What? Now, it’s my turn to peer up at him with an eyebrow raised.
“She was looking at pictures of herself?” he asks his sister, eyeing me with disappointment.
She nods her head while peering up at him with her Bambi eyes, and he sighs.
“Thank you, princess. Can you leave so I can talk to Amelia?”
Letting go of his leg, she walks out of the room with her head hanging low, sad, knowing I did something to make myself upset. I rise from my knees as my stomach clenches in uneasiness.
“I was just—” I start to say.
But he interrupts firmly, “What you did was equivalent to me going to the liquor store, buying a bottle, and just staring at it all night long.”
“No, it wasn’t—”
He interrupts me again, “Yes, it was. You’re giving in to your temptations, knowing the outcome will only harm you. Don’t you think I get those all the time? The urge to drink, knowing I faked being sober for years and I can do it until I die? I get those thoughts with every breath I take, but I fight them. Fight them so I can have control of my own life.”
“I—I—” My throat closes up as he pulls me into his body.
“What did you see that upset you?”
I shake my head, squeezing my eyes shut, and his fingers clench on to my chin, forcing me to look at him.
“You can tell me, honey. Because whatever they said, I can guarantee they were wrong.”
“They said I’m not pretty enough for you. I know that’s stupid and I shouldn’t let that get to me. But no girlfriend wants to hear that from millions of people.” My voice is muffled by his chest as my tears fall on his bare skin. “Why are they so mean?”
“They couldn’t be more wrong. They’re just reflecting their own insecurities on you. I’m not with you because of your looks.” He pushes me back by my shoulders and kisses my nose. “I’m with you because of the beauty in here.” He places his hand on my frantic, beating heart. “Your insane beauty on the outside is just a huge bonus.”
“I just don’t understand why they won’t stop,” I rant, clinging to his body like a koala bear. “What do they get from putting other people down?”
I feel his head shake against the side of mine.
“I don’t understand why cyberbullying is even a thing either, but what I do understand is the envy they have for you. They’re not happy themselves, and they’re going to bully the person they want to be like.”
“But that’s not the person I am or portray myself to be. All I preach for is more happiness and peace in the world.” I pull away from his chest and drown in his eyes.
“And that’s exactly why they do it,” he whispers, “because you make it so hard not to like you. But you need to stay focused, stay off of social media. I’m deleting it off my phone just in case you get happy fingers again.”
Nodding, I feel a tear slide onto my lip. Peeking my tongue out, I gather the salty moisture as he brushes a tear away with his thumb. Grabbing his wrist, I kiss his palm. Not needing to say anything because my eyes say it all.
I fall … fall so deeply for this man because nothing has felt so wonderful.
CHAPTER45
AMELIA
Ididn’t bother telling anyone other than Trinity that I’d be someone’s babysitter for the next two days. The only reason is that I’m scared of Leonidas’s reaction. So, I made his girlfriend tell him before I got home.
Levi leaves me with a lingering kiss and a tight hug for his sister. She skips away with me happily, leaving her shocked yet amused brother behind. Winking over my shoulder, I strap her in the car seat Levi put in my brother’s car, which I’m borrowing, and drive off with her.
The entire car ride, Stella grins ear to ear, dancing along to songs in her car seat. She’s such a joy to be around, and she makes me feel young again. I unbuckle her once I arrive home and carry her on my hip as I make my way inside.
“Hello there!” Trinity swoons as soon as I walk through the door, waiting eagerly with a smile on her face.
Stella stares intently at her before looking over at me, as if she’s questioning if Trinity is trustworthy or not.
“This is Trinity, my best friend in the whole entire world,” I tell her softly, smiling. “She’s loads of fun.”
