PROMISE ME (OSCAR DIAZ x OC)

Chapter Eighteen (Alana)

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Alana

February

*SMUT WARNING*

For three years I've hated Valentine's Day. For three years I've been miserable on Valentine's Day because I'd have to sit by the phone and hope that Oscar had enough money on his account to make a phone call to me that would only be up to an hour anyways because every man there wanted to call their girl since they couldn't see them.

This year I don't hate Valentine's Day.

I just hate that I won't have Oscar all to myself until later on tonight. Ruby had been going through a bunch of emotions. None of which were healthy ones. He had snapped on Mami last week and stormed out of the house and started crashing here in Cesar's old room.

Oscar thought it would be a good idea to get Ruby out of this funk by having a party in the backyard with some of the homies and their girls. Ruby of course was actually excited because he would get to meet more of the Santos and get his face out there and start seeing who his "new family" would be.

I told Oscar he better not dare jump him in today.

There was nothing but silence after I said that. All he did was hand me a cup of coffee in a pink mug that said "mami" on it and told me "Happy Valentine's Day, mi amor." With a kiss to the cheek.

Ruby came into the room and I hardly recognized him anymore. He slicked his hair back and wore one of Cesar's black hoodies with the hood up as he walked past me. Even his outfits... He wasn't the Ruby I knew anymore. And it turned my stomach to see him becoming something I never imagined from him.

Mario? Sure. We all thought this would have been Mario's fate. When it wasn't? It was obvious that maybe it would just skip the boys in our family. None of them would show interest in running the streets.

Latrelle may have killed Olivia that night but he took my brother's soul with him. He took the last bit of innocence that lived within Ruby and any bit of light. My brother is darkness and has been swallowed whole by it.

As I sit here I wish I could just take it from him and become the darkness. Become it so he will never have to completely lose himself. I'd rather walk these streets as an official Santo before I let my brother take bodies under his belt. If I could do it for him I would.

But that won't happen. Oscar won't let it.

Oscar will never let me become anything that would harm myself. I already have a green light on my every single day of my life just because I'm with him. He says that's bad enough and he would do anything to keep me safe.

And letting Ruby join the Santos is another way of keeping me safe apparently. According to Oscar it will stop me from thinking I can save Ruby. It will be another person who truly loves and cares about me walking these streets and taking down the people who are out to hurt us.

What a load of bullshit.

"You going out?" I asked Ruby as he head for the door. He froze where he was and just looked over his shoulder. "Yes? No?"

He rolled his eyes slightly. "No, Ma. I'm just going outside for some air. Unless that's not allowed?"

"Don't get fucking snippy with me. I was asking a simple question." I stood up and Oscar came out of the bedroom as he buttoned up his shirt.

"Everything alright out here?" Oscar said with a single nod toward Ruby.

Ruby shook his head. "I just need some fucking air. Is that so wrong?"