Jacque walked along with her. “I’ll walk you out. I just finished up, too.”
She looked up at him.
“You don’t have to. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself even though I screwed up once.”
He was shocked and wondered what she was talking about.
“Hey, I don’t get the reason for your attitude,” he stated as they walked out the door. He grabbed his duffle bag and followed her outside. The entire time, he caught sight of all the guys checking her out. It pissed him off and she wasn’t even his girlfriend.
Angelina walked to her black car, a beat-up convertible Camaro. She tossed her stuff into the backseat then turned to look up at him. Her dark blue eyes looked a bit sad.
“Listen, I don’t need an escort, despite everyone’s opinion. What happened at Dominate was crazy, I know that. It scared the crap out of me okay, but that doesn’t mean I’m stupid, and it sure doesn’t give you or anyone else the right to insist that I can’t even walk to my car without help. So do me a favor and just leave me be.”
“Whoa, sweetheart, again, I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. I don’t know anything about an incident at Dominate.” As he said the words, he thought about the meeting Tye and Mike were calling for at the house. It had to be about Angelina. Jacque had just returned from Vegas last night and hadn’t even seen his brothers.
She placed her hands on her hips and stared up at him. The slight breeze caressed her hair and a strand fell across her lip. He reached out without thinking and pushed it gently from her lips. He placed it behind her ear.
“Honestly. I don’t know about any situation. I just haven’t seen you in a while and wanted to catch up.”
She took a deep breath and her cheeks turned a nice shade of pink.
“I’m sorry. I just assumed that you had spoken with your brothers. Ya know what, just forget about it. Forget what I said. I need to go. It was nice seeing you again, Jacque.”
Why did she sound like she wouldn’t see him again? He wanted to see her again. He wanted to get to know her. She was interesting to say the least.
“Hey, where is that band playing tonight? Maybe I’ll join you guys if you’re going. I mean Jerry asked me to hang out, but I was kind of tired. I just got in from Vegas last night. Long week out there.”
“Doing what?”
“Fighting.”
“Who?”
He chuckled and ran a hand through his hair.
“Like Jerry told you back there, I’m a mixed martial artist. I do some matches here and there when the crowd is big and the money is good.”
She looked him over.
“I’ve watched that on TV before. That’s a really intense sport. Crazy really.”
He smiled at her as he looked her body over. “I like crazy. It gives me an adrenaline rush.”
Her cheeks reddened again and she shyly looked away. Holy fuck did his cock just get so fucking hard. He maneuvered his bag in front of him to hide his erection from her. The damn gym shorts would certainly give him away, and Angelina was jumpy.
“Well, the band, Sweet Trix, is playing in the Quarter at ten. But I’m not sure I’m going.”
“Can you give me your number and I’ll call you? I’m only going to go if you’re going.”
She looked up at him and held his gaze.
“Are you anything like your brothers?” she asked him.
He wasn’t expecting that. “What do you mean?”
She was silent a moment, and a sad expression crossed her eyes.
“I don’t think so, Jacque. I have to go. Maybe I’ll see you around.” She got into her car, started the engine, and slowly exited the parking lot. Jacque couldn’t help but wonder what that was all about. He knew that Tye and Mike liked Angelina but weren’t ready to commit. She seemed pissed off at them.
As he went over to his car and got into the BMW, he looked at the clock. His brothers were meeting in an hour. That gave him time to shower and join them. After watching Angelina box in the ring with that sexy body, he could use a cold one. As he exited the parking lot, he thought about what she’d asked him. Am I anything like my brothers? What’s that supposed to mean?
Chapter 4
Lei Wong crossed the room. His black Prada dress shoes made a clacking noise with each step he took across the marble flooring.
He eyed the young woman sleeping on the long oriental ottoman. Her hair was dark brown, not the color of onyx as he had ordered.
Her hips were big, her ass small and her thighs fat.
“What is this? This is not what I ordered, Tayo.”
