Independence: #2 Angel

by Karen Nichols

  “I already answered that, dear. You and your possessed soul, provide a significant increase in donations when we have you at the service.” The smile she offered was devoid of humor. “Oh, and when he conducts the beating in public…making a valiant effort to purge the demons from you…the frenzy and amount of money people are willing to give such a noble, suffering man who gives up so much of himself to try and save his only daughter…it’s humbling. Think of it as reality church, if you will. And you’re the star of the show.”

  “Lady, you are truly in need of help,” Patsy announced with a low chuckle, a hint of her New York accent bleeding through. “This is the modern world. When a girl says ‘I do’ it’s because she means it…not because her old man pushed her into it. It’s called free will.”

  “As I was saying,” Elizabeth Morehouse continued as if Patsy hadn’t even breathed, let alone spoken. “Your father wouldn’t understand how important a wedding day is to a woman.”

  “I am not marrying him,” Angel repeated firmly, her hands wrapped tightly around the large bottle of water. The chill from the moisture did nothing to calm her. “This is my life. Mine! I don’t like him. I…I…there’s someone else in my life. Do you understand that? Can you grasp that I care about someone very much? Can you not grasp what that means?”

  “The one who came to your rescue yesterday?” Elizabeth arched a brow, her head shaking. “You haven’t been listening. Earl Leonard can give you so much,” she gazed around the homey looking café. “So much more than this, child.”

  “She’s nothing but a financial asset to you,” Bailey said quietly, her hand sliding over the table to close around Angel’s twisting fingers. “Don’t let her get to you. I’ll call Colin and have them add her name to the restraining order. I think you should go now.”

  “I do not believe any of this is your concern,” Elizabeth said with a chilling smile.

  “That must be why we missed you at Angel’s wedding ceremony,” Patsy said with a long swallow of her cold drink. “It was great. Very emotional.”

  Elizabeth turned cold eyes upon Angel. “Impossible. I’ve had you followed.”

  “Lady, you know how many judges go to the club?” Patsy laughed and nudged Bailey. Mostly so she’d stop looking bug eyed at her. “Private stuff goes on in the club all the time. And Angel’s spent a lot of time there lately.”

  “Colin is part owner of the club,” Angel said quietly, meeting the icy glare with a trace of a smile. “And I am well over the age of consent. I keep trying to talk to you but no one listens to me.”

  “And girlfriend can’t have two hubby’s,” Patsy said with a bright smile at the scowling woman. “Although, imagine the possibilities…”

  Bailey choked on her soda. Angel bit her lip. And her step-mother stood up and made a furious retreat.

  “I swear, you are going to get me killed,” Bailey smacked Patsy on the arm. She drained the rest of her soda, her gaze still on the tail end of Elizabeth Morehouse. “I think she’s a tad upset.”

  Angel turned and stared at Patsy. “I keep getting more and more people to worry about in my life.”

  “No need to fret about me, girlfriend, I grew up in New York City,” Patsy scoffed, tossing her things into the recycle bin. “Be right back.”

  “You know…that just might solve the problem,” Bailey said thoughtfully. “You can’t be married to two guys at once. And I don’t see Colin giving you a divorce so you can marry the dweeb…and the really good thing…he doesn’t even need to know.”

  “You’re not serious?” Angel stared at her. Then she snorted and quickly put her hand over her mouth. “You could really keep a secret like that from Gabe? When he goes into his Dom mode?” Her laughter continued when Bailey turned a little green around the gills. “Yeah, I thought so. And I’m supposed to be nonchalant and pretend nothing is going on.”

  “It’s still a good idea,” Patsy declared and lifted her coat. “Let’s get to work. See you, Angel…thanks for the cupcakes. Yummy as always.”

  “Oh…something to share with your friends,” Angel walked quickly to the back and brought out two large bakery boxes. “Enjoy. And thanks for…for being my friends.”

