Chapter 5

“Wow,” She whispered when they pulled up to a large mansion.

                “You like?” Daemon asked and she nodded.

                “It’s beautiful, Daemon,” She whispered.

                “Mommy, berry lies,” Lilly gasped in awe.

                “I see the fairy lights,” Jasmine smiled softly as she got her daughter out of the car.

                “Raze likes to keep them up all year round,” Lucian smiled as he pulled the backpacks and ice cream out of the car while Asher grabbed the bags of movies and stuff animals.

                “Come on in,” Lucian smiled, “Home sweet home.”

                “Hey guys, finished just in time,” Raze said as he came out of the kitchen. “Who’s the little girl that loves chicken nuggies and French fries?”

                “Oh me!” Lilly beamed as she turned away from Jasmine’s chest to look at the six-foot four man with long black hair, olive skin, and bright blue shining eyes. “Dat me!”

                Jasmine looked up from looking at her daughter and pushed her daughter’s long black hair out of her face, her bracelet sliding down her wrist slightly. Raze gasped, “Trouble?”

                “Excuse me?” Jasmine asked taking a step back in shock.

                “Is it really you?” Raze asked softly. “After all these years?”

                “I…I don’t know you,” Jasmine whispered stepping behind Daemon again. Her long black hair masked her face as she tried to remain calm. “You’re not him. You’re not him.”

                “Mommy?” Lilly asked nervously. “Dat man hab same bacebit wike you. You matched, Mommy.”

                Daemon turned to her, “Why don’t you let me have Lilly, Jasmine, so she can eat while you go talk to Raze in the other room?”

                “Mommy, me hungee,” Lilly said, and Jasmine nodded, snapping out of her thoughts.

                “Okay, Baby Girl,” She smiled softly kissing her daughter’s forehead. “Sorry, Mommy just kind of zoned out there for a minute. Let’s get you something to eat, my sweet miracle.”

                “I will,” Daemon said gently taking her from Jasmine. “Go talk to Raze.”

                “Please?” Raze asked holding his hand out.

                She looked at Daemon, who nodded. “Oh…okay.” She placed her hand in his then froze, “She will want BBQ sauce or ranch.”

                “Okay,” Lucian nodded as he followed Daemon and Asher into the kitchen.

                “Come on, Trouble,” Raze said as he gently led her into the living room.

                “You have the wrong person,” Jasmine said pulling her hand out of his and wrapping her arms around herself. “I’m not who you are thinking of.”

                Raze chuckled as he sat in the chair and watched her pace, “I would know those gray gold central heterochromia eyes anywhere,” he tried to explain. “I always told you that they would be trouble when you got older. I’ve known you since you were seven years old. I made us these matching sea green and purple beaded bracelets for your thirteenth birthday when you said we would be best friends forever. I was your living Angel, and you are my Trouble, now and for all eternity.” He held up his wrist to show his matching bracelet.

                She gasped and froze, staring at him, hearing him calling himself her special nickname after all these years, “My Angel?”

He slowly got up and walked over to her. He cupped her cheek in his palm, “it’s really me Trouble. It’s Raziel, your Angel. I’m so sorry it took me so long to find you again, but I’m here now and I’m not losing you again. I swear it.”

She looked into his blue glistening eyes then down to the bracelet on his wrist. It was an exact duplicate to the one on her wrist. She looked back up at him then slapped his chest, “Where were you? Where were you when I needed you the most?” She snapped crying as she weakly hit him. “I needed you and you weren’t there anymore! Where were you when they were hitting me, and I was bleeding? Where were you when he kept touching me and I kept screaming for you? Where were you when I was all alone, and the thoughts were winning? You promised and you weren’t there! I needed my angel, and you weren’t there! I was all alone! You promised! You promised!” She sobbed as she kept slapping him over and over and he just let her. Lucian stuck his head into the room, pushing his blonde hair behind his hear and Raze shook his head so Lucian went back into the kitchen. “You broke your promise! You broke…I needed you! I needed you so much!” She started to fall but he caught her and pulled her into his chest as he gently sat on the floor with her in his lap.

“I’m so sorry Trouble,” he said soothingly as he ran his fingers through her hair. “I wish I was there, I’m so sorry. I would have stayed if I could. My adoptive mother got evicted so we had to move. It’s not an excuse, just an explanation. I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you. I’m here now and I’m never leaving you again. There’s no one to stop me now. I’ll show you I’m not leaving you again; I’ll earn your trust again one day.”