Beloved Purgatory (Fallen Angels, Book 2) by Katherine Pine Read Free Book Online Page A

body flickered, as if a thousand
butterflies made of light had landed on his skin. Then, he started
to fade. The last image I saw of him was his lips, parting as if to
whisper something before he disappeared.
    It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to
the dim light. I was still in the principal's office--I could see
Kim's wide, fearful eyes, my mother's bloodless face, and the
redness of James' father's countenance, too shocked to appear
indignant.
    No. My stomach turned. They probably thought I'd been speaking
about James.
    In fact, even James thought I'd been talking
about James. He wiped his eyes and pulled the hat even further over
his face. "I do care," he whispered.
    What could I say? No, James, I wasn't talking to you, but the angel
in the room--you know, the one only
I can see .
    James' shuddered. "And I just--Kim, I'm
sorry."
    Kim's cheeks flushed. Mine almost did, too.
James' voice was raspy to the point of sounding as though he could
scarcely breathe.
    I swallowed. "Look, I was a little harsh."
    He exhaled deeply, or perhaps sobbed. "No,
you were right." He rested his open palms on his knees and watched
them, as if he expected something to change.
    Jasmine led me back to my seat. At least no
one would dare doubt my involvement, now--the principal especially.
There could only be two explanations for the way he kept looking at
me: either he thought I had a pack of pads under my shirt and was
afraid I'd exact revenge on his desk, or that I was suffering from
PMS.
    "Ms. Lai," the principal began softly, "I
think it would be best if you and your daughter left."
    "Do you really think that's wise?" James'
father piped.
    James put his hand on his dad's shoulder.
When he tilted his head back, I caught a glimpse of the red, puffy
eyes he'd hid under his cap. "Kim wouldn't do something like
that."
    Inappropriate laughter bubbled up in my
throat as I remembered Kim dancing on the hood of his car,
squirting Siracha like it was a hose. Thankfully, I was able to
push it back down.
    Kim stood. She didn't look back at me when
she walked out the door--not even once. But she did look at
James.
    Once the door closed behind
them, Forneus leaned forward. "Now that Devi and Jasmine have
assumed responsibility for the event, we should discuss
their punishment ."
His eyes gleamed as he orgasmed that last word. Yuck.
    Jasmine squeezed my hand. "It's going to be
alright," she whispered.
    James pulled his cap over his face, again.
His dad patted him on the back. It reminded me of how a father
might comfort his son if he struck out on the last inning of a
little league game.
    Principal Lowell coughed and folded his
hands on the desk. "There was no physical damage to the car,
though, according to James' father, it did take a long time to
remove the items." He looked at the floor between the two parties.
"I've considered the possibility of suspension. Two weeks seems
sufficient. And Devi and Jasmine would be unable to attend the
upcoming dance."
    My ears perked up. Not going to school for
two weeks? Getting barred from a dance I had no desire to attend in
the first place? That didn't seem so bad. Actually, it seemed kind
of wonderful.
    My mother wrinkled her brows as if I'd been
cast off to a leper colony. "Devi, are you alright with this?"
    Don't give yourself
away, I demanded as I gripped my jeans.
James' father was giving me the smuggest 'take that' smile I'd ever
seen. I didn't have the heart to ruin this moment for him--and,
more importantly, I didn't want him to think up a better
punishment.
    I raised my brows and did my best to give
the floor a forlorn look. It was a little over the top, but if
everyone else was so melodramatic I guess I could be, too. "I will
just have to live with it," I whispered and clutched Jasmine's
shoulder.
    "Devi." Jasmine pressed her
lips to the top of my head. The chilling sound of her voice
vibrated through me. I turned my head so I
could see her face.
    Those clear, green eyes didn't quite meet
mine, and her