I nod. “Makes sense.”
The conversation lulls, and my eyes droop. It can’t be that late, but after the day I’ve had, I’m just plain exhausted. “I think I’d better take this,” Pierce says, gently pulling the glass of wine from my hand. “Perhaps you should head up to bed.”
I can feel sleep pulling me under as we speak, so I nod. “I think I’d better.”
“Do you remember the way?”
I shake my head. The house is huge, and I wandered a bit before finding my way downstairs.
“Then allow us to show you.”
Cyrus slips my shoes back on and sets my feet on the ground. Gabriel removes his hands from my hair. Pierce holds out his hand to me, but before I can take it, Cyrus says, “It’s still Gabriel’s day. He should show her to her room.”
“Of course.” Pierce backs off immediately, stepping aside for Gabriel.
Gabriel offers me a hand with a soft smile. “I would love to walk you to your room.”
We say our good nights, and then Gabriel slides his arms around me and pops us into a room, only it’s not my bedroom. The décor is modern, with light gray walls and a navy bedspread. Above the dresser, a large TV is mounted on the wall facing the king-size bed. I smirk at the game consoles sitting on top of the dresser. Who knew the grim reaper would like video games? It seems to fit Gabriel, though, as does the fact that the bed is unmade. The room is tidy, but not perfect. It’s lived in. I like that.
After checking out the room, I cock a brow at Gabriel. He gives me a sheepish grin. “I don’t want my day to be over yet. Will you stay with me tonight?”
I don’t have to think about it. It’ll be nice to not have to sleep alone after some of the things I saw today. “I’d like that.”
Gabriel beams. “Great.” He waves toward a door and heads for his dresser. “Bathroom is through there, and it should have everything you need. You can wear this to bed if you want. Or just think about what you’d like to wear. You’ll find it in the closet.”
I catch the large T-shirt Gabriel tosses me. I can tell he wants me to wear it even though he said I have a choice. I don’t mind. It’s cute that he wants me to wear his clothes. “This is perfect. Thanks.”
We brush our teeth, and he watches me curiously as I scrub the makeup from my face and moisturize. After that, he gives me privacy to use the restroom and change. When I come out of the bathroom, he’s sitting up in bed wearing blue pajama pants and no shirt. He’s lean but has enough muscle definition to make me stand there and admire him. He does the same. Heat fills his eyes as he drags them up my bare legs. “Would you like to watch a movie or something, or just go to bed?”
I grin at him. “I’m not tired anymore, but I’m not really in the mood for a movie, either.”
“I was hoping you’d say that.” He matches my grin with a wicked smile and throws the covers back. “Get your cute butt over here, Kinsey.”
His playful, flirty attitude is contagious, and I let a giggle escape as I hop into bed. He pounces on me immediately, tackling me to the mattress beneath him. When we come to a stop, he’s straddling my hips. My pulse jumps, and my body tingles with anticipation.
As if he can sense my eagerness, he grins down at me with a smile that’s somehow both playful and naughty. His eyes sparkle with delight. “I do believe, Miss Kinsey, that I promised to cherish you. I think I’ll start right here…”
His head dips down, and he brushes his lips against mine teasingly before pressing a soft kiss to the corner of my mouth and moving on to my neck. He trails light kisses up to the sensitive spot behind my ear. “You taste wonderful,” he murmurs.
I squirm beneath him. I want his mouth on mine. I want to feel his body against me. I want his hands exploring me. He feels me wriggle and chuckles. “Patience, love. This could be my only chance to be with you, and I plan to make it last. I plan to worship your body until the sun comes up.”
His promise sends a shiver through me. His face softens at my shudder, and he lets go of my hands to slowly lift the shirt I’m wearing over my head. “Beautiful,” he whispers as he takes in the sight of me.
Finally, his mouth meets mine in a searing kiss, and he lowers himself until he’s pressed against me. Then he keeps his promise and makes sweet love to me until neither of us can keep our eyes open.
