Page 21 of Death Deals

“And I told you I’d wake you once we landed.”

We were on solid ground again? I glanced at the nearby window and saw the blacktop of another airport runway and a few other planes in the distance.

I’d made it? Sleeping the entire way, but still.

Perfect.

“We’re in Michigan?”

“Yes, we are. And we have limited time to get to the hotel before sunrise,” he said and outstretched his hand to me.

I only stared at it, nervous to touch him and what would happen if I did.

“I won’t bite.” He chuckled at his stupid joke, causing me to roll my eyes as I walked to the door. He was beside me in the next second and opened it for me. Must have been those old gentlemanly manners of his. But sure, I’d let him have his moment.

As we entered the main cabin, the others were exiting. Andre led me down the steps, making sure to keep close enough to make my skin tingle while keeping to the ruse that we were together. I tried to tell myself this wouldn’t be going on for long. There were only five more days until my showdown with Monnie, and after that—if I survived it, that is—my deal with Andre would be done.

I could go home.

Wherever home was, nowadays. I wasn’t really sure. I couldn’t return to my apartment in the afterlife until my job as an Archangel was done, and with Eli and I in such a weird place, his house in the Holdings was probably off the table, too.

Once we were in our pickup car—another hoity-toity number with a driver and fancy interior—I lost myself to my thoughts. I tried to imagine what Wyatt and Lisa were doing at this moment. Serving patrons at Arrogant Bastard’s? Was Marla there, sipping her fruity Cosmo that Wyatt hated to make?

And what about Simon and Kyle? Was he getting used to being a reaper? I know Simon had the patience of a saint, but Kyle was just a kid, really.

But who knew? Maybe he’d be better at reaping souls than I was.

Actually, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was. I had sucked.

WhatwasI good at, really? Besides getting myself into terrible situations? I couldn’t come up with a thing.

“You know, when you go into your own head, you get these two little creases in between your brows. Two wrinkles.” Andre’s voice brought me back to my body and the car.

I rubbed my forehead, suddenly embarrassed. How long had he been staring at me?

“I have to say, you aren’t exactly what I expected for an Archangel,” he said.

I glared at him. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”

He blinked. “Well, frankly, that.”

“What?”

“I’ve lived a long time. I’ve seen all kinds of supernaturals, but I’ve never seen anything Heaven-made. Hell creatures are as expected, but you…”

“Spit it out, Andre,” I said through clenched teeth.

Pausing, his expression blanked as he reconsidered his words.

I closed my eyes and sighed. I couldn’t get mad at him. He wasn’t wrong. In comparison to Eli, Michael, and the other angels, I wasn’t really in the same category.

“I didn’t mean to offend you,” he went on. “What I was trying to say was that you seem more…humanthan what I assumed an angel would be like. But as I said before, I’ve never met any of the holier ones, so—”

I waved my hand to cut him off. “Save it. It’s okay. I get what you’re saying, and it’s true. I’m not like the others,” I said. “I’m a special breed, if you will.”

At least that’s what I tell myself.

It sounded better that way.

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