Mother saw me. Her eyes widened but she quickly glanced away.
‘Step away from my mother,’ I said in a low voice.
The man jumped away from her as he spun towards me. ‘Hello again.’
The gun was aimed at his chest but he still took a step towards the desk in the corner. The room was full of books. It would be a shame to let the house burn down.
‘Stay still,’ I demanded.
I didn’t want to use the gun. The blast would draw attention to us if there was anyone else in the house.
‘You look good on those legs.’ He brushed against the desk.
Taking a hand away from the gun, I felt the rush of energy as I pulled fire into my palm and threw it towards his outstretched arm. It hit him. He yelped, jumping away from the desk. Cradling his singed arm, he frowned at me. The smell of burnt flesh filtered into my nose. I couldn’t help the smile that came to my lips.
‘You stabbed my brother!’
I stepped into the office.
Mother didn’t move. She hadn’t been expecting us to storm in. The look on her face showed that she was glad I was there.
‘You would have done the same in my shoes,’ he said.
A movement behind me threw me off guard. Cancer had got free and was striding straight into the room.
‘How could you?’ she blurted, pushing past me.
I let her go. The man’s eyes widened.
‘Cancer, I…’ he stuttered.
She approached him and raised her hand. The sound of the stinging slap rang out. I didn’t stop her as she lifted her hand to strike a second time. I turned to see Leo shrugging at me.
‘Go and search the house.’ I told him.
He nodded and backed away. I shut us in the office and glanced at my mother. She stared at my legs with tears in her eyes.
‘I had to get out,’ the man said to Cancer.
She stood in front of him with her hands on her hips. He tried to reach out to her but she batted him away. Maybe she had been telling the truth.
‘You’re married?’
I heard the hitch in her voice but couldn’t see her face. Her blonde hair was longer now and had fallen forward, covering her face.
‘Yes, I’m married,’ he muttered, hanging his head.
Mother lowered herself into a chair and released the breath she had been holding. I was surprised at how calm everyone was. The man worked for Nick, and Cancer was having a conversation with him.
‘What about everything you said?’
I couldn’t believe that my sister had been foolish enough to fall for the man. He was at least ten years older than her, and he worked for our enemy.
‘I meant it,’ he whispered.
I glanced past my sister to look at his face. He wasn’t lying. I could see it in the way he looked at her. She was a young, pretty girl. He probably felt flattered that someone like her would take an interest.
‘Why didn’t you tell me you were married?’
He straightened his back and sat forward. ‘I needed to get away… I…’
‘No!’
She shook her head violently. Tears sat on the bottom of her eyelids.
She had only spent a few weeks with the man. What was wrong with her?
‘That will do. We have more important things to discuss.’ I stepped forward.
She spun away from him and stood in front of me. Her head tilted up as she craned her neck to look me in the face. Her small frame was almost half my height.
‘I’m fed up with being bossed around by you. Just because you have your twin flame, doesn’t mean you can control us. I’m talking to him and that’s that!’
My mouth dropped open but I didn’t say anything. She huffed and went back to the man she believed was hers.
‘Please, will you tell me where my father is?’ she asked him. Her voice was soft and her muscles relaxed.
The man looked at his hands and blinked a few times. He smiled up at her and nodded. ‘If you forgive me, I will tell you.’
I lowered my gun. There was no threat from him the whole time she was in the room. Maybe she had been telling the truth.
‘Aries, there’s no one else here,’ Leo called from the kitchen.
I glanced at Mother. She pointedly looked at the couple in the room but I ignored her. I wasn’t going to leave them alone. He could use the way she felt about him to his advantage.
‘There’s no one here. I’ve got to torch the house before I go.’ He was talking to me but didn’t take his gaze away from Cancer. ‘This can never be,’ he said as he reached out to her.
She let him take her hand. She stroked the blister that had formed on his skin. My fireball had hit him exactly where I intended. I tried to ignore the blast of pride that washed over me when he flinched.
‘I know,’ she whispered back.
Mother blinked. I didn’t understand why. I still wasn’t convinced that he was her twin flame soulmate. Why would he be working with Nick if that was the case?
‘Is everything okay in there?’ Leo called.
‘We’re coming,’ I called gesturing for Mother to go to him.
She stood but didn’t do as I said.
‘Where is my husband?’ she asked the man.
He let go of Cancer’s hand and looked away from her. She stepped back, hovered for a second, and then spun to leave.
‘Wait, Cancer!’ he called.
She froze but didn’t turn to him.
‘You can be happy. Just remember to be happy,’ he said.
She shook her head and left, leaving the door wide open.
‘Tell us where our father is, and I’ll let you go,’ I said.
Mother gasped. I didn’t react. There was no point in holding him anymore. Something had passed between my sister and the man. I had to respect that. Even if I wanted to put a bullet through his head.
‘He’s been taken to Bournemouth.’
I frowned and glanced at Mother. A look of recognition was on her face. She knew exactly where he was. I was relieved but there was something else that had to be done.
‘Mother…?’ I said gently.
She turned to me and nodded, before looking back at the man. ‘Give Nick a message from me. Tell him that I’m with my children, and I’m never coming back.’
