Hello! How is everyone doing! I hope you are all safe! It seems like this virus is fading, but I'm so upset about this war. My heart goes for Ukraine and the innocent Russian civilians who are opposed to this senseless war. Ugh... Anyways.. Happy reading!
(I do not own this Novela!)
Chapter 43
The promise to see Sarita that very night put Franco more at ease, aside from the possible dangers of her mother's recent engagement to Fernando Escandon.
Franco and his brothers made a second trip back to the Elizondo estate. His eyes lit up when he saw Sarita and Jimena helping their anxious grandfather with his wheelchair while Norma trailed behind them with Juan David, who slept ever so soundly in her arms.
The three men hurried out of their cars to greet the sisters and their grandfather, who seemed rather enthused on seeing the young men who'd captured each of his granddaughters' hearts.
He saw Jimena gingerly place her arm around Sarita, who bit her bottom lip nervously as she stood behind her grandfather. She caught Franco's eyes and her lips curved delicately into a warm and knowing smile. He grinned back at her, his heart swelling at the sight of her. Even though she still seemed a bit sickly to him, he was still enamored by her and was immensely relieved to finally see her again as promised. Her prolonged absence nearly drove him insane with worry, but tonight, he will make sure to savor her company as much as he can.
Before he could get to her, Franco offered his respects to Mr. Martin, who simply laughed wholeheartedly at him and his brothers, clapping them affectionately on their backs when they proceeded to greet their loves.
With eager hands, Franco placed them on Sarita's well-defined hips, practically dragging her to him. He felt her tense at his possessive hold but responded to his heated yet passionate kisses. He whispered a few longing words to her as he gently feasted on her lips, a yearning almost enveloping him until Mr. Martin demanded help from him and his brothers. Once the older man was safely seated and his wheelchair mounted in the trunk of Norma's black mini van, Franco took Sarita's hand and signaled her to his red jeep, where Oscar and Jimena were already heading.
Throughout the entire ride back to his house, he kept stealing glances at Sara, whom he noticed kept grimacing and tensing her shoulders each time he would drive through a dent on the road. At first Franco dismissed it after she assured him that she was only sore from lack of sleep due to her mother's reckless behavior. But as soon as they made it to his house, he'd catch her adjusting the collar of her plain white button up when she took her seat on one of the sofas.
Throughout the night, Sara refrained from Franco's embraces but allowed him to hold her hand every now and then while his brothers, her sisters and grandfather, and Eva spoke about Gabriela's horrible decision to marry their arch nemesis.
"We can't allow that idiot Escandon do whatever he pleases!" argued Mr. Martin, practically shaking out of his wheelchair, forcing Eva to offer him more support. "No sir! Even if he marries my daughter, who is another idiot! He can't stay with the Elizondo fortune! I know that's what he's really after!"
"Money is the least of our concern, Mr. Martin." said Franco. "We have plenty of money for everyone."
He could feel Sarita shifting uneasily in her seat next to him while her sisters shared equal looks of indifference.
"Listen to me." interjected Oscar, rubbing a comforting hand up and down Jimena's back as he looked back at her grandfather. "Neither you nor the girls need absolutely nothing from Gabriela. Actually…let them have it all and waste it! As long as they finally leave us alone, why do we care?"
"I agree with my brothers." muttered Juan, cradling his drink in one hand, while the other caressed Norma's fingers as she leaned back on his lap as little Juan David settled comfortably on hers. "The only thing we want is to live with the women we love."
Jimena smiled at him but wasn't necessarily moved.
"We want that too, but…" she started to say, "we can't leave our mother to her fate, so we were thinking about waiting a little bit after their wedding to be sure she won't need us."
"If you agree, of course." said Sarita, her voice sounding hoarse and weary as she settled her hand on Franco's shoulder.
Before Franco could answer her, Oscar already beat him to the punch.
"I agree as long as we set a deadline", he said, becoming very impatient. "We're certainly not going to wait for the three of you forever! Hell no! I'm dying because I can't have my lady with me all the time."
