Squeezing her gently, Angelo pulled the dark nub into his mouth and sucked. Her lower body arched with each tug and lap of his tongue. He paid the same homage to the other nipple, loving the sounds he evoked from her.
Upon first meeting, never in a million years would he have believed that they would be at this point. He didn’t do serious. He didn’t do relationships. Yet, that’s exactly what he wanted with her. Sometime during the night, he had stopped questioning why and decided to just go for it. Still, decisions had to be made about their professional relationship.
For now, though, he’d make sure they both enjoyed the here and now.
Chapter Seventeen
Moans filled the room. So intertwined, Zenobia couldn’t tell if they were hers or Angelo’s. He had kissed, sucked, and caressed her breasts like a hungry man devouring his last meal. That act alone had her quivering all over and brought Zenobia more pleasure than she had experienced in a long time.
In record time, he had rid them both of their underwear, and now she lay cradled against him. Their tongues tangled as his finger slid in and out of her heat. Zenobia’s lower body arched to his touch, humping his hand as his digit moved in and out of her. She whimpered into his mouth with each stroke. Her heart beat harder and her body vibrated as she neared an orgasm.
“You like that?” Angelo murmured against her lips. With the pad of his thumb, he massaged her clit with enough pressure that practically had her crawling out of her skin. He slipped another finger into her.
Zenobia’s breath caught, and electric currents shot through her body. Her hips moved up and down off the mattress, and she snatched her mouth from his, panting. “Oh yes. Please…don’t stop.” Her voice held a husky edge as she moved with each thrust of his fingers. He picked up the pace, going deeper and harder, getting her so close to the release she desired. “Please,” she begged.
Just when she started to plead with him again, he touched a spot within her and a powerful orgasm was ripped from her body. Zenobia cried out and Angelo quickly covered her mouth with his, silencing her scream while her body convulsed against him. She struggled to catch her breath, feeling as if she was still free falling out of the sky.
Angelo continued his sweet torture. He placed feathery kisses on her cheeks, and down the column of her neck. Tingles scurried through her body. When he worked his way back up, he kissed her lips sweetly. If moments like this was one of the perks of dating him, she already loved the direction their relationship was going.
Zenobia reached between their bodies, wanting and needing to touch him. She wrapped her hand around his shaft, reveling in the feel of the veins brushing against her palm as she slid her hand up and down his long, thick, hardened length. Angelo hissed between his teeth when she squeezed him gently and ran her thumb across the tip.
“Aww, baby,” he whispered close to her ear. His hardness pulsed within her hand. “We…I… Shit, I can’t think straight with you doing that.” He covered her hand with his and slowly eased out of her grip.
“Angelo,” she whined, wanting to bring him as much pleasure as he’d just brought her.
“I know.” He gave her a quick kiss on the lips, telling her not to move.
Still reeling from her release, she watched as he reached over the side of the bed for his jeans. Within seconds, Angelo had ripped open the foil packet and quickly sheathed himself.
“You ready for me?” he asked, moving between her legs and nudging them further apart.
“Definitely,” she purred, marveling at the sheer size of his erection as he aligned their bodies. The man’s physique was absolutely flawless, and now it was hers. He belonged to her.
She savored Angelo’s passionate kisses as he took his time inching into her. Inch by delicious inch, he stretched her while stroking her interior walls, and her eyes drifted close. It felt so good as he moved inside of her.
“Look at me,” Angelo whispered, but the demand in his voice had her opening her eyes and meeting his gaze. “I want to see you, the look in your eyes, when I make you come.”
His words and his dark, piercing gaze, as well as the way he moved inside of her, sent a sweet thrill shooting to the soles of her feet. The heightened passion had her hands fisting the sheet on either side of her as her head thrashed back and forth against the pillow. Her back arched, lifting her hips higher off the bed. Her moves were frantic as she bucked against him and neared her release. She was so close. So very…
Zenobia’s eyes slammed shut. She cried Angelo’s name as her powerful release attacked every nerve within her. Wave after wave of pleasure pulsed through her body, making her buck and jerk uncontrollably against him.
As she glided on a cloud of bliss, Angelo pumped in and out of her body, picking up speed with every stroke. After one hard thrust, he stiffened and trembled above her, groaning her name as his release charged through him. He collapsed but kept his weight from bearing down on her as his forehead dug into her pillow. Their heavy breathing mingled in the quietness of the bedroom.
Seconds ticked by before he eased out of her and rolled onto his back. “Man…” he huffed out, his chest rising and falling with each breath. They both laid next to each other in satisfied bliss until Angelo slowly sat up. “I’ll be right back.”
Zenobia watched as he crossed the room to the bathroom to dispose of the condom. His firm butt, rounded to perfection, made her want to reach out and grip both butt cheeks. She marveled at how good he looked going as he had coming. Once the bathroom door closed, Zenobia pulled the covers up over her breasts and stared up at the ceiling.
A smile tugged the corners of her mouth as she thought about what they’d just done. She knew they’d be good together, but the real act exceeded anything she could’ve imagined.
