Fractured Angel (The Fall Book 2)

by J. J. Dean

  I wait for another moment, expecting him to speak, but I'm surprised once more. Instead of offering me pretty words and pacifying notions, I feel him turn over in bed before a slender but toned arm comes to wrap around my waist. The move is respectful enough but holds the same comfort and sincerity in it. Enough so that I quickly turn over and wrap my arms around Noah's waist, shoving my face into his chest and feeling him rest his chin against mine, hugging me tightly.

  A soft kiss is pressed on top of my head, and the tears come back for another round. They stream from my eyes steadily and onto Noah's gray shirt, but he doesn't complain. If anything, he holds me tighter and rubs a soothing hand over my back in circular motions. We lie like that for a while, long enough for me to fall asleep in the arms of the angel who knew exactly what I needed and was brave enough to offer it to me.

  Chapter 24

  Asher

  I watch as Luna leaves for the bedroom, knowing she isn't okay but staying where I am until the door closes.

  "You're a right piece of shit, you know that?" I growl, directing my comment to the bastard who hurt my girl. He may not have done so intentionally, but he did it anyway. I don't know what the hell got into him after Luna shared her power with him, but he's quickly making me wish she'd left him to suffer by himself. The dick deserves that much.

  "Whatever you say. Are we making a plan or not?" Devon asks, looking completely unfazed by anything. What if I knocked his two front teeth into his throat? I bet he might fucking care then. I make a move to stand and give him what's coming to him, my fists clenched and at the ready, but Eli sends me a look and subtly shakes his head. "He's not worth it. It'll only hurt Luna."

  "Fucker deserves it," I growl, sitting back down anyway. He's right. It would hurt her. As much as she'll deny it, I know her feelings for all of us have been growing, even for Devon. Hurting him will hurt her, even if she'll turn blue in the face telling me I'm wrong.

  "I agree, but it's not worth causing Luna more upset," my brother answers. I don't like how dead-on he is, but I listen anyway since Eli seems to have more common sense than I do right now.

  Instead of pummeling the prick's face in like I desperately want to, I settle for glaring at him. He doesn't look back over, huffing out a breath and shaking his head.

  "Should someone check on Luna?" Noah asks quietly, darting looks at the door every now and then, worrying his hands together and sending us unsure glances.

  I would have gone to her the moment she stormed off, but my temper just so happens to be as volatile as Luna's, and with my need for bloodshed riding high and the object of my anger sitting just across the aisle, I'm in no position to comfort our angel. Eli's back is still fucked, so he can't do much but lie on the bed like a dummy. What good is that going to do for Luna?

  Before I can explain as much to Noah, he looks at us with determination and says, "I'm going to go see if she's okay. She shouldn't be alone."

  I nod, agreeing without hesitation. I'd rather her find comfort in him than stay in the room upset with no one around to check on her. Eli slowly nods too, watching as Noah leaves. The door shuts after him, and the plane grows quiet and tense.

  That is until my brother turns in his seat quickly, darts towards Devon, and slams his hand around his throat. Eli's eyes turn bright red, his hand heating up from the steam I can see rising from the one tightly wound around the white-haired angel's neck. Devon's eyes pop open, looking rightfully panicked as he grips Eli's hand. In a tone I've never heard from my brother until now, Eli snarls, "I don't know what the fuck has gotten into you today, but if you even think about talking to Luna like that any more than you have already, you're not going to like the consequences."

  Devon, the idiot, doesn't know when he's beat. I know my brother better than anyone. I've seen what he can do, know and understand his powers like my own. So I don't interfere. Instead, I sit back in my seat and watch this scenario unfold with more enjoyment than I should. With a sneer, Devon bites, "You won't do a damned thing to me, and we both know it."

  No falser words were ever spoken. I'm an observant guy. I know how much Luna means to my brother. The depths of his feelings for her rival my own, so I know damn well that Elijah will do anything and everything for that woman. Just as I would.

