Destiny

28.

Chapter 28

I scrambled to my feet and opened the door to see Aryan standing in the hallway. He raised his eyes when he saw me.

"I need to tell you something but you have to promise not to tell Lucy."

He leaned against the door frame. "About what?"

I grabbed his arm and pulled him into the room. I closed the door before I spoke. "First, I need to know everything you know about Lucy's dad."

"Julia-"

"Please. I need to know."

He sighed and sat down on the bed. "If we're not telling Lucy then I guess it's okay to tell you. Just don't let her find out I told you."

I sat down across from him and pulled my legs under me.

"Lucy's dad was a regular angel for a long time. Lucy's mom died just before you were born and it changed him. He flew off the handles and didn't talk to Lucy after that. She sent you to the hospital to keep you safe from him. Which didn't work as you know."

"Kellan told me that he's looking for me now. He said he was tipped off."

"You talked to him?"

I nodded. "Why doesn't Lucy know about all of this?"

"Her dad can track her. Just like Lucy can track you."

"She can't track him?"

"She can never find him."

"Then how does Kellan know."

"He has people. Henchmen."

"Henchmen? That's a little-"

"Weird? Yes. It's Kellan we're talking about here."

"Do you think he would hurt me?"

He sighed. "Yes and no. He never actually hurt you but he's threatened to on more than one occasion. I definitely don't trust him."

"Do you think Lucy does?"

"No."

"Then why is she letting him stay here?"

He shrugged. "That much I don't know. Maybe there's something she knows that we don't."

I got up and headed for the door. "I need to find out."

Aryan suddenly appeared in front of me, blocking my path. "I'm not letting you just go and ask her."

"I have to know. It's my safety on the line here."

"I know. But we can find another way to do this."

"How?"

"I'll ask her."

"Aryan-"

"She won't expect me to tell you. She'll trust me not to. But that means I have to trust you to not let her know you know."

"You would do that for me?"

"Your safety's on the line, remember?"

I took a deep breath then sat back down on the bed. We were quiet for a while before I spoke up. "How come you and Lucy only live together?"

He raised his eyebrows. "You sure you want to go there?"

I nodded.

"I've known Lucy since I first stopped aging. Which was forever ago. I grew up in Venice and was traveling through Europe when I met her. She'd already stopped aging and had a reputation in the community."

"Like her dad?"

"Quite the opposite. Everyone loved her. She knew so many people, angels and humans alike. The first thing out of her mouth was that I needed a haircut. She has a good sense of humor. Like you."

"Have you two always been together?"

"When everything with her parents happened, she came to me. We haven't left each other since."

"I'm glad she has you."

"I'm glad she has you. I think she was getting depressed without you here. She really missed you."

"Were you ever around me when I was little?"

"Oh yeah. That was the only time I had shorter hair. You always wanted to grab it and pull on it." He pulled his glasses off and wiped the lens off with his shirt. "I'm sort of glad you weren't here growing up. You would've thought I was your dad."

"Maybe it was a good thing after all."

He stuck his glasses on then sat down beside me. "But I'm glad you're here now."

I looked over at him and nodded absentmindedly.

He leaned in and kissed me, his hand holding my face. He was soft and gentle but direct all at the same time. He clearly knew what he was doing.

"How many girls have you kissed?" I asked, our mouths still together.

"You don't want to know."

I punched his arm.

"Before I moved to the US and things evolved, it wasn't polite to kiss someone you weren't married to."

"Were you ever married?"

He shook his head. "No."

"I'm surprised. I thought all the girls wouldn't be able to keep their hands off you."

"They could. The women couldn't." He said, covering my hands with his and threading his fingers with mine.

I groaned and pushed myself away from him. "This is gross, right? You don't want to be with a kid. Especially Lucy's daughter of all people."

He pushed me back against the pillows, his body laying over mine. "It's not."

I put a hand on his chest. "Don't do that. I need some space."

His face got red and he got to his feet, standing by the foot end of the bed. "I'm sorry. I didn't... I wasn't thinking..."

I sat up and took his hand. "The whole hospital thing just... messed with me."

He nodded. "I'm sorry you had to go through that just to be safe."

"I'll be okay."

He pulled a wing around his side and pulled a feather out. Then he tossed it on the bed beside me.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm shedding. So are you." He reached down and pulled a feather off me.

"Hey! What are you doing?"

"The weather is getting colder so your wings are thickening up. You'll still lose some feathers for a while."

"I'd rather just... forget I even have them."

"They make you look angelic."

I punched his arm.

"Okay, I totally did not deserve that."

"You did. 100 percent."

Aryan sat down beside me and pulled the rubber band from his hair, letting it fall to his shoulders.

"Do you think you could make me something to eat?" I asked, pulling one of his feathers out.

"Don't you know how late it is?"

I sighed. "No. I don't know how to tell time."

"The hospital staff didn't teach you that?"

I shook my head.

He grabbed my hand. "Come on. What do you want me to make?"

"Surprise me."