Angelo was a gentle lover. Just how she knew he’d be. More than that, he was hers. The night before, he gave a few hints that she meant something to him. However, he hadn’t mentioned them exploring the attraction between them. Either way, Zenobia was on board. After so many bad choices, being with Angelo felt good. It felt right.
The smile dropped from Zenobia’s lips as she thought about what dating a man like him would mean. At some point, her past would come up in conversation. Angelo was too curious of a person not to ask more questions. She was actually a little surprised he hadn’t pressured her for some answers yet. She appreciated him taking his time with her, but how long would he wait? She wanted to share more of her history, and probably would as they got to know each other better. Her past was a time in her life that she never wanted to revisit, even if it was only in her thoughts. But with Angelo, she would. She felt safe with him and knew he wouldn’t judge her.
After finishing in the bathroom, Angelo climbed back into bed and pulled Zenobia against his hard body. One of his large hands rested on her hip, and the other lifted her chin. When his lips touched hers, pleasure flowed through her like warm honey.
God, I can get used to this.
Having this man in her life, in her home, and in her bed was like a dream come true. Being there with him almost didn’t feel real. But it was very real. He was very real as he sucked her top lip, then nipped at the bottom one.
“That was amazing,” he murmured against her neck, and Zenobia shivered at his heated breath brushing over her damp skin.
“I agree, and I can’t wait to do it again.”
Angelo grinned, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “Oh, we will definitely do it again. Over and over again. Do you have any appointments today?”
“I thought I didn’t, but I checked my voicemail this morning and Kevin, the guy producing my album, left a message. There’s a scheduling conflict. If we want to use his friend’s studio, the only opening is late tonight. I’m thinking I need to take it so we can finish laying the tracks for a couple of songs.”
“You sure you’re up for that? I thought you were still working on lyrics?”
“That’s for a different song, and I might be done. I’ll see what Ke
vin thinks of what I’ve come up with.”
The producer had left the message during her meeting with Octavia. In light of the accident from the night before, he probably would consider rescheduling if she asked.
Zenobia leaned her head back farther, to look at him better, then touched his chin. He’d been clean-shaven for much of the week, but now he had a little scruff on his cheeks and chin. The rugged look added to his sexy, dangerous presence.
“What about you? Will your team need you to go over what happened last night?”
Zenobia had awakened before Angelo with the crash on her mind. Memories of it didn’t freak her out like the night before. She was safe, and now sensationally sated.
“Yeah, at some point, I’ll need to touch base with them. I’m sure Myles is on top of everything, and hopefully they have news to share.”
It made her feel even more safe knowing that she and Sofia weren’t in the huge house alone. There had been plenty of times Zenobia questioned why she’d purchased such a large place. The two of them would’ve been just as content and comfortable in a luxury condo. After last night, though, she was glad she had the extra space. There was plenty of room for them and the security team.
“How about we spend the next few hours in bed? Then, after we leave the studio, we can go out for a late dinner,” Angelo suggested.
“I’d love that. Our first date.”
He kissed her lips. “You’re right. I’m going to have to put some thought into how to make it special.”
“Just being with you will make it special, but I’m a little hungry right now. For food and a little more of what you just gave me.” She glided her hand up his chest, his shoulder, and then down his arm. He shivered beneath her touch.
Angelo rolled onto his back and pulled her on top of his body, letting her feel how hungry a certain part of his body was as well. “I think I can help you with both,” he said. “How about we start with this.”
With an arm around her waist, and a hand at the back of her head, he pulled her close and kissed her with so much passion, Zenobia could’ve cried.
Maybe this was the man who could finally give her that happily ever after.
*
Angelo couldn’t remember the last time he felt so relaxed. Clearly, he and Zenobia had needed the down time, lounging around and enjoying each other’s company. Their last round of sex had wiped them both out. After sleeping for a couple of hours, Angelo had awakened before Zenobia and took that opportunity to get in a quick shower. He had also gotten caught up with Myles on the latest with the crash.
It was only a matter of time before the truck was found, and Angelo hoped Supreme’s team found it first. That would give their people a chance to search the vehicle and possibly get answers before Atlanta PD gained access.
But right now, after eating a late lunch in bed, he and Zenobia were snuggled together, talking. Most of their conversation was around her singing career, and his family. But Angelo needed to get her to open up more about her past.
“Last night you were terrified that I was going to leave you. Why is that?”
For the first time in the past hour, silence fell between them. She was laying in the crook of his arm, her head partly on his chest, while his hand rested on her hip.
She tilted her head slightly and glanced at him. After a long hesitation, she started to speak, but Angelo stopped her.
“Don’t say it had something to do with the crash, because I know it was more than that. I want the truth.”
“My mother gave up on me,” she said dryly. “I know, mentally, she wasn’t always in her right mind, but she knew what she was doing the day she took her own life.”
“What do you mean?” Angelo was a little surprised by the comment. “If she was suffering from bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, isn’t it possible that she didn’t know what she was doing?”