  "Don't be so sure, fuck face. Hurt her one more time, and I'll forget she cares about you and do something I'll regret. She's gone through enough without you piling on to her already full plate as it is. Your mood swings are doing nothing for her mental state either. Her best friend is missing, injured, or quite possibly dead, and you're acting like a teenager with a crush on a girl he doesn't want to crush on. Sort it the fuck out or stay away from my girl," Eli growls, tightening his hand once more before roughly releasing Devon's throat. The heat in his hand dies down to its normal temperature, and he straightens and comes to sit beside me again. He takes a deep breath before looking at me with a smirk.

  I grin back, shaking my head and holding up the cards, gesturing for another game. Eli nods, and we sit in silence as I deal and we play several games of Black Jack. Devon stays quiet through at least six games until he sighs heavily and mutters, "It's not her, okay? It's my fault, and I've been taking it out on her."

  "What's the deal, then? You actually looked happy when you were dancing with her earlier. What changed after that?" I ask, no longer trusting my brother to keep his cool. I'm calm enough after the little show he put on.

  Devon pauses before quietly muttering, "I wasn't sent here to fall, figuratively or literally, for a pretty girl. I was sent here to convince and retrieve the pretty girl and bring her home. She wasn't meant to be anything like Luna is, and it's thrown me. I had a job to do, and I've failed. And on top of failing Him, I've taken a liking to the Fallen angel who was supposed to be an easy job. I can't get distracted by her. I'll still have orders to return to Heaven, to His side. Staying isn't an option for me when I still serve Him."

  That's not something I can understand since I Fell not long after meeting a foul-mouthed, purple-headed angel who completely blindsided me. Working for Lucifer was Hell in and of itself, so keeping my loyalty to him was shady at best. The minute I got to know Luna and her sneaky ways, my loyalties shifted and have remained with her.

  "Look, I get that it was a job. We all had the same job to do. We've all failed spectacularly, okay? Noah failed the minute he fucking met Luna. He isn't being an asshole to her. If I remember correctly, he had every intention of returning to Heaven because he couldn't go through with the job he was given. Ash and I are here to stay. We've Fallen, and we're in it for the long haul. Looks like Noah is on our side based on how long he’s already been in the bedroom looking after Luna. About time he grew some balls and did what he’s been wanting to do. It’s only right to assume he's not going anywhere either. Loyalty is a rare thing, and I get that yours is to the man who created you. That's your prerogative. But taking your confusion and indecisiveness out on the woman who only wants to love and be loved in return is a shitty way to cope with it. Knock it the fuck out, sort your shit out, and get over it," Eli explains, never once looking away from the game at hand.

  Stunned, I stare at him with an eyebrow raised until he looks up at me. His eyebrows draw down, and he shrugs. "What?"

  "Just never heard you deliver a speech like that before," I tell him truthfully.

  "What can I say? I'm full of fucking surprises," he quips with a toothy grin, already back to the fun-loving asshole I know all too well.

  Devon goes quiet so we don't bother interrupting him while he thinks hard about what Eli's told him. Instead, I tell my brother, "I'm going to check on them."

  He smiles and nods, moving out of the way enough for my larger frame to get by without knocking his back. Walking down the aisle of the plane, I head to the bathroom first, going about my business before stepping toward the bedroom door. I lean my ear against the wooden panel, hearing absolutely nothing from the other side.

  Taking the silence as my cue
to enter, I open the door slowly and poke my head around it. Noah is fast asleep, hugging Luna to his body like she's his lifeline. Her head is poking over the comforter, tucked under his chin with her arms wrapped around Noah just as tightly. My chest tightens, but not in a bad way. I meant it when I told Luna that I wouldn't mind sharing her with the two angels from Heaven. What I wasn't expecting was the gratitude I feel towards Noah for being there for her when she needed it. For taking care of her the way Eli and I would, being the man I knew he was, and proving that he's worthy of the girl we've all grown attached to.

  Deciding to let them rest a little while since we still have a good few hours left on the plane, I go to shut the door. A beautiful, sleep-ridden voice stops me. "Ash? Is that you?"

  "Yeah, Peaches," I tell her, stepping into view. Her eyes come to stop on me, looking a little dazed and tired. "It's me. You okay?"

