by Skyler Andra
I studied her, remembering the rosiness in her cheeks and the sweat on her forehead, along with Uri’s sudden insecurity and possessiveness. There was sweat on his hairline too. And it was all topped off by her freaking out and trying to hide the evidence.
Fuck me! They’d fucked each other. On the table by the look of it.
Sexy little minx had had all three of us. Hands down I was the best. Gang bang anyone? I was totally up for it if she was. I gave her a saucy wink and she flinched, staring at me with confused eyes.
Oh, don’t play coy, you dirty bird.
While we ate, Jojo innocently picked at her food, pretending no dirty business had happened right where Mike sat recounting our story.
I smirked, reclined in my chair as I shoved one half of my toasted sandwich in my mouth. Poor Mike, so damn oblivious. They were big clues for the Protector of Heaven to miss. I wanted to chuckle out loud because I figured it out before him. And because he kept stroking the table right where I imagined Jojo or Uri’s ass had been.
Clueless Mike rattled on about me going to investigate the stadium, getting trapped in the back of the trailer, and Luc having a temper tantrum and blasting it with darkness. Then he moved onto calling the emergency services and rescuing my ass… which Uri found great amusement in… asshole.
By the time Mike got to our escape, my darkness swept over me, clawing at my insides, stabbing me all over. I was on the verge of going crazy so I stood up, hurrying to the bathroom to draw myself a detox bath.
Someone came in after me, sat beside me, and stroked my back. Jojo.
“You’re not well,” she reminded me. “Let me draw a bath for you.”
Secretly, I loved the way she cared for me. It reminded me of how Ariel treated me like a king—making me breakfast before a mission, giving me a foot massage after a long, hard day, and ensuring I was satisfied at night.
But I didn’t want Jojo to get carried away or want her to think she meant anything more to me than a comrade. I’d rather her take care of my dick and distract me from my pain.
“Bathe with me,” I stated more than asked.
“I can’t,” she whispered, withdrawing.
I leaned against the sink to look at her.
“Why?”
“Mike says you’ll ruin me.”
“Fuck Mike.”
“Don’t talk like that.” She rubbed her face.
I took her hand and stroked it. “Mike needs to loosen up. He’s too tight. Likes to control everyone.”
“He’s our leader.”
“Yes, but he doesn’t control everything you do,” I retorted, and she flinched. “You’ve got to stop trying to please us all. You need to do what you want. You did with Uri right? Did Mike warn you away from him too?”
That was the truth plain and simple.
A streak of defiance flashed in her hazel eyes. She knew I was right.
“Let me get the bath salts.”
She stood up and prepared the bath for me, leaving a minute later to get the bath salts. Fuck, she was good to me when I didn’t deserve it. I treated her like shit when we first met. Then flirted with her at the motel to drag her back in. I was a piece of shit who didn’t deserve love. That’s why the Most High took Ariel from me—I was beyond redemption. If I got too close to Jojo she’d be taken from me too. Better to treat her badly and push her away.
She returned quickly, holding the plastic bag of bath salts. While I crouched on the floor, holding my stomach, still spinning from the effect of the Luc’s blast, she mixed the salts in with the water. Her arms twisted as she blended them together.
I watched her, admiring the fluidity off her movement. Graceful. Peaceful. Beautiful. In that moment I realized I wanted a piece of what she had. That uncorrupted innocence untainted by darkness, pain, and grief. I’d been weighed down too long and yearned to offload my burden.
I shuffled across to her, pressing my stomach to her back to lean in and place my lips on her shoulder. She felt incredible against me. Soft, delicate, and sweet. I kissed her skin and she tilted her neck sideways, granting me permission to continue.
“Bathe with me,” I tried again, my tone carrying a bit too much begging for liking. She was warm, pure, and tempting, and I didn’t want to be alone right now. “You still need to detox and we can conserve the supplies this way.”
Of course, that was my excuse.
She turned her head sideways to look at me, her eyes said it all, how conflicted this mess made her. I knew that she wanted to join me. Wanted to please me. To obey Mike. Keep Uri happy and avoid his jealousy. Complicated shit like that twisted her inside and she didn’t know what to do.