“There seemed to be a bit of a situation in New Orleans. Charlie fucked up and nearly got caught. He left for China immediately,” Niko, Lei’s other guard, added as he stood there at attention along with Jordane.
“I don’t understand the difficulty in doing this. Jiang Huan special ordered a young woman with dark blue eyes, long onyx hair, big tits, and a super sexy body. The picture Charlie sent was near perfection. Where is she and what is this one doing here?” Lei asked, raising his voice.
“Charlie fucked up, plus the cops are onto the women going missing.”
Lei took a few deep breaths. “I have three weeks to get that woman to Jiang Huan. What do you expect me to do now?”
“Find another one. We have others looking around for the women on the order forms,” Tayo said.
“You do not understand. We are talking about Jiang Huan. He is one of the craziest bastards in China. You want someone killed, you contact Jiang Huan. You want to ship in pure cocaine or pills, you contact Jiang Huan. He has provided me with numerous jobs over the last five years and has made me richer than I ever imagined. So if he wants this particular woman, then you three and your connections better start searching for her. She should be easy enough to find.”
“Yes, sir.” Niko bowed his head. Tayo and Jordane did the same.
“Sir, what do we do with this one?” Jordane asked as Lei looked over his shoulder.
“Whatever you want and then get rid of her. The drugs only last eight hours.”
* * * *
“Why didn’t you call me right away, when this first happened?” Jacque yelled as his brothers gathered around the game room in the house. No one was really even playing the game of pool. They were drinking beers and talking about the week’s events.
“Why are you so pissed off about this? You were the one who wasn’t interested in pursuing her or any woman. Too young is what you told me.” Lucifer raised his voice back.
They were all feeling the pressure. None of them were dealing with the events calmly.
“Listen. It doesn’t matter. We’re getting together now and discussing everything. That’s the purpose of this meeting,” Terrance stated.
“It would have been nice to know considering that I just fucking saw Angelina today,” Jacque told them as he paced the room. He was freaking out. Now he understood why she was on the defensive, well sort of.
“What? Where was she?” Tye asked.
“At the gym, boxing in a ring with Jerry. Fucking guy was hitting on her.”
They all made various noises.
“This has to end. The other night scared all of us,” Mike stated this time.
“She said something to me today and I didn’t get it. She asked me if I was anything like my brothers. What the fuck are you guys leaving out?” Jacque asked, and then Terrance explained about Angelia’s behavior under the influence of drugs.
“She said that she wanted all of us?” Mike asked. Terrance and Lucifer nodded.
“Fuck!” Tye said then ran his fingers through his hair.
“What are we going to do?” Mike asked.
“Talk this through. This is a huge decision. There are five of us. We all live very active and sort of eccentric lives. Angelina’s a sweet, young woman. She’s twenty-six. That’s a six-year difference between her and Tye, and he’s the youngest of all of us. We have businesses to run and a lot of traveling
to do. It doesn’t seem fair to make her feel like an object between us,” Terrance said.
They were silent a moment.
“It wouldn’t be like that. Not with Angelina. There are five of us to take care of her and protect her. She wouldn’t ever be lonely or made to feel like she was last on the list of all the things we do. With one of us always around her, that would never be an issue,” Mike stated.
“She seems intimidated by me and my size. I’m not the lovey-dovey type and I’m set in my ways. She’s so fragile and feminine,” Lucifer added.
“You wouldn’t think she was so fragile if you saw her in the ring with Jerry, Lucifer. She was kicking ass. I think the only reason she was unable to defend herself was the drugs in her system. Otherwise, I’d hate to mess with her and get on her bad side,” Jacque told him.
“She looked that good?” Tye asked.
Jacque nodded his head and sighed. “Fucking hot, too.” He told them what she was wearing and about the conversation he’d had with her.
“She’s blaming herself, but why is she so pissed off at us?” Terrance asked.
“Probably found out about how she acted with you when she was high. All the guys were talking about it in the security booth,” Lucifer told them.
