AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Angel, look.” I look up as he raises his left arm and turns so I can see the tattoo. It's a beautiful angel standing over a soldier with the word Angel in Latin scripted below it. The tattoo spreads from under his arm pit to his hip bone with the wings spreading partially onto his chest and back. I step into him so I can see it closer, and see the angel's face resembles a younger me.
“Joshua!” I look up into his eyes and feel the tears. “My face?”
“I got mine on my next leave home after we met. I wanted only you in my heart. I could never forget what we shared. I did have a hard time keeping your brother from seeing the face. He, of course, was with me when I got it done.” He pulls me into his arms and kisses the top of my head. He carries me to bed, and we do make sweet love. I know now it was not me but Jonathan, I can orgasm with a man. At least with this man, and that's all that counts. This is the only man I have ever loved.
Chapter Twenty-One
Ana
I come awake with a start and realize I'm in Joshua's arms, at the same time I realize what woke me up when Isabella kicks me in the bladder again. I roll to my side to get up, but Joshua tightens his grip around me. I smile and roll back to him.
“Joshua, honey, I need to use the loo.”
“Okay, Angel, hurry back,” he mumbles.
I slide from the bed and make my way to the bathroom. When I finish, I just stand in our room watching him sleep. Our room. He’s completely moved into it, and I haven’t questioned it. This is what I want.
Rubbing my tummy as Isabella is rolling around and kicking a lot, I know I won't be able to rest for a while. I reach over to the chaise and pull my nightgown on from yesterday. I slip into my slippers and quietly pad out of the room. Making it to my studio, I notice Joshua went around and locked up, securing the house, like I like. He must have done that after I fell asleep.
As I open the door to my studio, the sights and subtle smell of fixative calm my nerves and fill me with peace. I’ve always loved drawing and sketching, but when I decided to change my degree and go to the Royal College of Art, I knew I was doing what I wanted. I look around at all the drawings lining the walls, most are done and have had the fixative applied. There is one on my bench I'm working on currently. I walk over to it and look at how realistic it is. I gently pick it up and walk over to the easel where I secure it and grab my supplies. A chill in the air coming off the wall of windows in the room has me hitting the buttons to close all the blinds. I grab my smock off the coat tree by the door and return to the easel. Dr. Mason's words ring in my head, sketch and draw to release the anxiety. I lean in with the charcoal paint and begin adding depth to my drawing.
I’m lost in my work and the music drifting from the speakers. I look up and see the light of sunrise shining around the edges of the blinds, and suddenly I feel his presence behind me. I turn and smile at him.
“Angel, you never came back to bed. Are you okay?”
“Yes, Isabella was up and playing around, so I decided to get some work done. Dr. Mason said sketching is my release.” I turn just right so he can see what I have been working on.
“Angel, bloody hell. Is that me? If it isn't, I’ll be kicking someone's arse.”
“Yes, it’s you. Is it bad?”
“No, it's perfect. I love it. You’re the only one to see what I try to hide from the others. Did you do all of these?” He swings his arm around to all the images lining the walls.
“Yes, I'm around all of you, so I decided to make the team the subjects of my latest work.”
“The whole team?” He walks around to see the drawings I’ve already completed. He pauses at each and smiles. “You've captured so many little details of them. This one of Raul standing staring off is exactly him. You can tell Duncan is looking at Maya without her being in the picture. Where is Maya’s?” He asks as he walks over to some of the other images in the corner. They’re of Jonathan and his men.
“I’m going to work on Maya and Derek tomorrow. I have them started over there. I even have Greg.” I point to the table with the line sketches started.
“Angel, who is this one here?” He points to an image of a man that was following me in London before I escaped.
“I'm not sure. I thought it was one of Jonathan's men at first, but one day I ran directly into him, and he was nice to me. Is he one of your men?”
“No. There is something about his eyes that looks familiar. Something about him.”
“I was thinking the same thing earlier when I was looking at it.” He walks over to my table where the drawing for Maya’s wedding gift is started.
“Angel, are these Maya's parents?”
“Yes, I'm doing it for her wedding gift. I’ll do one of my mum for Duncan's gift. I thought I would dress them up as if they were at the wedding too.”
“That’s a beautiful gift that they will cherish.” He walks over to me and looks at me with a smile tipping up his lips. “Angel, you have charcoal on your nose.” He leans down to kiss me. “Come on, let’s go back to bed before my meetings.” I smile at him and pull off my smock.
“Can you hang this on the coat tree over there? I'm going to wash up.” I walk to the bathroom that joins each of our offices. When I return, he’s looking at the image of the stranger again.
“Ready, Angel?”
“Yes.” He swings me up into his arms as we head for our bedroom again. I calm and relax against him. I guess I was more tired than I thought.
