Chapter 81

“What’s the matter?”, Mara asked, stroking my cheek, after I pulled back. I shook my head and looked down at her pad of paper. “May I?”, I questioned, picking up her pen. She nodded quizically, watching me closely. I grab the pad of paper and wrote down what I couldn’t say.

I think we have been bugged. Trey is on the way right now to find out

Marabella shook her head, and shrugged her shoulders. “I only got one class’ assignments done. I still have another class to work on”, she answered humbly. “Damn, I wasn’t gone that long, baby girl”, I said, tilting my head at her. Mara stood from the bed and hissed apparently forgetting she was in pain for a moment. I reached out and grabbed ahold of her. “What are you doing?”, I questioned her with an arched eyebrow.

“I’m going to go change”, she said, her eyebrows raised, as she held her hands out to the sides, showcasing her T-shirt only outfit.”Let me help you then”, I said. I carefully picked her up bridal style and walked into the closet. I sat her down on the ottoman and immediately went to my clothes. “What are you doing?”, Mara asked.

I grabbed her a pair of my sweat pants and walked back over to her. “I figured my pants would be more comfortable, since you are hurt”, I uttered. Mara grinned and lifted her feet to slip into the pants legs. I helped her slide the pants on, taking extra care around her wound. “Do you want a bra?”, I asked softly. “No, just a hoodie please”, she mumbled.

I grabbed one of my hoodies and helped her slip that on as well. A knock on the bedroom door drew my attention away from the beautiful specimen in front of me. The sight of her in my clothes bring a primal urge to the surface. I picked Marabella back up and carried her to the bedroom, setting her carefully onto the bed.

I opened the door to my techy, Trey. I held my hand out for his, to shake. He shook my hand with a smile. “Good to see you, man”, I said, honestly. “Good to see you too, boss”, he grinned. I stood to the side and gestured for him to come into the room. Mara was standing from the bed, rather than sitting on it, like I had placed her. She had a big smile on her face, not an ounce of pain seemed to be troubling her. I crinkled my eyebrows at her.

“This is my wife, Mara”, I said, introducing them. “It’s nice to meet you”, Mara said meekly. “You too, ma’am”, Trey nodded, reaching out to shake her hand. “So how is the married life treating you?”, Trey asked, making small talk, as he pulled his gear from his bag.

He knows why he is here, I don’t have to say a thing. I normally wouldn’t act this way. I can talk on my phone because of how secure it is. If I can’t, then there is a breach somewhere. And Trey is well aware of that at this point. I played into his small talk bullshit, as I made Marabella sit down on the bed and relax and as I watched Trey walk around the room with a tablet, searching everything.

He stopped in front of a vase on the dresser. He tilited his head at it and reached his hand inside, pulling out a tiny little circular device, that I knew was the bug. Trey carefully placed it inside of a little black case, before clearing the rest of the room. He went the the master bath next, where he found yet another bug inside one of the light fixtures.

Trey placed it in the little case as well, then towards me. “Your room is cleared, sir”, he nodded. “Thank you, Trey. I obviously need a sweep of the entire house down, along with all of my properties. I know that it is alot, but there will be a bonus for you”, I said, shaking his hand. “Yes sir”, Trey said.

I walked over to Mara and wrapped my arms around her, as Trey packed up all of his gear. “So that is how they knew we hadn’t had sex yet”, Mara said, not as a question, but as a realization. Trey had already left the room before she finally spoke. “Yes”, I said. “Probably have the whole house bugged”, I muttered. “It’s someone close to the family”, I commented. “How did you figure that out?”, she asked.

“The guy admitted it”, I answered. Mara nodded in understanding. “Who do you think it is?”, she whispered. “I don’t know yet. That is what is bothering me. I don’t know who it is. But they are close to the family. Now I don’t know who to trust”, I mumbled. “You can trust your family. And me”, she said, wrapping her arms around my waist and looking up at me. “That’s very true”, I whispered, placing a soft kiss on her forehead.

“Can I take a nap?”, she mumbled, her head rested against my stomach. “Absolutely, baby girl”, I said, heping her lay back. “Can you lay with me, please?”, she muttered. I looked at her precious features, knowing that I’ll never be able to say no to this woman. “Of course I will, piccola”, I whispered, kissing her lips.