“But it wasn’t me you wanted it from,” he says, sounding hurt.
“I’m so sorry,” I whisper again, wishing he could know how hard I tried to fall for him.
“Not that sorry, Alicia.” He exhales heavily. “I came back to Long Beach for you. I wanted to do what was right. Ifuckin’loved you,” he tells me, making all the guilt I’m carrying feel twice as heavy.
“I know, and I still want you to be there for your niece when she gets here. Nothing about that is going to change.”
“Everything has changed.” He looks past me again with spite. “You gonna be with him now?” he questions, and I slowly nod my head back at him, because it’s something he’s going to have to get used to. “I’ve been in love with Vike for a long time,” I admit, hoping he can find a way to understand.
“If being in love with a man who bails–”
“I only bailed because of what you told me, you manipu–”
“Enough!” Wrath points his finger at Vike to silence him, and I’m surprised when he listens and backs down.
“You're gonna regret choosing him.” Greaser shakes his head at me like I’m a fool, and when he goes to standup, I automatically flinch. “No need to piss ya panties again, sweetheart,” he whispers cruelly. “I’m just getting myself outta here.” He sniggers at Vike before he hobbles out the door, and another gruesome memory of that night I saw a different side to him flashes in my mind.
“You okay?” Vike steps up behind me, resting his hands on my shoulders.
“Can we go home now?” I look up at him, feeling exhausted.
“How long are you gonna be mad at me for?” I ask when we make it through her front door. I’m relieved to find the place empty; it gives me a chance to start explaining myself.
“I haven’t decided yet.” Alicia waddles her way over to the couch and rests her hand under her huge belly to support it as she sits. “Here, let me help.” I rush over to her, but she swats me away.
“Why did you do it, Vike? What point didyouhave to prove? I’m not marrying him, I’m in love with you. Could that not just be enough?”
“Darlin’, Greaser was never gonna just accept it. We had to hash it out; it’s been a long time coming.” I sit beside her and turn my body into hers. She looks so pretty in the short white dress stretched over her belly; it’s just a shame she was wearing it for him and not me.
“And is everythinghashedout now?” she asks sarcastically.
“That's up to Greaser.” I shrug, thinking about how close I actually came to killing that fucker today. “I’m gonna struggle to forgive him for what he did, but I’m happy to move on so long as he doesn’t try making any more trouble.”
“Andwhatexactly did he do?” she questions me, proving that she has no fuckin’ idea how he’s been playing her.
“He made me think you’d been together in that motel. Told me the two of you were getting married way before you agreed to it, and I’m pretty sure he’s the one who put Trinity up to lying about us sleeping together. ” It frustrates me that I didn’t see all this for myself. And suprises me that Alicia’s gotten sucked in; she’s always been such a good judge of character.
“I thought he was looking out for us.” She uses her finger to draw a circle around her tummy, avoiding eye contact and looking hurt.
“Listen, I’m not gonna tell you what to feel, but what I saw was him trying to control you. I’m just disappointed in myself for allowing it to go so far.”
“I was heartbroken when you left.” She looks back up at me. “I wanted to have that conversation with you so bad. I wanted to tell you how I felt, but you allowed him to come between us.”
“I know, and I regret it, but I’m here to make all that up to you…If you’ll let me.” Fuck, I wanna kiss her again so bad, and when she nods her head and offers me a slight smile, I see it as a green light and don’t hold back. Tilting my head toward hers, I steal her lips, kissing her softly and much more gently than I did before. The way this girl deserves to be kissed.
“Vike.” She eventually stops me. “Where do we go from here? Whatisthis?” She almost looks too afraid to ask.
“Did you not hear me claim my undyin’ love for you in the bedroom?” I laugh at her, studying every inch of her face and appreciating the fact that she’s mine now. “This is the start of what's gonna be our future; you, me, and this baby girl.” I rest my hand over hers and smile.
“So we’re together?” I wonder why she still looks so confused.
“In everything we do. You're my old lady now, which means?—”
“I need you to make nice with Greaser,” she cuts me off, looking serious and stern.
“Darlin’, I don’t thin–”
“He’s her family,” she reminds me, stroking her hand beneath mine. “She’s already lost her uncle Saul and her daddy; I won’t let her lose anyone else. The pair of you need to find a way to tolerate each other, and Greaser has to find a way to tolerate the fact we’re together now. I can’t handle the stress of you two hating each other.” Her bottom lip trembles like she’s about to cry, and I can’t have that.
