Ange de Musique

Chapter Twelve:

Michelle had been deeply surprised when her friend from Bordeaux, Armand, had come to visit her. She could not believe it. She met him in the foyer of the opera house. "Armand!"

"Michelle. It is so good to see you." Armand greeted her.

"As it is good to see you." Michelle replied as he kissed her hand.

"How have you been doing?" He asked her as she walked to her room.

"Well. I am busy with our next opera." She explained.

"What is it?"

"Hannibal." She replied.

"Hmm. Sounds like you are busy." He said to her while they continued walking.

"Yes very."

"I would like to take you out tonight." He finally said as they reached her bedroom.

"I'm sorry Armand, I cannot tonight. I already have other plans."

"Then cancel them. They cannot be more important than a visit from an old friend."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You are wrong. This is important to me. I will see you soon Armand." She then entered her bedroom and locked it behind her. 'How dare he even propose that visiting Erik is not important!'

"Angel." Erik's voice echoed in the room.

"Yes Maestro. I am here." Michelle replied.

"Who was that my dear?"

"An old friend." Michelle replied.

Erik entered quickly through the mirror. "An old friend angel?! You promise that is it."

"Yes Erik. No one is more important to me than you." Michelle responded as he pulled her closely to his body.

He smiled happily at her. "I am glad of that." He ran his hands along the sides of her hips as his lips took hers in a searing kiss.

"Oh Erik." She whispered after parting lips.

He unbuttoned the buttons on her dress and pulled the material aside to reveal a camisole covering her breasts. His hands settled over her breasts as his lips pressed over the base of her neck. She groaned softly as his arm secured powerfully around the small of her back. "Oh Erik." She whispered again.

He gently kissed along her jawbone then pulled back and grinned. "Michelle, you must be careful around that man."

"But Erik. He's just a friend. He isn't as important to me as you are." She told him softly.

Erik smiled inwardly. "Then you must listen to me angel. I don't want you around that man. He will try to take you away from me."

"But Erik..."

"No angel." Erik told her a bit harshly. She frowned at him suddenly and he regretted sounding harsh. "Michelle, angel, I don't want you near this man. I don't trust him."

She sighed softly as lips gently pressed kisses on her right hand. "Alright Erik." She finally conceded to his wish.

"Thank you angel. Now shall we go to our home?" He questioned her as he wrapped his arm around her back to urge her back towards the mirror.

"Our home?" Michelle questioned him quietly.

"Why yes angel." He swept her up quickly in his arms. "Our home."

xxxx

Unknown to both of them however, Armand had stayed and listened to their entire conversation. His first thoughts were who had come into her room and how? Then when he heard the man inside tell her to not see him, he could not believe the gall of the man who had spoken to her.

He couldn't believe that Michelle had agreed with him. He needed to see Michelle and ask her about this man and where they went. They couldn't have disappeared out of nowhere. Where did they go? Maybe the owners would know. He decided he needed to see the managers and ask them.