I was going crazy; my body was on fire for her.
“This might be your last night on Earth,” I whispered, brushing my lips against her flesh, tasting her with my tongue. The slight saltiness mixed with rose and lavender aroused my senses. She stiffened in my grasp and turned her sweet face from me. “Let me corrupt you.”
“You already have.” I could hear the smile in her voice.
“Not like that,” I said.
“How?”
“Live on the wild side,” I encouraged. “Detox with me again. Disobey Mike. Stand up to Uri. Do what you want.”
She sighed then tried to push my arm away. It only prompted me to hold her tighter. “I can’t. It doesn’t feel right. Not when I had sex with Uri twice today.”
“I know.” I didn’t have an issue with it no more than I had an issue with sharing. “I saw your underwear.”
“I don’t want to upset him.” She wriggled in my embrace.
“I’m cool with sharing you,” I whispered into her ear then followed the statement with a lick to the outer shell. She shivered. “If that makes things easier for you.”
For a moment, she relaxed into me, shuddering and sighing. Yeah, she wanted it too. But common sense reasserted itself between us. “Not now.”
My chest tensed as I released her. She moved away and stood up. Her eyes changed, becoming deeper and darker. I couldn’t tell if she was mad or if she wanted to stay as badly as I wanted her to.
I sighed and gripped the edge of the bath. “Close the door behind you.”
Disappointment pierced me to the bone. I turned my back to her, stripping off my shirt. I didn’t want to watch her retreat from me. I yanked at my belt, undoing it. I tore off m clothes, tossing them aside. Hot water pricked my cold skin as I climbed into the bath. The tub squeaked as I sank in.
When I glanced up, she was still there, leaning against the door with one leg bent and pressed against it. She held her wrist with a hand that squeezed tightly around it.
Doubt—if ever I recognized it.
Instead of leaving, she did the unthinkable and began peeling off her dress. No panties just like I’d expected due to her earlier dalliance with good old Uri. Her pussy was covered in a light layer of dark blonde hair. I shivered at the thought of touching her there. In seconds, she had her shoes and socks were off too. Completely undressed, she climbed in after me, turning her back to me nestling against my chest. Fuck—she felt even better in this position. I brushed wet hair from her shoulder and kissed it.
“So, I corrupted you?” I asked.
“Yes.” She leaned her head back, her hair swept against my cheek. I sniffed it, determined to remember her scent. Lavender, rose and salt.
“Good.” I slid my arms around her waist.
“I beautified Sterling City, today.” Her voice held an edge of fear but also a smidgeon of pride.
A smirk rose to my lips as the surprise sank in. Well, well, well. There was more to Jojo than her innocence. A rebellious streak like mine. I couldn’t wait to corrupt her more if it meant Mike flipped out.
“Twice,” she added.
I blew out a breath. My smiled widened. Lucky Mike was too busy with Luc and I today; otherwise, Jojo would be punished.
The urge to fuck her from behind gripped my cock. I imagined having her lift that se
xy leg of hers and position it on the top of the bath, while I stroked her clit. “You did? Let me punish you with my cock.”
She laughed and pressed harder against my chest.
God, something must really be wrong with me. After I lost Ariel, I fucked my way through life with dozens of women. When had I ever wanted to just bathe with someone? The answer was never.
A fluttering feeling simmered though my stomach. I touched my throat. Something about Jojo was changing me.
When this was all over, when we made this place worthy again, I didn’t want to go back to the Heavenly Realm. The truth was that I liked this planet and all its imperfections. I liked the way the humans fucked up more often than they managed anything else. Thanks to Luc and his twisted plans, it was even more of a shit show. But when we finally restored this world, I could imagine making a living down here. Of course, there was no knowing if it would work out this way.
But I wasn’t making any bets on a future with Jojo. I didn’t know how she felt about me. How long she’d be here for. No point in getting seriously involved with her when she was bound to return to Heaven.
