The Redeemable: Part Two Page 4

  “I'm fine. Lucifer is in town. He just came to visit Ace inside my brain. It's like when you turn on the stereo and it's already up to the highest volume. Just a bit of a shock, that's all.”

  Valery wrapped me in a hug, and I laid my head on his shoulder. He was a little shorter than the other guys, not too much, but enough that I wasn't hugging his sternum like I was with Sam and Oz. We fit together almost perfectly.

  “Come, I'll box the rest of the entremets up and walk you to your room. You look like you could use the rest.”

  I was suddenly exhausted. I was too busy living to give my body the rest it needed. Once again I felt resentful of the hand I'd been dealt. If I'd been healthy… but there was no point in falling into the abyss of ‘what-ifs’.

  As Valery gave me his elbow, the box of desserts in his other hand, I appreciated the Gallic handsomeness of his face.

  I was what I was, and right now, that made me the luckiest woman on earth.

  Chapter Five

  By the time I woke from my nap, it was already late afternoon. My stomach was bloated from far too many French desserts, I may have eaten them all at once, and my body was exhausted.

  I laid in bed a second longer, before it dawned on me that it was a knock on the door that had woken me. I shifted out of bed, glad I was still in my shorts, and went to the door. I opened it to find Orion on the other side, looking awkward as hell.

  I hadn't seen him much since the incident at the club, maybe once or twice with the guys, and in my apartment when Luc came to visit. Other than that, he’d been like smoke. He was definitely avoiding me.

  I opened the door wider and invited him in. He pecked me on the cheek on the way past.

  “Do you want a beer?” I asked, heading for the kitchen. Whoever did my grocery shopping left me some after Lucifer's last visit.

  “Please.”

  He looked so nervous, and it morphed his whole face. Gone was the confident man who oozed sex through hooded eyes. He looked younger, and I revised my estimated age for him down a few years. He couldn't be that much older than my own twenty-one.

  I handed him the beer and sat down on the arm chair across from him.

  “Are you okay?” He was acting weird. I wouldn't say I was an expert on any of their behaviour yet, but this was definitely weird for Ri.

  “Yeah I'm good. I just wanted to come and apologize for what happened. You know, at the club.”

  I scrunched up my face. I'd kind of put the whole experience in a small box and stuffed it deep into the recesses of my brain, never to be thought about again.

  “Okay? I don't know why you're apologizing, though. You didn't make those guys into perverted scum.”

  Ri stood, and began pacing around the room. “No, but I should have been taking better care of you, watching you better. That's my club, I should have known if someone was trying to roofie women on the dance floor. I completely failed you. Everyone thinks so. I know so.”

  Oh.

  I'm not sure if this is sweet or pathetic. But I really need to help you develop some ass kicking moves so you don't have to spend the rest of your days surrounded by so much chest-beating testosterone. A girl needs to be able to handle herself. It's the first thing I'll do when I get my body back.

  I laughed. The first thing?

  Okay maybe the tenth thing, but still high on the list.

  I could understand that. It was worse for Ace now, to be trapped inside my head. Now she remembered what it was like to be free, and the confines of my mind were chafing. Soon, Ace. Then you can do whatever you please. Run naked through the bowels of hell eating a burrito, if that's what you want.

  That wasn't on the list, but it is now. Hell, I'm making that number four on my list of things to do when I regain my body. By the way, your boy over there is starting to look uncomfortable.

  Whoops. I realised that I hadn't answered Ri. I stood and stepped in front of him, halting his pacing.

  “Look at me, Orion.” He stared down at me with his large golden eyes that usually promised pleasure but held nothing but uncertainty and perhaps a touch of fear now. “It was in no way your fault. You are my friend, hopefully one day something more. You are not my bodyguard. I'm a grown woman. I've been fending for myself for years. I don't need you guys to protect me every second of the day.”

  “But-”

  “There were hundreds of people in Dante's that night, you can't have known that those dirt bags were planning on anything. I was having fun up until that point. I don't need another overprotective lover. I'm dying, Ri. At some point I want to let go and have fun. Besides, Lux gave them an ass whooping they won't forget anytime soon.”

