Angels, Pop Stars, and...More Spies? Oh My!

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

"Ember, would you care to explain what the hell happened tonight? I get a call from the LAPD saying that my daughter and her 'friend' have been taken into custody..."

I sat in the passenger's seat of President McGallen's car, my hands clasped in my lap and my eyes adverted. In the back seat, Ariana slept soundly. The car reeked of Febreeze and alcohol. I sighed before speaking.

"We were being tailed on the way back from Intensity. I tried to loose the tailer because he was shooting at me. A high-speed chase broke out. Then we were caught by the LAPD."

President McGallen's hands clutched the steering wheel of the Cadillac Escalade in a white kunckled grip. As he made a turn, the rubber wheels screeched over the road. He never drives this fast. He's more than mad. He's furious. He hadn't even bothered to get dressed into normal clothes. In cotton pajama pants and a threadbare gray t-shirt, he looked like he had rolled out of bed...which he probably had. The clock on the dash read 3:30 AM.

"Is that all that happened? Don't lie to me, Ember."

I looked up and saw him watching me in the mirror. His blue eyes met my green ones. I sighed.

"Yes." I lied.

He brought his attention back to the road, turning down our street. Shortly after, we were in the driveway of the McGallen's mansion. I unbuckled and placed my hand on the door handle. President McGallen's hand wrapped around my forearm. I glanced over my shoulder at him. He looked absolutely, one hundred percent exhausted. Poor guy. I felt bad.

"Okay. I believe you. I trust you on this. Now go see Joshua. He's been worried sick all night and refuses to leave your bedroom."

I nodded as he let go of my forearm. President McGallen carried Ariana inside and went upstairs to go get her washed up. Margaret met us at the door, wearing a silk robe and a worried expression. When she saw me, she wrapped me in a hug. I couldn't help myself from hugging her back. She smelled like her lavender perfume. I pulled away first.

"There you two are. We've been worried so much about you girls. I was actually going to call the police department to file a missing persons report when Joshua came back and told Andy and I you two hadn't shown up."

She smiled slightly. I gave her a small smile back, yawning. She let me go, attending to President McGallen and a passed out Ariana. Her dress still had dried puke all over the front. I'll go get my car from the police station tomorrow. That'll be a hell of a time cleaning that up. I walked upstairs sluggishly and opened the door to my room. Almost immediatley, I was wrapped in Joshua's familiar embrace. He buried his face in my hair, murmuring against my head. I buried my face into his shoulder and closed the door with my foot.

"Ember. Oh, Ember, I was so worried. When I didn't see you at the Walk of Fame..."

I shushed him, pulling away slightly. He gazed down into my face. I forced a small smile. He smiled, kissing me softly. I kissed him back. Home. He pulled away all too soon, ordering me to, quote, "strip down and get into bed." I smiled. Even at three in the morning, Joshua finds some way to be funny. I love him. After "stripping down" (as Joshua so delicately put it), I climbed into bed next to him. The lights shut off on their own. I leave them on a timer sometimes. Joshua spooned me, his arm wrapped tightly around me and his lips brushing the back of my neck. I sighed, content.

"Ember, what'a really going on? You've been different lately. And don't give me that 'it's a secret' bullshit."

I sighed, turning to face him. His face was inches from mine but I could still see his cobalt gray eyes in the minimal light flowing in through the curtain. I brushed the side of his face with my hand. He smiled, placing a hand over mine and kissing my palm. I can trust him. I would trust him with my life. So, I explained what happened in full detail. I explained to him about the ACE. My sorta-mission. Everything. I knew the CIA would be upset if they ever found out I told him my mission details. Technically, Joshua is still a civilian since he doesn't work for the CIA. But he's Joshua. And my boyfriend. I finished telling him my story and he nodded.

"Well, that's a whole mess, isn't it?"

I nodded, biting my lip. He watched me as he pondered on a way to process the information. I waited.

"Do...do you need any help? Wait, before you go off on me, hear me out, okay?"

I opened my mouth to protest but nodded, closing it.

"Thank you. It's a large case, Ember. You can't handle this alone. You need help. Who can you trust more than me? Garret and Addison are off on a mission. My dad is already in danger just being the President. Skylar is an asshole. Preston is only five-no, scratch that, six. Ariana is busy with her career taking off."

I nodded, seeing his point. If I was going to choose someone, it would be him. I mean, come on. I'm lying with him in my bed, wearing nothing but an old ratty bra and panties. He's wearing boxers and a cotton t-shirt. But, if it becomes too dangerous, I don't want him getting hurt. Or, worse...

"Joshua-"

"Ember, no. I know what you're going to say. I don't care how dangerous it is. I love you and I want to help you. Jonathan will understand if he finds out. He's not a complete asshole, you know?"

I chuckled, placing a kiss on his perfect lips. He kissed me back.

"I love you, Joshua Gabriel McGallen." I whispered.

"I love you too, Ember Rosemarie Rhinehart. I love you more than anything and anyone I've ever met."

I smiled as I curled into his warmth, engulfed in his scent. I fell asleep with a smile on my face, dreaming of the day I would become Joshua's wife. My perfect wedding. The best dream I'd had in a long time.