“Time works differently for us,” he says, stepping up to the ticket booth and paying with money he got from who knows where. “I’m not sure how it works, it just does.”
“Is that the same as how you know where to go next, and who the people you reap are? You seem to know them personally.”
We head for the Ferris wheel and step into the small line. “It’s just something that’s always been. I know my job. I know how to do it. I know when and where the next soul I need to reap is, and I have a vague idea of who they are and the fate awaiting them.” He shrugs. “I don’t question it. I simply do my job. I do know it’s okay to take a break here and there, though.” His smile turns to that flirty grin I got in the bar the night before, and he adds, “Especially if it means taking a ride on a Ferris wheel with a beautiful woman.”
I laugh and shake my head at him, but I’m not unaffected by his flirting. The charming, compassionate man is quickly winning a place in my heart.
We reach the front of the line, and the worker opens the door to the gondola. Gabriel allows me to enter first, then slides in right beside me. He puts his arm around my shoulder and tucks me into his side. I surprise us both when I easily snuggle into him. He smiles at me and then takes in the view as we begin to lift into the air. “I think I like having you come to work with me,” he says, taking my hand with his free one and weaving our fingers together. “It’s much nicer to experience the world when you’re not alone.”
“I’m sure you don’t always spend it alone.” I give him a playful nudge. “You were in the bar last night, hitting on me like you’ve picked up a thousand women before.”
I expect him to laugh—he doesn’t strike me as a shy man—but he stiffens next to me. “Gabriel?” I look into his pale face, trying to figure out the strange expression on it. I can’t place it, but I start to get a funny feeling. “That is why you were in the bar last night, isn’t it?”
He hesitates a moment and then shakes his head. “I was there for you.”
My heart speeds up. I think I know, but I still ask, “What do you mean?”
His face turns pained, and he whispers, “Your time was up.”
“What?” I gasp. “How? Why? I’m young. Healthy.”
“You were drunk. You were going to stumble out of the bar and trip into the street into oncoming traffic.”
My stomach rolls. I look out at the view of the coast and breathe deep breaths, trying to keep my panic from taking over. I was going to die. I was going to die a horrible, tragic, senseless death. And over the likes of my ex and his stupid Post-it note. My eyes flash back to Gabriel when a thought occurs to me. “You stopped me. Were you supposed to do that? Why would you do that?”
Gabriel eyes me a moment, as if assessing my mental state, then slowly shakes his head. “I wouldn’t have intervened. Normally, I wouldn’t have even shown myself to you, but I was a bit ahead of schedule, and when I arrived, you were there—so beautiful and so heartbroken.” He gulps. His voice drops low and becomes husky. “I couldn’t let you spend the last minutes of your life completely alone.”
My eyes start to burn as his confession sinks in. He claimed my heart was big, but I’d never met a man as genuinely caring as him.
“I wanted nothing more than to save you,” Gabriel says. “I’ve never been so affected by a person like I was with you. When you offered me your soul…” He looks away from me and takes a deep breath before forcing himself to meet my gaze. “I knew you didn’t mean it. I knew you had no idea I had the power to make the exchange, but I…I couldn’t help myself. I wanted you. More than anything.”
He rakes a hand through his hair and casts his gaze out to the ocean. “It was completely selfish,” he mutters. “You’re a good person. You would have gone to the paradise kingdom and lived out your afterlife with the other worthy souls. Instead, you’re stuck with the three of us…forever.”
Any reservations I had about Gabriel and what he did vanish. I can’t blame him one bit for the actions he took, and I realize I’m happy with the outcome. Gabriel is a good man, and if the other Lords of the Netherworld are anything like him, then my soul is in great hands for the rest of eternity.
“Hey,” I whisper, giving his hand a shake when he won’t look at me. “No pity parties. You didn’t take my life because it was over anyway. And you didn’t steal my afterlife, you simply gave me a different one.”
Gabriel’s head whips around, and he gapes at me in shock. Hope bleeds into his expression. I give him a soft smile and squeeze his hand again. “I’m not upset about what happened,” I promise him. “You’re a good man, Gabriel.”