Jimena simply laughed and turned her attention on him, comforting him with a couple of endearing kisses.
"And from what I see…" he continued after kissing Jimena, "my brothers agree with me, right?"
"Yep." answered Franco, taking Sarita's hand in his. "I think after a prudent time, this problem should be solved. Whether you like it or not, the three of you need to leave that house. Leave them alone to solve that matter."
He felt Sarita's hand grow still from caressing the back of his neck and he noticed her grandfather's expression change into a look of despair and worry.
"Mr. Martin, I think you should leave too." Franco told him. "You also may need to avoid any problems."
His brothers agreed but Mr. Martin sighed wistfully and thanked them for their kind request but he admitted he couldn't. In the end, Gabriela was still his daughter and he was going to be there for her no matter what. Sara, Norma, and Jimena shared their grandfather's torment as they sat still where they are, the three terribly tormented by their mother's spiraling ordeal. Mr. Martin's somber mood was slightly lifted when Ruth made an appearance by the stairs.
After greeting the old man, she took note of the three distraught young women and offered her condolences for Gabriela's possible mistake in marrying Fernando Escandon.
Franco gave Sarita's hand a comforting squeeze when she rested her head on his shoulder, feeling her sadness and exhaustion taking over him.
He can't imagine how unbearable having to be dismissed and unacknowledged by the one person who's supposed to love and protect you. Gabriela was failing as a mother by choosing to marry a man whose only goal was to ridicule, deceive, and abuse her own daughters. Fernando Escandon used to be Norma's husband, and he remembered Norma's confession on how much that bastard would demean and deceive her throughout their short marriage. Jimena would complain about the snide comments he'd make regarding her marriage to Oscar. Sarita, on the other hand, received verbal and physical violence. Franco won't ever forget how that asshole nearly whipped her with his belt and that horrible bruise on her left eye on that forsaken day at the old abandoned outhouse.
Their mother was marrying a monster and it's taking a toll on her daughters, especially Sarita, who Franco remembered always being at her side when he worked as a false bricklayer. It wasn't right. Sara had always been the obedient one, heeding Gabriela's every word and accompanying her wherever she went. For that woman to disregard her that way was truly unsettling and it broke Franco's heart, knowing that after everything, the good and even the bad, Sara and her sisters loved their mother very much.
By the end of the night, Franco felt Sara's exhaustion and her extreme discomfort when he drove her and her family home. The poor girl was physically and emotionally falling apart and Gabriela was to blame. Franco may never know the truth regarding Sarita's prolonged absence, but his gut was telling him Gabriela played a significant role in Sara's current weak state. She barely said a word and he barely touched her. Well…she barely allowed him to.
As much as he missed her and longed for more of her company, he agreed she should take care of herself and made her swear to keep him up to date with anything else going on in her house. Those days of not hearing from her were unbearable, but he is going to make sure that never happens again.
The day of Gabriela's wedding to Fernando came and much to the brothers' delight, the Elizondo sisters invited them to their private vacation home in Santa Clara. True to form, the three women managed to stray away from their mother until whatever day she may need them.
The drive to Santa Clara was very long and tedious. The brothers left their ranch early in the afternoon after finishing any finances and other chores in the stables so they could enjoy their private time with the women they love without any more needed stress and worries.
Oscar drove, his hazel eyes fixated on the road while Juan sat in the passenger seat, groaning and muttering under his breath. Franco sat in the back, his eyes peeled on the road, for what lay ahead made his heart pummel with anticipation.
Why does this place have to be so far? And were they even close?
His need to see Sarita, to hold her, and cherish her was eating at him. He watched the road ahead through baited breath all the while a strong surge of glee engulfed him at finally being at her side without any form of interruptions.
"I think this is it." announced Oscar, interrupting Franco's thoughts as he pulled into a vast driveway.
"You think?" mocked Juan, observing the area through his window.
"Yeah, it is." laughed Oscar. "I've been here before. I recognized that waterfall anywhere."