Zenobia released a long sigh. “It’s possible, but… The weeks leading up to when she killed herself, my mother had been having what I thought were good days. For the most part, the medications helped even though she didn’t like taking them since they depleted her energy.”
Angelo’s heart went out to Zenobia as she described how removed from reality her mother was at times, as if her mother’s mind wouldn’t tell her what to do. Some of the simplest things like putting on a pair of pants or picking matching shoes seemed impossible.
“She always seemed so unhappy. I don’t know if she really was, but she looked unhappy which was so hard to deal with. As a teenager, I didn’t know how to help her. Loving her wasn’t enough.”
Angelo remained quiet. He couldn’t imagine what it was like to lose a parent like that or lose a parent period. All he could do right now was listen and be present in that moment for Zenobia.
“She left me. I came home one day after school, and she had taken all of her medications at once. She died of an overdose. It was ruled a suicide because she left a note. I’m sorry. That’s what the note said.”
“Ah, baby.” Angelo held her tight, wishing he could wipe the bad memories away. He didn’t know what to say and hoped she felt how much he cared about her.
“When I found her on the bathroom floor, she didn’t have a pulse.” Zenobia’s voice was muffled against his chest, and Angelo loosened his hold a bit. “Even though I knew my mother was dead, I remember begging her not to leave me. I can’t remember how long I sat on the floor next to her body, pleading for her not to leave me.”
“I am so sorry you had to go through that.” Angelo felt helpless. There was nothing he could say or do that would change Zenobia’s past or give her comfort at that moment. All he could do was be there for her going forward.
“Thanks. That experience made me stronger, but there are times when I can’t stand being alone. I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable last night.”
“I wasn’t uncomfortable, but I was worried about you.”
She scooted closer to where their mouths were inches apart. “Thanks for being here for me. I don’t usually have meltdowns like the one last night.”
“We all have breaking points. What happened yesterday triggered something inside you. Anyone would have been affected.” He was glad she told him more about what happened with her mother. Still, Angelo couldn’t help but wonder what other buried memories the crash had shaken loose.
“Yeah, maybe,” she said noncommittally, then gave him a quick kiss. Angelo didn’t try to stop her when she sat up and moved to the side of the bed.
She swiped a scrunchy from the bedside table and pulled her hair into a messy ponytail on top of her head. “I’m going to do some writing for the next couple of hours.”
Angelo’s heart lurched inside his chest, and his breath caught. What the hell?
A scar. A skin-tone burn. Not just any burn. A capital letter C with a smaller C dangling from its end, peeked out from under Zenobia’s arm. The branding, a bold two-inches-in-diameter circle, was familiar. He’d seen it on more than one occasion while with the DEA.
He had kissed, licked, sucked, and loved on her body for much of the day. How the hell had he missed the familiar skin branding? It might’ve been well hidden on her side and beneath her arm, but he was paid to be observant.
Angelo’s heart beat double-time at the realization of what the branding signified. It only meant one thing.
Zenobia glanced at him over her shoulder. “What time are we plan…” She frowned and turned to him fully. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
The shock that was simmering inside of him quickly turned to anger. If she kept something this serious from him and his team, what else hadn’t she told them?
“Why didn’t you tell me you were a part of the Cameeso Cartel?”
Chapter Eighteen
“Wh—what? H—how do you know about the cartel?” Zenobia stammered, tripping over the end of the bedsheet hanging on the floor. She hurried to cover her naked body, putting on the sweats that she had discarded earlier.
Angelo scrambled out of bed as if the mattress was on fire. Within seconds he was in his T-shirt and jeans. “Answer the damn question, Zenobia!”
She flinched at the tone of his voice, then swallowed hard, trying to gather her thoughts. The Cameeso name hadn’t been spoken in her presence in over a decade. Of all the people to suddenly mention it, she never would have guessed it would be Angelo.
“I’m not answering any questions until you tell me what you know about them,” she countered with more bravado than she felt.
“I was a DEA agent for almost fifteen years. I know more about drug cartels, the types of drugs they push, and their territories than I even want to think about. I also know the Cameesos were known for branding their women.”
“I was not their woman!” she shouted, rage building inside of her at his assumption.
“Then tell me why the hell you have their symbol branded on your damn body!”
“They took me!” she screamed, then swiped everything off her nightstand with one swing of her arm. Fury roared through her veins as her chest heaved. Did he honestly think she would let someone brand her?
Zenobia startled when someone pounded on the door like the police. “Everything okay in there?” Laz’s voice bellowed from the hallway.
“Yeah, we’re fine. Get away from the door,” Angelo said with less force than what he’d been using the last few minutes. He started toward Zenobia, but stopped suddenly at the foot of the bed, maintaining his distance. “Talk to me,” he pleaded.
Zenobia shook her head and rubbed the back of her neck as she trudged across the room to the patio door. Thankfully, they had closed it earlier when it started raining harder. Otherwise, who knows who would’ve heard their yelling. It was bad enough that Angelo’s team had probably heard them arguing.
And how the heck did she not know that he was former DEA?
Betrayed Page 15