  She gives me the smallest nods, and my chest tightens at the fragile and vulnerable look that's plastered over her face. Her eyes are red, a sure sign of crying, and her complexion looks pale and washed out. She draws my attention back to her when she quietly asks, "Can you come to bed? Maybe ask Eli if he wants a nap too?"

  It's the very first time she's asked something from us. Something so small in comparison to all she's given us. Exhausted and vulnerable, she's seeking comfort from us. It's something that I'm more than willing to give her.

  I step into the room, walking around the bed and leaning down to drop a kiss to her head before whispering, "Course I will, babe. I'll go grab Eli."

  Before I move back, her small hand darts out to grip my shirt, and in a broken whisper, she tells me, "Thank you, Ash."

  Luna snuggles back into Noah, his arms tightening on a sigh, and I leave them briefly to grab Eli so we can give her all the comfort and love she needs. I walk towards Eli, tapping him on his shoulder and saying, "Come on, shit head. Luna needs us."

  I don't have to say another word. Eli nods, and he's out of his chair in a matter of seconds, the cards on the table forgotten and abandoned. It's like his sole mission now is to make sure Luna is comfortable, happy, and surrounded by everything she needs.

  My brother darts off to the bedroom without another word spoken, opening and closing the door softly behind him. As soon as he's gone, there's just a pitiful looking Devon and I left. I sit down in front of him, his head rising to watch me warily. I stretch my legs out in front of me, taking up the space between us while linking my hands and resting them on my stomach. Bluntly, I tell him, "I'm only going to say this because Luna cares about you, and I feel like she needs all four of us at this point. And not just to keep her safe. She needs us. So listen carefully, dipshit. You need to figure out what you want and where you're willing to tie your loyalties. I won't pretend to understand where you're coming from. My loyalties to Lucifer were shaky at best, just like Eli's. The moment we got to know Luna, she took over. Our loyalties lie with her, and we wouldn't change it for anything in the world. But you need to work out what's going on in your head. You need to decide what's worth more: loyalty to a God that forced you to come and trick an angel back into Heaven after throwing her away and tearing out her wings, or the very same angel loving you with everything in her for no reason other than just because you're you. She's more human than any of us, and she has the purest damn heart I've ever been anywhere close to. She fell for a reason, Devon. Now it's down to you to decide whether or not she's worth falling for."

  With those parting words, I stand from my seat and turn to make my way toward Luna. I’ve reached the door when Devon asks, "You Fell, and I won't be made to believe it wasn't for her, not that I believe you'd tell me otherwise. Was it worth it? Was it worth Falling, having your wings stripped and being effectively sentenced to live your life here on Earth?"

  Pausing at the door, it doesn't take me long to find the answer. I turn my head to face him and honestly say, "It was worth it and more. My brother and I have seen Hell. We've been a part of countless wars at Lucifer's command. There's more blood on our hands than most angels I've known. But Luna doesn't care. We're finally free, and we have the angel you've beaten down today to thank for it. She's our salvation, our freedom, and the woman I'm going to do everything in my power to protect and take care of. I'd Fall ten times over to end up exactly where I am, and I wouldn't change the decision for anything."

  He goes quiet for a moment, lost in thought and hopefully thinking over everything my brother and I have told him.

  Through the door, I hear a faint, "Ash?"

  My hand falls to the door handle, and I hesitate before leaving Devon with one more parting piece of wisdom. "Take it from someone who only had his brother to live for, she's worth Falling for. Only a man who doesn't see how amazing she really is would be willing to risk losing her before he even had her in his grasp. Make your mind up and stop messing with her head. She's got enough shit to deal with without your problems piled on top of it."

  Devon nods slowly, his eyes filled with understanding and remorse. He sinks into his seat, completely absorbed in his thoughts. With him miles away, I finally step into the bedroom, shucking off my shoes, jeans, and shirt the moment the door shuts.

  Eli is already lying on Luna, tucked between her legs with her hand in his hair. Noah is tucked up close to her side, his face now pressed against her neck with her hand in his resting on her chest.