“What the fuck were they talking about?” Tye asked.
“How she was all over Terrance and also how classy and sexy she looked. They wanted to know if she was taken. I kind of said she was off-limits,” Lucifer admitted then leaned against the wall with his arms crossed in front of his chest.
Terrance smiled. “Well I’m sure hearing that from you, big guy, they wouldn’t question it.”
Lucifer gave a small smirk.
“What about the police investigation? Are they still questioning you guys?” Mike asked Lucifer and Terrance.
“No. We pretty much nipped that in the bud,” Terrance said. “I put a call in to Michael Fromm to see if he could find out more about the missing women case. Eloi and Johnny had limited information and heard that the feds might be getting involved for the simple fact that the women disappear and do not show up anywhere. No bodies, nothing. It’s like they vanish out of thin air.”
“Sounds like a professional operation. Maybe we should monitor this?” Jacque said.
“My concern is Angelina. I can’t sleep. I can’t stop watching the surveillance videos and seeing how scared she was and unaware of what was happening,” Terrance admitted.
“That just fucking pisses me off. I want to find these assholes and especially that one who tried to take her,” Lucifer stated.
“All of us do. I think Tye and I should go into Aubert’s tomorrow and try to talk to Angelina. Angelique said she’s back to work,” Mike stated.
“She’s supposed to go out tonight to see a band and hear them play with some friends in the Quarter,” Jacque told them.
“What?” they each replied almost at the same time.
Jacque widened his eyes. “That’s what I got pissed off about. Jerry said he would escort her to make her feel safe.”
“Asshole,” Lucifer whispered.
“I then asked her where the band was playing and said I might go. She said she wasn’t certain that she was going and that’s when she asked me if I was like my brothers.”
“She’s angry at us. We’ve been blowing her off for the better part of a year because we couldn’t make the commitment and we weren’t all on board,” Tye said.
“Well, I think we’re all on board now,” Lucifer said.
“I hate to say this, but by her attitude, it may be too late,” Jacque said.
They all looked ready to hit something.
* * * *
“Ellena, it’s not a big deal. I’m going with a bunch of people to listen to a band play,” Angelina said as she prepared to leave Aubert’s to head home to shower and change.
Ellena and Illeanna leaned against the counter. Gustave was standing there waiting to take Illeanna home and Roy was there, ready to drive Ellena back to her house.
“I’m actually surprised that you even want to go out. You’ve been acting funny, and Angelique said you were still having difficulty sleeping at night.”
Angelina grabbed her bag and car keys.
“We’re just worried about you,” Illeanna added.
Angelina felt a bit uncomfortable with Roy and Gustave there listening and now knowing that she was afraid at night.
“I wish you wouldn’t do that.”
“Do what?” Ellena asked.
“Talk about my personal business in front of Roy and Gustave. I know they’re your men and all, but I take care of myself. I’m getting through this situation my way. Elle and Vera think that going out in a crowd will help me.”
“I don’t agree, especially when it comes to those two,” Ellena stated.
Angelina was shocked.
“What? Now suddenly my friends aren’t good enough and maybe they are at fault for what happened to me?” Angelina raised her voice.
“That’s not what your sister is saying.” Roy spoke up and Angelina looked at him.
“Angelina, just be careful and call us anytime if you feel like something is wrong or if you need one of us to come get you. We don’t care what time it is,” Illeanna offered as Roy wrapped his arms around her waist and stared at Angelina. Angelina looked at Gustave and Ellena.
“Be aware of what’s going on around you and stay with your friends,” Gustave said then smiled.
“I will. God, you’re going to be like this until I have a steady boyfriend aren’t you?”
“Don’t go looking for one tonight,” Illeanna teased.
“Don’t worry, I’m not.”
Angelina gave them all hugs good-bye and then headed for home.
