I’m only half-joking, but when he nods, my stomach drops.
“Really?”
“In every part of your house, and I cloned your phone so I could have access to it,” he answers honestly.
“So… You watched Evan beat the shit out of me for months and you didn’t do anything about it?” I accuse harshly.
His brows furrow. “Essence, if I had come storming in there, I would have had to tell you then that I’d been watching you.”
“And?” I snap, crossing my arms over my chest. “You were going to do it eventually, so why not a month ago when he started hitting me?”
Dante swallows and stares at me, no doubt trying to figure out what to say.
I sigh and roll my head around to relieve some of the tension in my neck. “I shouldn’t be mad at you. For the past few months, you’ve been the one to keep me from jumping off the deep end.”
Dante takes a step closer to me and puts his hands on my waist, bringing me closer to him. “You’re allowed to be upset with me, Essence. And you’re right—I should have stepped in a long time ago and put a stop to it. I’m sorry I let him hurt you for so long.”
I shake my head, tears beginning to sting my eyes. “It’s not your fault he hurt me. It’s my own for staying with him for so long.”
“Don’t you say that,” he growls, gripping me tighter. “Evan had no right to abuse you. You were scared and alone, and that made it hard to leave. I’m a firefighter, Essence. I’ve seen my fair share of abusive relationships. The cycle is hard to quit.”
I lay my head on his chest and listen to the steady beat of his heart. “I just want to be happy, Dante,” I whisper.
He kisses the top of my head softly and murmurs, “I know, baby. And I promise to spend the rest of my life making you and Lunchbox happy.”
At the mention of Lunchbox, I break down.
“What’s wrong?” he asks, concerned. He tries to pull away to look at my face, but I wrap my arms around his waist and bury my face in his shirt. The familiar scent of smoke and woods envelops me and makes me feel so safe in this moment.
“You’re always including Lunchbox,” I say pathetically through the tears.
“Of course I do. He’s important to you, andyou’reimportant tome,” he says quietly. “And I love Lunchbox, anyway. He deserves the best, too.”
I love you.
The words sit on the tip of my tongue, but I can’t bring myself to say them for some reason. Maybe because there’s still so much I don’t know about him, but I really do think I’m in love with him. The way he makes me feel is like nothing I’ve ever experienced before.
Wiping my face, I finally pull away from him. He cups my face between his hands so gently, I’m hit with a fresh wave of tears.
Dante kisses my forehead softly, then my nose, and, lastly, my lips.
To be loved like this, to be cherished after so long of only knowing such terrible abuse is like finally seeing the sun after months and months of rain.
After feeling like I was suffocating for so long, I can finally breathe.
CHAPTER 36
DANTE
Later in the night,I’m standing in my closet trying to figure out what I want to wear. I’m taking Essence to my favorite Italian restaurant, and I want to look good for her.
This afternoon when I got home, I cleared out half of my closet and dresser to make space for Essence’s things. I would have thought it’d feel strange to live with someone after so long of being alone, but I’m eager to have my baby here with me. This house has been so lonely and empty since Leo died. I’m grateful to have Lunchbox here to keep me company, but I crave to be near Essence every second of the day.
Picking out a simple white button-up, dark blue denim jeans, and a pair of black shoes, I step out of the closet and stand in front of Lunchbox’s bed.
“What do you think, Lunchbox?” I ask, turning around so he can see the full fit. “You like it?”
He barks excitedly and leaps off his bed to jump on me. I laugh and crouch down to scratch his belly; it’s like he knows I’m about to see his mommy.
