"Nah.” I sighed. “No need to ruin his life just because he wasn't our guy."
Noah sagged and then his face changed. "The trophy is missing?"
Mandy and I exchanged a look. I clamped a hand on his shoulder and rubbed his shoulder vigorously. "On second thought... maybe Andre should know that he has a traitor in his midst."
"No, no." Noah shook his head, his face scrunching up in fear. "I won't tell, I promise. Just don't tell Andre. Please."
"Can't you just kill him?" Lucifer offered.
"No, I can't," I answered Lucifer which earned me a weird look from Noah. Before I could interrogate Noah more, the waiter appeared next to the car, gasping for breath.
"You need to pay for your food unless you want us to call the cops." The waiter snapped, holding our receipt out. "Now."
Glancing over my shoulder at Mandy, I arched a brow. "You want to tell them? Or should I?"
Mandy pulled her badge out of her back pocket. "I'm on a case, we'll be back in there to pay in a moment." The waiter gave Mandy's badge a suspicious look before nodding tightly.
The waiter left, and I turned back to Noah. "Now, which contestant were you going to make a deal with?"
"I... I don't know. I just had a number." Noah pulled out his phone and showed us. "I can't even tell you if it was a male or female. They used a voice distorter."
Mandy jotted the number down giving me a meaningful look. "I'll look it up back at the station. You should probably go take care of that bill."
I let out an exasperated sigh before nodding to Mandy. "Alright, I guess. I'll pay the bill, and then I have to go check back at the contest. Maybe there's someone there I can harass." We moved away from Noah letting him get in his car and drive away.
"Make sure that's all you're checking out," Mandy eyed the space behind me. "You still don't know the consequences of fraternizing with these things."
Lucifer snorted and moved in close to me, causing a tingle to go up my arm. "Angels. Tell her we're angels, not things."
I waved a hand back at him. "She knows you're not things. Don't get your panties in a twist."
"Oh, love. You know I don't wear underwear. Though, I could be persuaded to wear yours." His words heated my skin, and I ducked my head to hide my reaction from Mandy.
"Alright, I'll call you when I get something," Mandy told me, her eyes on her phone and not on me. "Thanks for lunch."
I waved at her as I made my way back to the restaurant. The waiter was waiting by the front door, clearly not expecting us to keep our promise to pay. I offered him a grin and pulled out my credit card. "Put it on the company card."
Chapter 7
ONCE THE CHECK WAS paid and we were back in my car, I peered at the two angels following me. "So, how long do I get to keep you two today? Or does Gabriel need to leave now that you're here?"
"I don't see why either of us need to take off just yet. Michael. ever the champion. has it all under control." Lucifer grinned from the back seat, his arms thrown over the back of the seat as he spread out until he filled the whole backseat. "Unless you'd rather Gabriel leave us alone?" He wagged his brows at me with a sinful grin.
I rolled my eyes at him as I backed the car out of its parking spot. "You heard Mandy, we can't get distracted."
Gabriel made a sound that made me almost hit a car coming behind me. Jerking the car to a stop, I waited until the car passed by before turning to Gabriel.
"What?"
"Nothing. Nothing." Gabriel held a hand up and smiled.
"Don't start that," I growled as I turned my eyes back to the road and off the way too distracting angels. "I have stuff to do. She's right. I can't stop what I'm doing just to bang you guys." My lips lifted at the edges. "I'd never put clothes on again."
"That's okay with me," Lucifer said with a rumble in his voice that made my insides warm.
As much as that sounded like a good idea, I didn't think I could just spend my days in bed bouncing from one angel to the other. I had to eat after all. Though, food and sex were quite the pair...
"I think she's thinking about it." Gabriel smirked, his hand sliding over my thigh making it tingle. "Are you thinking about being with us all day? Every day? Losing yourself in the oblivion of our touch?"
"Wow, Gabriel." Lucifer leaned forward so that his hands brushed my shoulder. I glanced into the rear-view mirror and saw the wicked grin on his lips. "I never thought you had it in you."
"You're not the only one who can turn a phrase," Gabriel shot back with a lopsided grin. "Besides, you're not the only one who wants her naked and willing. Are you sure you don't have time for...?"
