Aaaaand she's back from the dead!!!

Hello, my wonderful readers and Welcome to the return of this book.

Thank you for your patience these past couple of months! It has been a roller coaster, but here I am, ready to rock you like a hurricane. (If you know the song, I adore you!)

I only want to take a minute of your time, to say a big , to all new and old readers of this Angel's story. I can't believe there are so many of you. I honestly want to hide myself and cry fat tears of joy cause you're amazing!! It's refreshing to see you kept my story alive during my absence!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

are a rough of what happened last for the ones who've waited ages for this and forgot what the hell's going on. I've included important (in my opinion ;)) character quotes starting from Ch.39, 'til Ch. 42.

Otherwise, you can to the for the continuation of the story.

Enjoy!!

"Even when all the circumstances are against me," he said taking a step closer to me, his arms pulling me towards him. " No one can keep me from what I want, Angel."

"You're not good enough for him."

"Excuse me?"

I was so frozen; I didn't even utter a word. Instead, I drowned in all the what ifs.

I am enough for him, damn it.

"Dr. Marshall, we need to talk."

"Listen to me, Erika. What you saw that night wasn't the first victim..."

"...there's no question about it."

"He told you." Jax wasn't asking.

"About the illegal street fights? About the drugs? About you finding him overdosed, dying? Yes. Yes, he did."

"Hey, chica? You good?" Stella was the most patient of all.

She didn't deserve the burden, but I had to tell her something before I drove myself insane.

"There were rumors about him, but... Wow, that's... a lot."

It was a lot.

But I wanted him. I needed him like my breath.

Brandon was my addiction.

"I see you're still around," Viviana said, twirling the drink in her crystal martini-glass.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're not the first to leech on him, after all of his accomplishments."

"Staying away from him was your choice."

"You think you're irreplaceable?"

"I know your words come from a place of distorted love, but I assure you... I am strong enough. I won't ever abandon him because shit got scary."

"...How is he going to handle it if anything happens to you? It will break him."

"The damage is already done. And it's because of you."

People were already talking.

And chaos ensued.

"I wouldn't be surprised if King's initial strike was a fluke tainted with the good ol' substance."

Brandon would never fall down that spiral. Not ever again.

"Ariana's back." Jax' voice sounded defeated.

"And?"

"She wants nothing to do with me."

"I'm sorry..."

"Yeah... let's drink to that."

In my pursuit to catch up to Viviana - the personification of my most recent torment - and demand answers, I realized she wasn't alone. She was accompanied by three men, to another part of the venue.

Blue lights slowly morphed into reds, making my eyes burn as I tried not to lose her in this maze of mirrors.

But just when everything felt claustrophobic, just when I was coaxing my breathing to slow down, I heard voices. And with each step they became clearer.

After another push, the mirror-wall gave way, and I stumbled to the floor of what was a balcony to a huge theatre underneath the venue.

And right at the center of it all, there was another boxing match. After a second glance, it looked more like a punishment, a warning to the person, and whoever dared to disobey the maestro to this tragedy.

I knew I had seen enough. These people were a force to be reckoned with, so I decided it was time for me to get the hell out of here.

But before I could turn around, strong arms pulled me backwards, trapping me against the chest of a man that found my hiding spot. A warm hand covered my mouth, keeping me quiet in my efforts to escape.

This couldn't be happening. No!

I felt frightened, tears gathering in the corners of my eyes as I wiggled my body in my attempts to get out of his hold. I wouldn't go down like this; not without a fight.

I bit the man's hand, making him pull away for a moment. But the small glimpse of freedom was only an illusion, as he maneuvered my body to control me.

It wasn't until he spoke his breathless words in my ear, that I was left frozen in my place.

"Don't make a sound."

"Don't make a sound."

His words were a husky whisper. Still, I felt frozen in time, while every second ticked by as fast as my beating heart.

"Don't make a sound."

He whispered, and I wanted to scream.

"Don't make a sound."

I wanted to scream, because after all this anguish, I finally found him.

Or rather, he found me.

Relief washed over me, but after a few moments I realized, the breathless words whispered by my ear held anger.

He was angry, even furious, because he found me in the last place he expected me to be; among sharks ready to devour me, as I was risking both our lives hiding behind this pillar.

The moment he felt my body stop fighting him, he turned me around, and I was finally met with the warm storm of his eyes. I felt tears prick the corners of my eyes, and he wiped them soothingly, before he pulled me in his strong arms. In his warm embrace, my shivering body relaxed, and I breathed in the only scent I had been craving all this time.

"You're so in trouble."

His breath caressed my skin once more. I didn't have to see his face to recognize the mischief in his voice.

