With his fingers treasuring my flesh, I whisper a plea, “Quédate conmigo…” He curls his neck to look down at me, brushing his thumb over my pout. “Stay with me, baby.”
“I want to,” he says softly.Sincere.
An almost innocence to his expression and his tone. It reminds me of how different he is in moments like these. I wish he was always like this.
It’d certainly be easier to navigate.
“Then just do it,” I hum, squeezing onto him. “You make the rules, right?”
When he doesn’t answer right away, I peek at him.
“I’m not so sure anymore…” He swallows visibly.
He takes a puff of the cigar, a faraway gaze about him.
“Well, I think you should stay.” I sit up. “I’m tired. And you can barely keep your eyes open.”
His lips twitch. But he mumbles, “I should get back. I have to wake up early… There’s a lot of bullshit going on right now.”
Oh, Jesus… Not this again.
“Yea, but not right now,” I argue. “Rightnow, everyone’s asleep.”
“This job never rests, pajarito,” he grunts, stubbing his cigar out in some pooled water at the edge of the tub.
I roll my eyes. “That’s such a bullshit excuse. Just say you don’t want to spend the night, Diablo. I can’t handle it… I’m not a child.”
“Then stop acting like one,” he grumbles.
I gasp, outraged at the audacity of this beautiful asshole.
Standing up quick, I hustle into my clothes while he does the same, at more of an unhurried pace.
Because it’s his world and we’re all just breathing his goddamn oxygen.
“You know, I thought we’d moved past this,” I bark. “After I forgave you, when I probably shouldn’t have.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” He huffs.
“You know damn well what it means, Diablo,” I snap. “You’re a fucking monster, but you’re not stupid.”
“Angelito, por favor.” He does that thing where he rubs his eyes as ifhe’sexasperated byme.Gaslighting 101.“We’re both tired. Let’s just talk about it tomorrow, si? I have to wake up early and deal with the complete and utter shitstorm that is my life.”
“I’m just sick of being the one who compromises,” I hiss. “I’m sick of giving you the benefit of the doubt and then regretting it. I’m sick ofhatingmyself for not being able to kill you when I totally should, since you are theworstexcuse for a fuck-buddy ever invented!”
His face whips in my direction. “What did you just say?”
Uh oh…
Swallowing hard, I debate whether I should backtrack or stick to my guns. I settle on a combination of the two.
“Well, what would you call us?” I mutter. “You won’t even spend the night… If that’s not indicative of a casual hook-up, then I don’t know what is.”
“Angel, I am not leaving because I don’t care about you enough to stay,” he growls.
“Thenwhyare you??”
“Because I have to!” He stomps up to my face.