Knowing it’s the perfect moment, I do something I’ve wanted to do since I met Gabriel in the bar the night before. I lean forward and press my lips to his. Gabriel gasps softly in surprise but wastes no time returning my kiss. His arms come around me, and he pulls me to him until we’re smashed against one another.
His tongue flicks out, and I open up for him. He sweeps into my mouth as if he can’t possibly get enough of me. The kiss is hungry and desperate, but when I lift my hand and bury my fingers in his soft, thick hair, he slows down and proceeds to give me the most tender kiss I’ve ever received in my life.
He tastes sweet, like his vanilla brown sugar fragrance, and his lips are so soft. I drown in his kiss and could stay with him like this forever. But eventually we pull apart and smile at one another. He looks at me with so much adoration that I blush. “Come on,” I say, needing to break the silence. “I know you’ve got work to do. Let’s go get it done so we can go back home.”
6
When we get back to the mansion later that evening, I’m as exhausted as Pierce warned me I would be, though, not in the way I think he meant. I’m emotionally spent. I traveled the entire world with Gabriel, reaping soul after soul. Most were like the first lady—old or sick, and it was simply their time. But a few were more tragic, like poor Marguerite. Then there were a few violent deaths that might very well give me nightmares. Not everyone we reaped today will be going to the paradise kingdom.
When we get inside, classical music wafts quietly through the entire house, and the most tantalizing smell of garlic and herbs tickles my nose, making my mouth water. “Wow. Something smells amazing.”
“Yes,” Gabriel agrees, oddly puzzled about something. “It does.”
Pierce materializes at the sound of our voices and smiles. “I’m glad you think so. Have you eaten?”
Gabriel and I shake our heads. “What’s going on?” Gabriel asks.
Why he’s so confused is beyond me. I mean, it’s dinnertime. Why wouldn’t the house smell of food?
Just as strangely, Pierce rakes a hand through his hair and can’t meet Gabriel’s gaze as he says, “I thought…maybe…since Kinsey is here…we could…have dinner together? The four of us?”
Gabriel perks up, blinking at Pierce as if the thought of eating together has never occurred to him before. “Oh.” He looks at me. “Would you like that?”
“I’d love that,” I admit honestly. I frown at them both. “Do you not normally eat together?”
Both men shake their heads.
“How come?”
Gabriel and Pierce give me blank looks. “I suppose,” Pierce says, his brow crinkling, “it just never occurs to us. We all have our own schedules and enjoy different activities in our spare time.”
“We often don’t even see one another for days at a time, unless our work brings us together,” Gabriel says.
I’m shocked. They live together and are the only people like each other and yet they don’t hang out? That’s so sad. “Well, maybe we can shake things up a little with me here, if you all don’t mind too much. I’m kind of social. I think I’d go crazy living such a solitary life.”
The men share another look, as if asking each other what the other thinks of the idea. Gabriel cracks a small smile. He really enjoyed having company today. I know, because he couldn’t stop telling me as much.
/> Pierce seems to contemplate the idea a minute, even though it was his idea to have dinner together tonight. Finally, he nods. “I believe I would like that.”
“Great.” I clap my hands together. “Then let’s find Cyrus and go eat. I’m starved, and dinner smells amazing.”
Pierce finally smiles. He holds out his arm to me like a gentleman. A worried look crosses Gabriel’s face when I leave his side to accept Pierce’s offered arm. I give him what I hope is a reassuring wink, but I understand his nerves. I’m starting to feel them myself. If my days with Pierce and Cyrus go as well as my day with Gabriel did, I’m not sure how I’d ever choose between them.
Pierce leads me into a formal dining room, while Gabriel trails behind us. I stumble to a stop when I see the beautiful setting before me. Fine china, candles, soft music, a beautiful centerpiece of fresh flowers, and what looks like a gourmet spread of Italian food. “Pierce,” I whisper, my hand going to the base of my throat, “it’s beautiful. You really did all of this just to welcome me?”
