Chapter 123 My Angel | 016
AZREN
As soon as I shut the door behind me, I lean against it and close my eyes. Every word Noelle just said is still echoing in my skull.
"She pushed me."
Three impossible words.
I can still see her face. Her beautiful eyes had been wet with tears, filled with a mix of fear and hope that someone would believe her. Paranoia had eaten her deep, and gods, it hurt. I remember hearing her scream and not being able to move fast enough, too dizzy to use my demonic abilities.
My throat burns at the thought of it.
"Azren?" Sabrina says. "Are you okay?"
I open my eyes. I didn't even realize she was still there. She's standing a few feet away, her blonde hair slightly messy from the rush upstairs. Concern is etched into her face.
The same face I've trusted for years.
I study Sabrina for a long second, searching for any crack, anything that would make Noelle's words feel less insane.
There's nothing. Only a deep concern.
"She thinks you pushed her," I say.
Sabrina's brows knit together. "I know. She was hysterical when I found her at the bottom of the stairs. Hallucinations are common with that kind of trauma, especially after the stress of the possession earlier. You were... not yourself when you touched her."
She takes one careful step closer.
"I would never hurt her, Azren. You know that."
I do.
I've known Sabrina since we were teenagers. She's stitched me up after every bad night, every overdose, every time the spirits tried to rip me apart from the inside. She's never once looked at me like I was a monster she needed to escape.
I drag a hand down my face.
"I'm fine," I mutter. "Go back to her. Make sure she's resting."
Sabrina hesitates, then she nods. "Of course."
She slips past me, disappearing into the bedroom.
I wait until the door closes again. Then I turn and head down the hallway. Noelle's voice keeps replaying.
"It wasn't you. It was Sabrina! She pushed me!"
I pause halfway down the corridor, one hand braced against the wall.
What if she's right?
The thought barely forms before a spike of pain lances through my temple.
I grunt, clutching my head. Whispers flood in. Layers of them.
...she lies... she lies... she lies...
...weak... fragile... useless...
...get rid of her before she destroys you...
The voices twist and snarl, twisting my mind. I grit my teeth, forcing them back. The pain fades as suddenly as it came. And so does the fucking noise.
I blink, shaking my head. Then I frown.
Why does it feel like I'm forgetting something important?
I push off the wall and keep walking. No. It doesn't matter. There's business waiting for me. So, I head for the penthouse doors and walk out of it.
Four men in black are waiting. Haden's men. I can smell their arrogance and the cheap cologne rolling off them. The leader steps forward, his face hidden behind a balaclava.
"Hand over the girl."
I tilt my head slowly, a wicked smile tugging at my lips. How I love games like this. Oh, the ecstasy.
"No," I reply in a bored voice.
He sighs as if I'm being unreasonable. It makes me want to yank his lungs out of his chest. He won't be able to sigh in front of me again, will he?
"Then we will take her," someone else says, and despite the pain still ravaging my body, I let out a laugh, tears of joy leaking from my eyes. These little rats don't get the memo, do they?
"How?" I ask, leaning against the wall, my eyes boring into them.
"What?" The first one says. He sounds incredulous.
"I'm asking how you intend to take her. She's a Lakewood now. Didn't they teach you about us? Surely there's an unsaid rule that says you can't mess with a Lakewood, isn't there?"
They all stare at me like I've lost my mind. Oops.
My med's already wearing off. And that is not good for them at all.
"There's none? None at all?!" I gasp dramatically, clutching at my chest.
"You bastard, you're mocking us, aren't you?!" Their leader hisses.
Then they all attack at once. I let them.
The first one doesn't even get to draw his blade before I rip his throat out with my claws.
The second fires silver rounds. I take three in the chest, feel the burn, and keep walking.
He screams when I snap his wrist, then his neck. The smell of blood makes me smile in satisfaction. Such a wonderful scent. Even better, it's tainted with the scent of fear. Tasty.
The third tries to run. I don't let him.
My hand closes around the back of his skull, and I slam him face-first into the marble pillar.
He stops moving. The last one—the leader—drops to his knees, his hands up.
"Please—"
I crouch in front of him. With a single punch to his face, his teeth come raining down all over the floor, stained with blood. He moans in pain, writhing and clutching his mouth.
I pull a thick roll of cash from my jacket and shove it into his trembling hands.
"For the hospital bills," I say gently. "And new teeth. Tell Haden that if he sends another squad, I won't be this generous."
He nods so quickly I'm surprised his head doesn't fall off. I straighten slowly, bored.
"Get out of my building."
He scrambles away, and I turn back towards the doors.
In my mind, I'm already reaching for Darrell, one of my gammas, through the pack link.
'Four bodies outside the penthouse entrance. Trash pickup. Now.'
His reply is instant.
'On it, Alpha.'
I head back inside, catching sight of my reflection on a mirrored wall. My eyes are black again, my expression calm.
I should be interviewing the bastard I locked up. I should be tearing the city apart looking for whoever gave the order. But I can't. Not while I'm a ticking bomb about to explode. I need calm...and quiet. I need Noelle.
Just as I start towards the stairs, Sabrina's words float into my mind. It's too risky. I have to stay away. Even if it fucking kills me.
'I'd like to see how long you can stay away from her, you twat,' Aether hisses.
If he was human, he'd probably be rolling his eyes. But I’m not in the mood to argue.
Quietly, I make my way up the stairs, tightening my grip on the railing, when a heavy lull washes over me. I'm so exhausted. Noelle would help with that... No, of course not.
But I need to shower first, so I start to undress once I get to my room.
My mind starts to stray again. Is Noelle okay? I really hope she is. It’s barely been a day, and so much has happened. Gods, am I cursed?
My phone rings on the bed. It's my old man calling. I blink at the screen for a few seconds, thinking of asking him to fuck off. Then I switch off the phone. It's his fault I'm like this. If Mum didn't have to save him, I wouldn't... I wouldn't end up like this.
With shaky hands, I unbuckle my belt, undo my zipper and take off my pants. I can already feel a headache coming on as the nasty voices start to return.
Swaying, I strip off completely, taking my clothes over to the laundry basket. I still have nightmares from Mum screaming at me to clean up.
The sound of running water reaches my ears and I go still.
Wait… Did I turn on the shower?
Frowning in confusion, I open the bathroom door, only to be greeted by the sight of Sabrina completely naked under the shower. In my bathroom.
What the fuck?
She stares at me for a moment, not bothering to cover up. Then she mumbles an apology and slowly starts walking towards me. We had a fucking agreement after our breakup three years ago.
Am I…hallucinating? Sabrina would never—
Suddenly she trips, crashing boob first against my chest. The door to my bedroom crashes open in that exact same moment. And standing there is a red-faced Noelle, her chest heaving as if she just ran a marathon. My brain takes a second to reboot. And I realize with a horrifying clarity that maybe, just maybe, Azalea has always been right about me being dumb. What the hell is going on?