I laughed. "No, no. I don't. If I give in now, then I won't get anything else done today."
"Very well." Lucifer sighed and sat back. "Then how about some blood? I'd like to at least be able to breathe in your glorious scent. Touch your face. Kiss you." His words traced along my ears and my heart beat faster.
"You always have such a way with words." My fingers tightened on the wheel. "I sometimes wonder if any of them are real or if you're just..." I trailed off, biting my bottom lip. I couldn't believe I said that out loud. I wasn't that clingy, insecure person who needed reassurance that her boyfriends actually wanted to be with her.
"Jane." Gabriel reached a hand out while we were at a stop light, and his fingers brushed against my cheek. I turned my face away from the zings. "You're not just convenient. If that's what you're getting at."
I let out a hard breath and readjusted my grip on the steering wheel. “I’m not. I just... I don’t know what I’m thinking. Everything is just so out of control with the other angels and, you know, Uriel. You guys aren’t telling me much, and half the time, I can’t get one minute alone with you that isn’t interrupted by work or one of your ‘sorry, gotta go’ excuses.”
“We’re not leaving because we want to, pet.” Lucifer moved closer once more. “We’re doing this to protect you. We don’t want anything to happen to you.”
“Yeah, what he said,” Gabriel added with a small frown. “Uriel isn’t someone to mess with. When he wants something, he gets it.”
“Fucking douche bag,” Lucifer muttered, shaking his head. “At the moment, he is content with making chaos in Heaven, but he could very well come after you himself at any moment. We have to be prepared.”
I went silent as I turned my car into the parking lot of the Civic Center. My mind raced with the possibilities of Uriel turning violent. I never expected to become endangered from being with the three of them. That hadn’t been something anyone, even mom, who was all pro-angel, had warned me about. Now, not only did I have to worry about how I was going to keep the angels I had, but how I would keep the undesirables away. Man, did I miss when my only problems were being the crazy one.
Putting the car in park, I turned in my seat to face them. “If you’re going to keep me safe, then I think you should be corporeal to do it. I mean, you can touch each other, but you can’t touch me. What if one of them try to do some Final Destination crap and knock over a ladder that hits a bowling ball that ends up whacking me on the head in some freak accident? I don’t want to be on the nine o’clock news, at least, not for this.”
Lucifer and Gabriel exchanged a look before Lucifer inclined his head. “Very well, but we have to keep an eye out. That means one of us needs to keep a lookout at all times. No double hanky panky.” He waved a finger at me with a hint of a smile.
Rolling my eyes, I half-laughed. “I think I can deal with that. Now...” I pulled the pin out of my shirt and pricked my finger. “Who’s first?”
“Me.” Lucifer moved closer, and Gabriel gave him a look. “Hey, I haven’t gotten any in three days. Don’t give me that look, mate.”
Gabriel shook his head and crossed his arms over his chest, but he didn’t protest.
The instant Lucifer’s mouth covered my finger, I had to remind myself we were here to do work. No quickies in the backseat of my car. Of course, Lucifer wasn’t helping t
he situation, taking his time sucking on my finger and giving me fuck-me eyes.
“Alright, that’s enough.” Gabriel edged in as Lucifer released my finger. “My turn.”
I tore my eyes away from the devil and over to Gabriel. I had to re-prick my finger to get more blood flowing so he could have his turn. Thankfully, Gabriel was quick about it. A couple of tugs on my finger and he was done.
“Alrighty, then.” I wiped my finger on my pants and tried to shake off the temptation of having them both there and physical. As angels, they were distraction enough, but when corporeal, their presence was enough to pull the attention of the most devoted human, male or female. I supposed it had something to do with their unearthly qualities.
Getting out of the car, I didn’t wait to see if they followed me toward the building. If I wasn’t allowed to get physical with them, then I had to limit the amount of touching that went on.
“Name?” the guard at the door asked as he glanced from me to his clipboard.
I shifted on the spot and frowned. “Uh, Jane Mehr. I don’t know if I’m on the list... I’m here with—”
“Go ahead.” The guard nodded and moved aside. Once I started past him, he stepped back into place. “Not you two.”