  A small smile curled on Ri’s face. “No. They will think twice before trying to do anything against a woman's will ever again.”

  I narrowed my eyes. “What did you do after we left?”

  His face was serious again. “Eli said it was best if I didn't tell you.”

  “Ri…”

  He shrugged, and sat down on my armchair, pulling me onto his lap and snuggling me against him like a teddy bear. He breathed deeply.

  “I've wanted to hold you for days. That shit with Luc would have shaved a decade off my life if I wasn't already, you know, dead.”

  I wrapped my arms around his chest, letting him indulge in the physical contact he needed. I felt better too, so maybe we both needed it. But when he was silent too long, I poked him in the ribs.

  “Ouch. Okay. After I was sure that Lux had you safe, I followed those guys outside. You gotta understand, Cady that lust can result in something magical and beautiful. And I've always used my powers in that way. Well most of the time. There was a time at the beginning that we were still trying to understand everything that resulted in a couple of accidents, but that doesn't matter right now. What I'm trying to say is that lust can be a positive thing.

  “But it can also be a brutal, terrible thing. Something that destroys and punishes. I was so angry at those animals for trying to rape you, that I thought they should taste their own medicine.”

  “Ri…”

  “So I followed them out to the car park, and I waited until they got in their car, and I told them that they were never, ever to lay a hand on you or any other woman ever again. And then I hit them with a massive wave of lust. The only way they could assuage the urge was with each other. But neither was willing. It got...messy. Then the paparazzi happened to wander past. Did you know that they were the sons of popular congressmen?”

  I was completely still in Ri’s arms. I didn't know how to feel.

  If I was there, I'd give Ri a big high five. Those scumbags got what they deserved. Just wait until they get to hell. I have a long memory. Oh, wait until I tell Luc. He's going to love that. He already had such plans for them. No one hurts his Redeemer. Ace sounded pleased and even a little amused. But she had spent centuries in hell, she was immune to this kind of barbarity.

  Was it any different to Lux pounding them with his fists? I was willing to forgive Lux for that. But there was something horrifying about revenge being so intimate. Maybe my mind shied away from it because I was female, and that loss of control was always an all too real threat.

  It was exactly what those guys planned to do to you, and have probably done to dozens of other women. God wasn't above an eye for an eye in the old days, so I doubt he would have a problem with Orion's punishment either.

  Ace was right. It was poetic justice, even if it was wrong.

  Ri was still staring at my face, and I realized he was holding his breath. “I can't condone using your power like that, but thank you for the spirit behind it. I pretty sure the dozens of other girls that were in my position would have gotten some kind of satisfaction from seeing those pictures in the paper.”

  “You're welcome,” he said and kissed my head.

  “But, you can never do that ever, ever again. No one should be subject to that.”

  He nodded. “Okay. I've also thought about what you said
that night. About redeeming me even if I continue to sleep with other women.”

  I had said that, even though it grated against my heart. But I made it very clear that I wouldn't share. So he could be in a lot of beds, or just mine. Either way, I would help him.

  “I don't want to sleep with other women. For the first time in forever, I only want to make love to one woman. And it's you.”

  I felt a grin stretched across my face. Thank god. I didn't like to share. Maybe that made me greedy, but the thought of Ri going out every night and sleeping with someone else would have driven me crazy.

  I leaned forward and kissed him, falling into the softness of his full, pink lips. It briefly occurred to me that I should feel ashamed that I had kissed three different men in the space of a morning, four if you counted Eli in the lift, but surprisingly I felt nothing even close to shame. I felt alive. Cherished. Sore.

  I let the kiss consume me, the whole world shrinking down to Ri’s lips on mine.

  Eventually, I pulled away and caught my breath.

  “I'm so happy you are mine,” I kissed his cheek, dipping my tongue in his dimple. “And I'm sorry to be a tease, but I have to go see a man about a ninja.”

  Ri blinked. “Excuse me?”

