Heaven's Embrace

by ERIN BEDFORD

  “Know?” I grinned up at her my hands clasped before me. “We go back to when gel pens were still cool.”

  “Gel pens aren’t cool anymore?” Captain Welling asked, his eyes going to Mandy for confirmation. She gave a little shake of her head and then shot me a warning glare.

  “Anyway, Mandy - I mean Detective Stevenson” - I grinned up at her, earning me an eye roll - “said you would like my help with a missing person case.”

  “Well, yes,” Captain Welling started but was interrupted by Detective Stick Up His Butt.

  “First, we have a few questions for you, regarding your background and abilities.” He used air quotes around the word abilities. Someone must have spit in his coffee this morning.

  Captain Welling cleared his throat, and Detective O’Connor shifted in his seat his eyes going down to the table. Down, boy. We knew who held the leash in the room now.

  “I apologize, Miss Mehr. Some of our police force are having a difficult time believing that people have gifts beyond our understanding.”

  I restrained from snorting. That was an understatement. “Don’t worry about it.” I held my hand up and shook my head. “I get it all the time. Some people are just closed off to the mystical world, and that’s okay.” I offered Detective O’Connor a condescending smile. “I’m sure you are a great detective.”

  Gabriel, who I hadn’t noticed coming into the room after us, appeared next to me. He took one look at the unbelieving detective and said, “His wife is divorcing him, and they’re going to have dinner tonight to sign the papers.”

  I made a cooing noise and reached across the table, placing my hand on top of Detective O’Connor’s. He didn’t seem to know what to do but let me hold onto them for a moment. “I hope your dinner tonight goes well. My friend’s parents split up when we were young, so I remember how difficult it had been for him.”

  Detective O’Connor’s eyes widened, his mouth dropping open. As quickly as it happened, his face shut down, and he jerked his hand from mine, glaring up at Mandy. “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell other people my business, Detective Stevenson.”

  “I didn’t.” Mandy’s voice went up an octave, and I felt bad.

  “Detective O’Connor, Detective Stevenson didn’t tell me anything. We hardly speak about work. I didn’t even know she had a partner until she mentioned it this morning.” I shot her a look, telling her I hadn’t forgotten her slip-up. Either I was her best friend or not. Who else was she telling her secrets to? I’d kill them.

  Detective O’Connor cleared his throat and tapped his pen on the table. “Fine. Good guess then, but I still don’t believe in psychics.”

  I gave him a pitying look but didn’t prod him further. “Whatever makes you comfortable.”

  “Stop being a spoilsport. We need this woman, so show some respect.” The captain clapped Detective O’Connor on the back. At least, someone was on my side.

  He flinched at the contact and opened a vanilla folder in front of him. “I have some questions regarding your background, Miss Mehr.”

  “Sure,” I said, leaning back in my chair. “Ask away.”

  I waited for Detective O’Connor to start his interrogation because there was no way this was anything but that. Gabriel hung out at my side, leaning against the side of the table. His presence was a comfort and a hindrance. If they needed more proof of my abilities, he’d be right there to help me out, but he also made my skin prickle with goosebumps just from his nearness. I tried to stay still so I wouldn’t show my discomfort. Cops were very perceptive with those kinds of things.

  “Says here that you were arrested for breaking and entering and destruction of public property. Want to explain that?” Detective O’Connor seemed a bit too excited to see I had a rap sheet.

  I shrugged, not letting it bother me. “I was sixteen and rebelling, don’t we all?”

  Detective O’Connor didn’t seem to buy it but continued, “You also graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor’s degree in ...” He chuckled and met my eyes. “Religious Studies?”

  I shrugged. I seemed to be doing a lot of that. “Seemed like a good idea at the time.”

  I’d really picked the degree of study to help figure out more about my own abilities. Sadly, the school couldn’t tell me anything but the history and theology of all the world religions. I knew more about Buddha and Allah than I did about my own family. The only thing it turned out to be was a waste of my father’s money.

  “And did you do anything with this degree?” Detective O’Connor asked, grinning like the bird who ate the cat. Or was it the other way around?