Oscar parked the car further inside the driveway, honking the horn as loud as he could. Franco noticed the large white house and the door opening. Once the engine was turned off, Franco could hear a light laugh coming from inside the house followed by Jimena's voice.
"Girls, they're here!" he heard her say as he and his brothers gathered their belongings from the trunk. "Hello, my love!"
He heard Oscar drop his suitcase when Jimena rushed out of the house to embrace him. She jumped on him and began branding him with fervent kisses, forgetting all about his suitcase as he stumbled with her inside the house. Juan dropped his and gathered Norma and his son in his big arms. Franco smirked at them, carrying his own suitcase closer to the house, and once he saw Sarita, he too dropped his own suitcase, her radiant smile beckoning him to her.
With anxious hands, he gripped her hips and hauled her flush against him. Her own arms wrapped around him once he captured her lips. He was aware they were amongst others, but he didn't give a damn as he continued bestowing demanding yet sensual kisses on her lips. He felt his heart grow alight with need, finally having her back in his arms.
Much to his disappointment, Sara pulled away and insisted they relax inside the house. Grabbing his belongings, Franco and his brothers followed Sara and her sisters in their private vacation home.
While they settled, Sara escorted him to a room where he would be sharing with her just below the bottom of the stairs, away from the other rooms, promising all the privacy they could ever need.
He dropped his large suitcase by the foot of their bed, his eyes hungrily looming over at Sara, who came out from a closet, carrying fresh linen bed sheets.
She caught him staring at her, her cheeks slightly tinting to a soft pink hue when he began to slowly approach her.
He smiled at her, watching her nervously shifting where she stood as her hands clutched the neatly folded bed sheets in her arms.
"It's only me, Sarita." he assured her, now standing in front of her. He brought a hand up to touch her, placing his fingers under her chin, he gently lifted her head up to look at him.
"Trust me." he told her, his fingers now tracing the subtle curve of her full bottom lip. "I know things aren't as good as you could imagine, but trust me, I'm here for you always."
Her eyes brimmed with unshed tears as she smiled endearingly at him. He returned the sweet gesture and bent his head down to kiss her.
It started as sweet and gentle at first…but then it progressed to something more. The freshly folded linens remained without importance once Sara's arms wrapped around his neck when Franco deepened their kiss, an overwhelming desire building deep within him as he molded her petite and supple body against his.
He nipped and lavished her lush and pouty bottom lip, earning a small but gentle moan from her, igniting more of his undulating need to physically have her once more.
Constricting his hold on her, Franco bit back an appreciative moan of his own. Finally having her all to himself after those past horrible days with her tormenting absence. He's overcome with relief and utter pleasure in knowing she's completely safe and back in his awaiting arms.
Her recent absence made him impatient with worry and with so much need. Holding her this way again made him weak with ardor.
"Oh, Sarita…" he whispered against her lips, allowing his body to be enraptured by that beguiling warmth inspired by the valiant young woman in his arms. "Let's stay here a while longer... you have no idea how much I missed you…"
He tore his lips from hers, sensing her body melting against his as he tended the fair flesh of her delicate neck, his need to claim her proving more unbearable within each passing second. She moaned softly, her small hands gripping his forearms as his teeth and tongue grazed the sensitive skin below her ear.
"Franco…" he heard her sigh, slightly trembling in his arms.
He grinned against her skin, his lips softly trailing tedious, wet, kisses down her neck while he held her close enough to feel how much he craved her.
His anxious hands grasped the back of her tan jacket and he felt her tense. He let forth a disgruntled sigh when she quickly whisked herself away from him, a slight blush coloring her beautiful fair cheeks.
"We should head back to the others in the living room, don't you think?" she timidly suggested, adjusting her jacket before picking up the discarded linen sheets from the floor.
Franco blanked at her for a minute, wondering why she was all of a sudden timid with him. After all they've been through and what they've shared, she should already be comfortable with him. Before they first made love, he remembered how she would simply stay put, blush, and even smile tenderly at him every time he would kiss her or touch her in a certain way. Now, this was completely new. Instead of those endearing bashful smiles, Sarita retaliated from him.
