Chapter 19 #2
I swallowed hard while I clung to his hand.
In love? Like not just best friends forever?
Like romantically? But he couldn’t. He’d said he couldn’t.
I shook my head even though he couldn’t see me.
“You don’t know me. Not really. And you should find a nice angel to have pretty babies with and I can be their auntie.
” The thought of Richard having angel babies didn’t give me nearly the same sense of excitement as the idea of Libby having children did. Nope, quite the opposite. I might die.
His eyes were concerned. “You don’t want children? Because my blood isn’t poisonous to you. Not that childbirth isn’t dangerous at the best of times, and if you truly didn’t want children, that would be absolutely fine. Miracle can give my father adorable green grandchildren. I just want you.”
He looked so sincere, gazing into my left forehead because he couldn’t see my face. But seriously? He didn’t know me. I had to show him. I had to be honest with him and let him hate me for the monster I was.
I closed my eyes tight and willed my wings to unwrap. It took a second but then they unrolled and sprung up behind me like an enormous tent of clawed death.
Richard’s eyes widened in surprise, but he didn’t release my hand, just looked up at the wings in awe.
“You painted the claws! So cute, but next time maybe I can give you a hand, because I don’t think you could see what you were doing very clearly.
Your wings are massive, much bigger than mine.
Wait! Those wings look like a Mobat. Not really his technical name, not sure if he has one, but a friend of mine has wings that are just like this, minus the sparkly nail polish. ”
“You have a friend who eats dead bodies?” I asked, hating to say the words, but knowing it was necessary.
His eyes absolutely lit up. “That’s why we’re friends. I sometimes have bodies that aren’t officially on the books, and he helps me dispose of them. He’s so great! Would you like to meet him? So your mother was a…”
“I think my father injected her with some Mobat DNA or magic or something. She was just a human.”
He nodded and leaned closer to me while he smiled. “Very cool. So we could fly together?”
And now I was blushing. Seriously? I needed my wings to hide my face again, but they liked him admiring them. “I guess. I don’t really know how to fly. I’ve only had the wings for a week.”
His brows rose. “A week? Wow. That must have been a shock. Did it hurt? Sometimes it hurts.” Now he was frowning in concern, like he cared about me, more than my wings or how monstrous I was.
I spoke slowly, feeling exposed, but also kind of brave. “It’s fine. Just not really my pastel princess vibe.”
His smile was sunshine. “But they’re like chocolate, and with the pink tips, it’s like chocolate and cotton candy. You’ll figure out a way to style them beautifully.”
I shifted, stomach twining from the way he was looking at me, so intent and soft and adoring.
It’s how Michael looked at Libby when he didn’t realize anyone was watching.
Was he actually in love with me romantically?
He was sporadic and would probably lose interest like he did with his hobbies, but for now…
“I guess, but they tend to ruin my dresses.”
He carefully touched the edge of my left wing between claws. “You’ll need special ordered dresses either low enough to go beneath the wings, or with slits for them to come out of. You’ve been keeping them under your skin? Can I see your rune?”
I nodded and then he turned my arm, like he already knew where it was.
“Very pretty. This is mine.” He showed me his arm with a rough scrawl outline of angel wings. “It was my first etched rune, and it shows. But my wings were annoying. The other angels without wings would make fun of me, say I was cheating because I could fly to the top instead of having to climb.”
“Because you had to be the best at climbing and flying?”
He grinned at me. “I’m slightly competitive.”
“So you probably just told me you were in love with me so that I’d vote you to stay on the show.” My heart beat faster and faster while I waited for his answer.
He frowned as he studied me. “If you don’t want me here, I’ll go.
” He gave me a slight smile. “I’ll probably triple the guards, but I personally won’t be here to annoy you, not if it makes you uncomfortable.
I know that you like being best friends forever, and I’d like to keep that, if it’s okay.
I just thought I should be honest for a change of pace.
And also in case you liked me being in love with you.
Because we're married and all of that. I’d try to be a good husband.
I’d do my best to protect you from my personality issues.
I’d try not to take advantage of your good nature, your ability to forgive, and your sweet disposition. I’d love you forever, if you’d let me.”
Forever? He’d really love me forever? I stared at him while my heart beat faster and faster.
The door crashed open and Pearly White glared out at us.
He took a double take of my wings and then just shook his head.
“You have five minutes to put the wings away and get in position. Five minutes.” He closed the door, leaving me alone with the angel who had just offered me his heart and his best efforts at not being so stupid and annoying.
“We should…” I frowned down at my arm, the wings rune and with a shudder that went to my bones, pulled my wings back under my skin.
I shuddered a few times after that and then noticed the way Richard was looking at me.
So soft. So absolutely adoring. It kind of freaked me out.
In the best way. Worst way. I couldn’t tell.
My head was spinning and the world was insane.
“Can you fix my dress?” I asked him. “A repair spell or something?”
His eyes regained focus and he nodded. I turned and he ran his hand over my back, smoothing it and then spun me under his arm so my skirt flared and folded back around my legs.
“Thank you for letting me be useful in some way to you. You should have your wings break your dresses every day. Forget about custom designs. Let me be here for you.”
“Forever?” I whispered.
He smiled slow and sweet then nodded. “Forever.”
I looked up at him while my heart pounded until I turned and marched resolutely towards the door. I needed to process, to think, and I needed to vote for myself.