TWENTY-FOUR

I couldn't pinpoint the last time I had allowed myself to roll around in bed, not worrying about moving one limb out of it or about chasing things around the house. I cranked open one eye, afraid to see anything that would demolish my peaceful moment in heaven.

When I didn't spot Joy's crooked smile in my line of vision, I let out a deep sigh. It was strange not waking up with my daughter in my face. Lexie insisted on taking Joy with her for a much overdue sleepover. I couldn't even say no. The second Joy had heard Lexie's suggestion, she was packed and ready to go.

My heart was still in my mouth at the thought of Joy being separated from me. But Link assured me Benji was gone. For good.

I recalled how the conversation went. How it went from one frightful question to something dark. I was scared of myself when my initial feeling was relief now that he was gone. Another despicable human capable of inflicting harm to anyone was erased from this world. I had every reason to be glad. But why did I still feel that dread lingering inside of me?

Was it that Benji was still a human at the end of the day? Someone I had conversed with, albeit both times I was in dire situations.

"How is he gone?" I had asked Link, my eyes following him as he paced in front of the bed.

I craved to gather my knees into my chest and bury my face in it. But all I could do was lay still and listen as Link told me Benji was never to be heard of again.

I never brought his name up again.

I heard the shuffling of sheets behind me and then a second later felt Link's warm hand trail up my thigh. He circled my wound, the area still bruised and tender. I could manage limping with it now which was a huge progress, a step in the right direction.

I grabbed his hand and brought it closer to my chest as he came in closer from behind, pressing his whole front into me. His lips appeared on my neck, trailing feather-like kisses across the exposed skin.

"Good morning," he murmured between each of one his kisses.

I let out a sigh. It's been several weeks since the attack and each day after I got discharged from the hospital, I had slept in the same bed as Link. I believe it surprised me more than Link how I didn't put up one bit of a fight when he so much as demanded me to stay at his.

I had simply shrugged and allowed him to lead the way.

There was no regret in my decision to keep my mouth shut. I now had the luxury of waking up next to Link every morning and if we were alone, he would sneak in as much touches and kisses and teenage foreplay as possible. I was giddy. He made me giddy.

And this morning was the first where Joy wasn't here to barge in the room any second.

I turned to my back and faced him. He was staring down at me, holding my gaze with his brown eyes. In this dim lit room, they looked so dark and mysterious. But Link was anything but I had gathered from the past two weeks. He had opened up to me slowly, telling me more and more about himself than I ever heard.

For one, he doted over his godson, Skye, Lucian's son who was just a year older than Joy. They had play dates planned in the future.

I clasped his face and drew him down for a kiss. Our lips met, lightly at first before Link took control and deepened the kiss.

His hands travelled from up my thigh, itching closer to my heated flesh. He tugged on my panties, his fingers touching my bare flesh. I gasped at the contact and he took that chance to thrust his tongue inside my mouth.

His fine taste consumed me whole and I moaned into his mouth, lifting my hips up in answer to his daring touches.

"You're ready for me." Link rasped out, moving on top of me. His whole body was over me, his bare chest pressing into my own.

I could hardly manage to speak, instead spread my legs to allow him to fall between them.

Link stopped moving, holding himself up so he wasn't pressing all his weight on me. I wanted him closer, all of him.

"I love you Orianna."

My heart skipped a beat. I opened my mouth to speak but nothing came out, tears welling up in my eyes.

"How did it become so good?" I whispered up at him just as he reached down to plant a small kiss on my lips.

He rested his forehead on mine. "I don't know." He answered.

I swallowed the lump that appeared in my throat. "I love you too."

Link met my eyes once again, this time his dark eyes were shining. "I'm going to cherish you all my life. You gave me Joy, a daughter and the feeling. I never knew what it was like living for something until I saw you, Ori."

"I'm going to cherish you too."

Link grinned down at my brightly. "Ready to make another baby?" He asked, playfully bitting my lip.

I shook my head at him furiously, feigning terror. "No!" The lie. I wanted another baby so badly. I had longed to give Joy a little sibling, longed for her to have a sister or brother in her life that I seemed to have wanted all my childhood.

He nuzzled the side of my face. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure Link. I'm still recovering from Joy's labour."

"I wish I was there for it."

A pang of guilt washed over me but it disappeared as quick as it appeared. How I had Joy I wouldn't change for the world. At that time it was the best thing I had done and I wasn't going to start undermining it now. "Next one." I promised him.

He pressed another firm kiss on my lips, this time picking up the pace and heat straightaway. I wrapped my hands around his neck, bringing him closer.

***

A few hours later, I sat on his kitchen counter with Link standing between my hips. His hands were under my shirt as he deepened our kiss. I ran my hands through his hair feverishly.

Breakfast was disregarded as quick as Link made it. In his own words, he had preferred to have something else for breakfast. I managed to down my coffee before he dragged me off his bar stool and hoisted me onto the counter.

I pulled back, panting. "I feel like we're teenagers all over again." I mused out loud. I could recall the amount of times we had made out when we were younger. "Minus the drama and the threats."

Link reached for my hair, pushing it away from my face. "We both grew up too soon, hit with the harsh reality of life." His hands found its way back under my shirt, a roguish smile across his face. "I guess we can make up for it now."

He was beautiful. My heart ached at how beautiful he was and I still couldn't believe how accepting we both were right now. I couldn't hold back the desire I had for him. It built up to a point of bursting. I wondered if it was the near death experience I went through.

Since everything was going so good, I took that moment to drop my plans for tomorrow. "I'm going back to Brighton tomorrow."

Link stopped moving by my neck as his fingers froze just shy of my bra. He slowly leaned back, that dreading mask dropping over his face. He hid all his emotions behind that well honed mask.

I blinked a few times, gauging his reaction. Or lack thereof.

"I'm coming with you." He said solemnly.

My heart dropped. As expected.

"You can't just drop your whole life tomorrow." I whispered to him. Even he had to know how absurd it was.

A frown appeared on his face as he clenched his jaw. "You just told me you love me... or was that a lie?" He asked me slowly.

I reared my head back as though I got slapped. "Why would I lie about that?" I asked him, incredulously.

He shrugged, stepping out from between my legs. He leaned against his island table, crossing his arms across his chest. "You tell me? You're about to leave tomorrow and you just tell me now. Then you tell me I can't go with you."

"I didn't say that!" I sputtered out.

"Oh, I doubt you're concerned about dropping my life. Don't you get it Orianna? I would drop everything to be with you."

"I just want you to think about it before you make such a drastic life decision."

Link let out a harsh scoff. "You're sounding like you don't want me to come at all, Ori."

I dropped from the counter and walked towards him, reaching for his chest. He moved away from my touch.

"Link! Don't be like this. You're not hearing me."

He looked pissed. I couldn't believe my eyes at what was happening. How had everything changed from perfect to this?

And why couldn't he see that dropping everything to go to Brighton was crazy? "We would figure something out in the future but right now-"

He cut me off with a dismissive hand. My eyes widened in disbelief as I watched him walk away, slamming the bedroom door shut behind him.

I hadn't ever witnessed a hurt Link before. This was new. Who knew he was a door slammer?

////

> short-ish chapter.
> I'm actually laughing at myself. The amount of things that contradict themselves in this book is actually hilarious. Word of advice, if you were ever to write a series... don't let two years go between the two without having the minor and major elements up in your head. Lol, thanks for all you real ones not constantly putting my faults on display. I know I'll try to fix things as I go along but it's a bit too late now lol xxx