“Thank you,” he said to them.
“You're welcome,” Garret said.
“What the actual flying fuck-shit is going on?!” Jackie shrieked as she got out of the car. “You fucking rammed me! Look at my car! Fuck! What the fuck?!”
“I thought you knew what was happening,” I said. “You're the one who started this. Which, I suppose I should thank you for.” I slid my gaze to my guys and grinned.
They grinned back.
Jackie came around her crumpled car, grimacing at the damage, then stopped beside her brother. Her chest was rising and falling rapidly. “I sort of know. I mean, I knew Silas had magic or whatever, and he healed Jake. Then I learned why he healed Jake. So, yeah, I knew. Sort of. But, Jesus Christ!” She waved at her car, then at us. “What the fuck was that about? Why didn't you just shout at me to pull over?”
“Because as soon as you stopped, the soul that was possessing Jake would have escaped,” I said. “They needed to get him before he jumped into a new body and started the whole thing all over again. He's evaded several Cerberuses already.”
“Cerberuses,” Jackie murmured and looked at Jake.
“Teams of supernatural ghost hunters,” Jake said.
“Fuck,” Jackie said.
I could tell the moment when she decided to leave the explanations as they were and not ask any more questions. Her expression closed down, and then she refocused on Jake. It was as if she hit a reset button. I assumed it was survival mode for her brain, and I totally got it. But I knew she'd get past it later and then Jake would have a lot of explaining to do.
“So, you're good now?” Jackie asked Jake. “You've been exorcised or whatever?”
“Yeah, Sis, I'm good.” Jake grinned. His stare shifted to me. “I've lost the love of my life, but at least I'm not possessed by a malevolent spirit who wants to hurt her.”
“What?” Jackie growled as she looked at me. “Seriously? You stuck by him through all that cancer shit only to leave him now?”
“I was destined for someone else,” I said gently, looking from her to Jake. “Three someone elses, actually.”
Jake nodded. “I know. I've learned all about the Hounds of Hades and their mates from Michael. Once he realized I wasn't buying the angel thing anymore, he took joy in taunting me with who I'd been backing and that I’d been on the bad side all along.”
“You see?” Garret motioned at me. “The soul always knows when it’s doing something irrefutably evil.”
Jake glanced at Garret. “Oh, yeah. Michael, or whatever his name was, knew he was on the wrong side. I think he justified it at first by telling himself it was a self-defense thing. But he got worse when he was in me. I could feel this . . . I don't know, greasiness.”
“The weakness,” Gideon said. “Evil stains the soul.”
“Yeah,” Jake said. “It felt gross. Every time he left and returned, I could feel the wrongness. I should have known by that alone. But I didn't want him to be the bad guy. Because then, I would be bad too.” He took my hand. “I'm so sorry, Indigo. Even if you weren't with them, I know you'd have to letme go. I've done you wrong. You've given me all you had to give, and I fucking abducted you, put you in danger, and nearly got you raped.”
“What the fuck?” Jackie hissed, her furious stare sliding to her brother.
“Jacks, I love you, but could you shut the fuck up while I apologize to Indie and say goodbye?” Jake asked.
Jackie blinked. Then she looked at me.
“I still love you and your family, Jackie. You will always be family to me,” I said. “But this is where I belong. I think I've felt lost all of my life because I've been searching for them.”
As I spoke, Jackie's eyes widened on something behind me. Then her stare lowered. And stayed lowered.
I turned to see Gage. He was back, physical, and in his man's body. Naked. All of his god-given gifts on display. I couldn't blame Jackie for appreciating them. But I could get possessive. That was my right as their mate.
“Nope!” I said and stepped in front of Gage. “That's all you get. One glimpse at the goods, Jackie. I won't murder you since it was an accident. But you'd better stop trying to look around me at my man or I might change my mind.”
Jackie blinked as Jake snorted a laugh.
“Hold the fuck on. He's yours?” She twirled her pointer to motion around me at Gage. “All ofthatis yours?”
Grinning proudly, I said, “Haven't you been listening? They're all mine. All three of them.” I nodded at Garret and Gideon.