  “I work at a bar,” I sneered. “What do you think?”

  “I think we’re done here. Captain.” Detective O’Connor stood and looked to his superior. “With all due respect, I don’t need some delusional crazy woman without a lick of sense messing up my case.”

  “Now, wait a second,” Captain Welling tried to argue, but I jumped in.

  “You might want to check your little report again.” I gestured to the envelope with a nod. “Along with my Bachelor’s in Religious Studies, I also have a Masters in Public Relations and Business. I’m not just some quack looking for a quick buck.” I shoved my chair back and leaned across the table, my anger getting the best of me. “You came to me, not the other way around. I’d be happy just to go back to bartending. At least, the jerkwads there are drunk. What’s your excuse?”

  Mandy gasped and grabbed my arm, but I jerked out of her grasp. I nodded at Captain Welling. “I apologize, Captain, but I won’t help someone who can’t respect me or my abilities.” The captain gave me a grim look as I marched toward the door. I opened it and saw the guy with the teardrop being escorted to the back. Turning back to them, I added, “That guy there is guilty, and if you let him go he’s going to kill his ex’s new boyfriend. Just thought you should know.”

  I left their gaping faces in the interview room and stomped through the precinct. Gabriel strolled by my side, not touching me but just being there. I wasn’t sure if he was afraid I’d do something stupid or just didn’t have anything better to do.

  When we finally exited the precinct, I got tired of feeling his eyes on my back. “Well, that went well, huh?” I said, spinning around to look at him.

  Without asking, Gabriel wrapped his arms around me. The warm sensation that came from touching them encompassed me, and I could almost feel the pressure of his arms. Or maybe I was only hoping I did. I inhaled his scent, a mixture of sea salt and sunlight. How one could smell like sunlight, I wasn’t sure, but it was the only way I could describe it. I let him hold me for a moment, not caring what I looked like to the passing public. I needed comfort and Gabriel was giving it to me.

  After a few moments, Gabriel pulled back and looked down at me. “Better?”

  I nodded. “Yeah, thank you.” I ran a hand through my hair and headed toward my car. Probably shouldn’t have this conversation out in the open. When we were safely in my car, I pounded on my steering wheel. “Guys like that piss me off. Like I can’t be smart and have special powers. I can only be crazy.”

  Gabriel nodded in understanding. “I get it, I do.” He placed his hand on top of mine, hovering just above so it didn’t go through and stared into my eyes. His green eyes held flecks of gold in them that glinted in the sunlight. I could get lost in eyes like that. “You are smart, beautiful, and funny to boot. A volatile combination for any male, human or angel.”

  Flushing at his praise, I withdrew my hand from his. I wasn’t sure what to say. Compliments weren’t really something I got often, so when I did, my brain didn’t know how to react. Luckily, my eyes caught the time and saved me from responding.

  “Crap, I’m going to be late for work.” I raced out of the parking lot like a bat out of hell. Did they have bats in hell? I’d have to ask Lucifer later.

  7

  Fridays were the worst. For the normal Monday through Friday workers, this was the start of the weeke
nd, and that meant the bar would be up to its eyeballs with the weekenders.

  When I raced through the front door, I was still adjusting my dark locks into a high ponytail. The front door banged behind me, earning me a curious look from Bret.

  “I know, I’m late!” I cried, running past him. I’d had enough time to get home and throw on my work clothes before I had to book it out the door. I was lucky I’d remembered my boots, or I’d be leaning over the bar all night, something my back would hate me for by closing.

  Rounding the bar, I clocked in at the register just in time for my boss, Bill, to come around the corner. “You’re late.”

  “I know, I know. I’m sorry.” I held my hands up in defense.

  Bill wasn’t the worst boss in the world, but I also wasn’t the best employee so I couldn’t give him too much grief about it. At least, he didn’t try to grab my ass or make me ‘come talk about my future.’ Thankfully, he was as plain as they came with his business-cut brown hair and IT-guy-shaped glasses. Why he wanted to own a bar was beyond me. He didn’t seem the type.

