Page 26 of Pretend Wife (Angels of the Secret Order #4)

Hayden snorted. “There’s no explaining things to Robert Blake.

He’s always right, and his way is always what’s best. His great advice when I found out Jacqueline had cheated on me and that the baby wasn’t mine was to not get depressed.

His exact words were ‘Don’t go there,’ like saying that would magically keep me from spiraling.

Every time I’ve told him I have no interest in becoming CEO, he brushes me off and keeps talking like it’s a given.

And the one time I tried to tell him I felt like he didn’t listen to me, he said he was entitled to his opinion about the situation. ”

Frustration and something a lot deeper and more painful wound through Hayden’s aura as he spoke. I had no doubt his father only meant well and wanted the best for his son, but he’d missed how much his approach hurt Hayden.

“I’m sorry,” I murmured.

“It’s not your fault.”

“I can still be sorry that you feel that way about your father. I can’t pretend to have been through the same thing, but I do understand what it’s like to feel you’re not quite fitting in with your family.”

“Oh?” Hayden’s hands slipped around my waist. “What did your family do?”

“My brothers have never done anything wrong per se, but sometimes—a lot of the time—I feel like a failure in comparison to them. Logically, I know we’re just different and have different strengths, but that doesn’t change how it feels.”

“If it’s any consolation, I like you much better than your brothers.” He pressed his lips to my forehead for the second time that morning. “You never answered my original question. Does it bother you to miss church?”

“If I say yes, will you come with me?”

“That depends. What do I get in return for accompanying you?”

“What do you want?”

“For you to be mine,” he said simply.

“I thought you wanted me to wait before giving you an answer.”

“I don’t want you to reject me without giving me a chance. If you’re ready to say you’ll be mine now, I’m all for that.” His lips curved into a smirk that was part charming, part arrogant.

I shook my head at him, but I couldn’t fight the smile that tugged at my lips.

Before I could say anything, my phone buzzed.

“Hold that thought.” I held up a finger as I fished out my phone. It could just be Miles or the group chat with the girls, but I always checked in case it was an emergency or someone was hurt.

The message on the screen made all the blood drain from my face.

Z

I have a job for you. Be at the address below asap. See you soon, little angel .

Beelzebub hadn’t given me an actual job since I’d healed Hayden two years ago.

“Danielle?” Hayden’s voice broke me out of my state of shock. “Is everything okay?”

“Um, I have to go. There’s an emergency at work.”

He frowned. “I didn’t know you were on call.”

“I’m not usually. It’s a special case. Family matter.”

“Do you want me to come with you?”

“No, it’s better I go alone. I’ll be back soon.” I rose on my tiptoes and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. “I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing?”

Because I’m lying to you. Because I’m going to break your heart. Because I made a deal with a devil and it’s only a matter of time before that blows up in my face .

But I couldn’t tell Hayden any of that.

So instead, I slipped out of his arms and ran for the door.

When I got to the address Beelzebub had given me, I found a large, beautiful house. Beelzebub was pacing outside the front door, waiting for me.

He was wearing a shirt today, and he wasn’t dripping in rainwater, but otherwise he looked exactly as I remembered. He even had the same expression and deep groove between his brows. There was an energy to him, a kind of restlessness that reminded me of a caged animal.

His bright blue eyes found me almost instantly. They were deep and wild, like a tumultuous ocean just waiting to drag me down.

I sucked in a deep breath and did my best to bury my fears at being face-to-face with him again .

“What happened?” I asked, trying to convince myself I was dealing with a concerned family member instead of a prince of Hell.

“Electrical accident. Someone turned on the power to the part of the house that he was wiring.”

The he in question was Scott Cavanaugh.

Of course Beelzebub hadn’t given me any details before shoving me into the house with the demand that I heal him. Honestly, I wasn’t complaining. I’d rather not have the grand prince breathing down my neck while I worked like he had with Hayden.

Maggie’s husband blinked at me, looking dazed and very out of it. “Danielle?”

“Hey,” I murmured. “Everything’s going to be okay. Can you close your eyes and take some deep breaths for me?”

He obeyed, and I laid my bare hands on his chest under his shirt, letting my power flow through his body and heal the damage. The injury wasn’t serious to start with, but it was nonexistent by the time I was done.

“How do you feel?” I asked even though I already knew what the answer would be.

“Fine,” he said. “It doesn’t even hurt anymore.”

I smiled. “Good. I’m glad to hear that.”

“What are you doing here?” he asked. “I thought you only worked inside the hospital.”

“I have friends in high places.” That wasn’t even close to a truthful explanation, but I couldn’t worry about that now. “I have to get some details straightened out, but I’ll be back to check on you again in a bit. ”

Beelzebub was exactly where I’d left him outside the house.

“Is it done?” he asked.

“He’s completely fine.” I swallowed hard. “What is your connection to the Blake family?”

“That’s none of your business,” he said coldly.

“If you keep having me heal members of the family, it’s going to start looking suspicious. How do you expect me to keep my divine nature from them forever?”

He glared at me. “You’re the one who made it complicated by getting married to Hayden. It wouldn’t look suspicious at all if they didn’t know who you were. You’d be just another nameless face.”

“Maybe, but it’s a little late for that.”

“Figure it out, little angel. You said you could keep up your end of the deal. So do it.” He turned away from me and started to walk down the driveway.

Wait, that was it? He’d demanded I rush over here, and now he wasn’t even going to check on Scott himself?

“Do they know about you?” I asked.

Beelzebub stopped in his tracks, but he didn’t turn back around.

“You left the hospital before Hayden woke up, and now you’re leaving without seeing Scott at all. I doubt it’s because you trust me, so why are you hiding?”

“My plans and reasons are none of your concern, little angel.” His voice was soft, and I could almost believe he was more than a ruler of Hell. That he had a heart somewhere in there.

“Thank you for calling me here.” The words came out before I could think about what I was saying .

“It wasn’t for your benefit. Just stick to your part of the deal and no one gets hurt.”

I didn’t miss the subtle threat, and I felt my body stiffen at the reminder that the lives of people I cared about were on the line.

Beelzebub continued walking away without another word.

I watched him go, feeling more frustrated than anything.

We were on the same page when it came to the Blake family’s safety, but that didn’t make us a team.

He’d always be the Fallen who threatened my family, and I’d always be the angel who threatened the Blakes’ ignorance about the existence of demons and angels on Earth.