by Mary Abshire
“Are you sure?” he asked.
She waved her hand. “Yeah, yeah.”
“Is your plan to liquor me up so you can beat me?”
Emily pointed at him. “Smart, but no. I think I can win even if you aren’t drunk.”
“Bold words,” he said as blood rushed to his cock.
“Well, I have to beat an angel so I can brag about it,” she said, and he chuckled.
“Do you want to pay with cash?” Charlene asked. “The tab’s run out.”
“Oh, yeah, sure.” Emily put her hand on Andrew’s arm. “Can you get some money from my wallet for her?”
Andrew passed her and stopped at the spot where she’d left her purse. While she sipped more of her drink, he lifted her bag and set it on the table. Emily ambled toward him, sipping her alcoholic beverage through the tiny straw while Charlene collected the empty bottles. He collected a few bills from Emily’s wallet. Charlene strode toward him. He handed the money to her.
“I’ll be back with your beers in a few,” Charlene said before she left.
His gaze lowered to Emily’s billfold. She’d replaced her driver’s license with the one showing Carrie as her name. Now that he’d noticed, he decided to ask about it.
“What’s this?” he asked.
“What?”
He turned the license so she could see it. “I thought your name was Emily.”
“Oh yeah. Right. It is. That’s a fake ID,” she said so nonchalantly.
He closed her billfold and returned it to her purse. “Why would you carry a fake one?”
“Because I don’t want to be found.” She grabbed his arm and tugged. “Let’s play air hockey.”
Carrying her purse, he walked at her side. “Who are you hiding from?”
“Everyone, except Troy.”
“Why?”
“Because I killed someone.”
They stopped at one end of the hockey table. He stared at her, trying to determine if she’d told the truth.
She chuckled. “I’m kidding. I didn’t kill anyone.”
Breathing easier, he set her purse on the ground. He didn’t think she had the ability to take a human life, but he didn’t know her well enough.
“But I did dump my best friend’s dead body,” she said and then laughed. “Yeah, what a story. Right?”
He shook his head. He didn’t know what to believe since they both were tipsy. “All right, Carrie, let’s get this game going.”
He stopped at the side of the table and read the instructions. Money powered the game, similar to the ones he’d used when he was a kid. He informed Emily and she promptly gave him the funds. Once the table hummed with life, he grabbed the puck and hurried to his end.
“Ready to lose?” she asked with her hand on the pusher.
He set the red puck on the table. “No, but I hope you are.”
He smacked the disc and it shot forward at an angle. She slid her pusher over the table and missed the puck. It came back to him and he hit it again. He repeated the process two more times before she managed to tap it and send it on a different path. Her continuous giggles made him to laugh, but he was more focused on winning. When the disc finally made it past her slot, he punched at the air.
“Yes!” he said, excitedly.
“Lucky shot.”
She collected the puck from the dispenser on her side. Grinning, she set it on top of the rink. Before the disc glided away, she smacked it. The disc shot straight forward. He moved his pusher to block his goal, but his slow effort resulted in her gaining a point.
“Score!” she said.
He slapped the next disc on the air rink. With a quick tap, he sent the puck shooting toward her. She tried to hit it, but the disc slid too fast after it bounced off the walls and his pusher. After several goals, she took a defensive approach instead and blocked her slot. Charlene arrived with his beers and set them on the edge of the table. Emily scored two more goals, but it wasn’t enough for her to win the game.
“Oh yeah!” he cheered.
Emily rolled her eyes, giving in to defeat, but the grin on her face said otherwise.
“Good game,” she said.
He walked around the table to the bottles. He grabbed one and downed it. The coolness of the drink refreshed him.
Emily collected her glass before she came to a halt next to him. She finished her beverage soon after he’d set his empty bottle down.
“That was fun,” he said.
“Another game?”
“Of course. I welcome the chance to win again.”
She returned to her end of the table. “Are all angels like you?” She squatted near her purse.
Her question surprised him. “I have no idea. I’d heard of others being sent back, but I never met anyone who had.”
