A bath?
My glare grows bewildered again as he bends down to untie his boots. “Are you—are you taking one with me?”
He chuckles as he heads for the recliner chair to kick them off. “Alexandria, I would never disrespect you like that.” He quirks a simple smile. “I just want you to relax and ease your mind. I can play you some music while you sink in, if you’d like? Have you eaten anything?”
I shake my head and as soon as I think about it, my stomach growls. “Nothing,” I mumble, hanging my head down.
“Well, what would you like?” He stands from his chair to make his way towards me. His eyes are smiling and he is truly beautiful. He loves this. He loves taking care of me.
“Um— it’s your house. What would you like?”
He stops less than an inch away from me, his soft sheen of Axe lingering in the atmosphere. “You are my guest, Alexandria,” he mumbles, leaning in closer. My heartbeat quickens. “I am here to accommodate you.”
“It doesn’t really matter what we eat. I’ll eat anything. Besides, you say you know me well so you should be able come up with something that I like easily, right?” My head tilts with a teasing smirk.
He grins as his head falls down. He lets out a silent chuckle before picking his head back up to eye me again. “You are enchanting. I love it. I’ll see what I can come up with.” He presses in, wrapping his hand around my waist. My stomach flutters again. I gulp softly, admiring his lips, those gentle, dark-brown eyes that always seem to melt with mine. He leans his head down to nuzzle his nose against my neck. “In the meantime, you go take a bath and change into something more comfortable,” he mumbles hypnotically in the crook of my neck. I bite at my bottom lip, wanting to cling onto him and take him on that large bed of his but I force myself to hold off. Self-control, Alexandria. Self-control.
“Okay,” I whisper as he pulls back.
“Okay.” He pulls away from me then sighs. “I’m not sure if I will be able to sleep tonight without having my hands all over you.”
My cheeks warm up. “I don’t mind.”
His lips tug upward at the corner. “Go bathe, Alexandria. Meet me out in the dining room when you are finished in here.”
He steps away to make his way to the door. I watch him walk out, round the corner, and listen to his footsteps trot along the hardwood floorboards of the hall. What in the hell is he doing to me?
****
After taking a relaxing bath in Jules’ soothing Jacuzzi tub, I scramble through my duffle bag to see what I’ve stuffed inside. I was so angry that I couldn’t even see straight and I wasn’t paying any attention to the clothes that I was grabbing. Everything was a blur; all I could see was red.
I search through but everything inside is panties, tank tops, or shorts. I can’t wear the shorts that are inside. They’re too short. “Damn it,” I mutter beneath my breath as I reach the bottom of the bag. I huff as I push my wet bangs away from my forehead. I finally decide to go for a pair of grey Soffe shorts, a black sports bra, and a white tank top. I usually go bra-less before bed but I’m here . . . with Jules. I don’t want my boobs being visible.
After I get changed, I trail out of his bedroom and make my way through the hall. Everything seems bigger—different—without him guiding me. I pass the sitting area and as I do, the scent of salty pepperoni is in the air. I grin as I follow the scent, passing another sitting area until I come across his kitchen. It is huge, all white walls and white floor tiles with black marble countertops and a black fridge.
I step through and hear shuffling at the other entrance. I follow the sound and spot Jules standing in front of a tall, dark-brown table with chairs to match. A mini gold chandelier with crystals hangs above the table and the walls are painted soft beige. He has a glass pitcher in his hand with yellow liquid inside and pours some into each glass opposite of each other. I smile then clear my throat softly as I lean against the wall. He whirls around, his eyes broad and surprised.
“Oh, Alexandria. Glad you could make it to dinner.” He smiles as he places the pitcher down. “You were beginning to worry me. I thought you had fallen asleep.”
“Did I really take that long?”
“You really did. Luckily, the delivery pizza came just a few minutes ago. It should still be piping hot.” He presses his lips then scans me over. I slowly begin to cross my arms self-consciously, aware that I’m pretty much half-naked. “I must stay, you look marvelous.”