  “Actually I could use your help. But first,” I walked toward the little sphere that was Mini-Oz, my home management AI. “Mini-Oz, can you tell me where user: Sam is?”

  “User: Sam is on the 2nd floor with users: Oz, Valery and Tolliver.” The automated voice replied.

  “Thanks Mini-Oz. Can you unlock user: Sam’s door for me?”

  “Door unlocked.”

  I picked up the parcel that had been on my doorstep this morning. “Grab that box. It's on.” I waggled my eyebrows and Ri laughed. It was time for me to save some Sins.

  Chapter Six

  “Sam is going to be so mad when he realises you stole his precious cologne. I'm pretty sure it's made with real tiger sweat or something. He gets it shipped here from Paris. Costs like $500 a bottle,” Ri sounded positively gleeful about it.

  I placed Sam’s razors, face creams, the twelve different hair products, and other assorted beauty products in the box in Ri’s arms.

  “Who needs cologne that expensive? Sam needs to stop worry that he is the best looking person in the room. I googled the opposite of envy, and apparently it is kindness. That's why he has to stop being Sam the Model and start being Sam the Benevolent.”

  “He can't be benevolent and have smooth skin?” He asked holding up a jar of night cream.

  I sighed, taking the jar and putting it back on Sam’s vanity.

  “I'm making this up as I go along. I'm petrified that I'm going to screw it all up and get you guys condemned to the depths of hell forever.”

  Ri shifted the box to his hip and gave me a one armed hug.

  “You're doing great. How about we leave him one of everything and steal all his shoes instead? Though we might need a bigger box. Or a shipping container.”

  I placed one of everything back on the counter. I held up the cologne. “Fine, but I'm keeping this. This is just lunacy.”

  “Agreed.”

  We dropped the box filled with beauty stuff, even after putting one of everything back, back at my apartment and headed down to Tolliver's floor.

  I had Mini-Oz open the door, the package still tucked under my arm. The guys were sitting around playing poker. Everyone except Eli and Lux. I knew Eli was on his ED night shift rotation, but I hadn't seen Lux all day.

  “Where's Lux?”

  “His fight is coming up in a couple of days, so he spends most of the time at the gym training,” Oz said, offering me a seat on his lap. I wasn't going to say no to that. I looked at Oz's hand. A pair of Kings, not bad.

  I looked at the chips in front of everyone and laughed. “How long until Tolliver has everyone's money? Because I need to borrow him and Sam for the night.”

  Ri waggled his eyebrows, “The whole night? I'm not gonna lie, I'm a little jealous.”

  I poked my tongue out at him. “That's not what I meant, and you know it.”

  Oz's hand ran up and down my thigh soothingly. Well, kind of soothingly. His fingers kept brushing the inside of my thigh and the gesture was definitely climbing from soothing into something a lot hotter.

  Sam and Valery folded, Oz showed his hand, and Tolliver revealed three of a kind. Oz let out a frustrated grunt.

  “Don't worry, I'm out. Tolliver always wins. Greedy bastard,” Oz grumbled and I kissed his cheek. He turned my face and kissed me softly on the lips, a contented sigh escaping me before I could suck it back.

  “I think I am being struck with Sam's Envy. I want to be the one making her sigh like that right now,” Valery groaned.

  I blushed at the chorus of agreement. Despite Valery's words, there was no jealousy in their faces, just longing. This situation was beyond weird, almost unnatural, but I'd be damned (probably literally) if it didn't work just fine. They were happy to share and I was more than happy to be shared.

  I stood, stretching slowly, feeling their eyes on me like predators observing their prey. But I didn't feel cornered, I felt powerful.

  I passed the package that I'd been carrying around with me all night to Sam. “Can you go put this on? I ordered it online last night and got it express shipped. Yay for Amazon.”

  Sam looked in the bag, and his pretty mouth turned down in a frown. He pulled out the all black costume from the bag.

  “Arcadia, why am I dressing up like a ninja?”

  “You'll see, just get changed. Oz, did you find what I asked for?”

  Oz shifted me on his lap, so I was pressed tighter against him.

