Lustful Hearts
Chapter 92: Fоrgіvеnеѕѕ - P2

"I still can't believe you got your mum to let me move back in." He turned to face me as a smile crept over my face. "What did you say to her?"

I chuckled, stroking his face. "Let's just say I used my powers of persuasion to get what I wanted." I shot him a playful wink and a smile, but he didn't reciprocate.

"But this is your mother we're talking about, she never backs down. I need details." His eyes widened at the last part while his eyebrows rose in intrigue, but I was not about to regale the conversation back to him.

My mother had put up a fight, she'd only backed down at my threat to leave. I didn't want Joel to suspect my mother was less than pleased with him living here. Without a shadow of a doubt he'd leave and that was not an option, he was staying here with me.

"All you need to know is we're together again. Wherever I go, you go. No one's splitting us up, this time it's forever."

"I like the sound of that." He sighed into my hair as his fingers gently twirled the ends. This was my heaven being in his arms, and I melted into his touch.

"I love you, Iz," he whispered. "With all my heart, it will never belong to anyone else. It only beats your name."

"What a beautiful sound." I sighed, completely overwhelmed by his words.

"I never want to replace out what it feels like to live without you again." The sadness to his voice made me turn so our faces were practically touching. "You'll never have to." We'd never have to endure that level of pain again. I didn't think that I could live through another second of that torture.

"I hope that's true," he whispered so low, his voice tinged with a level of sadness that sent a shiver right through me.

"With every beat of my heart I know it's true, I will never want anyone else. My heart will only ever belong to you. You possess me body and soul. I'm yours until the day you decide you no longer need me." Joel's eyes widened in surprise. "Well, that will never happen, I'm planning on loving you forever, even when we no longer cease to exist, my soul will still crave you for eternity."

Wow.

Oh. My.

"I think I might have just swooned slightly."

"Would that make your top ten if this were a book?" He grinned at my weakness for amazing quotes.

"Oh definitely, I'd swoon every time I read it, to know it came from your sweet mouth makes it even more special." My finger brushed along his lips and he smiled, pressing a kiss on the end of my fingertip. "I love to make you swoon, to know how my words affect you..."

11

I sighed knowing only too well how badly he affected me. "Every sweet word you say sets my body on fire. I've never felt this way before. It's only you, Joel, my body only burns for you."

"Iz, I..."

I grabbed his face, pulling him in to me. "Just kiss me, Joel," I panted. I needed his lips on me before I combusted into flames.

"Oh that I can certainly do." He smiled in such a delicious way that had me trembling before his lips even touched me.

I sank into the kiss, feeling a rush of electricity run right through me, setting my body alight. Those lips of his were a dangerous thing; they should really come with a warning.

He moved away moments later, his eyes dark with lust. I knew I'd flipped a switch that his need for me had grown within that one kiss. I needed him too.

It had been so long, my body yearned to be locked against his, to feel that moment of euphoria over and over. But right here in my bedroom with my mother within earshot.

Yeah, that definitely wasn't happening and from the look of discontent on Joel's face, he knew it too.

He jumped up from the bed and began pacing, dragging his hands down his face. The bulge in his jeans was only too noticeable. My eyes locked on it, and my mouth watered. God, I had it bad, real bad.

"Izzy, stop staring." Joel chuckled.

My head snapped up to meet his amused filled eyes. Oh god, caught again, but it was totally worth it.

"I can't help it, I want you so bad." I groaned, unable to hide my desperation.

The amused smirk instantly dropped from his face, and his eyes darkened. "I know, but we can't..." The pained look that crossed his face told me he was barely hanging on by a thread. He took a deep breath before storming out the room. I guess a cold shower was in order.

***

The soft knock against the door was enough to send a chill right through me. Within seconds I was face to face with a brother I barely recognised.

His eyes were all bloodshot and unfocused. The look he gave me was one of a cornered animal.

He shook ever so slightly, his body looked thinner, his face was gaunt, looking like he hadn't slept in weeks. I guess everything they said was true. He licked his lips barely able to give me any eye contact.

His fingers nervously picked at his jeans, as he stood in front of me, looking haunted. My heart broke to see him in such a state. I knew in my heart I couldn't let my hatred towards him continue for a moment longer.

I lifted my hand, my fingers slowly reaching out to him, in a gesture of forgiveness. Mike's eyes stayed locked on my hand, he shivered slightly looking bewildered by my actions. Until his own hand slowly linked with my own.

His fingers softly stroked my skin before he landed in a heap, dropping down on his knees, burying his face deep into my lap.

Huge sobs raked through him as I stroked and whispered soothing, loving words, watching all the pain and misery slowly seep out of him.

After a while the sobs slowly subsided, Mike pulled back slightly and wiped his face using the back of his hand slowly turning to look at me. "Iz," he croaked, desperation in his eyes as he struggled to replace the words.

"Shh Mike, it's okay, I know. Let's try to move on from all this hurt and pain. Clean slate, okay?"

His lips lifted slightly at my words but then quickly his face was swallowed by a frown. "But Iz, how can you ... after all I did?"

I quickly looked away, composing myself for a few moments, actually wondering if I could in fact start a fresh, but the broken man in front of me told me I could.

I couldn't bear to see him like this a moment longer, so haunted and void of any life. It was time to forgive, but in my head, I would never truly forget the impact of his deceit.

"Mike, we need to move on. What you did, well... it's something I'll never truly forget, but I forgive you. As my brother I want us to move on, for you to live again without being weighed down with the torment." "I don't deserve your forgiveness, Iz." He made to pull away, but I grabbed his hand and squeezed it, watching his haunted eyes slowly replace mine.

"But I'm giving you it. Stop the drinking, Mike, not only are you hurting yourself but everyone else around you. You need to start living. I want to recognise my brother again. You're just a shadow of yourself and it breaks my heart to see you going down this self destructive path."

My eyes filled with tears. I needed him to listen to my words, to take it all in and return to the annoying older brother that I'd always loved.

"Okay," he whispered.

"Promise me something, Mike?"

His eyes locked onto mine, giving me such a look of sincerity. "Anything."

"That after you leave here, you'll take a shower."

A huge smile broke out over his face, and I chuckled loudly at his face. "Do I really smell that-?"

"Yes." I broke out into laughter when his fingers latched on to my ribs as he began torturously tickling the life out of me. Thankfully he pulled away moments later, and I slowly felt the air return to my lungs. "So we're good, Iz?" he asked, still a little uncertain as I smiled back.

"We're good."

Mike let out a huge sigh of relief. "Love you, little sis." His voice broke at the end, and his eyes glazed over with unshed tears.

I squeezed his hand, touched by his display of emotion. "Love you too."

He quickly stood up, swiping away the tear that had slowly escaped. "Well, I'd better take that shower then." He grinned, heading out the door.

I relaxed back into the pillow feeling a hundred times lighter. The burden and hate had instantly disappeared the moment he'd walked through the door.

I was now filled with a level of peace, but it wouldn't last long. We'd soon be fighting like cats and dogs, and I welcomed it. The sooner things returned to normal the better.