“None, I guess.” Celeste tucked her legs under her. She slowly unbuttoned her shirt and slid it off. She wore no wear a bra. Her breasts were full and ripe and she cupped them with her hands. She could see Adam’s face in the window, but she noticed that his eyes weren’t focused on her image in the glass. They were focused on something beyond her in the shadows outside the window.
“What do you see when you look in the shadows, Adam?” Her voice was compelling. She wanted to know what haunted his soul.
“I see my father.” Adam watched the scene unravel before him. “I was only seven when my father killed my mother. I stood in the corner of the kitchen and watched while he beat her. One particularly vicious blow caused Mom to fall and on the way down, she hit her head on the edge of the table. We both just stood there for a few minutes, waiting for her to stand up again. When Dad looked at me, I ran and hid in my room with the door locked. Dad could have gotten in if he wanted to, but I never saw him again.
“Three days later, the police broke into the house and took me away. There was blood in the kitchen, but Mom was missing. I waited for months, thinking there had been a mistake. I didn’t believe Mom would abandon me to strangers. Then one night, I realized she wasn’t ever coming back. I learned the truth about love. Mom had loved Dad so much she would never have thought about leaving him. She betrayed me for my father and that’s when I learned love only leads to betrayal.”
Tears were welling in Celeste’s eyes. She could see what had happened being played out in the shadows of Adam’s mind. No wonder he has to be in control, she thought. As a child, he had never been able to save himself. He had no choice but to live in the hell his family made for him. Then as he grieved for a mother not worthy of his heart, he had been shipped from one foster family to the next.
She slid out of the bed and went to him. He stiffened as her arms wrapped around his waist. He was startled to feel her wet cheeks rest against his back.
“Don’t waste your tears on me, Celeste. There are thousands of people out in the world who have had worse lives than me. I’ve managed to overcome my beginnings. That’s all that’s important.”
“But you can’t forget your past. You live with those memories every day.”
“Those memories are what made me what I am. I would never get rid of them because they tell me I can only trust myself. Everyone is out to get something.” He stopped Celeste’s protest. “Yes, Celeste. Everyone, even you, will try to get something from me.”
Celeste couldn’t deny that. She had used him for the power she needed to stop Tomas. That didn’t mean she didn’t care for him. In fact, Celeste knew she was in danger of falling in love with him. Oh hell, she thought to herself, I might as well admit I already do love him. My heart is going to be bleeding after this one leaves me.
She pressed her soft lips to his warm back. She turned him to face her. Reaching up, she held his face in her hands and gently whispered a kiss across his lips. Pressing her lips to his chest over his heart, she felt it pound with a heavy beat. She wrapped his body in her arms and tried to comfort him.
Adam pushed her away. He stalked to the bed and sat down. “Why won’t you leave? I really don’t want you here.”
“Ah, sometimes we don’t get what we want.” The rest of Celeste’s clothes faded away. She parted Adam’s legs and knelt between them. She was going to make this loving slow and gentle to ease the pain hiding inside of Adam’s heart. She knew part of it was her nature. As a used-to-be angel, she didn’t like to see anyone suffer. But Celeste knew that wasn’t the entire reason why she needed to feel Adam inside her that night. She knew she loved him. He had managed to break the protective layer around her heart, and because of that, she would do anything to make him happy.
She slid her hands up his thighs. Cupping his balls gently, she squeezed them as she stroked his cock with her other hand.
He leaned back on his elbows. A quiet part of Adam’s mind told him not to allow her to do this to him. He knew Celeste was slowly taking over more and more of his soul. The more time they spent together, the more it was going to hurt when she chose to leave him. He groaned softly as her full lips circled his cock and slid down his length. “Don’t do this, Celeste.”
“Don’t think, Adam. Forget everything else for a while. Focus on me and what I’m doing.” Her voice was soft and smooth.
“What you’re doing is driving me crazy.” He moaned.