  Luna's eyes are already on me, drowsy but alert enough. With a slight rasp, she says, "If this is going to become a thing, I'm going to need to invest in a bigger bed."

  I smile at her, shaking my head as I make my way over to the bed and lift the covers. I move right up against her, feeling Luna’s body heat the moment I'm pushed up close to her side. She releases a soft sigh and tilts her head so her forehead is resting against mine. My arm wraps around her waist, just under her breasts, and I hug her tightly. I drop a kiss on her lips and rest my head against hers again, muttering, "I'll buy you a new bed, Peaches."

  A ghost of a smile crosses her face before she succumbs to her exhaustion, sleep taking her under in seconds. With her in my arms, I follow after her, closing my eyes and drifting off for a little while, stealing a small slice of peace before shit hits the fan when we get to England.

  Chapter 25

  Luna

  The feel of overwhelming heat wakes me from a dreamless sleep. Warmth is hitting me from every damn side of my body.

  Wait. Dreamless? My eyes snap open with the realization that for the first time ever I've been able to sleep without reliving my personal nightmare. For the first time since I Fell, I've slept without experiencing the pain all over again, the complete agony of my broken form lying in a ditch of my own creation. How? How is that possible? Even when I’ve been blackout drunk, I’ve always dreamt of my Fall. Nothing has ever taken it away.

  Confused and with slightly blurry eyes from the best rest I've had since I can even remember, I look around and find all three sources of the heat. Asher is to my right, tightly pressed up against my side, with Eli lying in what I'm quickly labeling as his spot. When I slowly turn my head to the left, it's to find Noah’s relaxed face, his body pressed up against me almost as tightly as Asher. His hand is in mine, resting on my collar bone, while his other has found its way behind my head. Butterflies erupt in my stomach, a giddy feeling spreading through me with all three of them cuddled up with me in bed. I could really get used to this.

  Movement at the door draws my attention, and my eyes dart to the figure standing just within the bedroom. Devon looks less than put together, his hair in disarray as though he’s run his hands through it several times. There are dark circles under his eyes, and his shirt is more crumpled than he ever has them. In fact, I'm pretty sure Dev wouldn't be caught dead in a shirt that was less than perfect.

  "Hey," Devon whispers, careful not to wake the others. He sounds worn out and defeated. It isn't something I enjoy hearing from him, but it's great to see his attitude is somewhat improved since the last time I spoke
to him. That's not to say he's forgiven or that I'm happy with him. Though I won’t admit it out loud, he hurt me. It's stupid to feel hurt, but perhaps I feel a little more for him than I've allowed myself to think about. Serves me right, I guess.

  I bite the inside of my cheek before whispering, "Hey."

  There's a brief moment of awkward silence before he jerks his thumb behind himself and mutters, "Can I talk to you?"

  "No. Fuck off," Asher grumbles, his deep timbered voice vibrating in my ear. I bite my lip harder to stave off the laughter that's bubbled up in my throat, coughing to clear it to a more respectful smile.

  "Yeah, give me a minute," I tell Dev, elbowing Asher in the side when he growls. Devon leaves, allowing the dog to leave the room before shutting the door after him with a nod. When did Brutus get in here? I turn my head to face Asher. His eyes are already open, his stormy gaze setting me on fire from the inside out.

  "You're real grumpy when you wake up. Anyone ever tell you that?" I whisper, nudging his nose with mine.

  "Yeah, I've been told," he answers, a slight smirk tugging at his lip.

  I roll my eyes and lean close to kiss him before asking, "As much as I want to stay right where I am, can you help me escape this man pile I've found myself in the middle of?"

  "Sure you want to move?" he asks, his voice taking on a sexy quality that sends shivers through me as an ache already forms between my legs. Damn this man.

  Groaning quietly while listening to the raspy chuckle he releases, I mutter, "That was evil, and you know it. Help me out here."

  He gives me a wink but helps lift Eli slightly. That man can sleep like the dead, it seems, because he doesn't wake once. As soon as I'm free of the hot bodies around me, I climb over Asher and drop one more kiss on his lips, grinding against him just to get even.