Page 64 of Angelic Acts
“I won’t,” he vows.
“But I also don’t want to stop living. I love my job. I don’t want to stop working.” The idea of giving up the zoo fills me with a heavy regret. I won’t let him ruin my life again. I won’t run from him. But if it’s my life or my job, the choice is obvious.
“You won’t. I’m going to join you at the zoo every workday. You’re never going to be unprotected. I will have to insist that you let me know everywhere you intend on going so I can join you.” He winces, worrying me.
“What is it?”
“This all just reminds me of when Margot was taken.” His grip on my back tightens as his fear takes over. I know he stayed away all these years to protect me out of fear that what happened to his sister-in-law would happen to me. And now, as soon as he has me, his fears are unfolding.
“What do you suggest we do?” I’m willing to do anything he says. If he thinks handcuffing us together is the best answer, I’ll go along with it.
“If you’re willing, I’m going to get a tracker in a piece of jewelry for you to wear at all times. They’re not going to get you. I won’t allow it. But in the worst-case scenario, I want to be able to find you. I track you on your phone, but that’s not as reliable as something on you.” His idea makes sense, except it’s just as easy to lose jewelry. Also, there’s another issue with jewelry.
“I can’t wear jewelry around the animals at the zoo,” I admit regretfully. The implant in my arm comes to mind as an idea forms. “What if you implanted a subdermal tracker in me. We do it with the animals at the zoo. Plus, I already have an implant. What’s one more?”
He leans back and searches my eyes, an incredulous look in his. “You’d let me do that?”
“Of course.” I don’t see what the big deal is. It’s not like he hasn’t tracked me for the past six years.
He pulls me in for a hug, crushing me to his chest. Each inhale that expands his chest is met with an exhale in mine. We sync up perfectly, matching one another. And in this moment, in his arms, I feel safe. Despite all the horrors that await outside this house, Bash will keep me safe.
“Will you show me the cameras in my house? I want to see the damage.” His whole body freezes as if caught committing a crime. “I already know you watched me. It’s not like you’re hiding anything.”
“Okay. But just know, it was all out of love.” He lifts me to him as he stands, wrapping me around his front like a monkey. My legs clench around him, holding me up, and his hands on my bottom keep me stable.
Wrapping my arm around his neck, I kiss his chin as he climbs the stairs. He groans at the contact but remains focused on the task at hand. When we enter a room I’ve never been in, the first thing I note is the windows facing my house. Ironically, the windows he used to spy on me through are the same ones I used to look up to in hopes of catching glimpses of him.
He sets me on a couch, then approaches the desk in the center. I’m not paying him much attention because on every wall there are puzzles of zoo animals. Puzzles I left out for mysnow shoveler. There are little odes to me all over this room. And when he powers on the screens mounted to the walls, pictures of my house appear.
True to his word, no cameras are in my bedroom or bathrooms. But at the sight of my neglected pets, I’m filled with guilt. I haven’t checked on them nor have I fed them since the attack. Granted it was only last night, and some don’t get fed for weeks at a time. But still, they haven’t even crossed my mind with everything going on.
“I need to go feed my pets,” I tell Bash hurriedly.
“There’s no need. I already did. I figured you might need some time before returning to your house.” He says it so nonchalantly, as though his actions aren’t above and beyond what any man has ever done for me.
“You did?”
“I’m here to take care of you, angel. I packed up a bag and cleaned what they messed up. If there’s a burden I can bear for you, I’ll happily take it.”
Crossing the room, he pulls me into a hug. I pull his neck down so I can express my gratitude through my lips. He returns the kiss fervently, removing every ounce of doubt from me. I may have reason to be wary of Vincent, but never Bash. This man will always be here for me. And he’ll never let anything happen to me.
Chapter 35
Sebastian
Never in my wildest dreams did I picture Lizzy in my office, us working silently side by side, her on a puzzle, and me on my computer. Not having to hide who I am or what I’ve done. Free to be myself.
Yes, I’m researching her ex and his gang, that’s what they really are, on my computer, trying to figure out their plan, and, consequently, ours. And yet, the burden of her threat is lessened by her proximity.
I turn back to my computer but can’t focus. Or, more accurately, I don’t want to focus on this. What I want is to bask in a world where my dream woman is by my side. Where she knows everything and still chooses me.
Not the one where right when I get my angel, her abusive ex reappears ready to steal her from me. The one where I start a war over her past, the past she thought she was free from. It’s ironic that when I get her, what I feared would happen happens, and it’s not even because of the Syndicate.
Suddenly, small hands are squeezing my shoulders. I look behind me to see my angel standing there, a concerned look on her face.
“What’s wrong, Bash? You seem stressed.” She continues to massage my shoulders, eliciting a groan from my lips.
“It’s nothing,” I lie, not wanting her to feel blamed for my stress. But when she purses her lips, I remember my promise of honesty. “I’m worried about the situation with Vincent. But it’s okay. We’re going to figure this out.”