She laughed. He could feel her smile wrap around his cock. Her mouth felt like warm silk massaging his aching dick. He tried to keep a distance between them. He tried to remember she was doing this out of pity. Celeste didn’t really love him. Then the slow, hard suction of her mouth seemed to suck all the thoughts from his head. It didn’t matter whether she was doing this because she loved him or pitied him. He was just going to enjoy it.
He tangled his hands in her hair and thrust his hips up. He wanted to take control and fuck her mouth hard and fast. Celeste was surprisingly strong. She pushed his hips back to the bed and slowed her movements.
His protest got stuck in his throat as her mouth slid from his cock and licked his balls. She made her way up his body, teasing him with gentle bites, wet kisses and teasing licks.
Each move Celeste made was deliberate. She helped Adam lie back on the bed then she made her way down from his forehead to his feet, taking nips and sucks along the way. She took control of the lovemaking. He started to reach for her. She pushed his hands to the bed and shook her head.
“No touching. Let me do the work this time, Adam,” her voice whispered seductively in the dark.
He didn’t protest as she straddled his hips. Taking him into her hand, she lowered herself onto him. He couldn’t keep from moaning as her moist heat enveloped his cock. Adam had never had a lover be so gentle. Usually, he was only interested in fucking the woman and leaving as soon as possible. The silken slide of his cock in and out of her pussy started a pressure building in his head. He longed to grab her hips and start plunging into her, but he savored giving up control to the beautiful woman riding him.
Celeste arched her back, pushing her breasts out. Cupping them with her hands, she stroked and tweaked her nipples. Leaning forward, she gripped his shoulders and pushed her nipple into his mouth. He latched on and sucked hard. Throwing her head back, she gave a little cry. Adam used his teeth and his tongue to drive her higher.
He couldn’t seem to get deep enough inside her. She wasn’t going down far enough. Finally, his self-control broke and he grabbed her hips with his hands. Leaving bruises where his fingers gripped her, he slammed her down on him. The time for gentleness was over, he needed to come and he wanted her to be right there with him when he did.
He yelled as the pressure exploded in his head. He faintly heard Celeste scream as she came. As his muscles relaxed and he slid willingly into sleep, he heard Celeste whisper, “Goodbye.”
* * * *
Celeste opened her apartment door with a sigh. It had been a long twenty-four hours. She should have been relaxed after the lovemaking session with Adam, but she just felt discouraged and sad. By the Power, her heart was a fickle thing. No matter how many times she had told herself she wouldn’t fall in love, here she was again. Caught up in the middle of a heartbreak without any way of saving herself.
“Look what the cat dragged in,” a warm voice spoke up from the living room.
Celeste looked up to see William standing in the middle of the room, his arms crossed over his chest. She moved slowly towards him. Holding open his arms, he pulled her to him and she rested her forehead against his thick chest. He made soothing sounds in his throat as he stroked her hair.
William felt moisture seep through his shirt to his skin. He pulled back from Celeste and found her blue eyes filling with tears. “Come now, Celeste. What’s this? I haven’t seen you cry since we realized we weren’t going back to Heaven. What’s happened?”
“Nothing. I’m tired. I need to go take a shower.” Celeste w
iped the tears from her cheeks and started to walk towards her bedroom. With a puzzled frown she turned back to him. “What are you doing here?”
“I had a visit from our friendly pain in the ass. He said you might need my help with a problem.” William walked to her and tipped her chin up with his finger. He whispered a gentle kiss on her cheek. “I see that Mika’il was right. You do need my help. You are more than just tired, my angel. You are heartsick. Want to tell me what’s wrong?”
Celeste shook her head. “No. It doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things. I’ll get over it. Let me take a shower and sleep for a little while. Then we can start looking for Tomas.”
“So it is Tomas. I was wondering when the slippery son-of-a-bitch was going to show his face again.” Grimacing, William pushed Celeste down the hall. “Go and clean up. When you get out of the shower, you can bring me up to date and then take a nap.”
