Fifth Regret (Heaven Sent Book 5) Read online

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  EVERNIGHT PUBLISHING ®

  www.evernightpublishing.com

  Copyright© 2017 Mary Abshire

  ISBN: 978-1-77339-259-2

  Cover Artist: Jay Aheer

  Editor: Audrey Bobak

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  FIFTH REGRET

  Heaven Sent, 5

  Mary Abshire

  Copyright © 2017

  Chapter One

  Andrew yawned as he stared at the dark and empty highway. Lethargy started to weigh down his eyelids. The lights from the car shined on the white lines dividing the lanes. The markers passed by so fast they hypnotized him. The vehicle drifted to the side and the tires rolled over a rough bumpy strip. The loud buzzing sound woke him from his trance. Driving at night with a broken heart from California to Louisiana might not have been a wise decision.

  Fighting the next yawn, he turned the knob on the radio. Static erupted from the speakers. He turned the other dial until he came across a station. Foreigner’s tune I Want to Know What Love Is played. The song dampened his already grim mood. He searched for another station and found How Deep Is Your Love from the Bee Gees. Was there anything other than love songs playing? Frustrated, he turned off the radio. In his current state of mind, he couldn’t handle any tunes that would remind him the woman he loved and had walked away from less than twenty-four hours ago.

  He gripped the wheel tighter as he looked out into the darkness. A green sign on the side of the highway drew nearer. The writing came into focus and showed the next town fifteen miles away.

  You really should pull over.

  He glanced at the empty passenger seat. Although Emily wasn’t there, he could hear her voice in his head. He could see her beautiful blue eyes, the cute freckles on her nose, and her luscious lips he loved to kiss.

  You’re tired. Pull over at the next town. You need to rest.

  “If I drive through, I can get there quicker,” he said.

  What’s the rush? The demon isn’t going anywhere.

  Imaginary Emily had a point. The demon’s name and address were inked on his forearm. Why should he hurry to get there when he knew where to find the evil man?

  The answer was an easy one to guess. He’d spent months working with Emily and now he had to go on alone. He hated being by himself. But since he had to a sentence to fulfill, he had to keep moving. The quicker he could return to heaven to be with his family, the better. So he told himself since he couldn’t be with Emily on Earth.

  He sighed heavily. Life seemed meaningless without her. His heart and soul screamed at him repeatedly to turn the car around. Regret consumed every cell, thought, and ounce of blood within him. Leaving her had been the most difficult thing he’d ever had to do in all his lives and in heaven.

  Take the exit. Find a place to rest.

  “I don’t want to get a hotel.”

  Staying in a room alone would only make matters worse. He wouldn’t be able to stop thinking about her, so he wouldn’t catch any sleep. If he stayed up and kept moving, he’d eventually come out of his heartache. Or so he thought.

  I don’t want you getting hurt in an accident. Imaginary Emily sounded very much like the real one. You’re tired.

  “I can stay awake a little longer.”

  The car went off the side of the road. What if another car or a truck had been around and you’d crossed into their path?

  He clenched his jaw. “All right, I’ll pull over at the exit and find a place to park, but I’m not getting a room for the night. I want to hit the road early so I can hit a few casinos in Louisiana. I need to make some quick money to go shopping.”

  After he’d left Emily, he’d stopped in Borrego Springs. Emily had combined their cash and had stored it all in a safe deposit box. He’d stopped at the bank and had taken some money, but not much since he figured he could win more gambling. With his winnings, he could buy a laptop and clothes. Emily had done most of her research online to learn about the demons he had to destroy. He’d watched her enough he believed he could look information up on a computer too. He’d died in 1989, but he had enough brains to figure out how to use modern technology. With enough money for fuel and food for a week, he’d closed the safe deposit box. But before he’d left, he’d written her an apologetic love note and had stuck it inside the box for her to find.

  Your exit is coming up.

  Andrew steered into the lane to leave the interstate. The Texas town looked small with a few hotels, gas stations, and fast-food restaurants. The lights for the Holiday Inn Express shined bright in the darkness. Yawning, Andrew drove toward the hotel.

  How’s your leg?

  “A bit sore still, but it will be fine. I stitched it up good before I got on the road and I took over the counter pills for the pain.”

  A bullet had grazed his thigh while he’d helped Emily and the other four ladies escape from captivity in Mexico. Since he’d been a nurse in his first life, he’d been able to buy the supplies and stitch the wound so he wouldn’t have to go to a medical facility.

  You would be more comfortable sleeping in a bed.

  “If I had you to hold, I’d sleep comfortably. But without you, I won’t get much rest.”

  Although his body seemed to think it was tired, he doubted he could sleep for long. A short nap would suffice.

