Fourth Fight

by Mary Abshire

“How long have you worked for Christopher?” Emily asked, glancing in the rearview mirror. “I recall you said several years when you’d interviewed us.”

  “I think Annie was eighteen when I started to work here. I signed my fourth contract several months ago.”

  “Did you go through the same training as we did?” Andrew asked.

  “No. Don and I had met in the Marines. We were on the same team for nearly four years. About two years after he left, he called me and said he had a great opportunity. After he explained it to me, I got on a plane to meet him and the others. I stayed two days and then returned home. Christopher called me not even twenty-four hours later and offered me a job.”

  Emily slowed the vehicle as she turned off the road and headed for the carport. “So Sherri has worked here a long time?”

  “Yes. She started working for Christopher when Annie was fifteen. She’s very close to them.”

  “Have they always lived in Borrego Springs?” Emily asked before she shifted the gear into park.

  “No. They lived in Tennessee. I guess Annie has been singing since her mother died. I think she was eight. She won a lot of contests and fairs. Christopher saved all her winnings. Her popularity grew over time. From what Christopher told me, he hired Sherri because Annie didn’t have a female role model during her early teenage years and he was going crazy trying to manage her brother as well as Annie and her rising career. Annie put out a six-track CD by the time she reached nineteen. The money from that helped buy this place. We’ve been here a couple of years now.”

  Emily met Andrew’s gaze as she cut the engine. “Interesting,” she said.

  The story raised a few questions, but Andrew didn’t dare ask. It seemed a bit unrealistic she could’ve made so much money over the years to purchase such a large property. But he wasn’t familiar enough with prices, so maybe he was wrong.

  What intrigued Andrew was the fact the thin woman with the red aura had known Annie for a long time. Maybe Sherri had manipulated Annie while the girl was young and impressionable. Then again, it was possible the father had been a big influence since he too was a demon. Andrew had no idea if demons were born or if they selected human bodies to occupy at any time. He wished the guard in heaven had told him more before sending him back to Earth.

  After they left the Jeep, Andrew and Emily walked next to Matt, heading toward the stairs on the side of the carport. A boxy maroon sedan that appeared to be from Andrew’s time occupied the first parking spot. Emily had parked at the end, leaving the middle vacant.

  “Who owns this old one?” Andrew asked, angling his thumb at the vehicle.

  “It’s mine. I don’t see a point in driving a luxury car. Sherri loaned me her SUV during training.”

  Matt’s selection of car and white aura led Andrew to speculate Matt really was a good guy. While he likely earned a good salary from Christopher, he didn’t waste his funds on luxurious items. So why was Matt working for a demon?

  “The apartment was finished two months ago. I think you’ll like it,” Matt said.

  “Finished as in built?” Andrew asked as they reached the staircase.

  “Yes. Before, this was just a carport. I convinced Christopher to build up and hire two people instead of one since we all believe Annie’s career is taking off.”

  “Planning ahead for the future,” Emily said, following Matt up the staircase.

  “I’m a planner. That’s probably why Christopher’s giving me more administrative work to handle,” Matt said.

  Emily glanced over her shoulder and smiled at Andrew. He lifted his gaze from her cute ass and returned an amused expression. He had a feeling she’d get along well with Matt since they both had the mindset to plan things.

  Matt and Emily reached the landing at the top. Andrew waited on a step while Matt unlocked the door.

  “The same key works for both locks,” Matt said. “There’s a key for each of you.”

  After Matt opened the door, he stepped inside. Andrew followed Emily into the apartment. She stopped in the middle of the living room.

  “This is nice,” she said, looking around.

  The living room had been furnished with the standard dark-blue sofa and chair, a round wood coffee table, and a flat screen television sitting on top of an entertainment stand. A half wall separated the room from the kitchen, which contained a rectangular wood table with four chairs.

  “We bought standard appliances—coffee maker, toaster, blender…” Matt said.

