Divergent souls || 2

Twenty three

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE ⇆ ANGELINA
I definitely kept out a lot of details of that story.
Like when it happened, how it did, and why it initially started for that matter.

But currently, Rowan looked like he'd love to punch something, which I didn't understand, "What's wrong?" I find myself asking when he doesn't offer an explanation.

He looks up from his spot on the couch, "What's not?" My brows furrow further at his response, "You really don't see something wrong with what you just said?" He adds, anger lacing his voice.

I narrow my eyes then shrug, nonchalantly lifting a shoulder, "Well, yes but it's not as awful as you make it appear." I insist, frustration building up in my stomach, "He fucking raped you, and you're not calling it awful?" He snarls, his voice rising.

My expression falls, "No." I choke out, "No what? He—fucked you in your sleep, Angelina, there's no more beautiful way to word it, it's fucked up like this, that's how rape usually is." He explains with disgust filling his features.

I shake my head, repeatedly, "Rape is when you don't give your consent, I gave mine, we were in a relationship, Rowan." I shoot back, not liking where this is going or the way my stomach is flipping.

"Jesus fucking Christ, so you see nothing wrong with What he used to do?" He asks, voice still laced with anger he's trying to suppress but failing, "No he is wrong, completely wrong, but it wasn't...rape." My words end in a whisper as I recall our moments together, every single shitty one of them.

"What do you call it?" His eyes soften in...realization? I really have no idea, "It's just not rape." I insist, but my voice is weak, unheard, was it rape? The possibility makes my throat clamp shut.

"I understand how hard that might be to grasp, it's okay." His voice lowers to a soothing tone, and I shake my head when I find his expression softening further, "I don't need this, your comfort or assurance, I'm perfectly fine, don't look at me like I'm broken or something." My words are loud, showing anger i Barely show.

His brows rise, in shock, "You're not fucking broken, just so that I'm treating you like a human being doesn't mean that you're broken." He snarls, looking like he's done with my shit, his words actually earn a laugh from me.

A genuine one, it rambles on as if I'm not able to stop it for a while, he smiles, so wide and bright it's blinding, then reaches out and tucks a strand of my hair behind my back.

"You can't just ignore what I told you." He protests, voice and eyes hard, I gulp, "Im fine anyway, why does it matter?" It'll just hurt more if such a realization settles in my mind.

"You won't die if you're not 'fine' Angelina, you don't have to be constantly sobbing or crying to not be fine, the fact that you barely smile is one that can play on my radar at the moment." I glare.

"I just don't smile in your presence." I let out almost instantly, his smile widens, "You only smile in my presence, it's time to stop denying it, Angel." He emphasizes the nickname and i nudge his shoulder playfully.

I'm trying to enjoy this while it lasts, cause when we go back to LA everything will be back to the normal, or even shittier since we'll discuss the main issue regarding us. The fucking wound we've suppressed for years, one I'm trying to heal, I doubt that will happen when I get closure.

It'll be more painful I can feel it coming.

So I won't push him now, I'll try to enjoy every single moment, since it's a matter of days before those moments vanish, my thoughts continue wandering back to what Rowan just said.

And when I look back at him I find his eyes on me, "What do you want me to do?" He asks, almost as if he's reading my goddamn mind, "I just don't want him in my life." I know that Rowan can help, but I don't want him hurt or even involved, so keeping Nicholas away from me is all I'm asking him for.

He has connections to...people, I've always known that part of him that I tried to ignore, people like the fucking mafia, Elias and Silas knew them too, it was all due to our parents' jobs, businessmen included dirty work a lot of the time.

"I know some people, they can find the location of that number, threaten him or something, one of them is a hacker, a smart one." He says after a long beat, I nod welcomingly, "He's probably around here, with the other two I think, they usually travel a lot for work." He adds, "In New York you mean?" I ask.

"Yes, but I'll make sure, if so, we can meet him tomorrow, we need to put an end to this." He says forcefully and i relax in my seat, absorbing his words, "Do you think he's stalking me?" I whisper in horror, terror fills my bones, Rowan turns, "I don't know." He admits.

Gritting his teeth as his jaw ticks, "You're okay, you're with me, Angelina, that's all I know, no one will come near you while I'm here, that I'm sure of." He assures, eyes filled with emotions, "Thank you." I swallow.

He smiles, or more like smirks I can't decide, "Don't thank me for protecting you, Angel, you've always been my property to protect." He ruins the moment just like that and my glare thickens again, "I was never your property, and I'm not going to start being." I shoot back fiercely.

"I bet if you know that this look of yours, that feral look is one that makes my cock hard, you definitely would be more soft with me." He says so smoothly I choke on my next breath, glaring uncontrollably at him.

"Just like that." He adds in a raspy tone and heat pools through my stomach, "I'm not your property, Rowan." I insist, not being tricked with the topic switch one bit.

"No you're not, you're my girl, my woman, always have been, and..." he leans in, his hot breath falling on my neck as I suck in a breath, "Always will be, always mine, Angelina." The way he says my name makes shivers run down my back.

It's no surprise that Rowan knows his way through sex professionally almost, but that man's mouth is fucking filthy, and the thing is, the only effect it had on me is that it just made me wetter, hotter, and aching for so much more.

"Rowan." I breathe out, his eyes flit to my lips moment before he devours me whole, and the thing is, I just melt in his hold and trust him to catch me when I fall apart.

Knowing that he will.

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