An Angel All His Own (The Gifted Realm Book 5)

by Jillian Neal

  “Mother, do not, under any circumstances, ask her about having children again or we’re leaving.”

  Governor Vindico managed to guide the conversation to more mundane topics, like the hopefuls in the upcoming elections for the open seats on the board.

  That lasted until his mother served small crocks of soupy bread pudding, which Dan abhorred.

  It wasn’t lost on him, despite the horrific evening, that Fionna hadn’t eaten much of her meal. She’d pushed the slimy, canned English peas around her plate and had hidden them under her severely overcooked ham, just like Dan and his sisters had done growing up.

  “We’ll leave in a minute and go by and pick up something on the way to my house.” Dan prayed that after meeting his family, she still wanted to have anything to do with him at all.

  Fionna tried to smile, but she looked thoroughly worn.

  “Would you mind showing me the powder room?”

  With a concerned nod, he stood and showed Fionna the way. In no rush to get back to his family in the dining room, he waited for her in the darkened hallway.

  When she emerged, he pulled her close to him. He just needed her. He needed to know that she wasn’t wary of him because of his family. “I’m so sorry, honey. This is so much worse than I ever envisioned.” He shook his head in disdain.

  Fionna chuckled. “Dan, it’s fine. I’m just a little tired.”

  “Can’t imagine why.” He was exhausted from the stress of the evening himself. Fionna laid her head on his shoulder, with her face towards his neck. She hid from the world, for just a moment, and let him cradle her to him. The motion quelled his fears.

  “Why don’t we go on?” Dan soothed. “Did you pack everything you need?”

  “Are you sure you want me to stay with you tonight? I’m kind of…” she bit her lip, “…starting to not feel so good.”

  Dan immediately recalled their conversation the last night of their vacation. She’d been worried he wouldn’t want her to stay over if she was on her period. He cupped his hand and summoned a small amount of heat energy. While keeping her carefully cradled to his chest, he rubbed her lower back.

  She melted into him, as he massaged the inflamed muscles. The relief was almost instantaneous.

  “I want you to stay with me every night, baby, and if we go now then I can put you to bed, and hold you, and do this until you feel better,” he whispered tenderly.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Fionna, I want you to come home with me. Let me take care of you.”

  Governor Vindico turned the corner clearing his throat loudly. He’d been sent to check on Fionna and Dan but hadn’t wanted to interrupt anything.

  “Everything all right?” He took in Fionna trying to back away, and Dan keeping a firm hold on her.

  “Fi’s not feeling all that well. I think we may head out.”

  “Sure, son. I’m sorry, sweetheart. Can I get you anything before you go?”

  Fionna smiled and shook her head. “No, sir, I’m all right, just a little tired.”

  “Well, we enjoyed meeting you, Fionna. I’m sorry if Marion came on a little strong. She really does mean well. She worries about Dan. If we haven’t scared you off too badly, we’d love to have you as often as you’d like to be here.”

  Fionna gave the Governor her sweet grin.

  “I had a very nice time. Thank you so much for having me.” She turned back to Dan. “We really should stay through dessert and help your mom clean up.”

  Dan started to argue, but the Governor stepped in.

  “We’re almost through with the pudding. Why don’t you just come tell everyone good-bye, and I’ll help your mom with the dishes.”

  Fionna gave Dan a pleading gaze.

  “Fine.” He knew that Fionna’s guilt over leaving early would be worse than her discomfort for the next few minutes.

  A House

  After he rescued Fionna from yet another round of interrogations about her opinions on breastfeeding and child rearing, Dan helped her into the Expedition and moved quickly to the driver’s side.

  “You okay, baby?” He sighed as he backed out of his parents’ driveway.

  “I’m really fine, Dan. Just a few cramps, but I understand if you’d rather just take me back home.” Her words were strangled by her emotions.

  Dan studied her for a long moment. “Fi, baby, are you afraid to stay at my house? If the not-having-curtains thing is that disturbing, then I guess I’ll understand.” He allowed her hearty laughter to soothe him, but he wasn’t fool enough to believe he’d shattered through her concern.

