“Are you going to tell me what was up between you andLee?” I say her name with disdain I can’t help.
Not only were we once friends, but I’d been her mentor. Didn’t that count for something? I didn’t fall to betray her. I fell because I was duped. She’s an angel; she surely knows the entire sordid story.
“We were in the same legion,” Zeke starts, sounding resigned to this conversation but disinclined nonetheless. “We went to Earth often, and each time we were there our feelings…,” he says through his teeth, as though the admission hurts, “grew.”
I puff out my cheeks, wondering how the heck that worked once they got back to Heaven, and he doesn’t disappoint, moving right into that topic.
“When we’d return, things went back to normal, for the most part. But with each trip back to Earth, when we returned, a little bit of those feelings came back too.” He runs a hand down his face. “We decided to fall together,” he admits, and my mouth forms an O in surprise at this turn of events. “Needless to say, I fell, and she didn’t.”
“Oh. Wow,” I say, processing this news. “Let me make sure I understand this,” I say, not trying to come off as hoity-toity, but truly wanting to understand. “You fell in love with an angel, decided to fall together, and when the time came you did, and she chose to let you fall without following.”
I want to push and nag for more sordid details, because that’s my current mental state, self-sabotage. Zeke doesn’t allow it, pushing forward and making it clear the entire conversation has him vexed.
“That pretty much sums it up,” he says.
“I’m sorry, Zeke. That’s… awful.”
I mean every word. I don’t like it, but I care for him. He was as duped into falling as I was, and it isn’t fair. Add to it that he’s still harboring feelings for her, and that just plain sucks. The truth is, I get it. We both have a past hanging over our heads. Unfinished business has a way of sticking around and screwing with your life. I get that more than anyone. Case in point, my dreams as of late.
Having witnessed Zeke and Leeanna’s whole reunion, it was obvious the feelings were not one-sided, but I’m not about to point that out. Maybe that makes me selfish—definitely makes me selfish—but I’m going to hang on to the one thing that is looking up for me here on Earth. God can deal with Leeanna. I need to help Zeke move on.
“I don’t want to talk about Lee or the past. I just want you,” he says, burying his head in my hair. “I freaked out when I couldn’t find you.”
“I’m fine,” I say, snuggling into him. “I’m badass, remember?”
He chuckles. “That you are, babe. A total badass.”
We both laugh, falling into our own comfortable silence, until Zeke breaks it with the one question I was hoping to avoid.
“What do you think scared off the arcs?”
Saying his name is the equivalent of summoning him, and nobody wants that. Plus, I’m exhausted and don’t want to discuss the events of tonight.
“I don’t know. But I’m grateful,” I lie, to steer us in another path.
“Me too,” he says, rolling on top of me, effectively ending all conversation.
His lips press against mine, begging entry, and I willingly open to him. Our tongues caress, and a moan escapes my mouth. Zeke’s large hands grab my hips, switching our positions. I giggle at the sudden change-up, but stop short when I look down into lust-filled eyes that belong to someone other than Zeke.
Luke.
I gasp, scrambling back.
“Tori, what’s wrong?”
Zeke’s voice.
My head snaps up, and this time, it’s Zeke staring back at me in equal parts confusion and concern.
“I… uh. I thought—” My head shakes back and forth as I try to formulate words and calm my racing heart. “I thought I saw something. A spider.” I tack the last part on to try to explain my reaction.
Zeke frowns, likely seeing through my lie, but he doesn’t call me on it. Instead, he pats the bed beside him, motioning for me to come back and lie down. I crawl up the bed and snuggle under the covers, head tipped to the ceiling.
Why did I see Luke in that moment? Why has he been on my mind at all? The frequency is increasing, and with all the shit happening around us, a coincidence seems doubtful. Falling for him brought me to Earth to face all this shit.
“Tori, look at me,” Zeke commands. My head turns wearily in his direction, but I don’t say anything. “Whatever’s going on, we’ll get through it. You don’t have to shoulder the burdens alone. We’re all in this.”
I sigh heavily. “I don’t know if we’ll be enough, Zeke. What’s coming… it’s bigger than us. I can feel it.”