Someone burst into the bathroom, their uninvited arrival interrupted my thoughts. Anticipating Uri’s glaring face as he threatened to beat me to a pulp for I touching his girl, I glanced up and was ready to tell him to take a hike. But it was Mike instead.
Jojo sat up on her knees, ready to get out if he willed it.
His eyes slid down her chest and stomach, lingering on what rested beneath the water.
“Wanna join us, fearless leader?” I asked. “Jojo’s up for a gangbang.”
Mike’s gaze snapped up, meeting mine. “Don’t talk about her that fucking way.”
Ouch. Touched a nerve.
“We rest tonight,” he ordered, his voice was sharp. “Jophiel, you’re coming with me in the morning. Zak, you will stay with Uri and rebuild your strength. Detox in a bath—twice—and apply the ointment. I don’t want anyone going out there alone. Is that understood?”
Fuck. Anything to separate me from Jojo. I’m surprised he didn’t order us to get out of the bath.
“Yes, general.” I gave him my usual salute. He sniffed then shut the door behind him.
“I should go,” Jojo said and my heart deflated a little.
“If you must,” I said, staring at the wall, preparing to be alone, when all I wanted was the warmth and comfort of another.
She continued to crouch on her knees, her gaze swinging between the door and me. I hugged my arms over my chest. Unexpectedly, she sank back down, positing herself to lean back where she’d been before. I shifted my arms, allowing her to lie back on me, the movement making ripples in the grey water.
“I’m glad you stayed,” I whispered into her ear. My finger trailed the length of her inner arm, all goose bumped and pink from the water.
“Me too.” She snuggled into my chest.
I pressed my lips to her hair, as I continued to hold her. The feeling of it lit me up and electrified my being, just with her next to me. We sat like that for god knows how long, me running wet hands over her arms, massaging her shoulders and thighs. An old feeling hit me. One I hadn’t felt in many years. Of home, belonging, comfort, and companionship.
This cold and uncaring Earth had little to offer. Right now, all I wanted was to bask in her warmth, her light and company.
Heaven help me. What was this angel doing to me?
24
Jophiel
Today we were searching for the bombs Lucifer said he had hidden across the city in the hope of deactivating them before he could wreak havoc upon the residents.
Mike leaned his bike to the left as he took the corner sharply, making me wobble and grip him tighter with my arms and thighs. When he righted the motorcycle, he twisted the throttle, jerking the bike and us forward. My head slammed into his and I yelped. Gone was the careful and disciplined soldier now replaced by someone distant and careless.
At breakfast, an awkward air hung between the group of angels. We’d hardly spoken in the morning. Mike hadn’t been his usual self. He chewed his food as if it tasted like dirt, his intent only to feed his strength. Besides issuing orders, he didn’t say a word to anyone. Even when Uri and Zak maintained a strained, yet playful banter, he stayed quiet.
I feared the darkness worming its way into the group of angels, tearing us apart at the seams. Without Mike to hold us together, to lead us, we were lost.
We sped through the city square where people flocked. I noticed families playing with their children, people reading on towels laid out on the dead grass and others throwing balls for their dogs to catch and bring back. Men and woman in business suits stood to buy coffee from a van nearby.
The tires on Mike’s bike screeched as he slammed on the brakes and steered us into the car park a block up from our destination. He used about as much finesse when he came to a stop so hard that the back of the bike lifted up and bounced. I climbed off quickly in case he wanted to punish me further for whatever reason. When my helmet came off I rubbed my forehead where it collided with his.
After last night, I couldn’t wipe the image of Mike’s face from my mind after he burst in on Zak and I sharing a bath together. Or the disapproval that shone in his eyes and the irritated twitch at the corner of his mouth. It spoiled the mood afterwards, making me glad that I was faced away from Zak so that he didn’t see my face wracked with guilt.
“What’s wrong?” I asked when Mike was free of his own helmet, still looking handsome despite his flattened hair.
“This way,” he answered, clutching his helmet tight to his body as he strode away, clearly not in the mood for conversation.
I hurried to catch up to him, his strides much longer than mine. When I grabbed him by the arm I almost tripped from the strength of his swinging arm dragging me forward.