  He drove behind the building. The lot had several parked cars. Andrew pulled up next to a minivan and then cut the engine.

  Sitting in the quiet confines of the car Matt had given him, he stared at the vacant seat at his side. Andrew had never felt so alone. Even after he’d first met Emily and they’d known nothing about each other, he hadn’t felt as forlorn as he did now. He would never forget seeing her for the first time on the dark country road in the middle of nowhere. She’d been nervous, but she’d offered to help him. Over time, it became clear they were good matches for each other. Meeting her had been the best thing to happen to him. She’d made him laugh. She’d made him feel loved. She’d showed him the errors of his ways and had made him a better man. Now, he was nothing but flesh and blood now, a miserable being walking the Earth to destroy demons.

  Get some sleep.

  “I miss you so much, Em.” He struggled to hold back his sorrow.

  You shouldn’t have left me.

  �
��I did it so you would be safe. You put your life at risk when you’re with me.”

  The last demon he’d destroyed had been a rising country music singer. Her father had been a demon too. Emily and Andrew managed to acquire security jobs for the singer. While they were trying to figure out a way for Andrew to kill her, Emily discovered young women had gone missing after concerts. Emily stayed with a group of ladies in an effort to keep them safe. Her decision to go without Andrew had landed her in Mexico, tortured and nearly sold as a sex slave. The previous demon, a nurse, had poisoned her and Emily had almost died. The first demon had come close to raping her. And when they were pursuing the second demon, she accidentally ended up in jail. If the cops would’ve discovered her true identity, she could’ve been sent back to Chicago to face murder charges.

  I vowed I wouldn’t take risks anymore.

  “You promised before and broke your word. How can I believe you now?”

  Every time she’d helped him, she’d put her life on the line. She’d said she’d be more careful, but she hadn’t and now she had scars from the whipping she’d endured. He wanted to believe she would stop making choices that endangered her wellbeing, but he knew her too well.

  You could’ve given me another chance. If you loved me, you would have.

  He closed his eyes and shook his head. “I know how you are. You’re too damn stubborn and strong willed. You will do what it takes to save lives and help me.” He leaned his seat back.

  Wouldn’t you do the same?

  “Of course, but I’m different. I died and heaven returned me for a limited time. I can take chances since I’m going back there anyway. You have a life full of opportunities. Don’t blow it on stupid decisions that can get you killed.”

  The powers that be in the kingdom above sentenced him to Earth because of his sexual promiscuities in heaven. The terms of his punishment included the destruction of six demons and if he had sex with a woman, he had to stay an additional year. He’d destroyed four demons and had two more to go. Along the way, he’d fallen in love with Emily. An extra year had been added to his sentence since he’d had sex with her, but he didn’t regret it for a second. They could’ve added twenty or fifty years and he still would’ve made love to her.

  You abandoned me. You said you loved me, but you don’t have faith that I will change.

  “I’m not giving up on you. I will still do whatever it takes to get you into heaven.” He’d given her his word he would fight to get her into heaven. He’d noticed her pinkish aura had lightened quite a bit over the last two months, but it still hadn’t changed enough. Only those with soft white glows would make it past the pearly gates upstairs.

  Maybe I don’t want to go now. Why would I want to go to heaven since you left me?

  Fear snaked through him. What if he got her into the kingdom above and she hated him? Had he made a wrong decision? Weighing his options, he would rather have her angry with him and in heaven than spending eternity without her. “You can be mad at me, but know this … I walked away because I want you to be safe. I want you to live a happy life free from danger.”

  I had a happy life. You took it away.

  Andrew turned his head and opened his eyes. A tear escaped. He quickly wiped it away. Imaginary Emily liked to foster his grief, as if he needed any encouragement. As much as he tried to distract his thoughts, he couldn’t. They always returned to the woman he loved. He hoped time would heal, but he had serious doubts.

  Staring out the window, the stars speckled the dark sky. Crickets began chirping their tune. The earth seemed quiet and at peace.

  “The powers that be in heaven sent me here to destroy demons. That’s what I’m going to do. You’ll be happy and safe without me in your life.”

  You’re wrong.

  Too exhausted, he ignored the games his mind played and closed his weary eyes. The song from the night critters helped shut down his thoughts and put him to sleep.

  Chapter Two

  Emily sat in a chair with a towel over her shoulders and one on her lap while Troy cut her damp hair. She faced a table in the corner. A nightstand and the bed were on the right. Dressed in a pair of bikini underwear and a long t-shirt with a San Diego logo on the front, she stayed still, which was easy given her condition. Underneath her top, a large beige bandage had been wrapped around the upper half of her body to hold the dressings over the stitches on her back. The appendage also covered her breasts and served as a type of bra. After she’d taken a shower, the first one she’d had in three days, Troy had treated her wounds. Her best friend had been more than generous to stay and help her heal, but she missed Andrew. She wanted to start moving around and get back to her normal life with the man she loved. Three days in bed without moving much had left her ready to climb the walls. Moreover, she longed to kiss and touch Andrew.

