Fallen Angel

Chapter 86: Emily

Hands smoothed over my hips, sliding to my stomach. I smiled as Brannon kissed the curve of my shoulder, making his way up my neck.

"Why are you in the kitchen? Are you hiding?"

"No," I scoffed. "I was preparing food."

Except that there was nothing on the counter in front of me.

"Of course you were. Is it time for our guests to leave?"

Well, one guest. How was I ever going to cope with having to socialise with Chloe, knowing what she had done? It didn't matter that she couldn't remember, what mattered was that it had happened. I took a soft and deep breath in and turned with a smile.

"No, we're all good."

Brannon narrowed his eyes, his lips pursed with a restrained smile.

"I don't believe you Em."

His hands leaned on the counter either side of my body, lowering closer to my body.

"You know she means nothing, right?" He said softly.

I nodded quietly, feeling the strain of the past few weeks mounting. Like it was ready to burst out everywhere, I struggled to keep myself composed. It was weighing me down, the stress of being abducted, held captive, the escape and then the horrid aftermath.

"If I had my time over,"

Pressing my fingers to his lips, I stopped him from talking as I shook my head.

"No Bran, this isn't your fault. I did this, I should have called you and told you what was going on. But I just look at her and,"

"And see everything?"

I nodded, the tears slowly breaking free.

"If it's any consolation, I think the same about the angel. I've wondered about what happened and how things were between the two of you. It might have only been fleeting but it was enough. I don't want to know about it."

His arms wrapped around me, pulling me to his body.

"One day at a time baby and we'll start by removing guests."

With a kiss on my head, Brannon left the kitchen. Moments later I heard the music go off and the complaints of our uninvited guests.

"Another night guys," Bran offered. "You're impeding my sex life, now piss off."

That amused them, seconds later there was silence and for the first time ever, I was grateful to be alone. Well, almost alone.

"You're taking too long." Brannon called out playfully.

I grinned as I walked out of the kitchen, shrieking when Brannon appeared from around the corner. He swept me up into his arms, grinning at me like a loon.

"Carried off to bed, I am a lucky girl."

"You sure are."

As he carried me up the stairs, the doors and windows were shut and locked, the lights were turned off, all by the will of a man that was too powerful for such a young age.

Pressing my forehead to his, I toyed with the lapels of his shirt.

"We're going to be okay. I'm just going to walk away if I overthink the situation so you're just going have to let me deal with it myself, okay? I don't want to be a constant downer about it, so I'm going to remove myself if it becomes too much."

"Em." He softly chided.

"It's okay Bran, it really is. I've got to learn how to deal with it and move on from it, it's going to be okay."

Brannon set me to my feet, pulling his shirt away.

"Do you see this Em? Do you see your name on my chest?"

I nodded, glancing from the beautiful cursive on his chest to his soft expression of love.

"Your name is written on my heart and this can happen to anyone but for it to rise to the surface of the skin means that the love is so strong and deep that nothing holds it back. It is this way because I fought to have you in my life, I went against heaven to love you for an eternity. That is the mark of love Em, strong and steadfast."

His fingers skated over my sternum, pulling the material of my shirt aside. Exposing the mark of his name, Brannon smiled.

"The angel that defied her own just to love the son of the devil. She asked for a deal, knowing that it could have been her demise. Standing strong in the face of adversity. She has done it over and over again and there won't be a thing that will stop her when she wants something."

Slowly Brannon pulled my shirt away, his hands slid over my hips to my jeans and undid the button and zip.

"You are right Emily; we are going to be okay but you're not going to deal with this on your own. You're not going to bottle up emotions or walk away from situations. You're going to tell me if you don't like something and together we will get through it. We will repair the issues we have and we will learn how to cope with the past so that it doesn't become something we can't control. I don't want to wake of a morning without you in my bed, I don't want you hiding your pain from me."

My jeans slid down my legs, Brannon's hands moved over my backside, pushing me tight to his body. I gasped as hard dig pressed against my hip, my need for him had increased dramatically.

"Promise me Em," He whispered. "Promise that you'll never hide your emotions from me."

I nodded, wrapping my arms around his neck. His lips nipped at the edge of my jaw, moving to my ear.

"Em." He chided softly.

"I promise."

Lowering me to the bed, Brannon quickly removed the last of our clothes and laid beside me. I missed this body, I missed him. Our time had been short and too far apart, our love had only just begun and then we were torn from each other's arms.

"Bran," I said, sounding desperate.

I was. Desperately in love. Needing him more than I had ever needed anything.

"Love me now, please?"

His hand smoothed over my breast, with a wicked smirk he teased the skin between his fingers.

"So soon? No maddening pleasure beforehand? No hours of temptation and rolling around in each other's arms?"

I shook my head, urging him to me. With a smirk that was temptation in itself, Brannon moved over me and settled between my legs. Gripping his forearm with one hand, I enjoyed the view of the other hand that moved over his chest, past that beautiful inscription and onto the stomach that was just the right amount of definition. Not overdone, it was just perfect.

Brannon pushed into me, frowning when I winced. My time in this world was far too short but as the seconds passed, it became bearable. As he settled against me, Brannon laid onto his forearms, kissing me as he moved steadily within me.

Our love was slow, needy and perfect. It wasn't about screaming orgasms or the mad dash to the euphoric rush, it was about us reconnecting and becoming solid again.