Grave Intentions

by Sjoberg, Lori

  A plan of action had hatched in his mind by the time he pulled into a parking spot across from his apartment building. There were a few minor details he still needed to iron out, as well as a backup strategy in case his first idea didn’t work. But by tomorrow morning, he’d have every angle covered. It was his only chance at keeping Sarah alive.

  Even though he felt stressed and exhausted, David’s mood brightened when he saw a light shining inside Sarah’s apartment. His mood got even better when she came to the window, smiling at him like he was the greatest thing since sliced bread.

  “Looks like your girlfriend’s waiting up for you.” Adam waggled his eyebrows. “Damn, she looks pretty hot in that—ouch!” He rubbed the back of his head where David just cuffed him.

  “Don’t be disrespectful.” His eyes cut back to the window in time to see Sarah laughing at them, her smile so full of life it made his heart swell. No way was he letting go of that. She moved away from the window and closed the blinds, but the lights stayed on.

  “Last minute change of plans, Newbie,” David said once they were inside his apartment. He scribbled the essential information on a piece of paper and handed it to Adam. “You’re working a job with Dmitri tomorrow afternoon. He’ll meet you there.”

  “Why?” Confused, Adam glanced down at the paper. “What’s going on?”

  “Nothing you need to worry about,” David replied, giving Adam his best don’t-fuck-with-me attitude. The fewer questions the kid asked, the better. “There’s something I’ve got to take care of tomorrow, so you’re pairing up with Dmitri again. Just make sure you’re on time, because he’ll ride my ass if you’re late.”

  Adam opened his mouth to ask another question, saw the look of warning on David’s face, and closed his mouth. Instead he looked down again, studying the address. “This looks really familiar,” he murmured a few seconds before it dawned on him. “Oh man, this is the place Sarah works, isn’t it?”

  David didn’t answer. He’d hoped the kid wouldn’t catch on until he pulled up to the gates of Cava Tech. By then he’d have Sarah safely tucked away.

  “I’ll take that as a yes.” Adam put two and two together and cursed under his breath. “Man, talk about a classic case of do as I say, not as I do. Goddamn hypocrite.”

  David turned to meet the disapproving scowl of his apprentice. The kid was right, which was the only reason he hadn’t punched the little asshole. Since meeting Sarah, he’d broken damn near every rule in the Reaper Handbook. The scary part was he didn’t give a rat’s ass. He was acting on instinct, doing everything in his power to preserve the solitary light of his life. “What do you expect me to do?”

  “Your job.” Adam blew out an exasperated breath, his expression wavering between anger and apprehension. “For Christ’s sake, David, how many times have you drilled me about the damn rules? Do you have any idea what’ll happen to you if you go through with this?”

  Not exactly, but he assumed it wouldn’t include an afternoon at Chuck E. Cheese. The possibilities flashed through his mind and he ruthlessly shoved them aside. “Doesn’t matter. I’ve made up my mind. Better to beg forgiveness than ask permission.”

  “Yeah, that’s what I used to think,” Adam said, his voice ripe with sarcasm. His expression hardened, his mouth fixed in a grim line. “Didn’t work out well for me, either.”

  “Look, I don’t expect you to understand, and I don’t need your approval.” David’s heart pounded in his chest. “But I have to do this.”

  “Jesus.” Adam crossed to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. Buford came racing out of the bedroom at the sound of a potential snack, only to give a huff of disappointment when he realized there were no treats on the menu.

  Adam pulled out two bottles of Samuel Adams. He opened one before handing the second across the bar to David. “I’m listening, if you want to give it a shot.”

  Where to begin? David thought about it while he unscrewed the cap and took a long drink from the bottle. His time as a reaper played out in his memories like a fucked-up version of This Is Your Life. How could he articulate the long-term effects of watching death play out day after day, week after week, year after year, without scaring the living shit out of the apprentice who’d only begun the same journey? Sure, there were the occasional breaks from the stress and strain, but overall it was a long, hard slog, one only endured in hopes of achieving salvation.