  “Your mom is big on curtains.”

  “You have no idea. That’s just the beginning.” Dan let her laughter die down before he urged, “What is it really, honey? Why don’t you want to stay with me?”

  “I do want to stay with you, more than you know. I’m just…” she hemmed, “I really don’t want to tell you this.” She sank down in the seat and accepted her own defeat.

  “Please, Fionna, just tell me.”

  She swallowed forcefully. “I sometimes, kind of, have… you know… problems with everything that’s going to be coming in the next few hours.”

  Dan tried to discern what to ask next. Before he could respond, she went on.

  “I’ve had a few cysts, and everything was fine. I just don’t ever really know how bad it might be. I don’t want to completely gross you out and make you never ever want to see me or let me sleep in your bed again.” Her chin trembled, and he understood how terrified she was.

  “Baby, first of all, the only thing that you just told me that concerned me was the fact that you said you had cysts, which I’m certain must’ve been painful. It breaks my heart to know that you were hurting. But, believe me; I’ve seen some pretty gruesome things in my line of work. Nothing is going gross me out. I own a washer and a dryer; although, I’m not certain I’ve used them more than once or twice. And, hell, it’s been years since I bought new sheets, so if worse comes to worse you can pick some out for us.”

  She gave him a weak smile. “Because of the cysts, the Medios won’t let me do the cast as soon as I start. I have to wait twenty-four hours, so it won’t be gone as fast as some Gifted girls.”

  Dan took her hand and steered the car with the other.

  “See? Still not running away.”

  “I think your mom was right. Sharing a bathroom with your sisters was good for you.”

  He laughed and shook his head. “Trust me; it wasn’t!” While trying to dislodge the hazed fog that had formed in his mind from their exhaustive evening, Dan fished his phone from his jacket pocket.

  They met the pizza delivery guy at the door, and Dan, not being in the habit of letting just anyone see inside his home, paid for the pizza before unlocking the door.

  When the dilapidated Toyota truck pulled away from the curb, he guided Fionna inside. He tried to shut out the freezing night air. It wasn’t much warmer in the house, he noted, as he moved to the thermostat and raised the temperature.

  Fionna glanced around but hadn’t moved beyond the entryway. Dan quickly entered all of the codes into the intricate alarm systems he’d set up in his house.

  “So, this is it.” He gestured from the foyer, to the living room on the right, and then up the staircase. As Dan was still carrying both pizzas and Fionna’s bags, he scooted her further in. “Make yourself at home, honey. I’m just gonna set this down. You get comfortable.”

  She followed him into the kitchen, studying her surroundings as she went.

  “Wow,” she smiled as she entered the kitchen.

  He furrowed his brow. “What?”

  “You have a great kitchen. I can’t believe you don’t cook here.”

  Dan had never really thought much about the kitchen. He’d purchased the house because of its proximity to the Pentagon, and because it had great running trails from the backyard through a nearby park and backed up to a large lake, which was a natural barrier. The fact that it had a
large lot, with trees and brush that covered most of the house, had made the decision easy for Dan. As being concealed was his only concern, he’d never cut back the trees or the brush. He had numerous security measures in place, including casted electrical lines if anyone should tamper with the electricity, cameras located at every entrance, enhanced shatter-proof glass on all the windows, and steel casings on every door. Four alarm systems monitored the entire property. No one was getting in who wasn’t supposed to be there.

  “Well, don’t say that yet,” he teased, “I don’t think I’ve ever turned the ovens on.”

  Fionna gave him his smile as she began to explore.

  “But you have two of them. I would love that. And this island is amazing.” She slid her hand along the large island that ran through the center of the kitchen. It contained the cooktop and a bar area.

  Dan was pleased that she liked it but wasn’t certain what to say. “Pizza?” He pointed to the boxes he’d laid on the counter.

  Fionna grinned and nodded. “I’m starving!”

