I’m acutely aware of the angel behind me. I force myself not to fidget. I am about to make up an excuse to leave the situation when I’m interrupted.
“Mr. McKenna,” Mr. Lee calls out from behind the counter. “Your order is ready.”
Preston waves at Mr. Lee. He turns back to me and smiles, showing off his dimples. “It was good seeing you, Veronica. I hope you decide to come to the party.”
I lift a hand awkwardly. “Nice seeing you, too.”
Preston dips his head and waves back before he turns and heads to the counter.
Behind me, I continue to feel Gabe’s stare. I choose not to acknowledge him. I walk to another table and ask the customers if they need anything. I repeat the process for three tables until Preston has paid and leaves the restaurant.
With a sigh of relief, I walk back to the kitchen. Annie waits for details of my encounter with Gabe, and I want to get it over with.
I’m almost at the swinging door when the bells above the door sound again. Resigned to staying in the main dining area for a moment long, I turn around to greet the customer.
“Welcome to Lee’s. Have a seat anywhere…” My words trail off. My mouth dries as my eyes zero in on the newcomer.
I would recognize the sandy-blond hair and hazel eyes anywhere.
“Zeke?”
Fifteen
I stare at the young man standing near the entrance. It’s been years since I’ve laid eyes on my kickboxing instructor. I almost can’t believe he is really here. But no matter how many times I blink, Zeke remains.
“It’s really you,” I breathe, stepping towards the entrance. I’m like a moth drawn to a flame. I forget everything else around me. I don’t worry about who may be watching; my attention is completely wrapped up in Zeke. I stop three feet away from him, my eyes scanning him from head to toe.
Zeke’s expression is carefully neutral as he tucks his hands into his jean pockets and says, “Hi, Ron.”
My pulse flutters. Zeke is the only person to ever use the shortened version of my normal nickname. I know I’ve already said it, but it really is him.
Zeke steps forward. I inhale sharply, thinking he is going to hug me or something. Instead, he moves to the side so another man can step up beside him.
I barely glance at the man, but then I do a double-take. “Adrian?”
“Hello, Angel,” he greets. “Surprised?”
“Um… should I be?” I look between the men. Then, like a swift punch to the gut, their similarity knocks the air from my lungs. I see their matching hazel eyes and their rugged jawlines. I understand why Adrian seemed so familiar to me the first time I saw him at the concert.
I look at Adrian, remembering what he said about the night Joey and I were attacked. “Zeke is your brother.”
Adrian gives me a characteristic smirk. “My twin, actually.”
Twins.
I shake my head, trying to wrap my head around the newest piece of information. It’s nowhere near as unbelievable as the whole angel thing, but it’s still crazy.
What are the chances Adrian’s brother was my kickboxing instructor, but Adrian didn’t know?
Very slim, I realize.
I fold my arms. “What are you two doing here?”
I’m speaking to both of them, but I keep my eyes on Adrian. I can’t bring myself to look at Zeke. I’m a bundle of emotions from seeing him again, and things are already complicated enough without adding my angsty-teen feelings to the mix.
“We’re here to escort you home,” Adrian tells me. He looks around the restaurant, and I know the moment he spots Gabe. There is an antagonist gleam in his eye—one I only see right before he does something to irritate Mr. Cohen or his brother.
Despite spending three days interacting with my pseudo-bodyguards, I still don’t understand the animosity between Adrian and the other two angels. I suspect there is a detailed history between them, but I haven’t ventured to ask any of them what it is.
All I know is the men do not like one another. But, for some reason, they are working together to keep me safe. But that doesn’t mean they are friendly or even polite to one another. I’ve yet to learn what bashert meant, but my gut says their tense truce is directly related to the odd term… and me.
The air behind me shifts, and I hear Gabe say, “You seem to have wasted a trip. I’m taking Veronica home.”
“Consider yourself relieved of duty,” Adrian responds. “My brother and I need to speak with Veronica.”
Then, Adrian faces me, and eyes me up and down. “And we still need to practice controlling your Angel Fire, don’t we?”
