Page 42 of UnWholly Angels
Five words.
One sentence.
My unraveling.
“Of course, I love you, but you already know that,” I said. “It’s time to start putting action to words, isn’t it?”
“It never hurts to say it again though, as many times as you need,” she said lovingly, wrapping her arms around the one I had across her chest. Focusing my eyes on the tiled wall, my eyes followed the lines as each one crossed the other in the intricate pattern, and my mind began to drift.
The truth was, it was idiotic to pretend like this was ever over in the first place. There would never be anyone like her, and I’d spent too much time searching for her in everyone, giving up when it wasn’t there instead of listening to my gut. The constant itch to look for her. She was right under my nose the whole time, and I was just too angry to see it. It had been hard coping with that realization. Nobody realized how deeply rooted the guilt had been and how badly I wanted to make it better—to be forgiven.
I waited silently for her to break the silence, holding a firm grip like she would disappear if I let go. “Can I ask you something?” she asked softly.
Carefully, I gripped her waist and spun her around so we faced each other chest to chest and nodded. Her body was on top of mine. She rested her forehead against mine and asked, “What is this now. What are we Riley?”
I answered too quickly for my own good. “I knew I couldn’t do no strings attached, and I knew that from the moment I found out it was you. I've loved you way too long for that. We're in too deep now, and if I drown, you drown too. That's what you dowhen you love someone. That’s my vow to you, and I think the trail of bodies behind us, while small, proves that point.” Resting my palm against her cheek, she nuzzled into it, and I couldn't help but chuckle at the token of affection. “I’m all yours, and I’ll say it any time, any day you need that reassurance. Maya, you are one of the strongest people I have ever met. They won’t hurt you unless they put me down like a rabid animal, and that is highly unlikely.”
“The other assholes aren’t the problem unless they’re all together. It’s him.” I clenched my jaw, sliding my hand from her face and over her shoulder to rest my hand over the healed welts on her back. Running my finger along each one softly as Maya continued, “The belt was his favorite. Being hit with the buckle wasn’t very fun, though. Once it was so bad I couldn’t sit right for days. It had imprinted into my ass.”
She closed her eyes, resting against my chest, and I wished for nothing more than revenge in the moment as her mask slowly faded in front of my eyes. “You know, it’s stupid, but sometimes I would try and imagine it was you touching me. It didn’t work that well, but I tried,” she sighed sadly.
“That’s extremely insulting,” I said gruffly. “I would never abuse you like that. I’m glad it didn’t work.”
She was tired, and I could tell by the way she yawned against me, which worked out. She could nap, and I could make a phone call to an old friend. Tapping her lightly on the back, she shifted forward so I could get out and grab the towel from the rack to snake around my waist. “Why don’t you wash up and take a nap, and I’ll order lunch in a bit,” I offered.
She nodded, and I turned toward the door, leaning against the frame with my own burning question. “Hey, that crown tatted on your lower back. What’s it mean?”
She threw me a seductive glance, furrowing her eyebrows, and moving her tongue between those plump lips before she spoke.“Rocco needed a reminder of who really had my heart. And he got it, each time he was buried inside me.”
My jaw ticked, practically crushing the doorframe underneath my fingertips, fighting the urge to sink myself inside her again. It had to be the sexiest line anyone has ever said to me. Moments like these would be how I’d remember us. I would face Rocco again soon. That much I knew. This time though, I’d squash him like the roach he was. There was too much on the line this time. And my career was the last thing on my mind.
“Well, that’s almost as impressive as your nickname being tattooed on my cock. It’s been inside others over the years. Take solace in the fact that a piece of you is inside all of them, too.”
“Goodie, the one place I’ve always wanted was to be inside Nick’s mouth,” Maya countered with a raised brow. I smirked, backing out of the bathroom, making sure to close the door on the way out. Eyeing my phone, I grabbed it off the dresser and unlocked it, scrolling to the number I needed. After a few rings, a raspy voice sounded through the speaker.
“Who is this?” the voice answered.
I cleared my throat. What a way to answer the phone.“It’s Angel. Time to pay the piper, bodyguard.”
“Fuck off, things aren’t straight right now.”
“I've gotten you out of more shit than I’ve made myself, including letting you crash in my guest room for six months while your girl thought you were dead. I’d suggest changing your answer, and tone.”
“At least I looked for and found my girl,” Rowan snapped.
“Yeah, and I took down half the city with you, asshole,” I snorted.
“Whoops.”
The deafening silence on the other end caused my anxiety to settle in my chest, and his steady breath rattled against the line as I waited for an answer in this long-distance faceoff.Eventually, his laugh rang through the speaker, and I relaxed slightly, pacing the room.
“Anyone else and I would have their guts rearranged,” Rowan threatened.
“As long as you take me to dinner first.”
“Email me what you need, and I’ll do my best to get it to you.”
“I’ll talk to you soon. Working together just like old times, Rowan. I look forward to it.”
