Page 40 of Trapped With You

She snapped back from whatever place her mind had wandered off too and marched past my body, but not before uttering words that sliced me. “There was a time when I dreamed of you too, Cade. But you broke us and there’s no coming back from that.”

C H A P T E R9

I’m Yours

Ella

The Past - 3 years ago

Cade was sneaking over tonight.

And for the first time, we’d actually be alone in my place.

Previously, we were always surrounded by others, whether it be joint family dinners or the spontaneous times his uncle dropped in with him and Josh to discuss ‘business’ withpapá. It was hard to converse under their watchful eyes…especially when this thing between us felt so new.

We were nowbestfriends, but it was obvious we wanted more.

Cade didn’t make any moves on me. I didn’t make any moves on him. We were carefully threading the waters, while strengthening the unexpected bond we struck two months ago since he started attending St. Victoria.

Constantly in each others orbits, we became inseparable. When he wasn’t near me, I craved his presence. When he left, I kept time based on when I’d see him next.

Obsession had curled deep inside of me, its roots caging my heart and climbing around my bones like the beautiful vines encasing St. Victoria’s castle.

Before I knew it, Cade became vital to my existence. I neededhim. Could not imagine this version of me without him.

My pulse leapt when my phone lit up with Cade’s text. I recently changed his contact name to ‘Princepin’ since mine was ‘Princess’ in his, and I thought it was cute to have matching nicknames.

Be there in an hour, pretty girl. I need to do something with Josh for my uncle first. —Princepin

Okay. Text me when you get here. I can’t wait to see you. <3 —Princess

<3 —Princepin

The simple heart emoji made me weak in the knees. There wasn’t a single doubt in my mind that he liked me more than a friend.

I’d confess my feelings tonight, I decided.

My three-year-old brother, Emilio, watched me curiously as he sat on the kitchen counter, licking the last spoonful of ice cream from his bowl. He probably wondered why his big sister was grinning at her cell phone with giddiness.

“Ella, I done,” he said sweetly, depositing the spoon in the bowl with his cute, chubby hands.

“Good boy. Let’s do some dishes, and then I’ll read you a bedtime story.”

Because I was a strong advocate for equality, I started teaching Emilio how to do the dishes, a feat that caused most of the maids in our household to stare at me with horror. Some of them were quite old-fashioned and thought this was a chore for women. Which, of course, was bullshit.

Thankfully, the maids had the night off, so we were safe from prying eyes.

I washed Emilio’s bowl and set it before him, handing him a clean washcloth. He dried his bowl with diligence, working his fist in a circular motion with all the might in his little body.

“This is fun, eh?” I crooned.

He gave me a toothy grin, nodding enthusiastically.

“Boys clean up after themselves when they finish eating.” I dried off my hands on a spare towel. “Do you understand,manito?”

“Sí, Ella.” He nodded, blinking those big brown eyes at me. “Boys clean.”

“There you go, Emi!” I gushed, yanking him into my arms and pecking all over his face. He cackled, loving it when I showered him with kisses. Emilio’s arms went around my shoulders as he muffled his boyish laugh in my neck. I turned off the kitchen lights and carried him up the grand staircase. “Are you tired?”