A part of me wanted to end the message she had given him right there. I had to force myself to take my finger off the trigger as I kept the gun aimed at the man. He nodded once but didn’t move.
‘I won’t tell Nick that you know where your husband is.’
‘Why?’ Only a woman would think to question a man’s motives.
He looked down at the carpeted floor. ‘For her,’ he said, gesturing with his head towards the kitchen.
‘Come with us,’ Mother blurted.
‘I don’t think that’s a good idea. He needs to go back to his wife,’ I interrupted.
He smiled at me. ‘Yes, he’s right. I can’t abandon everything for…’
His words trailed off. I recognised the confusion he felt. Emotions crossed his face. I knew only too well what was going through the man’s mind.
‘I think we’ll see you again,’ Mother declared as we backed out of the room and made our escape.
Chapter Twenty Five
The restaurant was busy. Sounds filtered to me. Plates being shuffled around in the kitchen and the chatter of people enjoying their meals. The room was warm. I pulled the collar of my black shirt away from my neck.
‘Hello, sir, can I help you?’ the waitress asked as I strode up to the greeting table.
She fluttered her eyelashes but I paid no attention. My gaze was focused on the table in the very far corner of the restaurant. She had her back to me. I had noticed her as soon as I walked in. It was complete synchronicity. I had been on my way over to Natalie’s when Scorpio had rung to say that he had seen her go into the restaurant near her home.
‘I’m with someone,’ I said, gesturing behind her.
Her
smile faltered when she saw that I pointed to a woman.
‘Okay, go ahead.’ She pouted up at me.
My legs were steady as I started towards Natalie. A part of me was glad that she faced the wall and couldn’t see me approach. She was alone, which was a relief. Scorpio sat at the bar. He nodded at me as I passed him.
The heat of the room made sweat form on my forehead. Maybe it wasn’t the heat. Maybe it was the idea of what could happen next. There I was, in my best navy suit, matched with a black shirt. I had been tempted to wear a tie but decided not to at the last minute. I was glad I had left it off. I would have been choking otherwise.
‘Are you okay?’ another waitress asked as I stopped in the middle of the aisle.
I wanted to watch Natalie for a moment. Her back was straight. Her hair cascaded down it. The movement of her toned arms caught my attention. She sipped her drink and seemed to be in a world of her own. I nodded at the waitress and continued forward, my heart thumping hard in my chest.
‘Is everything okay with your meal?’ I asked as I drew level with her table.
‘Its fine…’ she automatically started.
She froze when she looked up and saw me.
Her mouth gaped open as I towered over her. It felt amazing to be able to look down at her again. I could be a man for my woman. My smile was uncertain as she took a deep breath and let it out. From the shakiness of the exhaled breath, I could tell that I had achieved what I had set out to do. Tears came to her eyes as she moved the napkin that sat on her lap and stood.
‘I can’t believe it,’ she whispered, wrapping her arms around my neck and burying her head in my neck.
I held her to me and closed my eyes. The smell of her filled my nose as I kissed the top of her head. I had missed her. I hadn’t realised how much, until her arms had come around me.
‘You’re walking,’ she stuttered, pulling away from me.
I nodded and stroked her cheek, wiping away a tear that had escaped. ‘Thanks to you.’
She shook her head and frowned. ‘No, it was all you. I knew you could do it.’
I pushed her back gently. She frowned as I bent my metal knee and lowered myself to the ground in one smooth move. She gasped and put her hand over her mouth when I pulled a small black box out of my pocket.
‘I know I’ve been a…’ I struggled to find the appropriate word to describe how I had acted over the six years we had known each other.
‘Arsehole,’ Scorpio called from the bar.
I blinked, determined not to look around. The whole place had gone silent. Everyone watched us. My brother had broken my concentration by trying to help me with my speech.
‘Arsehole.’
Natalie choked on a laugh but quickly stopped and bit her lip.
‘I love you, Natalie, and I think I always have.’
I opened the box. The gaze of everyone in the restaurant was on my head as she gasped again. I reached out and took her hand. She let me have it, which gave me courage.
‘I…Natalie…will you marry me?’
The silence that surrounded us made my thigh start to shake. I hoped no one could see it. I looked up into her eyes but didn’t feel like less of a man. Her makeup ran down her face. I wanted to clean it away but I stayed where I was and waited for her answer.
‘Yes, I will,’ she cried, dropping to her knees and throwing herself into my arms.
I laughed as I caught her. The whole room burst into applause.
Scorpio shouted in the background. ‘That’s my brother. He has new legs!’
Natalie kissed my face. I gently pushed her away from me again. She frowned as I shook the box.
‘Oh yeah.’ She giggled and stood up again.
I took her hand and pushed the ring onto her finger.
‘I can’t believe it,’ she cried, holding out her hand to admire her engagement ring.
I stood up and wrapped my arms around her waist. She laced her hands behind my head and brought herself up on tiptoe. Leaning down, I captured her lips and kissed her hard.
There was a friendly slap on my back. I pulled away to see Scorpio standing next to us.
‘Congratulations!’ he cried, holding up his pint.
