Betrayed By You

Ch.13 - Secrets

Should I just have all three of us sit down and have him tell her what he really is? Maybe she'll understand. Or maybe she'll just think he's crazy and think that's why I keep such a close eye on him and why I always have. Or maybe she'll run screaming as fast and far as she can. Or she'll actually believe it and want to see and that risks everything because then she might want to spend more time with him and he'd make her into one of them. Ugh! Why did he have to ask now?

Is that the back door? Must be him. I walked to the back door and unlocked it. I forgot that Devlin preferred to use the back door because it had been closer to his bedroom when we were growing up. It was easier for him to sneak out if he felt like it. When our parents died and he moved out I ended up switching to the master bedroom, but I left the guest room and his room as they had been. When Ange stayed over I let her use my old room because we'd spent a lot of time in there studying and she felt comfortable there. Though now we also spent a lot of time walking around the house because either I was cleaning or putting something away or she was and we were talking all the time. It felt good to live with her.

"What the hell is with the back door being locked?" Devlin half demanded.

"I don't use the back door and forgot it was locked."

"You know I use the back door. Why would you ever lock it?"

"Because you know when I'm home, you know how to call me, and you don't live here anymore."

He opened his mouth and by the look in his eyes I knew he wanted to say something rude, but he stopped and closed his mouth before staying silent for a minute. "Fair enough. What room should I put my bag in?"

"Your old room is still yours. I haven't messed with anything." I left out the part of just in case you change your mind and want to move back in.

"Cool." He walked into his old room and threw his bag on the bed. I followed and shut the door behind us.

"First things first. You remember Angeline?"

He paused for a few minutes before nodding. "What about her?"

"She's gone through something and didn't want to be alone, so she's been staying here in my old room." I braced myself for Devlin to rush me and try to get past to find her and tell her to get out. He stood there and turned around, probably counting. Finally he turned around and had a frustrated look on his face, but something didn't feel right about how he spoke.

"Okay. I'll try to be good."

He never tried to be good. He had never tried to be good when we were kids. I nodded slowly and opened the door, stepping into the hallway. "She knows you're on your way, but I'll go let her know you're here." He nodded and started unpacking as I walked down the hall to my old room.

The door was closed, so I knocked. "Ange? Can I come in?"

She opened the door, smiling. "Sorry, I'd had the door closed when I was getting dressed and forgot that I left it shut. Come on in."

I watched as she walked over and sat on the bed and stood there for a minute before walking into her room and closing the door. She looked up at me with wide eyes and watched me move. I'd heard her pulse jump when I closed the door. The hair on the back of my neck raised. The full moon was a week away but I was feeling effects of the coming change already. Her pulse speeding up like that was starting to trigger my predatory instincts. I walked over to her and she moved back on the bed as I sat down. I swallowed a few times, trying to keep my instincts at bay because the closer I got to her the more I wanted her.

"Was there something you wanted to talk about?" She asked. I nodded.

"Yeah. Devlin's here. And he's already acting funny. He knows you're here. I told him." I took a deep breath. "You take a shower?"

She nodded and smiled. "I had a new body wash I wanted to try. Do you like it?"

I nodded and leaned over as she leaned back slightly. I grinned at her as she smiled and I moved quickly, positioning myself so I was over her with one of my legs between her legs and my arms on either side of her waist. We stayed there for a moment before she opened her mouth and bit her lower lip. I leaned in.

Devlin opened the door while looking down at his phone, "Did my brother tell you what was happening toni- Oh come on!" He looked at us and shook his head. "If you're gonna fool around at least lock the door."

"Let that be your lesson to knock then." Angeline replied. Devlin glared at her, but she smiled at me. Devlin left, closing the door behind him.

I watched the door for a moment before Angeline's hand moved up my cheek, her fingers stopping to brush against my ear. I turned towards her. "Yes?"

"We really should talk about things."

"We do talk about things."

"You know that's not what I mean. I mean we should talk about the kiss. About what it might have meant."

I moved off of her and laid on my back, taking one of her hands in mine. "Ange, I've asked you before if you wanted to move in with me. To live with me. You're the one who said it wouldn't be good and would make things awkward when I brought a girl home or when you'd bring a guy over."

She laid down and we looked at each other. "Ange, when I asked you to move in with me I was asking you to live with me, not as a roommate, but to be mine. You didn't seem to want that. I don't know if you've changed your mind or if I'm going to me a memory years down the road. Someone whose name you don't remember while you're telling your kids about where you grew up and the friends you had in school and who you hung out with and all that."

"You know I don't want kids."

"Neither do I, but that doesn't mean if the right person comes along and changes their mind we won't compromise."

She stayed silent for a few minutes. "Du, do you ever... Do you ever really think about the future? About where you'll be in five years? Ten?"

I nodded. "I think about it a lot. For good reason." I want to spend those years and more being with you.

"I don't look for someone to fool around with. I look for someone to really be with. I look for someone I can be myself with. Someone who wants the same things I do."

So far you've mentioned me, me, and me. "How do you think I feel about you?"

"What?"

"What do you think my feelings for you are? Do you think I consider you just a friend? Do you think I want to have a fling with you?"

She laughed. "You're not the type of guy who does flings. I've known you long enough to know that. I wasn't sure what your feelings about me were before that kiss."

"I'd like to be more than friends with you. To go on dates and be able to introduce you as my girlfriend instead of my friend if someone asks about you."

She squirmed for a few minutes before she grabbed me and pulled me on top of her, kissing me. I closed my eyes and melted against her. I pulled her close to me, one arm around her back before I finally broke the kiss. "If you don't want to be with me then that's fine, but make your choice. I want you. If you don't want me then you can still stay, I want you as my friend, but just let me know. Let me know so I know what step is the next one I should take."

"I'm choosing you, Duval." She said, pulling me down to her for another kiss.

"I love you."