“You just have to take it once around the same time every day, its low hormone so you shouldn’t have many side effects,” I explain, the medical side of me kicking in.
She laughs lightly.
“I know what birth control is, Braeden.” She smiles.
I let out a breath.
“Do you think he knows?” she asks suddenly, a blush creeping across her face.
“I think so,” I admit. “My father is incredibly good at reading people. Guess being a doctor for twenty years probably helps.”
She looks down at her plate.
“Don’t be embarrassed,” I whisper in her ear. “Was it what you expected?”
I instantly become nervous.
“It was better,” she says while now looking back up.
She starts to stand up from the table but instead of walking past me, she wraps her arms around my torso tight, the side of her face plastered against my chest. I instinctively wrap my arm around her back, my other hand brushing her hair.
“Thank you, Braeden,” she says. “For everything.”
“You don’t have to thank me,” I whisper.
“I would be dead if it wasn’t for you,” she says softly into my chest.
I don’t know how to respond to that, instead letting my body answer, my grip around her tightening. The thought of her dead makes me instantly nauseous. We remain in the silent kitchen, nothing but the tick of the clock reaching our ears. After a few minutes she pulls back and looks up at me.
“Well, I guess I better go see what your dad wants,” she says as her arms fall from my waist. I inwardly protest at the loss of her touch, always wishing for the ability to stop whenever she is in my arms.
“I’m sure it’s nothing,” I assure her again.
She stands up on her tippy toes, placing a kiss on my lips before leaving the room.
Chapter 46
Phoenix
I walk to the back of the house and down a hallway that I have never seen before. I swear every time I turn around this place has a new room. When I reach an open door, light emanating it, I knock on the door frame.
“Phoenix,” Dr. Harris responds. “Please come in.”
As I make my way into the room I sit down in a chair, waiting for him to speak first. When he turns around to face me I instantly relax.
He would never harm me.
“So, how are things going?” he asks.
“They are good,” I answer, sort of thrown off by his questions.
“I’m happy to hear that.”
Reaching back he opens a drawer in his desk, pulling something out and setting it on his lap.
“Do you remember our agreement?” he asks.
“I do,” I answer.
“This is for you,” he responds, handing me the folded garments on his lap. “You start tomorrow.” I take them from him and nod, suddenly feeling very nervous.
“You won’t be responsible for anything medical, but your job as a volunteer is extremely important,” he starts complaining. “I don’t think people understand how much companionship is important in the healing process.”
I give him a small smile.
“Chelsea will be there to help and train you,” he says. “I really hope you end up liking it, but if you don’t I will not force you to stay. If you are upset about anything, please come to me with no hesitation.”
I just nod.
“One more thing. Did Braeden give you…”
I nod my head again fast. “Thank you,” I blurt out suddenly.
“Do you have any questions for me?” he asks.
“How am I going to get there?” I panic at the thought of getting there myself.
“Well, since I am not sure you or I feel comfortable with you taking the subway alone at this point in time, I will come back and get you at eight.”
“OK,” I say a nervous tone in my voice.
We both fall silent. I open my mouth to say something, but close it again. Dr. Harris notices.
“Please don’t ever be afraid to tell me something,” he assures. I gnaw on my inner cheek for a moment.
“I just wanted to say I’m sorry,” I hesitate. “For your loss of Thomas and…” I stop myself, realizing I don’t know her name.
“Sophia,” he says softly.
My heart drops, putting a name to her makes everything so much more heartbreaking.
“Thank you for your condolences,” he says. “I’m glad Braeden felt comfortable to tell you about them.”
“We both did some secret sharing last night,” I say softly.
Things fall silent again.
“Well, that’s all I have for you at the moment.” He smiles. I stand up from the chair.
“Thank you,” I say.
“You’re very welcome, my dear.” He smiles reassuringly.
Once I leave his office I head back up to my room, setting the outfit on top of my dresser. I hear a knock on my door, walking over and pulling it open.
“Everything go OK?” he asks, before taking a bite from the apple in his hand.
“Yeah,” I assure him. “He just had to give me my outfit for the hospital.”
Braeden looks down at me confused. Oh I guess I never discussed it with him.
“When your father talked to me about letting me stay here I promised him that I would volunteer at the hospital.”
A wicked smile comes across his face, spotting the red and white garment folded on my dresser.
“Fuck, Seraph, you’re going to be a candy striper?”
I gnaw on my bottom lip a little.
“Maybe,” I say shyly.
He takes a step towards me, his free hand on the back of my neck. His lips smash to mine and I can taste the essence of apple on his lips. When he pulls back, I slide my tongue over my own lips, tasting even more of it.
“I’ve always had a thing for nurses,” he whispers in my ear.
A shot of pleasure runs its course through my body, my knees becoming weak, my mind wandering to last night.
“I want you again, so bad,” he says.
I look up at him, my body and mind wanting him also.
“I want you too,” I respond, my fingertips finding the space of skin between his pants and his zip up.
