THIRD PERSON'S POV
---
Samuel didn't know how long he had been standing in the kitchen. He had finished the dishes, scrubbed the countertop and was now wiping down the last of the surface.
He should've been resting but he couldn't. He couldn't sit still. He couldn't keep the smile of his face. Not after everything that had happened. Not after the way Angel had scurried off without a word after their kiss…she was probably under the covers trying to convince herself she didn't just kiss him. Adorable
His thoughts kept circling back to that moment. He couldn't stop himself from replaying it over and over in his head, the way her lips had felt against his, the way she'd softened, how perfect it had all felt—until she pulled away. He knew she wasn't ready for what came after that kiss, but damn, he'd never felt more alive in that moment.
But now, standing in the kitchen, wiping the same spot for the third time, he couldn't shake the growing tension in the air. He couldn't help but wonder what Angel was thinking. Where was she? She'd practically run out the door after the kiss. He knew she had to be confused, maybe even scared. But he wished she wasn't.
There was a light knock on the door before it opened and his mother, Suzan, stepped into the kitchen. Her face was tight with worry, but when she saw Samuel, she relaxed a little. She was trying to stay strong but Samuel could see the concern in her eyes. He always did__not that she was good at hiding her concern for him anyway
"Sammy," she started, her voice soft but still filled with that maternal warmth. "You should sit down. You're supposed to be resting, not cleaning up."
Samuel straightened up from where he'd been standing by the sink, giving her a faint smile. "I'm fine, Mom. Just needed to keep busy."
She didn't buy it. She never did. But there was no time for an argument, especially with his father about to arrive.
She folded her arms across her chest, watching him as if she were trying to read him. "I know you don't want to hear it, but we need to talk about what happened. You scared us, Sam."
He winced. He knew she wasn't blaming him, but there was something about the way she said it that made him feel guilty, as if somehow, he'd let her down. "I'm fine, really. Don't worry about me."
But She wasn't convinced. "I know you think you're fine, but I can see you, Samuel. You've been through hell the past few days. We need to figure out what really happened."
Before he could respond, the front door slammed open. Samuel barely had time to react before his father, Daniel, walked in, his face tight with anger and concern. Samuel didn't know which one was worse. The anger was familiar, the concern almost suffocating.
"Where is she?" Daniel barked, his voice sharp. "I want to talk to her now."
The question hung in the air, heavy and accusatory. Samuel clenched his fists, trying to keep his composure, though the tension between him and his father was almost unbearable. The last thing he needed was for his father to start questioning him about Angel.
"She's…" Samuel's voice faltered for a second, but he recovered quickly.
"She's upstairs."
His father glared at him for a moment, clearly unsatisfied with the answer. He wasn't looking for details, just an excuse to lash out. "I'm still trying to figure out what the hell happened, Samuel. You've been in the hospital for weeks. And you can't even give me a straight answer as to how you got in this condition?"
"She already told you, didn't she?" Samuel muttered, his voice tight. "I was in an accident."
Daniel raised an eyebrow, his face cold. "An accident? After everything I've been hearing, you expect me to believe that?"
"You're not going to believe anything I say" Samuel shot back, the words coming out more bitter than he intended. He knew it wasn't helping, but damn it, he was tired. Tired of pretending everything was fine when it wasn't. Tired of his father's constant disappointment. Tired of his own guilt.
"You know, you're lucky to be alive," Daniel said sharply. "Lucky that your mother and I were able to get to you when we did."
"Don't," Samuel muttered, turning away from his father. "I don't need your lectures and you weren't even there when I need you, why bother now?"
The room fell silent, and for a moment, there was just the sound of the ticking clock on the wall. Suzan, ever the peacemaker, stepped between them. "Let's just take a breath" she said, her voice calm. "We're all just on edge. Samuel's been through a lot. And we're just happy he's fine. Can't we just be grateful for that?"
Daniel's jaw clenched, and he nodded curtly, though the anger still simmered in his eyes. "Fine," he muttered, clearly still upset. "But I want to talk to you about your future, Samuel. We can't keep pretending like this is just a phase. You need to step up and take responsibility."
Samuel felt the familiar weight of his father's words settle on his chest. Responsibility. Always that word. The word that had pushed him into a life he never wanted. The life he was supposed to lead for the sake of the family company, even though he'd always dreamed of something else—of being a rider, free on the open road.
His thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock on the doorframe. Angel stood there, her eyes a little wide, like she wasn't sure if she should enter. She was wearing a hoodie, her hair a little tousled from sleep. The sight of her made his chest tighten. She hadn't been the one to run away, not really. He understood why she'd needed space.
But that didn't stop the ache in his heart when she appeared in the doorway. He wanted to hold her, to tell her everything was going to be okay. But she was still standing there, almost too cautious.
"You okay?" she asked, her voice quiet.
Samuel nodded, trying to keep his voice steady. "Yeah. Just… just dealing with family stuff." He glanced at his parents. "They just got here."
Suzan smiled warmly at Angel. "I'm glad you're here. We were just talking about what happened to Samuel."
Angel glanced at him, and he could see the concern in her eyes. She stepped into the room and gave him a small, reassuring smile. "It's okay. I'll help."
Samuel felt a wave of relief wash over him. He didn't want to drag her into his family problems, he didn't even want to burden her with it. But her being here, her steady presence, it was exactly what he needed.
"So, what happened?" Daniel asked, his tone less hostile now, but still charged with the need to know everything. "Why was Samuel in the hospital?"
Angel hesitated for a moment, clearly thinking carefully about how to answer. Finally, she spoke, her voice soft but steady. "He… he had an accident. He was upset about some things and he made some bad choices. He took his bike out and crashed."
Samuel's chest tightened. It wasn't a total lie, but it wasn't the full truth either. He didn't want to talk about the real reason—the fight, the people involved, everything that had happened. It was too much. Too dangerous, they'd be in danger if they knew.
"You should've told me, Sam." Suzan said, her voice breaking a little. "You don't have to go through this alone. We're here for you, always."
Samuel didn't know how to respond to that. He'd always felt like an outsider in his own family, but hearing it from his mother, the woman who loved him without question, made the weight of it all heavier.
"I'm sorry, Mom," he said, his voice thick. "I should've told you."
"Hey, don't" Angel interjected, her hand resting lightly on his shoulder. "Aunt Suzan, I'm sorry but he's been through a lot. He doesn't need more guilt piled on him."
"It's okay, Angel. I understand"
His father was quiet for a long moment before finally speaking again. "I'll make sure we get the company back on track," he said, his voice firm. "We can't afford to let everything fall apart, Samuel. Not after all the work your mother and I have put in."
Samuel's stomach turned. The last thing he wanted was to talk about the company, about his father's expectations, about the life he never chose. But he didn't say anything. Not yet. Not while his mother was here, not while Angel was still watching him with that concerned expression.
Daniel sighed and softened, clearly realizing he was pushing too hard. "I just want you to be okay, son. We'll get through this. Together."