  “And there’s a dishwasher,” Emily said.

  “Yes. Dishes, pots, glassware… You should have everything you need, even toilet paper and dish detergent. If there’s something we missed, just let me know and I can order it.”

  Andrew walked past him to the opening leading to a hall. Several steps forward would have taken him into the bathroom. The hall led to a bedroom at each end.

  “This has two bedrooms?” Andrew asked as he strolled toward the one on the right. Mattresses were leaning against the wall.

  Matt entered the room behind him. “We had planned to hire two people, so each room had a twin bed. After the decision was made, Don and I left yesterday afternoon to get a larger bed. For now, we stuck the two smaller ones in here. The frames won’t fit in the closet.”

  A small desk backed into a wall near the window. The dresser stood near the leaning mattresses. Metal bed frames lay on the floor. Open bi-fold doors near the exit revealed a small closet.

  “They can stay there,” Emily said, standing in the doorway. “They’re not in the way.”

  “If she gets pissed off and kicks me out of bed, I can come in here to sleep on one of the mattresses,” Andrew said. He gained a slight smirk from Matt.

  Emily rolled her eyes and left the room. Andrew followed her down the hall to the other bedroom. It was a little larger than the other. The bed faced a tall dresser standing near the closet. An unopened package of sheets sat on the mattress. If Andrew had kept walking straight, he would’ve bumped into the desk facing the wall. Nightstands had been placed on each side of the bed.

  “We went with a queen-size instead of king. I hope that’s okay,” Matt said, reacquiring Andrew’s attention.

  “It’s fine,” Andrew said.

  “There is a stackable washer and dryer in the bathroom,” Matt said. “When you run out of detergent or anything, let me know. Everything is covered according to the contract you two signed.”

  “This is fine,” Andrew said while Emily looked around the room. “It beats staying in a hotel.”

  Matt held the keys in front of him. “Who wants these?”

  Andrew took the keys from Matt’s hand and then slid them into one of the front pockets of his shorts.

  “Dinner is at six,” Matt said. “Christopher and Annie will be there. As I mentioned earlier, you’re welcome to use the gym and pool at your leisure. The security codes are on the paper I gave you with the contracts. I’ll probably have phones ready tomorrow. Do you have any questions?”

  “Not currently,” Emily said as she moved to Andrew’s side. “Thanks for showing us around earlier.”

  “No problem. You’ve got my number. If you need anything, send me a message or call.”

  Andrew followed Matt into the living room. “Thanks for taking time to go over those contracts with us too.”

  “No problem.” Matt stopped at the door and then faced Andrew. “I look forward to working with both of you. I think we’ll make a great team.”

  Andrew supplied an agreeable grin even though he wasn’t entirely sure he could trust Matt. “I’m sure we will.”

  “I will see you two at dinner,” Matt said before he opened the door. “Feel free to walk into the house. You don’t need to knock.”

  “Thanks again,” Andrew said.

  Once Matt had left, Andrew secured the dead bolt. With a deep breath, relief flowed through him. They’d spent all morning discussing the contract and details of the jobs, ate lunch, and then Matt had showed th
em all over the property. It was now mid-afternoon and Andrew’s head was overloaded with information. But he couldn’t be happier to have alone time with Emily.

  “Should we bring our stuff up from the car?” she asked, walking toward him.

  When she was close enough, he wrapped his arms around her. “I need this first.”

  His lips met hers and in an instant all the worry, questions, and details swimming in his head drifted away. He had the woman he loved in his grasp. The rest could wait.

  The kiss started slow, relaxing, and inviting. She coiled her arms around his neck and ran her fingers into his hair. As if the light flick of her tongue wasn’t enough to arouse him, her touch sent erotic currents through him. He squeezed her closer. She gently sucked on his tongue. His love for her swelled in his heart, and it thumped faster. Something else grew in his shorts. He could never tire of such a loving woman.

