Accidentaly Divine Read online

  “You heard?”

  Wanda came around to face her and nodded, her cheeks turning red from the cold. “I did, and I don’t want to meddle, but I’m going to meddle,” she said on a chuckle. “You don’t really believe Dex was buttering you up to keep you from telling on him, do you? Because that’s nonsense, and I think you know that, honey. You didn’t even know about the rescue until just recently. Wanna know what I think?”

  Wiping her eyes, George snorted. “Are you asking me because I have a choice?”

  Wanda winked and grinned, her raspberry lips tilting upward. “You don’t. Do you really believe he did this out of malice? That he didn’t tell you because he’s such a jerk he’s saving his own skin at your expense?”

  She swallowed as the wind pulled at her clothes. “No…” she murmured. “I guess I don’t.”

  “I didn’t think so. Do you think it could be other forces at work that kept him from telling you?”

  “Like?”

  She shrugged with a warm smile. “I don’t know, but I do know Dex at least enough to know that he’d never deceive you without a bigger reason than saving his own hide. And that’s all I’ll say on that subject. Now, Effie…”

  “She’s going to die alone and I can’t bear it, Wanda. I can’t. She’ll have no one,” she said, fighting a sob.

  Wanda grabbed her hand and pulled George toward her. “But that’s what Effie wants, honey. Who are you to decide what’s right for her? Who are you?”

  Who was she? Wasn’t that her whole problem? Figuring out who she was and where she fit? How dare she try and make Effie fit into her mold?

  In that moment, she was actually able to see Dex’s reasoning behind Effie’s wishes and she knew she had to make it right.

  Sniffling, she gave Wanda a quick hug. “Can you give me a sec, Wanda? I just have to talk to Effie one more time. I need to tell her that I respect her choices because it’s her life, but I also have to tell her if she needs me, I’ll be there.”

  Wanda hugged her back, squeezing her. “You sure?”

  Wiping her tears, she nodded. “I’m sure. I’ll be right back.”

  Wanda pointed to the pathway that led to Effie’s door. “I’ll wait right here, but you’ll always be within eyesight. Don’t go anywhere but Effie’s door, okay?”

  George nodded before she walked back up the pathway to Effie’s and knocked with a sharp rap of her knuckles.

  “You’re back again. Want to dig through my underwear drawer?” Effie asked with disdain when she popped the door open.

  She reached out a hand to her, her eyes imploring Effie to listen. “Effie. I’m sorry. I was wrong. Flat-out wrong. You’re right, I had no business telling you what you can and can’t do with your life. I realize I was projecting my own feelings about leaving this world on you. I don’t want to die alone, and I guess I thought no one else should either.”

  Effie cocked her head, her wispy gray hair lifting with the cold wind. “But if you’re an angel, aren’t you already dead?”

  Tucking her purse under her arm, George shook her head. “I’m half angel, half human, and the story hasn’t gotten any shorter since I saw you twenty minutes ago, so I won’t bore you. Suffice it to say, it hurt my heart to think you’d be alone when you… I just…” She stopped in order to gather herself and fend off tears. “I just wanted you to be surrounded by love when it was your time to leave, and I didn’t want David to think he was going to be able to create a relationship with you when…when you won’t be here after you go to Cabo. But I realize those decisions aren’t up to me. I know now you’ve been through hell since you were diagnosed. It’s not up to me to tell you when you’ve reached your limit, and I just wanted to apologize.”

  Effie’s face softened again, and she finally took George’s hand, hers icy and dry. “I’m tired, George. I’m so very tired. I’ve been fighting this a long time, and the longer I fight, the end result never changes. I’m dying, George. I’m dying, and I made my peace with it when I decided to die with dignity. Please don’t think I haven’t given this more thought than anything I’ve ever done before. I was a lawyer, you know. We think about everything.”

  Man, did she ever know what it was to be tired. George let her chin fall to her chest to hide her tears. “I’m sorry, Effie. I’m so sorry, but I need you to promise me something, please?”

  Effie gripped her hand tighter. “What’s that?”