  Then he thought about Sarah, about how she filled the emptiness inside him, how she helped him forget about the job and made him feel alive for the first time in decades.

  “I’ve been so damn dead inside,” David began. He crossed to the window, braced his palms against the sill, and closed his eyes. A wave of exhaustion rolled over him, a reminder of how long he’d been operating on nothing but black coffee and undiluted rage. “I’ve been doing this shit for over sixty years now, Adam. In that time I’ve seen just about every godforsaken thing that can happen to a human being. It eats at your soul after a while.” He took a deep, unsteady breath and then shuddered when he let it out. “I didn’t think I had anything left in me until I found her.”

  David straightened, clenched and unclenched his hands. He thought of Sarah again and the tightness eased a little, reaffirming everything he planned to do.

  “I know I’m being selfish, but I refuse to let her go. She’s the only thing keeping my soul alive at this point.”

  “You love her,” Adam said, a statement rather than a question.

  “Yes,” David said without hesitation. “I do.”

  Adam nodded, his expression sympathetic. “I guess there’s no talking you out of this, then?”

  David shook his head. “Not a chance.”

  “Then you better give me the keys.” Adam downed the rest of his beer in one long swallow and then let out a loud belch. “Sappy son of a bitch.”

  “So you’ll do the job for me?” David asked, relief washing over him. He tossed his keys to Adam.

  “No, I’m gonna run straight to Samuel and rat your ass out like a little bitch.” Adam caught the keys one-handed and stuffed them in the front pocket of his jeans. “Of course I’ll do the job.”

  “Thanks. You have no idea how much I appreciate it.”

  Adam grinned. “Sure I do. I also know you owe me big time.” The grin slipped a few notches. “You do realize he’s going to find out.”

  “Yeah, I know.” He’d be a liar if he didn’t admit the knowledge scared him. Samuel’s fuse was short enough on a good day; he could only imagine how he’d react to this blatant act of insubordination. Better not to think about it for the time being. “I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.”

  Early morning sun filtered through the blinds, casting soft shadows across Sarah’s bedroom. She gradually emerged from a cocoon of peaceful slumber, taking in the sounds of Thursday morning. Mrs. Johnson’s dog barking. The chatter of children as they walked to the bus stop. The garbage truck banging the dumpster against the pavement, while a car alarm blared in the distance.

  Ah, the joys of city living.

  She didn’t care about the noise, though, because David was spooned against her, a possessive arm wrapped around her waist, keeping her snug against his body. She inhaled deeply, taking in the alluring scent of David and sex.

  She couldn’t think of a better way to start the day.

  Slowly, her gaze focused on the alarm clock on the nightstand. 7:08. Her eyes widened with surprise.

  “Oh shit,” she cursed under her breath. Somehow she’d forgotten to set the alarm the night before. Now she was running late for work.

  Careful not to wake David, she tried to slip out of his grip. She’d managed to slide one leg over the edge of the mattress when his hold tightened, pulling her back against heated skin and morning wood.

  “Sorry, I didn’t want to wake you.” Sarah swiveled her hips and smiled when he growled. God, how she loved knowing she had that kind of effect on him. She glanced at the clock again and did a quick m
ental calculation. If she skipped breakfast and let her hair air dry, she’d have just enough time for a quickie without being late for work.

  “It’s okay. The garbage truck woke me up a little while ago,” David said, his hand lightly stroking the swell of her hip. His touch was gentle but sure, a casual caress that made her purr like a kitten.

  “I’m running late. I’ve got to get ready for work,” she said, hoping he’d give her a good reason to be a few minutes tardy.

  Not one to disappoint, David brushed back her hair and nuzzled her neck, his teeth lightly grazing the sensitive skin below her ear. “Play hooky with me today, Sarah,” he murmured, his voice rough from sleep and filled with sensual promise. “I’ll make it worth your while.” His hand slid across her stomach, his fingers swirling around her belly button before taking a leisurely journey downward.

  “I can’t,” she said, pulling his hand away before it reached the Promised Land.

