Desired by Abigail Livinghouse (microsoft ebook reader .TXT) 📕

Yeah, I know Gabriel’s my guardian angel but still, it was nothing short of a miracle that he had stopped Conner before he was able to go any further. Letting out another deep breath, I snuggled closer to Gabriel.

“Thank you.” I murmured, shutting my eyes tight and shivering against the rushing wind. He held me closer, embracing me in his warmth.

 “Of course.” He whispered, and I felt the press of his lips on the top of my head.

I felt myself beginning to drift off, I know, weird time to fall asleep right? But I was pretty damn tired out of the turn of events the day had taken, and since I had gotten to school dark storm clouds had rolled in making it look like night time rather than late morning.

The setting reminded me of a few days ago when Gabriel revealed to me who he was. So, since the sun had taken a vacation, it was easy to fall asleep. I felt the edges of reality beginning to blur, the real world slowly slipping through my fingers. However, just as the darkness began to close in, I heard Gabriel say something.

“I don’t know what I’d do if I lost you. You have no idea how much I care about you.” I thought I heard him murmur softly, and the last thing I felt before I completely tuned out was Gabriel’s lips kiss my head gently once more.

Gabriel

Words could not describe how furious I was, with Conner, with Zale, with myself, and just with this whole situation. I had been careless by sending Rafaela off to school. Clearly, she was not ready to be on her own like I had hoped. And even though I know this is only going to make her angry, I feel that she is going to have to stay under mine and Nick’s watch in the apartment for some time, just until we know Conner’s disgusting hands can’t get ahold of her as well as Zale’s.

My lip curled at the thought of the vile things I knew her wretched ex-boyfriend had wanted to do to her. He had all but shoved his hands down her pants when I had shown up. Again, thoughtlessness and stupidity on my part. I had done the exact opposite of what guardian angels are supposed to do. I had stayed away, I had allowed Rafaela to be on her own. Well, look where that got us!

God, I was so angry I could spit, right in Conner’s vile face. But no, now is not the time for me to go after slime that is not worth it. Now, with Rafaela sleeping in my arms, I knew I had to take her to the apartment, and try to convince her that she is perfectly safe, even though I’m not so sure myself.

Landing soundlessly on the balcony, I pulled my wings in and tapped on the glass door leading in to the apartment. Nick, lying in a dead sleep on the sofa, jolted awake as soon as he saw me outside.

“Jesus Christ! What the hell happened?” He asked, sounding thoroughly shocked when I walked in carrying Rafaela.

“She’s sleeping, but she’s fine.” I said over my shoulder, considering he was shadowing each of my steps as I headed into the den and gently placed Rafaela onto the futon, draping a blanket over her before we headed back into the living room.

“Well, I could see that, but I meant what the hell happened to cause her coming home early? I thought she was at school?” Nick had thankfully shifted to whispering as to not wake Rafaela up, however I gestured to the balcony instead, and we both went outside, closing the door behind us.

“Okay, now what the hell happened?” He asked again.

I gritted my teeth, feeing the anger and animosity I held towards Conner come boiling to the surface and spill out as I talked.

“I was outside her school, and no more than ten minutes after I had dropped her off I heard her screaming. I ran in and found her ex-boyfriend molesting her in the men’s room. After pulling him off of her we left as quickly as we could.” When I finished, I could feel my heart pounding extra fast with fury, my fists clenching and ready to punch something, or more likely, someone.

Nick held out his hands as if to pause the situation.

“Okay, back up a second. How did her boyfriend get ahold of her in the first place?” He asked, and I couldn’t help the steel in my tone when I spoke next.

 “He goes to her goddamn school, he had perfect access to her. I should’ve known that he would pull something like this. Damn it!” I shouted, pounding my fist against the railing of the balcony.

Nick sighed, leaning against the brick wall of the apartment.

“Gabriel man, it’s all okay. Rafaela’s safe, everything’s fine.” My gaze shot to the angel trying to console me, and let me tell you, it was not working in the least.

“Oh everything’s fine now, huh? You think so? If everything was fine, Rafaela would be in school, completely safe and out of harm’s way. And, if everything was fine like you say, she’d also be able to go home and carry on with her life as if I had never interfered.” I paused to take a breath, while Nick opened his mouth to speak again, but I continued, not quite finished yet.