* * * *
Angelina got out of the car along with Vera and Elle. Her two friends were decked out in leggings and very revealing tops. Angelina shook her head at them during the car ride over as they expressed wanting to hook up tonight. Angelina was glad she decided to drive. It would mean no alcoholic beverages and a clear head to get through her anxiety about being out like this again.
“Listen, if we meet some hot guys, don’t worry about us. You take off. We’ll get a ride,” Vera said with confidence.
“You’d better watch your ass, Vera, and you, too, Elle. Be smart. Besides, I think your brother Jerry is going to be here,” Angelina told her as she locked her car doors. She was wearing a pair of hip-hugger jeans in a dark teal, a matching two-tone top with a teal camisole, lace along the trim, and a black overlay sheer blouse with beading. Her jewelry was simple, the way she liked it, and she was sporting high-heeled ankle boots.
Elle grabbed Angelina’s arm.
“You look extra hot tonight in those skinny jeans. You have a great ass, Angelina. It must be all those kickboxing classes and solo lessons you take with Jerry. Does he compliment your ass?” Vera teased.
“Vera!” Angelina pushed her away, and they all laughed.
“Face it, Angelina, my brother has had the hots for you for years.”
“This is a completely uncomfortable conversation. There’s nothing going on between us.”
“That’s because you can’t get your mind off of the Bouchet men, even after you threw yourself at one of them and got no reaction.”
“Vera, that’s not nice,” Elle said, and Angelina gave Vera a dirty look. She wondered why she was getting so pissy with her. But that was Vera. The girl was filled with attitude.
They could hear the music playing from outside. Angelina knew it was going to be loud inside, and as they entered, it was jam packed.
“We got some nice prospects here tonight, ladies,” Vera yelled behind her. Elle was in the middle and Angelina behind her as they made their way toward the back.
Elle spotted Jerry. “There’s Jerry and the guys from the gym.”
Angelina saw them, and as they approached, she caught sight of Jacque and Ryder standing by the corner of the bar. Both men
looked at her, and Ryder waved. She waved back and turned away as Jacque’s eyes widened, and then he squinted as if he were angry that she was there. Perhaps he asked his brothers about what happened to her at Dominate. She didn’t care anyway as Jerry pulled her into a hug and kissed her cheek. She felt the palm of his hand trail along her backside very quickly. Then he kept it on her waist.
“You look gorgeous,” he told her, and she thanked him then said hello to the other guys. They were all staring at her and her friends, checking them out. She felt her chest tighten and a panicky feeling came over her. She followed Vera and Elle to the bar, but they walked closer to a group of guys they all knew from school. The guys waved hello, but Angelina felt on edge as she turned away from them.
She wasn’t sure what came over her, but then the band started playing a loud song.
People pushed forward to move closer and as she stepped back she felt someone take her hand. She turned quickly, prepared to strike, but then heard Jacque’s voice next to her ear and his body close behind her.
“Aren’t you going to say hello?” he asked her. She tilted her head and gave him the once-over. The man was awfully sexy. He wore a pair of dark jeans with a black belt, black boots, and a tight-fitting black shirt that showed off his big muscles and tattoos. He maneuvered her between himself and Ryder.
“Hi, Jacque, Ryder,” she said and Ryder gave her a kiss on the cheek.
“Here, take this seat and I’ll stand,” he told her.
“That’s okay. I’m good for now.”
“Can we get you a drink?” Ryder asked and winked at her.
She gave him a look.
“I’ll take a club soda with lemon, wiseass.” He chuckled then ordered her the drink at the bar.
She was very close to Jacque. He seemed to be taking a protective position next to her, or maybe she was just naïve and hopeful. She had that funny sensation in her belly that warned her she was attracted to the man, but who wouldn’t be?
“Not drinking tonight?” he whispered next to her ear.
She turned toward him. “I’m the designated driver.” They both looked toward Elle and Vera who were sipping on some sort of mixed drinks with umbrellas in them.
Angelina [Orchidea: Love on the Bayou 5] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) Page 4