Once we’re sufficiently worn out and I’m feeling more relaxed than I’ve ever been, Gabriel tucks me into his side and holds me close until the sun comes up.
8
Gabriel is gone when I wake. I find another rose and a note atop his pillow. You looked so peaceful I couldn’t bring myself to wake you. Thank you for the most wonderful night of my existence. Enjoy your day with Pierce, and I’ll see you at dinner. Eternally yours, Gabriel.
The note makes me smile, but worry fills my heart. What will happen to Gabriel if I end up choosing Pierce or Cyrus? I push aside those thoughts and force myself to focus on the day ahead of me. I gave Gabriel my full attention yesterday. I need to do the same for Pierce today. It’s only fair.
After my shower, I wander into Gabriel’s closet, not surprised to find an assortment of clothes meant for me. I want to choose an outfit that will please Pierce. Thinking of the designer suit I saw him in yesterday, I decide to go with a black pencil skirt and a pale pink button-up blouse. I find the perfect heels to go with the suit and twist my hair up. I look ready for a day in court, but I can’t help thinking Pierce will appreciate it. Only one way to find out.
With a deep breath, I leave Gabriel’s room and head downstairs. Once again, I find Pierce sitting at the kitchen table sipping a cup of coffee. Half of a bagel sits on a plate in front of him, smeared with a light layer of cream cheese. His attention is focused on a tablet, but he looks up the moment I enter the room.
He starts to smile until his eyes fall on me, then he sucks in a breath through his nose and swallows. His eyes rake over me from head to toe and fill with heat. Something inside me responds to his desire. “Kinsey,” he says, rising to his feet. He crosses the room to me, takes my hands in his, and leans forward to kiss my cheek. “You look stunning this morning.”
My cheeks heat at the compliment. “Thank you. I wasn’t sure what to wear.”
I nervously smooth out my skirt and reach up to touch my hair. There’s something about Pierce that makes me a little self-conscious. Maybe it’s because he’s so put together. He’s wearing another suit that looks like it was designed just for him. His hair is pulled back again with not a single strand out of place. His jaw is clean-shaven, and his tie is perfectly straight. If I had to describe him in one word, it would be immaculate. The man seems flawless.
He takes my hands again to stop me from fidgeting. “You look perfect. Would you like something to eat before we leave? Some coffee? Yogurt and granola? Some fresh fruit, maybe?”
“Sounds great,” I say, surprised that he’s just offered me my typical breakfast. “How did you know?”
He guides me to the table with his hand lightly on the small of my back and holds my chair out for me. “It’s my job to know people,” he says as he places the offered breakfast in front of me. “I have to, if I’m to send souls to the afterlife they’ve earned.”
He sits back down and picks up his bagel. I spear the most perfect strawberry and dip it in my yogurt as I think about his statement. “So you’re like a judge?”
He nods. “Precisely. It’s my job to assess each soul and award them the afterlife they deserve.”
“That must be hard.”
He shrugs. “It’s justice.”
I smile into my mug of coffee. He’s so different from Gabriel. He seems…not cold necessarily, but maybe a little aloof. There’s something clinical about him. I suppose a person would have to be that way if they were handing out eternal sentences. If he had the compassion Gabriel has, how could he possibly do his job without it tearing him apart? It’s admirable, but I can’t help wondering if I’ll be able to build a connection with him the way I
did with Gabriel.
“I understand a little of where you’re coming from,” I say. “I’m a lawyer—was a lawyer. I’ve spent plenty of time in a courtroom, watching justice get handed out.”
Pierce smiles as if he knows this already, but doesn’t seem to mind hearing it straight from the source. “You were a very good lawyer,” he says. “You fought for justice. Many lawyers stand before me who weren’t as noble.”
The assessment surprises me. I’m flattered, but again, I feel vulnerable. Pierce can see through me to my soul. If he knows everything about me, then he knows every mistake I’ve ever made as well. I look away from his confident stare and mutter, “I always tried my best.”
