Page 70 of Reluctant Rebel

“Correction: theballgave you a concussion. Not me,” Sabre retorted primly.

Mikhail thrust a finger in her face. “That’s semantics, and you know it. Besides, who uses a cannonball for dodgeball?”

Sabre huffed as ifhewas the frustrating one. “It taught you how to dodge, didn’t it?”

Mikhail couldn’t argue with that. It had, in fact, made him an expert in evasion tactics. He remained silent, crossing his arms over his chest and doing his best to look intimidating. When Sabre smiled smugly, saying, “See, you should be thanking me. Not whining,” he shook his head, his mouth quirking. He should have known better. Nothing intimidated the angel.

“So, that’s a no to dodgeball?” Eric asked, looking between Mikhail and Sabre.

“It’s a no,” Mikhail grumbled.

“It’s a yes,” Brax said at the same time.

“Well, I’m in,” Sabre declared. “Tomorrow will come soon enough. And it’s likely to suck. We may as well enjoy ourselves while we can.”

“Any excuse to launch a projectile at Sabre is my kind of game,” Draven spoke up. “I’ll play.”

Sabre sneered at the other angel. “Oh please, as if you have any chance of hitting me.”

Mikhail was mortified as, one by one, his maniac friends agreed to a childish game of dodgeball.Well, they can do what they want,he decided. It didn’t meanhehad to participate. But then, he heard Jinx’s wonderful voice.

“I happen to like dodgeball,” she said. “I’m in.”

He spun around. “You do?”

“I’m a tiger,” she reminded him. “My reflexes are unmatched.”

“I take it this means you’re playing?” Lucifer asked with a smirk. He was holding the pearl that Sabre stole from Heaven and had recently re-gifted to Jinx. “We can use this. It’s from Atlantis—perfectly indestructible.”

“Wait …” Jinx held up a hand. “That pearl is from Atlantis?”

Lucifer tossed it into the air, catching it deftly. “Yep. Most of Atlantis is in Heaven these days. It’s a good score,” he told Sabre.

“Told you it was a good present,” Sabre said smugly.

The third time the pearl hit Jinx, Mikhail’s tolerance waned. If he didn’t know any better, he’d say the others were purposely aiming for her. But why would they do that? If her frown was anything to go by, Jinx also looked confused with all the attention. Walking over, Mikhail offered her a hand up.

“Thanks,” Jinx murmured. “I may need to retract my earlier comment. I don’t seem to have any reflexes today, cat-like or otherwise. Maybe I’m getting old.”

“I don’t think it’s you,” Mikhail said. He curled his hand into a fist, wanting to retain the warmth from her skin. “And twenty is hardly old.”

She tilted her head, eyeing him curiously. “Does my age bother you?”

“It’s hardly crossed my mind,” he answered swiftly. But found himself being honest under her direct stare. “But that’s because I’d never given any thought to how young you are compared to me.”

“Young doesn’t mean inexperienced. And old doesn’t mean wise,” Jinx pointed out. “I also don’t believe age has anything to do with compatibility.”

Mikhail grinned, loving the fiery look in her eyes. “I love the way your eyes shine when you’re passionate about something.”

Her head lost its stubborn tilt. “You do?”

He nodded. “I’ve yet to find anything I don’t like about you,includingyour age.”

“That’s nice,” Jinx murmured, smiling endearingly. “And for what it’s worth, I like older men.” Her gaze roved over him from head to toe, pausing at his crotch before her gaze returned to his flushed face. “I also think counting the years is a convenient tally system. It calculates thepassingof lives but not the substance of the life lived.”

“I believe it,” Mikhail vowed.

Jinx’s brows winged up. “You do? That was quick.”

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