As she approached the door to his room, she felt herself freeze up. It would be the last time she did it. How many times had she stood outside his door, a wide smile on her face, filled with an indescribable happiness when she saw Zane's face? Seeing his mask that showed emotion, even when he thought it didn't.
Since she’d been at Sunnyside, she'd been the one peel that mask away. However unwillingly. She'd made him show emotions he didn't want to feel. That was on her head.
She bowed her head low, scrunching her eyes shut, as though hoping to shut out the emotions. She hurt. She hurt so much.
In her minds eye she could see Casper's grinning face, imagined Seth's warm smile, warm gaze, and warm comfort. She remembered how Vikki's loud, hilarious comments forced her to grin. Even Rupert, whom she didn't know all that well, was in her thoughts. His bright eyes had been the first to welcome her.
She'd made so many friends, had so much fun. She really didn't want to leave them.
The door opened and her eyes snapped open. She found herself staring at a pair of black, polished leather shoes. She knew who they belonged to.
She looked up and her eyes clashed with gray. Just like they had the first time they met.
But this time, although Zane's face was expressionless, his eyes were wide with anger and betrayal. "What are you doing here?"
She opened her mouth, but no words came out.
He glared angrily and he folded his arms over his white shirt. He was wearing white trousers also. All he needed now was wings.
“I came to—
"—apologize?" He snorted and stared at a spot above her head. "You've spent most of your time here apologizing. You think it's going to make a difference now?" He settled his gaze on her, finally.
She had her head sunk low in shame. She wasn't able to look at him. “I didn't come here to apologize." She forced a look as unwavering as she could on her face and stared hard at Zane. She wouldn't look at his expression. She'd just gaze firmly into his eyes. “I came here to say that, not as an agent, but as a friend," She swallowed. “I protected you. I protected you as a friend."
She turned her back on him and finally allowed her strong resolve to break. A tear fell from her eye. Reaching into her pocket, she grasped an object to give her confidence, and then released it. She'd never be able to give it to him. "You were never just a mission," she whispered. She left him with that message and started to run. She tripped on the ground, her knees colliding with the carpet. She didn't care. She pushed herself up and continued to run, not looking back at his face.
She had wanted to see him one last time. See him looking as bright as he could be. If she turned, she feared that her brilliant star would have dimmed to no more than a weak candle.
* * * * *
Zane didn't watch her run. He didn't watch her retreating back.
He kept his eyes on the ground, his hands trembling slightly. His feet itched. They wanted to run. They wanted him to run after her, tell her he didn't care that he had been a mission.
But that was his heart talking, not his mind. And he followed his mind. His mind told him she had lied to him, used him. That he was just a mission and nothing changed that.
His eyes drifted to the object resting on the ground. He took a few steps out of his room, crouching down to pick it up. It was a rabbit with a mop of black hair in between its floppy ears. He used his long fingers to open the small card that was attached to its ear.
Zane,
One day, I'll have to tell you something that'll hurt you, so I’m giving you this in the hope that seeing it will wash away your anger.
You told me I was a thorn branch and that I only opened for certain people. That pretty rose has only ever opened up for you.
But it's okay. I'll be stuck on your back forever. Watching over you, and no matter how much I'll want to, I'll never fully reveal myself to you.
Because a rose's thorny branch will only tear the wings of an angel.
Friends forever?
Red.
He read it once. He read it twice. He read it again.
A drop of water fell on the card, spreading the words beneath it. Zane looked down at it, confused. He blinked when another drop landed on it. The water had to stop, or Red's words would disappear.
He looked up at the ceiling. It wasn't leaking. He looked back down at the card, carefully brushing his thumb along the words that were slowly blurring.
Then, his eyes wide, he slowly dropped the card and raised both of his hands. He pressed them to his cheeks. They were wet. When he lifted his head, the tears flooded his eyes, his vision hazy. He pressed his wrists into his eyes. He rested his elbows on his thighs, putting more pressure on his wrists to stop the water. It didn't stop. They kept falling, escaping slowly through the gaps his palms wouldn't cover.
Just like his emotions were slowly seeping through. He had suppressed all emotion since his parents died.
Red hadn’t lied to him. She had been planning to tell him.
He'd constantly pushed her away after seeing her with Seth. He'd reacted so violently after she had told him she was moving to Royal Nature. He'd said she meant nothing to him.
