Stolen (22 page)

“I don’t think you were ever selfish to begin with.”

“You don’t?”

“Nope. Just because you are brought up in a world like that, doesn’t mean that is who you are or who you have to be. You were different; I could see that from the start.”

“Thanks, that means a lot. It really does.”

“I admire your strength Em. You have gotten through things that a normal person couldn’t,
you’re
amazingly strong and brave. You should be proud of what you have become.”

“Thanks you have made me feel so much better, as always.” I smile.

He takes my hand, and I don’t pull away.

“You will always be special to me Em. Nothing in this whole world could ever change that; you have had such an impact on my life. I wish you nothing but happiness because I love you enough to want your happiness more than my own.”

I fill my eyes well with tears at his words.
God
damn him for being so beautiful.

“Don’t cry.” He whispers.

“I can’t help it when you say things like that,” I wail. “Why couldn’t you have loved me like this before? Why now?”

“I did love you like this before.”

“We would have been good Blade.”

“I know.”

“But you had to leave!” I snap, angry now.

“I know.”

“Is that all you can say? I know?”

“Yes.” He says and suddenly we are both laughing.

“You sure do know how to make light of a subject.”

“Yeah it’s my
specialty
, can I ask you something?”

“Sure.” I say, meeting his eyes.

“Will you answer me truthfully?”

“Not the love thing again Blade…” I groan.

“No, I want to know what you thought when you saw me again?”

“Truthfully?”

“Yeah.”

“It was like I had stepped back into the past. Seeing you sitting there, it was like nothing had changed but then came the harsh reality that it had. My heart nearly leapt out of my chest. When you looked at me, I could hardly breathe.”

“What were you thinking about me?”

“How you hadn’t changed, how handsome you still are and how my heart still flutters around you.” I whisper, blushing.

“Ahhh, the flutter thing. I didn’t know you still had it.”

“Sometimes I still do, only with you but.”

“Not with Mike?”

“No only you,
it’s
only ever been with you.”

“
I’m
flattered.” He grins.

I glance down at my watch. “Oh damn, I have to go!”

“Alright, can I see you again?”

I sigh. “Yes, I would like that.”

“Great I will
organize
everything. I will ring and let you know, oh hey we didn’t eat out picnic.” He frowns.

“Another time. Thanks for today Blade. It was nice; I had fun.”

“Anytime.” He smiles, and I want to melt.

We part ways and I dreamily head back home. My emotions are torn and all over the place. When I arrive, the house is dark. Mike thinks I am out for a good few hours, so I supposed he went to do something else. I begin plodding up the stairs when I hear giggling. My heart stops. Who is in my house?

I walk closer to the noise, realizing it is coming from my bedroom. I grip the door handle and fling it open. I see Mike pole driving a young blonde model. I open my mouth to scream, but nothing comes out. Hearing the door, Mike turns and pales. He begins stammering, but I am turning and running off before he can manage to get a word out.

“Baby girl wait.”

I run down the stairs; tears flow from my cheeks. That asshole. I bound out the front door and to the car. I am reversing as Mike comes running out, yanking up a pair of jeans. He rushes forward but can’t catch me before I escape the drive way. I sob wildly as I drive down the main street. I don’t know where to go, but I do know who to call.

“Blade?” I croak when he answers.

“Angel, is that you?”

“I…can I see you? I…Mike was…I walked in and…”

“Where are you?”

“Driving, I
have nowhere
to go.”

“Your old cabin, is it empty?”

“Y-y-yes.”

“Meet me there.”

I hang up the phone and drive to the cabin, when I enter, it feels like I have stepped back a year or so. Nothing changes, it still has that warm, homely feel. About ten minutes later, Blade arrives. When he walks in and looks at me, his face softens. I bound towards him and fall into his arms.

“Hey, shhh, it’s ok.”

“He was having sex with another woman, I thought he loved me Blade.”

“Angel, I’m sorry.”

“Why am I never good enough?” I wail.

“Hey that’s not true.”

“It is true. I wasn’t enough for you, or him. No man ever just wants me!”

Blade grips my chin and pulls it up, so I am looking into his eyes.

“You were too good for me Angel, and I regret every minute not being with you. I broke it off with Cassie this morning.”

I gape.

“What?”

“I don’t love her, and you told me once that you never understood why I tried when I knew one day it would end. I should have listened to you back then. I am now. I don’t love her. I love you, and I want you to be with me.”

His eyes are pleading.

“I…Blade, this is not a good time.”

He strokes my cheek. “Why not? Mike doesn’t seem to care about how you feel…”

“I cared about him though,” I wail. “And you are just trying to get into my pants!”

He opens his mouth in horror as I turn and flee into the bathroom. I hide in there until I hear intense yelling outside. From the voices, I can hear it is Mike and Blade. They are swearing and screaming at one another, when I walk outside ready to abuse them both, I see Blade drive a fist into Mike’s face.

Mike is a burly man, but Blade is bigger. Mike stumbles backwards and blood spurts from his nose. I scream, and Blade turns, his eyes are wild with rage. Mike leaps up and
grips Blade by the shirt, swinging him around and driving a punch into his mouth. Blade retaliates with a swift kick to Mike
’
s middle, and he stumbles down the stairs.

“Enough!” I scream, rushing down.

“
God
Dammit.” Mike hisses.

