Page 124 of Poison Aches

“I’ll never forget.”

Three minutes of her and I, soaking each other in, appreciating what’s about to be dead and synching our heartbeats to each other.

Three minutes of torture.

Three minutes that I wish I could prolong…because I want my heartbeat to catch up with hers, but that will never be possible.

She’s out of my reach. I accepted that a long time ago.

But that doesn’t mean I can’t be selfish and steal these moments for myself.

“When was your last exam?” she suddenly whispers.

Figures she’d ask this.

She’s currently faced with a tight predicament where she won’t be able to wiggle herself out of, but here she is, asking me about my doctor’s appointments.

“A while ago,” I gruffly mutter. Apparently there’s now something lodged in my throat.

“How long?” she presses, her body starting to tense up.

“Not sure.”

“Emmett!”

“I’ve been busy.”

She falls silent.

I don’t lie. None of the things I tell this girl are a lie.

I have been busy.

It has been a while since I met my team of doctors. It’s not like they’re going to tell me something new.

I already know my fate and better yet, I’ve accepted it.

“You’ve been busy finding ways to get back at me,” she mutters with annoyance yet her head is still snuggled up against my chest.

For some reason, I press the button to recline the large seat back and then hold her much more comfortably.

“What are you doing?” she whispers in a breathless voice that makes something in me stand up at attention.

“Getting comfortable.”

When the seat is all the way back, I hold her to me.

For a moment we both grow still. So still, we can probably hear the pilots talking in their cockpit.

At first, Angel lies like a piece of wood in my arms, but I just wait.

This is not the first time we’ve been in this position, where I hold her and she somehow, insanely eases the pain in my chest just by her nearness.

Then she shifts, getting more comfortable until we’re practically fused together.

In that moment, a feeling I’ve done all I can to chase away and destroy suddenly rushes over me and settles squarely in my chest.

But I immediately dismiss it.

---