Daniel stared straight ahead, his grip on the steering wheel so tight his knuckles turned white. He chewed on the inside of his cheek and furrowed his brow like he was deep in thought. Too deep.
He threw the car into drive and peeled out of the parking lot. With tires screeching and horns honking, he wove in and out of traffic like a mad man. He floored it, and with a look of determination and hysteria, he sped toward the riverbank.
April’s heart raced as she gripped the sides of her seat. Though she couldn’t die, the thought of living through yet another death paralyzed her.
“What are you doing, Daniel? Slow down!”
The corner of his mouth curved into a conspiratorial grin. “It’s okay. I have a plan.” He swerved to miss a delivery truck pulling out on the road, and she squealed.
“If your plan is to get us both killed, you’re doing great. What the hell is your plan?”
“You have to save me on your own, right? Well, Damian’s not here to help you.”
He lowered his head and focused on his target—a bridge crossing the river ahead.
“He’ll be here any second. He can feel my panic, Daniel. It won’t work.”
He raised one shoulder and grinned. “So tell him to go away, because we’re going in.”
Her eyes grew wide as she braced herself for the fall. The car crashed through the railing and plunged into the deep river below. The impact threw her forward, the seatbelt cutting into her collar bone as it stopped her from smashing through the windshield. Icy water poured in through the door jambs, filling the car as it submerged.
* * *
Damian arrived on the bridge in time to watch the car sink into the murky water, with April and Daniel inside. He jumped into the river and pulled Paul in with him. It took every ounce of willpower he could muster to stay in The In-Between and let April handle the problem. Every fiber of his being wanted to rush in and save her, but she had to prove to Paul she could get out of it on her own.
His emotions tipped toward panic as he waited to see April emerge from the wreckage. She could do it. He knew she could, but his Guardian instincts begged him to step in.
Paul remained calm. “Why did he drive off a bridge?”
“He’s suicidal. She’s saved him from suicide twice already.” He couldn’t pull his gaze away from the car. She struggled with her seatbelt inside, while Daniel calmly watched her.
“You need to step in, brother. Help her save him.”
“No. She can do it.”
“You’re willing to let another Charge die to prove a point?”
“He’s not going to die.”
April released her seatbelt, and within seconds she had Daniel out of his. Damian held his breath as she pounded her foot against the window. Would she be strong enough to break the glass?
She banged and banged against the pane until her foot finally smashed through. She was going to make it.
Shoving Daniel through the window, she linked her left arm around his chest. Using her right arm to paddle, she made her way to the surface and came up gasping for air. She lugged her Charge to the riverbank and pulled him up onto the dirt.
Daniel was unconscious, and April started CPR immediately. When he took his first breath and river water spewed from his mouth, Damian raised his chin and turned to Paul.
The Angel stared at the couple on the bank. “You’ve made your point.” He crossed his arms over his chest and disappeared.
Damian chuckled and crossed over to stand next to April as she berated her Charge.
She fell back on her rump and attempted to wipe the dirt off her knees. Her tangled hair dripped down her back, creating little droplets of mud around her. She wiped the back of her hand across her forehead, leaving an adorable streak of grime on her skin.
“Are you insane? You just about killed us both!”
Daniel sat up and smiled. “But you saved me. All by yourself.”
“I...” She paused, a flicker of realization dancing in her eyes.
Damian knelt beside her and put his hand on her shoulder. “You did. And Paul saw you, too.”
Sirens blared on the bridge above, and shouts echoed off the water.
“We have to go, April.” Damian helped her to her feet and took her hand in his.
“Well, Daniel. This might be the last time I see you. So if it is, I hope you have a good life.”
“Oh, you’ll be seeing me again. I can feel it.” He waved good-bye, and they Jumped home.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
April caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and gasped. She was filthy, and Damian saw her that way. How embarrassing. She closed her eyes and quickly cleaned herself up before she slipped into a knee-length lavender chiffon dress.
“Sorry you had to see me all dirty like that.”
He grinned and pulled her into his arms. “Are you kidding? You looked so sexy, I could’ve taken you right there on the riverbank.”
She slipped her hands up his chest and linked them behind his neck. “And now?”
“Mmm...now’s good for me.” He pressed his hand on the small of her back, pulling her body to his. When his lips brushed hers, electricity shot through her veins, and her body warmed with desire.
He pulled away and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “I’ve been wanting to talk to you about something.”
“Me too.”
“It’s just that, well, we’ve gotten really close, and I...”
A knock on the door stopped him midsentence. He sighed and closed his eyes. “That’ll be Paul. He’s a bit impatient. I’m sorry, April. I need to go talk to him, but it shouldn’t take long.”
“It’s okay. There’s something I need to take care of anyway.” She stepped back and turned her lavender gown into one of gleaming white.
“You’re going to see him again.” The look of disappointment on his face almost crushed her, but this was something she had to do. For both of them.
“Yes. But it’s not for the reason you think. You can come with me if you want.” She reached for his hand, but he shoved them in his pockets.
“No. Just do whatever you need to do and come back to me, okay?”