“Fuck off you mongrel.” Blade roars.

“Stop it, both of you. Mike, leave.”

“I came to explain.”

“Explain how you were having sex with another woman?”

“It’s…I…”

“Don’t, I don’t want to hear it. It is over, do you hear me?”

“Baby girl…”

“DON’T,” I snarl. “I can forgive a lot of things Mike, that isn’t one of them. Pack your shit and get it out of my house before I return tomorrow.”

“You don’t mean that.”

“Don’t I?” I hiss.

“It was just a moment of weakness.”

“Well it is a pity, because your moment of weakness just caused you…me.”

“Baby girl…”

“She said leave.” Blade snarls.

“Fine,” Mike says throwing up his hands. His nose is still pouring with blood. “You aren’t worth it.”

I gape, and Blade grips my hand.

“She is worth it, maybe not to you, but that’s only because you don’t deserve someone as amazing as her.”

Mike snorts and then turns, walking off. When he is gone, I stare at Blade and can’t help the string of giggles that escape my throat.

“You…look hilarious.”

“Thanks.” He mutters, spitting blood over the railing.

“Come on, let’s get you cleaned up.”

We sit for hours, talking and laughing. It is as though a weight has been lifted from our shoulders. He told me how
he
and Cassie had been in separate beds for six months, and how he left her this morning. She had taken it too well and gone to her
mother’s
house.

“It was just not meant to be you know?”

I smile and look up at him from my position on his lap.

“No, I guess not.”

“So Angel, how hard am I going to have to fight to get you back?”

I blush. “Pretty hard, I want flowers and chocolate and a ring and …”

He laughs and cuts me off by lifting my face and bringing my lips to his. I moan and cling to him, having wanted this moment for so long. I melt into the kiss, and he groans as he flattens my body out onto the couch. Desperation takes over us, and suddenly the kiss becomes hungry. I am whimpering; he is panting. We are needy and hungry for each other.

“Blade, I need you.”

“
God
, it is about time.”

He grips my leg and lifts it up enough to slide my panties down; then I hear him unbuckling his belt and yanking his jeans down over his hips. His lips drag down my neck and settle over one hardened nipple. I moan as I feel him pressing towards me. I want him, need him.

“Blade please…”

“Mmmmm.”

He slowly slides into me, then stops and teases me some more. With his tongue, with his fingers. When he finally slips in fully, I moan loudly.
God
but I have missed this man. He begins a torturous pace, making me cry out with frustration. I grip his shoulders and drag him down closer to me, deeper. He moans loudly as his pace finally picks up.

“Jesus Blade.” I growl.

He slams into me with desperation; our moans become loud and ragged. My fingers make small marks on his skin as I pinch it between my fingers and he holds my hip so hard I know it will bruise. I come first, screaming to the ceiling. His release follows mine, and he comes with a ragged cry, then slumps down over me. When our breathing evens out, I finally speak.

“Wow.”

“If you knew how long I have wanted that…”

“Dirty perve.” I giggle.

“Only for you Angel.”

“So, what now?”

“What now? I get to take you out and love you the way you deserve.”

“What if I say no?” I challenge.

He grins down at me and his brown eyes sparkle.

“I have a nice little basement in my shack…”

I slap his shoulder, and he throws his head back with laughter. For the first time in months, I am smiling because I mean it.

CHAPTER 14

Months pass, Blade and I grow happier and happier each day. He is my whole, my other half, my soul mate. He moves in about three months after we have begun dating again. I didn’t make it easy on him, and he worked hard to woo me. We spend days giggling and making love, and evenings out on the town. One afternoon, I am busying myself in the kitchen when there is a knock on the door. I rush over to open it, and freeze when I do. My legs become weak.

It has been years, at least six, since I have seen him. His face, it hasn’t changed. It is still a cold mass of evil. His eyes are grey; his nose crooked, his mouth curled up in a sick grin. I take a step back; my hands tremble. No, this can’t be happening. He is meant to be in jail. I tremble and go to slam the door, but his hand flicks out to stop it.

“Well cookie, we finally meet again.”

“Get out of my house, or I will call the police.” I whisper.

“See, that’s where you are wrong. This time, cookie, you aren’t going to call the police.”

He grips my hair, and I scream. Blade is out; I am alone. I kick and twist, but he covers my mouth with his hand and then slams a cloth over it. I am out in seconds, but I can hear his voice before everything goes black.

“It’s time for uncle to get revenge.”

I wake in a small, dark room. It is stale and damp. I blink a few times and then peer around, I can’t see much, just a small barred window. I sit up and groan, my head throbs. Where am I? I hear a small cough beside me and look down to see Blade. How in the hell did Blade get here? I shake him and his eyes flutter open.

“Blade, wake up.”

He groans and looks up at me. “Angel?”

“What happened?”

He sits and looks around. “I don’t…I don’t know. I walked in the front door, and suddenly, I am out.”

“He…” I feel my tears welling up. “He came back, he has us.”

“Who, Mike?”

“No… My uncle.”

Blade’s face pales. “What?”

“He just showed up and attacked me.”

Before Blade can answer, the door swings open and my Uncle steps in. He is grinning, sick and evil.

“Well well, good morning.”

“What do you want with me?” I scream, Blade takes my hand.

“You haven’t figured that out? Really?”

“Let us go you mother fucker.” Blade growls.