I took a deep breath, trying to find the words to explain the situation, when he covered my lips with his index finger.

It was not the time.

He was assessing the situation, taking quick note of all the important faces present in the room. Surely, he would use that to his advantage later, but for now we had to remain as silent as possible. We certainly had to leave this place before someone else found our hiding spot and soon.

His expression was calculating as he recognized the guests one by one, until they landed on someone he least expected to find here. He turned to me, eyes wide, before they turned cold and completely void of emotion.

Knowing his mother's presence was the reason behind this change, I reached for his hand, squeezing it once. I knew he wouldn't express his disappointment, but even if he never voiced it, I knew he needed comfort.

This was a stab in the back. And probably the worst of a kind.

Turning around one last time, I saw everyone's attention was still towards the stage.

This was our chance. We had to leave now.

But just as I initiated our escape, I froze in place after a deafening thud echoed throughout the venue.

"Nice of you to join us," spoke the man in charge; his deep voice demanding the attention of everyone in the room.

A man was thrown onto the middle of the stage for everyone to see, hiccupping and spitting blood, as he kept his head down.

His presence sparked a new wave of arguing among the people in the room. Their arguments couldn't be fixed among themselves, as they kept glancing towards the man in charge, awaiting his decision. Only a few of them kept quiet, amongst them Viviana and James, and were staring intently towards the man on the stage, when he finally met the eyes of his audience.

"You know why you're here." It wasn't a question. Still, his demanding presence and strength was palpable, making everyone in the room swallow their words.

For all I knew, the man on the stage was a stranger, but I could have sworn, there was a wave of familiarity that flew right through me when he finally met the eyes of the one addressing him. Even so, the grime and blood covering his face nullified my attempts to ascertain his identity.

The leader stood up, walking up the few steps to the stage. A few of his bodyguards followed right behind him, but it was obvious he didn't need their assistance. Even so, he let them follow him, like guard dogs their owners, ready to pounce if necessary.

Each heavy step was loud and heavy, ominous as I felt it up my spine. Once he reached the man still on the floor, he circled his prey in the middle, while still commanding everyone without a word.

Everything moved into slow motion, as no one dared to move an inch, when his tuxedo-clad body jerked forward, slamming his knee right into the man's side. The sound of bone breaking made me shiver, as kicks and punches landed on the man, each one a warning, each one a punishment, but everyone kept still as the man on stage convulsed in pain.

He could command anyone else to do that, while keeping his hands clean. But it was obvious, that this man enjoyed violence. Craved it even, with the way he wouldn't stop, until his prey was defeated.

Watching the scene unfold in front of me was pure agony, but even if I wanted to, I couldn't move. I was frozen, left to observe, like a spectator from above.

It was only when he pulled a knife from one of the bodyguards behind him, that I felt my body inch forward, only for Brandon to pull me back in his arms, hiding my face in his chest and trapping me from doing anything stupid.

If only he could cover my ears as well.

If only his powers were beyond superhuman, I wouldn't hear the screams of suffering echoing through the theatre, latching onto me as if I were the one experiencing his pain.

"Breathe. I'm here, Angel. Just breathe." I concentrated on his voice during this mayhem, trying to drown the screams in the background.

"That's it. That's my good girl." His voice was just above a whisper, but it helped me center back to him, if only for a moment.

"Silence."

One word was enough to turn the man's screams into whimpers.

"If I knew you'd cause me this much trouble, I never would have accepted your father's offer."

This was going to haunt me for the rest of my life, but I knew, absorbing every detail was essential. So silently, I pushed out of Brandon's hold, just enough to observe, while still feeling him close around me.

The man was clutching his hand to his chest, blood dripping down his white shirt. He was still groaning in pain, but wouldn't utter a word, from fear of the man in front of him.

"Look at you," he said, kneeling in front of him, making the man flinch. "You're such a disgrace. And you want to call yourself a Moretti?"

My eyes widened, as I desperately tried to remember where I heard that name before. His roots were Italian, but where have I heard this name before?

"I should just kill you, right here, for everyone to see," he hissed right in the man's face, pulling on his hair to look him in the eye properly. He meant every word.

His next words never reached my ears, meant only for the person to hear. From his reaction, they were his last warning.

Pushing him away like he was scam, he rose to his full size, wiping his hands on his expensive tuxedo, the blood sipping through the black fibers, camouflaging his crime.

Instead of returning to his seat, he stayed on the stage, contemplating his next move, while retrieving a pack of cigars from his jacket. Lighting one, he took a deep breath, as he eyed every single person in the room in front of him.

