Phoenix's Heart

by Khelsey Jackson

  “Maybe if you're lucky you'll get to pick up where we had to leave off.” She laughed as his mouth dropped open. “See you soon, sex god.” As she walked away she swayed her hips because she knew he was watching her.

  “Dear God, I really am in trouble. I will be having you, darling before this day is over.” She laughed and got in her car; she couldn’t wait for him to follow through with his threat. She watched a black SUV pull up and Phoenix stepped into it.

  The whole way to the office the SUV was behind her. She thought it was kind of cute how protective he was of her. She got out of her car and he was waiting for her.

  “If we go in with each other, won't people think something?” she asked and he smiled.

  “I already made a scene when I couldn’t get a hold of you. And then most of the office watched me storm out to get you.” He put his hand on her back and led her into the elevator.

  “Won't people think something then?” She saw him smiling in the mirrored walls of the elevator.

  “Darling, they probably thought I was going to fire you. I didn’t act like a worried boyfriend I acted like an angry boss.” He took his hand away from her as they got closer to their floor. “When we get there I want you to set your purse down and then meet me in my office. I saw Max's car out there, so he will be waiting for us.”

  Jennifer was nervous and happy. She wanted to know what she was, but prayed that she wasn't a monster. Phoenix walked out and every eye was on him. Jennifer sighed and stepped out. As she walked by the other desk, the other workers looked down. She did what Phoenix told her and put her purse down and walked over to his office door. She knocked softly, and it opened.

  “Jenny!” Max wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into the office. He shut the door after he pulled her in. “Go sit down, I have some great news for you.” She glanced at Phoenix and he narrowed his eyes at Max but nodded at her. She walked over to the chairs in front of his desk and sat down; Max sat next to her. “Jennifer, have you ever heard of Nephilim?” She shook her head and she glanced at Phoenix. His eyes got wide and his face paled a little. “You are half human and half angel. One of your parents is an angel.” Her mind raced, and she was shocked.

  “Angel, like in heaven?” Jennifer looked from Phoenix to Max.

  “Yes, well, an angel that has fallen. He or she decided to exchange immortality for mortality. The fallen will live longer than humans, and so will you. All demons are attracted to anything that has angel blood.” She glanced back at Phoenix and he had his eyes closed now.

  “What does this mean? I can't be with Phoenix?” She had to force herself to look away from Phoenix and back at Max.

  “There isn’t a law that you two can't be together. That is completely up to you two, and you are immune to his incubus powers. He'll still be able to feed from you, but he can't drain you.” Jennifer stood up, she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

  “What will my babies be?” She kept her back to them, and rubbed her abdomen. The silence in the room made her want to scream.

  “I'm not sure. Technically they are part demon, part human, and part angel,” Max said, and she didn’t know what to think. “They might not even be incubus and succubus; they might be more like you.” She felt a hand touch her shoulder, and she turned her head to the side. Max was the one giving her comfort. “This isn’t bad news, this is great news.” He smiled at her.

  “I feel like its bad news. I had no clue who I was until today.” She turned around, and Phoenix's eyes were still shut.

  “I understand that, but you need to talk to your parents. One of them is the fallen angel.” Max looked down at his watch. “Now I have to leave, but I am here if you need to talk.” He took her hand and kissed her knuckles. “Good bye Jennifer, and Phoenix.” He threw a quick glance at Phoenix, and he pulled her into a hug. “He'll come around. He is just shocked.” He whispered in her ear and then pulled away.

  Phoenix and Jennifer sat in silence for a few minutes. Then he finally opened his eyes and looked at her. “Phoenix, do you hate me now?” He stood up and walked over to her.

  “I heard some of my friends tell me what angel blood can do, and how it makes you feel. And I felt it for you; I wanted you and no one else. It's like I am under your spell and I can't break it.” His midnight blues eyes seemed to be staring through her. He brought his hand to her cheek. “I don’t hate you, I can never hate you. You are still the mother of my babies.”

  He smiled at her. “Do I gross you out?” His smile got wider, and he laughed.

  “Darling, you can never gross me out. You are beautiful, and you are all mine.” He kissed her on her cheek. “Now, you have to get to work, or people will start talking.” She laughed and walked towards the door.

  When she got to her desk, there was a folder waiting for her. She quickly got to work on the contents of the folder. Jennifer looked up when someone cleared their throat. William was standing there. Hazel-blue eyes were staring back at her and she got this creepy vibe radiating from him.

  “Have you had lunch, yet?” he asked and she glanced at the time and was shocked. It was two in the afternoon. “I will take that as a no, why don’t you come to lunch with me?”

  She glanced at his left hand, and the ring he was playing with. “Thank you Mr. Roberts, but I am seeing someone.” She looked back at his face and he smiled.

  “And I am married.” He grinned at her and she wanted to smack him. “What they don't know won’t hurt them.” He moved around her desk and stood in front of her.

  He bent down and put his hand on her knee. She pushed it off, and stood up. “Mr. Roberts, I hate cheaters, and you should be ashamed of yourself.” Jennifer watched Phoenix approach and his face transform.

