Page 6 of Wrath

Bam! Shade shoots, Shade scores.

Shade strolled into the corridor. Straight for her hiding place, which was not so much a hiding place as her trying to make herself small against the wall.

It was too late to move, and Haziel held her ground. When he drew abreast of her, he stopped and lowered his voice, “You skulking now?”

“No.” Well, technically she was. “I came to find Wrath, and she arrived before I could.” Honesty compelled her to say. “So now I definitely am skulking.”

Shade chuckled. “Keep an eye on him. That woman is a fucking bitch.”

It seemed as if beings were tossing Wrath at her from all directions. “That’s what Ramiel wants, for me to keep an eye on Wrath, so that’s what I’m here to do.”

“And you always do what Ramiel wants, don’t you?” Shade’s gaze was gentle and empathetic as he looked at her. “He doesn’t deserve you.”

“You’re probably right.” Ramiel had certainly never encouraged her unfortunate feelings for him. “Then again, do any of us really deserve those we love?”

Shade dropped his head and looked at the floor. He heaved a sigh that seemed to come from the depths of his immortal soul. “True that, gorgeous. Fucking true that.”

Asmodeus, prince of lust and sexy times had called her gorgeous. Haziel was horrified to feel a blush stealing up her cheeks and had to repress the desire to giggle. Instead, she cleared her throat and tried to sound levelheaded. “Good luck finding Eddie.”

“Thanks.” He nodded and strode away.

In the kitchen, Wrath and Rosabella had taken positions at opposite sides of the small room. Wrath was presently jammed up against the fridge and looked like a demon with its horns in a trap. He folded his muscular arms and dropped his chin like a prize fighter staring down the contender. “You should have told me about Eddie.”

“Told you when?” Rosabella propped her hands on the counter behind her and leaned back slightly. Her muslin skirt draped lovingly over her long legs. “When you were busy fighting one of your inane wars? Or maybe I should have crossed hell to find you and let you know you’d left a little something behind?”

“You sent me back there.” Wrath growled. “You sent me back to my demesne when you told me you were done with me.”

Rosabella sighed. “Don’t be a fucking drag, Wrath. You didn’t want a daughter any more than I did.”

“Is that what you thought?” Wrath’s expression was genuine confusion. “You thought I would abandon my child?”

“You walked away from me fast enough.” Rosabella sniffed. “What was I supposed to think?”

Wrath took a deep breath, his huge chest rising and falling like it housed a working set of bellows. “You’re rewriting history. You were the one who walked away from us. I wanted to try.” He jabbed a thumb into his chest. “I was the one who would have done anything to make us work.”

“Oh, please.” Rosabella glared and tossed her head. “You were…are…a hell prince. I was never a priority for you.”

“I guard the seal to wrath.” He gaped at her. “It’s an important job, but that didn’t mean I never had time for you. I wanted you. I loved you.”

Haziel suspected he might still love Rosabella. Her heart went out to him a bit. Unrequited love was totally shitty. And Wrath had lost a daughter when he’d lost his love as well. Watching him defy the entire treaty to assure Eddie’s safety, Haziel had a feeling he would have made a great father. A scooch overprotective, but a good father nonetheless. Human girls needed a strong father in their lives. Fates alone knew, human girls had enough challenges to face and enough stacked against them.

“This is all ancient history.” Rosabella flapped a hand. “And you know why we had to keep her a secret.”

That much was true. Love Ramiel as she did, Haziel wouldn’t like to bet against the possibility that he might have eliminated a Nephilim if he’d known about her.

Haziel didn’t get the abhorrence archangels had for Nephilim. It wasn’t like Nephilim had any choice in their conception. And if Eddie was an example of Nephilim, Haziel couldn’t agree with the elimination policy preached by the archangels. Eddie was lovely and sweet, also missing and in all kinds of danger.

“You should have told me about my child,” Wrath said. “I could have kept her safe.”

Rosabella’s facade crumbled, and tears filled her blue-green eyes. “You’re right. I should have told you.” She wiped at her cheeks with her palm. “But I was frightened.”

Wrath flinched. “Frightened? Of me?”

“You’re so…” Rosabella’s voice quavered. “You’re so intense. So much. How did I know you wouldn’t get angry and try to kill me and the baby?”

Now Wrath could be a bastard, and he certainly had a temper, but killing a pregnant woman? No. Haziel studied Rosabella a bit closer. She didn’t want to be harsh, but she wasn’t entirely sure the woman was genuine. If she’d been so afraid of Wrath, why had she become his lover?

“Rosabella.” Wrath frowned at her. “Is this what you think of me?”

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