Keepers: A Timeless Novella Read Online Free PDF Page A

frame,
was supposed to be in Italy. I couldn’t remember ever being this
happy to see him. Agent Patrick Salantro. Indeed, the angel had
style, and I had to appreciate the way he handled Brick Thrower.
Watching Agent Salantro cuff the guy without giving him any warning
was extremely rewarding. I grinned as all the news cameras captured
his arrest, which would hopefully let the world know that violence,
even toward angels, would not be tolerated.
    Beside me, Jenna had Jules
in her arms. She whispered something in Jules’s ear that made her
giggle. Jenna kissed her cheek and set her down. Jules started
toward the window, and I reached out to stop her.
    “ Let her go,” Jenna
murmured, a mischievous gleam in her eyes.
    Outside, the news cameras
turned back to us now that Brick Thrower had been shoved into the
back of a cop car. Uneasy, I stepped forward to keep an eye on
Jules. Though the majority of the glass blew outside, and she wore
shoes, it still made me nervous. Plus, only moments before, the
crowd had taken on a lynch mob mentality. Not exactly the best
setting for a little girl to be in. Firen rushed forward, lifted
Jules over the windowsill, and placed her gently on the ground next
to Andrew and Gabby. It was as if Firen knew exactly what was going
to happen. I tried to read her facial expression, but she appeared
just as fierce and angry as ever. I glanced back at Jenna, who was
fighting a smile.
    What the hell?
    I turned back in time to
see Jules tug on Andrew’s shirt. He glanced down at her, and his
expression changed the second he laid eyes on the five-year-old. I
nearly snorted at the sight; he wore the same goofy grin I always
did whenever Jules was involved. It was impossible not to; she was
a special and sweet child and undoubtedly related to Jenna in every
way.
    “ Yes?” Andrew asked. His
grin transformed, making it goofier, if that was even
possible.
    Jules turned anxious, her
fingers twisting together, and glanced at Jenna. She nodded for
Jules to continue. Jules bit her lip and stared up at Andrew, who
was amused now.
    “ Uncle Andy?”
    It was a good thing I
wasn’t drinking anything because I would have spewed everything out
my nose and choked to death. Andrew’s eyebrows came together at the
name, and I had to hold in the laughter that decided to rapidly
bubble to the surface.
    “ That guy who threw the
brick?”
    He nodded, instantly
turning uncomfortable. “What about him?”
    Jules lips quivered, and I
feared she was about to cry. Then she asked, “He bit off more than
he could chew, didn’t he?” She made a motion as if she was biting
into a tough piece of steak.
    Gabriella’s lips sealed
shut as she tried to hide her grin, though she failed at it when
Andrew asked, “Was he eating?” He turned desperately to Gabriella,
confused.
    Jules wasn’t about to cry,
she was trying not to laugh! She giggled then, the sound tinkling
and odd in the outlandish setting.
    Andrew straightened and
shook his head at Gabriella. “Did you see him eat?”
    Gabriella had a hand over
her mouth, but there was no way she could hide her hysterical
laughter. I had to turn away, I was laughing so hard. I had to give
Jenna credit: even in this situation, she could make me laugh. And
using Jules to do it? Genius!

CHAPTER 5: EXCUSE MY
FRENCH
     
    This was all Gabby’s fault,
I’d decided as I put my phone on speaker, listening to the music as
I held for Director Tom Morris. Ever since I’d met Gabby, my house
had become a warzone. And no, that wasn’t meant metaphorically.
Between Empyrean Guard attacks and now the media, my house had
practically gotten the royal treatment in remodeling. Or, as my
wallet liked to remind me, the hardware store had been living off
my paychecks lately. My homeowner’s insurance told me they wouldn’t
cover the damage first caused by Firen kicking Chris through my
kitchen wall. A few days later, the fight between Chris and Q had
destroyed my living room. That time my