I spun back around to see the guard’s hand up, stopping Gabriel and Lucifer. “They’re with me. They’re my assistants.”
The guard shook his head. “If they’re not on the list, then they can’t come in. That’s the rules. Too many spies for the media.” He locked eyes on the two of them with a stern glower to show that he was not going to be dissuaded.
Sighing, I pulled out my phone. “Let me just call Andre real quick,” I told them as I held my finger up.
Lucifer smirked. “No, need.” Locking eyes with the guard, he placed a hand on his shoulder. “You might want to check that list again, mate. I’m sure you’re mistaken. Lucifer and Gabriel.” Lucifer tapped the clipboard with a growing grin.
The guard didn’t even look down at his clipboard before answering. “Of course, you are. Go ahead.”
As I putt my phone back into my back pocket, I angled my head to the side. “What did you do?”
Lucifer held his arms out with a wicked grin. “I’m the Devil, love. It comes with some perks.”
“Perks you aren’t supposed to use, cheater.” Gabriel brushed past him with a pout.
“Don’t rain on my parade because you didn’t get any useful skills when old dad created us.”
Watching the two of them as we made our way into the building made me smile. They were a pair weren’t they, arguing about what was right and wrong. Of course, the image of a little angel and devil on my shoulders came to mind and caused me to giggle.
“What was that, love?” Lucifer paused, his hands tucked into the pockets of his pants.
“Nothing.” I grinned and kept walking, letting them trail behind me.
The moment the three of us stepped into the main area of the Civic Center, the sound lowered. Several sets of eyes swung our way as people stopped what they were doing to stare. Frowning, I glanced back at the guys and realized what they were seeing.
Two men, so night and day to each other, with Lucifer in his suit and tie ensemble and Gabriel in a pair of fitted jeans and a tight t-shirt. Light to dark, they were quite the pair. And I got to play with both of them.
Or eventually, I would.
I sighed and pitied myself as I walked away from them and toward the back room. To my luck, Andre happened to be coming out of the office just as I came over.
“Andre.” I waved to get his attention.
The gorgeous man glanced up from his phone and over to me. His eyes scanned over my hair and makeup and then landed on my clothes with a frown. “I thought you were getting a makeover.”
I shrugged a sheepish shoulder. “I did, but it wasn’t really me. Thank you though. It was fun.” Well, if you called getting a root canal without anesthetic fun, but I didn’t tell him that.
"We meet again." Andre looked over my shoulder at Gabriel and then arched a brow at me. "And is he another one of your boyfriends?"
I didn't allow myself to become embarrassed. I lifted my chin and stared him down. "Yep."
Gabriel sensed the tension between us and stepped forward, holding a hand out. "I don't think we were properly introduced." Andre clasped hands with him. "I'm Gabriel. This is my brother, Lucifer."
Andre's lips curled up in an amused grin. "Gabriel, Lucifer, and Michael. Like from the Bible?"
Gabriel nodded as he crossed his arms. "Yep. Our dad was a big fan."
Lucifer snorted and chuckled. I shot him a warning look before turning back to Andre. "We wanted to talk to you about the judges. Can I talk to them?"
"No."
I frowned at the short one-word answer from Andre. "Uh, what do you mean no? They might have some clue to who stole the trophy." I wrapped my arms around myself.
Shifting from one foot to the other, Andre gestured to me. "I'm sorry, but only one person knows who they are, I don't even know."
Lucifer stepped closer to me and leaned in to whisper, "He's telling the truth."
I gave him a warning look. "I got that."
Andre gave us a curious frown, and then his phone buzzed. Lifting it up, Andre typed away on it, already distracted by whatever it said. "Have you had a chance to talk to the contestants yet?"
Dropping my arms, I shot a look behind me toward the lines of booths. "No, not yet. I was planning on doing it now." I gave him an apologetic smile. "I planned to do it earlier, but we were running down a lead."
"Alright, well, let me know if you need anything else. I need to go take care of a meltdown." He shook his head with a dimpled smile. "Designers. They're nothing but drama."