What is going on in that beautiful head of hers?
Franco wanted to ask her if anything else was bothering her apart from her mother's new horrible marriage, but instead he dismissed her strange behavior, because right now she was finally with him. He couldn't ask for more. Her presence mattered to him at that moment.
The only thing he could do was respect her wishes and meet with his brothers and her sisters, who were already waiting for them in the living room.
But before he could meet with them, Franco quietly opened one of his suitcases and took out an old fashioned acoustic guitar, which belonged to his late father.
Sarita noticed and eyed him curiously.
He smiled at her, pecking her softly on her lips.
Although Sara may know him and love him as he loved her, there will always be something new to uncover while they are together. There were so many times Sarita had always surprised him and Franco kept it to himself for Sarita had so many layers. Each of those layers proved to be intoxicating, endearing, and even beautiful.
This time, it was Franco's turn to surprise her.
"I'll explain this to you soon." he told her.
Sara smiled back at him and turned to head out of their room. With the guitar swaying at his side, Franco followed her to meet with the rest of their family.
There they all were. All coupled up, all cozy and deeply sated with their own company. With Juan David sleeping soundly in their room, Norma was perched on a cushion, cradling Juan's head on her lap. Jimena sat on a couch across from Franco and Sarita, while Oscar came from the kitchen with three glasses of red wine in his hands. He handed the first glass to Norma, who gratefully smiled at him before giving her attention to Juan. Oscar approached Sarita, who carefully slid her tan jacket off her shoulders, grimacing as she did so while adjusting her white button up blouse. Franco watched her smile tenderly at Oscar for handing her a glass of wine before taking his place next to Jimena, who laughed wholeheartedly when Oscar kissed her first before giving her the last glass.
Franco watched his brothers lose themselves in their loves' embrace while his love rested her head on his shoulder as his fingers strummed a few notes on his guitar.
He felt Sara's eyes on him when he began to sing a tender tune as he strummed his late father's guitar.
As he did so, he watched his brothers' eyes glaze over while holding on to Norma and Jimena. They seemed to be lost in their own heads as Franco's eyes lingered on over to Sara, who simply stared up at him in awe while he sang to her.
While his voice serenaded her, his mind was elsewhere.
He saw her eyes glimmer like precious fireflies as she watched him play and sing to her. His heart began to strum to another melody just feeling her sitting so close to him.
It amazed him how the two came to be where they are now.
Life is fickle. Life is funny. Lastly, life is cunning. It really has a remarkable way of creating such paths. As for his and his brothers' paths...it was designed to find peace with three sisters, whose father had cruelly seduced their little sister, sealing her fate. In her fate, the three brothers sought revenge which slowly diminished into love once they discovered the Elizondo sisters.
As his eyes loomed over Sarita while he played his guitar, Franco couldn't help but reminisce on how he and Sara came to be as they are now.
From complete strangers to sworn enemies. From sworn enemies to passionate lovers.
Both his and Sarita's story were so much different than the others. Juan fell irrevocably in love with Norma the first moment he caught a glimpse of her, and she with him. Oscar had fallen in love with Jimena through a mistaken kidnapping, which then led them to marry in secret. In Franco and Sarita's case, it was rattled with hatred.
Franco couldn't stand her from the first moment he met her. With her eternal scowls and her constant attacks, Franco was so determined to put her out of her misery, until he began to notice some changes surrounding her. That hatred was slowly transforming to curiosity until that fateful night he'd stolen a kiss from her followed by her risking her own life to save him. Franco will forever be grateful for that. He won't ever forget that how that tempestuous little woman fought so valiantly...and how she looked that night...Damn, she was truly breathtaking.
Walls came crumbling down after that, not only with him but with her. He will always cherish the day she completely unfolded herself to him, unveiling her true feelings as to why she behaved so ruthlessly towards him, allowing him the privilege to see her at her most vulnerable. She was so precious, especially in knowing just how pure and undeniably sweet she truly was.
Who knew that rivals such as the two would soon turn to lovers?
