Page 133 of The Mob: Shio Cuppacio

The tears sprang free, hearing that as I nodded.

“Nah. You don’t know. And that’s why I’m not gon’ touch you until youdoknow. You belong to another nigga. I want you to belong to me.” He chuckled, a hint of arrogance in his tone. “He ain’t letting up, and neither am I. When I’m the only nigga in the race, that's when you’re gonna know I say what the fuck I mean and mean what the fuck I say. Aite?”

I didn’t want to hear it because I needed to be touched. I needed to feel, but I knew Shio enough to know he was a man of his word.

I nodded, wiping the few tears that escaped. “How can… How can we fix your eyes?”

“Shit…” He grunted.

Letting me go, he reached over the side of the tub as I sat on his legs and waited. He held up the gold box with hieroglyphics written on it that resembled a jewelry box. Handing it to me, I opened the heavy box and frowned at the dirt staring back at me.

He cuffed water in his hand and drizzled it inside the box. “Mix it and cover my eyes for me.”

Using my finger, I did as he asked, not stopping until the dirt was a paste-like mud. He sat back in the tub, hooking his arms around my waist, making my chest hit his front.My pebbled nipples brushed against his chest, and the friction felt heavenly.

He closed his eyes, and I smeared the paste on his eyelids. The mixture smelled more like ointment, even though it looked like mud. When his eyes were fully covered and there was no more paste, I placed the box on the side of the tub. His arms were stretched on the tub’s sides, so I grabbed the loofah andbegan washing his chest. His head turned side to side as I washed his upper body.

“Solana.”

“¿Si?”

“I got some shit with me, baby. I need a fuckin’ queen. You gotta be willing to go against the world for me, cuz I’ma always do it for you.”

“Is… Is that a lesson for me?’

Licking his lips, he scraped his bottom lip with his top teeth. “It’s a fact. Some shit can’t be taught, baby. It’s gotta be in you.”

“Is it in me?” I asked, sounding desperate but not caring. I wanted this man in every way.

“If it wasn’t, I wouldn’t be debating puttin’ your pussy in my mouth, baby.”

Father, God.

“Tomorrow. We going on a date. All thatfunshit you listed last night, we gonna do all that and more. If we’re gonna do this shit, we’re doing it the right way.”

“O… Okay. I have a doctor’s appointment in the morning.”

He paused. “It’s cool. Go to your appointment. After, you with me.”

Nodding, I dropped the loofah, wrapped my arms around his back, and lay on his chest. There was no place I’d rather be in the world. I just hoped it all worked out how I wanted it to.

“Solana. There will be some shit I have to keep from you, and that’s only for your own good and safety…” His words vibrated my chest. “But you can’t keep shit from me. What I said during your first workout stands. No secrets. Aite?”

Tensing, I nodded. “Sin secretos.”

“English, baby. My head all fucked up.”

“No secrets…”

“Good girl.”

Chapter 25

Shio Cuppacio

Clamping my Jesus piece around my neck, it was the last thing I needed to do before leaving. I gave myself a once-over to check the fit. The hood of my leather jacket was pulled over my head, and a black Loewe shirt sat underneath. Leather pants covered my lower half, topped with Prada boots. My necklace was simple, but my wrists and fingers had some ice. I called and arranged for one of the newer steakhouses to be closed for the evening. It was Mexican-infused, and I knew she’d enjoy it. She had only been eating American food since she arrived here. We had about forty-five minutes before they expected us, so I was about to head down the hall and get Solana.

Last night, it took all my restraint not to take her pretty ass down. But there was too much shit in the way of us moving to the next level. That mission had put a lot in perspective, so I guess they weren’t so useless as I’d always thought. Falling from that rope, I immediately thought of dying and leaving Solana vulnerable to her fuck ass daddy and those wack-ass Rodríguezes. I didn’t give a fuck about restraint, discipline, or reason.