I grin as the blood rushes to my cheeks. “So, what kind of pizza did you get?” I ask, trying to change the subject and get his eyes off of me as I make my way to the other side of the table.
“Pepperoni with extra cheese. Just the way you like it.” He presses his lips to hint at a smile.
“You know so much about me,” I tease.
“Because you are my mate and I love you.”
His words catch me off guard. My eyes slightly widen and his smile dissolves because he’s most likely feeling what I’m feeling. But it’s not a bad feeling. It was just . . . unexpected. I wasn’t expecting him to say the words that I hardly hear from anyone. And he has no problem saying them to me. “Let’s eat,” he insists, pulling out a chair and lifting the heavy atmosphere a bit.
I nod as I pull my chair out while he places a black plate in front of me. He opens the box and we both immediately dig in. It’s really awkward eating in front of him, but he doesn’t look at me. I know that he’s thinking—that he’s curious of why I felt that way.
“About what happened tonight,” he starts. Or, maybe not. “I just want to apologize for my reckless and inattentive behavior, but I just want you to know that I have every right to be angry with Liam. He’s self-centered and you could have been hurt—or worse—killed.”
I chew on the pizza slowly before gulping. “I understand,” I nod. He nods with me then reaches for his juice that I now know is lemonade. “Why didn’t you stay?” I ask.
He swallows his juice then places his glass down but I notice his hand clutching around it tightly. “I told you I had to go somewhere.”
“Would it be rude to ask where?” He inhales deeply then exhales. I watch as he struggles with what he wants to say. It’s plain and clear on his beautiful face that he doesn’t want to confide. “Never mind. You don’t have to tell me,” I say as carelessly as I can but deep down, I really want to know why he had to go so quickly and why he would leave if he knew that place wasn’t going to be safe.
“No, Alexandria. I would never hide anything from you. Being my mate, I feel that I have to tell you everything that I know.” He leans forward to fold his arms on top of the table. “Just promise me that you won’t get angry with me.”
I swallow the brick in my throat as I pause on grabbing my pizza. I sit back, fold my arms, and suddenly I’m not sure if I want to know anymore. “Okay,” I say slowly, unsurely.
He glares into my eyes, keeping his locked on mine. I shift in my seat and prepare for his words that I know are going to agonize me. “A part of discovering what we are takes risks,” he starts, “and I had to take the risk of leaving you alone to see if you could discover your own wings.”
Discover my own wings? What the hell? “What do you mean by that?” I ask, narrowing my eyes.
“Most times, when a Guardian Angel is in the process of getting to know themselves better, they learn to adapt to the angelic lifestyle by taking challenges and accepting risks. They accept what they are and learn to fight on their own when they are attacked—with or without their mate. Sometimes it happens naturally, sometimes it takes training and practice. Every Angel is different.” Okay. Now I am really confused. “I had to leave you there without protection, Alexandria. I was informed by a Leader today that you had to start defending for yourself because I can’t always be around. I was forced to flee to see if you could make it there alone—without me. I knew that bar was trouble; I knew that something bad was about to happen to you, but I was forced to ignore it. The Leaders figured it was the perfect opport
unity to see if you could sprout your wings and become mighty with what you are—but you didn’t. You couldn’t because you are still getting used to what you are so instead, it backfired and you were attacked . . . by a Hellion. Something that we were not expecting—that I damn sure wasn’t expecting.”
He stops talking and silence seizes the room. I don’t know what to say. I am completely shocked. Why would he leave me there to get hurt? I was almost raped—almost killed by a Hellion. It doesn’t matter if he was expecting it or not. I can’t defend for myself for shit. I’m helpless, just like how I was in that alley when he’d saved me the very first time.
“Say something, please,” he begs.
“Jules, I—I don’t know what to say.” My mouth doesn’t want to speak but my mind is thrashing with thoughts that I can’t tame. I’m angry, confused, hurt, annoyed. Everything just seems so unrealistic at the moment. “I think I just need to go to bed,” I breathe, pushing away from the table. I hop down and rush around, making sure to keep my distance from him, but he catches up to me and grasps my arm.