Franco continued on strumming his guitar, his eyes glued on Sarita as her dainty little fingers caressed the back of his neck. She smiled tenderly at him, his heart thumping melodiously within his chest while he kept on with his song.
All the while he sang, his mind raced back on their first kiss. Her first kiss. She was so feral, so angry with him for not leaving her alone that night of Leandro's fashion show. He won't ever forget her fury while he walked her to her car and how her hands pressed against his chest when he hauled her against him, craving the touch of her lips against his own. He remembered that simple jolt of pure bliss when he first tasted her lips…so warm, soft, and so full. He remembered her trying to push him away but as relentless as he was, he held her still, prying and teasing her to finally give in to him.
That night ended with him granting her another kiss. A gentle one at that. So much different than the first. It was sweeter and less desperate. She was so inviting, insatiable, and incredibly sweet. The passion he never knew she possessed triggered every core of his being.
Sarita was definitely a force to be reckoned with. It pained him how he never set his eyes on a tempestuous woman like her. Why did it take so long? She was everything he could ever ask for.
As for their first date, Franco couldn't remember a time when things actually went right. Sara granted him so much peace that night. He didn't want to let her go after the date was over. Having her so close to him overwhelmed with so much longing.
Soon that longing immersed into something stronger especially on the day he first made love to her.
He won't forget that side of Sarita. So vulnerable, so sensual, so discreet, and incredibly breathtaking. She felt so right all the while she shared herself with him. A tempestuous and feral little woman who opened to him so willingly like a budding flower. That tornado of a woman has him wrapped around her little fingers, and he swore he'd do anything for her.
His song finally finished and he locked eyes with Sara, his heart still strumming with that same melodic tune he had been playing. He noted the longing and admiration emitting from her dark brown eyes, which still kept gleaming beautifully like two precious fireflies. He could get lost in them forever. Just seeing her angelic face resting on his shoulder, her petite figure curled up next to him as she smiled up at him, her lush lips delicately curving to that radiant smile Franco cherished.
Without straying away from her potent gaze, Franco sat his guitar at his side and turned his body towards Sara. He smiled seeing how her fair cheeks would darken in that precious pink hue as he gathered her face in his hands as if she were made of glass. His heart began to hammer lightly as he gently traced his careful fingers down her reddened cheeks down to her full pouty lips. His thumbs grazed her lips ever so lightly, allowing them to part as he descended his own upon them.
A surge of immense warmth engulfed him when he deepened their kiss. He didn't care that his brothers and her sisters were in their presence. All he cared for now was being with Sara.
With her, everything felt right. He was at ease.
He gently nibbled on her bottom lip and his hands found purchase on her waist, reeling her closer to him as he feasted on her lips.
"I love you, Sara." he whispered to her, his hands enveloping her into a tight embrace. "I love you so much."
Before she could say anything, Franco devoured her lips, knowing that deep within his heart, with her is where he yearned to be.
I know! I'm sorry! This isn't another sexy chapter worth waiting for, but I wanted to focus more on sensuality and the severities of painful situations, such as a horrible marriage to an abuser. Geez... Gabriela just keeps fucking up, even in the second installment. Looks like she never learned her lesson, and had the audacity to say that Sarita never listens. Of course she won't! Gabriela, get over yourself! As to one of the readers, your thoughts are exactly the same as mine! I was so angry that Franco never found out about Sarita's maltreatment. That could've been a very powerful and potent moment between the two of them. Vulnerability, anger, and sensuality! Also...have you all seen the second season? I have to admit, I love Sarita as a mommy. She's just so precious, and it makes my heart soar that her children treat her the same way Franco used to treat her. The concern for their mother's wellbeing and even the touch of the face. I nearly cried. Franco certainly did pour a lot of himself when making those two babies, lol. I won't spoil so much... also...in this chapter, I also wanted to focus on Sarita a little more, because of her dire situation. If you haven't noticed, her voice seemed a little ronca/hoarse like she had been sick and how Franco barely touched her...which is another good tool to use in writing. Tehehe! So in chapter 44, scars will be uncovered...I can't wait! Until next time!