  “I did. It took some time to figure out the real ones from the phonies but I crossed checked it and this one fit you specifications perfectly and is legit. I found them on Craigslist, can you believe it?”

  I watched Sam get undressed right there in the living room. I couldn't drag my eyes away as he slowly revealed smooth, hard muscles, his skin a creamy white. He ran his jeans down strong, muscular thighs and I forgot I had to breathe as he stood there in the nude.

  “You don't wear underpants,” I whispered, unable to drag my eyes away even though my brain said that I should.

  Not this part of your brain. Stare all day long. I'm starting to appreciate what you see in the pretty ones. He certainly is quite anatomically perfect, Ace purred.

  Tolliver cleared his throat. “Would you two like the rest of us to leave?”

  I snapped my head towards him. “What? Uh, no. It's okay. I'm just going to close my eyes until he's done though.” I scrunched my eyes shut to the sound of masculine laughter. Assholes. They knew how attractive they were.

  There was rustling as Sam slid on the outfit. “Okay, I'm covered from head to toe like a harem girl now, so you can look.”

  How anyone could still look attractive covered from head to toe in black with nothing but his eyes showing was beyond me, but Sam could achieve it. It didn’t help that he had beautiful eyes that sparkled with mischief. I sighed. Still enviable. I would have to try harder.

  “Let’s go. Does anyone else want to come? Valery? Oz? Tolliver doesn't have much choice and Ri said he’d drive the getaway car, but everyone is welcome.”

  “I wish I could, but I must get to bed. I have to go to the fish market at 4am to get fresh Icelandic trout before those hacks from Gastronomy steal them all out of spite. But I wish to hear all about you adventures tomorrow, oui?” Valery said as he came to stand beside me.

  Apparently the restaurant business was just as cutthroat as the modelling business. “I will.” I kissed his cheek. Oz stood.

  “I’m in. I just want to take a picture of Tolliver's face to show Lux and Eli. This is going to be good.”

  Tolliver scowled. “Just wait until it’s your turn. I hope she makes you do boot camp or crossfit or something.”

  Oz paled, but that was actually a pretty good idea. I’d look into it. I would kind
of like watching him get all sweaty. I made a note to ask Lux if his gym did that kind of thing.

  As a group we descended to the garage. One girl, one guy, one lumberjack, one model and one ninja. We made an interesting group.

  We stood in front of Tolliver’s SUV’s. The Range Rover, the Escalade, the Explorer and the Jeep.

  “Pick one,” I told Tolliver, but I went over and held his hand. Although this seemed easy to me, what I had planned was going to be difficult for Tolliver. He had a compulsion that wasn't going to be easy to break.

  He shook his head. “What am I choosing it for?”

  I pulled out my phone and scrolled to the email Oz had sent me. I clicked on the photo of a woman with three adorable children sitting on the porch steps of a small house in the suburbs.

  “This is Letitia Martin. She is a single mother of three. Her husband died two and a half years ago in a car accident. Six months ago, her youngest daughter, who is only three and a half, was diagnosed with a heart defect. Because it was classed as a pre-existing condition, Letitia's insurance refused to pay for the treatment. She had to sell everything to pay for this surgery. She lost her job because she had to care for her daughter. She lost the house where so many memories of her husband still resided. She is barely making ends meet. She catches a bus two hours each way to drop her kids off at their old school because she didn’t want to uproot them after so many other changes. So today, we are going to change her life. We are going to give one of your cars to her and her family. What do you say?”

  Tolliver stared at me for a long time. His jaw worked as he ground his teeth. Then he turned and walked back to the lift, not looking at me as the doors closed.

  My shoulders slumped. He wasn't going to do it. I wanted to cry. I’d needed this to work. Maybe I’d gone about it the wrong way. Maybe I should have consulted him more, instead of dropping it on him.

  I looked at the guys, who were all staring at me. “I’m sorry. Maybe I’m not the Redeemer. I thought this would work.” I swallowed the lump in my throat, and blinked back tears. Sam was the first to give me a hug.