Page 84 of Reluctant Rebel

Jinx rolled her eyes but accepted the hug. Her ears picked up the rare sound of his beating heart, and she knew he must have just eaten someone before making his way back to the palace. Pulling back, she said, “It wasn’t my fault. How was I supposed to know Z would show up wearing a Brax meat-suit?”

“Exactly my concern. Zagan could be anyone. You’ll stay within the palace until the bastard is caught. No more gallivanting around the realms,” Gage scolded her.

“I was with Mikhail,” Jinx reminded him.

They were in Brax’s quarters, waiting for the two royals and the two angels to complete their tasks so they could discuss their next steps. It was already late in the day, almost dinner time, and Jinx had managed to avoid everyone until now. She’d spent the day in her guest room, reliving the spectacular Mikhail sex. She’d also freaked out a lot.

“I don’t care who you were with,” Gage said. “And I don’t care about the reason, either. Keep your stripey butt behind the palace walls.”

“I second that,” Eric stated, walking briskly into the room. He looked her over before hugging her and giving her a little shake. “Stop scaring me!”

Jinx pursed her lips. Eric and Gage were in just as much danger as she was. All of Purgatory was. “It’s not intentional.”

“I know that,” Eric soothed. He wrapped an arm over her shoulders, leading her to the comfy lounge. “You can’t help it if you’re a magnet for trouble.”

Jinx shoved him, and he landed laughingly on the cushions. “I think you have me confused with someone else.Manysomeones.”

Eric’s eyes widened innocently, and he turned to Gage, who was beside him. “Who, me?”

“Yes, you!” Jinx retorted, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring down at the two males. “You’re a vampiric street thief. Gage is a reanimated corpse who eats flesh. Sabre is an angel assassin. Braxhireda notorious assassin to do his dirty work. And Mikhail literally murdered himself. I’m low maintenance compared to all of you.”

“She may have a point,” Gage mock-whispered to Eric.

Eric grinned and shrugged. “Maybe. When are the others getting here?”

“Sabre should be here soon,” Jinx replied, dropping the verbal spanking. It was pointless. The whole crazy bunch of them were entirely unrepentant. And they were never going to change. “She messaged me ten minutes ago. I think Brax and Mikhail will be in the office for a while longer. They have a lot to talk about. Draven will be staying close while Sabre comes here.”

She was feeling anxious about Sabre's arrival. Not only had she promised Mikhail she would reveal the drama with the collar, but she hadn’t spoken alone with her friend since she’d screwed Mikhail’s brains out. She had no idea how the deadly angel would take the news.

“Good. Then we have some time,” Eric said eagerly.

“Time for what?” Jinx asked, sitting herself down in the armchair.

“Time to talk about how Mikhail took you to Heaven yesterday.” Eric winked and leered at her. “In more ways than one.”

She picked up a pillow and threw it at Eric. “How do you know?”

Eric relaxed back against the lounge, though Jinx noted Gage looked a bit stiff. “Brax told me about the trip to the pearly gates. Mikhail asked Brax if he thought you’d like a ‘destination gift’. Brax said he sounded nervous, which is super cute. As for the other thing …” He inhaled deeply. “You smell like sex.”

Jinx gasped, immediately lifting her arm so she could smell her pits. “I do not smell like sex!”

Eric pointed to himself. “Vampire, remember? I can tell you showered—more than once—but the scent of lust and pheromones is still rather strong.”

She was absolutely mortified. Before she could threaten Eric with bodily harm, Sabre opened the door and walked in. She looked tired, something she rarely did. But between Brax, Mikhail, and the civil unrest, she was in high demand. Jinx purposely looked at a point just above Sabre’s right shoulder as she greeted her. If Eric could sniff out the orgasms, Sabre sure as hell couldseethem.

“What’s going on? You all look guilty, but for different reasons,” Sabre said, squishing onto the lounge next to Gage.

“Nothing,” Jinx was quick to respond. “We were just waiting for you.”

“So we can dissect your sex life?” Sabre blanched. “I’d rather not.”

Eric laughed, and Gage’s lips twitched. Jinx mimed slitting their throats before addressing Sabre. “You know, huh?”

“That you tasted Mikhail’s forbidden fruit? Yes. I know. The pair of you looked like you’d been on a slutty bender when you returned from Heaven,” Sabre informed her dryly.

Jinx felt her cheeks heat, but she didn’t hide this time. “You sound disapproving. I thought you’d be thrilled, what with Operation Cupid on the line.”

“Operation Cupid?” Sabre repeated. “Never heard of it.”

---