Page 110 of Greed

Riker talked the owners she’d sold her farmhouse to into finding another place. It probably involved a lot of money being tossed their way, but we moved out to the farm shortly after returning. Shilo insisted on moving with them, and honestly, she didn’t know what she would do without him. He seemed rejuvenated, helping look after the kids and organizing the renovation that was currently underway. Riker was set up in the small spare bedroom upstairs to continue working, but it gave her great access to distract him when she wasn’t on shift. She took great pride in tearing him away from an important Zoom meeting with just a whisper in his ear.

She’d got to see her mom and dad in Heaven, and although she knew it was goodbye again, this time felt different when she’d agreed to become Riker’s guardian. They were happy and together, and she knew they were safe and she could visit a couple of times a year.

But this here and now was her time. It was her time to make her own dreams a reality, and she was given that chance. Maybe a little of the greed had rubbed off on her while some of her kinder nature had been reborn inside of Riker, but together they balanced.

Penny, Skye, and Neven opted to live in the penthouse, but they were not allowed in the master bedroom. She’d made sure they didn’t have to contend with anything weird if they decided to stay in the city for a few nights. The parties they were throwing were apparently off the charts, so there was good reason for her concern.

Minetta decided she still wanted to work part-time, much to Riker’s dismay, and picked up a fill-in 911 operator’s position in their new area. Work was where she was heading when their little troublemaker smacked her butt and told her she was it.

She scooped up Max and swung him high into the air. “You are just like your daddy,” Max squealed as she swung him around like an airplane, his hands out wide, a smile as bright as the sun shone back at her.

“Hey, don’t blame that on me. I think Shilo has been showing him that trick,” Riker said, earning a raised eyebrow from Shilo as he rocked slowly in the fancy new rocking chair—Riker’s newest addition. He still liked to have a few obscenely expensive items that she shook her head at, but he was the sin of greed. There was only so much corralling one could do. Riker handed over Aliyah to Shilo and walked down the front stairs to meet the two of them.

“Yes, Shilo has been wandering around smacking my butt, seems so like him,” I teased and heard a small laugh from the porch.

“Hmm, alright fine, you win. It might be my fault. I have something for you,” he said and reached into his pocket to pull something out. “Here, I’ll trade you.” Riker reached out to take Max.

She handed their high-spirited son over to Riker and held out her hand. He opened his fist, and a slim gold chain with a red ruby landed in the palm of her hand.

“Riker, it’s stunning. What is this for?”

He shrugged and smirked. “Just because you deserve it.”

“Should I be worried about the smirk?”

Riker laughed, and the warm, rich sound rolled over her skin and warmed more than the sun ever could. “No, my Little Bird, you have nothing to worry about.”

She held it up to the light, and it was the most beautiful stone she’d ever seen other than the amber diamond in her wedding ring. Smiling, she undid the clasp and clipped it around her neck. Raising up on her toes, she gave both her men a kiss. Her lips lingered on Riker’s, her hand on his neck as she took his kiss before she whispered in his ear.

“I’m off for the next few days, and I have a couple of ideas on how we can spend them.” Riker groaned low in his chest, his eyes finding hers as she stepped back, and as always, the look in them had her heart racing.

“Now that is an idea I can get behind. Did you want to see Ireland?” He smiled wide as she laughed.

“You know what, why not. I still needed to see a place that started with an ‘I.’ ”

“The jet will be ready for when you get off work.”

She could tell he was having trouble containing his excitement, and there was going to be a whole trip planned by the time she got off work, but it didn’t bother her now. He’d proven over and over that he could be both the sin of greed and have a selfless heart. A dance that was part of his condition so that I got to stay was that Riker must remain the sin on Earth.

“I’ll see you in the morning, little man. How about we have a special breakfast before our plane ride, like have chocolate chip pancakes?”

“Yes!” Max yelled, making us all laugh.

“I’ll see you after work, don’t let him talk you into staying up past his bedtime.” She gave her two men a stern look but only got innocent smiles in return. “Mmhmm, you both look guilty. That is a deadly duo right there.”

Making her way to the car, she stopped to stare back at Riker, and her heart swelled as both he and Max waved goodbye, wide smiles on their faces.

“I love you,” she called out and blew them a kiss that Max pretended to catch and place on Riker’s cheek. Her heart almost burst with happiness.

“I love you more, Little Bird.”

This call center was much smaller and a lot quieter than the one in New York, and at the moment, there was only herself and two others working. She yawned and stretched as the clock on the wall showed she had a couple more hours to go. She did miss Penny. The couple of times she saw her a month just wasn’t enough girl time. And she hated to admit it, but Skye and Neven had grown on her now that Skye wasn’t trying to interfere in her relationship with Riker.

The phone rang, and she was startled out of her dazed thoughts. She reached for the button, but the ringing stopped. She looked at the light that was still showing a call and her computer and realized that nothing was moving, not even the air in the room.

Minetta slowly stood and stared at the girl that was on her way back to her desk with a coffee and was frozen mid-stride. Not sure what was coming, she reached back and pulled out the two swords that were invisible to humans. The soft ring of the metal pulling from their leather sheaths was loud in the sudden quiet.

The front door of the building opened, the little bell announcing that someone had walked in, but she couldn’t see who it was. She stepped out of her cubicle and prepared herself for the potential threat. She learned early that just because she was now an angel and more powerful than she could’ve imagined didn’t mean they didn’t have enemies.