He was stupid. He was truly stupid.
He stood quickly, swiping his sleeve across his face. He was Zane Noble. He wouldn't cry.
He bent over and picked up the stuffed toy, shoving it into his pocket. He forced his mask back onto his face. He wouldn't go after her. He couldn't.
“She's leaving, you know."
Zane looked over his shoulder at Seth's voice. He turned around fully after realizing that Seth wasn't alone. Casper, Vikki, and Seth were staring at him.
Zane folded his arms over his chest, as he always did, and swallowed. He opened his mouth to say he didn't care, but the words stuck in his throat. She was leaving?
“Red has lived her entire life underground." Seth took a step forward with Casper and Vikki. “She took this, her first mission, to protect a man who was going to be kidnapped by the person who killed her parents." They took another step. “She fought her fear of the world to help this man. And in the process she defeated five grown men on her own in order to save his life." One more step. "But eventually, the mission became unimportant. She was discovered by two of her friends because of her carelessness. She wanted nothing more than to get the approval of the man she was supposed to be protecting. She wanted to be protected by him."
Seth got right in Zane's face, Casper and Vikki flanking him from both sides. "But that man was too proud. He wouldn't allow any of his emotions to show through and caused the girl unbearable pain. She had to get comfort from his friends, when she wanted to be comforted by him." Seth's dark brown eyes flickered with intense feeling.
“That girl, who was so naïve and innocent, didn't know that she loved him. And that man, who was so proud and arrogant, didn't know that he loved her. His friends, who had fallen in love with the pure, unique girl along the way, had to watch as the woman they wanted chased after someone who did nothing but cause her harm. Now, they've had enough."
Seth lifted his knee up sharply into Zane's stomach and Casper stretched his arms backward and punched Zane hard in the face, sending him to the ground.
Casper bent down to Zane, who was sitting up and staring at his friends, a trickle of blood coming from his nose. Casper looked the most serious he had in such a long time, his eyes shining with unshed tears. His words broke. "Don’t be such an ass. Just go."
Zane slowly rose to his feet, his movements jagged, his expression still frozen into a look of shock, horror and pain. It took him a long time to get to his feet, his eyes unable to stop staring anywhere but ahead. When he finally stood straight, he slowly brushed off his clothes, wiping his hand under his bleeding nose.
Then he turned and ran.
* * * * *
She slumped down onto the ground. She was in the same patch of forest where she had lost the only picture of her parents, and then had been beaten by the man she fe
ared most in this world.
But for some reason, this seemed to be the most peaceful place for her to be. She tugged at her dad's t-shirt, which she had found in the laundry room, waiting to be washed.
Mom, Dad, she cried to them in her mind. I want to be your strong little girl. I want to be able to walk away with a smile on my face. But I can't. I hurt so much. She let a tear drop from her face and she wiped at it furiously. I can't stop crying. The angel that I envy and admire so much has caused me so much pain, but I keep going back. I have to. What do I do? She sniffed and wiped her sleeve across her eyes, letting out a loud cry and covering her face with her arms, wishing that her dad was in front of her, wearing the t-shirt instead. I want to stay. I want to see everyone; I want to see the world with him by my side. But I've hurt him, too, Dad. It's my fault he's in so much pain and I want to get rid of it. I want to stay at Sunnyside and experience the world with the friends I've made. But I don't belong. She pulled her knees up to her chin and leaned back against a tree, resting her forehead on her denim—clad knees. Mom, Dad, what do I do?
"Get up."
Her eyes snapped open and she found herself staring into her lap. Had she imagined the reply? Was she imagining things?
“I said get up."
She raised her head slowly, her eyes glazing over. The sun's broken light poured in from the trees behind the figure standing in front of her, illuminating him. Was it an angel?
She got to her feet slowly, pressing herself against the tree, as far back from the figure as possible. Droplets continued to fall down her face. The figure stepped forward, into the light. Zane.
"Have you been crying like this whenever my back is turned?" he said angrily, his face awash in emotion. He took in a deep, shaky breath like he was struggling to breathe, then shook his head. "No. You've been stuck on my back, wear I couldn't see you." He stepped forward.
She lifted her sleeve ashamedly to wipe her tears away, but another hand stopped the action. She looked up at Zane with wide eyes.
He pulled on her wrist and she stumbled forward. He released it and as she fell into him, his hands cupped both damp cheeks, his soft lips capturing her own.
