Chapter 26, Milo

Esmeralda and I have been dating for almost four months now, and it feels like only a week has passed. It's crazy how every second I spend with her feels like a lifetime, and I try not to take anything for granted, because I know damn well that life's a bitch sometimes. I still cannot believe that she's mine. After I spent years trying to deny my feelings for her, it almost seems impossible that we're where we are right now.

But everyday, when I wake up and find her sleeping next to me, I force myself to remember that we both deserve it. That we deserve to be at peace and to feel safe in each other's arms.

Everyone's still getting used to us being a thing, at least her family, because mine has been wanting us to get together in a long damn time. The first thing her father did when I came over and told them that we were actually dating, is threaten me. I know Esmeralda had told them before, but Esteban Hernandez just had to punch me across the face, and tell me that if I ever hurt his babygirl he would skin me alive. Now I know who Rita's got her temper from.

My girl's moved in my apartment almost a month ago, and getting to see her every time I get home from work is the best feeling ever. I am currently filming the second part of the movie in LA, so I get to come back home every night. Esme still does photoshoots from time to time, but has been very busy will all the brand deals that have been proposed to her. Ever since she's posted that video on social media, her popularity increased even more. I know she thought she would ruin her career by doing it, but it was quite the opposite. She's even the ambassador of an association of different people who fight against domestic and sexual abuse. My heart swells with pride and love every time I think of it. My girlfriend is so damn strong and has one of the purest hearts.

She's still very worried about her best friend, who finally decided to get out of her house. She didn't give me full details, only that they see each-other from time to time and that Cleo pretends to be completely fine when it's obvious she isn't. She quit her job and doesn't do anything, except piles up debts and bills. We have offered to help her multiple times, but she's always refused. Ellis is practically losing his mind over it, because she will not talk to him at all. I know my brother enough to notice when he's not in his right mind, and seeing him so...unstable over a woman is mind-blowing.

He's never been the type to get attached to people, and especially not the type to date. I also am aware that he goes to her house every fucking day, in vain. My heart really goes to the both of them. Just knowing that Esmeralda was raped, and that I wasn't there to protect her makes me want to rip my own fucking heart, so I totally understand how my brother's feeling.

The fucker who ruined Cleo's whole life had his life ruined as well. Ellis got in contact will all of his connections and he lost his job at the company where he was working. His new reputation precedes him, so no other company or firm will hire him. It's quite satisfying, even if I know Ellis would rather him be six feet under the earth.

"What are you thinking about ?" My girlfriend's voice snaps me out of my thoughts and I immediately smile at her. She just woke up, and even if I did an hour ago, I didn't move from the position we were, her naked body against mine, and my arms wrapped against her, admiring her gorgeous face. She reaches out a hand and pokes my nose, making me scrunch it in amusement.

"Good morning, beautiful." I rasp, and kiss her just because I am lucky enough to do it.

"Good morning." She breathes against my lips.

She stirs a bit against me to get out of my grasp and I let her straighten up, not noticing that the cover fell down to her stomach, giving me a peripheral view of her full breasts. I lick my lips, and feel myself harden until it's painful. I know she probably cannot walk correctly from how many rounds we had last night, but I can't seem to get enough of her, even after months since our first time. She blushes hard when she looks into my hooded eyes, and I curl my fingers at her, gesturing at her to come to me. She immediately crawls over my lap, and rests her head on my chest. I bring my hands up to play with her dark hair.

"I could get used to this." I whisper, my lips brushing the top of her head, and my heart spinning in my chest. I love this woman so much.

After a few minutes of comfortable silence, and me mentally going through everything I need to do today, I say, "I have a lunch date with Alice today. I'll pick her up from school. She said she wanted me to meet her boyfriend." I snort with bitterness. I can't believe my baby sister is already old enough to date - between other things. "She really wants you to be there."

I know I have to let her do her own thing, but I can't help feeling protective towards her. I wonder if Ellis knows, though I don't think it's the best time to talk to him about it, because he's going ball-shit crazy right now, and I do not want to bail him out of jail a second time, to be honest.

She turns her head to look at me.

"So, it's like a double date ?" She asks, eyes shining with amusement.

I wince, "You could say that."

I never thought I would go on a double date with Alice anytime soon.

"You better not go all protective on her." My girl looks serious as hell, so I furrow my eyebrows giving her my fullest attention. "She trusted enough you to tell you, and she wants you to meet him because she seeks her older brother's validation. Try to be nice, okay ?"

I never actually thought of it that way, to be honest. But Esmeralda's right, I need to be worthy of my sister's trust, considering she could've just kept the information to herself.

"Alright. I'll try my best." I peck her lips, and she moves her finger to trace lazy circles on my chest. She looks like she's thinking about something important, because her nose does that little scrunchy thing that makes her look a hundred times cuter than she already is.

"What are you thinking about ?" I repeat what she told me earlier, snapping her out of it.

She blinks at me, surprised that I noticed.

"Nothing." She answers quickly shaking her head and adverting her gaze from me.

I tilt her chin with two fingers, her grey eyes finally meet mine, "Tell me what's gotten you all troubled ?"

Seeing how determined I am to make her say it, she looks at me with an intensity that I can't figure out what to think of, then sighs, "Are you sure about this ? Us ?" The way she says it is soft, but firm at the same time, like she needs me to give her an answer.

I look her over, look at her unbound messy brown hair, her gorgeous face, her freckles, her grey stormy eyes that are so transparent that I can name every emotion that goes through them, and I realize that every time I see, hear, or touch her, I have that feeling in my chest. That feeling that I was foolishly running from, at first. The feeling that makes all of my alarms turn on. The feeling that everything is right.

So I kiss her, I kiss her to make her not only know it, but feel it too.

When we both pull back, both out of breath and red in the face. Esmeralda releases a shaky breath I didn't know she was holding, relief, joy and love marring her features.

"Good, because I think I could get used to this too."