  Even after Elizabeth’s visit, she felt like smiling. She was happy.

  It was a foreign feeling, considering her relatives and the machinations they seemed to enjoy employing with regards to her life. Why couldn’t they make their plots and plans with one missing daughter? There must be at least a dozen of their parishioners who need their attention.

  Chapter Seventeen

  By four she had sent her staff off and locked down the front. The blinds were drawn and the cleaning crew would be there in a few minutes. She had powdered sugar and cinnamon spread around the counter and was rolling the flaky dough in it before placing the delectable treats on the pan for baking first thing in the morning.

  It was nice to discover that the urge to try new recipes increased when she was happy. Although she had to admit it took some serious focus to keep from thinking about all the things that could go wrong. And there were so many.

  She was the first to admit, later when she thought about it, that thinking about hurrying because someone was waiting for her was a very new concept to her. And tonight, it didn’t enter her thoughts. She saw the cleaning crew in and out while working through the new recipe.

  She wanted to add just a touch of the chocolate chili powder she’d found in a spice shop up in Seattle. She was digging in her cabinet when she heard the noise in the alley where she kept her car parked during the day.

  It was too late in the day and the wrong day for it to be the trash or recycling people. Maybe there was a homeless person rummaging, but this wasn’t the usual part of the city where they’d wander. They tended to remain close to their camps or the larger restaurants and hotels where there were more things to dig through.

  She sighed.

  She always gave them left overs when they wandered to her alley. Tonight would be no different. She went back to the main counter and filled a paper plate with a couple left over sandwiches. She crossed to the back entry and turned the lock. She had a screen on the upper portion of the outer door and hadn’t put the other pane of glass in place yet for the winter.

  “I was hoping I could convince you to go out and have a steak dinner with me,” said the familiar, sexy voice from the shadows. The lamps in the alley reflected off the mist that was falling and landing on the disheveled dark blond head. His hands were sunk in the pockets of his overcoat, the suit he wore all day a deep charcoal.

  “Colin,” Angel breathed out, realizing how tense she’d been, surprise at his appearance in her voice.

  “I’d hope you were opening the door because you knew who was out here,” his hand was up and opening the outer door. She backed up as he entered and lifted one of the croissant sandwiches from the plate. He took a big bite and chewed thoughtfully.

  “I…sometimes homeless people come to the alley…so I was going to give them some of the day’s unsold sandwiches,” she watched as three bites later, the sandwich was gone. She laughed at him. “Come in and sit. I’ll make you something fresh.”

  “What do you do with your phone all day?” He asked casually, carefully standing on the waterproof mat as he took his overcoat off and hung it on the edge of the open inner door.

  “I…it’s in my office. I haven’t been in there all day, though.” She looked toward her office, about six feet from him. He walked to the office without speaking, returning almost immediately with her pack in his hand. “What’s wrong?”

  “Find it, please.”

  Angel set the plate she’d been holding on the cabinet and took the pack and set it on one of the chairs against the wall. She opened the small zippered section on the side and reached inside, pulling the phone out in her hand.

  “I’d appreciate it if you kept it on you, and responded when you could, Angel,” Colin opened the phone and tapped over the surface before turni
ng it to face her.

  “Seventeen missed calls? Six new messages?” She tried but couldn’t stop the laughter. “I work all day, Colin and very rarely even slow down. I had lunch with Bailey and Patsy today, so that was my lunch hour,” her eyes rolled back slightly. “Then…”

  Colin caught the hesitation. “Angel? What happened?” His gaze swept over her, from the feathery dark cap of hair to the comfortable boots, scuffed and worn. They suited the black jeans and polo shirt she wore.

  “Elizabeth came to see me,” she realized he might not know who she was. “My step-mother,” she added. “Bailey and Patsy were here by then and…she didn’t stay long.”

  “What did she want?”