Pierce shrugs, as if my praise makes him uncomfortable. “It was really no trouble, and the flowers are from Cyrus. They’re for you. He picked them himself from the garden.”
Cyrus? That big, surly man picked flowers for me? I suck in a breath through my nose, trying to combat the sudden lump in my throat. They’re all being so sweet.
Thankfully, Cyrus clears his throat, breaking the silence and startling me from my emotional episode before I can do something like cry. He steps into the room stiffly, as if he feels awkward, but he’s showered, shaved, his hair is nicely combed, and he’s wearing dress pants and a nice button-down shirt. Something inside of me melts. He dressed up for dinner. He grunts in response to whatever look is on my face and grumbles, “Let’s eat.”
We all kick into motion. Gabriel guides me to a chair and pulls it out for me. After helping me sit, he stops Pierce from taking a seat on the other side of the table. “Why don’t you sit beside Kinsey since this dinner was your idea?”
Pierce looks to me for approval, so I give him a nod and a bright smile. I’m surprised that Gabriel gave up the seat beside me so willingly. The men have asked me to choose between them. I would think there’d be more of a feeling of competition or jealousy. But they all seem so polite.
Once we’re all seated, the men begin passing around the dishes. Pierce asks me what I’d like and serves me, scooping medium-size portions of everything onto my plate. All three men wait for me to start eating before digging in themselves. Blushing, I take a ladylike bite of my lasagna. Flavor explodes in my mouth, and I let out a small groan. “Oh, wow. This is amazing.”
All three of them puff up their chests with pride at my approval. I shake my head and take another bite. When my mouth is clear, I cut a glance at Pierce. “Seriously, Pierce. The food is incredible. You are an excellent cook.”
He chuckles. “I really can’t take credit. All I did was decide the menu for the evening.”
“Oh. Well, you have great taste. Italian is my favorite.”
Pierce gives me a crooked grin. “I know. That’s why I chose it.”
I pause with my fork halfway to my mouth and turn to look at Pierce. “How did you know?”
He swallows his food and waves a hand at the dinner spread on the table. “Our world works differently than the living world. For us, our needs and desires are simply met. I wanted to surprise you with your favorite dinner, so here it is.”
My jaw drops, but Pierce shrugs as if things appearing out of nowhere is totally normal.
“It’s like the clothing in your bedroom closet,” Gabriel adds. “They were your size and to your taste, were they not?”
I had wondered about that. And about the makeup that was perfect for my skin tone. I have no idea what to say to this. “Huh.”
The men chuckle.
“Anything you need,” Gabriel says, “or if there is something specific that you’d like, you simply need to will it into existence.”
“Crazy.” I shake my head. “And does this work for all of the souls here, too?”
They all shake their heads. “It’s just us who have the power,” Cyrus says. “Just the lords.”
“And now our lady,” Pierce says, grinning proudly at me. “It’s our job to care for the souls. To provide for them what they need, or sometimes, what they deserve. So we have the power to do our jobs. You’ll understand better once you’ve spent the day with Cyrus and myself. We both work within this realm, so you’ll get a better understanding of how things work around here.”
“I can’t wait.”
I’m surprised at how true that is. I’m so curious about everything, and I’m looking forward to getting to know Pierce and Cyrus better.
We fall into a comfortable silence as we eat our dinner. Thinking about my day, and about this new world, and the men I’m to spend eternity with, I’m shocked at how easily I’ve accepted everything. I’ve hardly even thought of the life I left behind. There’s a strange peace in me. I don’t know if it’s my connection to the lords because they own my soul, or if maybe it’s just this place, but I feel as if I belong here. As if I was meant to be here with these men all along.
“How was your day with Gabriel?” Cyrus asks suddenly.
I chew the food in my mouth slowly to give myself time to think of how to answer that question. “It was…hard,” I admit. “And emotionally exhausting. But it was very profound at the same time.”
