“You could push me off this roof, and I’ll still find my way back to you.”
And just like that, I forget why I was worried in the first place. This is Angel. My mate. I can always count on him to stick by me.
I clear my throat and brace myself to recite my horror story. Angel tightens his hold on me, lending me the strength I need to unravel it all. I kiss his jaw and press my cheek to his chest, trying to absorb some of his courage.
You’re not there anymore, Nevaeh. They can’t touch you now.
I hold Angel’s arms tighter and exhale shakily. “After Visha took Harvey and me, they kept me alone at first. Total isolation. Shoved me into a small concrete room with no windows. I didn’t see Harvey for months. No voices. No contact. The only light I ever saw was when they slid a plate of food inside, maybe once a week.”
For the first time, I willingly replay the memories and carefully pick the ones I want to share. I want Angel to know everything, but I don’t want to dive into too many details andget stuck there.
“When we were kids, they used to push us around or hit us for doing our chores wrong. Visha mainly used the kids as her little helpers. We cleaned her chambers, served food… things like that. As we got older, the punishments got worse. It was like a game to them, keeping us awake for days, or starving us to see who snapped first.”
Angel grows quieter with every word that comes out of my mouth. He’s holding me like he’s afraid I’ll break if he lets go.
“The one time I lost control… it was bad, Angel. I barely remember it, but when my Divine finally gave up control, I was covered in blood.”
He’s the only one who will ever get this piece of me. I’ve never bared my soul like this to anyone and never will. Angel is the only one who will know where my darkness comes from.
“After Harvey escaped, Visha made me watch while she skinned prisoners alive or burned them until there was nothing left. She thought showing me what she was capable of would make me easier to control.It didn’t. But she loved my defiance. It gave her an excuse to prove the power she held over me. Every scar on my body is a warning, a reminder that I was only alive because of her mercy.”
I stop when my stomach twists, and I feel like I might throw up. I wait to see if Angel will say anything, ask anything, but he stays silent.
I take a relieved breath, concluding my stay at theRoyale Coven Plaza.
When I feel warm tears soak my neck, I lean back into Angel and hold him tighter. I comb my fingers through his hair and let himfeel.Let his pain consume him as he falls apart.
I know how exhausting it is to always stay composed, to carry everyone else’s pain, to let things roll off your shoulders.
I spent ten years suppressing every emotion, every twitch in my face, terrified it would make things worse. I never want Angel to think he has to bottle it all up for my sake.
Angel stays wrapped around me, kissing my neck andclinging to me for life. The collar of my—his—sweatshirt is soaked with his tears. My heart hurts to know I’m the one behind his pain.
“Don’t forget the bright side. I survived. And my life is so much better with you following me around like my own guardian angel, making sure I’m safe and spoiled.”
Angel finally lifts his head from my neck and turns me to face him in his lap. His protective hold cages me in… not that I want to be anywhere else. His gorgeous green eyes are puffy and red, his lips pursed in the most adorable pout that I want to kiss away.
I run my fingers through his hair and kiss his forehead, and when the tension in his shoulders relaxes from one little kiss, I start peppering kisses all over his pretty face.
“Feel better?” I ask, leaning back just enough to cradle his face in my palms.
Angel sniffles and curls closer. “Only a little. Maybe more kisses would help,” he says cheekily before capturing my lips.
Before I know it, we are a mess of needy kisses and wandering hands. Angel’s palm slides down to my ass, giving it a firm squeeze that earns him a soft, breathy moan out of me.
Whoa.I should probably accept Seiji’s offer to teach me about sex education.
When I feel Angel gently nudge into my mind, I don’t hesitate to let him in. A shiver crawls down my spine as he starts building a bridge between our minds. There’s a soft pressure in my head as the bond tightens, strengthening the link between us.
The rush of warm feelings spreading in my chest feels…right. I finally feel connected to him in a way only mates do.
We spent the rest of the night tangled together on that rooftop, making out under the stars. And judging by the bright, dopey grin on his face and how his hands never stopped caressing me, I’d say Angel felt a lot better by the time the sun came up.
Oh, the things I’d do to keep that smile.
20. My rules are not your rules
Nevaeh