“Fuck,” he says through gritted teeth. “I don’t know how the simplest touches…”
He stops talking mid sentence and takes a step towards me, kicking the door closed with his foot. He continues to walk, my body moving backward in unison with him before my knees buckle against the soft bed. I feel the heat coming off his body as he presses his chest against mine, his hardness pressing against my inner thighs.
We continue to kiss until I hear his phone ring in his pocket but he continues to ignore it, the vibration tickling me. It finally stops, only for it to start up again a minute later.
“I think someone is trying to get a hold of you.” I laugh.
“I really couldn’t care fucking less,” he says sternly, placing another kiss on my lips.
After its third ring he groans and reaches down, grabbing it from his pocket and answers it.
“Mmm,” is all he utters, his lips on mine. “Mmm huh.”
I can hear the voice talking on the other line but I can’t make out what they are saying. Finally pulling his lips from mine he hits end and puts the phone on the bed beside us.
He lets out a sigh.
“I have to go, Seraph.”
“Really?” I ask, suddenly depressed.
“I really don’t want to,” he says.
Leaning up I press my lips to his hard, my arm hooking around his neck for leverage.
“Stay,” I beg.
“You are making this really fucking hard,” he says then smiles. “No pun intended.”
I respond with a smile.
“But I have to go, my professor is going to have my ass handed to me if I don’t finish this paper.”
“OK,” I say as I start to climb out from underneath him.
“I’m not going anywhere, Braeden.” I laugh. “I’ll be right here when you get back.”
He gives me a smile.
“I was actually wondering if you wanted to come see my place tonight. Maybe we can grab some food and just get out of this house?”
“I’d like that.”
He leans back down and places a kiss on my forehead.
“I’ll be back before you have time to miss me.”
Once he leaves the room I lay back on my bed, having only what I can imagine as the girl equivalent to blue balls.
Chapter 47
Braeden
Her dark brown eyes. Her upturned smile whenever my body presses against her. The way she licks her lips after we’ve kissed. The feeling of her chest rising and falling beneath me. I feel something bounce off the side of my head, it pulling me from my Phoenix-induced daydream.
“What the fuck?” I call out, trying to see who threw it.
“Jesus, man,” I hear Elliot say. “You think you can pull yourself away from whatever wet dream you are having at the moment so we can finish this shit?”
I shift uncomfortably in my seat, my ever-growing hard on becoming apparent. Thank fuck that I am sitting under a table.
“Yeah, sorry, man,” I respond as I run my fingers through my hair. Elliot lets out a laugh.
“It’s all good, must be nice to have pussy on the brain,” he says seriously. “Is it that chick from the bar?”
I cringe just thinking about her. My life has changed so much since Phoenix walked into it.
“You want to hear an interesting story?” I say to Elliot, knowing I can confide in him.
~
“So, yeah,” I say through winded breath.
“Holy shit, man,” he responds with widening eyes. “Where the hell do you find time for shit like this?”
Running my hands through my hair again I let out a deep sigh.
“So, you fell for the mental patient? Does she even know who you are? What if she wakes up one day and thinks you kidnapped her ass.” He laughs.
“Don’t make me fucking punch you, asshole. I’m not above that.”
“I don’t know, dude, seems your girlfriend has to beat people up for you,” he kids. “But he fucking deserved it.”
“That was one of the greatest yet terrifying moments of my life,” I explain. “I wanted to kill him more that I could ever describe, but seeing that bottle break over his mother fucking head was priceless. I’ve never been so proud of a person in my entire life.”
“When do I get to meet this chick that now owns your balls?”
I shrug.
“I don’t know if she’s ready for your crazy ass,” I grin.
“I am as sweet as fucking candy.” He laughs.
“Right,” I say picking up my pencil again. “Can we just finish this shit so I can go home?”
We both fall silent, our attention back on our textbooks.
After a few more hours I’ve had my fill of this fucking library and of Elliot. Slamming my textbook shut, I stuff it in my messenger back.
“I’m out,” I say, clasping Elliot’s hand in mine, shaking it. “I’ll see you in class.”
“Sounds good, dude,” he says looking up. “Have a good time with your lady.”
He gives me a wink before I walk out. When I step outside of the library, I notice the sun starting to set, the sky various shades of red and orange. Walking over to the bike rack I bend down, unlocking my bike lock. Pulling my bike from the rack I hop on it, I weave in and out of traffic, wanting nothing more than to wrap my arms around Phoenix. By the time I reach my father’s house, I am winded and out of breath. The hills of San Francisco are not so kind to us bicyclists. Hoping off of it, I set it against the porch and pull open the front door. What greets my eyes causes me to stop and smile. My father and Phoenix are on the couch sitting side by side, coffee mugs in both their hands. A smile on both their faces. I remain still until Phoenix’s eyes find mine, her smile widening even more.
“Hello, son,” my father says.
“What are you two up to?” I ask as I set my book bag down in the foyer.
“We were just talking about Gone with the Wind,” he explains.
