Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
Ilean back against the wall of the elevator, only to straighten when the doors are held open. My brother steps in and stabs at the button.
“Not now,” I groan. My morning started off so good and then went to hell in a handbasket.
“Oh, it’s now, Frankie. What the hell are you thinking? Him? Really?”
“Yes him. What’s wrong with Emilio?” I ask.
“He’s beneath you. He’s not good enough for you and never will be,” Alfie says. “You could do way better.”
“I’m sorry. The Pope wasn’t available.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. The church is always taking nuns. Want me to sign you up?”
“Bit late for that.” I smirk.
“I’m going to fucking kill him,” Alfie groans. “If Dad doesn’t get to him first.”
“You can’t tell Dad.” I reach out and grab hold of my brother’s hand.
“You can’t keep this from him.”
“I know, but I just want time. Please, Alfie, I love him,” I beg. “I’ve tried to ignore it. For years, I’ve tried to ignore it. But I don’t want to ignore it anymore, Alfie. He’s good for me. He’s always been there for me, and he’s waited for me. Please trust that I know who is worthy of me.”
“I hate it when you use that tone,” my brother grunts, while he wraps his arm around my shoulder and tugs me towards him. “I will never think he’s good enough for you.”
“I know.”
“You need to tell Dad,” Alfie says.
“I will, soon. I just need a little time.”
“You know he’s going to lose his shit if he finds out through someone else.”
“Just… don’t kill my boyfriend, please.”
“I’m not stupid enough to kill him, Frankie. I don’t need the fucking cartel starting a war in this city,” Alfie grunts. “But if he hurts you, I will.”
“Emilio would never hurt me.” I smile, knowing that my words are true. Emilio has only ever looked out for me, even when I didn’t want him to. “Remember that Christmas Eve Dad picked me up from the police station because Emilio was arrested?”
“Yeah? Oh, for fuck’s sake, Frankie, don’t tell me you guys have been running around in secret since then.”
“No. But I did meet another boy that night. I was stupid and went into an alley with him. He got a little too handsy and I couldn’t get him to stop.
” I pause at the look of murder on my brother’s face.
“Emilio turned up. He stabbed him. He was going to kill him right there in that alley. Anyway, I made him stop and then he followed me to make sure I was going home. He’s always been annoying like that.
But I was arguing with him, and the police turned up and arrested him.
The point is, he has been looking out for me forever.
He’s always had my interests at heart. Like some shining knight. ”
“He’s a cartel prince. Don’t be fooled into thinking he’s a good guy,” Alfie says.
“He is a good guy. To me. And that’s what matters.”
“Who was the kid?” Alfie asks.
“Who?”
“The kid who got handsy, who was he?”
“He’s dead. Emilio went to the hospital that night and killed him.”
“And then came to our house for dinner and acted like nothing had happened? That’s cold, Frankie. Are you sure that’s the kind of man you want to be sleeping next to?”
“You mean like you? Like dad?” I raise a brow.
Alfie shakes his head. “I’ll give you a few weeks, but you need to tell Dad,” my brother says when the elevator opens and he steps out.
I follow him to the front of the building. “I will. Thanks, Alfie. Love you.” I hug him. “Also, ice your face. Emilio got you good.” I smirk.
“Don’t make me go back up there,” Alfie grunts and walks away.
“So, tell me everything? What happened with Mr. Hunky in Mexico?” Kevin sits down next to me in the lecture hall.
I blush at his question. I have absolutely no intention of telling him what happened with Emilio.
“Oh, you dirty little slut. You fucked him,” Kevin hums.
“Shhh, people can hear you.” I slide down in my seat when other students turn and look our way. I wouldn’t put it past my dad to have little spies disguised as teenagers in every one of my classes. “More than once,” I whisper.
“I knew it. So, how was it? Everything you’ve built up in your head all these years?”
“Better.” I blush.
“Huh, I thought for sure he’d be a dud in the sack. He’s too pretty,” Kevin says.