  “Why are you late this time?” Bill asked, setting up the rest of the counter’s condiments, something I was supposed to do.

  “Had to go to the police station.” I tried to say it nonchalantly, hoping it didn’t sound as bad as it did.

  “Police station? For what?” Bill raised a brow at me and leaned against the side of the bar, his slight muffin top hanging over his belt.

  Surprised he didn’t freak out more, I decided to tell him the truth. “They wanted me to help with a case. My being psychic and all.”

  “Oh, is that all?” Bill smirked and started restocking the cups. “I hope you told them you would have to do it around your work schedule.”

  I wasn’t all that sure Bill believed in my abilities. Just like Terry, he was just happy that I made them extra money. Heck, I was happy for the extra dough myself.

  I placed my hands on my hips and shifted my weight to one side. “For your information, I told them no.”

  “No? Why’s that?”

  I shrugged and shoved my purse under the counter. “I didn’t want to juggle my free time playing cops and robbers.”

  Bill snorted and shook his head. “If I had your abilities, I’d be milking it for all its worth. Talk shows, interviews, even my own book.”

  “I don’t like people,” I said, leaving it at that.

  “Then you picked the wrong job.” Bill turned away from the counter and went into the office as the first few customers came in.

  Heavenly Arms didn’t have a heavy clientele, so we didn’t officially open until five o’clock. Terry and I along with another girl alternated working the bar. This time was my turn to open, Terry would be in later when the after-dinner crowd came in. If it got too busy, Bill would come out and help, but I didn’t expect it to get too bad this early.

  “Hey, love,” Lucifer popped out of nowhere, making me jump. The beer I’d been about to serve sloshed over the side, splashing on my bare legs.

  Cursing my choice to wear shorts that day, I sat the cup in front of the customer and grabbed some napkins. Wiping their cup off first, I then turned to my sticky legs.

  “Would you like some help with that?” Lucifer purred, leaning against the wall as he leered at me.

  “What do you want?” I muttered, kneeling to grab something out of the fridge to hide our conversation.

  “Just checking up on you. Contemplating when I will cash in on my payment.” Lucifer grinned menacingly.

  I returned his grin with one of my own. “Well, that highly depends on you being able to touch me.” Lucifer frowned and shifted against the wall. “Based on your expression, I’d say you haven’t figured that bit out yet.”

  “Jane?” Bill’s voice made me jump to my feet. The chastising look on his face made me dip my head guiltily.

  “There was a ... a light out in the fridge. I was just fixing it.” I pointed a thumb and kicked the fridge door shut with my foot, so he wouldn’t catch my fib.

  Bill crossed his arms over his chest, trying not to draw attention to us. Customer service and all. “So, you were talking it back to life?”

  Like a deer caught in the headlights, I forced myself to ignore the chuckling coming from Lucifer on the sidelines.

  “Oh yeah, I was giving myself a pep talk. You know, good job, you got this. Go, team!” I air punched, just as Mandy walked through the door with Detective O’Connor. Oh great, just what I needed. To Bill, I said, “Oh look, customers! Better go help them ‘cause, you know, I’m at work.”

  I darted down to where Mandy and Detective O’Connor sat, well aware of Bill’s eyes on my back. Having my own shop was looking better and better. I wondered if Lucifer would be into that kind of work. I shot a discrete look his way. Today’s suit was pressed to perfection as usual and made his legs look long and strong as if he just stepped out of a GQ magazine. He watched the room with a cool, aloof gaze.

  It just wasn’t fair that someone that gorgeous was the literal Devil. Talk about torture. Just standing there looking the way he did was painful enough to make anyone cry out for mercy.

  “Hey, Mandy.” I grinned at my bestie and gave Detective Asshole the cold shoulder. “What can I get you?”

  Mandy frowned at me and then said, “We’re on business, so nothing for me.”

  “Business?” Glancing up at the clock, it was already half past. “Don’t you ever get to go home?”

  “Not when people are missing,” Detective Asshole snapped, making me finally glance his way.