  William slowly stood up and made sure he looked at her entire body before settling on her face. “Ms. Cruz, did you think I hired you for your brains?” He laughed, and her eyes met Phoenix. His face was getting bright red. William leaned in close to her. “Even Phoenix wants to fuck you. I can see it in his eyes.” He moved his lips away from her ear and looked at her.

  “William, in my office now,” Phoenix said in a low threatening voice. William's eyes became large.

  He turned around to face Phoenix. “Sir, this isn't what it looks like.”

  Phoenix glared at him. “I said in my office.” William nodded and walked to Phoenix's office. His face softened when he looked at Jennifer. “I need you to be in there too, Ms. Cruz.”

  “Of course Mr. DuPont.”

  She stayed at the door, and Phoenix walked over to his desk. William was standing by the chairs.

  “Phoenix, I know what you saw looked bad.” Both Jennifer and William jumped when Phoenix slammed his fist on his desk.

  “Wills, I know what I saw. It was sexual harassment on my PA.” Phoenix narrowed his eyes. “But she isn’t just my PA damn it, she is my girlfriend.”

  Jennifer gasped, and Phoenix looked at her. “William, go back to your office and don't ever touch her again. Do you understand me?”

  “Yes, I’m so sorry Phoenix,” William said. Phoenix shook his head.

  “I'm not the one you need to apologize to,” Phoenix said and looked back at Jennifer.

  Slowly William turned around, and he looked paler. “I am so sorry Jennifer. I am a huge ass, and very thankful you stopped me.” She glanced down to his ring finger again and back to his face.

  “That is all, now leave.” William looked over his shoulder at Phoenix, and nodded.

  Phoenix stared at her and they didn’t say or do anything until they heard the door close. She was still shocked from hearing him call her his girlfriend. “I can't keep you a secret. I wanted to rip my VP and friend apart.”

  She walked over to him, and smiled up at him. He was her knight in shining armor. “I almost died when you called me your girlfriend.” He laughed and placed his hands on her hips to pull her closer to him.

  His midnight blue eyes were staring deep into her soul. She never
thought someone would ever look at her that way. “Well you need to get used to it. I will be calling you my girlfriend from now on.”

  He gave her his perfect smile and she felt her heart skip a beat. Jennifer knew she was in trouble; she would never get this man out of her head. “I need to ask you something.” He tried to hide his worried looked, but she saw it.

  “Darling, you can ask me anything.” He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

  She had to look away from his eyes to ask what she needed to know. She didn’t want to fall more in love with him without knowing if he would ever have the same feelings. “Do you like me for me or because you can’t drain me?”

  He took both of her hands into his. “Shit, I didn’t want him to tell you that. I do feel more attracted to you, but that is all you. You being a Nephilim is a good thing because I know I can’t drain you, but that doesn’t have anything to do with me wanting you. I wanted you since I met you at the club, and haven’t been able to stop thinking.” He tilted her head back so she was looking at him. “Darling, what has your heart racing? Why are you scared?”

  Jennifer had only been in love once in her young life, and he had cheated on her. She closed her eyes, and bit her bottom lip. “Phoenix, I am falling in love with you, and I can't stop it.” She opened her eyes and he was staring at her blankly. “I know that this isn't what you wanted. You just wanted to be there for the babies, and kind of me. I didn’t want to fall in love with you, I truly didn’t. But I can't get you out of my mind.” He covered her mouth with his large hand.

  “Will you shut up and let me talk?” She nodded. “Good, you sure know how to make a man speechless. I have never had anyone love me before, darling.” She wanted to take this broken man and make him whole. “Don’t look at me like that. I never been with the same woman more than once; you know why that is, and you are the only one I can’t drain.” He took his hand away from her mouth and continues. “I don’t know if I am falling in love with you, I don’t even think I am capable of giving love. But I do know I can't get you off of my mind either and I want to be near you all the time. I would give up everything I own to see you happy.” She would do everything in her power to show Phoenix that he could love.

  Jennifer felt her tears falling from her eyes. “Oh Phoenix,” she whispered, and he gently brushed her tears away with his fingertips.

  “I want to be happy with you, and I want to feel love. Just work with me, please.” She smiled at him, this was her incubus.

  “I will work with you. You are perfect the way you are, and I know you are capable of love. I can feel it here.” She placed her left hand on his heart.

  He put his hand on top of hers, and she smiled up at him. “I hope you’re right.”

  “Oh honey, don’t you know the woman is always right in the relationship?” She blinked her eyes rapidly at him and he laughed; she loved the sound of him laughing.

  “I will remember that.” She wrapped her arms around his back and he held her tight to him. “Darling, you didn’t eat lunch today. What would you like me to order for you?” She laid her head on his chest and listened to his heart. She hoped one day she would be the keeper of it.

  She smiled against his chest. “Pizza.”

  “Really?” He groaned. “I thought you got over that craving last night.” She shook her head against his chest. “Fine, I will order it for you. But I am taking you to dinner tonight, somewhere nice.” She frowned. Jennifer never really liked nice restaurants. They were way overpriced, and her dad always brought her to overpriced restaurants to say how sorry he was for missing whatever he missed of hers.

  She lifted her head and he looked down at her. “You know I’m fine with Olive Garden.”