  “Promise me you’ll consider sharing this with David when you meet. And if you don’t, but you change your mind and you want someone with you, someone who’ll stay until the end, call me, find me, do whatever you have to in order to get in touch with me. I promise I’ll be there as fast as my wings allow.”

  Tears filled Effie’s aging eyes. “Will you fly with those angel wings?” she teased.

  George snorted a little. “I think I’ve done enough damage here on the ground. Flying might have to wait. But if I have to crawl, I’ll be there.”

  Effie looked at her for a long moment, and then she whispered, “Your heart is pure, Georgina Maverick. Never let anyone tell you otherwise. You take good care. Both you and that handsome young man of yours. He’s a good egg, too.”

  The lump in her throat grew and as tears streamed down her face, she smiled through them and nodded. “Thank you, Effie.”

  Patting her hand one last time, Effie Sampson let George go and smiled through her tears, too. “Maybe I’ll see you on the flip side?”

  “I’ll look for you, Effie. I promise I’ll look.”

  “Goodbye, George.”

  Her throat tightened, but she still managed to whisper, “Bye, Effie.”

  With those last words, Effie smiled one last time and closed her door. George let her forehead rest against the cool steel in order to gather herself before going back to her car.

  Dex had been right, and now that she’d taken the care, the time to hear Effie, rather than imposing her feelings on her, she knew that. Regret slashed through her for the harsh words she’d used with Dex. She’d reacted instead of listening with her heart, and she hated that they’d argued.

  Would she have preferred Dex had told her at the outset no one knew about her and she wasn’t destined to die the night she fell?

  Yes.

  But had being a guardian angel been one of the best things that had ever happened to her? Had it brought all these amazing people into her life who’d welcomed her like she was one of their own? Had it helped her share that night with someone for the first time and eased her guilt?

  Yes. Yes to all of it.

  Did the fact that Dex had saved her months of hospital time and more pain and she didn’t have to suffer physically after all her mental anguish really upset her in the long run?

  No.

  Did she wish he hadn’t saved her, knowing what she knew now?

  No.

  She’d found a place to be, a purpose, a reason, and she guessed it couldn’t have happened any other way than it did. Georgina Denise Maverick liked the way her life was shaping up, and even if Dex had interfered in order to save her life, not once, but twice, he’d never meant to turn her into an angel.

  He hadn’t done this with malice.

  And now that she had all the information, now that she had all the tools in her toolbox, she was going to embrace this—and Dex. And she needed to tell him.

  But first, she needed to call the fancy lawyer she avoided like the plague anytime he wanted to discuss her massive finances. The money, the companies, all the things her father had left her could be put to good use, and she knew exactly what she wanted to do with them.

  Lifting her head, George wiped her eyes and squared her shoulders with determination. Pulling her phone from her purse, she pressed the number for Williams-Williams and Bean.

  “Yes, Miss Maverick?” the surprised voice said on the other end.

  “Put me through to Jones, please, Monica.”

  “Right away, Miss Maverick.”

  A few min
utes later, she hung up the phone with a satisfied smile—just in time to be knocked out cold.

  Chapter 23

  “Wanda? Are you okay?” Dex asked as she came running into the kitchen at Marty’s, her eyes wild, her face flushed.

  He’d come over to wait for George to apologize to her and ask her to forgive him. In no way was she responsible for the decisions he’d made, and to be angry with her for reacting to Effie the way she had because he’d done the wrong thing with his wife once, and he was still sensitive about it, wasn’t fair.

  “She’s gone! Just like that, she was gone!” Wanda yelped. “I tried to text you guys, but no one was answering!”

  “George?” he asked, his heart picking up speed.

  “Yes, George! I had my eyes on her the whole time, Dex! I swear! She went back to talk to Effie and I was waiting at the bottom of the pathway that led to her door. I saw her talk to Effie. Then she made a phone call and then poof! She was gone! Disappeared into thin air.”

  Dex shook his head. “She went back to see Effie?”

