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I take the picture off the wall and focus on the faces. It’s definitely Anna, though younger. Her blonde hair hangs around her shoulders, framing her narrow face; the same hairstyle she had when she came to Hell. Anna’s arms are wrapped around a younger version of herself with the same blue eyes. The girl's hair is a little darker, but otherwise has the same face. A man stands on the opposite side of the girl, his arms wrapped around both the girl and Anna. He has black hair, but I can't see what color his eyes are as he's looking at the baby in the girl's arms.
Looking at the other photos on the wall, I notice multiple of Anna and the male. Some with the girl, others with Bree.
The male must be Brice, Anna’s husband, and the entire reason I even know her. I don't know the girl, though.
Bree is clawing my arm to pieces, attempting to make me release her. Her finally drawing blood steals my attention away from the photos. “Who is she to you?! Anna. How do you know her?!”
She stops her assault to look at me like I've lost my head. Her eyes narrow in suspicion. “Who is she to you?”
“I asked first!” Her hands let go of my arm and fold over her chest. She relaxes her body, becoming dead weight. I tighten my grip again against her throat. I was giving her leeway to breath and speak but if she doesn’t want it, then I’ll take it.
I keep my grip firm. Bree could very easily breathe again by lifting onto her toes, but if she wants to pass out because she’s stubborn then that’s not my fault. She also doesn’t realize that when she punched me, her greed over the necklace fueled my power. It didn’t feel like my brothers described it but that might also be because she punched me in the cock at the same time the power was transferring over.
Our wills are at war, and I’m not sorry to admit that I will be winning this battle. My smile grows as her eyes roll back into her head. She’s passed out. I lift her over my shoulder and grab the necklace off the floor. Rather than put it around my neck for her to just rip off, I place it in my pocket. She’d have to get in my pants to get it which I’m honestly not all that opposed to.
I walk into her bedroom and drop her on the bed.
“What you doing?” I spin, taking in Rellick in his pajamas in the doorway. He’s glaring at me, probably still mad from earlier. The kid shouldn’t have anything to be upset about. He wasn’t the one who was repeatedly dropkicked. Also, the little shithead punched me. Like mother, like son, I guess. “Where’s Mommy?” I move out of his line of sight so he can see Bree.
Rellick climbs into her bed, placing his hand on her cheek while he kisses her head. Slowly, she starts to wake back up. Her eyes catch on Rellick and she smiles. “Hey, sweet boy. Why are you out of bed?” She sits up, not dizzy or anything which doesn’t make sense since she was just choked unconscious.
He points to me, bringing Bree’s attention to the fact that I’m still here. I wave to her with a smug smile. Her eyes narrow and her arms cross; a copy of the position against the wall without my hand around her neck. “Good morning. Ready to talk?”
“Talk about what?” Bree says in a fake innocent voice. Oh, so we’re playing ignorant?
Fine, if that’s how she wants to play. Rellick likes to talk. “Hey, kicker.” I focus on the kid and hold up the photo. “Who’s this?”
He squints his eyes as he looks at the picture. “That’s Mawmaw, Pawpaw, and B.” Rellick looks so proud of himself as he turns to Bree who is wearing a sad smile.
Okay, so I was wrong. Not Anna.
“How do you know her?” Bree’s voice is quiet and filled with melancholy. “Anna?”
“You never answered my question, so why should I answer yours?” One could argue that I’m being incredibly petty and rude. They’d be right. I don’t like to give out information, but I’m greedy for all knowledge. My sin wasn’t originally for gold. Granted, yes, I do like shiny objects but I’m honestly greedy for everything. Anything that’s ownable… I want it.
Bree gives a heavy sigh. “She’s my grandmother. She raised me.”
What?!
I use a finger to clear out my ear canal. “Sorry, can you repeat that?” I cut her off before she can respond. “You’re Anna’s granddaughter? No wonder, you want the necklace. You made it.”
Things are starting to click into place now. I should’ve seen it sooner. Why, out of everything in my room, Rellick chose the ugly rainbow pendant to give to his mom. But… She died over four years ago. Rellick isn’t that old yet. “How did Kicker know the necklace was for her? How old is he?”
“She died before he was born. Before he was even conceived. But I constantly tell him about her and my grandfather and mom. There are pictures of them everywhere and she-”
“Never took it off,” I say at the same time.
Bree crosses her legs beneath her and pulls Rellick into her lap. “How do you know her so personally? Beelzebub told me about the point system for Hell. Multiple people die and go to Hell a day. Why was she special?”
My smile grows as I think of the incredible woman known as Anna. “She didn’t go to Hell.” I give a huff of laughter at the confusion on Bree’s face. “She was sent to Heaven. Her only sin was gluttony, which she told me shouldn’t count since she was a southern woman.” Bree smiles even as her eyes begin to water. “Anna walked into the gates of Heaven and they told her Brice wasn’t there. She yelled at whichever angel to send her to Hell. She didn’t want to be in Heaven if he wasn’t there.”
Anna was a sight to behold. This small woman with a heart of fire demanded she speak to the devil, not realizing that Satan wasn’t the only one who reigns down here. Satan was in the arena, and everyone else had something to do. I was the only one in the throne room, taking a break from doling out punishments. “Brice was up for reincarnation. Anna wanted to be with him. We made a deal.”
“The necklace.” Tears are streaming down Bree’s face now.
I nod in agreement. “She didn’t want to give it to me at first.” I chuckle, remembering the look of shock in her eyes, as though I affronted her with my request. “I told her she needed to give me something of great value as it was a great ask that she requested of me. Said she didn’t have anything. You should’ve seen her face when I told her I’d take the necklace as payment.” A miniscule smile graces Bree’s luscious mouth. “You would think I asked her to go to The Pit! She told me she hadn’t taken the necklace off in fifteen years and she wasn’t going to now. It wasn’t until I told her that her new reincarnation wouldn’t even remember the necklace that she gave it up. Even then, she hesitated.”
Cautiously, I move to sit across from her on her bed. I wipe her tear away with my thumb. “No one has ever left Heaven to come to Hell. Once you leave, it’s almost impossible to get back.” I cradle her cheek, forcing her to look me in the eyes as I say the next words. “She loved Brice so much that she gave it up. Then, she almost gave up him for that necklace. I think her exact words were, ‘my girls made this with their bare hands and full hearts.’”