  He made a disturbed face. “Darling, I said a nice restaurant and that isn’t Olive Garden.”

  She glared at him. “Well, that is what I want.”

  Phoenix removed her arms that were around him and walked away from her. “You know you are nearly impossible, and I have a strong feeling you are going to drive me crazy.” He turned around and he smiled. “That is what I like about you, my darling angel.”

  “I know I’m not easy to be with, but I don't like when someone wants to take care of me. I know I’m going to have to get used to it, but I don’t want to get hurt again. So until I can fully trust you I will demand for what I want, and if you don’t like it I will deal with my heartache.” She kept her eyes on him the whole time.

  “I want your trust more than anything, and I hope to get it with time. I don't want to cause you heartache, and if I do, I will gladly cut out my own heart for you.” He walked back to her and took her hand into his. “Now, go back out there and I will order you some pizza.” Phoenix brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles gently.

  “Thank you, Phoenix.”

  “You are welcome, Jennifer.” He gave her one last smile and walked back to his desk.

  She was smiling as she walked out of Phoenix's office. When she got back to her desk she heard her phone beeping telling her she had a message. She took it out of her purse and saw she had four missed calls from Megan. Jennifer figured she should just send a text. She wasn’t too happy with her best friend; she said a lot of hurtful things.

  What's up, Meg?

  Jennifer pressed send and within seconds she got a new text message.

  When you get off call me. We need to talk.

  Jennifer sighed at her phone. She wanted to work things out with Megan, but how would she take Jennifer being a Nephilim.

  We do need to talk but I’m going to dinner with Phoenix, so come over at 10?

  After she hit the send button, she closed her eyes. This was the biggest thing that had ever come between them. Her phone beeped and she looked at it.

  10 works. See you then.

  Jennifer put her phone away and looked back at her computer screen. She looked at Phoenix's calendar and he saw that he would be out of town for a week in a month from now. She would have to talk to him about that, he was all convincing that he needed to be with her, she wondered what he would do when he was out of town.

  “Jennifer Cruz?” She jumped when she heard her name. She looked up to a face she recognized. It was Phoenix's driver. He smiled warmly at her. “Mr. DuPont asked me to get you some pizza. If I remember correctly you like extra cheese and pepperoni.”

  Jennifer returned his warm smile. “Oh, thank you.” She took the little box from him, and when she looked inside she groaned. It smelled so freaking good.

  “Ms. Cruz, I hope you enjoy your lunch.” He nodded at her and started to turn around.

  She stood up and grabbed him his arm. “Wait, what's your name?”

  He looked over his shoulder and smiled at her. “Mark, ma'am.”

  “Thank you, Mark.” She smiled and saw a smile on his face. He was older, probably in his late forties or early fifties and he reminded her of Richard Gere. He nodded and walked away. She wondered if he knew about Phoenix.

  Jennifer took out her first piece of the delicious pizza. It didn’t take her long to completely eat every last bite of the three slices.

  ***

  Phoenix looked at the picture he had on his desk, it was him and his grandmother from about ten years ago. He hated to take pictures and she had to force him to take this, but it was a happy memory he had with her. It was Christmas day and she cooked a huge meal. He, Max and Max’s twin brother were all there. Phoenix helped decorate the house, and it was one of the only years it snowed.

  His cell phone rang, pulling him out of his memory. He reached in his suit pocket and pulled out his black iPhone. Max was calling to most likely check on him. He was still in shock that Jennifer was a Nephilim. He nearly lost it. The stories said a demon and angel couldn’t be together, and that was what they were.

  He answered his phone. “Yes Max?”

  Max laughed on the other end of the phone. “How are you doing with Jennifer’s news?” Phoenix grabbed his Bluetooth off of his des
k and turned it on.

  “I don’t know.” He shut his eyes. There was so much that could go wrong and he worried he would hurt her. She just told him she loved him, and he had never loved anyone besides his grandmother.

  “Phoenix, I can tell that you have strong feelings for her, and you can’t tell me it’s just sex. You light up when you are around her, and you should have seen your face when you were looking at your babies.” He felt a smile forming on his face, he had never been happier that at the moment. Those babies were something he and Jennifer created.

  But he didn’t know if he could be faithful to one woman for the rest of his life. “What if I fuck things up with her?”

  “You might, but what if you don’t take the chance? Would you be okay seeing her with another guy?” Max said in a knowing voice that told Phoenix he knew how he would react. He would tear the other man apart. He wanted to do that when he saw William leaning into Jennifer.

  “You know that answer.” Phoenix opened his eyes. He stood up and walked to his large window. His office overlooked an enormous park, green trees, and a bright blue cloudless sky filled his vision. He chose this office for the view.

  “I know it won’t be easy, and hell you will most likely fuck up. You are programmed to, but if you truly care for her and don’t want to be without her; you have to tell her. Women are really that simple, just tell her how you feel.”

  Phoenix sighed and ran his hands through his hair. “She told me she was falling in love with me.” He said and felt his chest ache as he spoke.

  “Well, I could have told you that, it was written on her face when she looked at you. I have to go. I just wanted to check on you.”