by Jianne Carlo
“Yes and no. I couldn’t get a composite profile of the tango who wore the gray hoodie, but I did get a full frontal of his eyes and of him from the nose down. This is it.” Nikar hit his arrow down key.
“Shit,” Satan muttered. “Zoom in on the corner of his left eye, Nik.”
Next to him, Devil sucked oxygen in audibly through his mouth. “Fuck. If I didn’t know better…”
“Who in this room doesn’t recognize this man? Jinn, Nikar, Volac, you’re new to the team—”
“Jinn, Volac, and I all know who he is. We figured you guys needed to know. Informed decisions and that kind of crap.” Nikar fingered the collar of his shirt. “What do you want us to do, boss?”
Satan heaved a sigh. “Sit on this for now. What about the other tango, the one who wore the brown hoodie?”
Nikar snorted. “Fucking nada. I’ve analyzed every shot, tried every trick in the book. I can’t even get a clear shot of his nose or chin, which I should have been able to get. What fucks with my head most is that the gait of the brown-tango hoodie is familiar to me. I’ve seen him before. I just can’t for fuck’s sake remember where or when. Sorry boss.”
“One. No one calls me boss. Satan or hey you if you must, but never boss. Second, it’ll come to you. Try not to force it.” Satan snatched a pencil from a holder in the middle of the table and twirled it. “Anything else, Nikar?”
“Nope. Did I overstep by calling the meeting? It’s just that, seeing as we all know who—”
“You did right, Nikar. Thanks for bringing this to our attention. If there’s no other business to discuss…?”
Devil shrugged, Demon shook his head, Jinn and Volac folded their arms, and Nikar said, “No.”
Lucifer steepled his hands and leaned back in his chair. “From the look on your face—you have news for us.”
“I do. Nothing of monumental importance. First, Angel and I are getting married soon. No dates’ been set, but I want all of you there.” He broke off when his team erupted into discordant shouts and whistles of congratulations.
Five minutes later, his back burning from all the slapped felicitations, Satan raised his voice and said, “Come to order. There is one more point to be discussed.”
All eyes turned to him. Satan took a deep inhale and quickly summarized how he came to have two different surnames.
Sinner, who knew his intent, was the only one not slam-dunk surprised.
“After discussing the situation with Angel, I’ve decided to revert to Metaxas. My lawyers have begun the process to legally change my last name. If there’s any objection from anyone here, let me hear it now.”
A molecule-drop silence permeated the room.
Satan made it back home in a half an hour. Threw open the front door and hollered, “Angel?”
She emerged from the kitchen and sprinted down the hallway to him, her arms wide, her smile—radiant. “Welcome home.”
Only when she was totally ensnared in his embrace did he feel completed. She made him whole. He hugged her tighter and whispered, “I love you, my Angel Dare.”
She drew back, cocked her head to one side, and shot him a sexy wink. “I’m ready for dinner, but I’m guessing you need a shower and change first?”
“I do indeed.” He kissed her forehead. “I’ll hurry. Our reservations are for six.”
They made the reservation, barely. Seated at his favorite dockside table with a picture window overlooking the bay, Satan draped his arm around Angel, and pushed the menu to her.
“Aren’t you even going to look at it?” She waved the leather-bound bill of fare at him.
“Nope. Always have the same thing. Lobster Thermidor. Best version on the planet.” He nuzzled her ear.
“Satan?”
“Hmmm…” She smelled like paradise, a hint of Shalimar, a hint of nature, and all Angel.
“This place is totally empty.” She gestured to the tiny square forming the inside of Sea Watch Five-One-Five, Satan’s preferred pub and restaurant.
“I know.” He nibbled on her lobe. “I rented the place for the evening.”
She swatted him. “What? Why on earth—”
Satan bounded to his feet, reached for the ring he’d purchased earlier, and went down on one knee. He flipped open the box, and opened his palm. “Will you marry me, Angelica Dare O’Malley?”