“And you were sent back to kill a demon.” Money in hand, she stopped at the side of the table.
“Well, not just one. Six to be exact.” He took a swig from his other beer.
The rink hummed as the air kicked on.
“Six demons?” she asked as she straightened with the puck in her hand.
“Yep. This is my punishment for having sex with too many women. And if I have sex while I’m here on Earth, an extra year will be added to my sentence.”
Laughter burst from her after he’d confessed. He’d figured he’d tell her the truth since they were drunk and having a good time. Odds were she wouldn’t believe him. She hadn’t yet, and if her response was anything to go by, she still thought he was making up the story.
She returned to her side of the table. “That is the craziest thing I’ve ever heard in my life. Being punished for having too much sex in heaven. Wow. That is a wild tale.” She whacked the puck with her pusher.
Andrew slapped the disc. “It’s not my first punishment. There were others, but the council got mad and decided to impose a harsher sentence.”
She laughed while she attempted to hit the puck. After several tries, the disc scooted past her and into the goal. “Damn it.”
She grabbed the puck from the dispenser. After setting the disc on the air table, she whacked it. He blocked his slot and the puck bounced back to her. They took turns playing defense and offense. She was better at defense, but he still managed to get several goals. Her efforts got better over time, or maybe it was the liquor slowing him down. Either way, she won the game.
“Ha ha. I won.” She jumped and clapped. “Take that, angel.”
“One more game?” he asked.
She leaned her arms on the table. “What’s the matter? Can’t stand losing?”
Her wicked grin aroused him. If he didn’t have the punishment holding him back, he would’ve taken her in his arms and forced his tongue between her naughty lips. They’d both end up winners by the end of the night.
“Who’s winning?” asked a man from behind Andrew.
He came to a stop at the side of the table with a beer in his hand. Tattoos covered his arms. Another shorter man stood next to him. Both had short dark hair, but the one without a drink had a goatee. Neither of them had soft white auras.
“I am,” Emily said.
“The lady is beating you, eh?” the tattooed man said. “I wouldn’t let her get away with that.”
The joy of Emily’s face started to dwindle. “We’re getting ready to play another game.”
“Maybe I better step in and show this guy how to play,” the tattooed man said.
Andrew clenched his jaw. The cocky look in the man’s eyes irritated him. He suspected the two were drunk, but he still wouldn’t put up with their attitudes.
“That’s not necessary,” Andrew said, stepping closer to the duo.
“You sure about that?” tattooed man sneered.
“Hey man, you’re crowding my space,” goatee guy said with a wrinkled nose and curl of his upper lip.
Emily moved to the side of the tattooed man. “We’re fine here, boys. Why don’t you go play somewhere else?”
“Boy
s?” the tattooed man said. “I’ll show you my boys.” He grabbed his balls in front of her.
Fury rose hot and fast in Andrew. Without hesitating, he balled his hand and swung it at the man with tattoos. Andrew hit his eye and the beer bottle smashed on the ground. The guy with the goatee shoved Andrew and he fell back onto the hockey table. On his way up, the guy punched Andrew in the face. The blow stunned Andrew. Pain spread like razor-sharp vines through his nose, eye, and cheek. He hadn’t felt such agony in a long time. The guy gripped his shirt and swung his arm back to hit Andrew again. Andrew was lopsided near the table and struggling to stand straight. Before the guy could finish his blow, glass smacked the back of his head and shattered around them. He let go of Andrew and stumbled away, hands to his head.
The tattooed man threw his fist at Emily. She ducked and kicked at his ribs. The hit sent him stumbling back. But he wasn’t done. Sneering, he rushed toward her. She held a fight pose, hands balled tight in front of her and gaze fixed on her assailant. He swung at her and she caught his arm. She spun closer to him, and then shoved her elbow into his nose and kicked his knee. The man screamed as he fell to the floor.
Andrew stared in awe and shock. Her quick moves impressed him. Where did she learn how to fight? She kicked ass.