“What will you do while I’m napping?” Celeste asked suspiciously.
“I’ll be doing what I do best. I’ll start gathering information.”
Celeste didn’t argue. She went into the bathroom and shut the door. There had been few moments in her life when she could let down her guard, but with William here, she could relax. He could take care of himself. Climbing under the hot water, she allowed the moist heat to surround her.
William waited until he heard the shower start then he headed to the kitchen. He had visited Celeste several times over the years she had lived in Detroit and he was as familiar with her apartment as he was with his. He was humming softly to himself when the phone rang.
“Hello.”
A tense silence came over the line. “Who is this?”
“Depends on who you were calling and who’s asking the question.” William continued to make breakfast.
“I need to talk to Celeste now.” There was an order buried in the word.
William could feel the anger start to build in the man on the other end of the line. “She’s busy at the moment. Can I take a message?”
“Who the hell are you?” There was an unsure tone in the man’s voice.
“I’m William. I’m a good friend of Celeste’s.” He could almost hear the caller grinding his teeth.
“Tell her Adam called.” Adam slammed down the phone.
William hung up and shrugged. Boy, was that guy tense. He continued to make breakfast while waiting for Celeste to get out of the shower. Twenty minutes later, the door opened and Celeste came out. Her black nightie barely reached her thighs. He gestured to the table where a plate full of eggs and toast sat. She smiled and picked up a piece of bacon.
“If I was so inclined, Celeste, you would find me hard pressed to keep my hands off you.” William grinned at her.
Celeste didn’t even glance at him. She shoveled the food in.
“How long since you’ve eaten, angel?” William leaned against the counter and watched her.
“I don’t remember,” she muttered.
“Hey, some guy named Adam called while you were in the shower and by the way he sounded, I think he’ll be showing up just about now.”
CHAPTER NINE
A pounding sounded on the door. William motioned for Celeste to stay seated. He sauntered to the door and opened it just as Adam was raising his fist to pound again.
Reaching out, William grabbed Adam’s arm and jerked him in the room. “Don’t you have any respect for the other people in this building? They could probably feel you knocking through their doors.”
Adam yanked his arm out of William’s grip and looked around. He saw the dark-haired man point to the kitchen. Stalking over, he found his anger growing. It exploded when he found Celeste calmly eating breakfast wearing a see-through nightie and a just gotten out of bed look.
“Damn, Celeste. You fuck me unconscious, then run home to fuck some other guy.” He could feel his hands trembling.
Celeste didn’t react to him. She kept on eating. William chuckled.
“I’m not just ‘some guy.’ I happen to be very important to her.”
Celeste glared at him. You aren’t making this better by acting like that.
William quirked an eyebrow at her. Angel, he certainly acts like he owns you.
Adam whirled around to face William. “Who the hell are you really?”
“My name is William Bradford. I am one of Celeste’s oldest friends.” William bowed slightly.
Adam ran a hand through his hair. “Hell, you’re one of them, aren’t you?”
“One of them?”
“A fallen angel.”
William shrugged. “I really no longer think of myself as anything.”
“You’re not a fallen angel?”
“Yes, I am, but I am also an Enforcer.” William rubbed his hand over the mark on his chest. “To be honest, though, I try not to involve myself in any of the petty squabbles going on between our brethren.”
“Then why are you here?” He moved to stand beside Celeste. He placed a hand on her shoulder, a silent signal to William that he claimed her.
Celeste didn’t move to shrug off the hand. It wasn’t worth the energy to fight him over this. She could feel her power drain from her. William pushed Adam out of the way in time to catch Celeste as she toppled over.
Lifting her in his arms, he told Adam, “Stay there. I’ll be back and explain some things to you.” William headed off down the hall to Celeste’s room.
Adam wanted to follow, but understood that he didn’t have the right to do that. He didn’t really have any rights at all when it came to Celeste. He prowled around Celeste’s living room while he waited.
