Justice for Leanne Read online

  Justice raised an eyebrow at her and answered her rant, “I didn’t know you would care.” He moderated his own tone carefully, not sure where her answer had come from. He couldn’t tell if she was truly bothered by him invading her personal space or by the rising sexual tension between them. He tried to read her but she was blocking him.

  “Justice, sometimes I feel like you want me as a possession. I know that your rules, being a god and all, are different from those of us on the mortal plain, but I am still my own being. I don’t belong to you, and the things that I have here are mine. I wonder if you understand how important it is for me to have that space; to be able to decompress and deal with the things I do for you. When you invade my space without my permission, I feel violated. It’s not that I don’t want you here, I just want to be consulted about it.”

  “What in the Hell are you talking about? I have been very patient with you, giving you everything that I think you need and trying not to be invasive. Now you want to talk about when I can and can’t come visit you? You would allow even your least of friends a shower after the day we had today, and you are getting upset at me for this? I realize that I don’t always stay on the mortal plain to clean off a day’s work, but honestly, are you so set in a routine that you can’t give a little? Truly Leanne, don’t you think that perhaps you are being a little overreacting here?”

  Leanne jumped at the harsh words from Justice. Was she overreacting? Was this emotion pouring out of her because of pent up sexual tension or something else? She needed a few minutes to decide. “I’m tired and dirty and you have already rested and showered thanks to the ability to teleport. Can you give me just a bit to unwind?”

  Justice realized she had a point. “I’m sorry, of course. Please, take a shower and relax for a few minutes. I will run down to the bakery and get food. When you get out, we will talk about this. I didn’t mean to make you feel that way. I just enjoy your company.”

  “All right, but be sure to pay Faith for what you get from her. Remember that while she’s a god, she is surviving here on the mortal plain. That takes money.”

  Chapter Four

  Justice loved the bakery. Faith’s presence made everything seem like it was going to be just fine. Justice was glad she had been able to retain that ability.

  “Faith, as always, your bakery is one of the most welcoming places to be,” Justice called out as Faith emerged from the kitchen. “I will forever regret that I had to leave you here, but for selfish reasons I am glad that you decided to stay and be a part of Brimstone.”

  “Justice, how nice to see you,” Faith was guarded at seeing him in her bakery, but he sensed sincerity in her words. “What selfish reasons are those?”

  “Faith,” Justice pulled her in for a hug. “Well for starters I have a friend here in Brimstone no matter what.” Smiling down at her Justice could feel her relax. “Of course you are also a tremendous help to Leanne and I can never thank you enough for that.”

  Justice saw her blush at his compliment and brush it aside, “So, tell me what brings you in?”

  “Leanne is showering and relaxing for a few minutes. I told her I would bring something back for her.”

  As she stepped out of his embrace Justice saw Faith smile at him. “So it has finally happened. You have seen the beauty that is deep within her soul, as well as that of her face and decided to risk your heart.”

  Justice was surprised by Faith’s words, something that didn’t happen often. Then he realized that she was still able to read his emotions as she had been able to do before her banishment.

  “Well, I had thought to start with the easing of my body, but Leanne lectured me on not valuing her as an individual. I still haven’t explained fully to her that she is a dusa skala. She still thinks she carries the scales. She does not realize that she judges the souls and the scales follow her instincts.”

  “Justice! I told you years ago, hundreds of years ago to do that. I thought for sure you had listened to me so I didn’t bother to check after you. How are you going to fix this?”

  “I don’t know. I showered at her apartment today without talking to her and getting her permission first and boy did she lay into me. If she sees that as an infringement, how will she take my omission of her true nature? This is not going to be easy. She wants to be an individual, but she is also the tool I use to measure. She is truly a gift from the Higher gods. I have no idea how to explain that to her.”

  Justice watched Faith listen to him. He realized that Leanne wasn’t just a tool he needed. She was the individual that for the last three hundred years, had led him on a merry chase, whether she knew it or not.