I hadn’t forgotten I asked Adrian to help me with the manifestation of my angelic powers, but he claimed we needed to wait a few more days before we can practice. Apparently, as a newly emerging Nephilim, the recent use of Angel Fire means my stores of power are depleted. It will take time before I can conjure it again. My response to the delay had been relief, as well as disappointment.
Part of me wants to avoid working with the frightening golden light, but I know the sooner I learn to control the otherworldly abilities, the sooner I can return to a normal life. Though I’ve accepted the fantastical truth of my heritage, that doesn’t mean the acceptance is easy. I can only hope things will be better once the threat of the demons is behind me and the angels no longer hover over my every move. But all of those thoughts are shoved to the edges of my mind as my eyes, once again, land on Zeke.
I never respond to Adrian’s comment about Angel Fire. Seeing my attention, Zeke asks, “Your shift ends at three, right?” I don’t know how he knows that. I look at my smart-watch and realize its five minutes past three.
It takes me a second to formulate words. “Um… technically, yes. But I don’t know if Mr. Lee will want me to stay late.”
Bold as ever, Adrian calls out, “Mr. Lee, do you want Veronica to stay past her shift?”
I spin around to face the counter. Mr. Lee is on the phone, taking a to-go order. I exhale, relieved he hasn’t seemed to hear Adrian’s question. Unfortunately, his daughter did.
Annie stands beside her dad, and her eyes glitter with delight as she says, “Nope. Ronnie is off. You’re good to go, girl.”
My eyes widen, and I silently ask Annie what she thinks she’s doing. Shouldn’t she be concerned a stranger is asking about my work schedule and waiting for me to get off? For all she knows, Adrian could be a kidnapper.
“Are you sure?” I ask in a leading tone. I want her to say I should stay. I don’t want to leave and face whatever is about to come my way.
Annie presses her lips together, hiding her smile. “I’ve got it covered, Ronnie.” She sounds calm, but I see the excitement lingering in her eyes. She’s going to be calling me as soon as she thinks I’m alone so she can get the scoop on the three men currently commanding my attention.
Still, I’m not ready to succumb to my fate. “Mr. Lee,” I try to get my friend’s father to help my cause, “would you like me to help with anything else?”
Hearing his name, Mr. Lee covers the phone’s mouthpiece and says, “No. Thank you, Veronica. We’ll see you tomorrow.” He resumes speaking to the customer, forgetting all about me.
Realizing I’m stuck, I untie the half-apron from my waist. “Let me get my stuff,” I mumble before I turn to hang the apron behind the counter.
Annie snatches the item as I draw near, and she shoves my purse into my chest. “Text me later,” she hisses under her breath, “I want to know everything.” I cringe, knowing the angels more than likely heard her.
I nod and take my bag. Then, I walk back towards the main entrance. I’m surprised to see Gabe is no longer here. He doesn’t strike me as the type to give up so easily.
Now, I’m alone with Adrian and Zeke.
I brush past them and exit the restaurant. I walk to my mom’s car but hesitate. I turn around. “Are you riding with me?” If the men think I’ll abandon my mom’s vehicle to ride with them, they’ll be disap
pointed. No way am I going to risk losing the privilege of borrowing Mom’s car by leaving it behind.
“If you don’t mind.” Adrian smiles. I look away before his attractiveness affects me.
“Sure,” I mutter. “No problem.”
I click the remote and unlock the doors. I slide into the driver’s seat, and I fumble with the keys. Zeke takes the passenger seat. As he closes the door, I fit the key in the ignition and start the car. Adrian folds his tall frame into the back, settling himself in the narrow, middle seat.
I back out of the parking spot and begin the quick drive back to my house.
I glance at Adrian through the rearview mirror. “So, what did you want to talk to me about?” I want to get the conversation over with before we get home.
“I’d think that is obvious.” He jerks his head towards the passenger seat—towards Zeke.
I swallow thickly. “Oh… Right.”
I peek at Zeke. He’s staring at the road ahead.
