Page 16 of Trust the Fall

How damn embarrassing that I’m stepping right into Hell’s snare. Me—an angel. I might be fallen, but I’m no less angelic.

You have no power here.

I growl again, and this time, River throws his head back and laughs.

Damn him and damn this place.

“Too late for that, princess. That ship sailed millennia ago.”

“Are you reading my mind?” I snap.

“Nope. You said it out loud. Would you like an up close and personal demonstration on just how damned I am?” He walks toward me with a swagger that’s lethal to a woman’s willpower. “I could help you with your current problem.”

His words curl intimately around my body, warming me from the inside out. My legs clench together tightly, and a harsh breath escapes my parted lips.

“You … animal,” I hiss. “You are reading my mind.”

River shakes his head. “I’m reading your body. It’s pretty clear how you’re feeling.” His eyes glimmer with something like amusement. “Who exactly has you so paranoid where mind reading is concerned? They did quite the number on you.”

I hate him.

River halts his approach, sucking his bottom lip into his mouth trying not to laugh, likely realizing how on fire I am and how badly I want to injure him.

I don’t want him or anyone else to see me like this. It’s humiliating.

Nobody here is worth my attention. Not even a being who doesn’t belong to Heaven or Hell. Keep telling yourself this.

Reapers are their own entity. They simply place souls in their destined location. They don’t have allegiances with either side of the good-and-evil paradigm. Some choose to live on Earth, while others float between dimensions.

They’re wanderers. Loners. Untouchables.

You wanna touch him.

“Ugh!” I bellow.

River loses the battle with himself and chuckles. I turn my death glare back on him. His hands raise in surrender.

“Breathe, Victoria.”

The way my name rolls off his tongue, husky, alluring … sexy as sin, scatters shivers over my skin.

“God. This place is doing a number on you.” He says this absently, not directly to me.

I ignore his words, focusing on the fact he knows my name.

“How do you know me?”

He frowns, looking at me like I’d just said the dumbest thing possible. “Everyone knows who you are. The angel who grabbed Lucifer by the balls is a pretty big deal.”

“I didn’t … grab him anywhere.” I roll my eyes. “Well … maybe once, but it wasn’t like that.”

He smirks. “I really don’t need to know.”

I take a deep breath, nodding my head.

“I mean … unless you’re needing to atone. If you want me to play priest and hear about all your sins, I’ll gladly hold a confession right here.” His grin lights up his face and both dimples pop. He truly is gorgeous.

We stare at each other for several moments, neither saying a word. The silence presses around us and I can’t take it anymore. I spit out the first thing that comes to mind.