Second Demon

by Mary Abshire

  His gaze traveled up her bare legs, past her skirt, and then zoned in on the bit of cleavage showing. “The outfit is fine for the club.” He’d like to get a better view of her breasts.

  “Thanks. Enjoy your shower.”

  “Feel free to join me.” He tugged down his zipper.

  “Ha!” The one word burst from her before she returned her attention to the phone.

  Andrew strode into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. Frustration coursed through him from her rejection. After he set his clothes on the countertop, he braced his hands on the edge of it. He knew she had an attraction to him. She’d almost kissed him once. So how could she ignore his advances so easily? Her ability to resist him stunned him. Women typically didn’t refuse him. Although her snubs bothered him, he benefited from them. If he had sex, another year would be added to his sentence. Maybe she rebuffed his flirtatious moves for his benefit. Maybe she cared about him enough to spare him from having to stay any longer on Earth. That had to be it.

  He straightened as he stared in the mirror. Emily’s strength to contain her hormones surpassed his. He admired her for that. But it made him long for her more. She had feelings for him and controlled her desires. Smart, but dangerous because containing all that emotion would eventually lead to a massive release of it. While the possibilities of such an event indulged his fantasies, it would likely lead to an extra year for him if he were the outlet for her, which he wanted to be. To avoid any explosions, the best thing for him to do was to get her to open up more, play and explore. The council who imposed his sentence never said he couldn’t fool around.

  His lips spread into a smile. He couldn’t have sex, but he could partake in foreplay. Sure, it could be dangerous. But at least he and Emily could offer some relief to each other. It was worth a shot. Now, he had to somehow coax her to play along.

  Chapter Three

  Emily finished the page she’d read and turned to the next one. She sat across from Andrew on the train, reading the book she’d brought with her. They were heading to the pizza shop the demon owned, which happened to be located in Jersey City, New Jersey. Troy had sent her the name and address earlier. She’d researched how to get to the restaurant before they’d left and had discovered it would take a half hour, so she’d brought a novel. A few times she’d glanced up to check on Andrew. For the most part, he kept his eyes closed and head tilted back, but occasionally he watched others riding on the train.

  “Is it any good?” Andrew asked.

  She completed the paragraph she was reading before she looked up at him. “What? My book?”

  “You seem engrossed with it. What’s it about?”

  “You wouldn’t like it.”

  “For your information, I like to read,” he said as he crossed his arms. “How do you know I won’t like it?”

  Emily hadn’t considered he’d been much of a reader, but she really hadn’t known him long enough. Still, she suspected the type of book in her hands wouldn’t be of interest to him.

  “It’s a paranormal romance,” she said.

  “A what?”

  “A paranormal romance.”

  “What’s that? Is it like romance between ghosts or something?”

  She grinned at his naivety. “Well, I suppose it could be. Paranormal romance is a sub-genre of romance. The paranormal element could involve werewolves, vampires, witches, ghosts, or anything supernatural.”

  “So, you’re reading a romance novel that has vampires in it?”

  “Well, this one is more of a werewolf one, but there are other supernatural creatures in the story. The main character is a female werewolf and she solves mysteries. Her love interest is a vampire.”

  “That sounds interesting.” He moved to the seat next to her. “Can I look at it?”

  She folded the corner of the page and then closed the book. “I didn’t peg you for the type to read romances.”

  “I’ve read a few,” he said as he took the paperback from her. “I’ve never read any of the paranormal kind. I’ve read Stephen King and Anne Rice, but that was a long time ago.”

  “Did you read much in heaven?”

  “A little.” He looked at the front cover before he flipped to the back.

  “Do they have libraries in heaven?”

  “Yes. People read a lot.”

  She recalled he’d told her before heaven didn’t have television, but there were plays and live shows. She thought the castle in the sky would be boring without TV, but if it had libraries, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.

  “Hmm, I like the summary. Maybe I’ll read it when you’re done, if you don’t mind,” he said as he returned the novel to her.

  “Not at all. I picked this up from the used bookstore a couple blocks from the apartment. They have a nice selection in there.”

  “Do you read a lot of romances?”

  She lifted a shoulder. “Some, but only this kind.”

  “Funny, I didn’t peg you as the kind to read romances.” Having copied her line from earlier, he grinned widely.

  “I guess we still don’t know each other very well.”

  “It’s only been a few weeks. We’re still in the dating phase.”

  “Dating phase?” She arched a brow, but her dark bangs hid it well. “But we’re not dating.”

  “No, but it’s the getting to know each other part of a new relationship.”

  “Okay, that makes sense.” Dating phase sounded better than honeymoon phase. Had he used the latter she would have argued for a different description.

  “We’ve learned basics about each other, such as what food and drinks we each prefer. I told you about my family and you told me about yours. We know a little about each other’s past, but only the highlights since we’re in the dating phase. As our relationship advances, we learn more details about each other that help us grow and be able to respond accordingly.”

  “Did you read that in a book?”

  “When I was a teenager,” he said, nodding.

  She chuckled at his sense of humor. Unlike most men she’d met, he had a good one and quick wits.