  “Well, I wouldn’t want to disrupt your case. So, I’ll let you get back to it.” I turned to help someone else when Mandy grabbed my arm. I stopped with an irritated huff. “Can I help you?”

  “Yes,” Mandy’s voice pleaded with me. “Detective O’Connor would like to say something to you.”

  Leaning on my elbow, I waited on Detective O’Connor. His face reddened like a teapot, and I could almost make out the white smoke coming from his ears. This was going to be fun.

  “Well, let’s hear it, detective. I’ve got thirsty customers waiting for me.” I gestured behind me toward the total of five people in the bar. My comment had the intended effect though. Detective O’Connor’s jaw clenched, and his nostrils flared and not in the sexy way the angels’ did.

  “I might have been a bit rash at my dismissal of your abilities.” The utter disdain coming from him as he struggled to get the words out just made me feel all tingling inside. I felt rather than heard Lucifer approach, his body lined up against mine, and I forced myself not to lean into him.

  “You’re almost as good as one of my torturers.” Lucifer chuckled in my ear, a heady sound that made my thighs press together.

  Ignoring how the Devil was making me feel, I snapped my fingers in front of the detective. “Come on, detective. Time’s a wastin’. Don’t want you to be late for your oh-so-important dinner.”

  A vein in the side of Detective O’Connor’s neck throbbed as he bit out. “Please, help us find our missing girl.”

  “See?” I beamed at him. “That wasn’t so hard was it?”

  Detective O’Connor snarled at me and barged out of the bar, leaving Mandy on her own. I raised a brow at my bestie. “I hope he isn’t like that all the time. I’m not sure how I feel about someone like that watching your back.”

  Mandy sighed and buried her face in her arms. “He’s gotten worse after his divorce started.” She glanced up from the table with a sad expression on her face. “He thinks he can still get her back.”

  “Oh, so it was his fault?” I snorted as I grabbed a rag, pretending to wipe the top of the bar. “I can see that.”

  “Jane,” Mandy warned, her eyes meeting mine. “Please, help us.” She sighed once more and sat up straight. “I know your abilities come from the angels, and it’s not really you, but could you think about helping us? Just this once? Think about the girl you would be helping?”

  Before I could answer,
Lucifer chimed in. “Yes, Jane. Just this once. Think of the girl.”

  What Lucifer really meant was think of the kisses I still owed them if I agreed to help. That stipulation also was heavily reliant on them being able to touch me. So, the likelihood of me actually having to pay up was slim to none. More’s the pity.

  “I don’t know, Mandy.” I shook my head, not even pretending to be working anymore. “I have the bar, and I never did get to the grocery store, meaning I have no food in my house now. If that’s any indication of how busy this will make me, I don’t see how I could do it.”

  “I’ll buy you dinner,” Mandy quickly offered, and when I still seemed skeptical, she held up two fingers. “Two dinners! Plus, the precinct will pay you for your time.”

  My stomach rumbled its vote, and I sighed. “Fine, I’ll help you this one time. Then that’s it.”

  Mandy smiled and punched the air. “You won’t regret it.”

  I pointed a finger at her. “It better be a good dinner too. Not some fast food drive-thru.”

  “Of course, of course.” Mandy nodded. “Now, how about a shot? I’m far past due for a break, and that hottie down the bar would look good in my bed tonight.”

  Shaking my head and laughing, I poured Mandy her usual before making my way to take care of my neglected customers. Lucifer didn’t hang around. I kept expecting him to pop in and claim his payment, but he was nowhere to be found.

  I finished out the night happy, the case and payment far from my mind as I counted my better-than-normal tips. I even let a drunk guy stay longer than closing, I was in that good of a mood.

  “See you later, Terry.” I waved to the cowboy and headed for my car. With no angel in my passenger seat, I made sure to remember my own seatbelt and blared pop music as I sang at the top of my lungs. At two A. M., there were no other cars to make me feel self-conscious about my head banging or out-of-date dance moves. I was usually the one giving drinks, so I didn’t get to party much on my own. Plus getting drunk with desire-inducing angels around was not a good idea. I could just see some kind of stripping happening.