The Demon of Angels (Bk. 2) | ✓

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HANNAH SAT QUIETLY, expectantly even as we sat there in silence. I twirled my thoughts around in my head, battling with my head and my heart. A beat of silence later, another knock sounded at my door. I jolted, my eyes darting to the window to my left. Where the boys once sat was empty and vacant of their presence.

I shouldn't have been surprised, but truthfully, I was. It wasn't a question of what they were here for, surely they were tired of sitting on the sidelines while Hannah and I spoke. However, I wasn't so sure I was ready to face them all again. My heart ached for them, but my head held me to keep my distance.

Hannah kept quiet, watching me with soft eyes and an understanding expression. Her fingers twirled in her lap, anxious about what I would decide. Truth be told, I was anxious as well. Letting them in meant more than welcoming them back into my home. I was torn with such a simple decision but knew the right answer. I had known all along but was too stubborn to see clearly enough to act on it.

With a deep intake of breath filling my heavy lungs, I stood from my position on the couch. Hannah startled, sitting upright and attempting a small smile. She was happy with my decision, that was evident enough, but was I?

Taking my time as I walked to the doorway, I reached out and grasped the door handle. A voice penetrated through the wooden door as my fingers brushed the cool metal.

"Open the door, baby," Zeke murmured. His voice was rough, but not with anger, rather hurt and a soft eagerness.

Exhaling, I twisted that knob and opened the door, my lips parting in a small gasp at what lay before me. All three boys stood at my doorstep, eyes heavy with hurt, regret, part frustration, and hesitancy. Their hair was mops of disheveled messes atop of their heads, eyes sunken in and dark, clothes wrinkled with their arms limp at their sides. They looked defeated, and it rippled through my body like a shock wave, cracking open my heart and tearing down the walls around it once more.

Tears swelled along my tear line, blurring my vision until all three stepped forward, but only one was able to reach me first. His arms encased me in their warmth as if piecing me back together with his strength and gentleness as which he held me. I tucked my face into his neck, breathing in his scent and letting it engulf me.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, blinking back the tears. "I'm so sorry."

Zeke brushed a hand down from the crown of my head to the small of my back, soothing me and that ache. "Shh, we're okay; you're okay; we understand."

A separate hand came and cupped my cheek, gently pulling me away from the crook of Zeke's neck. My vision cleared, locking on my favorite pair of chocolate brown eyes.

Noah gave me a small smile. "We're sorry too, Cupcake."

His nickname for me made my lip wobble, my eyes on the verge of spilling once more. I clung to Zeke tighter, arms wrapped around his neck as I gazed between Noah and Evan. The two shared gentle smiles with me, and I knew they had already forgiven me at that moment. I was ashamed of myself as Zeke held me, ashamed that I had been so quick to mistrust them, but part of me knew it had made perfect sense at the time, and my father had been tormenting me for weeks up until the point.

But those thoughts didn't lessen the pain I felt.

Taking a deep breath, I inhaled Zeke's scent once more and slowly loosened my grip. He let me, let me down but didn't let me go. He pulled away enough to place a gentle kiss atop my head, swarming my insides with warmth.

Clearly my throat, I stepped back from Zeke's embrace. He seemed reluctant to let me go but did so as if he knew I needed the space while I gathered myself. I placed my hands in my back pockets, biting my bottom lip as I raised my chin and met their gazes. "We need to talk," I began, then motioned to the living room. "Come sit?"