I take another bite of my breakfast and jump when a finger touches me beneath my chin. I hadn’t heard Pierce get up, but he lifts my face to meet his gaze. “Nobody’s perfect, Kinsey. Don’t worry about the life you led. You did always try your best, and that is all anyone need do.”
I nod, unable to speak around the lump in my throat. I feel unworthy in front of this man and am intimidated by him, but at the same time, I want to prove myself to him. I wonder if that’s how every soul who stands before him feels.
“Come,” he says suddenly, taking my hand and helping me to my feet. “I think you’ll feel better once you’ve seen the process.”
He doesn’t pull me close the way Gabriel did, but he gives my hand a squeeze and then pops us out of the mansion onto the lawn of a majestic white building with large columns, wide front steps, and a domed roof. It reminds me of a state capital building, or a really grand courthouse. I love it, and am a little envious that this is where he gets to go to work everyday. “Nice office.”
Pierce looks on the building with pride. “Beautiful, isn’t it?” He leads me up the front steps, hand in hand. “We have some of the best architecture here in the Netherworld. If you’re interested, I can give you a tour sometime.”
My chest loosens a little at the offer. “I’d really like that.”
He flashes me another one of his pleased smiles and holds the door open for me.
Once inside, I’m shocked to see the building full of people. For some reason, I expected it to be empty. This entire world has seemed so lonely up until this point. Pierce chuckles at my surprise. “Who are all these people?” I ask.
“Souls who have been assigned to work here, or simply volunteer for the enjoyment of it.”
I glance around at all the people going about their business. “These people are all dead?”
“Of course.”
I blink again. “They don’t look dead.”
He chuckles again but lowers his voice and says, “Look closer.”
I do as he says and immediately see what he’s saying. There’s something off about the souls around me. They’re missing something—that vitality that people have. Like this place, they seem to be missing what makes them alive in the living world. They’re prints of a painting versus the original. They seem like color copies of their former selves.
After studying them, I turn my gaze back to Pierce, and suddenly I can tell that he’s different. The lords said they are neither living nor dead—that they are other. I can now see what they meant. Pierce is so much more than the people around us, but he isn’t like the living people of Earth. He has this glowing essence to him that makes him stand out. He’s a brand new, shiny gold coin among a pile of dingy old pennies.
Pierce lets me examine him, and a look of satisfaction washes over his features when it becomes clear that I finally understand. “And I’m like you?” I ask. “Not living, and not dead, either?”
Pierce nods. “It’s why I was so surprised when I first saw you. There has never been another being like the three of us.” He steps close again and offers me his arm. As I take it, he says, “You are a gift, Kinsey. A treasure. And even if you do not choose me, I will be grateful for your arrival.”
His statement squeezes my heart. I pull us to a stop and watch him closely as I ask, “Do you want me to choose you?”
Of the three of them, he’s the one I’m uncertain about. He’s cordial, but he isn’t as obvious as Gabriel or Cyrus.
A desire so hot it makes certain parts of me tingle, flashes like lightning in his eyes. I back up from the intensity of it, a soft gasp falling from my lips. Pierce follows me, stepping into my personal space. My back hits a wall, and Pierce places a hand on it beside my head, leaning in so much that we’re almost flush against one another. My heart races, and I’m filled with a want so strong certain parts of me start to ache.
With the hand that isn’t trapping me against the wall, Pierce drags a single finger down my arm from shoulder to wrist, raising all kinds of goose bumps on my skin. I shiver, and he smirks as he leans down and brushes his mouth lightly back and forth across my lips. “I have never wanted anything more,” he whispers, his voice somehow demanding even though it’s soft.
I nearly whimper. I place my hands, palms against the wall at my sides, as if they might hold me up. Pierce is melting me into giant a puddle of need. He pulls his head back slightly, and my body throbs at the idea of being denied the connection I’m craving. But then his eyes flick to my mouth and he dives in, smashing our lips together in a hard, passionate kiss. It lasts only a few seconds, but it’s enough to leave me breathless and panting when he pulls away.
