by Mary Abshire
“Did you go to church much when you were growing up, Matt?” Emily asked.
“Not really. I started going after my sister died. I went by myself and my mom would always nag me about it. She’d say it was pointless. I actually enjoyed going. I couldn’t attend services as much when I was on active duty, but if there was a service, I wouldn’t miss it.”
They passed the two attendants who were now blocking the entrance and directing traffic further down the street.
“We got lucky.” Emily squeezed his hand.
“We were meant to be here,” Andrew said, and she smiled.
They blended in with the others crossing the street. Women of all ages were dressed nicely and men wore dark pants with jackets or suits. Shoes clacked on the brick sidewalk. The front of the large church was an incredible sight to see with its Gothic architecture and stained glass above the door. They climbed steps leading to the entrance. Emily’s hand slipped away from his as she moved in front of him.
“Emily picked this church, not me,” Andrew said over his shoulder to Matt. “You can blame her for getting us in the crowd.”
“The architecture is stunning. I can’t wait to see inside,” Matt said.
Andrew didn’t get a chance to nod. The line had moved forward and he had to hurry to catch up to his wife. He hadn’t been quick enough. An older couple slipped behind her. Then a family with two grown kids stepped in front of Andrew. He grumbled to himself.
“She’ll be okay,” Matt said. “It’s a church.”
“Didn’t I tell you about the last demon in Rockport?”
“You did. That’s right, the priest…”
“Exactly.”
“We better keep our eyes on her.”
Andrew finally made it inside the church. Tall arches gave way to the high ceiling. Stained-glass windows throughout depicted saints and religious scenes. A huge pipe organ rose from the far back. The interior screamed of history.
Matt put his hand on Andrew’s arm and pointed. Several feet away, Emily stood with a family, talking to a small toddler dressed in a red frilly lace dress. The cute little girl held her mother’s hand while she stared at Emily with a wide grin.
“Doesn’t she look so motherly?” Matt asked.
“She always has looked that way around kids. She’s so good with them. If I could stay on Earth, I’d want to have at least five.”
Emily shook the little girl’s free hand. The mother tugged the other one gently. The toddler waved as she walked away.
“You go ahead and find a seat. I’m going to hang back here for a little bit,” Matt said.
Andrew gave him a nod before he headed for Emily. She saw him coming and smiled.
“Did you see how cute that little girl was?” she asked as he reached her.
“Does this mean you’re going to dress our daughter in frilly lace dresses?”
“She looked so adorable.”
He kissed her cheek. “You’re adorable. Can I dress you up later?”
She curled her arm around his. “You sure can.”
His cock twitched. It didn’t matter where they were, who was around, or what was going on, if she teased him he always responded. No other woman had ever made him feel so horny, so madly in love. Emily was the one and only for him, forever.
“Let’s find a seat,” he said.
“Where’s Matt?”
“He said he’d catch up. We can save him a spot.”
He tugged her to the far side of the pews instead of going down the center where most people were heading. Attendance for mass ranked high. Row after row had few spaces left. Andrew found a pew not quite halfway up from the back and with enough room for three people. He paused to allow Emily to take a seat first.
She tugged her jacket away from her shoulders. “This place is huge. I can barely see the front.” After she removed her coat, she set it across her lap.
Andrew took off his jacket too. “You don’t need to see much. There are speakers, so we can follow along.”
Emily removed the hymnal from the shelf in front of them. He set his coat to his other side to save a spot for Matt. His red tie dangled in front of his chest. He’d picked the color to match her dress. Arm behind her and resting on the pew, he glanced around. So many people had colored auras. They out-numbered the white ones.
The service began with the sound of the organ. Even at a distance, the music was overpowering and called all to give it attention. A group of kids strolled out from the back and stood in rows near one corner. When they started signing, everyone watched and listened intently. People streaming into the church hurried to find a seat.