“Always.”
She watched him walk out the door, and when it clicked shut, she Jumped to Jared’s bedroom. When she appeared at the foot of his bed, he screamed.
“Ahhh! You’re not really here.” He pulled the covers up to his chin and squeezed his eyes shut. “When I open my eyes, you’ll be gone. Please be gone.”
He opened his eyes into small slits and squeezed them shut again. “It’s just my imagination. She can’t be here. She’s dead.”
He opened one eye, and then the other. “You’re still here.”
She grinned. “Yes, I am.”
“Am I dreaming?”
“Nope. You’re wide awake as far as I can see.” She strolled around to the side of the bed, and Jared inched away.
“Please don’t hurt me.”
What happened to his confident, overbearing attitude? For once, she was in control. He couldn’t hurt her anymore. “Relax, Jared. I’m not here to hurt you. I just want to talk.”
He stared at her with wide eyes, every muscle in his body tense.
She sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. “Look, I know you were cheating on me. You did it for five months, and I didn’t have a clue.”
He swallowed, and his gaze darted about the room. “I...I’m sorry.”
“I am too. I’m sorry I was so wrapped up in getting married that I didn’t see the big picture. We weren’t right for each other. You knew that. You could have told me, rather than sneaking around behind my back, but whatever.”
His shoulders relaxed, and he let go of the covers. “What do you want from me?”
“Nothing. No apology, no explanations. Nothing. I’m just here to tell you that I forgive you, and I hope one day you’ll be able to forgive yourself.”
“I—”
“Just think about it.
I won’t bother you again.” She touched his shoulder, and his eyes widened like saucers. He looked at her hand, then into her eyes.
“Good-bye, Jared.”
* * *
When Damian opened the door, he was surprised to find both Paul and Mira waiting for him. He pulled it shut and tried to keep his face expressionless as he approached his siblings.
“Have you thought about my offer, brother?” Paul raised an eyebrow as he regarded him.
“We need you,” Mira added.
He blew out a hard breath and raked his fingers through his hair. “I don’t know if I’m cut out to be a leader. Heaven knows I’m not perfect. And what about April? What’s going to happen to her?”
Paul placed a hand on his shoulder. “None of us are perfect. But you’ve been out there long enough. You’ve been a part of the modern world, and your insight would be a perfect addition. There are too many Angels now for Mira and me to handle on our own. What do you say?”
He cast his gaze to the dewy grass as he thought about the suggestion. Where did he belong? He’d spent most of his existence on the front lines, fighting off his demons by absorbing himself in his Charges. Anger drove him to exile himself from the love of others, and self-hate kept him away from his true responsibilities.
He took a deep breath and looked Paul in the eyes. It was time to let go.
“I’ll do it. But as long as April needs a trainer, I’m with her. She comes first.”
His brother shook his head. “We need you now.”
“I won’t abandon April. And I won’t allow you to assign her to another trainer. She’s a Guardian, and she belongs with me.”
Paul cut his gaze over to Mira, and she smiled and nodded her head. She stepped toward Damian and took his hands in hers.
“You are her trainer. Do you feel she is prepared to work alone?”
The thought of losing that deep connection with April was unbearable. But she was ready. He knew it deep in his soul, but he didn’t want to let her go. He chewed his bottom lip as he tried to force the answer over the lump in his throat.
“You’re worried about losing her.”
He nodded.
“You know there is a way to get the connection back. To still have her be a part of you.”
That’s right. But it would only work if she felt the same. He couldn’t be her Guardian forever, but maybe there was another way. He took a deep breath and looked Mira in the eyes.
“She’s ready. She’ll make a great Guardian.”
“Welcome back.” Paul shook his hand and pulled him into a bear hug. “I’ve missed you, brother.”
As Paul released him, Mira smiled and cupped her hand on the back of his neck. “It is done.” The connection to April severed.
What had he done? The connection he lost tore a gaping hole in his heart, and he doubled over with the pain of losing her. He couldn’t sense her. Couldn’t feel her pulse beating in his blood. Her life force was what kept him going. Without it, he was lost.
“Why does it hurt so bad? I’ve never felt pain when freeing a Charge.”
Mira placed a hand on his shoulder. “April was much more than a Charge. Go find her.”
“I don’t know where she is.”
“She’s home.”
His head snapped up to meet Mira’s gaze. Was she home so soon? Had she gotten the closure he hoped she’d needed? He looked at his door and back at the couple.
“Go to her. She needs you.”
He nodded and flew through the door. “April? Where are you?”
No answer.
He darted to her bedroom and called to her.
Still no answer.
He was on the verge of panic, not knowing where she was. He was empty. Hollow without her. He had to make her his, and it had to be tonight. He closed his eyes and worked his magic on their home. Then he caught sight of her out the window.
April sat on the grass with a piece of paper in her hands. His stomach wrenched as the intense need to be with her ripped through his body. This was it. He was going to tell her, and nothing could stop him.
She looked peaceful out there all alone, and he couldn’t tear his gaze from her beauty. Her crimson hair sparkled in the starlight, and she looked every bit the Angel she was. She lifted the paper in front of her and tore it down the middle. Then she took a lighter and set one half ablaze.
