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Gabriel crossed to the guy and placed a kiss on his upturned cheek. “My husband, Ari.”
Ari studied Daniel for a moment. “What’s going on? I got a message.”
Daniel sighed, slunk to the waiting area, and dropped heavily onto a chair. “I want out. I thought with March gone, I’d be done. This isn’t the life I want to live,” he admitted.
Gabriel took a seat beside him. “I’m glad to hear that. If you are committed to this path, then we’ll help you.”
“I am.” Daniel gripped his thighs. “I want out.”
“All right.” Gabriel patted the back of his hand. “You can start by telling us why you’re here, at Mary’s shop.”
“Simple extortion. Sorry, Miss Mary.” Daniel gave her a wry grin. “Troy wants me to collect money in exchange for protection from his men. Are they like lesser demons?”
“Perhaps, but either way, bullies and blackmailers,” Ari quipped. “Typical M.O.”
Gabriel hushed Ari. “We weren’t aware another demon had taken over March’s operation. What can you tell us about him?”
“He goes by Mr. Troy, and he’s worse than March ever was. He’s got us demanding more and the consequences of not paying…” Daniel shuddered, recalling the last beatdown he’d witnessed. The result: the owner’s subsequent hospitalization. He’d tried to get Bull and Snake to stop, but they hadn’t listened, forcing him to call 911 anonymously. Nothing like sirens to garner their attention.
The chimes tinkled again, this time admitting a dark-haired man of the body-building variety, if the bulging biceps were anything to go by.
“Hey babe,” Locke said, hustling over to hug and kiss him. “This is my guy, Judah. Judah, Daniel.”
“Please, call me Jay. What’s going on?” Judah asked, stretching out his hand for him to shake.
Daniel almost laughed at the absurdity of the whole situation. He’d only wanted Theo’s help, but it seemed he’d be receiving an entire cadre of angels and their mates.
“Oh, God!” The proverbial light bulb burst into a bright light over his head.Mates.
Everyone laughed.
“Shit, shit, shit,” Daniel muttered, stood, and paced the length of the shop floor.
“You’re not just realizing He’s involved, are you?” Elijah teased.
Daniel spun. “What? No! It’s… something else.”
“Something we should know about Troy?” Ari asked.
Judah grumbled, “I didn’t realize we were getting involved with him already.”
“Jay?”
“Troy has his claws in a lot of places he shouldn’t. We were just coming to realize how deeply entrenched he was before he added March’s operation to his own.”
Ari huffed. “That certainly puts a twist on things.”
Judah shrugged as if to say, “It is what it is.” “So we’re getting inside information?”
“Daniel” —Ari pointed at him— “seekstru’va. He wishes to be free of Troy’s clutches and live a good life.” He’d boiled down Daniel’s current situation into one simple sentence.
Daniel slumped.If only it were that easy.
Judah turned a critical eye on Daniel. “Tru’va.Excellent.”
“He is for Theo,” Ari added.
A toothy grin brightened Judah’s face. He clapped his hands and rubbed them together. “Yes! It’s time we had another. I was sure it would be Nate next, but this is still good news.”