He started to walk away, but then Michael appeared in front of me. "Tell him to let us in the office again. I want to see the safe."
"Uh... before you go..." I quickly said to Andre as I placed a hand on his arm. He looked down at it and then to me with a grin. I dropped my hand. "I need back in the office." When he arched a brow at me, I stuttered out, "I wanted to check the safe again. Make sure I didn't miss anything."
Andre smirked. "If you didn't want me to go, all you had to do was ask."
Chapter 8
IGNORING THE DAGGERS of pure hatred coming from the angels, I followed Andre into the office. Well, all but Lucifer. He only seemed amused by the whole thing.
"So, here's the safe." Andre waved a hand at the table where the safe sat on the floor. He scratched at the side of his face and frowned. "I don't know what you expect to find but have at it. I'll be back after I deal with this disaster." He held his phone up with a wry grin.
Once he was gone, I turned to Michael. "Want me to make you solid?"
"No," Michael clipped. "I'm not staying. I just remembered something." He angled his head to the side, and his pale blue eyes searched the area.
"I don't like that guy," Gabriel muttered as he moved closer to me. His hand slipped around my waist, and he rested his chin on my shoulder. "He wants you."
"Of course, he does." Lucifer chuckled. "Who wouldn't?"
I flushed, shifting uncomfortably. "Guys, you're making me blush."
"What are you doing here, Michael?" Lucifer asked with a frown. "I thought you were keeping an eye on Uriel."
"Helping as is my job," Michael quipped, his eyes shifting from the safe briefly to Lucifer before going back to it. "It's been replaced."
"What?" I asked, my brows furrowed. "What's been replaced?"
"The safe. Recently. The whole thing has been replaced." Michael gestured to where the safe sat.
"How do you know that?" I moved away from Gabriel and closer to Michael. Michael knelt on the ground and pointed at the ground.
"There. See how there are scraps on the ground just beneath safe?" I focused on the spot he pointed at, my brow furrowing. "Someone moved it."
"But it's bolted down," I argued, not quite believing what he was tell
ing me. "Nobody could have moved that."
"Well, they did." Michael stood. "This isn't the original safe. I don't know how else to explain it, but it smells too..."
"Clean," Gabriel ended for him.
My eyes shifted to him, and my heart stopped. Behind Gabriel and Lucifer stood Uriel. Long black hair hung around his face, and his beautiful face was pinched with annoyance. He hadn't changed since I'd last seen him. While the guys had chosen to keep with the times with their jeans and t-shirts, Uriel didn't give a fuck. A long dark robe covered his form, not doing much to cover his muscled form.
"What are you doing here, Uriel?" Michael asked from behind me, not a hint of worry in his voice.
Lucifer and Gabriel spun around and took a few steps back from Uriel to place themselves in front of me. It was nice to be protected but a bit of overkill.
Uriel gave the two of them a bored look. "Do you think you can protect your disgusting pet human from me? You're nothing."
Lucifer growled, baring his teeth at the other angel. "Watch your mouth. Or I'll—"
Uriel's eyes zeroed in on Lucifer. "You'll do what, traitor? You are no longer the favorite son, so don't puff your chest at me like one of these apes." He waved a hand around with a sneer. "I am not afraid of you. I don't even rate you on the map. You are less than a blip, a mosquito meant to be squashed for your insolence."
"And who's going to squash me? You?" Lucifer threw his head back and laughed before locking his eyes on him. I'd never seen him so angry. So intensely... I wouldn't say evil, but he was the Devil for crying out loud. He didn't get his name for nothing.
Uriel stepped toward us, and the two angels in front of me tensed.
"Enough," Michael's voice boomed in the small room, making the lights flicker.
I shot him a worried look. "Be careful, would you? We're not exactly alone here."
"Oh, yes. You wouldn't want the other apes to come scurrying this way." Uriel mocked with all the enthusiasm of a nun. "They aren't worthy of notice."
"Obviously, someone finds them so, or they wouldn't have made a whole planet for us," I snapped back at Uriel, tired of him downing my species. "It's you who aren't worthy of notice, or your daddy would have made you visible to everyone."
Heaven's Most Wanted Page 6