  “The two of you will find a way,” Faith reassured him.

  “How? First I have to find a way to help her overcome the deceit that has been her life for the past 300 years.”

  Faith cocked her head, “Why didn’t you explain this to her when you saved her?”

  “She wasn’t ready. She had enough trouble adjusting to not being dead, and then having to work for me. I couldn’t bring myself to explain it to her. She was so vulnerable. I didn’t want what she was to be, so overwhelming that she couldn’t do the job I needed her to do. I gave her the scales and explained the minimum amount so she would never second guess any of her decisions. She truly thinks the scales make the final choice,” Justice felt like he had been through the wringer. He ran a hand through his hair.

  While he was talking, Faith had moved to the back of the bakery. Justice could tell that she was disappointed in him and didn’t know what else to say.

  He stopped pacing and watched as Faith came out with the sandwiches. He could smell them from across the bakery and knew that she had taken the time and effort to make both his and Leanne’s favorites. He hadn’t figured out how to tell Leanne the truth yet, but he hoped the sandwiches would help.

  “Here.” Justice took the bag Faith shoved into his stomach. “These will get you guys at least sitting down in a normal setting. Be honest with her, but keep your temper, because she won’t. She is going to be upset with you, though that doesn’t mean she won’t get over it.”

  He realized Faith had a good point. Leanne was hot-tempered, but she wouldn’t just turn him away.

  Whenever he’d had heated discussions with Leanne, he’d enjoyed himself. She’d always become so passionate, with her cheeks flushed, talking with her hands while she paced around the room. He tended to argue with her, just so that he could watch her. Justice took the bag from Faith, gave her a quick hug and headed back upstairs, feeling better despite the discussion he had to have with Leanne.

  Chapter Five

  As Leanne stepped out of the shower, she listened for Justice.

  She figured it was safe to come out when she didn’t hear any noises. He’d said he was going downstairs, but she didn’t trust him. It wasn’t as if he had ever done anything to make her distrust him, but he was acting very differently today; that difference was what she didn’t trust.

  He usually lounged on the bed, not under the covers. She wandered over to the bed and pictured him lying there with nothing but the sheet covering him. She picked up the pillow he had propped against the headboard and inhaled, smelling the faint scent he had left behind. A nice woodsy scent that pushed her already stretched hormones into overdrive.

  As she ran her hand over the sheets, she laid down on the spot he’d occupied and felt the warmth his body had left. Leanne closed her eyes, imagining Justice still there. She trailed her fingers over the silky material, pretending it was his skin. As she caressed her hand over her stomach, she moved up between her breasts; goose bumps broke over her flesh.

  She cupped one of her breasts and imagined it was Justice that was fondling her. Just as she was moving her other hand between her thighs, she heard the door open. She pulled the sheet up to cover her body, knowing he could pop in the bedroom at any time. Tears slowly ran down her cheek as the enormity of her emotions overtook her. Leanne felt such frustration and s
orrow at the inability to be able to reach out to the one person she desired the most. She felt as if her heart would break with the love she could never show. Justice was a Lesser god; way beyond her grasp. She would be her own lover for all eternity.

  If only… sigh. She would take him any way he offered himself. Hearing him set the table, Leanne got up and put on a pair of jeans and a soft red sweater. She washed her face and put on a bit of blush and lip gloss, readying herself to head out to her own dining room for lunch.

  As she walked toward the kitchen, her stomach growled at the aroma of bacon. Justice chuckled, Leanne looked up to see him standing at the end of the hallway.

  “I was just coming to get you,” he said. “And from the sounds of your stomach, I’m just in time.”

  Leanne walked by him, careful not to brush up against him. He always seemed to know what she was thinking when he touched her. Right now she did not need that. She felt heat rise to her cheeks.