He wasn't just the maestro. He was the composer of all of this. The reigns belonged to him, and every single one of the people in this room were his instruments. In order for the right symphony to sound prestigious enough, each should follow their own detailed pentagram with exact instructions. One mistake was enough for the whole symphony to turn into a paraphonic disaster.

But it was obvious; this man wouldn't tolerate any mistakes.

"What's the damage?" he spoke again, smoke coming out of his nostrils and mouth, making him look like a dragon.

"Our shareholders have concerns," one of the men in suits said. "Some of them were interested in the drug, but now fear the repercussions."

"It doesn't help that King won the last game the way he did."

"Well, Lowel didn't even land a punch. He should've at least acted threatening, instead of running away like a pussy."

Everyone in the room had something to say, each one fearing the wrath of the man in charge. They were trying to pin the blame on someone else, to avoid Moretti's fate on the stage in front of them.

"Unless..." It was James' even voice, that stopped everyone from fighting further. "We use this to our advantage."

They weren't ready for such words, but he piqued their interest.

"Go on."

"The press will have a field-day with this, but we can use it to our advantage. Our shareholders are bidding on the success of the drug. The only thing we need, is someone stronger, to bring us to victory. Even if the feds detect the drug or not, securing victory is essential."

"How can you find someone strong enough, who's also willing to put their career on the line for us?" One of them asked, still wary of James' words.

"Yeah... and last time King was a beast in the ring."

"King did us a favor." James' smirk was noticeable all the way here. "Lowel was only a test-run, but now people have more confidence in the Guardian; more than ever before. Which means, bets against a new opponent can only work in our favor."

"The problem remains. We need a new opponent, ready before the start of the season, that can secure a win against the Guardian."

"That won't be a problem. Right, Moretti?"

"Yes, sir," Moretti, still on the floor, bowed down to the man in charge, submitting his last words, while still clutching a bloodied hand to his chest.

People started talking among themselves once more, and I took the chance to steal a glance Brandon's way.

It wasn't the first time I'd seen his exterior harden. Jaw clenched, nails digging deep into his fists, while his calculating eyes measured everything unfolding in front of him.

It was obvious that what they were scheming about was beyond dangerous. But mixing drugs into the mix, could be dangerous for everyone involved. And if these substances could turn someone into the perfect superhuman, he could get hurt more than ever before.

I couldn't begin to imagine how Brandon could defeat such a superhuman. Was that their purpose? Crippling him beyond repair?

Brandon's anger was palpable, but for some reason, there was a certain calm that clouded the anger. Almost like he was expecting this turn of events.

It was baffling, unexpected. But simultaneously I should've known; they wouldn't have the last word.

"What about the girls?"

My attention was drawn back to them, as this piece of information could be crucial to what I was trying to do with Dr. Marshall and Savi.

"Well, that depends. Can the Chicago Hospital continue to provide their services?"

Silence ensued, as all eyes turned towards one person, and one person only.

"Our deal is still on the table," Viviana answered, and I felt my whole body shudder in anger. "Nothing changes, as long as your end of the deal still stands."

"What?" I seethed under my breath, only for Brandon to hold me closer, his hand over my mouth for good measure.

This wasn't the time.

"Of course," their leader said, his eyes never leaving hers, as a wicked smile appeared on his face.

What the hell was going on?

How could she?

How was the hospital I was working at, in a freaking deal with the devil himself?

"Dismissed. You can return to the party."

His last words were enough to dissipate the crowd, only for Viviana and James, who stayed behind.

"You seem displeased." His steps took him right in front of them, cigar still in hand.

"You know the deal, Cyrus."

The calm I had seen before, now vanished from his eyes. He was seething, his whole body shivering in anger, at the meaning of his mother's words.

Right now, he wasn't looking at her like a child does their parent. He was looking at her with the pain and disappointment of being betrayed.

I didn't know what that meant. But because Brandon spent the last couple of years searching for the people that killed his father, the drugs he was abused with to stay numb and silent, only to have everything now blow in his face, this ordeal was rough.

His hands fell from around my body, fists now clenched by his side, as the mask was back on his face. He was starting to shut the world around him, but I wouldn't have that.

Turning my body fully towards him, I cupped his cheeks, forcing him to meet my eyes. And when his eyes fell on my own wet ones, the mask cracked, and he took a much-needed breath, slow and grounding.

"Of course, I do, my dear," he answered her, letting pieces fall into place, making the puzzle frighteningly clear now.

Goodness, was this chapter a rollercoaster.

This was of the Storm.

will proceed, before I unleash a series of new storms unto both of them.

Now, to acknowledge the elephant in the room:

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

I don't even know where to start... Is even enough?

You're right... there is a way. ^_^ Pinky promise, I'll do my best!

Take care of yourself, Angel!

xo, J