Payable On Death: A Jax Rhodes Novel, Book One (The Jax Rhodes Series 1) by Rachel Rawlings Page B

caught my arm before I could slip away, slamming it down on the bar top.
    "We have a deal, Jacqueline Lilith Rhodes." His grip eased, his fingers lightly caressing my forearm. "I keep thinking back to that night. You remember, of course, the night you agreed to become mine. I've been thinking about what you said, what you first offered me in exchange for helping you. All that sweet flesh. For five years, I've done nothing but think about you."
    "I find that hard to believe. Your evil empire would have crumbled by now if that were true. I'm just one person. Hardly that important." I jerked my arm away and tried to run for the door.
    He was faster, leaping over the bar to land directly in front of me. I stepped left, he stepped left. I stepped right, he stepped right. We shuffled back and forth a couple times before I realized too late he was just toying with me. In the blink of an eye, I was pressed against the bar, the wooden countertop at my back and the beautifully dark fallen angel at my front.
    "Now we both know that's not true. Nothing is more important to me than you." He leaned in, licking a warm line along the vein pulsing in my neck. He pressed his erection against my thigh and sighed, the warm air hitting the wet skin gave me goosebumps. "You are my crowning jewel. Prized above all others. It's time to come home. Where you belong."
    My head fell back and without even being aware of it, I'd grabbed the paring knife used to prep garnishes off the bar top and pressed it to my neck. Right on the spot where he'd licked me. A single tear rolled down my cheek as I pressed the small blade harder against my skin.
    "Jax, no! Stop."
    My hand stilled at the sound of Dane's voice.
    "This is none of your concern, Sin Eater."
    "If it has to do with Jax then I'm making it my concern."
    "You're already short a soul. Don't forget your place."
    "And you're breaking the rules. I'd say what you're doing counts as coercion."
    With a short bow and tip of his imaginary hat, the prince of darkness disappeared. I threw a couple twenties on the bar and grabbed the Grey Goose before meeting Dane on the front stoop. He took the vodka, drawing a deep pull straight from the bottle. He wiped the back of his hand across his mouth before handing it back.
    "Of all the bars in Baltimore, you wind up here."
    "I was staying with a friend and decided to stop for a drink. How was I supposed to know he'd show up?" I wasn't entirely sure Thomas the angel and I were friends, although I'd spent so much time with his alter ego Tommy I couldn't help considering him one.
    "Who, Thomas? Your guardian angel didn't warn you about this place?" Dane seemed less than pleased, suspecting who provided my accommodations the night before.
    "No, no, he didn't. Why don't you tell me what's so special about Mount Royal, Sin Eater."
    Dane reeled back as if I'd slapped him, obviously surprised to hear me call him by his official title.
    "I wanted to tell you. I tried to tell you, the other night outside of the restaurant. You took off before I had the chance." He reached for the bottle, taking another swig of liquid courage. "This wasn't the life I'd have chosen for myself. Being a Sin Eater is the only thing I've ever known. It's been a cursed and lonely existence, but it brought me to you. And for that alone I'd do it all the same all over again."
    He stepped forward, closing the few feet between us and pulling me into an embrace. His lips were on mine seconds later in a passionate kiss. I wrapped my arms around him and deepened the kiss, opening myself up to him. There was a connection between us, one neither of us could deny any longer. Minutes ticked by with our mouths interlocked, until the sounds of an audience gathering at the foot of the stairs, patrons no doubt waiting to get into the bar, forced us apart.
    Chills ran down my spine as my demon alarm started going off, alerting me to the presence of more than one demon in the crowd. I pulled away, reluctant to let go