“Michael, I’m not taking another step until you tell me what is wrong.”
He huffed, stopped, and turned to me while righting the front of his jacket.
“I told you to stay away from Zak. You bathed with him.”
“I need to purge the darkness too,” I said confusedly, running my finger along the edges of my helmet. “Dragon’s orders, remember?”
“Naked?” he said with raised eyebrows.
Despite being clothed in jeans, a shirt, and a leather jacket, I felt naked under his critical gaze.
A heat curled in my chest, right where Lucifer had stabbed me. I didn’t like the way he tried to control me or tell me what to do. I rubbed the sore scar on my chest beneath my shirt.
I clutched the helmet my chest and crossed an arm over it. “Zak has already seen my naked and I have nothing to hide. We didn’t do anything. That’s your assumption. Even if we did, it’s none of your business.”
I’d decided last night that I needed to purge myself of darkness. Along with that, I wasn’t going to feel bad about my bath with Zak. It was sublime—just two people enjoying each other’s company. We were two souls merging in a comforting and enjoying act without sex or desire. Just us, being together. Afterwards, we cuddled on the couch, falling asleep in each other’s arms. Pure Heaven. What was wrong with that?
Michael stepped into my space so closely that I couldn’t breathe or think straight. His effect on me left my thoughts muddled.
“I’m trying to protect you—your innocence and purity.”
Several days earlier Mike had warned me to stay away from Zak by telling me that he was no good for me and would ruin me. Who was Mike to tell me who I could spend my free time with? As far as I was aware, the Most High appointed him commander of the mission to destroy Lucifer’s plague, not the director of my life.
Zak’s words from last night returned with more prominence.
Don’t let Mike control what you want to do. His words couldn’t have been truer now.
“No, you’re not,” I countered. “You’re trying to control me.”
Mike’s smile stiffened in an effort not to lo
se it. His grip on his helmet tensed. He laughed, an annoyed and pitiless sound that rattled through me.
“Zak has a different woman for every night of the week. They’re like beer to him. He drains the can and throws it away. Do you want that?”
His comment stung like the knife that had pierced my hand. Being reminded about Zak’s heartless disregard for women made me sick to my stomach. But part of it made sense. The way he used his pain as a shield to keep people away told me he was frightened to let his heart feel anything for anyone. He must have wanted to keep it closed off so he didn’t get hurt again, but my heart told me he was more than that. Forward, flirty, uninhibited, and fearless. He took what he wanted from life and spat it out if he didn’t like it. I felt honored that he hadn’t rejected me in such a manner.
From the sounds of it, Mike had lost his patience and compassion for Zak, and it was high time I reminded him of it. Or perhaps I had hurt his feelings for being intimate with Zak again after I’d shared two special moments with Mike.
“You care so much for my welfare,” I began, standing taller and defiant, the darkness raging beneath my ribs. “What about your friend’s?”
Mike recoiled as if I’d struck him.
I left him there, startled and reeling, as I marched in the direction of the heart of Sterling City. Fire built under my shoes with every step away from him. I sucked in deep, ragged breaths, trying to still my erratic pulse and the fire coursing in my veins. Mike riled me up and pushed me too far.
Our tense conflict played over in my mind. A thickness settled in my throat. Some small part of me wanted to go back and change what had just happened—to apologize for the heated way I’d spoken to my leader.
But another part of me liked that I’d rebelled and stood up for myself. And it wasn’t just the darkness talking. Zak and Uri were right. When we were on missions, Mike was the leader. But when we rested, ate, or indulged in recreation time, I was free to do whatever I wanted with whomever I wanted. Mike was not stopping me from enjoying my time on this world.
I rubbed my forehead, my mind a tangled mess. What transpired between us four angels, my magnetic and inescapable attraction to them all, got more complicated by the day. Everything had happened so fast that I had no time to truly think about it. I’d made love to all of them within a matter of days of knowing them. Uri said he didn’t think me a slut for wanting all of the angels, but in human terms I supposed I was one.