Andrew looked over his shoulder and scanned near the entrance for Matt. He found him standing on the far other side of the room. His arms were crossed and his expression seemed tense. He’d seen that look on Matt before when they’d been security guards for the country music singer Andrew killed. It was as if Matt were watching, waiting, and studying. He tried to follow Matt’s line of sight, which was directed at a section of people sitting in pews on the opposite side of Andrew. Everyone had their gazes forward as the children’s choir sung. But one person with short, dark hair and wearing a leather jacket had his attention elsewhere.
Alarm shot through Andrew when he saw Steven sitting at the end of a row. Heart gearing up for a marathon, Andrew jerked his head forward. How did Steven find them? Did he follow them from the concert? Had he been following them longer?
Emily put her hand on his thigh. She gave him a slight smile. Andrew swallowed hard and forced his lips to move, if only a little. He had to protect her. He couldn’t let Steven near her. They were in a church on Christmas Eve. Surely, the enforcer wouldn’t try to hurt her.
Andrew remained unfocused while the service continued. He stood with everyone and spoke when needed, but his thoughts swam with concern for Emily. How could he get her out and to a safe place?
During the sermon, Andrew slowly turned his head to the back. Matt held his jacket in his crossed arms. He continued to watch Steven. Andrew mentally patted himself on the back for showing Matt photos of the enforcer. Emily had taken a few shots with her phone when they were in Rockport. She’d sent them to him in case he might need them. Now more than ever, he couldn’t be more grateful for his wife’s smart thinking. And he was even more thankful Matt was with them. An extra man guarding his wife might be enough to get her to safety.
Emily took hold of his hand and threaded her fingers with his. He deeply appreciated everything she’d done to make Christmas Eve special. He didn’t want to ruin it. She deserved to be happy, safe, loved. Somehow he had to get her out and away from him. But they couldn’t leave during the service. Steven would follow without any doubt. Andrew couldn’t risk him having a gun and shooting at them on the way to the Jeep. Andrew needed a way to keep Steven’s attention on him so Emily could leave. He needed to lure Steven somewhere and then make sure the enforcer would never go after Emily. But there was only one way to guarantee the last part.
Andrew bobbed his leg while he conjured a plan. He’d have to talk Emily into leaving with Matt. It wouldn’t be easy. She’d argue to stay with him. Matt could take her back to the suite to get their belongings. They could find another place to stay for the night. While they are busy, Andrew could take a taxi to a local hotel. If Andrew wagered all his money, he bet Steven would follow him. He’d find out soon enough if he were right. And if so, Andrew would have to confront Steven.
The thought of having to spend the Christmas Eve away from his wife soured Andrew’s stomach, but it was the only way to keep her safe. Andrew would talk to Steven, but Andrew had a gut feeling words wouldn’t do much good. He’d have to use force and enough of it to give him plenty of time to get away and back to his wife.
He swallowed hard as he considered he might have to kill Steven. He’d never taken the life of a regular man. Even though the enforcer came from heaven and would likely return, Andrew didn’t want to kill him. It seemed wrong,
but he had a wife and baby to protect. Their lives mattered more than his.
The Father asked everyone to bow their heads and pray. Andrew closed his eyes and asked for courage and strength. He begged for forgiveness for what he had to do. Then, he requested forgiveness for Emily and pleaded for her to be allowed entrance to heaven one day. She’d saved many lives and had changed Andrew. She’d helped him become a better man. She had a good heart and soul. In his opinion, she’d redeemed herself and had earned a spot in the kingdom above. Before he finished, he appealed for her safety on this night.
The Father ended the prayer. Andrew opened his eyes and gazed at his wife. He loved her so much. If he managed to get rid of Steven and see her beautiful face on Christmas, then he’d know his prayer had been heard.
Chapter Ten
Having taken the Eucharist, Emily returned to her seat with Andrew. She sensed something troubled him. Earlier, his palm had felt sweaty and he’d bobbed his knee. She’d given him a smile and his response had been different from the norm. Sure, his lips had a small quirk on one side, but his expression hadn’t looked genuine. She’d noticed his brows had been slightly drawn together, too, at one point, as if he had been in deep thought. Before the service had started, he had been content. Something had changed him, but she couldn’t figure out what. She didn’t think it had anything to do with Matt standing in the back, but what else could have been bothering Andrew?
