Our Forced Love

𝒯𝓌ℯ𝓃𝓉𝓎-ℰ𝒾ℊ𝒽𝓉

Aurora

My eyes were closed as I found a sense of relaxation wash over my body while the warm water poured over me. I had been home for four hours now, but it felt like a lifetime. Antonio had to return to Santiago's to deal with the aftermath of what was left unfinished. One thing I knew for sure was that I had killed Santiago—and that made him proud.

I heard the bathroom door creak open. It was my husband. I sat up in the tub and looked at him with teary eyes. I had missed him so much; it wasn't even funny. Being away from him for a month was something I never wanted to experience again. He walked up to the tub and smiled.

"Can I join you?" he asked. I nodded and scooted further back, making room for him. I watched him as he stripped off his clothes. Damn, his body still looked so hot and toned. He stepped into the tub right behind me and pulled me close. I sighed softly, resting my head against his chest.

There were no words exchanged between us. The only sounds were the gentle splashes of water with each movement and the cheerful chirping of birds outside, creating a soothing backdrop for our reunion.

"I'm so glad you're safe," Antonio whispered, hugging me tighter. "I missed you so much. Every day, I thought about you. The feeling of you being away for so long made me nauseous." He leaned his forehead against my cheek, placing soft kisses along my jawline. "I'm so glad we found you. I'm so proud of you."

I turned to look at him, my heart swelling with emotion as he tucked stray pieces of hair behind my ear. "Antonio, every day I longed to come home. Just knowing that you were looking for me helped me get by. It gave me the strength to even try to escape. I just... I can't live without you. I slowly realized that over time, but being away from you for a month was enough to make me feel completely numb," I confessed, tears slipping down my cheeks as memories of being locked up in that cell flooded back.

He cupped my face in his hands and kissed my lips softly. The sensation of his lips on mine was something I had missed dearly. "Shhh, you're safe now. You're home. And no one will ever hurt you," he reassured me, his voice a soothing balm against the pain I had endured.

In that moment, wrapped in the warmth of the water and each other, I felt a flicker of hope. We would heal together, piece by piece, and I knew that with Antonio by my side, I could face whatever came next.

My mind instantly went to Kylie, Guido, Kai, and Daniel—the rest of my family. Did they know I was found? Did Kylie even realize I was missing?

"How's everyone else?" I asked, turning my gaze back to Antonio.

"They're alright now that you're safe," he replied, nodding. "Daniel was a firecracker. He was so determined to find you. I know he's going to be happy to see you." He chuckled softly, and I found it hard to imagine Daniel taking the lead in such a serious operation. It was difficult to picture him being anything other than the playful brother I knew.

I couldn't help but laugh. "I know he missed me—and my food." Antonio laughed along with me, taking my hand in his, and I sighed contentedly. "Kylie doesn't know, right?" I asked, my heart racing at the thought. I couldn't bear the idea of her worrying about me. I was sure that if she had any inkling of what I had gone through, she would have been filled with anxiety day after day.

"No, she doesn't," Antonio reassured me. "Daniel told her that you and I were on vacation and that you had your phone turned off." I nodded, relief flooding through me. That explanation sounded reasonable since I had talked to Kylie about wanting to go on a trip with Antonio to make up for our unfulfilled honeymoon.

"When can I see her and the rest?" I asked eagerly. I missed my family desperately and longed to hug each and every one of them.

"You need to rest first, baby," Antonio replied, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead. "Thankfully, you're all healthy, so that's good. The only thing the doctor recommended was that you get a lot of rest. You haven't been sleeping, have you?"