His chest swelled with pride at her words. “Good, because no one touches my girl unless she wants to be touched. No woman should ever be violated. That’s something my mom made sure we understood. She said a woman’s body was a temple, and you should never enter it without an invitation. I was just a kid and didn’t understand at the time, but she stressed it so much that I remember.

Every “I hate you” echoing from her chest was followed by an “I love you” from his lips. Every time she begged him to let go, he told her he would be there forever. His hold was strong, his arms familiar, but it did nothing to take away her pain.

Just because some people see us that way doesn’t mean it’s what we are. We’ll overcome our labels together. They don’t matter; they don’t make us who we are. We make us who we are. Fuck those motherfuckers.”She laughed. “When did you get so smart?”“Baby, I’ve always been smart,” he said playfully. “I’m just lazy as hell and rarely show.

Bodies pressed together, she could feel his pulse, blood furiously rushing through his veins. “Your heart,” she whispered. “It’s racing.”“You feel it?” he asked. “You hear it?”“Yes.”“What’s it saying?”She smiled, her eyes fluttering closed. “It’s saying you love me.”“I do,” he said. “No matter what. Sempre.