  Wanda threw her purse on the counter, her breathing labored, her eyes full of worry. “Yes! She wanted to apologize to her and tell her if she needed her, if she changed her mind, all she had to do was call. I don’t understand where she went! She just disappeared!”

  Nina came running down the stairs, her work boots clomping into the kitchen. “What the fuck’s going on and where’s Wings?”

  Wanda had tears in her eyes when she gripped Nina’s arm. “I don’t know! I don’t understand how one minute she was there and the next she was gone, Nina, but we have to find her!”

  Marty came around the corner, a dishtowel over her shoulder. “What’s going on?”

  “Wings is fucking missing.”

  Marty’s eyes went wide. “Tell me you don’t think it was the demon? Please tell me that,” she demanded, throwing the towel on the counter.

  “We’re gonna go over to Effie’s and fucking sniff around. Literally. I’ll be better able to tell if a demon had anything to do with it. Get ready to roll,” Nina said, grabbing her hoodie from the back of a dining room chair.

  “Ladies, do be careful, won’t you? And find George. I’ve grown rather fond of the pretty angel. She’s so lovely and her baking skills are exceptional,” Arch said.

  Nina leaned down and dropped a kiss on his cheek and gave him a quick squeeze. “Chill, Papa Smurf,” she said, ruffling his blue hair with an affectionate hand. “We’ll get her back.”

  Marty and Wanda each pinched one of his cheeks. “Love you, Arch. Save dinner for us. See you when we see you!”

  Darnell skidded into the kitchen, grabbing his baseball cap. “We out?”

  Nina slapped the demon on the back. “Yep.” Then she nudged Dex, who was rooted to the spot. “Get it together, man. We have to go save your woman.”

  Arch patted Dex on the back. “Fear not, Master Bridger, the ladies are on the case. They’ll find her.”

  His stomach flipped and took a nosedive. But what if they didn’t?

  What if this demon got hold of her wings and stole her soul?

  No. The hell he’d let that happen after everything else she’d been through. Not a chance. He’d let him have his wings first.

  But who in Hell could possibly know she was an angel to begin with? What demon could have that information?

  Grabbing his coat, Dex followed the women out the door into the snow to Marty’s SUV, praying Titus heard his desperate plea for help.

  Praying they got to George before…

  He couldn’t think about what before entailed.

  He wouldn’t.

  As they drove to Effie’s, his chest grew tighter by the second. Nina screeched to a halt at Effie’s condo and he jumped out of the car, almost slipping on the snow.

  He ran up to Effie’s door to knock on it, but just as he raised his hand, he saw something on the ground, now covered by a light dusting of snow.

  Dex scooped it up, realizing it was George’s phone. The screen was still lit up on a text from Jones Williams.

  Drafting up the papers now. Shall be in touch tomorrow with final.

  Papers?

  “What the fuck is that?” Nina asked, her hand on his shoulder as she looked at the phone.

  “It’s George’s phone,” he said with a frown, scrolling up to see the text she’d sent to whoever Jones Williams was.

  No, you’ve spelled it wrong. It’s Bridger. Not Brider. There’s a G in his last name. Please make sure you get it right, Jones. I want to be sure both he and the three women I named get all the liquid assets to split amongst them equally.

  And Jones replied: I’ll make sure the change is made. Have a wonderful evening.

  “What the fuck does this mean?” Nina asked, her voice hard and angry.

  “What does what mean?” Marty echoed, panic in her voice.

  Dex had a really bad feeling. A really bad feeling. “It must have to do with the money her father left her, but why would she leave it to us?”

  Nina shoved him hard in the shoulder, almost knocking him over. “What the fuck happened with you two? You don’t think she’d fucking…? I swear to God, I’ll chew your damn face off if you messed with her head, Dex! I’ll kill you, and I don’t give a shit that you’re a friggin’ angel. You hear me, motherfucker!”

  “Nina!” Wanda yelped, grabbing the vampire with a sharp yank to her arm. “Let him go now or you’ll deal with me.”

