Temptation

Chapter 80 - Savior

"How is he? I didn't mean to blow up at him like that, you know how I get when shit like this happens, I black out and then I do things I regret. Is he scared of me?"

"Yes and no, this is all new to him, he probably still needs to adjust but he wants to help you. He's not going to give up on that easily, he's not scared that you'll do something to him but he's scared of what you might do to yourself. You should talk to him, tell him about yourself."

"I don't want to scare him even more, you've seen yourself how much destruction I cause when I'm unstable, what if Mateo thinks I'm a bad person? During the day I kill people and do drugs, I'm one of those kids that your parents warn you not to get involved with."

"You're not evil, Esmerelda. Not like these other fuckers who take advantage of people's misfortune."

"It's funny you say that because that's exactly what I do, I like it but it's just business. I can't believe I'm trying to justify being a bad guy, I learned that from my uncle. I shouldn't have said all of that to him, ugh that was such an asshole move." I get up and start to pace around.

"I was so sick of all the secrets that I called my uncle a liar, he raised me as his own, I shouldn't have said anything, I don't even blame him for hitting me, I deserved that." He picks up my face and his thumb rubs against my cheek.

"He had no right to hit you."

"Yeah but it's whatever, I'm fine, I appreciate you talking to Mateo, I'm glad he's talking to you, and thanks for looking out for me. I know it hasn't been easy, I appreciate it even though I don't say it as much."

"No need, I'm always here for you." He places a firm kiss on my lips and I break the kiss by laughing.

"I just realized, we're kissing in front of my parent's grave, my dad is probably strangling you from heaven."

"It's so worth it though." We laugh and as soon as we leave, I hear a voice that I haven't heard in years.

"Esmerelda? Is that you Esmerelda Santos?" I look back and I smile at the familiar face I see.

"Father hermilio? Is that you?"

"Yes, it's been years since I've seen you, you've gotten so big" he pulls me into a hug and I see Marcus's face in confusion.

"Marcus this is Father Hermilio, he was the priest that hosted the mass at my parent's wedding, father this is Marcus, my- well it's too complicated to explain." They both shake hands.

"Came to visit your parents, I see, I'm so sorry for your loss, I can't imagine how hard it was to experience that."

"Thank you, father, I'm living with my uncle right now."

"I remember him, quite the troublemaker in Sunday school. Although this girl was the smartest kindest person I've ever met in Sunday school.

"Are you sure you're still talking about the same person, father?" He laughs and places his hand on my shoulder.

"You don't know how happy I am to see you alive and well, hopefully I can see you two get married one day, that would be my last wish then I can live in peace."

"You're still young father, you don't look like a day over 50," Marcus says.

"Oh I like this boy, I can tell you two are perfect for each other, I have to go perform a baptism but I hope to see you two again, even if it's for one last time. I would love to see the young Esmerelda Santos get married, after all, that's all she would talk about as a little girl." He says his goodbye to us then me and Marcus go walking holding hands to my car.

"So I hear you always dreamed of getting married, I thought you said that never crossed your mind. You were saying before how you weren't capable of love and here you are."

"Oh shut up, I was 8 and wished I was a princess who lived in a jelly bean castle waiting for a man to save me but no thank you I can save myself."

"I think you're mixing up your fairytales, one day you'll get a real wedding and not some fake one, but I know you're hoping the first time you walk that aisle to be real."

"That's why I wanted a small wedding but Xavier was like no, it needs to be public for a reason, I don't want my family to be there, I don't want it to feel real. It's going to be a fucking scandal when that divorce comes to the public, I always wanted to be famous, and I did but for all the wrong reasons. I'm just waiting for him to drop the question, it'd be so much easier if his dad wasn't a dick."

"You'll get out this soon, so then maybe I'll have a chance." He jokes around.

"A chance? That's if my uncle doesn't kill you when that happens-" Before I say anything else I get a call on my phone from Xavier. While his phone gets a call from Billy.

"Esmerelda? I shouldn't be calling you for this but I didn't know who else to call, it's Chelsea, she's in the hospital."

"I'm on my way," I say with urgency.

"What's up, Billy?"

"Um dude, I have a little problem, I'm at the station with Lex and we need you to help us get out of here."

"What did you guys do?" I can see the anger on Marcus's face while puts his hand over his mouth.

"Let's just say we're in here for public nudity, we were drunk and we got carried away."

"God dammit Billy! Fine, I'm on my way, I swear I will kill you guys when I see you." He hangs up his phone and looks at me.

"I have to go, stupid Billy and Lex are detained for public nudity, only they would do that shit."

"What the hell is going on today? Xavier's little sister is in the hospital and Xavier is freaking out right now, I'll see you back at my house."

"Be careful." He gives me a quick peck and I go running to my car while he goes running to his motorbike.

Xavier sounded so worried when he spoke to me, it's like he couldn't manage to find the words to tell me what had happened. I would've reacted the same way if it was Mateo in the hospital.

As soon I pull up the hospital I rush in through the doors and I go up to the children's ward and see Xavier sitting down with his hands on his face.

"Xavier? What happened to her?"

"Oh my god, thank god you came, I did know what to do, this has never happened before." He pulls me for a hug he manages to slip his hand down my back which causes me to shiver.

"Chelsea fell down the stairs while she was in the care of my dad, he called the ambulance but is nowhere to be found. I'm positive he did something to her, my mom is looking for him, she told me to stay here with Chelsea to look after her. I can't lose her Esmerelda, she's the only reason why I held on for so long, it'll kill me if she doesn't make it out alive. I only survived in that house so one day I could get her out of that shit hole. When I get my hands on that bastard, I will fucking make him pay for everything he has done to my family, if it's the last thing I I do."

I see the tears going down his face and I hold him in my arms to comfort him, I start to feel his hot tears on my skin, god I fucking hate it when people cry. Sometimes I don't know how to react and I say the most out of pocket things.