I put an index finger up to stop him.
You tell me you love me, and yet, you won’t trust my decisions. You tell me you know what’s right for me, but how can you? If only you’d spent a minute getting to know Myles instead of judging him so blindly, Avô, you’d know what I mean. You’d understand why I’m so drawn to him. But no, you’re too proud to be sitting on your high horse to spare a second on people who deserve so much more than a bit of your time and attention.
I got to my feet and walked out of his room before he could say anything else.
He’d said enough already.
I didn’t know what I was expecting from him, but it certainly wasn’tthat. I’d thought that maybe now that he knows that Myles and I are still going strong, he’d come to understand that I’m not backing down, but I guess I was wrong; I’d hoped for too much from him.
I marched into my bedroom, shut the door, and went straight to my phone.
Me:I need you.
I swiped a few angry tears from my cheeks as I waited for him to respond.
Beauty:I’m here.
An involuntary sigh left me after I read those two words.
Me:Did I wake you?
Beauty:Doesn’t matter. You okay?
I swallowed as I wrote down everything that’d just happened, and hit send on the message. I then slumped on my bed and pulled my blanket over my legs.
Myles replied exactly 7 minutes later. I knew that because I was staring absentmindedly at my phone’s time while waiting for him to text back.
Beauty:Maybe he needs more time? Maybe I can talk to him.
Me:You won’t talk to him.
Beauty:Rina, come on, babe. He’s your grandfather, and you know I respect him.
Me:If you respect him so much, then why are you going against his will and dating me?
I regretted saying that immediately after the message went through.Shit.
My heart pounded faster at each passing second as I kept staring at the screen.
Fuck, I shouldn’t have said that.
Fuck, fuck,FUCK.
I all but jumped out of my bed when my phone vibrated with an incoming video call. My hands shook a little as I accepted it, and held my breath as Myles’s face filled the screen.
I heard a click of a button, and then his bedside lamp turned on. His hair was an absolute mess, and one of the straps of his red tank top was sliding off his shoulder. But…but it’s the expression on his face that was the center of my focus.
God, he lookedlivid. And rightfully so. Ihadsent him a very stupid,stupidmessage, after all.
I was about to tell him that I was sorry, but he beat me to it by saying, “Just because you’re angry after the conversation you had with your grandfather, doesn’t mean you get to throw shade at me, Rina,” he said sharply.
Oops.
“You can’t say shit like that to me and expect me to take it like a fucking punching bag,” he continued, stillveryupset. “I understand that you need an outlet for your emotions, but I amnotgoing to let you throw me under the damn bus just because I’m calm about Mr. Ribeiro’s stubbornness and refuse to act against it. Just because you’re angry, doesn’t mean I have to follow in on it. I genuinely don’t care about what he thinks of me as a person, or why he’s convinced our relationship is a fluke, but by saying what you just did in that message, you’re only proving his point.” He clenched his jaw. “And I am not going to let you push me away, or let what he told you tonight affect your belief in us. I’m not going anywhere, and what I feel for you isn’t weak enough to cower under the respect I have for youravô. I may see him as a reverent figure, but evenhecan’t keep me from calling you mine.” He lifted a brow at me, and I all but melted all over my duvet. “Are my words clear enough for you, Rina?”
I nodded, because really, what else could I do? I was entranced by him, and so grateful for him for saying everything he had.
I’m sorry, I signed. Ididn’t mean to upset you.
