Ending Link (Link Dane 2)

TWENTY-SIX

TWENTY-SIX

Awkward could not begin to cover what I was feeling right now. Which was strange since he saw me naked more times than I could count in the past week or so. And then there was no awkwardness present.

I wriggled away from him and he managed to straighten up completely until he was a good distance away from me, or however much the staircase allowed for.

"Versa," he said.

I nodded up in agreement as he stared down at me, only for a few seconds but it felt like an eternity. Splinters shattered inside of me. The look he had in his eyes whenever he was looking at me had vanished and in replace was that same cold Link I had known all those years ago. The same cold Link I didn't want to come across again.

I knew he was hurting. I knew it was wrong but couldn't he see I was protecting him? Dropping everything off to stay with us would eventually build resentment and what would happen then? This man was built for the field, for his job and I had no right to ask him to drop everything and come with us.

He started up the stairs again, mumbling something in coherent under his breath.

I blinked a few times. Oh to hell with it. It wasn't like I was known for making good decisions anyways.

"Link, wait!" I said after him, scrambling up to my feet to catch up to him. I came to stand on the stair he was on and quickly put my hand on the back of his head, turning his head to face me. "Link, please." I begged him, searching his full eyes for that dark humorous glint I would have melted for.

"I won't just let you walk away," I started to stammer out, my other hand coming to rest on his cheek. I pressed into the contours of his body, craving his heat and his touch.

"I'm not walking away," he whispered to me. "You are."

"Please Link, listen to me." I went on my toes and lightly touched my lips to his. "We are so messed up but I love it. I love how you are, I love everything about you. I didn't want you to come and drop everything in case in the future you started to hate being in Brighton and then you start to hate me all over again."

"Let me decide for myself, Orianna. And you damn right know what I already want."

I pulled his lips back down to mine again. Oh, his taste. It filled my senses until I was close to being delirious. I managed to pull back, breathlessly. "Listen to me, Link. Please."

"I can listen if you stop kissing me," he murmured.

I shook my head. "I can't, you're too delicious and I missed you."

Link smiled down at me although it didn't reach his eyes. "What we going to do?"

I shrugged. "I have an idea. We can live between Brighton and London, whatever the wind takes us."

He raised an eyebrow, already seeing the ludicrousness of my idea. "And when Joy has to start school? That would be very soon now."

I pursed my lips. I hadn't thought that far along even though Joy starting school was happening sooner than I was prepared for. "Then we'll pick together where we like and start our roots there. From scratch."

I felt the tension leave in Link's body as he let out a heavy breath. "Orianna, I'm sorry for what I said. I was seeing red. In my head, if I took Joy to court I would still have chances to see you and make you change your mind."

I grabbed the collar of his jacket and pulled him in closer. "You're fucking insane. But I apologise for trying to take your daughter away from you. That was a disgusting thing to do."