  “Yeah, again, I cannot tell you how sorry I am about dinner. Even I couldn’t have imagined it would be that bad.” He pulled two large pieces of pizza from the box and put them on a paper plate. He handed them to her.

  Fionna giggled. “I thought your mom was sweet, and I got the impression she’s very interested in you procreating.”

  “Picked up on that, did you, sweetheart?” They laughed together. It was a sound Dan was quickly become addicted to. Certain he owed her some explanation for his mother’s inane behavior, Dan grimaced.

  “Okay, now I’m going to ask you not to freak, but she does that because if I don’t have kids, I’m the end of the Vindico line.” He felt his body repel the very idea of creating children.

  Understanding lit Fionna’s beautiful face as she nodded slowly. “Got it.” She held her plate and glanced around. “Do you eat in here or in the living room?”

  “I don’t eat in the house, but you can eat wherever you want.”

  With a hesitant shrug, she walked through what was supposed to be a dining room, between the kitchen and living room. Instead of a table or any kind of furniture for the purpose of serving food, it held dozens upon dozens of duplicated evidence boxes and investigations he’d done on Wretchkinsides and all of the members of the Interfeci criminal organization. There was a cheap particleboard desk stacked with paperwork, where Dan worked when he couldn’t sleep. Two large corkboards hung on the walls. The contents matched the board covering the windows in his office.

  “Interesting décor,” Fionna commented with a sweet smile.

  Dan couldn’t seem to decide what he was supposed to feel at the moment. “It’s been a process.”

  She reached back for his hand. He took it and was instantly content. She led him to the well-worn leather couch in the living room. It was a hand-me-down from his father’s office. He had a flat screen TV hung over the mantle of the fireplace that had never been lit. There was a glass-top coffee table and mismatched lamps set on the end tables. There was also a matching leather love seat, but Dan had never used it.

  “So, here’s okay?”

  “Of course,” Dan seated himself and then pulled her down beside him.

  She dug into the pizza as Dan returned for the drinks from his refrigerator that he’d forgotten. He handed her a Dr. Pepper and settled himself again. He inhaled the first piece of pizza on his plate.

  “This is so good.” She looked like she’d never tasted anything better. He chuckled at her exuberance, as she licked sauce from her thumb. She finished both pieces and set her plate on the coffee table.

  “So, I kind of think you might have been right about Lindley.” She wrinkled her adorable nose. He knew she was worried she’d hurt his feelings. Dan laughed outright.

  “I tried to tell you she’s certifiable.”

  Fionna gave him a sorrowful look. She didn’t seem to think it was funny. Dan quelled his chuckle.

  “Dad wanted to take her to therapy when she was little, and then again when she was a teenager. Mom was terrified that people would know something was really wrong, and the Realm would talk. She kept telling dad that Lindley would grow out of it. She refused to admit that Lindley needed help. Then Lindley went wild when she got to the Academy, and now…” he threw his hands up and shook his head in abject disgust.

  “I’m sorry.” Fionna sounded truly devastated. Dan finished the last bite of his pizza.

  “Yeah, me too.” The pain Lindley’s antics had caused his parents always infuriated him.

  Fionna gave him his smile again, mixed with a very appealing, mischievous smirk. “You know, Daniel, if you want to get a suitable woman and keep her, then you’re going to need curtains, throw pillows, and pictures on the wall,” she quoted his mother, which made him guffaw. She cracked up before she could finish.

  “I tell you what,” he chided, “you pose buck-naked for me, in a few of my favorite positions, I’ll take the pictures, blow them up, and hang them on the walls.” He shot her a naughty grin.

  “Wouldn’t your mother love that,” Fionna came right back as Dan cracked up again, thinking about his mother walking into a room with pictures of a naked Fionna all over the walls.

  Fionna tensed suddenly. Her face twisted in pain. Dan stopped laughing. Her breath caught in a sharp inhale, and she began to rub her abdomen.

  Her pain affected him physically. Dan took her hand. His heart ached, and his shield tensed in desperation to protect her.

