Redeeming Angel by J.L. Weil

and laid a hand on my
shoulder, giving it a quick squeeze before going to set his mug in
the sink. “Oh…” He paused and turned back around. “Whose car is
parked in the driveway?”
    I cleared my throat. “It’s probably
better you don’t know.”
    “ That’s what I was afraid
of.”
    ~*~*~*~
    Her lashes lifted. Wispy sunlight
caught those strange eyes meeting mine for a brief second, and I
wasn’t sure I would ever get used to the color. Violet eyes, a
perfect blend of her blue human eyes and her red demon eyes. Angel
had slept for nearly twenty-eight hours, waking up for only a few
minutes when I laid her in the back seat of my car.
    I bit the inside of my cheek as her
lashes swept down. Angel was beautiful to me—flawless. An exuberant
amount of relief pinged through me. She was home, no longer
connected to Hell and not trying to kill me.
    Her long lashes lifted again and our
eyes locked, a sweet flush creeping across her cheeks. My eyes
dipped and her lips parted, causing a hunger to stir inside
me.
     
    {Angel }
    Chase’s handsome face came into focus.
The sun was highlighting the sharp angles of his jaw through a
window I knew well. It faced his bedroom.
    I was home.
    It was surreal. I kept blinking just
to make sure this wasn’t a dream. When his fingers lightly ran
under my chin, I thought I might cry. They felt very
real.
    There were a million things I wanted
to say, but I had no idea where to start. I was lucid for the first
time in…I wasn’t sure how long. I felt like myself, but I
didn’t—something was different. As I gazed into his eyes, I
realized one thing hadn’t altered—my feelings for Chase. They were
tremendous. They were strengthening. They were
overwhelming.
    I might be a complete basket case, but
I was certain of one thing. I’d been saved by his infinite
love.
    Without a word spoken between us, I
leaned forward to kiss his jaw, the stubble he was sporting
tickling my lips. I nipped playfully at his chin and then pressed
my lips softly to his. “Thank you,” I whispered, resting my head
back down on the pillow beside him so we were
face-to-face.
    His eyes morphed into incandescent
gold slits, and a shiver skated over my skin. He let out a
shuddering breath. “I was terrified the entire time you were lost.
I’ve never been so scared out of my mind that I would never be able
to hold you again.”
    My arms tightened around
him.
    “ And when I did see you , I was afraid it
might be the last time I’d ever hear your laugh or see your
smile.”
    My heart tripped, dancing.
“Chase…”
    “ Don’t you dare,” he said,
putting a finger to my lips. “I know what you’re going to say and
you don’t owe me an apology. None of this would have ever happened
if I had just stayed away from you.” His chest heaved. “I’m scared
shitless that we’ll never be the same again. That you won’t love me
the way you did.”
    “ Stop,” I said, blinking
back tears. “How can you say that?”
    “ Angel, I’ve taken so much
from you, from your life. My world has almost killed you, taken you
from me, and destroyed you. How can’t I feel responsible for
altering your life so much?” His jaw locked.
    “ None of that matters. You
saved me. You always save me.”
    He cast his eyes downward. “I promised
you that you would be safe. I lied. You’ll never be safe with
me.”
    “ That’s such bullshit. I
owe you my life. You brought me home. You always know what I need even when I don’t. You love me no matter
what stupid thing I’ve said or done. And…I love you. That’s never
going to change.” I softly rubbed the pad of my thumb over his
lower lip.
    He closed his eyes. “Say it
again.”
    I leaned forward, pressing my lips
smoothly against his and whispered, “I love you more than I ever
thought possible. Nothing you can say, nothing you do will ever
change that. You’ll always be a part of me.”
    His lips parted on a sharp inhale. “I
only want you to be happy.” He slid