“How was the library?” she asks, her voice soft and quiet.
“It was fucking boring, Seraph,” I breathe out.
Phoenix’s body grows rigid as the words leave my throat. Walking over to couch I sit down on the other side of her.
“It’s OK,” I say grabbing her hand.
“I don’t want to make anyone feel uncomfortable,” she mutters as she looks down at her hands.
“It’s completely fine, Phoenix,” I hear my father say. “I would be lying if I wasn’t flattered that he chose what I called his mother. I think it is quite fitting,” he explains.
My eyes snap up to him, my father is not usually one for the touchy-feely conversations.
“Thank you,” I mouth to him.
I look back down at Phoenix, who is now looking back up at me.
“You ready to get out of here?” I ask, wrapping my fingers around hers. My father goes to get up from the couch, taking one last swig from his coffee cup.
“What are you two up to tonight?” he asks.
“I was thinking of taking Phoenix to my place, get out of this damn house for a while.”
I hear my father mumble something into his cup but I don’t catch it. I’m kind of glad about that. My father has never approved of my choice of living arrangements. I’m beginning to think I agree.
“Well, just make sure she’s back by 11,” he says as he walks away.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I blurt out.
My father stops in his tracks, and slowly turns back to face us.
“Braeden, its ok…” Phoenix starts to say.
My father sets his coffee mug on the side table and I know I am about to get the wrath of Dr. Harris.
“I know I don’t have to explain this to Phoenix because she knows not to question authority, but this is my house, and when someone is under my watch they will abide by my rules. I don’t know where you get the sense of entitlement from, but as long as she is living here she will do what I say,” he says sternly.
I look down at Phoenix, her eyes now down on her hands again, her body shaking ever so slightly. When I look back up my father’s eyes are now closed, his breathing deep.
“Please, have her back by 11, she has a very busy day tomorrow,” he repeats before pushing the kitchen door open and disappears from sight.
“Seraph?” I say wrapping my arm around her back. “You OK?”
She nods but doesn’t say anything.
“You know he doesn’t mean that, right?” I assure her. “You can do whatever you want. He just wants you safe.”
When those words leave my mouth I feel like a complete jackass. If it wasn’t for my father who knows where Phoenix would be.
“Let’s go,” I say as I pull her off the couch.
We both walk to the front door, I grab my book bag on the way out. Both of our eyes fall on my bike, my mind trying to figure out how she could ride with me.
“Let’s just walk.” I laugh.
A smile spreads across her face and I curl her under my arm, every moment of being around her is breathtaking. We walk a few blocks before I see the subway station approaching.
“Got your card?” I ask.
She reaches into her back pocket and pulls out her fare card, a large smile across her face. I hold out my hand, ushering her to the turnstile. She walks in front of me and I get a small glimpse of her ass in those jeans and I think a whimper leaves my throat.
She puts her card in the slot and enters through into the crowd of people on the other side, no signs of distress visible. I’m so fucking proud of her. Putting my card in, I come up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist, placing a kiss on h
er neck.
“I love you,” I whisper.
She spins so that she is now facing me.
“I love you, too,” she responds.
That is something I will never tire of hearing. She stands up on her toes, putting her lips on mine. This kiss is like no other, it’s full of passion and lust, not the shy kiss I usually receive. Wrapping my hands into the fabric of her shirt I press against her harder. The whole world seems to stop, the people around us becoming nothing but blurs. The only thing that reaches my ears is the soft murmurs and moans leaving her throat and entering my mouth. But something pulls me back, the loudspeaker for the station calling our train’s arrival.
“Fuck,” I say as I pull my lips from hers.
“What is…” I hear her say but I grab her hand in mine and bolt for the stairs. I push through gobs of people, probably shoulder checking them a little harder than what is considered appropriate. I hear Phoenix laughing behind me, it causing me to smile. When we get to the bottom of the staircase I see the train pull up, its door opening to allow people to enter. I know I have very little time to get our asses on that train. Swinging Phoenix around so that she is now in front of me, we continue to push our way through.
“Push em,” I call out to Phoenix.
She whips her head around and gives me a “no fucking way” look. Tell her to touch strangers. That’s smart asshole. When we reach the doorway my grasp on her tightens, not even wanting to think about what would happen if she got separated from me. We finally get inside the train cabin, packed in like a bunch of fucking sardines. I grab onto the bar above my head, Phoenix too short to grab it herself.
“Just hold onto me,” I say as I lean down a kiss the top of her head.
She does as I tell her, both her delicate arms wrapping around my torso. Her head is now laid upon my chest.
“I can hear your heart beat,” she says smiling.
“Well, I hope so, Seraph,” I joke. “Cause if you didn’t we’d have a cause for concern.”
She looks up at me and shakes her head. When I look back up I see a man staring back at us, but his eyes are purely on Phoenix.
“You got a fucking problem?” I blurt out, not liking how this asshole is looking at her.
The guy shifts his eyes away from us and I calm down a little.
A Brand New Ending Page 23
