RUINING ANGEL (9 page)

‘Of course that’s a yes!’ she squeals, laughing in delight.

‘You had me going for a minute. Here, give me your finger.’ Shyly she offers her hand to me so I can slide the ring on her finger. Her eyes remain transfixed on it as it slides on easily.

‘So, do you like it?’ I ask.

‘It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.’ She marvels at the way the diamonds sparkle in the candle light, turning her hand this way and that to admire her ring.

‘I think you’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Do you know why I picked this?’ I ask, nodding towards the ring. She shakes her head, no.

‘Because it looks like a snowflake. You know what they say about snowflakes? No one pattern of a snowflake is ever the same. Each one is original, unable to be copied or replicated. That’s how I see you Bailey, you’re my snowflake. Nothing could ever compare to you.’

A big tear slips from the corner of her eye and her lip starts to tremble.

‘I love you so much, Angel,’ she whispers.

I smile. Those words have never sounded so damn good.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN – Time

Coming home to Thurmont after our honeymoon is a little bittersweet. I’ve become accustomed to life with Bailey in Astoria, even though we did not share a public relationship there. Settling into routine gave the illusion that our life together had already started. It hadn’t. It’s barely begun. When we packed up house to head off on our honeymoon, I really wanted to just leave under the cloak of darkness and tell no one that we were gone. Bailey had other ideas.

It’s hard to stay mad at her, but this friendships she insists on keeping with Carron makes me want to hurl bricks against a wall. I empathize with the guy – I really do! But she’s fucking mine! I’ve had to wait this long to have her all to myself and I don’t want to share her with anyone. Is that so wrong?

She told him we were leaving. He wasn’t impressed. I can only guess what his thoughts are on our relationship, but to give him credit, he’s held his tongue so far. Just as well. I would have had something to say about it if he’d opened his mouth.

We’ve moved back into my cabin, the laborer I hired has moved off-site and is renting a room in a share house not too far from here. For the time being, I’m leaving him to run the business while I take the time to do my physical therapy, working on building the muscles back up in my leg. I’m exercising now, while Bailey reads a book on the couch. It’s hard not to be distracted by her, my will power wavering when she looks up from her book and straight into my eyes. While I do leg raises on the rug, she lets her eyes trail down my body, lingering on my stomach muscles as I repeat the exercises.

‘Hey,’ I say.

‘Hmm.’ She’s putting the book down next to her. I’m in trouble, my favorite kind of trouble.

‘Whatchya doin’?’

‘Admiring your body.’

‘Do you like what you see?’

‘Definitely.’ She prowls towards me, graceful in her movements as she slinks across the wooden floorboards. As she nears I become still except for my chest which rises and falls with my quick breaths. There is contemplation before she steps over me and sits down on my stomach.

‘Ugh, you weigh a ton! What have you been eating, anyway?’ I jibe. Teasing Bailey is a lot of fun; she always rises to the bait.

‘I do not!’ she cries indignantly. It only makes me laugh all the more, which earns me a punch in the arm.

‘No fair! You can’t beat up an injured man.’

‘Can too if you say stuff like that. Besides, you’re not injured anymore, you’ve recovered nicely.’

‘True … I guess that’s why I can now do this,’ I say as I push her off me and onto the rug before rolling over to sit on top of her.

‘Let me up!’ she squeals.

‘Nope.’ Crossing my arms over my chest, I show her I mean business.

‘Angel! Let me up.’ She’s giggling, clearly having fun with our little game.

‘Okay … but first, I think you need to laugh more. A little tickle should do the trick.’ My fingers find her ribs and I start to tickle the shit out of her. She’s wriggling, bucking and squealing for all she’s worth, but I won’t let her off so easily.

Tears stream down her face as she screams with laughter. I’m enjoying every single bit of her writhing beneath me. I’m starting to get turned on.

‘Stop, stop, stop,’ she begs. ‘Seriously, Angel, I think I heard something.’

‘You’re just saying that so I’ll get off you,’ I chastise, ceasing the tickling, now pinning her arms above her head.