His chest heaves a couple times, as if he was just as affected by the kiss as me. Then he smiles and peels my hand off the wall, tangling our fingers together. “Come, Kinsey,” he says softly. “Allow me to show you who I am, and hopefully sway your decision in my favor.”
My legs feel like Jell-O as he pulls me away from the wall that was holding me upright and leads me down the hall. For all that I enjoyed my day with Gabriel yesterday and his fun, playful compassionate personality, not once did he ignite such a fire in me as Pierce just had. His fervor and passion were unparalleled. His vigorous kiss would be impossible to forget.
9
I just manage to pull my head back together when Pierce leads me into a spacious reception area. A curvy woman with dark eyes, shiny, black curly hair, and a cheerful disposition sits behind a desk. She looks up when we enter and gives Pierce a bright smile that lights up her kind eyes. “Good morning, Lord Pierce. Lord Gabriel already dropped off your first group of souls. They’re waiting for you in your office.”
“Thank you, Gladys, I’m sure they are.” He turns to me, chuckling. “Gabriel is a very early riser.”
As Pierce thanks Gladys, her eyes flick to me and her mouth drops open. She blinks several times.
“Gladys,” Pierce says, placing his arm around me and resting his hand on my lower back, “this is Kinsey. She’s new to the Netherworld.”
Gladys continues to gape at Pierce in disbelief.
“We’re not sure of her role around here just yet, but for now, Gabriel, Cyrus, and I are showing her around. Helping her learn how things work.”
When he stops talking, Gladys looks at me again. It takes her a moment to get over the shock, but then she graces me with a beautiful smile. “Well, this is just fantastic! Welcome, Lady Kinsey. I’m so glad you’ve come. The lords are such wonderful men. They deserve a fine woman to keep them company.”
My cheeks heat at the title she’s given me, as if I’m some kind of royalty or something. But also, because of the genuine delight she’s expressing at the thought of me being a companion to Pierce, Gabriel, and Cyrus. She didn’t only mention Pierce, even though he’s the one I’m with. She automatically assumed I’d be a companion to all three of them.
I’m not sure she meant it in that way, but I think about last night after dinner when they all three gave me their undivided attention. Something inside me sparks. I can’t help entertaining the idea of not having to choose between them, but rather, giving each of them the relationship they all so desperately want.
I push the thought away. What are they supposed to do, share me? Take turns being with me? I doubt they’d want to
do that. Would I want to do that? Could something like that even work?
I pull myself from my thoughts and smile at Gladys. “Thanks. It’s good to be here.”
“Come on, Kinsey. Let’s not make the souls wait any longer.”
I allow Pierce to guide me toward a nearby office but send Gladys one last smile over my shoulder. “It was nice to meet you, Gladys.”
“You too, Lady Kinsey. Take excellent care of our lords!” When Pierce isn’t looking, she gives me two big thumbs up behind his back and winks at me. Then she fans herself, as if Pierce is the hottest thing she’s ever seen.
I walk into Pierce’s office, shaking my head and chuckling to myself. “I like her. She seems fun.”
His brows lift, and he glances out his office door toward the receptionist as if he’s never thought about it. Eventually, he nods. “She’s a good woman. She has a bright soul, and she’s efficient.”
Pierce’s office is large, with a big picture window behind his desk that has a great view of a city. The city is clean and in good repair. It makes me wonder where we are exactly. In front of Pierce’s desk are a couple of leather chairs. He grabs one of them and drags it behind his desk next to his own. “Have a seat,” he says, patting the extra chair.
I sit down and watch with curiosity as Pierce grabs a satchel off a hook by the door. I recognize the bag. “Is that Gabriel’s?” It looks like the carrier he used to put the souls in once he collected them from their bodies.
“Don’t worry, he has several,” Pierce says with a chuckle.
He opens the flap, and I see all of the little glowing balls Gabriel collected. “How come they look like that?”
“It’s just a transporting method we use to get them from the living world to here. Makes it easier on Gabriel. It’s easier on the souls that way, too. They’re in a frozen state of being until I release them. They remember nothing between their death and now.”
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