Page 122 of Unexpected Prejudice

“No.” I cut into his words and made him face me. “‘What-if’ doesn’t apply to us. Not now, not ever.” I pushed dark locks of hair away from his flushed face and wiped away his tears. “I love you, Levi. I’ve loved you for so long, and that will never change, so trust me, be honest with me, and share your pain, thoughts, and everything with me because I will never let you go.”

“W-why?” he asked, trying to calm his breath while I kept wiping away his tears.

“Because I love you.”

“Why? W-why do you love me?”

Before answering him, I leaned closer and kissed his trembling lips.

The tears made the small kiss salty, but my love for him, which was always so sweet, made it perfect.

“Because you’re absolutely stunning, Babydoll. You always have been.” My finger softly caressed his cheek. “You’re brave, and you’re strong. You’re the first person to ever believe in me, and to this day, you’re the power that drives me to go on. Will you believe me when I tell you that when you walked out of the door that day it was the hardest thing I’d ever had to endure?”

He shook his head, and that made me chuckle.

“Thought so…” Cupping his face, I smiled, not giving a damn about how wet my eyes were from all the tears I’d shed, too. “It was. More than being abused, assaulted… practically kidnapped. Everything that happened to me was nothing compared to watching you hurt. I swear, Babydoll, I can handle anything but that. I can’t watch you suffer all by yourself.” I grabbed his hand and placed it over my heart. “Share it with me. It won’t make me go away. It will only keep me closer.”

Levi’s eyes lifted from where our hands were still resting against my chest to meet my stare. A fragile look coated his face.

“You promise?”

My whole body relaxed with the breath I took right before I nodded. “Yeah, Babydoll, I promise.”

Instead of speaking, he leaned forward and buried his face in my chest as he wrapped himself around me. I held on to him for dear life because that’s what he was—my life.

After sitting on the ground for a while longer, doing nothing but hugging, Levi coughed, clearing his throat.

“Maybe we should get up.” His voice was hoarse.

“You think?”

“I mean, it is a cemetery.” He sniffed.

“That’s right.” I totally forgot about that. “So, let’s go.”

Looking away, Levi’s gaze fell on the vase of flowers he left on the grass earlier.

“They’re beautiful. I’m sure he’d love them,” I said.

“White carnations. They symbolize pure love.”

“Well, that’s what we have here.” I smiled and poked his cheek. “Don’t we?”

Levi turned to look at me with his crimson cheeks and red ears, which would forever be adorable. “Yeah, we do.”

Levi

I sat on the edge of the bed, with Jessie crouched on the floor between my knees, looking at me with his mesmerizing green eyes and tracing his fingers over my cheek. “What are you thinking about?”

From the moment we left the cemetery until we got home, he held my hand. He hugged me close even on the ride back on the Vespa and when we showered earlier.

Jessie always loved touching me, but this time was different. He held me not because he wanted to but because I needed it. I needed to know I wasn’t alone, and he ensured I knew that.

He came and found me.

I pushed him away, yet he still went out and looked for me to bring me home.

And when I broke apart, he wasn’t repulsed. Picking up the pieces didn’t make him think I was weak, but it did bring out a new side in him. A strong, beautiful side I recently got to know. And when I told him my fears, he only promised to love me more instead of being disappointed as I thought he’d be.