  “Come here, baby.” He guided her gently until her head was settled in his lap, and she was reclined on his couch. He pulled ambient heat from around the room and placed his hand where hers had been.

  “I’m really sorry.”

  “For what, honey?”

  “It’s just so annoying. This is not really what I wanted to be doing the first night you let me stay over.”

  Dan used the hand not soothing the pain in her abdomen to brush her hair behind her shoulders. He began dragging his fingers through the long, chestnut tresses. That always seemed to settle her.

  “Honey, you can stay over any time you want, and we can do anything you want. But, tonight, how about you just come up to my room and get into bed with me? Let me see if I can’t get you to sleep, and then, in a few days, you can show me what you did want to do on the first night you slept over.”

  She nodded her agreement as she tucked closer to him.

  “So, is your house like Garrett’s apartment where, if I open a kitchen cabinet there’s a pistol, and if I open the medicine cabinet it’s full of bullet boxes?”

  Dan rolled his eyes. “I do have a very intricate security system that I’ve already reset for the night. I’ll show you how to use it tomorrow. And I do have quite a few firearms in the house, but they’re not anywhere that you might stumble upon them, except maybe my bedside tables.”

  “With your condoms,” she huffed. She narrowed her eyes at him, catching him off guard.

  “Hey, now, remember I haven’t been back here since I spent the night with you last Sunday night, but you’re more than welcome to throw those out as well.”

  As her moods continued to change more rapidly than Dan was yet accustomed, she blushed and recalled her tossing out the condoms in his wallet without asking. Gifted women could be casted to keep them from getting pregnant or any STD’s. Since Dan had never dated another Gifted woman, he always kept a supply of condoms, but he sincerely hoped he never had to buy another pack.

  He kept up his massage, but she was clearly exhausted. “Let’s go to bed, baby.”

  She didn’t have enough energy to fight it any longer. She stood, and he bent and hoisted her into his arms.

  “You don’t have to carry me.”

  “I like to carry you.” He headed up the stairs and drew the light from the lamps into his hand as he went by. “Quick tour,” he joked as he moved her rapidly down the hallway. “Guest room, guest room, guest room.” He gestured his head to the rig
ht and the left. “Never had a guest. When Fitz comes, he sleeps on the couch, so no furniture in any of them. Guest bath,” he gestured to the small room next on his trek, “and my room.” He paused as he stepped into the master suite and sat her down.

  She glanced around, as Dan pulled clean sheets from the linen closet in the hall. He set the sheet stack on the bed and ran back down the stairs to retrieve her bags.

  When he returned, he found her stripping the bed and remaking it.

  “Fi,” he scolded, “you get ready for bed. I’ll do that.”

  “I don’t mind.” She smoothed the fitted sheet, taking far more care than Dan ever did.

  “Honey, I know you don’t feel well. Please let me take care of you.” Dan helped her spread the top sheet, and he sealed heat in its fibers. She smiled, and let him finish the task as she grabbed her bags and disappeared behind the bathroom door.

  She emerged, several minutes later, wearing a pair of cotton panties that were very different from the skimpy underthings she usually preferred. Dan brushed his teeth quickly and crawled into bed.

  “Come here to me.” He tucked her to his chest and began rubbing her lower back and abdomen with his heated hand again.

  “That feels so much better. Why did I never think of that?”

  Dan smiled as he kissed her forehead. “Go to sleep, baby. I’ve got you. I promise.”

  “I love you,” she whispered in the darkness.

  “Me, too.”

  A moment later, she was sound asleep in his arms.

  Where the Pain Resides

  Dan gasped for breath. His heart stormed against his ribcage. He blinked away the image of Wretchkinside’s deranged face, as he’d murdered Amelia before Dan’s very eyes. His head shook in a futile effort to remove the image burned in his brain.

  Sitting up, he searched the room. Fionna was no longer in the bed. The bathroom door was closed, and the light was on.

  Dan rubbed his face fiercely as he waited. He willed his pulse and his breathing to steady. I have to keep her safe, surged through his mind with every frantic beat of his unsteady heart.