Her blue eyes were bright, her body was limp. She could only focus on the silky, smooth lips that were pleasuring hers. The pain oozed out of her chest, leaving her with only a quick heartbeat and a warm face.
Zane slowly moved back, their lips scant inches from each other. "Don't cry anymore," he said in barely more than a whisper, his voice laced with frustration. He looked down at her lips and she stared hard into his eyes. "Don't cry over me anymore." He brought his lips back down to hers, his thumbs brushing the sides of her face.
Her heart exploded and slowly, her eyes fluttered shut. In the darkness of the trees, were she had only bad memories, a new, happy memory was being created.
He'd come for her. She was being protected by him.
The explosion in her chest, the overwhelming happiness, the feeling of wanting to shout for joy. Was that love?
Mom, Dad, she thought, pressing herself closer to Zane. I was stuck to the angel's back for so long; I couldn't see what was in front. I knew he was hurting, but I didn't know that he was hurting even more than I was. All this time I thought my thorns would tear the angel's wings.
I didn't know that he could see, could feel and could admire more than the rose.
* * * * *
1 week later
She grinned at Dexter after he pulled away from her tight hug, his eyes still shining.
"You're a lucky girl, you know that, Red. Not everyone is as nice as that lot," he nodded over at Casper, Zane, Seth, Vikki and Rupert.
She smiled brightly back at him. “I know. Thank you, for looking out for me for so long. Remember, call whenever you need help."
He nodded, and then looked over her shoulder. He narrowed his eyes and looked back at her. "You be careful with that Mr. Noble. He seems iffy to me, always looking at you when you don't know. If he tries to do anything to you that you don't agree to, you just call, I know a few people—"
"Agent, I believe it's time for Red to be escorted to her room." A hand flew between her and Dexter, as though chopping them apart. Zane looked at Dexter with a strange look in his eye.
Dexter nodded, looking flustered. "Yes, well, alright. Keep your phone on, Red." He nodded and hurriedly left.
She stared after him, a grin on her face. Then she looked up at Zane and smiled.
He looked back, his superior mask stuck firmly on his face.
"My room? I get my old room back?" She bounced up and down, eagerly.
He nodded and led her back over to Casper, Seth, Vikki, and Rupert. Together the group walked back to Royal Haven, admiring the construction workers hammering and nailing the extension that was being built on the dorm. Now that the division of classes rule no longer applied, they needed more room.
Vikki now lived on the third floor and Rupert on the second. After they all entered the dorm and made their way up to their rooms, she ran into her own.
She screamed in happiness and began jumping up and down on the bed as she had done within the first week at Sunnyside. Zane looked at her alarmingly.
"If you fall, I’m not paying for your hospital bill. I’ve already spent enough money for your membership here."
She ignored him and kept jumping, her black hair bobbing up and down as the bed creaked.
A blonde head poked around the door, unnoticed by her. "Pssst."
Zane turned to look at Casper. His eyes were narrowed in suspicion. Zane made his way over.
"Zane, if you try anything with Red when she doesn't expect it, I swear, I'll beat you until you're…" Casper trailed off, noticing the thunderous expression on Zane's face. Not to mention his pink cheeks. The blonde laughed nervously, dimples appearing on his cheeks. "Right, I’ll be going now." And he scurried off down the hallway.
She collapsed onto her bed, her arms spread out. She'd exhausted herself. It was probably the relief of having everything off of her chest, no more mission to worry about, no more fear, and no more pain. It felt amazing. Her eyes closed on their own accord and she didn't hear the footsteps approaching the bed.
But those eyes snapped open when her bangs were brushed back and a tender kiss was pressed to her forehead. Zane leaned over her, a smirk on his face. His arms bracketed her head on either side.
He snorted at her frozen expression. "You're just like a child."
She grinned up at him, still slightly frazzled by the burning sensation from the kiss to her forehead. But she was happy, so, so happy.
Red Hart, the girl who had been brought up underground, who had lost her parents at such an early age, and then was tortured by the criminal who killed them—had suddenly been thrust into a world of brightness and color.
And she had just been kissed by an angel.
I hope you enjoyed this book and I would love to hear what you thought of it. Please take five minutes to leave a review on Amazon.
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Other Books by Ashley Andrews
The Heaven I found in Hell
Breaking the Arm, Healing the Heart
Bleeding Love
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