Gabriel gives me a soft, understanding smile. I swallow back a lump in my throat. “It was beautiful in a way that I never would have thought possible. I have a newfound respect for both life and death. And I respect Gabriel very much. I don’t think I could do his job.”
“I was designed for it,” Gabriel murmurs.
“Do you think you’ll choose Gabriel, then?”
My eyes snap to Cyrus. He meets my gaze steadily, but there’s a hint of vulnerability in his expression that he can’t quite hide. I wish I could reach him. I’d give his hand a squeeze. “I couldn’t possibly answer that question when I haven’t had the chance to spend any time with you or Pierce yet.”
Cyrus’s shoulders relax. “Then, you’ll really give us a chance? Even though it was Gabriel you originally gave your soul to?”
“Of course.” I give him my sincerest smile. “I’m very much looking forward to my days with both you and Pierce. I don’t know what’s going to happen after that, but I promise you it won’t be a decision I make lightly. You will all be considered.”
Cyrus holds my stare as if trying to gage how much I mean my words. After a moment, he gives me a curt nod and mutters, “Good.”
7
After dinner—which we apparently don’t need to clean up—the men lead me to a large parlor. Or family room. It’s hard to call it one or the other. The entire mansion is a strange mix of modern and old. In some ways it feels castle-like, and in others it’s completely modern.
The walls are wood paneled, decorated with beautiful tapestries and art. The focal point is a huge fireplace with two sofas set facing each other in front of it. A roaring fire burns, giving the room a soft glow. On the other hand, there’s also a large flat-screen TV, a wet bar, and a pool table in the room. It’s like it’s some eighteenth century gentleman’s room mixed with a modern man’s man cave.
I head for one of the sofas in front of the fireplace and sigh as I sink into the cushions. “You seem tense,” Cyrus murmurs in that low, rumbly voice of his.
I smile at him. “Just tired. It’s been a long day.”
Gabriel turns on some soft music while Pierce brings me a glass of red wine and hands it over with a smile. “Well, we’ll just have to get you nice and relaxed so you’ll sleep well tonight.”
I accept the drink gladly and take a sip. It’s as heavenly as the dinner was.
I nearly spill it on myself out of surprise when Cyrus sits on the coffee table in front of me, pulls my feet onto his lap, and slips off my shoes. “Relax,” he demand
s as he begins to massage my feet.
I’m shocked, and I want to tell him he doesn’t have to do that. But when his strong hands dig into my sore muscles, my entire body goes limp. My head falls back on the couch, and my eyes flutter shut. I let out a groan.
A soft chuckle sounds behind me. “Does that feel good?” Gabriel asks.
I nod without opening my eyes. “So good. Thank you, Cyrus. You don’t have to do that, but it feels amazing.”
“It’s important to take care of your body,” he mutters, picking up my other foot. “You’ve had a hard day. You need to relax, or you’ll be wound too tightly tomorrow.”
I lift my head to sip my wine, and when I lie back again, my hair is pulled away from my back and draped over the sofa. Then, Gabriel’s long, slim fingers dig into it and begin massaging my scalp. I moan again and can’t even feel embarrassed by the noises I’m making. I’m too content. “You guys are going to spoil me rotten.”
“Was that not the deal?” Pierce says, sitting down beside me on the couch. I crack my eyes open just in time to see him grin at me. “To cherish you for eternity?”
I can barely think straight, I feel so relaxed. I take another sip of my wine and say, “But to make me dinner and give me flowers and massages? You guys don’t have to do all that.”
“We want to,” Gabriel says. “We have existed a long time and have never had the opportunity to take care of someone before.”
“Don’t you take care of all the souls of the dead?”
They all chuckle. “That’s different,” Pierce says. “We are in charge of them, but we don’t really connect with them. Not in the same way, anyway. We’re completely different beings. You’ll see what I mean tomorrow.”
That makes me curious. I crack my eyes open again. “So who am I going with tomorrow?”
“Me,” Pierce says. “There’s an order to things here. First Gabriel collects the souls and brings them to me, then after I’ve judged them and chosen their paths, Cyrus places them where they’re supposed to be.”
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