“My job has completely corrupted her life, which is exactly what I was trying to avoid doing but no, instead I’ve completely removed her from her home and she probably hates me now more than ever considering I nearly failed at saving her from her pathetically obsessed boyfriend. I can’t even bear to think about how she feels at the moment yet I do. Everything I do I take into account how Rafaela feels or how she would feel because usually, anything I do has to do with her.” I placed a hand on my chest, gesturing to myself, before going on.

“How do you think I feel about all of this? My reputation’s been shot to hell, which is definitely where I’m headed after this. Not only have I damaged my reputation, but yours as well, which don’t worry, I’m sure I’ll receive the blame for, as I rightfully should. All I can hope for right now is to keep Rafaela safe and away from Zale before I suffer my earned damnation when I return to Heaven, if I ever return to Heaven.”

 Now I was finished, and I sighed when I was done, feeling as if I had released all of my pent-up anger and emotions, however I did not loosen my tight stature, most of the pressure which was in my shoulders. Because my job here on earth was far from done, and I knew I would never be able to relax until I knew Rafaela was perfectly safe.

Nick sighed too and walked forward, gently placing his hand on my shoulder almost as if he was afraid I would explode again. Hell, I wasn’t so sure I wasn’t going to explode either.

“You might think you’re alone in this, but you’re not. Trust me man, I’ve got your back. I would never let anything happen to Rafaela, mostly because you’d kill me if anything did, but more than that. I’ve seen you around her Gabe, and you’re different. You care about her. Whenever you’re around her your eyes light up and your face regains some color, which is more emotion I’ve seen in you probably since I’ve known you.”

I interrupted him. “I’m just doing my job and protecting my assignment.” I said, a bit defensive and taken off guard at Nick’s strikingly attentive observations. He shook his head at me, almost in irritation.

 “Rafaela’s more than an assignment to you and you know it. She’s become more than just another mortal girl. You know it, and I know it, so don’t even try to deny it.” He said, and dropped his hand from my shoulder, reaching out to grip the handle of the sliding glass door and move it aside.

“I gotta check up on my assignment, and I’m tired as hell, since you woke me up from my damn nap.” Nick grumbled, before ducking inside and closing the door behind him. 

Gabriel

I stayed out on the balcony for a while, staring out at the barely visible city view and pondering what Nick had said.

Okay, maybe things have changed between me and Rafaela. It was true, she was no longer just an assignment to me but more than that. How much more was what I couldn’t figure out.

The recorded sound of bells chiming came from inside the apartment, and I went in to see that the one cellphone that Nick and I shared was ringing. I grabbed it, seeing that the caller ID was an unknown number, I flipped it open and pressed it to my ear, speaking in a slightly hushed voice, hoping that the person on the other line wasn’t the work of Zale.

“Hello?”

“Gaby!” Came the high pitched voice on the other end, which I immediately recognized, and I dropped my disguised tone.

“Aria?” I asked, slightly confused.

I hadn’t heard from Aria since she and I had talked a few weeks ago about my guardian angel punishment.

“What’s going on? Is something wrong?” I added, wondering why she would feel the need to call here. In response, there was a light giggle over the phone.

“Nothing’s wrong Gabe, I just figured I’d tell you that I’m in the neighborhood and wanted to stop by. You’re at Nick’s, right?”

I didn’t answer right away, thinking of what Aria would say when she got here and found Rafaela asleep in the den because I was afraid to leave her alone. She would be surprised, shocked, and probably a little angry because I was ruining my chances of ever returning to Heaven, which was all she wanted for me. Aria had always been a wonderful friend, and I loved her for everything she did for me, but I was letting her down by not doing my job. If she came here, I don’t know what she’d do or say. Although I knew she’d be angry with me overall.

 “Gabe? Gabe! Gabriel Robert Jamul answer me right now!” Aria’s angry voice shouted over the phone and I jumped, realizing she was still waiting for me to answer. I cleared my throat.

“Sorry, um, yeah I’m at Nick’s.”

“Well, thanks for finally assuring me