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Father tapped his lips thoughtfully as he motioned for Theo to stand and studied him. “I can leave the bruises while removing the swelling and heal any internal injuries to your bones and muscles. Would that suffice?”
Theo happily agreed, falling to his knees again before The One Most High. He placed His hands on Theo’s head and warmth spread through him. Theo’s pain diminished and faded away.
Scooping up the hem of His robes, Theo kowtowed, kissing the edge of fabric. “Thank you, Father, for healing me and for your blessing and goodwill.”
He rose to his feet, bowed low along with John, and they both took their leave. Theo paused and turned to gaze once more at Father, who had stood to watch them depart, a hand on Joseph’s shoulder. “I will make you proud.”
You already do, came the swift reply.
Daniel
Daniel woke alone. He’d suspected he might when he’d fallen asleep, but disappointment weighed heavily on his chest when he discovered his apartment was empty of angelic guests. His dismay grew when he located his phone and found he’d received a text from Mr. Troy requiring his presence at the office as soon as possible.
He ate a lonely, late breakfast, then showered, shaved, and dressed in his usual suit and tie. There’d been a moment in the shower when the image of Theo naked crossed his mind and his cock reacted, but the thought of Troy’s potential fury at him for being late wilted his member considerably. His life had moved from hard-bitten reality to something surreal, and last night… sublime, in under a week.
Maybe there was holiday magic in the air? A Chanukah miracle… Daniel chuckled under his breath as he exited the elevator.
“Care to share what’s so funny, Dan?” Mr. Troy said, stopping Daniel in his tracks.
“Uh. No. Sir,” he hastily added. “Just remembering how my niece had laughed like a loon last year at Christmas. Hopefully, whatever I choose this year for her will be just as good.”
“Right… I’d forgotten about your sister and the little one. You’re good on cash for presents?”
“Yes, sir. I’m good,” Daniel lied. He wouldn’t take another dirty, embezzled coin from the demon if he didn’t have to, and seriously…You’re a knucklehead, Daniel.Why the heck had he reminded his demonic boss about his family?
“Good, good. Now down to business. Let’s head to my office.” Once inside, Troy leaned against his desk and stared at Daniel. His casual pose didn’t do a thing to ease Daniel’s worries. “I lined up a fantastic fighter tonight to go up against your guy. You did real good, Dan, finding Theo. That other guy, too. Too bad he didn’t want to fight. Might have to convince him.” The way Troy’s voice had dropped into a whisper for the last line, Daniel suspected he wasn’t supposed to have heard. “Anyway, where did you say you met him again?”
“At The Trop. One of the clubs there.”
“At a club inside Tropicana?Oo-la-la.” Troy pursed his lips and made kissy faces. “Yeah, you banging him?”
Daniel stared at Troy in horror. “No!” He turned his face away and erased his expression. He hoped his boss took the appalled look he shot him as being the way Troy had asked. Mentally, however, he was shouting, “Yes! Yes, I am.”
“Me thinks you protest too much. If you haven’t yet, you want to.”
Daniel shrugged. He couldn’t fake liking Theo. Hell, he’d kissed him in front of Troy and a whole crowd of people. His attraction had grown by leaps and bounds over the last week, but falling in love with an Angel of Love wasn’t in the cards for him. They were too different. His soul was blackened by all the evil things he’d done for March and Troy. Theo was too pure. Goodness and light radiated from him. Though that light penetrated many of Daniel’s dark crevasses, some would never be reached.
“I don’t care who you fuck, Dan, as long as Theo keeps fighting. My high rollers have been blowing up my phone all morning asking when they’ll see him in the ring again. I’m sure Theo will want to fight anyway when he hears how must he’s going to make, especially if he can pull off another win like yesterday.” Troy had walked closer as he spoke, close enough to grip Daniel at the junction of his shoulder and neck. His boss squeezed, digging his fingertips into the soft joint. “I won’t disappoint my customers, so you make sure he’s here by eight, ready to fight. Am I making myself clear, Danny-boy?”
Daniel stood his ground as best he could, trying to keep the pain from Troy’s tight grip coming through in his voice. “Crystal clear, sir. I’ll have Theo in the locker room by eight o’clock tonight.”
“Perfect.” Troy let go, then slapped his back, rocking him forward. Daniel stumbled two steps and turned to find his boss smirking at him. “Take the rest of the day off. I’m so sure that Theo will win that I’m going to scour my records for the next contender. Now get out of here. I’ll see you later and don’t worry about the table. I’ll have Sabre cover it for you.”
Holy shit…Daniel kept his back straight until he left Troy’s office, but once the door was shut, he slumped against the wall. Another match… already?
“Daniel!” Ginny whisper-shouted, hopping up from her chair and circling her desk to reach him. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine, thanks.” He offered her a tight smile. She rolled her eyes.
“It’s the fights, huh? I overheard Mr. Troy talking about them… and your friend. Come sit down.” She tugged him over to the couch in the little waiting area and then grabbed him a bottle of water from the mini-fridge. He cracked the bottle and took a few slugs before he met her earnest gaze.
“Is your friend alright? He’s not too banged up to fight again, is he?” Ginny perched on the edge of the cushion, angled to face him, her knees pressed together.
Unsure how to answer without spilling Theo’s truth, he took a deep breath and studied her, noticing how the lacy edge of her stockings showed with the way her short skirt hitched higher on her thighs. He liked Ginny. Troy had hired her about six months ago when his last secretary had some sort of mental breakdown—so Bull said—and walked off one day and never returned. Ginny had been holding her own, though, against the boss’ advances. She was a firecracker, who bucked the status quo whenever she could, but also conformed to Mr. Troy’s rules to keep the job.
“Theo’s okay. Banged up but feeling good.”
“Is he…” —she lowered her voice even more— “your boyfriend?” Daniel gave her the same nonanswer he gave Troy. Ginny laughed lightly and patted his knee. “Fine. Keep your secrets. Finish that water and then go enjoy your day. It’s a balmy thirty-five degrees out there.”
