“The blast at the airport wasn’t the only explosion I saw,” Jeremy said.
His eyes flashed up to Jeremy’s. “So, what of it?”
Jeremy scowled and kicked the ground, sending a spray of dirt and rocks. “Don’t you ever follow the rules? This is your last shot to go back home. Stop messing around with her and do your job.”
“I am doing my job. I’m supposed to keep her safe, and that’s what I’m doing.”
“Damn it, Lash! The reason she’s in danger in the first place is because of you.”
Lash staggered back, his eyes wide, as if he’d been punched in the stomach.
Jeremy cursed under his breath. “You weren’t supposed to know that.”
“Know what.”
“Forget it. Forget I said anything. Go do your job.” He turned and headed back to the motorcycle.
He did know something. “I’m calling it.”
Jeremy paused and held his head up. “Don’t.”
“You owe me. Remember?”
Jeremy turned, his eyes blazing. “That was a poker game. This is life.”
“And you’re supposed to be my friend.”
Jeremy marched to him. “You already know this. You just refuse to see it. Jane Sutherland is Jane. Luke Prescott is Lucifer.”
The blood drained from his face. It couldn’t be her. Jane, the little girl who’d held on to Javier Duran’s hand, forgetting about her own fears to take care of him, that Jane was not Jane Sutherland. The same Jane Sutherland who crashed into Naomi’s father; the same Jane Sutherland who was close friends with the darkest and most evil of all angels—Lucifer.
He groaned. This was his fault. His fault that Naomi had lost her father, his fault that she had been pulled into a world where fallen angels wanted her killed. “Why? Why do they want her?”
“I don’t know. I suspect that she’s a threat to Lucifer and his followers.”
A threat. That meant he wouldn’t stop coming after her until she was dead.
“I can fix it.” He swallowed the bile that swam up his throat. “I can make it right again.”
“I know you love her.” Jeremy let out a breath. “But she’s not for you. When the time comes, let her go,” he said softly.
His nostrils flared. Jeremy had always had his back, no matter what. And now, when it really mattered, he was turning against him.
“Thanks for the help, friend.” He spat out the word as if it soured his mouth.
“It’s because I’m your friend that I’m telling you this. Do what you were told because if you don’t, you’ll lose everyone who loves you.”
“I’ll take it under consideration.”
As he turned to head back to the car, Jeremy grabbed his arm and jerked him back. “If you care about her, don’t do this. Don’t hurt her this way.”
“Let go of him or I’ll split your body from that melon you call a head.”
The expression on Jeremy’s face went from bewildered to amused. “Pardon me.” He dropped his hand. “I didn’t mean any harm to your friend.”
When Lash turned, he saw Naomi a few feet behind him, clutching a tire iron. “I told you to stay in the car,” he growled.
“When do I ever pay attention to what you say?”
Lash groaned. He didn’t know whether to kiss her or to chastise her. “There’s nothing to worry about. This is my friend Jeremy. He’s also an angel.”
She looked Jeremy up and down. “Do all of your angel friends try to rip your arm off?”
Jeremy took a step forward. “We were having a bit of a disagreement. Lash and I have been friends for a long time.”
“Look, Jeremy,” Naomi sneered. “I don’t know what problem you and Lash are having. But we’re in a hurry and—” her eyes widened and she went to the motorcycle. “That’s my bike.” She stroked the seat as if to see it was real.
“Yes. I must say it’s a marvelous contraption.” He walked up to her. “It rides—”
Naomi spun around and lifted the tire iron. “You stole my bike. Nice friend you have there,” she said to Lash.
“Let me explain.” Jeremy held out his hands. “I borrowed it. I had to get here somehow to bring gas.” He motioned to the canister Lash held.
“Why didn’t you just fly here?”
“I wouldn’t have been able to bring the gas can with me. It would’ve been a strange sight, seeing a flying gas can.” Jeremy grinned. “On the other hand, we are in New Mexico, where UFOs are the norm.”
Naomi scowled.
“Tough audience.” He glanced at Lash. Then he turned and sniffed. “What is that smell?”
Her eyes followed his as they drifted down to a fresh stain on her shirt. Her faced turned pink and she scowled. “None of your business, and stop trying to change the subject.”
“Look, I was actually doing you a favor taking the bike. Some big guy wearing a tuxedo t-shirt pushed it into a garage and left the door wide open when he left. A couple of kids were eyeing it, and I chased them away.”
“Lalo,” Naomi growled. “I’ll kill him.”