‘I’m not, promise.’ Her chest is heaving, the rise and fall of her breasts tempting me to pay them some attention. I duck down to kiss her lips, slowly probing open her mouth with my tongue. She willingly accepts me, a little sigh coming from her parted lips as hot breath trails my jaw.

There is no lessening of my grip on her arms while my mouth assaults her. She is exactly where I want her and I’m not letting her up yet. My teeth graze her neck, leaving little nips as I make my way down towards her breasts. She has a tank top on, but no bra.

With both hands busy restraining her, I let my teeth bite her nipples through her shirt. They immediately stand to attention, eager that I am paying them service.

A contented sigh escapes her lips, which draws my attention back to her mouth. Firmly pressing my lips back to hers, I just about drown us both as we go under the wave of bliss. Between our clothes, my erection pushes up hard against her pussy. My dick knows what’s on offer beneath her panties. I thrust against her, my intention very clear. While my tongue is in her mouth, I’m startled out of my passion fuelled deafness. The front door is being opened and I have no way of getting off the floor in time to prepare for their entrance.

Both Bailey and I swivel our heads in the direction of the door. As it creaks open, mom and dad come into view, the wooded forest behind them a beautiful backdrop for their disappointment. I think they are just as stunned as what we are. Mom seems a little more composed than dad does, but not by much.

‘What in God’s name is going on in here?’ roars dad. I struggle to roll off Bailey and right myself, my leg leaving me at a complete disadvantage to get up fast enough. I’ve only seen him really angry a few times in my life, but this seems like it’s going to be way worse. His face is turning a wonderful shade of puce and thunderclouds seem to be rolling across his eyes. Mom’s lips are pursed tightly, although it seems like she’s more worried about what our dad’s reaction is going to be than her own. Bailey helps me to my feet and we face the firing squad.

‘Ah …’ There is nothing that I can offer him that will make what was happening here look any better than what it was. Busted is an understatement. Dad would have had a better chance missing the sight of a monkey growing off a donkey’s ass than he would have seeing us two together.

‘Bailey? Emmett?’ I know anything we say won’t be received well, but the time for avoidance has come and gone.

‘I love her,’ I offer.

‘You don’t know what love is!’ dad roars.

‘I do.’

‘She’s your goddamn sister for heaven’s sakes!’

‘It doesn’t matter. I love her.’

‘I won’t allow it.’

‘It’s too late for that.’

‘What the fuck are you talking about?’

‘We got married.’

‘You did what?’ His voice is like a bird set free in my cabin, a big screech letting loose from his lips.

‘We got married,’ I repeat quietly.

‘You can’t marry your sister.’

‘I don’t see her as my sister.’

‘Are you kidding me? We brought you into our home, loved you, cared for you, treated you like you were our own flesh and blood, and you think this is acceptable?’

‘Don’t make me out to be the bad guy here,’ I spit. Mom and Bailey stand stoically behind us while dad and I have it out. He’s right. He has always treated me like his son. Loved me like a son.

Problem is, Bailey and I have always just been friends. We were just lucky enough to see each other every day and share the same parents.

‘No? So who’s to blame? No one?’

‘Blame is for guilty people. I have nothing to feel guilty about!’

I’m about to snap, but I reign in my temper for the ladies sake.

‘Like hell you do, son.’

‘Do you remember when you and mom first came to pick me up from my foster mom’s house?’ Dad looks like I just slapped him across the face, but the anger dissipates as he unwilling lets his mind drift back.

‘Of course I do,’ he says softly.

‘And do you remember what you and mom asked me?’ He’s silent for a minute, recalling the conversation in his mind.

‘She asked if you’d like a sister.’ His voice is barely audible.

‘She did. Do you remember what I said?’

‘Yes.’

Sorrow seems to be replacing the anger. I almost wish for the angry man to come back, because the sadness he now holds shows his disappointment in me. I never wanted to let my parents down, but Bailey has to come first. We both know we can’t live without each other. So if it means ruining my relationship with my parents, damn it, I’ll fucking do it.

‘I said I never had a sister before.’

‘I asked if you’d like a friend instead.’

‘You did.’

‘But I never meant it so literally!’ He’s fuming. Understandably so.

‘Dad?’ Bailey’s quiet voice behind me demands her father’s attention, but he can barely look at her. ‘Please dad, look at me.’

