CHAPTER 18 Pt.2

Angelo's POV

"Jello, I wanna go rock climbing."

"Are you seriously kidding me Robinho, rock climbing? What are you, Humpty Dumpty?"

"Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, he didn't climb a rock."

"Same difference. Do you seriously need to go rock climbing on Boxing Day?"

"Yup. I helped distract those women away from you yesterday and now it's your turn to do something for me."

"And you couldn't choose any other day but today?"

"Nope. I'm going back to Spain soon I want to do something fun. Mum's going to ask if Bobby can come."

"Get mom to ask Bobby's mum if Luciana can come too."

"Ooh Jello likes Luciana. He wants to kiss her."

"Shut up hedgehog face and get out of my room."

"You're just jealous because you'll never look good as me with a mohawk."

"Remember who's got the driving license to drive your little butt to your Humpty Dumpty place."

"I'm telling mum off you."

"I'm so scared."

"Te odio."

"Don't be a hater. Te amo, hermano."

That was the conversation my brother and I had at ten in the morning after he had rudely barged into my room. I could have kicked him in the balls right then and there for breaking me off my sleep, especially because I did not get back from my uncle's house till in the early hours of the morning.

Fortunately for my brother's balls and his future children, I realised the great opportunity presented before me which I couldn't afford to go to waste. And that's why a victorious grin was bombed on my lips as I drove over to pick up Luciana and her brother at their house, looking forward at seeing her reaction when she saw what I got her.

"I'm gonna tell Luciana that you like her."

"You tell her that and I'm gonna tell everyone you wet the bed, I'm sure that would be fascinating news for everyone."

"Okay, fine I won't," responded Robinho defeated.

I fixed my gaze back on the road ahead smiling at the little prank I pulled on my brother the other night when I had crept into his room whilst he was asleep and poured water on his bed. He had woken up in the morning crying, convinced he had wet the bed after seeing the wet patch. It took all of my self-control not to burst out laughing as he cried pleading for me not to tell my mum about what happened.

Speaking of my mum - my highly opinionated mum - she hadn't said anything about what happened at the Christmas party.

My mother had made a career out of being an actress so I wasn't surprised that she acted as if nothing had happened so flawlessly. Aside from acting, poking her nose into my business was her field of expertise. But honestly she had to realise that I was a twenty-one year old grown man and not the ten year old that left Spain all those years ago.

When I parked my car infront of Luciana's house I checked myself out in the rear-view mirror making sure I was looking as handsome as usual but then I felt this strange stuff going on inside my belly, and it definitely wasn't because I needed a shit, it was like this weird fluttering sensation. It was messed up. Luciana put me on edge - an edge where I

wanted to fall off and fall right into her chest and motorboat right back to the edge again and again and - okay jokes aside - I liked her.

It would be the first time I would be admitting it to myself and it was highly unsettling, even more unsettling was when I saw her come out of her house and the shit going on in my insides intensified.

Man, I thought I was losing it.

The rain was getting heavier, so I turned my wiper on just as Bobby climbed in the seat behind Robinho, whilst Luciana was still behind locking her house door. When she was done she put her hood up and jogged over to my car. She entered first with her backside and just as I'd planned, her plump behind compressed the fart balloon which in effect produced a mocking sound of how my mother's trumpet farts sounded like in the

morning.

She screamed and I laughed my ass off.

"Eww, Lucy, you could've done that before you got in," said Bobby covering his nose from the non-existent farty smell whilst my stomach nearly exploded from me laughing so hard.

"Bobby, I did not fart, I'm not sure what it was..."

Picking up the now deflated balloon, she glared at me with those coffee coloured eyes of hers through the rear view mirror. "Mind telling me why this..this balloon was put here?"

"That was your Christmas present from me."

Her eyes squinted and her lips pursed to show her deep annoyance, but that only made her look even more cute.

"You said that the present will make me scream from..." she trailed off again not able to finish her sentence as she realised she had gained the curious stares of Bobby and Robinho wanting in on the conversation.

"From what?" I asked smirking harder daring her to say what I knew she wouldn't say.

"Never mind."

"Hm. Thought so."

She briefly gave me a dirty look, before turning her gaze to stare out the window. The rain was beating down full on so I switched the wipers to a faster level, thankful that there was no traffic. Glancing at Luciana through the rear view mirror I watched her eyebrows scrunch up as if she was having some intense thoughts whilst she subconsciously bit on the inside of the lips that I had the honour (and pleasure) of

exploring the day before.

Best present ever.

I would be lying if I said that it didn't do my ego any good that she was jealous of the girl that hung on my arms whilst I was kept hostage by those big mamas. Luciana's possessiveness was kinda sexy to me.

On a contrary note, why would she say I was playing games with her? I didn't understand her. She was crazy and seriously frustrating. It was hard getting her alone after my mum caught us together - she was avoiding me. There was some real shit between us and she could deny it with her lips but not when her lips were on mine.

"So, Luciana are you looking forward to spending the day with my brother and I?" Robinho asked with a mischievous twinkle in his eye that all Henriquez men had when they were up to something.

