After the Fall (Broken Angel #2) Read Free Page B

twinkling of lights on the highest peak.
    He closed his eyes for a moment, waiting for the ache to pass. Being away for the past few weeks, he hadn’t even realized it was still there, lingering deep in his heart. He had Gabrielle to thank for that. How did she know what he was feeling when he couldn’t understand it himself?
    He’d thought spending time away from Lash and Naomi would help him get some perspective on what he was feeling. But when he returned and stood alone in Lash’s empty room, he questioned who his heart was aching for—Lash or Naomi.
    His hands scrubbed over his face with frustration. He had let himself go since he left, almost as if punishing himself. He didn’t bother with shaving. He didn’t even bother dressing in his favorite custom suits anymore. Instead, he wore whatever he could throw on, like black slacks and T-shirts. Even his once perfectly coiffed hair was different, with scraggly bangs falling over his eyes and the rest long enough to brush against his collarbone. The only luxury he allowed himself was a black leather jacket that matched his new crocodile boots.
    He looked up into the darkening sky, trying to pinpoint the exact moment when everything changed. When had he turned from a loyal best friend to someone who was not to be trusted? Could he blame Lash for not having faith in him when even he didn’t know if he could trust himself when it came to Naomi?
    Jeremy pushed himself off the rail and paced the length of the bridge, his shiny black boots clicking on the wood. I was doing my job. That’s all.
    Watching over Lash and making sure he took Naomi to Shiprock—that was what he’d been told to do, and he had done it. He’d followed his orders to a “T.” So what if he may have checked in on them a little more than what was required of him? There was no harm in that. And he may have felt a little bit of jealousy—no, concern. Yes, that was it; he was concerned when he saw the obvious attraction between the two of them. He had to warn Lash to leave her alone. He’d thought it would ruin Lash’s chance to return home.
    Jeremy froze as he recalled the words he had said to Lash.
    She’s not for you.
    Why had he said that to him?
    You know why, a small voice whispered in his head.
    He slammed his hand against the rail. He knew perfectly well why. He wished he could forget all of it and just have a fresh start with Lash and Naomi. But he couldn’t.
    Fighting against his memories of her, he gripped the railing so hard his knuckles went white. It had been easier before, when his sole focus was accomplishing a mission. Now, he struggled to push from his mind how he felt when he first saw her: long, dark hair falling forward draping her beautiful face as she hovered over a dying Deborah. It had been as if lightning hit his chest and restarted a heart that he hadn’t known had stopped. It had only been when Lash appeared obviously threatened by the way he looked at her that he’d been able to pull himself away and focus on the task at hand. Ever since then, he’d been shaking away growing feelings, feelings he’d had no idea where they came from until Raphael had told him—he was his son, and long ago he had been betrothed to Naomi.
    “Are you ready?”
    Jeremy whipped around at the sound of the voice. “Gabrielle. I thought I was alone.”
    She stepped from out of the shadows. A breeze blew soft blonde waves around a stern face. “You’ve been in isolation for weeks. Have you prepared yourself for your new task?”
    Jeremy was surprised by her tone. Was he dreaming that only a few weeks ago, it had been Gabrielle who suggested he leave to get some space from all that had happened between him and Lash? She had seemed so kind and patient.
    He looked back up at the mountain and wondered if Lash was still angry with him, and as much as he tried not to, he thought of Naomi. “Couldn’t this be given to Lash? He’s better suited.”
    “Michael was adamant that this