Page 16 of Found In Destruction

Mal helped him off the floor, then got to work fixing the giant hole I made in the wall. He magicked the plaster over it, trying his best to cover it up.

“Oh no worries,” Bennett calmly said. “Your magic will level out with practice. You’re very lucky there wasn’t serious damage, especially with how long you were out of your time period.”

He finished a few more scans, his hands hovering over me as a pen and notepad scribbled away next to him. I couldn’t read everything, but I did notice “Magical practicum three times a week” and “Round the clock supervision for two weeks” because they were underlined.

“Welcome home, Diana, and have a wonderful day. If you need anything, you can call for me and I’ll be right over.” Bennett smiled, then promptly left.

Mal took me into his arms and wedged me between his legs. I sighed loudly and I let myself relax into his chest. He made me feel safe. I could let go of all my worries, anger and anxiety—drop the mask completely with him. I didn’t need to be strong and untouchable because we’ve seen each other at our worst. It felt freeing to just be myself.

After several minutes of enjoying each other’s silent company Mal said, “We need to have a hard conversation.” He shifted in his seat, and something familiar shaped brushed my side.

Lifting my chin gave me a good view of his handsome face. Crystal clear blue eyes and light blond hair tied back into a low bun, showing off his insane bone structure. He could have been a male model in a mortal life.

“I would rather not blow you in a hospital room where people are coming and going all day. But we can fade somewhere more private…”

“I can’t help getting hard when your ass is rubbing against me, you tease. Unfortunately, that’s not the kind of conversation we need to have.”

I shifted so I was sitting in his lap instead of between his legs. “What’s up?” I had an idea of what he wanted to discuss. We couldn’t put it off the four metaphorical elephants in the room, any longer. A deep breath would have to be enough to prepare me for the awkward talk ahead.

“Not pushing you one way or the other in how you want to move forward with anything, but we can’t ignore Desmond, Ares, Bash, and Azazel. We have a war to fight and at the minimum we need to have a professional relationship with them.”

“You’re right. I’m not going to let the world suffer because they’re assholes, but I don’t know what I want. Sometimes I miss them. I’ll be doing something mundane like reading or showering and randomly think of them. My heart breaks because I miss them so much. Other times I get so angry?—”

My magic flared at the reminder of their betrayal. I took a deep breath to calm myself before continuing. “I get so angry that I can’t even stand to look at them.”

“Understandable. Do you want me to ask them to give you space? You’re going to be stuck in here for a few more days, and I wouldn’t put it past one of them to show up unannounced.”

As if Mal summoned him, Desmond’s large frame blocked out the bright hallway light, casting most of the room in shadow. He invited himself in and sat on the edge of my bed. He had a white box in his hand, and I could smell the delicious sugar calling to me. A black wisp of shadow escaped his sleeve, and he quickly reined it in.

The shadows were a new part of him, inseparable was the way Lucifer described it to me. They reminded me of how emotionally distant he could be…how he felt no qualm keeping secrets from me. How this new version of him seemed so unfamiliar to me. He was still Desmond, same face and body, but with a new darkness inside of him that he never showed us.

“How are you both feeling?” Hearing his deep, raspy voice again made my heart clench. And not in the romantic way.

“Better…” I could barely form words. My throat felt thick and my eyes stung.

“I’m all patched up. My magic was easy to balance.” Mal gave him a weak smile.

The silence stretched between us, until Desmond put the box on the bed. I recognized the sticker anywhere—it was from my favorite bakery. The fact that he went all the way back to Brooklyn to get it reminded me of how epically the guys fucked up. I felt even worse.

He opened it, showing an assortment of cannoli. The traditional kind, chocolate, and a Sicilian pistachio variety they always ran out of unless you went early in the morning to get them.

My mouth dried up and my stomach curled. I didn’t realize how unprepared I was to be around them again.

Words escaped me, and the only thing I could think to say was, “Thanks.”

I took a bite of a pistachio cannoli and it tasted like nothing and felt like ash in my mouth. Seeing him made me so upset that I couldn’t enjoy it. My eyes were watery as I put the rest of it back in the box. Was my heart going to break all over again?

Can you please make him go away?I begged Mal.I can’t right now.

Mal took my hand and gave it a quick squeeze. “Diana has some tests coming up, and she needs her rest.”

Desmond didn’t look convinced. His golden eyes lit up, and his shadows swirled around him again before disappearing into the room. He put the cannoli on the side table, and leaned in, looking me dead in the eye. “I will love you until the sun falls from the sky and we’re plunged into the darkness. Until the seas dry up, and the mountains crumble. Because that’s what we have together—eternity. Take all the time you need, dollface. I’ll be waiting.”

His large hands found both of ours and squeezed them before he promptly faded away. He took my breath with him, his declaration making me dizzy.

“If he loves me so much, why does he do the things he does?” I asked Mal.

“Princess, I wish I knew. Desmond has always been this way. I don’t think he knows how to handle emotions sometimes. Are you okay? I want to go back to the barracks and talk with them about giving you some space, but I can stay here if you need me.” He leaned in and gave me a hug, melting away all the tension and discomfort Desmond’s visit brought.

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