Isabella

Chapter 38

A/N - 10k STOP IT‼️

Longest chapter yet I think 💪💪

TW - this chapter contains scenes surrounding grief

~~~

"They look like they could eat you alive", I laughed, gripping Ezra's arm tighter as the group of Eli's classmates scurried past us and into the garden, "they're fucking touchin' me, fucking hell Izzy".

I'd never seen Ezra more on edge than he was today; I'd practically been stuck to him like glue since he picked me up from my house, and upon arriving at his house I'd learned he didn't like the amount of friends his brother had. At all.

"Hey, we'll sit in the kitchen yeah? They're all out there doing whatever 14 year olds do", I rubbed my hand up and down his sleeveless arm and he clung onto my hand like I was gonna disappear.

"Touching people who don't wanna be touched", he grumbled as we entered the room, "like pests".

"You just called a group of kids pests?", Maceo laughed, "you know half those girls have been staring at you too bro". And suddenly I didn't like the 14 year olds either.

"Well the only girl I'm interested in is attached to me by the hip right now", he kissed the side of my head, "they've got me on edge as fuck".

"Chill, y'know it's only for a couple hours", he sipped whatever the hell he was drinking, "plus, Izzy'll fend them off".

"Anytime", I chuckled, "you wanna eat something?". Mirana and Elian had cooked up a goddamn storm and I'd been in and out of the kitchen for the past hour.

"Nah, not hungry", Ezra shook his head, resting his chin on top of my head, "you eat if you wanna though, there's plenty darlin'".

"Plus, Eli will eat it all in bed later", Maceo chimed in and I chuckled, letting go of Ezra reluctantly and serving myself some food.

"I'll do what?", the youngest Reyes brother came inside from the garden and made a beeline for me, he shocked everyone in the room by wrapping his arms around me briefly, "I didn't get to say thanks for the chain and the gift card earlier". I squeezed him before he pulled away, scratching the back of his neck with a sheepish expression.

"Course, I'm glad you like 'em", I grinned, "you got a lot of friends Eli".

"What can I say?", he shrugged, gazing past me at his brother, "you look grey as fuck".

"He doesn't like pests", Maceo snorted and I bit back a smile.

"And pests is code for my friends?", Eli moved back towards the back door, "chill, I'm tryna keep them away". He didn't stick around to hear another reply, the guy was gone in seconds.

"Where's Aleja?", I asked, I hadn't seen the seven year old for a good half an hour now.

"One of Eli's friends has a little sister in her class, they're glued to each other out there", Maceo chuckled, "pretty damn cute".

"And twice the glitter", Ezra snorted, coming over to me and wrapping an arm around my waist, "you look beautiful darlin'".

I tipped my head up and kissed his jawline, he was about to kiss me back until the back door opened and about ten fucking kids came in; Ezra's arm tightened around me and he stepped back slightly. My hand met his and I rubbed my thumb across his knuckles; these kids were tall for 14 year olds.

"Damn, you all been starved or something?", Maceo chuckled as they piled up their plates with all sorts of shit, "single file, it's not goin' anywhere".