AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No. I’m not like a son to you. If I was, you wouldn’t have betrayed me. You wouldn’t have hurt the woman I’m falling for. Just leave. I’ll contact you if she feels like talking to you.”
Desmond gave me a quizzical look as he waved his hand. “I lifted the fading ward. You’ll be able to leave now. We’ll be in touch, Michael.” His icy tone was final, leaving no room for argument. “Consider yourself lucky I’m allowing you to leave in one piece, with your wings still intact.”
To rip an angel’s wings off was not a light threat, but I couldn’t care less. Michael deserved it. He faded out with his head hung low. I paced the room, trying to get myself under control.
“Someone should check on her. I can’t right now… I’m too angry.” My wings stretched out to their full span, and I could feel horns poking at my skin, itching to burst free. I was so close to fully shifting that a few of my feathers fell to the floor.
“She’s furious at Mal, Bash, and Ares, but less so at me…so I guess I will,” Desmond said.
As he walked up the stairs toward her, I tied my hair back into a bun and readied myself to leave. I needed to get myself under control before I saw Diana again.
Chapter 6
I’m immortal. Both my fathers ditched me, and I’m sobbing like a fucking punk-ass cry baby bitch in the arms of a man who simultaneously makes me feel dick-hungry horny and furiously angry. I have to save the world from some megalomaniac psycho-fucker, whether I want to or not. How do I get into these situations? I went from learning by day and slinging cocktails by night to living something out of a fucking paranormal romance book, but I can’t turn my kindle off and walk away, because thisdiarrhea-shit-show-toilet-bomber falling apart around me ismylife!
Shallow, quick breaths rattled in my chest as a waterfall of tears cascaded from my face, soaking Desmond's shirt. The warmth from his body seeped into me and made me feel less shaky. Even though I was happy to be alive, it seemed like my life was falling apart. I snuggled deeper into Desmond’s side, wrapping my leg over his while he pet my head. His nails raking against my scalp were oddly calming.
“Diana,” he whispered, squeezing me. I felt a weird soothing feeling course through me. “Talk to me, dollface, you’ve been silent for three hours.”
“I don’t know what to say, my whole fucking life imploded,” I croaked. A huge wad of snot slid back into my throat, and I swallowed it.Why am I an ugly, snotty crier? He probably thinks I’m so gross.
He leaned away from me momentarily to hand me a few tissues. I dabbed at my eyes and blew my nose. He took the dirty wad from my hand and lobbed it into the trashcan across the room. I wasn’t shocked that he made the shot. Desmond was the picture of perfection. Healwayshad it together.
“I thought your life imploded when we kidnapped you?” he asked. I wasn’t sure if he was joking or not.
“Too soon. And no, this is worse. Before tonight, I thought my life had a chance of going back to normal. Maybe I could defeat Red, re-enroll for the next semester, and finish law school a year later. I thought I would eventually see my family again and move back into my house. Now, everything has changed so much, I’m not even sure I could look them in the eye.” My unexpected honesty surprised me, and I poked my head up to look Desmond in the eye. “Did you use your powers on me, after you promised you'd stop?”
The golden flecks in his eyes sparkled as he ran his hand down my cheek and over my throat. His thumb rested in the divot in the middle of my collarbone. “Yeah, but in this instance it’s okay. You can’t spend the rest of your life in bed wallowing in your own self-pity. I’m not erasing your feelings–I’m making it easier to feel them.”
“Stop it, I don’t want to feel them. It feels like a bunch of rocks are falling on me and crushing me right now,” I whined, trying my best to talk through my hyperventilating breaths.
Desmond sent another calming wave through me, and I was able to breathe easier. I put a hand on his chest, feeling the muscles underneath.How can a man who represses his own emotions so often be this gentle and caring with me?He kissed my forehead and chuckled lightly to himself.
“Did youhonestlythink Bash, Ares, or I would let your life go back to normal, even after you defeated Red?” His question made me pause. “Looks like Azazel and Mal may have a problem with that, too.”
“Maybe not completely. But I did think I’d be able to have some parts of my old life back. I didn’t think I’d be an immortal world-saver with a bunch of men obsessed with me.”
He held my face in his calloused, steady hand, and verbally slapped me with some honesty I had to hear. “Well, guess what? You’re stuck with all of us, even if you wanted to leave. Whether or not you want to, you need to kill Red and save the world if you want any semblance of a life again.”
“I’m not sure if I really wanted to leave…” I admitted.
My feelings on the matter were complicated to say the least, and I’d barely had any time to sort them since waking up. The guys were controlling and possessive as fuck, but I loved that as much as I hated it, even if I wouldn’t admit it out loud.I’m still trying to sound like a normal woman and not a dickmatized bitch who wants her Hot Pocket stuffed with man meat.Michael’s little truth-bomb took up way too much emotional space for me to even consider how I felt about the guys. My boyfriends? My partners? I had no clue how this arrangement was categorized. Polyamory, from what Ares had explained before my disastrous trip to the airport, was much more common in the magical community compared to the human population, especially among immortals.
But how do I feel about being in a relationship with five much older men? Is this because I have daddy issues? Omg, is Desmond a father substitute? Is that why I like how controlling he is?! OMG, is he going to ask me to call himDaddy?!
“Diana, I can feel emotions, remember? You’re mentally spiraling so badly I can feel it like it’s punching me in the gut. Tell me what’s wrong.” His firm, commanding tone left no wiggle room for me. A peaceful vibe crashed into me, and I found it easier to unravel my mind and answer him.Betty White, pray for me. I am so fucked with these guys.
“I’m just not sure how I’m going to be with multiple men at the same time. Am I doing it because I have daddy issues? How am I going to deal with the fact that I have not one dad who up and left me, but two?”
“You just do it, dollface,” Desmond said. When I sniffled back a laugh, he rolled his eyes. “Beyond the sex, I mean. You justbewith us. Take each day as it comes.”
“If I’m lucky, I’ll get to come at least once every day,” I quipped. As much as I hated him using his magic on me, I had to admit, it felt good to crack a joke.
He sighed, and carried on.Always so serious, this one.“My father left me, and my stepfather disowned me, so I feel you there. When my real father came back into my life, I let him because he had a lot to offer me as far as connections and business opportunities. But I chose how much I was willing to reconnect with him. I say you at least give them a chance, so we can use their clout to fight Red. The rest is up to you.”
Desmond made a good point. I needed to let them into my life, regardless of how I felt about their choices. They had way too much to offer us, and I needed to know more about my powers.
“I find it really hard to believe that abandoning me and binding my powers was the best course of action. I know they both have enemies, but wouldn’t keeping me close have been the best option?” I asked.