"Yeah, sure," she said uneasily after quickly glancing at me.

"Well who are you looking more forward to spending the day with, me or Jello?"

Why my brother had to use that damn nickname infront of her was beyond me. Her eyes sparked alive with a twinkle as she giggled at Robinho's question. What an annoying little pisshead. Nevertheless, my hands braced tighter around the steering wheel as I waited for Luciana's answer.

"Of course, I'm looking forward to spending the day with you Robinho."

"I knew it. I'm sure my brother would be disappointed to hear that since he was the one that asked that you-"

"Oh Robinho, I forgot to ask mum about your potty training lessons."

Since when did my brother think he was a master player of the game I invented? I watched as his tanned face turned into a deep crimson shade - he looked mortified- exactly the look I was banking on.

Bobby who hadn't breathed so much of a word, startled the car with his loud taunting laugh. "Robinho, you still get potty trained? Are you like wearing diapers now?"

"I do not get potty trained!"

"He doesn't really get potty trained, it's just a private joke between us," I said hoping for his sake that my brother had learnt a valuable lesson not to mess with me.

"Yeah right," responded Bobby sarcastically definitely not convinced.

"Bobby that's enough now," said Luciana but I could tell she was finding it difficult not to laugh.

After about a minute Robinho and Bobby returned to their usual bantering whilst Luciana avoided eye contact with me for the rest of the car ride.

When we reached the indoor rock climbing centre our brothers quickly got out of the car, already arguing who was going to climb the highest and fastest to the top. Luciana too, walked ahead with the boys and it would have been clear as daylight to anyone on the

outside that she was still avoiding me. Chuckling silently at her antics, I strode over until I was behind her, putting both my hands firmly on her hips. She stopped moving - for about two seconds until she tried to push me away with her arm. I nibbled gently on the soft folds of her ears, loving the feel of them between my lips and loving more the

reaction I got from her.

"You've had twenty four hours to avoid me. Now's not the time."

Letting go of her, I paced over triumphantly to the boys, leaving Luciana to recover.

The rock climbing place from the outside looked pretty edgy with grey and white footsteps imprinted all over the building. Done with the aesthetics, the four of us walked inside to get to the reception where we were greeted by the woman on the counter.

The receptionist proceeded to ask me as the voice of the group, the standard questions like if any of us had a fear of heights, any illnesses which may affect any of us partaking in rock climbing and if Luciana may be pregnant which had made me laugh after hearing her defiant no.

After all the boring, compulsory questions were answered the woman informed me that because of Robinho's and Bobby's age they would not be able to go to the main rock climbing hall but instead would have to go to the kiddies version.

"Bobby, are you sure you and Robinho are going to be okay on your own?"

"Miss, there's no need to worry we are fully staffed with instructors to supervise them and besides there are other children their age that they can interact with," informed the woman reassuring the mother-hen that was Luciana.

"Yeah, me and nappy boy are going to be okay on our own Lucy."

"I told you to stop with that."

"I'm sorry, I can't help it," replied Bobby not looking at all sorry.

"I don't wet the bed!" whispered Robinho his face gradually turning red.

"Bobby I'm warning you, be nice to Robinho," she said before nodding her head towards the woman instructor. "Now go."

After our brothers left with their instructor, a caucasian, five foot something, muscular guy appeared before us with a harness slung around his waist introducing himself as Mark, stating whilst looking slyly at Luciana that he was going to be our instructor. My eyes hardened at the middle aged shithead who thought he was clever implying that fact especially to her. I balled my fist tighter trying to contain my anger when I saw Luciana smile coyly back at Mark. Damn right I was jealous.

I glared at Luciana to send her a 'WTF' message but she didn't even pay attention instead she walked ahead of me following the instructor as he led us into the main rock

climbing hall. Getting there I briefly took in the simulated rocks round the vast room that had different coloured climb holds attached on them. There were a few other people there but not many to call it a crowd.

"Have you done this before, darling?" asked Mark directing the question only

at Luciana as he continued to hump her with his eyes.

"Yeah, I've done it a couple times," I cut in before Luciana could reply.

He blatantly ignored me. And to think that I was a paying customer, what ever the fuck happened to customer service?

"And what about you, darling? Have you ever... climbed...a rock... before?"

I could have slammed his face onto the floor but I was able to rein in some self control before it was too late. The old fart with his back combed, slick, over-gelled hair that failed to cover the balding patch in the middle of his head, was trying to get into Luciana's pants with what he thought was a seductive voice. And to add insult to injury,

Luciana giggled at his question.

"The man asked you if you've done rock climbing before, the question was hardly borderline humorous."

In return I received an equal look of annoyance from her before she turned around to answer the instructor, who I refused to refer to by his name.

"That's fine, darling, there's a first time for everything. First of all you're going to have to put on a harness and then I'm going to go through the safety guidelines with you and a quick demonstration."

