Jeremy (Broken Angel #4) Read Free Page A

no escaping what he would’ve done if he had to do it all over again, and the guilt made his stomach churn.
    As he passed Lash and Naomi’s mountain cottage, he glanced at the open wall-length window. He jerked to a stop when a shadow darted across the floor. Something or someone was in there. Waiting, he watched the sheer white curtains fluttering in the wind. There was a series of faint clicks, and he saw it again. He flew inside, landing with a soft thump on the bedroom’s gleaming cherry wood floor.
    “Who’s there?” He gazed around the room, wondering who’d be crazy enough to trespass on another angel’s private residence.
    Saleos.
    Would Lucifer’s foot soldier dare to show his face in Heaven? Jeremy had sacrificed his own life to kill Lucifer by submerging them both in the Lake of Fire—the only way an angel could be killed. After Archangel Michael had resurrected him, he’d been warned that Sal and his brothers had escaped.
    Jeremy held his breath, listening carefully for any movement. Saleos wasn’t stupid. He knew all angels had superior hearing and sight, making it difficult to move about Heaven without being detected. Saleos was power hungry enough do something insane like take over where his boss had left off.
    A strong breeze rushed through the room. The bed skirt fluttered, making shadows dance across the gleaming floor. He let out a breath, chuckling to himself.
    “Great. I’m losing it. I’m seeing things that aren’t there. I’m daydreaming about my brother’s wife, and now I’m talking to myself.”
    He brushed a hand through his hair, missing the length. Was life ever going to get back to the way it had been before? Even Rachel had noticed he was out of it. She’d been so worried that she and Uri had tackled him in the courtyard and dragged him to their suite in the angel living quarters. She’d been adamant about giving him a haircut. He couldn’t believe he’d caved.
    “It’ll make you feel better,” she’d said.
    “Uri lets me do this to him all the time,” she’d assured him.
    “What smell? There’s no ammonia smell,” she’d said innocently, batting her lashes.
    Hours later, his hair was shorter and darker, and he still felt like crap.
    Sighing, he folded his wings into himself and entered the bedroom. He eyed the soft bed covered in dozens of decorative pillows in white and pale blues. He picked up a pale blue pillow. It was the same color as Naomi’s eyes. He let his mind drift, and he thought about his dream and the way she’d lain in his arms, her tender kisses, and her words of love.
    Without thinking, he lifted the pillow to his nose, closed his eyes, and inhaled. Her scent, the intoxicating amber musk that seemed to linger on everything she touched, filled his senses. He was lost again in ancient memories of the one kiss he’d shared with her, the only one, the last one. Memories shifted into dreams. He knew it wasn’t real. He knew it was wrong to wish for her. But in his dream, she’d been his. She’d loved him.
    “Naomi,” he breathed. “How can I ever get you out of my heart?”
    His eyes flashed open at a clicking sound in the room.
    Someone’s in here.

4
    T here was a low growl . And then out of nowhere, a reddish-brown bullet zipped into the room and stopped at his feet.
    “Bear! You crazy little fur ball. It’s just me,” he said, laughing at the Chihuahua. After Bear had passed away, he’d made a special trip to retrieve her for Naomi and Lash. After all this time, the little dog still hadn’t seemed to warm up to him.
    Bear arched her back. Her tiny face was low to the ground as she continued to growl.
    “Why don’t you like me? I’m a cool dude if you give me a chance.” He reached down to pet her.
    She snarled, nipping his fingers.
    “Hey!” He jerked his hand back.
    She scurried around in a circle, her tiny paws clicking against the floor as she barked.
    “Bear, stop it.”
    Jeremy jumped to his feet at the sound of