FALLEN (NOW PUBLISHED ON AMAZON)

23.

He is laying on his back with a now steady breathing pattern making his chest rise and fall at a slower rhythm than mine.  His skin is smooth and a little sweaty, it gives a soft salty taste to every kiss I trail on his body.  His locks are running wild on my pillows as he looks at the ceiling.

He sighs deeply and I stop my train of thoughts to dive my gaze into the beautiful green orbs that now search for my eyes.

"What is it?"  He asks me when he sees me staring at him.

I frown a second, debating if I should tell him or not.  But I then decide to just say it.

"I think you have a saviour complex."

He savours my words as if he wasn't sure if he likes the taste or not.  His brows are frowned and he takes a moment to think my words through.

"Maybe I'm like that because of you.  You are always in trouble."  He smirks shyly at me and I am both pleased and surprised by his response.

"I'm not!"

"You are.  You might be the most reckless woman I know."  He exclaims with more expression on his face.

"That isn't true.  In fact, tonight, I might have just needed an excuse to see you again."

He chuckles slightly, but his smile fades to set a cold and concerned look on his face.  His eyes are agitated.  He seems to be thinking, I can see the thoughts flying through his eyes.

"But you are right."

"About what?"

"I do tend to act like a saviour.  At least, with you."

"Why would you think that is?"

"I don't know..." He looks away, trying to find his answer somewhere else.

"Do you think it's because we were both bullied in school?  So you feel somehow that we are linked?"

"Linked?"

"I don't know OK...  I'm just trying to understand you."

He looks down without adding another word.  There's another silence where only the sound of our breaths is heard.  What is he thinking about?  Am I making myself clear?

"I think it might be because of my dad."

At this moment, I want to ask so many questions.  I want to know more, but I keep quiet.  I just want to know more about him.  He is opening up and it makes my heart jump in my chest that he finally does.

"There's a reason why I loathe going to Camden.  It's crazy, but I always get this overtaking feeling inside of me when I think about it.  I spent all of my life away from that part of town and there you were.  I guess-"

He keeps his sentence on hold, at loss of words or something.  My curiosity is feeling very impatient to have him finish his thought.

"You guess what?"  I whisper gently to invite him with all of my soul to conclude his thought.

"...you make me feel something stronger than my fears to make me go back there..." He sighs as he murmurs these wonderful words, still looking down at his hands resting on his chest.

Although he had just told me how deep his feelings for me go, I didn't care as much as I wanted to help him.  He is opening up and I want him to set himself free of these demons that he has kept for himself all of his life.  He needs some light on him and I reckon I could be that for him.  At least, I would like to be.

"My dad was murdered there."

All the air is sucked out of my lungs.  His words are like a punch right on my throat.  I never would have guessed and I feel so terribly sorry to always bring him back there.