  Being a couple minutes late was one thing; taking the entire day off was a completely different matter. With a sigh of regret she flipped back the covers, the morning air cool against her bare skin. “I have a meeting this morning with Research and Development. If it goes well, they might give us the green light to start live trials.” Here at last, the fruits of her labor, the fulfillment of a dream.

  “Reschedule it.”

  “I wish I could, but it’s important.” At first, she thought he was kidding. But then she glanced back and noticed the trouble lining his brow. “David, what’s wrong?”

  “Nothing.” He averted his eyes, staring at the wall behind her.

  Oh yeah, something was definitely wrong. She’d seen him tense before, but nothing like this. Whatever happened the night before continued to haunt his thoughts. Her heart skipped a beat, aching for some way to ease his pain.

  Gently, Sarah tipped his chin so she could look into his eyes. “David, talk to me. What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. It was just …” His voice trailed off.

  “Rough job last night?” she asked, and he gave a curt nod, confirming her suspicions.

  “I don’t want to talk about it.” He blew out an unsteady breath, then threaded his fingers in hers and squeezed lightly. “I need you, Sarah. Stay with me today. Please?”

  It was the “please” that did her in, coupled with the quiet desperation in his eyes that turned her insides to mush and filled her with the desire to move mountains to ease his burden. She chewed her lower lip, torn between the meeting that could make her career and the man who made her indescribably happy.

  In truth, there was no contest. She’d already made up her mind. The boys at Research and Development would have to wait.

  “Let me call the office.” Sarah scooted to the edge of the bed so she could reach her phone.

  “Good morning, Laureen,” Sarah said when Angelo’s secretary answered the phone. She put on her best sick voice, the one she hadn’t used since her senior year of high school. “It’s Sarah Griffith.”

  “Sarah, you sound terrible,” Laureen said, sounding genuinely concerned.

  “I feel terrible. I tried out that new Korean restaurant on Mills last night and I think I got food poisoning. Is Angelo in? I need to let him know I won’t be able to make our meeting this morning.”

  “Oh, you poor thing. Mr. Cavalli isn’t in yet, but I’ll make sure to let him know you’re home sick.”

  “Thanks.”

  “Now you get plenty of rest and keep your fluids up. Do you have any Saltines in the house? Those work wonders on an upset stomach.”

  “I’ll check the pantry. Thank you, Laureen.”

  “And the Oscar goes to …” David said as soon as Sarah hung up.

  “Do you think I sounded sick enough? I didn’t lay it on too thick, did I?”

  He gave her a smile so genuine it made her breath catch. “You sounded so sick I almost went for the Ginger Ale and Saltines myself.”

  Sarah laughed and then let David lure her back under the covers, loving the way his body molded against hers, so strong and sure and blatantly aroused.

  “I’ve never called in sick before,” she said as she snuggled against him, her head pillowed against his chest. “I feel like such a deadbeat. You are going to make this worth my while, right?”

  David didn’t answer. Instead, he rolled her onto her back and kissed her with such passion it made her toes curl. He spent the rest of the morning worshipping her body, paying tribute to every dip and curve and swell, making her mindless with pleasure before taking his own.

  Oh yeah, this was definitely worth calling in sick.

  Cheating Fate was no simple matter. In fact, it was downright exhausting.

  Not that David minded the exhausting part. In fact, he rather enjoyed it. He spent the day making sure Sarah stayed locked inside her apartment, safe and secure from the dangers of the outside world. Specifically, he kept her naked and horizontal for as long as humanly possible. A man’s got to do what a man’s got to do, after all. No harm in making the task satisfying for all parties involved.

  Still, he spent the day on edge; waiting for Death to rear its ugly head at the most inopportune moment. To his knowledge, no soul had ever missed its scheduled departure. What would happen when Sarah failed to appear at her appointed place of mortality? Would Death find another way to claim her soul, or would somebody else take her place? The uncertainty of it all gnawed a hole in his stomach.