“So…” I press the brake as we approach a stoplight. “You’re an angel, too.”
Zeke continues looking forward, but he nods. “I am.”
A thousand thoughts race across my mind, but one stands out. “Did you know about me?” I ask, gripping the wheel to hide my trembling fingers. “When we met at kickboxing, did you know what I was?”
Finally, Zeke turns towards me. His hazel eyes meet mine. He tries to maintain his neutral expression, but I swear I see guilt. “Yes,” he answers. “I knew.”
I suck in a breath. How could he hide something so important from me?
I understand we’d only known each other for a short period of time those years ago, but I thought Zeke and I had grown close. Dare I say it, I thought we were almost friends.
But friends don’t keep life-altering secrets from each other.
The stoplight turns green, and I pull my eyes away from Zeke.
We drive in silence for a few minutes. My mind is preoccupied with reliving every conversation Zeke and I ever had. I try to figure out if there was ever a time when he could’ve told me the truth—a time when he could’ve revealed what he was… what I was. Nothing obvious comes to mind, but that doesn’t mean Zeke is off the hook.
I turn into my neighborhood and slow down as I navigate the curbed streets.
Zeke ends the silence. “Meeting you was an accident. I didn’t know Nephilim lived in Valley Lake when I moved here.”
I keep my eyes forward. “Then what brought you here?”
“Peace and quiet,” he replies. I turn and look at him, wondering if I imagined the tired tone in his voice.
He meets my gaze. “When I realized you had no idea what you were—that your angelic parent left you ignorant of your heritage—I decided to leave town. I didn’t want to draw someone here and risk your discovery by others of our kind.” I think that’s the most I’ve ever heard Zeke say at once.
If my memory serves me correctly, Zeke’s typical speech was characterized by sentences with less than five words. I watch him carefully, looking for any hint of deception, but nothing stands out. He’s telling the truth.
I sigh and look at the road. I’ve slowed down quite a bit while Zeke talked, but I need to pay attention so I don’t miss my street.
“You say you left to protect my identity,” I summarize his words. “So why are you back?”
“Because I told him about your transformation.” Adrian leans forward and places his hands on the front seats, near our shoulders.
“You didn’t bother to come check on me beforehand?” If Zeke realized I was ignorant of my angelic heritage, why wouldn’t he come back to give me a heads up about my transformation before it started?
“I didn’t know your birthday,” he says in a flat voice.
His words sting, but I refuse to let them affect me. I would’ve thought he cared enough to find out my birthday before he left in the middle of the proverbial night. “Got it. You’re back because you learned about my transformation.”
“And the yancor demon nest hunting you,” Adrian states.
His words bring forth images of black blood and burnt flesh. I swallow back my nausea. “So, what? I’m going to have four bodyguards now?”
Adrian and Zeke do not hesitate. “Yes,” they both say.
“Fantastic,” I mumble under my breath. Just what I need, my old teenage crush turns out to be an angel, and now he’s going to follow me everywhere.
I don’t know how much longer I can take the angels and their constant proximity. Eventually, my parents are going to see them, and I don’t know what I will tell them when they do. I hardly think the truth will go over well. My mom and dad would take me in for a psychological evaluation the moment I uttered anything about Fallen Angels and Nephilim.
No. Telling them the truth is not an option.
I pull into my driveway and thank God my parents are at work. After I exit the car and close the door, I look at the angels, shifting awkwardly.
“Well… now I know you’re an angel,” I speak to Zeke. He has his hands tucked in his pockets, again, and the sunlight glints off the familiar stubble on his chin. I marvel at how foolish I’d been to ever think he was a teenager like me. I blame movies. They always cast actors in their twenties to portray teenagers.
In the real world, I should’ve realized there was no way Zeke was the sixteen-year-old he’d claimed to be. He’s all muscle and confidence, just as he’d been four years ago. Obviously, he’s well past the awkward years of puberty.
“There is something else we wish to discuss,” Adrian says. He jerks his head towards my house. “Can we speak inside?”
