Page 21 of Death Match

“That’s perfect,” he said.

“I thought so, too.”

Sean’s gaze met mine, and something passed over his face, as if he was holding something back but was about to burst at any second.

Not sure what to do, I reached out to pat his shoulder, but before I could even touch him, he blurted out, “Thank you, Jade. Thank you.” He took a shaky breath to regroup himself. “Going through Hell and back for my family… I…”

“Hey,” I said softly, “I owed you guys for everything you did for me and my friend, Kay.”

“Just…thank you. Seriously.” He wanted to hug me, but he was unsure. I could see his internal struggle in his posture.

Since I wasn’t one for hugging, I gripped his arm, gave it a light squeeze, and smiled.

“You’re never alone, okay? I hope you know that,” I said.

Sean sniffed, and the corner of his mouth lifted. “Usually when people say that, it’s a load of crap. But coming from you, someone who’s a spirit half of the time, it has to be real.”

I chuckled. “It is.”

Glancing over at the door, I realized I had probably already overstayed. Eli had to be searching for me by now. But really, I didn’t want to leave yet. Especially because I didn’t know when I’d be able to come back.

Then I remembered the other little tidbit of information Monnie had told me about Cole and his demon father. If I was never going to see him again—which was something I was planning on—then maybe Sean could pass the message along. He’d most likely see him.

“Oh, one more thing,” I said.

“Yeah?”

“I don’t know if I’ll ever see him again, so next time Cole calls or stops in, could you give him a message for me?”

Sean’s entire body tensed. “A-A message?”

I hesitated, confused by the quick change in his demeanor. Why was he suddenly so nervous?

When Sean opened his mouth to speak, another voice came from the hallway behind him, and a man stepped into the dim light of the kitchen, revealing ocean-blue eyes, ruffled hair, and a heart-stopping sideways smile.

“Why don’t you tell him yourself.”

Cole Masters. The one and only. Right there in front of me.

My heart took a dive straight for the floor. I couldn’t move. Couldn’t even think. His presence had taken me completely off guard.

“Jade.” The way he said my name caused goose bumps to rise all over my skin. He hadn’t said it in any special way, but for some reason, just hearing it come from his lips again after all this time did things to my body I couldn’t control.

Then came the anger. Hard and fast. Turning my insides to liquid magma. I had thought I had resolved all my feelings for him, especially since we had talked about his and Azrael’s deal after the fight with Xaver, but apparently there were still some things I had buried that were now coming back to the surface.

Really, I shouldn’t be feeling a thing. It had been months since we’d seen each other. Months. And besides, I was with Eli now and happy. What Cole and I had shared before was nothing. It had only been part of his job, which still stung to admit.

Then why was I acting this way?

I cleared my throat, hoping it would be enough to clear my head, too, and pulled my shoulders back. “Geez, Cole, were you creeping around in the shadows the entire time?” I asked.

He laughed, and my heart skipped a beat at the familiar sound. “Creeping, no. I was, however, checking out Sean’s new security system.” He hooked a thumb over his shoulder at the darkened hallway toward the bedrooms. “He has an entire surveillance room back there. Monitors everywhere. Like in the movies. He’s a real whiz kid now.”

I glanced around the trailer to see a few more of those dome cameras inside. One in the living room, hallway, and even one in the kitchen, partially hidden behind a set of vintage cookie jars set on top of the cabinets.

“So, youwerespying on us,” I said.

“Only a little.”

---