  “You won’t let it go if I say nothing, will you?” She watched his left brow arch and sighed. “Yeah, I thought so. Another sandwich? Tea or coffee? I have iced tea.”

  “Iced tea and the leftovers are fine. And something really sweet…” he set the phone down and caught her around the middle before she could walk off. “Something I’ve been thinking about all day…”

  The touch was soft at first. Like the finest powdered sugar she used for her confections. Feathery light and then she realized he was tasting her. His tongue was out and he licked over her lower lip before pulling at it with his teeth. She groaned and his tongue slipped between her lips, teasing hers to play.

  Her hands slipped inside his suit coat and around his back, gliding over the silken feel of his shirt. She used her nails, raking them down his back and melting closer when his kiss deepened and became more demanding. He was hungry and for more than sandwiches and tea.

  His body reacted and she felt his shudder and his cock pressing against her center when his hands came around and took her wrists. Her mouth reached for him when he backed away, a wrist tightly held in each of his hands and forced to remain at her sides.

  “I’m going to guess that taking you in the middle of your kitchen would be a bad thing,” Colin watched her eyes go to the size of half dollars and laughed, low and husky. “That’s what I thought…” He looked around the large, open space.

  “Colin…” Angel said his name and caught the gleam in his eye. “My office…sir,” she whispered with a shiver of anticipation.

  He released her wrists and stepped to the side with a gesture she easily understood. She swallowed hard and walked ahead of him, a nice little twitch to the full behind he loved pushing against.

  “I do love watching you walk in those jeans,” he commented, appreciation evident in his voice and in his slacks. “But I think I’d rather take you home. Grab your things, Angel.”

  “I have my car,” she said quickly, snatching up her jacket and returning to the counter to get her pack. She had her keys out and did a quick mental check of the area before going to join him where he waited at the door.

  “I’ll lead you to my home,” he said seconds before his hand was up and wrapped around the nape of her neck. He held her in place for a long minute before taking the kiss he wanted. Pure, hot desire. His tongue found the seam between her lips and thrust inside to taste her; hold her in his senses until they reached his home.

  An odd sense of satisfaction filled him when she stumbled a little locking up the door after he’d released her and went into the alley ahead of her.

  Angel leaned against the closed door, her breathing shaky and eyes closed. How the man managed to shut down everything in her mind continued to fascinate her. And day-dreaming was only going to get her into trouble. She found containers, loaded them up with various foods and pulled a large water bottle from another cabinet.

  She had the tea and food in a large bag as she quickly collected her things and headed to her car. Not surprised, Colin’s SUV was waiting patiently on the street beneath the overhead lamp. A shiver raced through her, her gaze shifting and taking in everything around her. Cars, the streets, the alleys and the lights in some of the buildings. A few people braved the chilled fall evening and she was glad it was no one she knew as she locked the door behind her.

  The engine turned over and she guided the car into the street, following behind the larger SUV, humming to herself and making notes of exactly where he was leading her.

  Colin tapped the button on his dash, his tone cheerful when he answered the ringtone. “To what do I owe this honor?”

  “We’re friends…I need a reason to call?” Gabe’s voice echoed through the car.

  “Hmm…now I know you have a motive.”

  “You spend too much time in courtrooms.”

  Colin laughed, his head shaking. “And you hate when I recognize a set-up.”

  “How’s Angel?”

  “Ahh…so far as I can tell, she’s fine. Following me to my house for the night. Does this have anything to do with her step-mother’s visit and the fact that Bailey and Patsy were there at the same time?”

  “She told you about it?”

  “She mentioned it. She managed to distract me from finding out the purpose of the visit.” Colin immediately recognized the underlying suspicion. “Why wouldn’t she? I don’t know the topic of conversation, but Angel didn’t seem to be bothered. What am I missing, Gabe?”

  “She visited to find out what kind of wedding Angel wanted to Earl Leonard.”

  There was silence for a long minute. “Bailey told you this?”

