“This looks really cool,” Vin murmured as he put the comic on his lap and opened the first page.

“It’ll take your mind off things.” Robbie nodded as if speaking from decades of experience. “Sometimes when you hurt, you need distraction.”

Distraction came out discrackshion.

“I gotta go get ready for school. You stay here. Drink that. Mom and I will check on you.”

Robbie marched out of the room like he’d arranged everything.

And just like that, Vin was in like Flynn.

CHAPTER
43

Again with the fresh grass.

Although at least this time, Jim knew where the fuck he was.

As he opened his eyes and got a whole lot of bright green and fluffy, he turned his face to the side and took a clear, deep breath. His whole body hurt, not just where he’d taken the bullet, and he waited for things to quiet down a little before he attempted any flashy moves like…oh, lifting his head or some shit.

Guess this facedown business meant he was really dead—

A pair of perfectly polished white bucks overtook his visual field, and above the natty shoes, a set of linen slacks pressed with a knife edge hung with the perfect break at the ankles.

The bottom cuffs were jacked up sharply, and then Nigel knelt on his haunches. “How lovely to see you again. And no, you’ll be going back down again. You have more missions ahead of you.”

Jim groaned. “Am I going to have to die first before I come here every time? Because no offense, but for fuck’s sake, I can just give you a cell phone to call.”

“You did very well,” Nigel said. The man…angel…whatever…extended his hand. “Very well indeed.”

Jim gave the springy ground a shove and turned himself over. As he shook what was offered, the sky was so bright he blinked fast and let go quickly so he could rub his eyes.

Man…what a trip it all had been. But at least those two people were okay.

“You left out one crucial piece of information,” he said to the angel. “The crossroads was mine, wasn’t it. When that bullet went flying, the key choice in all this was mine, not Vin’s.”

“Yes, it was. When you chose to save her over yourself, that was the critical turning point.”

Jim let his arms flop down at his sides. “It was a test.”

“You passed, incidentally.”

“Go, me.”

Colin and the other two dandies came over, and all three of them were dressed as Nigel was, in pressed white slacks with cashmere sweaters that were peach and yellow and sky blue, respectively. Nigel’s top half was done in coral.

“You guys ever wear camo?” Jim grunted as he propped himself up on his palms. “Or does that offend your sensibilities.”