AN ILLICIT LOVE

CHAPTER 8

The next morning I woke up in the arms of my love. I tried to carefully move his arm so I could get dressed, but when I did, he wrapped me up tighter. "I need to get ready. I have training with Hailey in an hour." Again I tried to move, but my Asgardian wouldn't let go. "No, you are going to stay with me this morning." He kissed my cheek and held me closer than I ever thought possible.

"Come on, handsome, I have to get up. Hailey is expecting me in 15 minutes." "Oh, alright then. Just don't train forever like you did last time." I smiled, shook my head, and made my way to the bathroom to change. "Angel?" Loki asked from the other side of my bathroom door. "Yes, your highness?" "Your phone buzzed. Someone named Jackson has offered to meet you somewhere to give you 'it'. Who is Jackson and why are you meeting him for 'it'?" Opening the door, I grabbed my phone and headed to grab my gym bag. "Jackson is my brother. Well, my adoptive brother. He was supposed to meet me the night you and I met so he could bring me my cash, but it looks like it's a little too late for that." I chuckled slightly and headed off to train with Hailey.

While taking a break with Hailey, I started talking about Loki finding out who Jackson is. "It sounds like Loki is the jealous type." Rolling my eyes at my friend, I replied. "Yeah, but does that really surprise you, Hailey? I mean have you seen the way he gets when we are around the other guys? Even last night he told Steve, 'think about your next words very carefully.' when we were playing the game." "You have an excellent memory, Angel." Hailey and I jumped at the sudden voice coming from behind us. "Why do you keep scaring me like that?" "You look cute when you jump out of fear. Also, I am meeting my brother here for a training session of our own." I nodded and finished training with Hailey before heading to the kitchen for a snack. "So, why were you late today? You have a little fun last night?" I smiled and nodded. "No way?" She smiled and grabbed an apple from the fruit bowl that sat on the island counter between us. I bit my lip and tucked some loose hair behind my ear. "It was.........magical." I took a deep breath and started making a cup of tea, since I never really drank coffee. "I bet. Now, on a different note, are you two an official couple or not? I have to know." "We haven't really talked about the seriousness of our relationship, but that's okay with me." She gave me a look and we started laughing so hard, Pietro and Wanda poked their heads in to see what the ruckus was about. "We're just having some girl time. That's all." Hailey said, locking eyes with the tall Sokovian guy. "Do you guys want something to eat? We were just about to make lunch." I said, smiling at my friend. "If you don't mind, Piper." Wanda said, taking a seat at the large table that was a few feet from the kitchen island. "What do you guys want for lunch?" I asked, while Hailey grabbed a big pot from one of the cabinets. "I was thinking about homemade mac and cheese. I found a great recipe that I wanted to try." "I love that idea, Hailey." I said, with a small smile on my face. She started filling the pot and cooking, while I sat and talked with the Sokovian twins.

We talked for a while, maybe thirty minutes, before Hailey called everyone for lunch. I watched the group of heroes spoon food on their plates. I giggled while I sat next to my prince at the table. "So how was your training session with your brother?" I leaned on his shoulder as I waited patiently for my answer. "It was good. How was your's? After I left." I smiled and told him about everything that happened after he left the training room. Before I finished telling Loki about everything, I felt someone nudge my arm. Looking up, I saw Wanda holding two plates of food. "What's this for?" She smiled and set the plates on the table. "They are for you. You two looked so sweet, sitting here talking to each other, so I thought I would bring you some food before it was all gone." "Well, thank you, Wanda. You didn't have to do that." I gladly accepted the food from her and Loki made a face as if to say 'I'm not sweet. I'm supposed to be the bad guy.' I smirked at him and rolled my eyes before eating the pasta Hailey had made for us.

