Page 60 of Greed

Penny made a snorting sound as Michael’s eyes went wide. He opened his mouth to say something, but she held up her hand and cut him off. “And, you lied to me too. You cannot cast stones. The pleasure you’re getting from sticking it to Riker—you should be ashamed.”

She hobbled away from the two of them and stared at the black water. “Was your plan all along to show interest in me just to annoy your brother,” she asked as she turned to face Michael.

He didn’t refute the claim, so she turned to Penny once more.

“Now Penny, tell me this minute why I’m to stay away from Riker, and if you so much as leave one tiny detail out, we are done for as long as I manage to stay alive.”

Penny swallowed and pushed herself off her knees to stand. Her tears had stained her cheeks red like a bad blush job.

“Riker is an Original Sin, and there is a prophecy that has been around for a longer than I can remember. It is hypothesized, and many believe that if the Sin’s find redemption or fall in love with a human, it will stop the apocalypse from happening.”

Minetta shivered, her damp clothes feeling very wet and cold against her skin.

“So let me make sure I have this straight. You wanted to keep me alive because I was your friend, but you were still working to destroy the world that I live in, which I suspect would also kill me?”

“I didn’t look at it like that. The apocalypse could be years from now, another millennium even. You are human, your life expectancy is short, and I knew you’d be safe in Heaven with your family and with me.”

Minetta stared at Penny and wasn’t sure how she felt, but knew that their friendship was shattered. Could it ever be repaired? She had no idea, but the betrayal was painful.

“But it could also happen tomorrow, and what then?”

“I…I don’t know, Minny, I’m sorry. I’d never want you to be hurt or killed, I….” Penny stopped talking and just stared at the ground. “I honestly thought you would be long passed by then.”

“And everyone else dying, possibly my grandchildren, that would be okay?” Penny didn’t answer and didn’t look at her.

Minetta turned her focus on Michael. “Well, this at least makes more sense. Let me guess, you’ve been trying to goad your brother, the sin of greed, into wanting me in hopes that he will miraculously fall in love with me,” Minetta asked.

He lifted a shoulder and let it drop, the action way too elegant for what it meant. “Maybe I wanted to see him again and happy as well. Riker has never forgiven me for my part in his fall, and if his happiness also saved the world, it was a win all the way around in my books.”

“And Riker’s interest in me is what exactly? Annoyance that you’re interested?” She glanced at Penny. “A lie from another fallen angel?”

“No, his interest in you is real. The two of you are destined, and he doesn’t know about any of this.”

“You don’t know that,” Penny argued. “You think they are destined to be, but you don’t know for sure.”

Michael smirked. “Really demon, then why are you working so hard at keeping them apart? Why not let them spend time together and see what happens? If my theory is false, then there would be no harm, now would there?” Penny closed her mouth and crossed her arms over her chest. “Think Penny. There is a reason you were directed to Minetta and not any other random human. Riker’s heart has already begun to shift, and you don’t think your friend deserves happiness?”

“I…shit.” Penny dropped her arms. “You talk in circles, Michael. You make my head hurt. You’ve always made my damn head hurt. It was the one saving grace of my fall, not to have to listen to you anymore scramble my brain.”

“Okay enough, the two of you are worse than listening to political debates.” She shook her head to stop the argument from escalating, which was where it was heading. “To recap, my choices are, continue living my life, and the apocalypse may or may not happen, but regardless I will be running for the rest of my life from every demon that decides I’m a threat. Or I go back and see if things can work out between Riker and myself and maybe stop a world-ending apocalypse, which will piss off more demons, but at least Riker’s influence might protect me. Is that about right?”

Penny and Michael looked at one another and then back to her. She shook her head as she turned and hobbled along the bank.

“Where are you going?” Michael called after her.

“Anywhere that is far away from you two.”

How was she supposed to make a decision like this? Who else woke up one day and was told they could be a key to saving the world? She looked down at her soggy feet. The sneakers sloshed with every agonizing step and felt disgusting and like lead weights on her tired legs.

She was no superhero.

“Minetta?” Michael called out, and she paused and looked over her shoulder.

“Would this be a good time to tell you that your father is proud of you?” She stumbled, and her ass found the mud once more. “I’m not lying to you. He is a good man and is proud of you and the woman you’ve become. I see the same strength in you that he did to make the hard choices in life, Minetta.”

Her eyes found Michael’s, and at that moment, she hated him. He knew exactly what to say to mold her to his wishes, and whether his words were true or not, she couldn’t turn her back now.

“Can you take me home? I need a hot shower,” she asked weakly, her decision already made.