Page 29 of Angel

I tried not to sigh too heavily. “I’ll look into it. I’ll ask around, ask my parents.”

Paige’s eyes lifted back up to mine, open and honest. “You really don’t know, do you? Why they were killed?”

“No. I swear I don’t.”

At least I could be completely honest about that.

She nodded. “Okay.”

“Are you ready to go?”

Her shoulders lifted and fell, with a heavy sigh. “Yeah. I need to get back. I hate to leave here though. Even with what happened this morning it’s one of the best places I’ve been in a long time.”

“I hate to go too.” I gazed down at her. She lifted her chin up to meet my eyes. “This weekend didn’t go exactly as I planned.”

Paige smirked. “Yeah, well, at least we’re still alive and kicking, right?”

I ran the side of my hand down her arm. She shivered when our skin touched below her sleeve.

“It’s not fair,” she softly said.

I didn’t have to ask what she was talking about. Her parents. Her arranged marriage. None of it was fair.

There didn’t seem to be anything to say. All I wanted was to keep her there with me, hole up for at least a few more days. Maybe even till Moretti came banging down the down to whisk her away.

Was it the dire and crazy circumstances that had me feeling this way? Or was it just Paige herself? Was she really that alien when compared to all the other women I’d been with?

Yes. She was different. Both in ways easily pointed out and in ways not. She was sweet. Gentle. Open hearted. And she was so much more. Sleeping next to her the last two nights had been beyond easy. It just felt right. It scared me a bit. But, then again, so did the thought of losing her.

There was nothing to say that would change anything, so I kissed her. She shifted under my touch, her warmth wafting up and embracing me. Our lips meshed together, the sweetness turning into hot passion.

All of a sudden, she broke away. “We have to get back.”

I nodded but didn’t move. “Yes.”

Licking the lips I’d just tasted, she pulled out her phone and aimed it at the framed photo.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

“I want to get a picture of this.”

“Are you sure? Doesn’t it upset you?”

“No,” she mused. “I guess that’s weird, but I think it’s because she looks so happy.”

I peered at the small figure that had been Paige’s mother, her grin stretching ear to ear. It was easy to see where the twins got their beauty from.

“I don’t have any photos where she’s smiling like this,” she explained. “I want to keep it so I can remember her this way.”

My throat burned. I barely cracked out an answer. “That’s nice.”

Finished taking the picture, she put the phone away. “I’m ready.”

I followed her out the door, killing most of the lights but making sure to leave the front porch on and set the alarm system.

Maybe I needed to just tell her about what I knew.

No.It won’t do any good.

I needed to wait till I had more information, till I had things figured out. Paige didn’t need any more stress. She needed protection.

And somehow, I quietly nominated myself keep her safe.