Forbidden Fruit

Chapter 7: Admissions & Secrets

Chloe's POV

I never got an answer to my question, and I'm not sure I really expected one.

My aunt ended up making some cookies as Thomas and I kept her company in the kitchen and picked her brain on what she knew in the area. I'm only half paying attention to the conversation, my mind preoccupied with the wistful expression of that stranger who believes he's entitled to my everything.

My stomach churns at the thought, panic bubbling in my stomach and attaching itself to my heart as it goes to face out of my chest. My breathing escalates and I find myself struggling calm down.

I close my eyes and count backwards was ten and recite my mantra to myself. My heart is beating, my love is mine, everything else will be just fine.

But somehow it doesn't comfort me like it usually does.

After a few hours of procrastinating and hanging around my growingly annoyed aunt, the sun finally starts to peak over the horizon, spreading beautiful streaks of pinks and oranges across the skies as the world awakens. And sadly, it's my que. Thomas and I get ready to leave after I coyly avoided his pointed gaze for thirty minutes, caving when my aunt loudly mentioned she hasn't gotten rest tonight yet. Knowing I can't hide from the world forever, I head towards the door, my Aunt Venessa grabbing me in for a hug before I go to leave. She leaves back with a sad smile on her faces her hands coming up to cup my cheeks softly, her gaze soft, almost heartbroken.

"Kid you have so much love to give, and I would love if you found someone that was worth it. Don't give up on what could be the greatest adventure of your entire life because of pride and stubbornness. That's the way of foolish men, and I refuse to let you be one of them. Follow your gut, but most importantly your heart. You're always welcome here, kiddo." She tells me with warm eyes and I draw her in for another hug.

She can be a bit of a hard ass, and even a little bitch at times, but most of all and most importantly, she's the only one I trust to accept me for the train wreck I am.

"Thanks, Nessie." I tell her, using the age old nickname I gave her before I could stuff her full name into a tiny mouth.

She sticks her tongue out at me before waving at Thomas and closing the door, the lights shutting off inside only moments later. Thomas and I walk along the streets, slowly making our way towards Revelia's' western border, traveling the main roads between regions the easiest way to get around. When we reach the road entrance we kick our speed up into high gear, racing through the barely lit roads as more and more Supers pass us by, probably going to work, the start of the morning rush.

By the time we get back to the Diamond Row in the PD, the most high value neighbor in the massive region, it'll be almost seven.

I'm usually already sleeping soundly in bed, but with regret I remember that I can't exactly just go to my room as soon as we arrive, Chandler probably waiting for our report and check in even now. The reminder draws me up short as I realize that I didn't get much information tonight, some things here and there, but I was completely distracted by that man. My Chain. And I failed to listen in to the gossip that my aunt passed down to Thomas.

I'm coming back empty handed.

I've never done that before and dk do it now feels like a failure. After Thomas saves me from some thugs two hundred years ago, give it take, I begged him to bring me to his boss and friend, Chandler, the Incubus-Angel Hybrid that has a spy network hell bent on right the wrongs of the hypocritical disgraced society.

He had no proof I would be any use to him, we had only spoken for a few minutes, he wouldn't have gained or lost anything either way. And still.

Still he chose to choose me, to accept me into his network, into his place of business and home and gave me my own all in one fell swoop. Company, companionship and comfort, all things that I had been ceaselessly chasing since the beginning of time. They were all offered on a silver platter with only the promise of work and loyalty as payment. Never being able to truly articulate feelings of my gratitude and debt, I always did what I could to do everything he asked of me. Even things he didn't.