He began moving his leg again. People were going back to their spots while a few waited in lines for the Eucharist. The choir sang while the organ played softly.
Emily leaned close to his ear. “You okay?”
Without looking at her, he nodded. But his leg kept moving. She knew Andrew well enough to know when something bothered him.
She took hold of his hand. His palm still felt too hot and moist. “Is it Matt?”
He stared forward and shook his head.
Two answers had been given. One, Matt wasn’t the cause of his stress, which indicated there was in fact an issue. Two, he had a problem with something since he couldn’t look her in the eyes. Now, she needed to figure out his concern.
The rest of the congregation returned to their seats. The Father spoke again. They sang another song, well, everyone around her did, and then they prayed. As the priest gave his final blessing, people began to gather their belongings. When the service was over, most hurried to leave.
Andrew tugged her arm as he returned to sitting on the pew.
“Okay, something’s wrong. Don’t tell me there isn’t because I know it’s a lie,” she said, taking a seat beside him.
He held his jacket and dug in the pocket. “I want you to go with Matt back to the hotel.” He handed her the car key.
“What? Are you crazy? I’m not going anywhere without you.” He had to have lost his mind. It was Christmas Eve. How could ask her to go back without him?
He took her face into his hands and pressed his mouth to hers. “You have to go with Matt, get our belongings, and leave. I’ll call you later.”
Panic surged within her and chilled her to the bone. “Andrew, I’m not leaving you. Tell me what’s wrong.”
“Steven is here. You have to leave.”
Her heartbeat accelerated. “No.” The one word slipped from her.
“Matt’s been watching him. I think Steven will follow me, not you. So you have to go. I don’t know if it’s safe for you to stay at the hotel, so find another place.”
People packed the aisles and waited to exit the church. Many were stuck in pews, waiting for the kindness of another to let them in line. While everyone seemed bright and happy, eager to get out and go home to their families, Emily felt as if she were about to have a heart attack.
Her eyes filled with tears. “I don’t want to leave you.”
He gripped her arms and stared into her eyes. “You have to and you know it. You have to protect the baby. Matt will protect you. It’s me Steven wants. I’m almost sure of it.”
She swallowed the lump crawling up her throat. A tear escaped and she quickly smoothed it over her cheek. As much as she hated to admit it, Andrew was right. The enforcer wanted Andrew to do the job he was sentenced to do. And if Emily weren’t around, Steven couldn’t hurt her. But if she stayed to help Andrew, Steven could easily pull out a gun on her. She doubted he would hesitate to use it given the trouble they had during his last visit. Emily couldn’t risk the baby’s life.
Of all the fucking times to show up, why did Steven have to choose Christmas Eve?
Emily fought the wave of grief and fear wanting to consume her. “What are you going to do? Where will you go?”
“I’m going to take a taxi to a nearby hotel. I’ll talk to Steven and see if we can work out a deal.”
“You know how he is. He’s here to make you go after the demon. You’ll be wasting your breath talking to that man. He only responds to violence.”
Andrew shifted his gaze away from her for a few seconds. “I’m not leaving you and I’m not going to let him hurt you. I’ll take care of him.”
The last few words scared her. The only way to handle the enforcer was to kill him. Andrew had killed men with demons, but never a regular man. One could argue Steven wasn’t normal since he was from heaven. Still, Andrew hadn’t taken any life other than those who housed evil in their bodies. And if Andrew failed to kill Steven, then the enforcer would return Andrew to heaven. Andrew wouldn’t get to see his baby born and she might never get to see him again. Since she had no guarantee she would end up in heaven after she died, it was possible they would be separated forever. The thought terrified her.
She swallowed hard again. “If you don’t … take care of him…”
“I have to. It’s the only way to ensure your safety. Don’t worry, I’m not ready to leave yet.”
