You Will Be Mine (Forever and Ever #7)(21)

I gripped his shoulders. “We’re doing this. There’s no turning back now.”

“If this doesn’t go well, I lose you…and I can’t handle that right now.” Emotion filled his voice.

“You won’t lose me. No matter what happens, I’m here.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” he whispered.

I knew how important that was to him. His mother promised to come back and she never did. Instead, she abandoned him on the sidewalk. He had no one to turn to. He was completely alone and scared. “I never will, Arsen.”

He was silent for a long time before he gathered his bearings. “What are your parents’ names?”

“Ryan and Janice.”

“Your brother?”

“Slade.”

“What’s he like?”

“An asshole.” I smiled. “You two will get along great.”

He chuckled. “Thanks for the compliment.”

“Now grab our bags and let’s go.”

He clenched his fists before he grabbed our bags from the backseat. “Alright. Let’s go.”

We headed into the building then took the elevator to the top floor. Arsen was quiet. He didn’t look at me, trying to hide the fear he felt. When we walked down the hallway, I spotted my parents’ door. “Here we are.”

He put the bags down. “Nice place.”

“You should see the inside.” I knocked on the door and waited.

Arsen kept a stoic expression but I knew he was terrified.

The door opened. “My baby girl is home!” My mom came out and practically tackled me. “Honey, you’re so pretty like usual.”

“Thanks, Mom,” I said with a laugh.

“Sorry we hung up on you last week. Your idiotic father broke my phone.”

“It’s okay,” I said. “You already apologized.”

She gave me another hug before she pulled away. Then she gave Arsen her full attention.

Arsen held her gaze but didn’t smile. He clearly didn’t know what to do.

“Wow,” my mom said. “Where did you find him? Because I want one.”

Arsen smirked slightly.

“Mom, don’t embarrass me!” I hissed.

She waved off my words then opened her arms wide and hugged Arsen tightly. “Thank you for spending the holidays with us.”

Arsen stiffened and didn’t know how to react. He never hugged people. When he and I first got together, he didn’t do it then either. Affection was hard for him to give because he never got it to begin with. Awkwardly, he returned her embrace. “Thank you.”

She squeezed him tighter before she let go. “Arsen’s your name?”

“Yes, Mrs. Sisco. Thank you for letting me stay with you.” He said it like he’d been rehearsing those lines for weeks.

“Awe.” She rubbed his shoulder affectionately. “You’re so sweet. Please call me Janice. My mother-in-law is Mrs. Sisco and I hate her guts.”

Arsen smiled, appreciating her banter. “I’ll remember that, Janice.”

“Well, come inside,” Mom said. “We’ve got hot chocolate and everything to make the gingerbread houses.”

Arsen picked up the bags and carried them over the threshold.

“Ryan!” Mom yelled. “Your daughter is home.”

“Why do you always have to yell?” I asked. “He can hear just fine.”

“I’ll be there in a second!” Dad yelled back.

“Hurry your ass up,” Mom hissed. “We have a guest. Don’t be rude!”

Arsen looked at me and smirked.

“Shut the hell up. I said I’ll be there in a second,” my dad called back.

My mom put her hands on her hips and rolled her eyes. “I apologize. He’s not normally this rude.”

“It’s okay,” Arsen said. “Don’t worry about it.” He put his hands in his pockets.

“That’s a nice jacket.” My mom felt the zipper. “Where did you get it? Bloomingdales?”

“Uh, the flea market,” he blurted.

She clutched her chest. “I love cheap stuff. I go through clothes so quickly that they need to be cheap.”

“Yeah…” Arsen didn’t know what else to say.

“So, are you a model?” Mom asked.

Arsen blushed again.

“Mom, stop hitting on my boyfriend,” I snapped.

“I’m not hitting on him,” Mom said in an offended voice. “It’s obvious he’s a good-looking guy. It’s like having a pink elephant in the room.” She looked over her shoulder. “Slade, your sister is here.”

“Tell her to go to hell!” Slade yelled from his room.

She sighed then turned back to me. “You have no idea how glad I am to have another woman in the house. They’ve been driving me crazy.”

“I can tell,” I said sarcastically.

My dad finally came down the hallway but he held a remote control in his hands. He was flying a helicopter toward us. “Look what your mom got me for Christmas.”

“But Christmas isn’t until tomorrow,” I said. “Why do you have it?”