Chapter Fifteen
Melissa went to bed in the early morning, utterly exhausted and barely able to keep her eyes open. This time, her fatigue was so profound that not even an issue as major as Joe’s could keep her attentive and awake. The last thing that popped into her mind was her triumph over the security for that mansion in North Haven, and the fear that she had instigated upon her – supposed – rival. Melissa might have not been intending to terrorize anybody that night, but she was too stressed to hold on to her temper. Her goal had been to rescue Joe, and Susan Lane was getting in the way. It didn’t matter to her how she got rid of her; just that she did. Despite the fact that she had achieved her goal, Melissa knew she had to be more careful from now on. In her anxiety, she had almost yielded control to her wolf, in front of hundreds of strangers. She could not allow that to happen again.
Hours later, as she was still lost in the sweet oblivion of sleep, two male voices faded in to her dark cocoon, causing her eyes to shoot open. Richness and depth characterized them both. One was slightly higher than the other. Melissa couldn’t believe her ears. It was Joe, accompanied by Raul, the single one of her brothers who had been infuriated by Joe’s presence. She was still too drowsy to make out what they were saying; yet, they didn’t sound at all like they were arguing. On the contrary, their roaring laughter resounded through the walls of her cabin, stunning her even further. Melissa rolled out of bed, at the same time wondering if this was real or just a figment of her imagination. The voices instantly became louder, as she pulled her bedroom door open. No. This wasn’t a fantasy. Raul and Joe were at her kitchen table. Her Alpha was holding a piece of paper before him, studying it, as her boyfriend rummaged through a stack of papers.
“It’s a miracle,” Raul smirked, as his gaze shot up to meet hers. “She’s awake.”
“I have two questions. One: What time is it? Two: Are you guys kidding me?” Melissa asked, curiosity written all over her face, as her brother rose from his seat.
“5:50p.m. and no, we’re not kidding you,” he retorted, attempting to use a serious tone, as she started down the stairs. “Joe came to me, saying that he means well. I asked for some proof. He showed me some of his writing. We talked for a while. He and I have a few things in common.”
“It’s true,” Joe agreed, setting the papers back down on the stack, as the corners of his lips curved into a gentle smile. “I hope we didn’t wake you.”
“I’ve been sleeping for almost twelve hours, Joe.” Melissa’s voice came out drowsy, with a pinch of playfulness, as she stepped off the landing. “I’m glad you woke me up.”
“Helena will be up in grandpa’s sanctuary tonight, if you need her,” Raul stated, as his sister brushed past him. “I’ll see you later.”
“I thought our date was at seven. It’s not even six yet,” Melissa continued as she seated herself beside Joe.
“I had a long, crazy day,” Joe sighed, leaning closer to her. “I gave my statement to the police, which lasted two hours, and then went straight to work. I tried to talk to my boss about the shooting, but he wouldn’t let me. He thought I’d seen the whole thing. He gave me the rest of the week off. He even offered to pay for counseling. I went back to my place, got some sleep, packed a bag, and here I am. Before I took off, I read online that the police had found the shooters. They’re members of a local gang, hired by a rival studio to take out the girls in that limo.”
“And you visited my brother…” Melissa faltered, “…because?”
“I wanted to be straight with him,” he explained, his voice coming out softer. “Call me old-fashioned, but if I were him, I’d like to know who’s dating my sister. I showed him a couple of pages I’ve written for you. I read some of the stuff he’s written for his wife. He’s very talented.”
“You write? You’ve written? For me?” She pointed at herself, as heat blazed up her neck and landed in her cheeks. Joe did not speak. He merely gave her a crooked smile that sent her pulse rising, as he picked up the page on the top of the stack.
My raging fire – My brightest star
Save me tonight from my darkest dream
Take my hand like the fairy you are
Heal the soul in my twilight scream
My bitter heart your name is calling
This hollow night, your face I seek
Before you, in the abyss I was falling
Crying in the darkness of my eternal sleep
“You’re my muse,” Joe whispered, as she held the paper with trembling fingers. “You’re my hope: my only hope.”
Melissa set it down on the table, unwilling to take her eyes off his kind words. She squeezed her eyes shut, sucking in a deep breath, unable to utter a word. Joe Stanton was indeed the man she believed him to be. She had not fallen for an illusion. He was real, made of flesh and blood. And Melissa was his inspiration. She could feel it in her bones. Hear it in his racing heartbeat. Read it in the verses he had written for her. Her eyes snapped open, as she lifted them to meet his.
“It’s so beautiful,” she whispered, her lips quivering, as he rested his hands against the soft skin of her cheeks.
“I could write for hours, as long as I could gaze upon you,” he breathed, trailing his thumbs over her cheekbones, as he leaned towards her. “Let me sail in that tiny little sea in your eyes, Melissa.”
His request made her heart melt: filling her with an uncontrollable urge to taste his lips once again. She bent her head slightly, as he eased her closer. Something stirred inside her, as their mouths joined in a long, tender kiss. Emotions welled up, ones that she had never felt before: true; pure; unadulterated; shocking every single atom of every cell of her essence. Melissa was losing herself in the dream that was this very real moment, recalling his confession, as he snaked his left arm around her neck. There was no demand in Joe’s kiss, just a desire to demonstrate the tenderness she inspired in him, a will to prove to her that his feelings for her ran deeper than lust. Melissa had no need for any more evidence. She already had his writing, but she could not resist the temptation for one more of his kisses. Joe rested his forehead against hers, his eyelids slowly lifting up, as his face lit up with a smile.
“Do you have to live two and a half hours away from me?” he whispered, pushing his hand into his hair.
“I could ask you the same thing,” she uttered, circling her arms around his neck. “I don’t care about the distance, though. My brothers and their girlfriends faced the exact same problem, and they worked it out. It’s the deal that concerns me.”
“I’ve been dying to know what that witch can do to help me,” Joe admitted, heaving a long, heavy sigh, as he dropped his gaze from her. “Every priest I’ve talked to said I couldn’t do anything about it. Some of them told me I don’t even deserve a funeral.”
“Helena is no priest,” Melissa shook her head sideways, speaking in a more mellow tone. “She’s come through for me and my family before. You should also call her by her name. She’ll get mad at you, if you don’t.”
“Point taken,” he smiled, nodding at the same time. “Where’s your grandpa’s sanctuary?”
“It’s up in the mountain side,” she winked at him. “It’s full of books, pictures and memories. I didn’t know it existed, until a few months ago. I was surprised to hear about it at first, but I loved that I found dozens of my grandpa’s pictures and my grandma’s in there as well. I don’t remember him. He died when I was just two years old.”
“Let’s go, then,” Joe suggested, leaning back, as he removed his hands from her. “I’d really like to see it.”