  “With a little coercion,” he admitted with a chuckle, his free hand stroking softly over the sweat dampened brow. He only grinned when she raised her head enough to stick her tongue out at him. A sharp smack echoed in the room and through the phone.

  “I see.”

  “I am still working through the independence of my fiancée,” Gabe admitted slowly. “And I am not blind to the needs they have to be in control of their lives. No, not control. To garner their capabilities to take care of themselves. Regardless of the obstacles some morons insist upon placing in their path.”

  “And this is just one more thing Angel feels she should handle on her own,” Colin said with a nod. “I get that. Until they used kidnapping and restraints, against her will.”

  “According to Bailey, Elizabeth made the comment that the reverend’s donations increased considerably when he preached about his trials with Angel. And went even higher if he had her there for a religious cleansing,” Gabe kept his voice level but Colin could hear the effort behind it. “So the supposition we talked about seems to be at least one of the reasons for their continued interest in Angel.”

  “The man is beyond contempt,” Colin managed without swearing. “There are times I wouldn’t mind the old west and simple justice to make a point and get through to some people.”

  “I was thinking locking him in the club with Dianna or Carole Ann,” Gabe said dryly. “Give him and his sons a taste of what they do to others.”

  “What a nice visual. Thanks for the information. I probably would have gotten it eventually, but she’s working very hard at being a distraction,” Colin told him with a chuckle. “And I was enjoying her efforts.”

  “You’re so shallow. Keep an eye on your back, Colin.”

  “Always.”

  He ended the call and looked into the mirror, watching her through the clear glass of her windshield, singing along with something on her radio. Happy and carefree. That wasn’t such a bad thing to wish for someone, he thought, easing the SUV into the wide driveway.

  He opened his window and gestured for her to park closest to the porch before securing his phone in his pocket and turning the car off. He was out and around the side, opening her door for her as she lifted her pack out along with another insulated bag. He could smell the food inside.

  Angel put the parking brake on and jumped a little when the door beside her was pulled wide. She seriously had to get a grip on that. Who else was going to be there? She let her mind drift for just a few seconds, and old instincts kicked in full strength. Like it just did when he reached for her and she pulled away, her body on automatic.

  “I’m sorry…I…was thinki
ng…” She handed over the insulated bag and held the pack in her free hand after dropping her keys into the side pocket.

  Colin remained still, one hand taking the handles of the insulated bag. With the other, he reached into the car, his fingers trailing down the side of her face and onto her throat. The light jacket she wore was pushed to the edge of her shoulder as he let the fingers trail back the way they’d begun.

  “That does seem to be a problem,” he commented, offered his hand after a quiet minute. “Keeping you focused on the here and now.”

  “I try,” she sighed. “And people still sneak up on me.”

  “I understand that, Angel. I honestly do. You haven’t exactly been around trustworthy people some of your life.”

  She didn’t respond. But she used his strength to pull her to her feet. With her pack hitched on her shoulder as she gazed around, she absently flipped the lock into place before stepping away and closing the car door.

  “It’s nice. In a sweet place, but far from your neighbors,” she looked over to the left and then the right. “You garden?” She asked, surprise in her voice. She wandered to the front of the cars and then to the side yard. Long, wide raised beds spread across the ground. Flat stones filled the spaces between them and each now had a simple wire fence covering over them.

  “I garden. It relaxes me,” he admitted, walking to stand beside her. He liked the easy way they shifted from topic to topic, their disagreements about gardening making him laugh as he led her to the front door. He tapped in the code and opened the door, letting her go in ahead of him.

  Angel waited just inside for him to tap light switches, the early darkness of fall sending shadows around them in the large, open space. Without waiting for an instruction, she set her backpack on the sofa and took the insulated bag from him. Her shoes were quiet as they crossed the hardwood floor to the kitchen. Once she had lights up and her jacket off and across a chair, she began laying out the choices she’d brought from the café.