  She withdrew her mouth, but pressed her forehead to his. “Better?”

  “Much.” He gave her a smooch.

  “You okay with all this?” She brought her hands down his chest.

  “I had no idea there would be so much involved.”

  “We’ll find a way to work everything out. It’s just going to take more time.”

  “I know.” He held onto faith he could destroy the demon, but after hearing about Annie’s career and the new job, he realized he had a wealth of challenges to face in order to kill her.

  “I’m grateful for the time. You won’t be here forever.”

  His time on Earth would end a year after he destroyed his seventh demon. Annie would make his fourth. At the rate it took him to destroy each one, he estimated he had less than three years total left before he’d have to return to heaven. Each time he thought about having to go back without her saddened him.

  “As long as we’re together, I’m a happy man.” He kissed her again.

  “We should get our stuff from the car and unpack.”

  He slid his hand down to her rear. “Maybe we can celebrate our new jobs before dinner. And after.” He groped her butt cheeks.

  The smile on her face widened. “Okay, but we need to unpack first.” She pecked his lips before she left his embrace.

  Andrew followed her out the front door, down the stairs, and to the Jeep. The maroon car had left the carport, leaving only Emily’s vehicle within sight. Together, they gathered as many bags as they could carry. She decided to leave behind the inflatable mattresses, the cooler, and folded lawn chairs.

  “I want to stop at the local bank tomorrow and get a safe deposit box for my cash,” she said as she put the computer case strap over her shoulder. “I don’t trust anyone here. I wouldn’t be surprised if they go through our stuff when we’re not around. Hell, the apartment could be bugged.”

  Andrew hadn’t considered it, but she raised a good issue. Between two demons and the dangerous humans working for them, he suspected they would try to poke around in their belongings.

  “Matt seems like a good guy, but I can’t figure out why he would work for them if they were involved in anything illegal. He’s a moral kind of guy. If he was anything like the others, he wouldn’t have a white aura.” Andrew shut the back of the Jeep.

  “I’m sure the answer will come over time. You heard him say he’s worked with them for a little over four years. Maybe Sherri and Don know more about Annie than Matt. He did say he handles more administrative tasks now.”

  They started walking away from the car.

  “Do you think Annie had enough money to buy this property after her first recording?” he asked.

  Emily paused. “I thought the story sounded strange. I realize she’d won contests and such, but there’s no way she could’ve had millions in the bank after that first CD. This property is huge and the price tag had to be as well. They had to get money from something else.”

  “What if they were drug dealers? Her mother did die of an overdose.”

  “I would suspect Christopher of being the dealer more than Annie. I suppose it’s possible, but he would’ve had to been selling large quantities for a long time to earn enough for this place.”

  “If that’s the case, then he knows bigger dealers.”

  She nodded. “We need to be careful what we say around them.”

  “And in the apartment in case it is wired,” he added.

  “True.” She continued toward the staircase.

  “Do you really think Annabelle is unaware of any drug deals her father may be involved with?”

  “She knows. That girl isn’t innocent at all and I don’t need to see her aura to know that.”

  He half chuckled as they climbed the stairs. He too believed Annie had to be involved, which led him to believe Sherri knew too since she’d been with the family for so long. He couldn’t be sure if Don knew anything.

  Inside the apartment, they set the bags on the sofa. Emily set her computer case on the coffee table. She gazed at their items as she brushed her bangs from her forehead.

  “Have you got the…” Andrew lifted his hand. He held his thumb and forefinger an inch apart. The poison was going to be his weapon to kill Annie with since he couldn’t use a gun or knife without getting caught.

  She nodded and then snapped her fingers. “The envelopes with our papers are in the back seat. I forgot them. We need them to review them again.”

  “Can it wait until after dinner?” He stepped close to her and took her hand.

  “No. I want to go over them before in case we’re asked any questions.”

  “But what about time to celebrate?” He’d really hoped to enjoy some playful time in bed with her. Looking over papers didn’t inspire his cock the way she did.

