Brother? Re-l looked at the bookseller again, with a great deal more distaste. Who on earth could be related to someone as irritating as Gabriel? And did that imply that this new man was an angel too? She bit her thumb, reminding herself that it didn't matter in the slightest. She was only here for the books. The rest she could ignore.

"A reader of some kind would be helpful. If there is one in my apartment, I can't find it."

She leant against the counter and looked back at Gabriel. He had a very smug expression on his face, as though he had just got one up on her. That was definitely not allowed.

"Hmm," she said, her voice cool and controlled. "Did you have a legitimate reason for being here? Because it looked to me like you were indulging yourself in the flashiest, tackiest way possible, with as little regard for everyone else as you usually have."