Elysian House: Edge of the World (3)

Chapter 17: Del's Secret Memory

Viola

My day was consumed with getting my sister and I ready for the voyage we would be on for... well, for however long it took to find the Golden Fleece. And since Olivia was stuck in her cell, and unable to pack her things for herself, I was the one doing it.

Olivia's apartment was a mess, which was new for me since Olivia was a big stickler for tidiness. But then I remembered Jasmin also lived here, and that probably meant she was the one who left her sweaters laying on the back of the couch.

While I was busy stuffing Olivia's backpack with her bras, I heard the door creak open and I looked back to find Riley walking through the door.

She smiles when she sees me and leans down to kiss me on my cheek. "Hey. What are you doing here?"

"I'm packing Olivia's things. What are you doing here?"

"Packing Jasmin's things," Riley chuckles, and holds up Jasmin's duffle bag. "Jasmin is refusing to leave Olivia alone in that cell any longer than she has to, so she asked me to come here and pack her things for her."

I zip up Olivia's backpack and sit down on the edge of the messy bed to watch Riley searching through Jasmin's drawers.

It was such a strange thing. Despite all that has happened, we were both alive. Still here, still breathing, still together. In the past life, I burned in front of her, I was killed in cold blood and there was nothing I could have done. We died together.

I'll admit there's a part of me that did resent Snow for doing that to us. For tearing us apart and keeping us apart for so long. But there was a bigger part of me, the more dominant part of me, that loved Riley more and that hoped for a future with her more. I wouldn't let Snow hurt us again, but I couldn't hate her. That just wasn't me.

Besides, there was so much more to love here than to hate.

And looking at Riley now, it made me realize that.

I stood up off the bed and walked over to her, running my hands down her arms and pressing a kiss to her neck.

"Hey, now, I'm trying to pack some things here," she chuckles, but makes no move to actually stop me. I can tell in her voice that she likes the proximity and I certainly did too.

I sigh and press my cheek against her shoulder. "You know that I'll never let anything happen to you, right?"

Her hands skim over mine as they clasped together against her stomach. "I know."

I press another kiss to her neck and when I feel her tilt her head to give me more room, I continue.

It was a point in the relationship when the sexual side was open and it was an enticing idea to me.

A passion I'd never fulfilled with anybody else before, and now it was given to me.

And it was hard to say no.

My lips trailed up the length of Riley's neck to her ear and I pulled on the lobe lightly with my teeth.

Riley giggles and nudges me with her elbow. "That tickles."

"Here I am, trying to be sexy and seduce you and you're laughing," I joke, squeezing Riley's waist around me.

"It's not my fault you have no idea how to seduce a woman."

"Really? I'm pretty sure I've already seduced you once."

"Mm, that doesn't count. I was having a dry spell is all and I was desperate."

"Oh, right, right," I squeeze her again and pull her against me. "I love you."

Riley inhales and her hands squeeze mine again. "I love you too, Vi. So, so much."