“Oh… uh…” I try to think of an excuse to avoid talking. My mind and heart are a mess after seeing Zeke again. I’ve managed to hide how deeply his reappearance has affected me, but I need a moment to get my thoughts and emotions under control.
My phone rings in my purse. I quickly reach for the device. “Hello?”
“Alright, spill. What happened with the two blond hunks?” Annie immediately asks. She must’ve timed my departure from the restaurant and the drive to my house perfectly. So much for waiting for me to text first.
I cringe and cover the earpiece, hoping the guys won’t be able to hear any other embarrassing comments from my friend. “Hold on,” I tell her before also muffling the mouthpiece.
Then, I look at the angels. Adrian is smirking, but Zeke won’t meet my eye.
I focus on the amused brother. “Can we talk later? My dad usually comes home early on Wednesdays.” And I don’t want him to see me with the angels.
Adrian looks at his brother. He nods. “Sure. It can wait. We’ll talk at lunch tomorrow.”
“Lunch?” My voice raises in pitch. I cough to clear my throat.
“Yes,” Adrian doesn’t back down. “We might as well eat while we talk.”
Normally, something as casual as lunch wouldn’t unnerve me. But I can’t pretend lunch with Adrian and Zeke would be casual. Just thinking about sitting across from their matching hazel eyes, subjecting myself to their undivided attention, rattles me.
I stand there, trying to find a way to get myself out of the meal, when Zeke says, “See you tomorrow, Ron.” He turns and walks down my inclined driveway.
Adrian dips his forehead, still smirking, then follows his twin.
I watch their departure with mixed emotions. I’m glad to be alone to process my thoughts, but I cannot deny the disappointment I feel when seeing them walk away.
“Hello? Earth to Veronica?” My hand has slipped from the earpiece, allowing Annie’s voice to break through.
I lift the phone back to my ear. “Hey. Sorry about that. I was saying goodbye to someone.”
“Someone tall, blond and handsome, I hope.”
I walk to my front door. I unlock the door and shut it behind me, flipping the lock, before I reply, “Yes.”
Annie squeals. “Oh, girl, spill it. How do you know the guys from the restaurant?”
; I greet Periwinkle, scratching her ears. “One of them was Zeke.”
“Zeke? As in, the Zeke?”
Annie, of course, knew about my crush on my kickboxing instructor. I couldn’t keep something like that from my best friend. Though, she’d never seen him. By the time I finally agreed to bring Annie to one of my classes to check him out for herself, Zeke had left Valley Lake.
“Yes,” I answer. “The Zeke.”
“Woah. What’s he doing back in town?”
Quickly, I come up with a lie. “His brother lives here. He’s visiting.”
“Was his brother the other guy with him? Which one was Zeke? The taller or shorter one?”
I try to think about the men’s heights, but I hadn’t noticed a difference between them. “Um… Zeke is the one with golden hair. Adrian is more platinum blond.”
Annie hums her approval. “Well, they’re both crazy hot. But why were they at the restaurant? And I saw them get in your car. First the black-haired customer, and now two hunky brothers. You must be emitting some crazy vibes into the universe,” Annie rambles, and I cringe when she makes the comment about emitting vibes. She has no idea how close she is to the truth.
“Zeke just wanted to say hi,” I lie again. “He saw me working through the window, and they’d walked to the restaurant from where they parked on Main Street. We went outside to talk, and I offered to drive them back to their car so they could avoid walking in the heat.” To distract Annie from asking any more tough questions, I add, “And it turns out I met Zeke’s brother at the Young and Heart concert last week. Small world, huh?” I’d told Annie about Adrian two days ago.
She, Joey and I had been hanging out at my house Monday evening, spending time together before Joey left Valley Lake to visit his older brother in California. I’d been relieved to see Joey was, as Adrian had said, unharmed from the demon attack on Saturday night. Joey and I had spoken on the phone and he sounded normal, but it wasn’t until I confirmed there were no lingering cuts or bruises that I finally believed the angel.
Claimed by the Fallen: A Fallen Angel Reverse Harem Novel (The Fallen Harem Book 1) Page 10
