I smiled at Riel. Even in the artificial light, you could tell he was supernatural. The light bent around him in such a way- he looked like he was glowing. In addition to the fact that his hair was practically white- he looked like the textbook definition of an Angel. He looked like something that belonged in a painting on one of the ceilings painted in the Renaissance Era.
"I suppose that's alright," I breathed out, but my chest still felt tight as if I hadn't exhaled at all.
"Alright sweetheart- 'ey, you! Get out. You're not family," a lady, who I assumed was my nurse, waddled over to Riel and gripped his arm, pulling him out of his chair. I suppressed a giggle as Riel winked at me before being dragged out of the room and practically thrown into the hallway. The nurse slammed the door shut behind her with an agitated huff, narrowed her mahogany brown eyes at me, and waddled over to my bedside.
"You wanna tell me why there's no family sitting in this room?" She raised an over-plucked brow suspiciously.
"I don't want them to worry. They've got enough on their mind. I'm not a minor anymore, I can take care of myself," I explained.
"Mmhmm, and that's why I saw two beautiful young men leavin' this room? 'Cause you can 'take care of yourself'?" She asked and I fought against the heat rising to my cheeks.
"Believe me, it's the other way around. They're both trainwrecks," I attested. The lady scowled at me, then grabbing the clipboard she had been holding in her armpit, handing it to me as well as a ballpoint pen.
"Since you're all Miss Independent right now, here's your discharge papers. You're clear to go. Doc says you're to pick up pain meds at your pharmacy, take 'em once every 6 hours. Drink plenty of fluids. Get lots of rest. Avoid technology. You can also pick up the doctor's note for classes and everything if you wanna at the pharmacy," the nurse explained. I thanked her and began to fill out my discharge papers.
It took longer than I thought.
By the time I had finished, it was getting dark out, and I only then realized I had no mode of transportation to get back to Grey's house.
Grey.
I wondered what he would say if he found out I agreed to see Riel as well. Maybe he wouldn't care. My chest ached with that prospect, regardless of how I fought to ignore it.
When I exited the hospital, my eyes immediately landed on Riel. He smiled when he saw me walk through the revolving doors, leaning up against a white Audi.
"I didn't know you drove," I smirked, walking up to him with a skip in my step.
"What? Did you think I flew everywhere?" He chuckled, opening the passenger door for me and holding out a hand to help me inside. So gentlemanly.
"You're an Angel. It wasn't out of the realm of possibility," I rolled my eyes and he laughed, walking over to the driver's side and climbing in.
"It gets tiring after a while. Like running. You can only do it for so long before you want to sit down," he flashed me a dazzling smile as he pulled out and onto the street. He was a much different driver than Grey. Grey was all about speed and efficiency- getting where you needed to go, as fast as you can get there, and to hell with the consequences. Riel followed all the laws, stopped at every stop sign, and get this- he even followed the speed limit. I didn't realize how nice it was to drive with someone like Riel until I drove with someone like Grey.
"So what did the nurse say?" He smiled at me out of the corner of his eye.
"She gave me my discharge papers and relayed to me what the doctor said. Your basic concussion treatment. Pain meds, rest, no technology," I explained. Riel nodded in understanding and reached forward, pressing a button. Warm air blasted from the vents and Riel glanced at me.
"You had goosebumps," he hummed softly, reaching over and taking my hand in his. I smiled in comfort. He noticed that I was cold before I even realized I was cold. He actually paid attention to what I was saying. What a concept.
"Are we going back to Grey's?" I asked, watching the grey clouds roll across the sky in waves. It was going to rain again. Shocking.
"Yes. But I'll be staying with you now. After what happened, the Archangels and I believe it's in your best interest to have multiple angelic beings present at all times. It poses a greater threat to whoever is out to get you," Riel explained softly.
Oh yeah. I'd almost forgotten. Grey was on a mission to figure out who wanted my head. I wonder if that meant Riel and I could actually have a chance- with Grey gone all the time.
Ugh, what an awful thing that was for me to think. Grey's trying to save my life, and I'm hoping he stays gone so I can flirt with Mr. Sunshine over here. Maybe I do belong in Hell.
"What are you thinking?" Riel questioned, eyeing me a little.
"Nothing," I lied, but not very convincingly- as Riel frowned immediately after I said so.
"Talk to me, Jordan," he insisted and I turned and smiled at him politely.
"Really. It's nothing. I'm happy you're going to be staying with us," I replied. This satisfied Riel for now, a gentle smile spreading on his lips. Riel parked the car, then came over to my side to help me out. That was fine, however, when he grabbed my hand, entangling his fingers in mine as we walked up to the house, I got a nauseating feeling in the pit of my stomach. I don't know why, I just did. It's probably because I hated being touched.
If I was going to see if this thing could work between us, I'd have to move past my own aversions. So, I ignored the fact that his hand was there, gripping mine tightly when we walked into the house.
"You're supposed to be staying in the hospital," Grey hissed, his eyes turning cold as ice as they flicked from Riel's hand in mine, to Riel, then back at me. He scowled and clenched his jaw so hard, I was surprised his teeth didn't shatter.
"Grey, can I talk to you for a minute?" I breathed out in a voice I didn't recognize as my own until both men looked at me. Riel sighed and let go of my hand, and I instinctively pulled my arms across my chest, as close to my body as I could. Grey narrowed his eyes at me, following me back outside. I knew this was awkward. I knew Grey was pissed. And a small part of my heart wanted me to give up on Riel and throw my arms around Grey. But I shouldn't. I couldn't. Riel was the right guy for me to have on my side.
I shut the door behind us and Grey took a step closer, his face inches away from mine. It had started to rain, and the little roof that covered his doorstep did little to shield us as it flew in at an angle.
"Mind telling me what the hell's going on?" Grey seethed through gritted teeth and I sucked in a deep breath. I had expected some backlash, sure, but this?
"I got discharged," I shrugged and Grey's eyes narrowed.
"Do not smart-ass me right now. What. Was. That?" He seethed and inched closer. I could see a glowing blue ignite behind those cold eyes- predatory and wild- as if waiting for me to make a mistake so he could strike.
"Okay, look, Grey, I-"
And then his lips were against mine, his arms tight around my waist, pulling every inch of my body as close to his as possible. I melted into it, partially because I didn't know how to react, and partially because Lord knows I love being kissed by Grey. So, I didn't stop myself when I started to kiss him back.
He pulled away, raindrops streaming down both of our faces. The predatory fire in his eyes had cooled to a subtle glow, and he now cupped my cheeks in his hands.
"I know you feel this- this thing between us. I know you do," he whispered, his cool eyes flicking back and forth between mine. A few strands of his midnight hair fell in front of his eyes, water droplets collecting on the ends. I reached up, gently brushing them back.
"I'm just confused," I could barely hear my own voice leave my lips. The color left Grey's eyes and he took a step back, his brows furrowing into a deep scowl.
"What exactly about this is confusing to you?" He spat in frustration.
"Everything. By being with you, I feel like I'm signing my soul to Hell. And I won't do that," I frowned and folded my arms again.
"So you think that by being with him, you'll get closer to Heaven? Do you honestly think-" he took a step forward, "-that you'd be happy with him? That you'd be satisfied with a normal, domestic relationship? Do you think that you won't see yourself start to ruin him? You have darkness in you, oh by God, you do. Darkness is infectious, love, and that darkness will spread to him. You know it too. But no, you want to pretend that this darkness doesn't exist, that if you pretend to be interested in Mr. Purity Ring God Save Us All, that you'll actually start to be like him? You won't. You. Will. Ruin. Him. You'll never be happy, he will never be enough for you, and you will destroy him."