Page 90 of Violent Attraction
“Okay.”
Given the conversation we had a few weeks ago, this interaction should not be feeling as awkward as it does.
“Do you want something to eat? Drink?” Want to stop this awkward situation and stuff our faces with food and alcohol?
“Want to order from that Italian restaurant you like so much?”
I’m nodding right away. That place is amazing but it’s the fact that I will be sharing a meal with him that excites me even more.
Even through the feeling of awkwardness, we order our food and within forty minutes we have it delivered and are eating at the kitchen counter.
We eat in silence and when we finish, I give him a smile. “Thank you for the food.”
“It’s nothing,” he shrugs, “You had to eat, and it gave me time to spend with you.”
My heart melts a little with that statement.
Then I remember why we haven’t spent time together.
“How is everything going on the whole situation front?” I ask, squaring my shoulders, readying myself for any disappointment I might receive.
Santos looks at me and then lets out a sigh. I guess it’s not going anywhere.
“Besides Leo shooting Emilio in the leg and me beating the shit out him, nothing has fucking changed.”
He sounds angry and I’m right there with him.
After everything that Emilio did, there is no reason that what I’m going through should still be happening.
There is no reason that my so-called wedding should still be scheduled.
“But we will figure it out, bella. We will figure it out and we will put a stop to this, I promise.” He reaches over to me and places his hand on mine. I turn my palm over and intertwine our fingers together.
“I know,” I squeeze his hand and for a few seconds we just sit there with our hands together.
“How are you? And don’t bullshit me, Isabella. How are you really?”
No bullshit.
Not like I did with Serena.
I have to be absolutely open with him, and it’s a good thing that he’s the only person I can do that with.
“I’m scared.” It’s two words and they still cause a lump in my throat to form. “I’m scared that you and Leo won’t figure a way to end this and I will be stuck marrying Emilio. I’m scared that if I marry him, I will be forced into a life I don’t want and I will end up like my mother. I’m scared that I will be dead within a few years, because that’s how I see this, as a death sentence.”
Everything about this whole thing terrifies me down to my bones and I don’t want to feel like this anymore. I want to be strong and be able to keep my head up, and not live this shit life.
I must have been lost in my own thoughts because I didn’t notice Santos coming closer to me. I also didn’t notice that the tears I was fighting started to flow and he started to wipe them away.
Soon, I’m on my feet and in his arms, sobbing every single fear that I have, out.
“We will figure it out,” he says into my hair as I cling to him for dear life.
Santos pulls back slightly, taking my face in between his hands, before leaning in and placing a chaste kiss on my lips.
“I promise you, on my fucking life, this will end.”
Another kiss lands on my lips, this time with ferocity more than anything that I have experienced in a while.