This is Book 1 of the Arcelia Series.* Book 2 is in the works!
*Can be read as a stand-alone
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Malik Jackson needed help. After being exiled from the ocean, he washed up on the beach covered in injuries and missi...
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~ ~ Malik ~ ~
When I woke up the next morning, I discovered that Xander had left the mansion the day before and hadn't come back. I didn't know if I should've felt disappointed, but I did anyway. I thought he would try harder to explain what was really going on, and who knows if he would even come back?
The longer he was away, the more I began to doubt everything. Myself, our relationship, even him. Especially when I found out he had left with Connor. I went to find Mason after that, hoping he could shed some light on the situation. Maybe he was as confused and angry as I was.
"They're out getting a surprise for you," he had said. I didn't believe him.
"What if they're cheating on us?" I asked. Part of me wanted to believe him, but my insecurities told me Xander didn't truly love me.
"They're not," he responded simply. He trusted Connor wholeheartedly and wasn't insecure at all about getting cheated on. If Mason could take their word as truth, maybe I could too. So I grabbed the phone Xander got me, which I hardly needed to use, and sent him a message.
"I want to believe that you're really doing something good for me, but when you get home, we need to talk about this before you give me anything." I got a reply back almost immediately.
"Understood. I'm sorry for all the secrets, but I promise it'll be worth it for what I have in store for you. ;)" That winking face at the end of his message was enough to send my heart soaring. Truthfully, I couldn't wait to see him again.
That's why when he came back the next day, I practically ran down the steps. As I approached the front door, I tripped over my own feet on the last step and then hit the floor with a loud smack!
"Malik," Xander laughed as he walked over to me. "You're so clumsy on those legs," he reached a hand out to help me up and as I got to my feet, I threw my arms around him.
"I'm still mad at you," I mumbled into his t-shirt. "But I fucking missed you." I hugged him for a long moment before something made me pull away from him. There was a scent mixed in with the one I was used to. Sandalwood, rain, and blood. "Are you injured?!" I quickly lifted his shirt to check. There was a bandage around his stomach covering what looked to be a gash. It was still bleeding.
"I'm fine, but you have to see what I got for you," he gently took my hand and lowered his shirt.
"Not now," I grabbed his wrist and pulled him to the nearest bathroom. I was always thankful for my good sense of direction, without it I would've gotten us lost easily. "I'll heal you first, then we need to talk."
"But healing makes you tired," he stopped walking, causing me to yank on his arm before I stopped, too. "Talk first. I'm already healing on my own."
"Fine," without looking back, I redirected us to our bedroom where we had the most privacy.
