“What’d she send you?” I can only guess that whatever's in the box, it’s not wanted or needed, based on how Elle kicks the box and storms away. I debate on taking the boxes inside, but I’ll wait till I find out what they contain.
“Sweetheart, answer me,” I call out for her across the hall. She falls into the sofa looking defeated. Sandra really pisses me off. The only time my sweetheart is unhappy is when she hears from her mother.
“They’re my boxes of things that were at her house. At my house. I didn’t even get to unpack them.” She pauses and then continues. “I told her she could come for a visit.” She presses her lips together and crosses her arms over her knees, pulling them into her chest. She’s a mix of hurt and anger and I’m not sure which is going to win out.
“Okay?” I don’t understand. I must be missing something.
“I told her I couldn’t give her any money since I wasn’t working, but she could come see me if she wanted.” I know all of this already. She asked me what I thought about that arrangement beforehand, and I agreed that would be wise. Elle’s a smart girl. Plus, she enjoys this arrangement as much as I do. She hasn’t done a damn thing suspicious and asks for permission before doing anything. I get the feeling she really enjoys me having the control in our relationship, which I fucking love.
“I’m missing something,” I say. The tears in her eyes fall down her cheeks and she wipes them away angrily.
“I didn’t tell you what she said,” she answers.
“She said I was a selfish bitch for abandoning her, and that I could come get my shit.”
I keep my voice light and don’t let it show how pissed I am. I have to work real fucking hard to keep my anger out of my expression. I’ve never wished ill on a woman before, but I can’t stand that bitch, Elle's mother or not. “Well at least she saved you the trip.” Elle rolls her eyes and doesn’t even crack a smile. I know it hurts her. If she could, she’d give her mom everything and I know her mother would take it all, too. Now that Elle’s mine, it’s not happening.
I have to do something to make her smile. I don’t like her being so upset. “Do you have a nice dress to wear, sweetheart?” She looks back at me, tilting her head with a questioning look on her face. I raise my brows, waiting for an answer.
She shakes her head slowly. “Only my sundress.” She hasn’t been out of this house in two weeks. She’s got to want to get out of here. I’m surprised with all the shit she’s bought lately that she hasn't ordered another dress.
“Well, go put it on--I wanna take you out tonight.” Her eyes brighten and a wide smile grows on her face. She hops up and runs to me to wrap her arms around my back, planting a small kiss on my lips.
“How much time do I have?” she asks, all peppy like. I’ve been afraid to take her out. A small part of me questions her loyalty to me, as though this has all just been an act. Like she’s just waiting to get away from me. A deep pain shoots through my chest at these thoughts, but I ignore it.
“Take as much time as you need, sweetheart. We can go wherever you’d like.” I’ll spoil her to the point that the thought of leaving me doesn’t exist for her. If she leaves me, I don’t know what would happen.
The guys have been hounding me to bring her around. They all wanna meet her. I know what they must think. I’m sure they can’t believe she really wants to be with me. Part of me doesn’t believe it either. That doubt creeps up on me while I’m away from her.
But every time I get home and find her waiting for me, that doubt vanishes. When she yammers on about some recipe on the cooking shows she watches, there’s no doubt in my fucking mind that she wants to be with me. Either that, or she’s trying to kill me with domestication.
It’s time the guys met her. We’ll all go out. They’ll see her, and she’ll see them. It’s gotta happen at some point. A part of me wants to keep her here with all this tension between the MCs and the familia, but it’ll be alright. We haven’t gotten those fuckers yet and Javier’s breathing fire down our necks, but I can’t keep her locked in here forever. She needs to get out and have some fun.
“Let’s get out of the house, baby. I wanna show you off.”
Chapter 27: Elle
My nerves are shot. My palms are sweaty, and I can hardly breathe. I’m going to meet the familia. The Don is Dante, Vince’s father. I don’t know much about anyone else, though. Well, except that Dom and Tommy were the two that I … met already. I breathe in deep and shake out my hands as we stand in front of the restaurant doors.