“If you do, you know he’ll come back and he’ll be more pissed.” Talk about a catch twenty-two. He would put himself in trouble either way.
“He’ll have to find us. We’ll be long gone by the time he returns,” he said.
She looked away from him and at the crowd trying to exit. The lines had shrunk and now reached the last few rows of pews behind them. Emily wanted to stay with Andrew, but she knew in her heart she had to go and protect the baby. She couldn’t figure out how Steven had found them, but he’d picked the worst possible time. Maybe that was part of his plan. The enforcer didn’t seem to care about anything other than himself and doing the job heaven sent him to do. She hated the bastard more than ever.
Her head began to throb. She locked her arms around Andrew and wanted to hold on for dear life.
“You need to go. Matt will take care of you. He’s in the back,” Andrew said as he gently pulled her arms down.
“How will I find you? How will I know—”
“I’ll call you.”
“What if he follows me?”
“I don’t think he will. But if by some chance he does, you and Matt will notice soon enough. Call and come back for me. We’ll figure it out.”
Her heart, mind, and soul ached. She struggled not to cry.
“We’ll get through this.” He brushed her bangs to one side.
Emily couldn’t help embracing him again. For all she knew, it could be their last hug. She dug her fingers into his locks while she breathed in his clean scent. Having memorized it, she kissed cheek and made her way to his lips. She didn’t want to let go.
He took hold of her forearms and tugged them. “Trust me, I don’t like this either.” His voice cracked and then he cleared it. “You have to be strong and go. I’ll call you as soon as I can.”
Emily shook her head as she gathered her jacket from beside her. She felt something hard hit her knee and remembered her wristlet and switchblade were in her pocket. She dug inside for the blade. Finding it, she pulled it out.
“Here.” She put the six-inch weapon in the palm of his hand. “You might need this.”
Andrew grabbed his jacket and hurried to conceal
the switchblade.
Emily rose and began slipping on her coat. Andrew did the same. Most of the churchgoers had left, leaving less than fifty standing near the exit. Matt ambled along the outside of the pews on the far side. He had his jacket on and his attention on the exit. She couldn’t find Steven anywhere inside.
Andrew grabbed her hands and squeezed them. He merged his lips with hers. The kiss was tender and reassuring, but it failed to ease her misery even the slightest.
“I love you with all my heart. I’m not leaving you. I promise,” he said.
Sorrow flooded her in a wild rush. She couldn’t stop the tears. She lowered her head and shook it while she tried to hide her heartache. “I love you.” She barely got the words out.
He kissed her forehead. “Go.”
Keeping her head lowered and quivering lips together, she strode away from him. Through her watery eyes, she saw Matt walking toward her at the back of the pews. Her heart and head pounded. She wanted to scream and to tear Steven into pieces. She loathed the man for ruining Christmas and taking Andrew away from her. Anger felt better than agony, but the latter held the reins.
Wiping her face, she headed down the center aisle toward Matt. When she reached him, she handed him the car key. “He’s staying behind. Take me to the hotel.”
“Is that the plan?” Matt asked, walking next to her.
“I’ll tell you more in the car.”
Chapter Eleven
Andrew watched with a heavy heart as his wife walked away from him, crying. Telling her to leave had been beyond difficult for him. He hated doing it. On her way to the end of the pew, he struggled not to rush up to her and hold her in his arms. He wanted to take all her fears and worries so she could be happy again. But to do that, he had to lure Steven away from her and confront the man.
Matt caught up with her. She gave him the key to the Jeep. Good for her. She wasn’t in the right state of mind to drive. Together they walked out of the church.
Andrew’s anger took root and blossomed like a wildflower in the spring as he strode toward the exit. He searched the remaining men in the back of the church. He couldn’t find Steven, which led him to believe the enforcer was waiting outside. If Steven tried to follow his wife, Andrew would change his plans and go after Steven. But Andrew had a feeling he wouldn’t need to.