  “Well I’m always hungry after we’ve been at the portal weighing souls. I want to make sure and get something in my stomach now, so that when we go again this evening I’m not running on fumes. The evenings seem to be getting worse; an increase in those who’re falling to the wrong side of the scales. It feels as if the souls, or whoever makes the decision on Hell’s side of the portal, might be testing us.” Leanne realized that she had made that sound more like a question than a statement.

  “I know,” Justice’s voice was low, and troubled, “We need to discuss many things. No one will be judged this evening. Tonight is for clearing the air and making progress in our own relationship.”

  “What the hell do you mean relationship?” she questioned his choice of words. “The only relationship we have is a working one. We have been working together for 300 years and you have never suggested we have any sort of relationship.” Leanne was completely taken aback that Justice had even used that word in regards to them.

  Justice sat down at the table and patted the chair next to his. Leanne knew her wariness showed on her face when he glanced up at her.

  “Come on, I won’t bite.” He smiled wickedly at her. “Yet.”

  Leanne sat down where her plate was set with a wary laugh. She bit into her sandwich with relish, closing her eyes and savoring the tastes. Faith always made the best sandwiches.

  A slight moan from Justice was a reminder that she wasn’t alone to enjoy her food as usual. Leanne opened her to eyes to find him staring at her with a look that she’d never seen—one of pure sexual hunger.

  Not sure what to do with that look, Leanne tried to make light conversation.

  “Sorry, I forgot you were there. I’m always so hungry after we weigh souls, and Faith makes the absolute best sandwiches. They always seem to be just what I’m looking for, right when I need it. I love living above her bakery. I don’t think in all these years, I’ve ever thanked you for putting me here with her, and allowing me the freedom to live on the mortal plain. I know that you don’t have to let me have the freedom that you do. You could make me live like a slave and yet you have never made me feel that way. You do make me feel owned, but not like a slave.”

  * * * *

  Justice didn’t know what to say to that. He didn’t really allow her more than he wanted to give her; more than he thought she deserved. He remembered when he’d first saved her, how he’d felt about her needing privacy, a place of her own. As he looked around the apartment, he realized that he felt very comfortable here. He could get used to hanging out with her in her welcoming space.

  “You deserve to live here. I know this is at least a little like what you were used to before you were saved. I wanted this to be an easy transition for you, and because of that I may have neglected some very important things.”

  Justice realized that this was harder than he had imagined and stopped to collect himself. He needed her in a way he had never, now he could lose her. “We have some stuff to talk about this afternoon and they aren’t going to be easy. I need to explain some things that I should’ve told you long ago and have simply put off. You deserve the truth before I try to move our relationship to the next level. From the moment I first saw your soul, I knew that you were destined for me; not just as my soul weigher but as the woman in my life. Since you, I have looked at no other, and wanted no one else. You are the light within the darkness that is my soul. I want you very much, but not under any pretenses, and I don’t want anything to get in our way.” When he looked over at Leanne, Justice could tell that he’d shocked her.

  “You want me?” She asked in amazement. Her tone said she wasn’t buying it. “It’s been three hundred years and now you’ve decided we should move our relationship to the next level. Well let me tell you something!” She stood and paced, a delicious red blush coming to her cheeks, that blush drove him wild. “You don’t get to decide when we more our relationship forward, or even if it does get to move forward. You aren’t the only one involved in this. You can’t just come in here after all this time and tell me that you are making the choices.”

  Leanne stopped and took a breath before she continued, “This is my life, too. Maybe I don’t want to move forward. Did you think of that? Did it occur to you after years of wearing my heart on my sleeve for you, I don’t want to take the risk that moving forward would present? Wait.” She frowned as if she’d only just now heard the other part of his statement. Suspicion flared in her eyes, and she peered intently at him. “What things haven’t you told me?”

  Justice’s heart raced in anxiety. “Well, I haven’t told you about all the complications of your work. There are some details about my choosing you for my scale bearer.”