“Enough!” yelled a large bald man. “Get out or I call the police.”
Emily snatched her purse. “Let’s go,” she said before grabbing Andrew’s hand and tugging him back the way they’d entered.
Chapter Ten
Emily pulled Andrew from the bar. Night had settled in and the businesses on both sides of the street had shut down. The only one booming was the tavern. Cars lined up near the curb and around the corner. She stopped at the crosswalk and glanced behind her. The auto shop was a few blocks back, but she could still see it. Like the other establishments, it appeared closed too. She’d have to check her phone to see if Henry had left a message about her car.
“That was amazing what you did back there,” Andrew said.
She gripped his hand. “Come on.”
They crossed the street and continued toward the hotel. The last thing she needed to do was attract the police. Worry picked at her and elevated her pulse. She hoped the guy she’d hit with the bottle wouldn’t press charges. If she ended up in jail… She hated to think about it.
The evening had gone so well up until the two assholes showed up. She’d enjoyed playing games with Andrew. He’d challenged her and had been a good sport when he’d lost. He’d reminded her of Troy when they’d played games. Andrew was smart and quick. He had good hand and eye coordination, better than she did, even drunk.
Although he’d drunk plenty, he hadn’t seemed too inebriated. His stories about heaven had to be the work of fiction. Maybe the liquor aided his creative intelligence. Regardless, she couldn’t understand why kept going with the story of being an angel. The entire bit about being sent back because of having sex with too many women seemed one hundred and ten percent ludicrous. Even thinking about it made her want to laugh. Andrew truly had a wild imagination. But that was okay. It didn’t make him a bad person, just one who told too many fairy tales.
“Where did you learn to fight like that?” he asked as they strode down the sidewalk.
“My friend Troy taught me a lot. We grew up together and took several martial arts classes.”
“Did that tattooed guy hurt you at all?” he asked. “I was a bit distracted in the beginning.”
“I’m fine. My hand hurts a little.”
They reached the end of the street and stopped. She turned to him and noticed his eye swelling.
“Damn, he got you good,” she said.
He shrugged. “I’ve been in fights before. But it’s been a long time. I forgot what pain felt like.”
Although he continued to fib, she had to give him some credit for stepping up to protect her. Andrew had hit the bastard good. She suspected Andrew was a man of honor. He’d already shown his good manners. She recalled how he’d hesitated getting the expensive beer. Clearly, he had a conscience and respectable etiquette. So why did continue to claim he was an angel?
“I appreciate you wanting to protect me,” she said.
“They were looking for trouble. I’ve always hated guys like that.”
“I was hoping they would go away. It’s always better to defuse a situation before it escalates.”
“Did you learn that from your martial arts class?”
“No, it’s my personal belief. I always tell Troy to take things with a grain of salt and remain calm in bad situations.”
“Does he?”
“Hell no. He pours the salt on the wound and the bad situation quickly gets out of hand.”
Andrew chuckled. “I think I’ll like him.”
She let go of his hand to dig into her purse. “Henry was supposed to call or send a message about the car.”
She withdrew her cell and pressed the button. The screen lit up and revealed a missed call along with a voice and text message. She accessed the voice mail first. The message was from Henry. He explained there was a problem with the engine and other parts. The technical auto lingual left her wanting to scratch her head. Bottom line, he said the car needed a new engine and he couldn’t fix.
“Shit,” she said as she lowered the phone.
“What’s wrong?”
“The car needs a new engine and he can’t fix it.” She read the text message. It was from Henry and said only to call him. With her fingers moving fast on the screen, she prepared and fired off a message to Troy to update him on her situation. “I’m letting Troy know.”
“That sucks.”
“Yeah, because now we’re stuck here and I’m out of a lot of money.”
If she weren’t so worried she would’ve been pissed. Now that they didn’t have a way to get out of town, the cops could easily find her if they came looking. She hoped the asshole wouldn’t talk to the police.