  Following a snip of the scissors, strands rolled down to her lap.

  “Please tell me you’re not giving me a bob,” she said, nervous from the amount of hair lying in her lap.

  “If you say another word about my cutting skills, I might give you a bob,” Troy said.

  She pressed her lips together to refrain from saying something smart back. He deserved her respect more than ever considering he’d left his home and job in New York to help find her. Then, he’d taken up the role as her caregiver. She owed him a world of gratitude.

  “I really appreciate all you’ve done for me. I hope you know that,” she said.

  The scissors made a clipping sound behind her head. “I know you do.”

  “I feel much better.”

  “Do you?” He trimmed more locks. “Or are you just ready to get the hell out of here?”

  “Both. I’ve put off seeing Andrew long enough. I miss him. And I’m sure he’s not happy that I booted him out days ago.”

  “He’ll get over it.”

  “He seemed pretty upset when I asked him to go away.” She lowered her gaze as she recalled the day they’d arrived at the hotel. She’d felt so exhausted and her body had ached fiercely. After she’d taken a shower and examined her injuries in the mirror, she couldn’t possibly let Andrew see her. The slashes on her back made it look as if a tiger had taken its claws and shredded her skin. The sight had disgusted her. To make matters worse, guilt had plagued her. She didn’t want him to see how weak and hurt she was because she’d broken her promise to him and had left on her own to save four young women from harm.

  “He’ll be fine.” Troy bumped her shoulder as he moved behind her.

  Troy sounded like a broken record. He’d repeated the same words multiple times over the last several days.

  She turned her head to the side. “How has he been?”

  Troy scoffed, put his hands on the sides of her skull, and positioned it back in place. “Don’t move. Do you know how difficult this is? I’m not a fucking hairstylist.”

  “Sorry.” She couldn’t stop from grinning.

  “Stop thinking about lover boy and focus on getting better.”

  “I am.” She lifted her injured hand. Three fingers were taped to a splint. A tight bandage wrapped around her digits, wrist, and forearm secured the brace since she couldn’t go to a hospital and get a cast. “But it will take at least six weeks for my bones to heal. And the stitches should come out in two weeks if I don’t move too much.”

  Troy pulled on her hair before he cut the ends. “The key word is move. Remember that.”

  The bruises on her face had improved. Her nose had almost returned to its natural size. Yes, she still had a battered appearance and that couldn’t be helped. In a week, her face should look normal again.

  “Andrew will help me. I’m sure he’ll be glad to take over for you,” she said.

  “I honestly don’t know what you see in that man,” Troy mumbled.

  She inhaled a deep breath in an effort to remain calm. His disliking of Andrew continued to annoy her. “He’s a good man.”

  Troy let go of her locks. “Is he? Because if it
weren’t for him, you wouldn’t have gone to jail in New York and you sure as hell wouldn’t have ended up in Mexico, tortured and nearly sold as a fucking sex slave.”

  “It wasn’t his fault.” Her tone had deepened. “I made the choice to follow the women and get on the boat. And what happened in New York was an accident.”

  Lucky for her and Andrew, Troy didn’t know about her near-death experience in Missouri. The demon bitch had poisoned her. If Andrew hadn’t acted fast, Emily would’ve died. The accident had been just that, but if Troy knew the story, odds were high he would’ve blamed Andrew and beaten him to a bloody pulp or killed him. Troy placed responsibility on Andrew for everything.

  Troy combed her hair. “But if you had stayed in New York with me—”

  “I don’t want to get involved in your illegal affairs anymore.” The line came out sounding harsher than she had intended. “When I’m helping Andrew, I’m doing something good, something that helps save lives. Yes, there are risks involved, but I was taking them when I helped you too. Let me make my own choices in this fucked-up world.”

  He removed the towel around her shoulders before he stepped in front of her. “Your decision to play a heroine almost got you killed. In case you hadn’t noticed, your back is scarred for the rest of your life. I won’t stand by and let you dig yourself a grave to help some man.” He gathered the other cloth from her lap and then headed to the bathroom.

  Irritation elevated her temperature. Why couldn’t he realize Andrew was more than some man? He had a set amount of time on Earth to destroy demons. Essentially, his efforts made the world a safer place. And yes, she loved him.

  Emily followed Troy at a much slower pace, careful not to disturb her stitches too much. “I appreciate everything, Troy. You know I do. But you have to let me lead my own life.”

  Before she could say anything more, she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her dyed brown locks now reached her shoulders. The length made her look different, older.