“All right, Adam.” William joined him. “Do you want to hit me now or talk like civilized people about this whole thing?”
“There’s nothing to talk about. Celeste doesn’t owe me any explanation. What she does when she isn’t with me is none of my business.”
“Now you say something like that. Why didn’t you say it while she was awake and could hear you? Not that it matters. Even if you had every right to yell and stomp about, you shouldn’t do it. Not with Celeste. Don’t cling to her or she’ll run.” William waved Adam to the couch. “Sit down. Get me up to speed about Tomas. We need to catch him soon or we’ll be in big trouble.”
“If you don’t consider yourself a fallen or an Enforcer, why the hell are you even here?” Adam demanded.
William sighed. “A mutual friend suggested that Celeste might need some help. Since she is my only friend in this God-forsaken world, I decided to heed his warning and come for a visit. Just in time, too.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“She’s running herself to exhaustion. She’s dealing with you and trying to get a lead on Tomas at the same time. I have never understood this attachment she has to mortals.”
“You don’t have any human friends?”
“I only use mortals for one thing and it isn’t friendship. So tell me, what do you know about Tomas so far?”
“He picks the women up at the hockey games.”
“Hmmm … there’s a game tonight. I wonder if he’ll kill again. How far apart has he been killing?”
“Every three or four days from what we can find out. It doesn’t help that the Wings have been playing at home a lot.”
William didn’t answer. He stared out the window, thinking about something. “Even if you two fucked like bunnies all day, Celeste isn’t going to be up to full strength by tonight. I guess I’ll be the one out gathering clues.”
“Full strength?” Adam was puzzled. They had mind-blowing sex last night. Why didn’t she gather power then?
“Why do you think she collapsed a few minutes ago? She ran out.”
“But last night…”
“Her mind must have been on something other than gathering power. And that’s why she needs me here. You’re distracting her. Why don’t you go home for a while? She’ll be up in a couple hours. Then come and get her. Take her out for a relaxing afternoon. Try
and keep her mind off of Tomas. I’ll be out looking around.”
Adam started to head for the door. Stopping, he turned around to ask something. Then he shook his head and turned back towards the door. Standing, William had a smile on his face.
“Go ahead and ask. But are you sure you want to hear the answer?”
Facing the door, Adam took a deep breath. He wasn’t sure he could bring himself to ask.
“No, we haven’t. And we never will.” William’s voice was filled with understanding. “Celeste is my dearest friend and the only one I’ll ever trust. I won’t destroy that connection by turning it into a physical one.”
Adam nodded in thanks and left.
William sighed. He checked on Celeste once more. She was sleeping soundly. Leaving a note on the kitchen table, he left to go in search of a fallen angel.
* * * *
Two hours later, Celeste had just finished lunch when another knock sounded on her door. This time there wasn’t any anger in the sound. She opened it to find Adam leaning casually on the doorjamb. He looked good enough to eat, she thought. In tight faded blue jeans and a white t-shirt, he seemed more rested. She had to fight the urge to pull him inside and run her hands all over his naked body. She grinned at him.
Adam knew what she was thinking. She could see the lust burning in his eyes. He shook his head. Disappointment ran through her.
“Grab a jacket. I’m kidnapping you.”
“Really? And where are you taking me?”
“You’ll just have to wait and see.” He smirked at her. Helping her with her jacket, he let his hands caress her shoulders.
“It’s a surprise, huh?” She shut the door behind her. Following him to his truck, she mentally wiped the drool off her chin. The man had an ass she would love to lick chocolate off of. She backed off from those thoughts. She had the feeling Adam was trying to help her relax and having lustful thoughts wasn’t going to help lower her heart rate.
His hand brushed her breast as he helped her into the truck. It took all her will power not to grab his hand and cup it around her breast. She was disgusted with herself. She couldn’t even go five minutes without thinking some kind of sexual thought about this man. She was going to have to do better.
Fallen: Celeste Page 6