The light changed, granting them time to cross. After she sent the message to Troy, she dropped the phone in her bag. Stepped from the curb and Andrew followed beside her.
“Your friend is still coming, right?” he asked.
“I’m pretty sure he will, but I don’t know when. He had some business to take care of before he could leave. I’ll try to call him later.”
The night breeze gave her a chill as they proceeded along the sidewalk. She wrapped her arms across her ribs. A hot shower sounded good. And a pizza. She’d have to call the front desk to see if there was a place anywhere nearby that delivered.
“Aside from the two troublemakers, I had a great time tonight,” he said.
“Me too. You’re pretty competitive.”
“I guess I’ve always been. I could blame my sister, but that wouldn’t be fair to her.”
They reached the lot to the hotel. A few cars had parked on the lot since they’d left earlier. Lights were on in some of the units. Side by side, they headed for the entrance.
“I don’t know about you, but I’m craving pizza,” she said.
“Mm…” His eyes widened. “That does sound good.”
He quickened his pace to reach the door first. He opened it for her. Again, his etiquette impressed her. She thanked him in passing.
An overweight woman with short dark hair stood behind the receptionist desk. She wore a white shirt and dark pants. Her gaze stayed fixed on Emily and Andrew as they entered.
“Do you know if there’s any pizza places that deliver here?” Emily asked approaching the counter.
“There’s Plus One and Pizza Hut that will deliver.” Her nametag above her right breast showed her name was Vicki.
“Thanks, I’ll try one of them,” Emily said.
“What room are you staying in?” Vicki asked, stopping Emily before she’d taken her second step.
“We’re in room 129, but don’t worry about it. I can look them up on my phone and order.”
“Oh, okay. Let me know if you change your mind,” V
icki said and then lifted the receiver to the phone.
Emily headed to the hallway where Andrew stood, waiting. He had a puffy cheek near his eye.
“I think we should get some ice and wrap some in a towel for your eye. It might help the swelling go down,” she said as they walked down the hall.
“Good idea. I probably should do that.”
She fished the key card from her purse. “I have some Advil I can give you.”
“That would help.”
They stopped at the door. She slid her card in the slot and the light appeared on the handle. She pushed it down and shoved the door open. The darkness of the room gave rise to the hairs on the back of her neck. She’d left the light on in the bathroom before they’d left. She came to a halt near the mattress and saw a figure move. The door snapped shut, but it was the click of something near her face that frightened her the most.
“Don’t move,” the male voice said. He sounded familiar.
The light from the nightstand clicked on. Carl stood in front of her with her gun pointed at her head. Nancy was in between the beds with a gun pointed at Andrew. The pink-haired woman had Emily’s computer case hanging on her shoulder. The bag had all her money. Emily’s fear morphed into rage and she had to bite her tongue from to prevent herself from saying something, or worse, making a move that might prompt one of them to fire their weapons.
“Carl, what are you doing?” Andrew asked from behind her.
“What’s it look like?” Carl said. “Now get your hands up where I can see them.”
Slowly, Emily lifted her hands. Her clothes were scattered all over the bed. The plastic bags with Andrew’s clothes had been emptied on the mattress too.
“Can you please leave my computer bag?” Emily asked nicely.
Nancy laughed. “Hell no. This has everything we need and more.” Her rough voice irritated Emily more.
“I can’t let you leave with it,” Emily said.
Carl seemed to think Emily was funny and snickered. “You hear this bitch? She thinks she can stop us.”
“There’s no need to hurt anyone,” Andrew said as he stepped up to Emily’s side.
Staring at Carl, Emily ran through her options. She could throw a kick at him, but the gun would go off and she had no guarantee he’d drop it. Even if he did, there was plenty of time for Nancy to shoot Andrew. She couldn’t take out both at the same time, especially when they were a few feet apart from each other. But Emily did wonder if they knew how to use the weapons. If she knew for certain they couldn’t fire them, she wouldn’t hesitate to fight back. Since they were drug addicts, she didn’t want to take the chance they knew how to use a gun.