrance. Hannah promised to return later that evening.

After a shower so cold it took his complexion a moment to return, he ate leftovers for lunch and succumbed to a nap with Sayeda on his mind.

She was still there when he woke up.

Yawning, he headed to the kitchen. When he rounded the corner, she was standing with her lower back pressed against the stove, holding a wooden spoon and staring at the hallway.

“You’re here,” he said.

“I thought about not coming back,” she wagged the spoon at him, “but then I asked myself who would feed you if I don’t.”

“I’d starve, huh?”

“Yes. I’m an excellent cook, after all.”

He smiled. “You’re more than that.”

“So, how’d it go with Hannah?” she asked, briefly lowering her gaze. “Do you like her? I know her pretty well, so I can hook you guys up if you want. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind being ‘close’ to you.”

“Would you?”