Scorpio rarely drank alcohol. He was the type to drown his sorrows and never come back up for air so he didn’t usually indulge.
‘We have some champagne for you. On the house.’ The waitress came over and handed us a glass each.
‘Who would have thought that you would be the first one to get married?’
I downed the bubbling liquid. Natalie did the same. She kept glancing at me as strangers came up to congratulate us.
‘I can’t believe it.’
The voice got my attention. I turned to see my boss from the fire brigade standing behind me.
‘I thought I was hallucinating when I saw you walk in,’ he said, stepping forward and wrapping his arms around my back. He patted me roughly and sniffled as he pulled away.
‘It’s good to see you.’ I grinned at him as he looked down at my shoes. They were my old going out shoes. I loved that I could put them on my new feet.
‘Do you want to see?’
His eyes widened as he looked around. I didn’t care what other people thought. I pulled my trouser legs up to my knees. Gasps echoed around me and another round of applause filled the room. I looked at the people that stared at my legs. A lump came to my throat. They were letting me know that they supported me.
‘You have inspired me, Aries,’ my boss said, shaking his head.
I pulled him into a bear hug when it looked like he was about to start sobbing like a little boy.
‘Does that mean I can take over your job?’
I had a secret wish that he would say yes but it wouldn’t be the case.
‘No. I’m still happy to do my job. But if you train and complete the agility test again, I can’t see why you can’t come back to work.’
I almost choked. ‘Are you serious?’
He nodded as a smile spread on his lips. ‘Of course. There are several amputees in the brigade.’
I hugged him one last time and shook my head as I turned back to Natalie. She watched me, tears running silently down her cheeks.
‘I can go back to work,’ I whispered in disbelief when she wrapped her arms around me.
‘I’m so proud of you. You’ll be the best fireman there is.’
I squeezed her against me and kissed her neck. Everything I had been fighting for was coming true. I had never thought there was a chance I could be a fireman again. I had given up on my dream when my legs were taken away.
‘We need to go home,’ Natalie whispered into my ear.
I frowned at her. Her eyes twinkled up at me as her lips curved into a secret smile.
‘Really…? Why’s that then…?’ I asked.
She picked up her coat and put it on before grabbing my hand. ‘We need to test out those new legs of yours.’
I couldn’t help the burst of laughter that escaped me as I let her drag me outside and into a waiting taxi.
When the door was shut, she looked at me from under heavy eyelids.
‘I can’t believe you just did that.’ She giggled.
I shook my head. ‘I can’t believe I did that either.’
The taxi pulled up outside her flat within minutes and we rushed inside.
Once the door was closed, she launched at me. I caught her as she wrapped her legs around my waist. There was a heavy pressure on my thighs but I ignored it. My woman was in my arms. She kissed me as I shoved her against the wall. It was amazingly different from the last time I had been at her place.
‘Are you sure you want to marry me?’ I asked against her lips.
She giggled and bit my tongue as I licked her.
‘Ouch!’ I cried, pulling her away from the wall and carrying her into the bedroom.
‘I wouldn’t have said yes if I didn’t, would I?’
I dropped her on the bed. She giggled as I
fell on her. It felt good to be able to manoeuvre my legs so I had freedom to move.
‘I want to see them,’ she whispered, going still.
I groaned and pushed myself off her. We were fully clothed. I wanted to change that. I had only been with Natalie once in the last six months. It was too long to be celibate. I was ready to rectify that.
‘Are you sure you want to see?’ I asked.
She sat up and nodded, smiling slightly. I undid my trousers, letting them fall to the floor. I stepped out of the material and kicked them off. She stared at me as her lips spread into the biggest smile I had ever seen on her face.
‘They’re sexy, aren’t they?’ I said.
A small part of me needed her to agree. I needed her to reassure me that she wasn’t put off by them.
‘You have the sexiest legs I’ve ever seen!’ she exclaimed as she sat forward and ran a hand over the metal.
My chest expanded at the gentle touch that I couldn’t feel. She had always been there for me. Not just over the last seven months, but for the last six years, and the lifetimes before that.
‘So, I’m your twin flame, am I?’ she said, grabbing the bracelet on my wrist and pulling. I looked down as she sighed, letting go when it didn’t budge.
‘It doesn’t come off when you unite with your soulmate then?’ she asked.
I shrugged and held up my wrist. ‘Doesn’t look like it.’
The silver charm reflected the light from the bulb above my head. The reminder of why I was still alive had always been obvious.
‘Does anyone else think your family are a bit weird?’ she asked, scooting back on the bed.
I sat next to her as I thought of my brothers and sisters. We had hidden from society and blagged our way out of everything else.
‘We don’t let anyone get close enough to question us.’
She put her hand in mine. I fingered the small diamond ring that rested on her engagement finger.
‘You’re my fiancé,’ she whispered.
Heat travelled throughout my body. I tried to pull away so that I didn’t burn her. She wouldn’t let go. I was able to pull the fire back in before it reached her skin.
‘I don’t want to burn you.’ I leant over, forcing her to lie back on the bed.
Aries: Book 2 in a Young Adult Paranormal Romance Series (The Zodiac Twin Flame Series) Page 15