  “Do you believe in vampires and werewolves?” he asked.

  “No, of course not. I just like to read about them.”

  “I’ve never seen the fascination to them the way women do.”

  “So you never fantasized about a sexy female vampire who wanted to nibble on your neck and maybe other places? Think about it. An immortal female would be quite experienced in the sex department. She might be able to show you a few moves.”

  The train began to slow as it entered the terminal.

  “I hadn’t thought of such a woman before, but now that you mention it, she could be pretty hot,” he said.

  “How about a sexy female werewolf who likes to ride…” She glanced down at his groin. “She could fulfill your wildest dreams.”

  “Have I mentioned you have a knack for creating fantasies? And to be honest, I didn’t need more.” Andrew rose as the train stopped.

  Emily giggled. “Glad I could help.” She dropped the paperback into her purse and followed Andrew off the train.

  The early afternoon sun blinded her as she reached the top of the stairs leading to the sidewalk. Businesses lined up both sides of the streets, reminding her of areas in Chicago outside the city.

  “Which way?” he asked.

  She stepped aside and fished out her phone from her purse. Before she’d left the apartment, she’d typed in the address on a map application. All she had to do was reload the information on the app. She tapped her screen a couple of times before the directions loaded.

  “Three blocks this way,” she said, pointing. “Then we make a right on Carnegie and it’s another five blocks.”

  Andrew walked at her side. “I’m starving for pizza now.”

  “It’s been several hours since we ate and you jogged a couple miles. I’m not surprised you’re so hungry.”

  “I hope the food is good.”

&
nbsp; “According to the reviews online, the place had three and a half stars. Don’t get your hopes up too much.”

  “What do you think he uses this place for if he’s not putting much money into it?”

  “It could be he uses it mostly for a tax write off. Maybe he thinks it will look good if he has different investments under his belt. The spa was in Brooklyn. Owning different businesses in different locations wouldn’t catch the eyes of an IRS auditor, I’m guessing.”

  Emily doubted they’d learn much of anything on their adventure, but it was worth checking out in case there might be something of value that could help them.

  “Some lawyer,” Andrew said. “He really knows how to cheat the system.”

  “A lot of them do. It’s nothing new,” she said while they crossed the first intersection. “Do they have lawyers in heaven?”

  “No, there’s no need for them. If someone has been harmed, which is rare, then they go to a complaint center. An investigator researches the matter. If there is a valid complaint, the person who the complaint is against will go in front of the council.”

  Emily recalled he’d mentioned complaint centers in the past. It sounded as if the justice system moved swiftly without prosecutors and defense attorneys. And it made sense. Who would want to harm another person in heaven?

  “Has anyone ever been seriously injured up there?” she asked.

  “Not that I know of.”

  “So there’s total peace and happiness?”

  “Pretty much, but not in the hippy sense. People don’t walk around naked and sing praises. And there’s definitely no weed.”

  “Damn, I was really looking forward to smoking some dope in heaven.”

  “I was looking forward to seeing you walk around naked. You can still feel free to do that anytime you’d like.”

  They both grinned while they continued walking. The man took every opportunity to flirt with her. She’d learned to anticipate it.

  Reaching the pizza shop had taken longer than she’d expected. Two of the roads they had to cross were busy and the signs weren’t working properly. They’d waited several minutes before they’d figured the problem out.

  They approached the restaurant and found round metal tables and chairs were set up outside. Further down the street at the corner, a drilling sound blared from the auto shop. Tires were stacked up in three piles near the sidewalk and a big sale sign stood in front.

  “Let’s go inside,” Emily said as they drew near the entrance. The good climate made for great weather to sit outside, but the sounds from the maintenance shop were too loud and annoying.

  Andrew followed her inside the pizzeria. The scent of fresh bread, garlic, and pizza filled the shop.

  “Now I’m starved,” Andrew said.

  Red and white tablecloths covered small square tables on one side of the restaurant. The chairs were the cheap-wood kind with round, vinyl cushions. A mixture of colored pictures and black and white ones hung on the wall. Some photos contained people and others appeared to be of the city or neighborhood perhaps. A long counter took up the majority of the other side of the establishment. Pizza, breadsticks, and calzones were on display behind the glass case.

  “Can I help you?” an older man with peppery hair asked, standing near the cash register at the end of the counter. He had a large gut and wore a black polo shirt.

  Andrew looked at Emily. Although she loved any kind of Italian food, she hadn’t considered what to order. And she hadn’t been able to review the menu enough to decide.

  “Go ahead. I’m not sure what I want,” she said.

  Andrew headed for the cashier, but he directed his gaze at the food behind the glass. Emily studied the goodies too. Everything looked delicious, but given the late afternoon hour, she wondered how fresh the items were.

  She stopped behind Andrew and waited for him to finish his order. A younger man wearing a white t-shirt with some kind of advertisement in black writing and jeans appeared from the kitchen in the back. The male cashier informed the young guy about the order.

  “And for you miss?” the cashier asked.

  “I’ll have some breadsticks and a slice of your sausage pizza,” she said.

  “Anything to drink?” the cashier asked.

