Chapter 133: Chapter Thirty-Nine

Hope

I wondered if he understood that even now, even without him trying, people were staring, the barista was fanning herself, and I could have sworn the flowers outside the window weren’t plastered against the glass when we originally walked in.

Some things never changed.

Alex had been talking for hours.

It took everything in me not to interrupt his words with kisses. His mouth moved, and I focused, I really did, because what he was saying was important.

But he was talking about us, and when he talked about us, our past, the past I’d been forced to forget… I was also forced to remember all the times that he refused to take me.

“Why?” I interrupted when I couldn’t take it anymore. “You had me. I loved you. Love you,” I corrected. “Why wouldn’t you make love to me? You hurt me when you went to other women. A part of me understands that you felt tarnished, unworthy but—”

“Hope.” His eyes lit up. “You still don’t understand.” Warm hands reached for mine. I let out a little breath as he brushed his fingertips down my skin. “I wanted you every second of the day, but to use you in that way, to take your essence, your energy, every part of you for my own selfish needs — I couldn’t fathom doing that to someone so innocent, so pure.”

“And now?” I gulped.

His smile turned lethal. “Now, I’m going to make up for a few hundred years and lock you in my room.”

“But I get bathroom breaks like a normal weak little human right? And you’ll feed me?” I teased.

“If you’re good.” He shrugged teasingly. “I may even let you take a bat to the timer…”

I scowled. “That was an asinine thing to do, just saying.”

“At the time it seemed the smartest thing to do, piss you off, keep you away from me… again.” He shook his head as pieces of rainbow hair fell across his sculpted cheekbones. “It seems I have a really nasty habit of letting my own insecurity decide what’s best for both of us.”

Staring at him and only touching him, was basically killing me slowly.

Because with every touch, I was reminded of the other touches, the kisses, the times he told me he loved me, the laughter we shared weeks before we were going to go to my real parents and tell them about our relationship.

Weeks before my mother was slaughtered and my werewolf father was found dead in an alley.

“Two hours.” Alex released me and took one last sip of coffee and stood. “I gave you two hours of talking and no sex. Basically, you almost just killed me, so if you don’t mind, I’d like to get you naked.”

My erratic heartbeat was clearly on board. I nodded my head dumbly and stood, only to hear the damn bell go off on the door.

“There you are!” Mason shouted, running toward me and pulling me into his arms. “I missed my best friend.”

Alex groaned.

Mason ignored him.

“I loved your hands,” Mason said in a gruff voice. “I knew it felt familiar. We were inseparable until a narcissistic siren caught your eye.”

“Thanks,” Alex said from behind me.

Mason continued ignoring him. “He asked about you… we were dancing together at one of those horrible dinner parties and he heard your laugh first, and then saw you second. I always thought it was peculiar that a siren would be attracted to laughter before he even saw the woman it was attached to.” Mason finally looked at Alex as he set me back on my feet. “You wanted her soul first, you just didn’t know it.”

Alex gaped.

Mason shrugged. “That is love.”

“If you start crying I’m going to punch you,” Alex said in a hoarse voice.

Mason held out his hand. “I would have helped you.”

Alex tilted his head, “Helped me?”

“I would have helped you back then, helped you go to the council, helped you talk to the remaining elves. I knew you loved her even if you were too afraid to admit it.”

“I was never afraid.”

“Yes, you were,” Mason and I said in unison.

“Not afraid,” Alex corrected, “More like terrified that she’d finally see what I was capable of and walk away.”

“Hate to break it to you, but we’ve all seen that scary as hell shit, and look, still friends. This reminds me of when King Lion—”

“NOPE!” Alex cupped his ears with his hands. “Our lives are not Disney movies.”

“But they could be!” Mason said in a teasing tone and then winked at me. I knew he was just trying to mess with Alex, as per usual.

The bell above the door rang again.

Cassius waltzed in, his wings tucked away from human sight.

“Seriously?” Alex looked toward the ceiling. “Must everyone interrupt us before—”

Cassius crossed his arms.

“—tag.” Mason finished. “Before a rousing game of tag.”

“Tag, my ass,” Ethan said behind Cassius, followed by Stephanie, and finally Genesis.

“Alex!” Genesis surged forward. “I’m so glad you’re okay! Also, there are a few stray dogs outside. I think they want to…” She blushed.

“Hell,” Ethan pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Why is everyone here?” I asked, since Alex looked too irritated to say anything more.

“Family,” Cassius shrugged. “We’re a family.”

I glanced around as my throat swelled.

We were dysfunctional.

But he was right.

This was my family.

It always had been.

Always would be.

The bell clanged again.

I sucked in a breath as Timber slowly walked past everyone and stopped in front of me.

Alex bit back a curse.

“My Queen.” Timber’s blue eyes flickered with appreciation. “Personal bodyguard at your service.”

“I can protect her,” Alex pointed out.

“I’m well aware of that.” Timber eyed him over my shoulder. “But it’s an honor to be in her service.”

“Listen if anyone is servicing—”

“Thanks, Timber.” I pulled him in for a quick hug, ignoring Alex’s sexual innuendo. “Why don’t we all go home?”

Amidst nods and chatter, I reached for Alex’s hand and squeezed.

“Home.” He sighed. “Are you sure you don’t want to go to a hotel?”

“I’ve been waiting my whole life to be in your bed,” I admitted. “I just didn’t know it until recently, so no, I don’t want to go to some random hotel like a normal horny human couple. I want to be in your arms, on your sheets, sliding against—”

His mouth found mine with ferocity as he tugged me into his arms and lifted me off the ground.

In the hazy distance, I heard something from Cassius and suddenly I was back at Ethan’s with Alex.

I stumbled back. “What just happened?”

Alex grabbed for me again. “Archangel party trick. He’s here all week, yay. Come back here.” With a groan, he surrounded me with his arms then had my shirt over my head, my pants a torn pool at my feet. “I’ve been waiting to claim you for hundreds of years,” he whispered against my lips.

“But—” His mouth was amazing. “We’ve already had sex.”

“Yes.” His hot lips trailed kisses down my neck. “But we’ve never made love.”

Had I not already been in love with him then— that would have sealed the deal. As tears filled my eyes, he lifted me into his arms and placed me gently on the bed, then kissed me.

And kissed.

And kissed.

He kissed my body until I lost track of time.

Until my body ached for more.

And when I cried out for him.

He kept kissing.

He worshipped with his mouth, he pleasured with his hands, and he did it over and over again.

Sex with Alex had been out of this world.

Making love with Alex—was going to alter my world.

Then again, that was what love did, wasn’t it?