Page 114 of How Not to Date an Angel

Julian swallowed and tried to put on a brave face. “I’m not implying anything. I’msuggesting… we take care of the problem ourselves.”

Rami shook their head. “Absolutely not. We are forbidden to meddle in human affairs.”

“You’re literally a therapist,” Julian drawled.

“I’m aresearcher!” Rami argued.

“Cutting it a little close there, wouldn’t you say?” Julian retorted sharply, unsure why when he didn’t even want to do this in the first place. “I know it bothers you. That he can just walk away from this, while Melissa is the one who’s afraid and alone.”

“She’s not alone. She has me, and the DV shelter will take care of her.” Rami sounded as if they were trying to convince themself.

“Yeah, but she can’t stay there forever. Like you said, the restraining order is just a piece of paper. If he violates it, they’ll slap him with a fine and he’ll pay it and his life will go on. And you…” Julian sucked in a breath. “You won’t be able to protect her forever. Not so long as that asshole’s out there,” he argued, waving a hand toward the windows.

Rami’s gaze snapped in that direction as if he expected the very subject of their conversation to be on the other sides of the panes.

Their voice was stiff as they said, “It is unfortunate that humans have let their world turn into this. However, it is not my prerogative—”

“Oh,fuckyour prerogative,” Julian hissed, annoyed with Rami’s moral superiority. “You’re anangel—aren’t you supposed to protect humans? How is doing nothing protecting that one?” He motioned to the back door, where they’d walked Melissa to the car. “You can save her.”

“What do yousuggest I do?” Rami snapped, back ramrod-straight as they wheeled on the demon. “What is it?”

“We take care of him,” Julian said.

“Be. Specific,” Rami bit out, teeth gritted.

“Do what the cops won’t. Make it so he can’t hurt her again.”

“And how, exactly, do you suggestwedo such a thing?” Rami asked it like he already knew the answer.

Julian’s heart was thundering in his chest. “I think you already know,” Julian whispered.

Rami’s brows furrowed as their gaze searched Julian’s. Their eyes were gray, stormy, with the fury of emotions in their depths.

Then they… nodded. “I see. I think you’re quite right.”

Then Rami shrugged, and Julian’s jaw dropped as their wings unfurled.

They were flawless. Shiny, pure-white perfection, with veins of silver visible beneath the thinner layers of feather, of which there were few. No, this angel’s wings were thick as clouds and probably just as soft, aside from the eyes that blinked eerily at him from between the feathers.

Their halo was blinding, silver and beautiful and hard to look at.

Their skin matched, shining beneath the low lighting of the living room.

And despite the way his stomach sank, he couldn’t help but think,we’d look beautiful together.Silver and gold.

Then the angel snapped their wings, and they were gone.

Julian’s stomach dropped.

He stared at the space the angel had just occupied, now glaringly empty.

Oh fuck.

Julian carded one hand through his hair, then both, tugging on the strands.

Ohfuck.

Julian had done it: the final temptation.

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