Page 50 of Claiming Liberty
I turn to Elsie and hold back my cry. She falls into me and squeezes my midsection.
I swallow and suck air in through my nose until I’m settled enough to speak. “I’m going to be back as soon as I can be. Okay? I’ll have you home soon.” I close my eyes and force a smile. “You have the ivy leagues to get to.”
She lets out a gurgled laugh, her face in my chest. “I got into Yale.”
“I know.” I smile, this time for real. “I saw the flag in your bedroom.”
“You went back?” There’s confusion in her voice that I know I can’t settle right now. I don’t want to tell her about her uncle. Not yet. Not until we’re far away from here and she can handle one more death.
“Only to get you.” I pull away and cup her face, staring into her eyes. “I will never leave you here, do you understand?”
She bites her lip and nods before I bring her to my chest for one last hug. We reluctantly pull away, and I turn to Angel. He looks as hesitant to go to me as I feel to go to him, neither of us sure if we’re working with or against the other.
Later, it will matter. For now, all that matters is we’re both alive, we’re both okay, and we love each other, for better or worse.
I go to him, and he opens his arms for me to bury myself in his chest, just as Elsie did with me. It feels so good to be back in his arms, so safe. I breathe him in like it’ll be the last time, even as I assure myself it isn’t. That we’ll find a way back to each other when this is over.
“I love you,” he says to me, kissing the top of my head.
I love you too.
I pull back and wipe a tear from my cheek before giving him a tight smile. “Take care of her for me, okay?”
He nods and glides a thumb over my jaw. “Of course.”
I can’t stand another second of these goodbyes, so I turn, holding a sob in as I walk away.
“Naomi can go with you.” Angel’s words stop me. “She’s at my house. Digby Barton thinks I’m borrowing her for a few more days.”
I close my eyes and breathe.
I was right. He helped her. He helped her even when he assured me he wouldn’t.
It doesn’t matter what Peter or anyone else thinks of Angel. I know his heart.
Without another word, my feet carry me down the path again, Angel’s house my destination. I don’t turn around, don’t glimpse either of my loves again. If I did, I don’t know if I could bring myself to go back with the others, even though Kingsley’s house is where I need to be.
We still have work to do.
12
ANGEL
“Angel.”
A delicate hand touches my shoulder as the voice enters my consciousness. For a tiny moment of bliss, I think it’s Lib. I was just seeing her in a dream, felt her lips on mine, smelled the trace of chamomile in her hair.
“Angel, wake up,” the voice urges, snapping my eyes open.
Elsie’s head moves between me and my bedroom door. She’s still in Lib’s PJs, which are entirely too revealing, and her hair is a crazy mess like she’s just woken up. Her teeth are sunk into her bottom lip, and her blue eyes hold the same fear that’s been in them since the first time I saw her.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, bolting upright.
When knuckles rap on the door, Elsie yelps before jumping into bed with me, and I shrink away when the hot flesh of her shoulder connects with my bare chest. She slips her legs under the top sheet and throws the comforter over her head.
“Who is it?” I yell, my brow creasing.
“Cooper.”