“Alexandria, you can’t run away from these things. It is our law and we have to abide by it. I am sorry if I hurt you.” The sharpness has now faded from his voice as he pulls me into him. I glance up into his eyes and, for once—since I’ve gotten to know him—I don’t want him near me. I don’t want him to touch me. I jerk away and luckily he releases me.
“I’ll be fine sleeping in the guest bedroom,” I mutter over my shoulder, making my way through the kitchen.
“Alexandria, please,” he groans, following behind me but I pick up my speed. “I had to! I’m sorry for the way things ended. It wasn’t a part of the plan. You promised you wouldn’t get angry with me!”
I stop walking to spin around and face him. “Jules, I almost got knocked up tonight and if it weren’t for this dumbass Mate Connection, I probably would be!” I shout angrily. He shudders and his features fall as he eyes me. His eyes are hurt—astonished. This must be a side of me that he has never seen. I never yell. “Do you not realize that I don’t want this kind of lifestyle?” I ask, almost sobbing. “I can’t deal with this, Jules. I just . . . can’t.” My chest tightens as I heave in a deep breath to stop the tears that are building up. But there is no use. I can feel them amplifying, boosting up within me. Now I see what Braxton is going through. It’s a terrible feeling to know that you aren’t normal and can’t live a normal life without being attacked by someone that could give a shit less about you.
But I pull it together and turn around again to make my way towards the hall. I refuse to cry. I haven’t cried since I was at the police station four years ago on the night that I couldn’t remember a damn thing about my life but I will never look that weak again. I was lucky to be found unharmed and alive. I storm to the guest bedroom, expecting Jules to be following after me but he isn’t. He’s probably still in shock from what I’ve just told him. I feel terrible for saying it to him but it’s all true. I hate this life. I don’t want it. And I’m sure he doesn’t either. I slam the door behind me and as I flop down on the large bed, the tears can no longer be confined.
I’m so angry that I have to cry. The tears stream down my cheeks as I bury my face in one of the pillows. All of my thoughts gather into one bundle of salty water and drip carelessly, freely. Sniffles stifle the room and I don’t bother to stop them. I’m so pissed and frustrated that he would leave me stranded like that. I don’t care what the Leaders say. No one deserves to be put in danger. Not like that. That was too risky and too close. I could have died tonight. Did they not realize that?
The door creaks open and I hold off on my next sniffle as I listen to his feet drag along the carpet. “Alexandria,” he says faintly. He sounds different—like he’s hurting just as much as I am. He reaches the side of the bed that I am facing but I turn my head childishly to look away from him. I can’t look at him. It’ll just sicken me with more tears. “Alexandria, I don’t like to see or feel you like this. Please talk to me,” he begs.
I remain silent.
He sighs heavily. “Don’t make me pick you up out of this bed,” he warns.
“Don’t touch me,” I hiss.
I can feel his eyes narrowing at my back and before I can react, he scoops me up in his arms and carries me out of the room. I frown and scowl at my hands but I don’t have the power within me to fight with him. Because the truth of it all is that I don’t want him to leave me alone. I don’t want to sleep by myself. I just want to lie in his arms. Ugh, the emotions of being a girl truly suck.
He makes his way into his bedroom, shuts the door behind us, and then makes his way to the bed to lay me down. “Lay here. Get comfortable while I change clothes. When I come back, I want you to be ready to talk. Tell me how you feel about everything. I don’t care if you have to curse me out and call me an untrustworthy bastard.”
He pulls away without giving me any time to consider his request. He trails off to his walk-in closet and I sigh as I pull the plush blanket up to bundle my legs underneath it. I press the back of my head against his headboard and wait for him to come back.
He returns within less than a minute with a pair of black flannel pants on, no shirt. I gaze at his glorious, body. Thin ink trails along his rib cages, making him seem even more irresistible. He’s slender, toned in all the right places, and, quite honestly, he is turning me on. He pushes his hair back while making his way to the opposite side of the bed. He tucks his legs beneath the blankets then mimics me by resting the back of his head against his headboard.