  Her lips curled at the sides. She put her free hand on his chest and then slowly traveled it down. “We can celebrate after you get the envelopes and bring them back here. In fact, I’ll have a surprise waiting for you when you return.” She pressed her mouth to his.

  Desire surged within him and his erection spasmed. “A surprise?”

  She slid her hand down to his groin and his breath hitched. “I think you’ll be pleased, but you have to hurry.”

  Her touch made him harder, made his need for her grow equally strong.

  He gave her a kiss and squeezed her hand. “Give me a minute to get the papers.”

  With a wide flirtatious smile, she said, “I’ll be ready and waiting for you.”

  After another smooch, he left the apartment and hurried down the steps. His thoughts raced, wondering what she had in store for him. Her surprises were always the kinky kind that led to strong orgasms. The woman truly knew how to please him like no other ever had. With his cock fully hard and ready for her, he rushed to return to his lover and claim his surprise.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Emily stood near the tall dresser as she tugged a gray shirt advertising New York City over her bra. The snug-fitting top had been the first one she’d grabbed out of her bag. Andrew had picked it out from a used store while they’d been in New York and it was the only memento she had from the city. Since they were officially employees now, she figured she could wear casual clothes to dinner.

  Andrew strolled into the room naked. “You look nice.” He smacked her ass on his way to the bed.

  “We need to get going soon.” She stared at the perfectly built man with solid muscles everywhere. And he was hers. Her happiness reflected as a smile formed on her face.

  The afternoon had gone by so fast, but it had been more than pleasant. After they’d spent time celebrating their new employment, bodies tangled and multiple orgasms achieved, they’d stayed in bed and reviewed their contracts. Well, she did mostly while he continued to caress her body with his hands and tongue. She enjoyed every minute of his love, but as the hour had approached six, they had to put a pause on satisfying their desires to prepare for dinner.

  He dug out his clothes from one of the bags on the bed. Since they’d been preoccupied all afternoon, they hadn’t unpacked
yet. The mattress now had a mess of her clothes and his.

  “I’m almost ready,” he said as he pulled out a pair of boxer shorts. He shifted his gaze to her as he slid them on. “You’re staring.”

  “I am.” She crossed her arms. “What are you going to do about it?”

  He shortened the distance between them in less than three seconds. She dropped her arms as he squeezed her ass with one hand and slipped his other between her legs. “I can remove these shorts and slide my tongue inside you.”

  His words and hungry eyes sent a heat wave straight through her. If they weren’t running so close to dinnertime, she would’ve let him do what he’d said.

  “Rain check, please,” she said with her palm over his beating heart. It thumped strongly beneath her touch. “We really need to get going.”

  He backed away from her, but his longing remained present in his gaze. “How long do you think dinner will be?”

  Too long. “No idea, but I’m sure everyone will be chatty and ask us questions.”

  He plucked a plain white t-shirt from the pile of clothes and then slid it over his head. His skin rolled and defined every muscle in his chest as he finished donning the cotton top. He looked around the floor. “Have you seen my shorts?”

  She searched the room before turning to the hall. “Found them.” His shoes were lying nearby too. She lifted the shorts before she handed them to him with a smile.

  He’d been so excited to find her relaxing in her underwear on the bed, legs spread, when he’d returned from retrieving the envelopes from the car. He’d dropped his pants before he’d made it to the bedroom.

  “You’re driving, right?” he asked as he pulled up the shorts.

  “Yeah, it’s too hot to walk.”

  “I bet there’s a path through the woods.” He zipped his pants.

  “Probably, but we don’t have time to look for it.”

  “I’m ready to go.” He slipped one foot into a tennis shoe, then the other.

  Emily passed him to return to the dresser. She’d left the key to the apartment on top. Once she’d snatched it, she headed out of the room.

  Andrew waited for her in the living room. “Need your purse?” He handed the car keys to her.