Free Angel in Chains by Nellie C. Lind Page B

chest wide. His arms seemed to be twice as large as hers and his strength could not be mistaken. He could cause severe damage to someone with his huge body, but when he touched her his hands were gentle and caring.
    They sat down in the water and Aledya n pulled her closer to himself.
    “Let's pretend for a while that you will find a way to set me free,” she said. “What will happen after? I don't want to leave you. Is it even possible for us to be together? I mean, we belong in two different worlds. Other people won't be able to see you, and I doubt I can go with you to your world.”
    He was silent for a while and Inez didn't like th at, but he never stopped touching her. His fingers stroked her arm, but she didn't dare gaze up and look into his eyes. She was afraid of what she would see there. She was the one for him, but maybe it didn't matter. Maybe there was no chance for them once they were out of here. The thought made her sad, but she held back her tears and hoped Aledyan would give her good news.
    “It will be different,” he finally spoke. “It's true that few will know that I'm in your presence. Some will sense me, thinking that I'm a spirit or a ghost stuck on earth, unable to move on. But most people won't notice me at all. You on the other hand will always be able to see, touch and feel me from now on.”
    Her eyes went big. “But you said that I wouldn't be able to do that once I walked out of here.”
    “That was before I realized who you are. You see, our souls are one and the same. We always will be, and always have been one.” He placed his hand above her chest. “I know you feel it too, that there is something about me, and the instant attraction between us is proof of this.”
    Inez swallowed. “Yes, but what does all of this mean?”
    “It means that I will stay with you, but it will bring changes to your life.”
    “What changes?”
    “Your friends and family will most likely not be able to see me. They won't be aware of me and will believe that you have chosen to be alone for the rest of your life. They will be sad for you, and try to convince you to find a man that you can be happy with.”
    “I just want you.”
    He smiled at that. “They don't know that, and if you tell them about me they will most likely react the same way you reacted when you saw me. You believed I was a fantasy.”
    “Yes, that's true. They don't think much about what's out there.”
    His face turned serious. “Do you understand what that means?”
    She gave him a confused look.
    “It means that you won't be able to tell them about me, unless they are ready for it.”
    Inez looked him straight in the eyes. “Do you really think I care about what they think? No, I don't. What I do care about is you and I want you in my life. Nothing is ever going to change that. Let them think that I want to be alone for the rest of my life. At least I will know that I won't be. I'll have you right there, by my side, ever day, right?”
    “Yes, always, but I'm also saying this.” He grabbed her face with his hands, it was a gentle but firm move. “You are mine, and no one else's. I will never let you go. I mean it, Inez, never.”
    The seriousness in his eyes should frighten her, but it didn't. Instead she found his dominant tone appealing. “I understand.”
    He didn't let go of her face. Instead, his eyes became even more serious. “You are the one, Inez. The one and only for me. If you turn me down I will be alone for as long as I exist. But I promise you, I will make sure that you will gain a lot more than you need to sacrifice from being with me.”
    Her lips were shaking when she asked: “Sacrifice what?”
    “Keeping me a secret will be difficult. Eventually you will understand what I mean, but like I said, I will make it all up to you. I will make it all worthwhile.”
    He placed her on his lap facing him with her legs on either side of his hips. It felt good to be this close to him. The skin contact made her