“Well, he’s not a dud. He’s good. Really, really good.”
“Are you going to be okay? Is this a thing now, or just a when in Mexico kind of thing.”
“It’s a thing.” I nod my head and smile. “He really likes me.”
“Obviously. What’s not to like?”
When the lecture starts, I pull out my laptop and focus on the professor, taking down notes about everything I need to know. Kevin does the same. This is why I like sitting with him. He doesn’t bother me during class.
At the end, though, as I stand, he follows me. “Don’t think you’re getting out of this conversation already.”
“I have to… be somewhere else.” I laugh and walk out of the room.
“Nope. I want all the deets, Frankie. I want size, girth, all of it.”
“I’m not talking about my boyfriend’s dick with you.” I laugh again as I turn to look at him and then run smack-bang into a brick wall. Not a brick wall, a body. A pair of hands holds on to my upper arms.
Elias Lopez.
“Are you lost?” I take a step backwards.
“Nope, I was looking for you. Now I found you,” he says.
“Why?” My heart sinks. “Is he okay? Where is he?” I’m already pulling my phone out and pressing Emilio’s number.
“He’s fine. But good to know you care,” Elias says.
“Hey,” Emilio answers the call.
“Are you good?” I ask him.
“I’m good. You?”
“Yeah, but your brother is here.”
“Which one?”
“The grouchy asshole one,” I tell him, and he laughs.
“Elias?”
“That’s the one.” I smirk at the grouchy asshole currently frowning at me.
“You want me to talk to him?” Emilio asks.
“Nope. I just wanted to make sure he wasn’t delivering me a message about your untimely death.”
“Right.”
“Gotta go. Bye.” I cut the call and pocket my phone. “Why were you looking for me?”
“Can’t I want to hang out with my cousin?” Elias asks.
“You can, but you never have before.”
“You weren’t dating my brother before. Now you are, so get used to hanging out, Frankie. We’re a package deal, our family.”
“You know I’ve literally known you my entire life, right?”
“I’m aware. I remember when you were born.”
“Okay, well, I have a class to get to,” I lie.
“No you don’t. That was your only class for the day. Come on, I’m taking you to lunch,” Elias says.
I turn to Kevin, who is watching this entire conversation with way too much interest. “I’m sorry. Rain check?”
“I still want details,” he says. “Have fun with whatever this is.”
“Thanks.” I roll my eyes. I have no idea what Elias really wants, but I also know he’s not going to say anything in front of Kevin.
With his hand on my back, Elias leads me to where he has a waiting car. I don’t bother to say a word when he climbs into the back of the SUV with me. I also don’t fill the silence when the car drives off campus.
Elias stares at me. I don’t squirm, though. Instead, I choose to stare out the window and wait for him to be the first to crack. It takes a good ten minutes before he says anything. “You know, dating Emilio makes you my sister.”
“Ah… no, it doesn’t,” I tell him. The last thing I need is more brothers.
“It does.” He shrugs. “I know what happened. This morning. With Alfie.”
I turn to look at him. “You can’t blame my brother for doing exactly what you would do if you found a guy coming out of Eliana’s bedroom naked.”
“He didn’t do what I would have,” Elias says. “I would have slaughtered the asshole and made Eliana watch.”
“Okay, well, that’s… disturbing. I really hope that when you find a woman you really like, she has a father and brothers who want you dead too.”
“You don’t have to worry about that. I’m going to be an eternal bachelor.” Elias smirks. “I like variety.”
“Gross. I don’t want to know.”
The car stops at a Mexican restaurant. “Really? Here?”
“Emilio said you liked tacos.” Elias shrugs.
He’s talking about me with his brothers.
I don’t know why, but that makes me smile.
Even having to endure a lunch with Elias isn’t going to wipe the happiness from me.
I have a boyfriend who isn’t afraid to tell the world how he feels.
I need to tell him. I need to let him know how I feel.
Because in this life, we’re not promised a tomorrow.