The instructor then proceeded to hand out a pair of harnesses to the both of us with me left to strap it on myself. I watched how the instructor slyly placed his hand on her lower

back as she placed her feet in the two holes of the trapping. She was about to bend down to pull up the harness, but the instructor stopped her, insisting he would do it and I didn't miss how the little shithead took his sweet time to do it and 'accidentally' brush his hands up her thighs. Not ready to take more of the nonsense, I marched over to the both of them just as the instructor was about to adjust the belt across her waist. I snatched the strap out of the so-called instructor's hand, forcing Luciana closer to me.

"I got this."

"I'm the instruct-"

"I said, I got this," I gritted out feeling my patience wearing thin fast.

Luckily for the guy, he backed his nasty ass off. "Angelo, are you crazy? He's the instr-"

The look I gave Luciana cut off the rest of what she was to say and she kept silent like a good girl whilst I quickly secured the harness around her waist. That shithead certainly did not deserve to touch her. "There you go, sweet honey pie. Now behave yourself."

Placing a quick kiss on her forehead, I hid my smile at seeing her unimpressed look before turning back to the instructor so he could proceed with the tutorial.

"Now rock climbing isn't that hard at all. Most important thing is that you take your time. Whatever you do, don't look down or you're more likely to fall when you see how far up you are from the ground. When going down don't try and jump off thinking the harness will land you safely. It won't, simple as that. To come down you have to use the same method you used when climbing up, which was using the hand holds and foot holds. Any problems up there and give a shout, understood?"

Luciana shook her head as her affirmative answer. "Good. You can go first. Come over here."

She walked over to the instructor who stood in front of the shorter sized rock walls, and my lips lifted seeing her stare at the trapezium shaped wall in amazement as if she'd discovered a new planet or something. It was one of the many things I liked about her; how little things easily made her smile or got her excited.

The instructor clipped her harness around the climbing slings before permitting her to climb up. I watched cautiously as she placed her feet on the first of the climb holds just in case she slipped or hurt herself. My gaze then shifted to the instructor to see him staring hungrily at Luciana's ass like it was a Big Mac Meal or something. It was taking all of me not to face-plank the guy. Realising I was watching him, watching her, he eventually tore his gaze away.

"Oh my gosh, Angelo. Look how far up I am!" I heard Luciana shout barely three feet off the ground.

Chuckling I replied back, "Yeah, you're definitely soaring in the clouds."

Just then, someone rushed over to the instructor asking for assistance and then the instructor quickly muttered to me that he was going over to help someone and if I needed him I should come over. Happily dismissing him, I replied, "Yeah we will be fine on our own."

Still unaware that her precious instructor had gone away, I decided it was time I played a little game with Luciana.

"Damn that ass should be listed in the World Heritage Sites because it is certainly a sight for sore eyes," I drawled out in my best southern accent that immediately stopped Luciana climbing further.

"Her butt hits me in the face like a punching bag,

Mi senorita hermosa,

It's hard not to talk so explicit,

When the visuals are extremely pleasing,

Lucy climbing up a rock,

I'd prefer if she were sat on my big Spanish -"

"Angelo, what exactly do you think you're doing?"

"Pouring out my soul as I sing to you," I answered back plainly but what she couldn't see as her back was facing me was that my body was trembling so hard at holding back from laughing at her obviously not appreciating my out of tune singing.

"Angelo, please bring me down so I can murder you."

"But I can't do that because I'm not a qualified instructor."

Growling in frustration she said, "Don't mess with me right now, I need to come down."

"Nope."

"Please."

Even I had my limits and I couldn't resist the sound of desperation in her voice any longer so I raced over to check what was wrong with her, only to see her staring at the wall helplessly.

"Luciana, take a deep breath and feel for the foot holds a step at a time before coming down."

"I'm scared I'm going to slip."

Not wanting her to risk her safety, I quickly hooked my harness onto the climbing slings, racing up until I was butt-to-face with her. Momentarily distracted, I stopped to stare - well that was until I heard Luciana shout at me.

"Honestly, what is your problem?"

Smirking widely at her frustrated face, I replied, "They're right behind you."

Her eyebrows scrunched up in confusion at what I could have been talking about but when she saw me nod towards her generous buttocks, she growled angrily at me. Unexpectedly she lifted her feet on one of the footholds aiming to take a kick at my face, which I quickly avoided whilst laughing at her vain attempt.

Unfortunately, she lost her balance and screamed out loud as her body fully detached itself from the rock wall and the climbing sling swung her weight back and forth.

Her face: Priceless.

Climbing the rest of the way to meet her I was able use one of my hands to grab her already outstretched ones to connect her back the climbing holds next to me.

"And that is why you don't try to kick someone in the face. Now one step at a time climb down, I'm right behind you."

After the hilariously traumatizing moment, Luciana punched me in my arm. About forty five minutes later the four of us were at a pizza place sharing a margherita. Bobby and Robinho bantered away, Luciana on the other hand was pretty much still in shock. I tried not to laugh in her face remembering how her arms flailed about screaming manically for help.

An hour later, I dropped her off home and with not so much of a bye or 'thank you for saving my life', she got out of my car with Bobby.

I loved getting under her skin.