After lunch with everyone, Loki and I went on a walk. "So, how do you like it here, Piper?" "I don't mind it, but I feel like Mr. Stark doesn't even want me here sometimes. He might not say it, but the energy he gives off sometimes just makes me feel unwanted." I sighed and took a seat under a big maple tree that sat only a few hundred feet from the compound and was visible from just one of the many big bay windows. "Well, don't worry about that. He had the same type of feeling when I first moved in. It will pass. I promise my Angel." I smirked at his little nickname for me. "I don't know, handsome. I need to get somethings right before I make any other decisions." "If you want to, could we have everyone talk after dinner?" I nodded at my Prince and he took a seat next to me under the big tree. I leaned on his shoulder as he conjured up a random book and started reading to me.

After a while of hearing Loki read to me, I began to feel drowsy. My eyes got heavier the more he would read and I soon fell asleep on his shoulder. I couldn't have been asleep for more than five minutes before being awoken by someone lifting my tired body off the ground. I opened my eyes just enough to see my prince holding my tired body in his arms. A small smirk found its way to my face at the thought that Loki loved me enough to carry me to bed and let me sleep alone until dinner time.

Sitting at one of the massive tables in the compound, I am surrounded by heroes. "I don't know how to tell you all this in detail, but my past isn't the best. I've had run-ins with the law and even some of you." I look at Tony and Hailey, giving a look as if to say 'I'm truly sorry for that night.' "Piper, if you're not ready, then don't push yourself to do this." Steve says as he places a caring hand on my shoulder, only to receive a daring look from my lover. "Thanks, Steve, but I'm ready to tell you all. The only thing is, I-I'm not sure how." Loki then comes over and sits next to me, his princess, as I lean on his shoulder for comfort. Nothing is said for a moment, until Hailey speaks up. "Piper's not like us. She's not a genius, billionaire, or a World War II hero, or an international assassin, or even a god. She's just like me, a girl from New York City. She may not be wealthy like me, but she has other things that I don't." Turning to look at the one person I tried to break just a year earlier, I asked, "How?" "Well, like your courage to stand up to Loki after everything he did here. You even brought out the best in him." A small smile crept onto my face at the mention of my love. "And you care very deeply for those you only just meet. You love people, but you also do what you must to survive." "Hailey, it sounds like you are justifying her being a criminal." Tony says, not thinking beforehand. I, then, stand up and head off to my room without another word to anyone.

After hours alone in my room, I get a surprise visit from Loki. "Loki!" I ran to his open arms and tear stained cheeks. "What's wrong, Loki?" I wipe the tears from his eyes and he smirks at me. "I'm just upset, but I'll be perfectly fine. How are you doing after everything?" "I'm fine. I just wish that they could look past what I did that night. I mean they don't seem upset to have you here with them." "To be fair, my brother is the only reason that I'm here." I sighed and went to sit on my bed. "That doesn't help me." "Well, I'm the reason that you're here." I nodded and Loki sat down next to me. "Well, princess, how about I make you a deal." I looked at him and leaned over again. "What kind of deal?" We smiled at each other and Loki stood up. "You stay three weeks and if it gets too awkward, then I will take you to Asgard. If you like it there, then we stay. If you don't like it there then we come back here and we find ourselves our own place." I nodded and he placed a loving kiss on my cheek. "I'll make that deal with you, my king." "Amazing choice. Now how about we go downstairs and talk to everyone." I nodded one last time before we headed back down to where our friends were awaiting them.

Once we got downstairs, Tony was still in a mood, Hailey had found something to eat while talking to Steve about her 20th b-day party, Thor was just sitting in thought, and Natasha and Clint were talking to Bruce about who-knows-what. I cleared my throat and everyone looked at me. "I get the feeling like I'm not welcome here any longer, but I will give it three weeks. I'm not sure where I will go afterwards, but I do know that I'm taking Loki with me. Thank you all for your kindness towards us." Turning around my eyes begin to water and Loki wraps an arm around my waist for comfort. Leaning closer to me, he whispers in my ear, "You did very well, my angel." We walk back to my room and talk for a while before I begin to get ready for bed.