  His fears grew as the day progressed, the clock ticking closer to Sarah’s destiny. With the exception of bathroom breaks, he never let her out of his sight. He kept the blinds drawn, double-checked the bolt on the front door, and made sure the fire extinguisher was recently charged and within easy reach. Around noon, when she insisted on taking a shower, he took one with her—one can’t overlook the risks associated with slip and falls, you know.

  Through it all, the strength of her life force remained constant, a strong, healthy hum that showed no signs of faltering. It gave him hope.

  “I’m starving,” Sarah said as she rummaged through her dresser for something to wear. Her hair was still damp from the shower, a fluffy red towel wrapped around her torso. She grabbed a pale blue T-shirt from the top drawer and tossed it onto the bed. “You want to grab lunch at the Greek Garden? My treat.”

  “Not a good idea,” David countered, determined not to let her leave the building. The more contained the area, the better his chances of keeping her alive. “What if one of your coworkers spotted you there when you’re supposed to be home sick?”

  She glanced over her shoulder at him, obviously disappointed. “Oh. Good point. I hadn’t thought about that.”

  “Tell you what, how about I whip up something for us?”

  The disappointed look turned skeptical. “You cook?”

  Not really. “Of course.” Approaching from behind, he wrapped his arms around her waist and tugged her back against him. Her skin was soft and her hair was damp, and his thoughts quickly turned to getting rid of that towel. “Tell you what,” he said, his hand steadily moving toward the knot holding the towel in place. “I’ll make lunch, and you can provide the dessert.”

  “Sounds fair.” She leaned back against him and the smell of her shampoo filled his senses. Her lips tipped up in a sly, sensual smile. “What’s for lunch?”

  One quick pull and the towel dropped to the floor. David cupped her breasts, his thumbs brushing her nipples, and she squirmed against him, making him hungry for things other than food.

  “You.”

  They spent the afternoon twined together, two lovers basking in the wonders of each other’s touch. He made love to her like a man possessed, taking, giving, burning the moments into his memory in case his plan failed. All the while he kept one eye on the clock, eager for six thirty-three to come and go. As the time drew closer he grew more anxious, his nerves frazzled beyond all comprehension.

  His cell phone finally rang at six forty-eight.

  “It’s done,” Adam sa
id when David answered the phone.

  Sparing a quick glance in Sarah’s direction, he nearly wept with relief. “How many?”

  “Two.” Adam’s voice sounded hollow. “A man and a woman. They got blown to pieces when the building exploded.”

  The thought of Sarah suffering the same fate churned his stomach.

  There’d been three names on the roster. Maybe, if Lady Luck took his side for a change, Fate wouldn’t notice one less mark on the balance sheet.

  Yeah, right. Who was he kidding? Of course she’d notice. The more important question was how soon would she catch the discrepancy? And when she did, what would she do about it? The possibilities were endless and most likely unpleasant.

  “I know this wasn’t easy for you,” David said, feeling guilty about making the kid do his dirty work. “Thank you.”

  “No problem, boss man. But you’re buying the first round. And the second.”

  “You got it.”

  “Who was that?” Sarah asked when he disconnected.

  “The kid.” He reached out and took her hand, a light touch to reassure she was alive and well and sitting beside him on the couch. For the first time in days, the tightness in his muscles relaxed. “Just reporting in for the day.”

  “I didn’t realize he was working on his own now.”

  “Yeah, sooner or later the baby bird has to leave the nest. Pretty soon, he’ll be moving out on his own.” The thought of moving in with Sarah popped into his head and he immediately warmed to the prospect of waking up beside her every morning. Once everything calmed down he’d talk to the kid, see if he was interested in taking over the lease for his apartment.

  “What do you want to do for dinner?” she asked. When he met her gaze and grinned, she added, “That’s not food.”

  “That’s open for debate.”

  She gave him a lighthearted swat across the shoulder. “I’m serious.”

  “So am I.” He laughed when she blew him a raspberry. “All right, what are you in the mood for?”

  “How about Chinese? I know a great place that delivers.”