  “What kinds of details and complications are we talking about? What’s there to know? I carry the scales because you can’t touch them. As long as you want me to carry them, I will live. We put the souls on the scales, and if they don’t measure up, we send them back to Hell. If they do measure up, then I send them through the Brimstone City Gates.”

  Justice realized in horror that he hadn’t heard everything she’d said. She had become more beautiful in her passion, and he’d become distracted. Justice knew that this was the moment of truth for them. He had lied to her all these years and now, having to come clean was one of the hardest things he had ever done. She was breathing hard from her tirade, her chest was heaving and he had trouble focusing.

  “Let’s move into the living room where we can relax and I can explain it all to you.” Justice didn’t want to slow her down from her magnificent passion, but he had to come clean. Part of him looked forward to the fight he knew was coming.

  “Fine, you go in and settle down. I want some tea.” Leanne walked towards the kitchen.

  Justice wished for the thousandth time that Leanne’s passion was in the bedroom, instead of this battle of words. He’d take the anger until she got over the deceit. He just hoped by tomorrow morning when they had to head to the portal again, she’d be calmed down enough to work with him.

  * * * *

  Leanne fretted over making tea as she tried to imagine what kinds of complications he had to discuss with her. It was clear he was worried. He watched her every move, and he kept trying to do things for her, like setting the table, and getting lunch. Justice never did things for her; he always did them for himself.

  Occupied with thoughts of what Justice could possibly think was so important, Leanne didn’t immediately notice that Justice wasn’t settled into his usual chair; instead, he was seated in the middle of the couch, where she always sat.

  “Come on, you can sit next to me. I want to be close to you while we talk about this.” Justice patted the seat next to him, while she set the mugs of tea down on the table in front of the couch.

  Leanne almost jumped out of her skin when Justice put his arm around her waist, and hauled her body close to his.

  “What do you think you are doing?”

  “I think better when I’m touching you, and I need all the brain power I can get during
this conversation.” Justice’s confession shocked her.

  “You what?”

  “My brain functions better and my thoughts are clearer when I am close to you. Why does this surprise you? If you think back through the last three hundred years, you’ll realize I touch you a lot. Why did you think I did that?”

  Leanne could see in his eyes that he was sincere. “I figured you were always reminding me of who I belonged to, that you were in charge. You usually touched me when we were out working, not when we were here alone in my apartment.”

  “Ahhh… I can see where you would have come to that conclusion. Well, you are wrong.” That statement put an end to her questioning. “Faith said I need to make sure to be honest with you. We both figure you will get angry with me for my deceit and the weight of what I am about to put on you. But she also says you will get over it soon, and we can move forward.”

  Leanne’s stomach dropped as she realized this was a more important situation than she had first imagined.

  “Well, if Faith thinks that what you are about to tell me is going to upset me, we might as well get it over with. That way I can get on with being mad and then work on getting over it. Nobody has ever accused me of staying angry long, but I have the right to express my feelings.”

  “I can appreciate that. I know that this is going to be hard to understand at first, so let me get the complicated part out of the way. Leanne, you are the dusa skala.”

  “Say what?” The words Justice spoke were not in a language Leanne understood or comprehended. “I’m not sure what you’re talking about. I can’t be anything. I thought I was saved, and that in return I help you? Isn’t that what happened? The Higher gods allowed you to save me? Aren’t I just here to help you with the weighing of the souls”

  “I knew this was going to be hard. Yes, those few who are higher than me gave you to me, but you were a gift, almost a savior. I was unable to perform my job anymore because I no longer had any shades of grey to my soul vision. I couldn’t discern between those who were capable of reform and those who were not. To me, they all needed to stay in Hell. Being the god of Justice is about being able to see the justice in everything. I was no longer able to see the justice in the souls. Those who had paid their price stayed in Hell because I could no longer weigh them fairly. So the Higher gods gave me a dusa skala, a soul weigher.”