  “Water for me and whatever he’s getting.” She dug inside her purse for her wallet.

  “Water is fine,” Andrew said.

  The cashier gave the total, which stunned Emily. She paid, but had a feeling the food wouldn’t be worth the cost.

  “Your orders will be out in a few minutes,” the cashier said as he handed her change.

  “Where do you want to sit?” Andrew asked.

  Since there were female customers by the window at the front, their best option was in the back so they would be out of the way. She headed for a table near the corner, but not against the walls. The one she selected allowed her to face the counter and view the rest of the shop. Andrew would have to sit across from her with his back facing the hall leading to the bathrooms and kitchen, but at least he could see the entire restaurant as well as her.

  “This good?” she asked as she scooted a chair back.

  He glanced around before he withdrew his seat. “Sure.”

  She set her purse on the chair beside her. The table had crumbs on it and the tiled floor looked in desperate need of a good cleaning. Andrew studied the pictures on the wall behind her.

  “Does anyone look familiar?” she asked. “Maybe from TV or news?”

  “I don’t know. I’ve been gone a long time.”

  She twisted around to gaze at the photos. There were a few that appeared to be family pictures, but most of the shots with people contained men.

  “Do any look familiar to you?” Andrew asked.

  She looked at one closer. The tall man had dark hair and a big nose. She couldn’t place where she’d seen him. Since she hadn’t been to New York or New Jersey before, she had to have seen him on television. “Maybe, but I’m not sure.”

  The young man wearing the white t-shirt with black writing approached with a tray in his hands. He stopped and set her breadsticks and pizza in front of her, and then placed Andrew’s food on the table.

  “Is everything correct?” he asked.

  “Water. We need water,” Emily said.

  “I’ll be right back with your drinks,” the young man said before he strode down the hall.

  Andrew’s pizza contained a variety of meat and vegetables. He folded his large slice before he shoved the end into his mouth. He took a bite and a black olive fell onto his paper plate.

  “How is it?” she asked.

  He finished chewing. “It’s decent. I’ve better and I’ve had worse.”

  “In other words, you’re starving so it will suffice.”

  “Pretty much.” He took another bite.

  Emily chomped on a breadstick. The hard bread made it chewy. It definitely wasn’t fresh. The slice of sausage pizza on her plate looked too big for her to finish. Had she known the slices were twice that of a normal one, she would’ve ordered something else.

  “I doubt I can eat all this,” she said.

  The young man strode from the kitchen carrying two cups. If she’d guessed right, he was in his twenties, possibly early thirties. He had a fit figure and trimmed, short black hair. The gold watch and necklace seemed gaudy. He set the drinks on the table and then placed two straws near the cups.

  “Thank you,” Emily said before he left.

  “If I’m still hungry, I’ll eat it,” Andrew said, his mouth full of food.

  She chewed on more of her breadstick as the glass door swung open. Two men strode into the restaurant, chatting with each other. One had gray mixed in his brown locks and wore a long brown button-down shirt over slacks. The other man had darker hair with white mixed in. He had a large nose and bushy brows. His style of clothing was similar to his friend’s. They both had flashy watches on their wrists. Holding the last bit of her breadstick between her fing
ers, Emily peered closer at the man.

  “Hey,” Andrew said, snatching her attention. “You’re staring,” he said in a soft tone.

  She twisted to look at the photo on the wall behind her, the one with the tall man with dark hair and large nose. After she got a good memory of the picture, she turned to look at the men at the counter.

  “I know where I’ve seen him before,” she said, keeping her voice low. “He was arrested a while back and a few years ago. He has ties to the mafia.”

  Andrew stopped chewing. “What?”

  “A few months ago I watched a show on cable about the 21st century mafia. They talked about who was involved, where the heaviest ties were located, and the type of crimes being committed. I’m ninety-five percent sure the guy with dark hair was on the show.” His big nose was unforgettable.

  She ate the remaining breadstick while watching the two men chat with the older cashier. He gave a wave of his hand and nodded. The two began walking toward the back. They rounded the counter, proceeded down the hall, and then entered the kitchen. Since when do customers casually walk into the kitchen? Whatever business they had, Emily suspected it wasn’t the legal kind.

  She picked up another breadstick. “We know the lawyer represented people in the mafia. I’m willing to bet those two are clients of Mr. Lazzari. Even if they’re not, he has to know what’s going on since he’s part owner of his place.”

  Andrew took a napkin from the dispenser on the table. He wiped his mouth. “I suggest we don’t stare and don’t start a conversation with them.”

  “I don’t plan on it.”

  “Well, you were staring.”

  “Point taken.”

  “If he did represent one of those men, then it’s reasonable to believe illegal activity is still going on.”

  “He’s probably getting a kick back if he’s offering this as safe house to the mafia.”

  “This is all interesting, but none of it helps me,” Andrew said before he lifted the remains of his pizza.

  “If we wanted to get close to the lawyer from this place, we’d have to mingle with the mafia. I don’t know about you, but I’m not ready to die tomorrow.” She ate more of her breadstick while waiting for Andrew to finish chewing.