Epilogue
Colleen Chapman found the church in Whistler, British Columbia.
Angel approved the destination happily.
Jess, Destiny, Nalini, Jacinta, and Angel became best buds in the hunt for the wedding dress. Swatches of fabric of every color and fabric filled baskets were all over the house during the gown decision period.
Because Satan refused to divulge the details of the ceremony and the dinner and dance afterward, Angel declined to reveal the women’s final choice regarding the bridal gown and the bridesmaids’ dresses. He was told that a black morning suit would be appropriate for him to wear to the ceremony.
Satan repeated Angel’s ideas about candles to Colleen and therefore the wedding was scheduled for sunset.
Three weeks later, Satan surveyed the Swiss Chalet style church and smiled. The Chapel was packed to the gills. Snow fell in thick flakes outside the stained glass windows lining the two sets of pews.
He glanced at his watch—five-thirty. The sun was due to set at five-forty-five. The shadows shifted, and the stained glass windows were illuminated as the sun’s setting rays backlit the colorful frescoes. Peach and pink hues danced around the intimate church. A communal murmur broke from the congregation when the hundreds of candles scattered throughout the chapel were lit.
Circular wire baskets, intertwined with green ivy and peach and pink hibiscuses, were attached to each end of the dozens of pews lining the church’s interior. Thousands of soft petals were strewn down the center aisle, and the intoxicating aroma of old-world roses perfumed the cozy chamber.
Satan’s elation ratcheted with each anticipatory second.
Sinner was his best man, all the other squad members—Lucifer, Devil, Demon, Nikar, Jinn, and Volac—were groomsmen. He scanned the team standing to the right of him. His friends were dressed in matching navy morning suits, and red ties. Satan wore a black suit with a corresponding scarlet tie.
Organ music filled the church.
There was a flutter of activity at the entrance to the church.
Satan honed onto the vestibule, but could only discern the tops of heads, and a muddle of women.
He straightened, dusted a speck fluff off the sleeve of his jacket, and swallowed with difficulty because of his parched throat.
The strains of The Wedding March echoed around him.
Jacinta, dressed in a floor length gown the exact color of the groomsmen’s suits, was the first one up the aisle. The dress she’d chosen was fitted with a mermaid-like kick at the end. She looked beautiful.
His patience grew thinner than a bilini when Nalini swayed a graceful path after Jacinta halted.
Nalini took forever to reach the top of the aisle.
Satan’s discipline fractured when Destiny inched forward at an excruciatingly slow pace.
He fingered the suddenly too-tight starched shirt collar, noticed a pen smudge on his knuckle, and tried to wipe the blue stain off.
Jess took an eternity before she settled in place next to the other bridesmaids.
A collective gasp boomeranged around the chapel. He whisked his head up and laser-focused on the arched entrance from the lobby. Satan bit his lip, but it didn’t help. He couldn’t choke back his guffaw. Unable to stem the tidal wave, he burst into laughter.
Angel grinned right back at him.
His Angel had chosen a gown the same style as her bridesmaids. But the gown was the same color as the dressing robe she’d given him. Obsidian black inlaid with scarlet. His Angel wore Satan’s colors.
About the Author
Award winning author, Jianne Carlo’s motto is simple: Alpha Me, Please.
Jianne loves hot and spicy food, stomach-plunging park rides, and is kept on her toes by her Viking husband of thirty-five years, and three, handsome adult sons. Jianne’s a Zumba addict who loves to cook. Her favorite possession is her “Robo-stove.” She loves to hear from readers.
http://www.jiannecarlo.com
Hartwood Publishing delights in introducing authors and stories that open eyes, encourage thought, and resonate in the hearts of our readers.
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Table of Contents
Satan by Jianne Carlo
Dedication
Acknowledgements
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Epilogue
About the Author
Hartwood Publishing delights in introducing authors and stories that open eyes, encourage thought, and resonate in the hearts of our readers.
If you enjoyed this book, please spread the word.