“Tell me,” he murmurs.
“I don’t know what to tell you.”
“Anything, Alexandria. I want to know how you feel—about all of this. Because for some reason I feel like all of it is my fault.”
“It’s not your fault, Jules,” I sigh, folding my fingers. “It’s not your fault that you care for me or that you have to follow the rules.” I glance at him and he smiles. Oh how I love his smile.
“Do you really think we have a dumb-ass Mate Connection?”
I giggle softly as I look away from him. “Kinda. I don’t want you to feel every single thing that I feel,” I shrug. “When it comes to the bad, yeah. But when it’s just me in general, it freaks me out.”
He gives a light chuckle. “Understandable.”
We both sigh as we press the back of our heads against the headboard again. “I don’t want that to happen again, Jules. I’m tired of being afraid. I want to be trained,” I whisper.
His gaze directs on me and I turn to face him. “I will get you trained. But you know there is only one way that I can, Alexandria.”
“I know.”
He raises an eyebrow. “What do you want to do then?”
“I want to go,” I say. “But I don’t want to live there for the rest of my life.”
“I wasn’t planning on living there, just staying for a few months to get both of our heads cleared and out of this dramatic bullshit.” He grins but I grin wider.
I press my lips together as my mind revolves back to Liam. “What about Liam?” I ask.
“What about him?” he scoffs, folding his arms.
“I can’t just leave him here. If I leave, he may not have a job.”
“That’s his problem and his situation. He has to learn that life isn’t easy somehow.”
I scowl. “That’s selfish, Jules.”
“It’s not selfish. It’s true. Your brother is twenty-six years old, had a good job but ruined it by being a pothead. He’s lost his father, has a psychotic mother, and he is pretty much going down the same path. Sooner or later he is going to drive himself crazy. He still thinks he’s a teenager but he’s not. He’s a grown man and he doesn’t care for anyone but himself. Sometimes I feel like you’re the one that’s the oldest. You take care of him way more than he bothers to take care of you.” I cringe as his words flow out so effortlessly. How long has he had that speech put aside for the right moment?
“He’s
still my brother, Jules. I don’t want to leave him stranded. He needs a job.”
Jules’ arms unfold as he briefly shuts his eyes. He stares at me and I plead to him with my eyes, begging him to feel some kind of sentiment. “Fine, fine—but only because I care for you and I know that it will kill you if I don’t help,” he sighs. “I can pay his rent for a few months—until he can get back on his own feet—but only if he promises to stop drinking and smoking so much. It isn’t good for him.” He looks away but I spot the depression sweeping over all of his features. This is a sore spot for him. He cares for Liam—or at least I think he’s thinking of Liam. There’s something about the mask on his face that’s letting me know that there’s more to it than this.
“Can I ask you a question?” I ask.
“Anything.”
I pause, trying to find the right words. “Where are your parents?”
His body tenses as he looks away from me again to the wall on his right. “It sucks to have to tell you this again,” he mutters with a chuckle. I smile, reaching for his hand to slip my fingers through the gaps. “Well, my mother died from overdosing on heroin and my father is an alcoholic in rehab.”
My eyes widen as I stare at our intertwined fingers. Wow, I wasn’t expecting that. “That’s why you don’t like to see Liam like that?” I ask.
“Yes, Alexandria.” He turns to face me, his brown eyes growing serious as his grip slightly tightens around my hand. “I don’t think Liam realizes that marijuana is a gateway drug. After a while, you don’t get as high as you want to be. I’ve witnessed it with my mother. She would sneak off to the backyard and smoke, right beneath a tree. After a few years, she stopped showing up at home and during the times that she would come back home, she came back with ruined makeup, filthy hair, and sometimes a man that I didn’t know shit about—” He pauses as he shakes his head. “What I am trying to say is that I don’t want Liam to go through the same thing that she did. He wants to drown himself out from reality but he can’t do that unless he’s on narcotics. He has to grow up, Alexandria.”
OBTAINED (Book One) Page 16