  She gave Dex one last angry shove into a holly bush, and he let her, before he said, “I don’t think she’s going to hurt herself, Nina. She’s so much stronger now.”

  Shit, please don’t let that be what this is about. If he’d driven her to…

  Nina’s brows smashed together. “You’d fucking better be right.”

  “Nina, stop!” Wanda ordered, pushing her purse up along her elbow. “He’s right. She’s much stronger. We had a chat before she talked to Effie and she was feeling better about everything. Stick to the task at hand and let’s find her!”

  Darnell ran up to the group, sniffing the air before he looked at Nina and gave her a curt nod. “Demon,” they both said.

  Shit. Dex’s stomach plunged. “So now what?”

  “We smell her out, that’s what,” Nina groused, already on her way back to Marty’s SUV.

  He ran behind the women, his feet almost numb with fear for George’s safety, and he sent a message up to his friend and mentor.

  Titus, if you can hear me. I need you. George needs you. Get here—fast!

  “Well, well, look who’s awake. My little princess,” said a voice, raspy and otherworldly.

  George fought to sit up, her head throbbing when she did, but a large hand forced her back against what she thought was a wall with a hard shove.

  She groaned, trying to pry her eyes open, but a throb bashed against the inside of her head like that of sticks on a drum.

  She heard the crinkle of material and then hot, almost tangible breath on her face. “Still as pretty as ever. The question is, are you still a nasty little bitch?”

  Her eyes popped open. There was only one person who’d called her a nasty little bitch in all of her life.

  “Dad?”

  He ran a hot finger down the side of her face, dragging it with a painstakingly slow swipe before he smiled a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. Not that it ever had. “In the flesh,” he rasped with a self-indulgent chuckle. “Well, mostly.”

  Houston Maverick looked mostly the same. Though, there were some tweaks in death. His eyes, boring into hers, were glowing orange and fiery and his skin was leathery brown with a tinge of red.

  And he stunk.

  Dear God, he smelled of rotting flesh and a porta potty in the sweltering August sun.

  “You smell. You’re disgusting,” she spat with a wrinkle of her nose.

  With the speed of light, his beefy-thick hand was around her neck, squeezing with such force she was almost pulled to her feet. “Shut
up.”

  Twisting her neck, George lifted her chin in order to breathe, refusing to cower the way she had for so many years. “What do you want from me?”

  He loosened his fingers a little and leered in her face, his teeth, now rotting, were hanging black and yellow in his mouth. “What do I want? Is that any way to greet your daddy after all this time?”

  She wasn’t much of a swearer, but she’d learned a thing or two from Nina. “Fuck. You,” she seethed.

  Maverick gripped her neck and slammed the back of her head against the wall where he held her captive. Then he dragged her up along the wall until her toes just barely touched the ground of the dark space.

  “Didn’t anyone ever tell you ladies don’t speak that way?”

  “Didn’t anyone ever tell you men don’t hit ladies? Or stab them to death?” she said from clenched teeth.

  His face went bright red beneath his weathered skin, his cheeks blotching and patchy. “Shut your dirty mouth or I’ll rip your head right off your shoulders!”

  “That must mean it’s Tuesday,” she jabbed, straining against his hand, her heart beating so hard, she heard it in her ears.

  “I’ll kill you!” he raged, spittle flying everywhere.

  As he screamed in her face, his breath almost unbearable, George tried to get her bearings and figure out where she was and how she was going to get away from him.

  But first, she had to process seeing him after all this time, knowing he’d died while trying to kill her, after stabbing her mother.

  Twenty-two times.

  As she stared at him, stared into his depthless orange eyes, George found she felt nothing but disgust for him, a disgust that ran so deep, she tasted it on her tongue.

  This soulless monster had terrorized her all her life, kept her a prisoner in silent agony, made her afraid to close her eyes as a child, and as an adult, she’d allowed him to make her afraid to stand her ground. Afraid to demand she be treated with respect and kindness.

  And she despised him. Despised him for turning her into a spineless coward. Despised him for taking her mother from her. Despised him for denying her the chance to be a mother.