What Happened in Vegas

chapter twenty three

Raphael's POV
she scents of strawberry shampoo and her wet hair let's little drops of water fall on my skin. I inhale the divine scent as her small hands slowly wrapped around my body.

"I'm sorry" I mutter again and bury my face in her neck. Her hands tighten more around my body.  I know she is confused but I can tell she wants me to calm down before she asks me questions.

"I love you " I say finally pulling away and staring at her. Her makeup is washed off but she looks even prettier. Her dark brown eyes stare sadly at me. I can see the real pinkness of her small lips. Her cheeks is flushed.  Pressing her lips in a thin line, she pulls me  closer to her and hugs me tightly.

"I love you too" she whispers in my ear.

After staying like that for a few moments. She leads me to the sofa and we both seat.  Her baggy pajamas trousers flap around making her look more cute.

"are you okay, you didn't even get changed" she asks handing me a glass of water which I gulp hurriedly.  She sits beside me turns to look at me.

"why didn't you tell me? " I ask turning to look at her. Her eyebrow shoots up again in confusion.

"you met my mother, why didn't you tell me?" I question and I can see the realization in her face. She turns away from me quickly, guilt present on her face.

"I just thought it wasn't necessary " she mutters faking a smile.

"Emiliana, talk to me" I whisper taking her hands and rubbing it in soothing motions.

"I was scared " she starts turning to me.  Tears well up in her eyes.

"I was scared that she would pull me away from you.  I thought that I would never see you again. I didn't want to tell you because then you will never know how I felt. When she knew everything about me already I begged her not to tell you" she is crying now, burying her face in her palm.

"it's okay, no one can tear us apart. I would never leave you" I coo in her ear and she begins to sober up.

"really?" she asks looking up at me.

"yea.. Now tell me what makes you worried" I ask kissing the top of her forehead.  She stiffens up and she presses herself against my body.  After a while she leans away from me and rests against the chair.

"after we met in Vegas, the next year my parents died... In a car accident" she states turning to look at the expression which has formed on my face.  I honestly didn't know what to feel. I never knew this. That explains why she keeps to herself and tries to not show how she feels.

She pulls her knee to her chest before she continues

"I was naïve back then to know what happened to all our properties—hoarded by relatives. Jasmine just finished high school and she had this dream of being a writer and doctor.  I couldn't take that away from her. I worked multiple jobs but they never seemed to make anything work.  So I had to go to loan sharks" she pauses as though if she continued she would cry.  I try to search my head for answers but everything seems jumbled up.  My heart aches as I try to imagine her working her head off.

"I knew they were bad, I knew what they did to people who couldn't pay back but still I went. I borrowed a lot of money and promised to pay back.  When I didn't, they took jasmine. And I... I almost killed a person.  I swear it wasn't intentional. I stabbed him in the chest" she bursts into tears and I pull her into a hug stroking her hair. She hugs me tightly and I realize that I would never want to leave her.

She remains in my arms till I hear her low snores. I smile at her sleeping form and carry her bridal style and lay her gently on the bed.  Her hair has dried now and it sits on her head like a nest. Her face is red and her eyes, a little bit swollen.