She was finally letting go of her past.
He was too.
He rushed to his bedroom and took the folded paper from his bedside table. Then he strode to the meadow and sat down beside her.
“Hey.”
“Hey.” She leaned over and bumped his shoulder.
“Did you do everything you needed to do?”
“Yeah. You?”
“Uh-huh.”
She laid her head on his shoulder and held his hand. “Why can’t I feel you anymore? It’s like there’s a hole in my heart.”
“Mmm...yeah. I’m not your Guardian anymore.”
“That’s what I thought. It hurts. Right here.” She pressed her hand to her chest.
Pain pulsed through his own heart. “I know.”
“Am I still...”
He kissed the top of her head and inhaled her sweet scent. “You’re still a Guardian. Daniel’s still your Charge.”
He picked up her picture and looked at her image. “You’re beautiful. You always have been. Why’d you burn the other half?”
She smiled sadly and took the paper from his hands. “Because I let it go. That’s the whole reason I brought the picture here. I tried to tell you that.”
“Yeah, I guess you did. But I didn’t listen.”
“No, you didn’t.”
He brushed the hair away from her face and kissed her cheek. “I’m listening now.”
“I know.” She flicked on the lighter and set fire to the scrap.
“Why are you burning yourself?”
She smiled as the last of the paper went up in flames, and she stomped the embers with her foot. “Because that’s the old me. I’m not that person anymore. I don’t want to be that person. You’ve changed me.”
He took the folded sketch from his pocket and showed it to her. “This is Juliet. She was four months pregnant in this picture.” He stroked his thumb across his unborn child, and April held out the lighter.
He looked at the picture one last time and took the lighter from her hand. Without another thought, he lit it on fire. Flames engulfed his painful past, and sweet freedom burst in his soul. He put his arm around her, and they watched it burn together.
“So, who’s my Guardian now?”
“You don’t have one.”
She looked at him with confusion in her eyes. “Why not?”
“You’ve graduated. You’re a full-fledged Guardian now. You won’t have to have me following you around anymore.”
“But what if I want you to?” She wrapped her arm around his waist and rested her chin on his shoulder.
He smiled and pressed his lips to her forehead. “I think that can be arranged.”
“What’s gonna happen to you? Are you in trouble?”
He chuckled. “No. I’m actually going to try my hand at being the leader I’m supposed to be. I’m going to work with Paul and Mira.”
“Is that what you want?”
He took a deep, trembling breath. It was now or never. “What I want is to be with you.” Lifting her chin with his fingers, he kissed her. Heat rushed through his body as she wrapped her arms around him and slipped her tongue into his mouth. He slid his arms behind her back, pulling her closer. Emotions exploded in his heart, and he couldn’t wait anymore. He pulled away so he could look into her eyes.
“I love you, April.”
She smiled and brushed her lips against his. “I love you, too.”
His heart did backflips. He’d wanted to hear those words cross her lips for so long. All he could do was grin at the beautiful Angel before him. His Angel.
“So, what
now?” She ran her finger down his chest, stopping just below his navel.
Her playful tone sent electricity jolting through his core, but he wasn’t done talking to her. There was still one more thing he had to do.
“Come inside with me. I want to show you something.”
“I thought you’d never ask.” She grinned wickedly, and he picked her up and carried her into the house. Their house.
With her hands behind his neck, she pulled him into another kiss. He slowly let her legs drop to the floor as he explored her taste with his tongue. She pulled away, and with pure passion in her eyes, she took his hand and turned around.
Then she froze.
“Where’s my door? Where’s my bedroom?” Tears filled her eyes when she turned to face him. “What’s going on?”
“Come with me.” He led her toward his bedroom door. “Since I’m not your Guardian anymore, you don’t have to live here.”
“So I have to make my own place?” A tear rolled down her cheek, and he wiped it away with his thumb.
“You don’t have to. You can stay with me. If you want to.” He opened the door to reveal his own hunter green room draped in lavender. April’s duvet covered his bed, and her sheer drapes cascaded over his window.
Her breath caught as she took a step inside. “This is my stuff...in your room.”
“Our room. If you want it to be.” He dropped to one knee, and when she turned around, she gasped.
* * *
Damian reached for her trembling hand. Her heart raced. Her head spun. Was this really happening?
“April May Carter, I love you more than I’ve ever loved anything in my life. You are my reason for living. I want you to be the first thing I see when I wake each morning, and I want to fall asleep in your arms every night.”
A black velvet box appeared in his hand, and he opened it to reveal a simple golden ring. “I want to love you forever. Will you marry me?”
Her entire body trembled as her heart thudded against her breast. She couldn’t speak. She couldn’t move. All she could do was look at the beautiful man before her as tears poured down her cheeks.
He took her left hand and slipped the ring on her finger. “It looks good on you. What do you think?”
“Damian, I...yes! Yes, of course I’ll marry you!”
The Rest of Forever: A Guardian Angel Paranormal Romance Page 22