The air is so thick with tension you could cut it with a knife. Like a trip to death row, his eyes move slowly, trying to avoid the inevitable. They don’t ever reach her face. Instead he focuses on her hands that she’s wringing in front of her.

‘Daddy?’

‘Don’t say that, it’s obvious that little girl is long gone,’ he says harshly.

‘Dad!’ she sobs. It’s taking all of my strength not to comfort her right now. That will only make things worse. Instead I root myself to the ground and watch my brave Bailey. Finally, he looks into her eyes.

‘I’m still the same person, Emmett is still the same person. We both are still the same people that you’ve loved all these years.

This doesn’t change anything. Just because we see each other differently doesn’t mean that you have to. Nothing’s changed,’ she pleads.

He looks at Bailey with finality.

‘I’ve changed. In this instant, I’ve changed. I don’t think I can ever look at you two the same way again. I feel like I have no children, or at least, I never really knew them.’ He turns on his heel and walks out the door, leaving mom standing alone on our doorstep.

Behind me a cry catches in the back of Bailey’s throat and I turn to comfort her, wrapping my big arms around her frame. While Bailey sobs into my chest, mom stares me down.

‘You know, Emmett, I’ve kept this secret for as long as I could.

Pretending that I didn’t know about what was happening right under my nose. In my house. I won’t judge either of you, but I’m not about to say it’s right – what you’ve both done I mean. I know as much as I have loved you like my own flesh and blood, I have always seen that yours and Bailey’s relationship was very different.

It’s not up to me to make things right with your dad. But give it time dear, I’m sure there’s hope for the future.’ There is no anger or malice in her voice, just recognition of facts. She starts to leave, joining my dad in making a hasty retreat from their unexpected visit.

‘Mom!’ I call after her. She stops and turns before the door closes on us.

‘Thank you.’ I mean it. It’s heartfelt. I know there’s nothing that can make this okay – especially right now. But I will always keep hoping that my family will get back to a point where we can trust each other again.

She nods, closing the door gently behind her.

I can hear the engine start up, tires spinning wildly on the gravel as dad navigates a speedy departure. There is part of me that feels like a little bit of my heart just went out the door with them when they left. It’s painful. The agony over losing a parent hasn’t been fresh in my mind for a long time. I want so badly to believe that they’ll come around, but I’m going to have to accept the fact that I may very well have lost them for good.

Rubbing Bailey’s back and shushing her while she cries her tears of sadness I wonder, if we were to go back to the beginning, if I would do it all over again.

Bailey looks up from where she’s been crying against my chest and that’s all the confirmation I need. This woman was definitely worth all of it. Every single bit of heartache, pain, tears, despair, and sorrow, because the good parts far out-weigh the bad.

I realize right now, I’d do it all again in a heartbeat.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN – Happy Ever After?

It’s spring. All the wild flowers are in full bloom and, even to my eyes, it looks beautiful. I pick my way through the dense woods carefully, the path unused for such a long time. The more I fight through the overgrown brush, the more my jeans cling to my legs. I roll my shirt sleeves up so that I can get a bit of air to my skin, allowing the sweat to cool.

Even after all this time my leg still plays up but, for the most part, it works as well as can be expected. I can’t bend it like I used to, but I’m alive. I’m here. Funny thing about life, sometimes when you’re living in hell, heaven’s just around the corner waiting to open up its doors and welcome you.

I’ve learned a lot. Never give up, always have hope. When you feel in your gut that you need to do something, fucking do it. Even if it doesn’t make sense, do it. There are so many times I’ve regretted the years when I pushed Bailey away. I wish I’d have listened to her, to my gut, and taken her away with me. But I put those thoughts aside. I have what I want. I have what I desired. She’s right here with me – for life.

Turning around, I spy her trailing a ways off behind me. She has a pretty blue sundress on that makes her eyes stand out. It flows down her body, all the way to her ankles where her sandals cover her feet.

My heart flutters just a little, eager for her to catch up to me.

‘You coming?’ I yell. She looks up, showing a big grin, as she picks some more flowers before she runs up to join me.

‘Always,’ she says taking my hand.