“Who the fuck is he?” He pointed at Adam, a deep scowl on his face.
“This is Adam,” Angelina replied, letting go of Adam’s hand, but Adam snapped it back up, holding it tightly.
“Angelina, where have you been?” Her mother came into the room looking nervously toward her husband, yet relieved at the same time to see Angelina.
“Have you seen the grass?” Her father kept going, ignoring his wife.
Adam suddenly remembered when he had come to her house and fixed the lawn mower. He had to keep repeating ‘this is her father, this is her father, keep your cool, don’t knock the hell out of him’ over and over again in his head.
“Your work called and you’ve been let go. I’ve had to miss work to take care of your responsibilities,” he continued his barrage of bitching.
“I’m sorry, but I was—” Angelina tried to explain, but he interrupted her again.
“Do you know without your damn check, they turned off the phone and turned off the electric?” His voice became louder as he edged closer to Angelina. “I had to take one of those damn payday loans out to get the electric turned back on again, which you will pay me back for as soon as you go kiss some ass and get your job back.”
Adam was ready to step forward, but Angelina took a step forward before he could, anger straightening her spine. “You know what, Dan.” She put her hands on her hips, making his head snap back in shock. “That’s right. Dan. You are my stepfather and I’ve been made to call you dad since you came into this house; well no more. I’m nineteen-years-old going on twenty, and I’m not kissing anyone’s ass.”
“Angelina!” her mother whispered loudly, but her eyes were on her husband.
“I’m sorry, Mom, but I’m done being treated like a slave around here. Cut your own damn grass, you lazy ass.” Angelina nodded, but she was about to squeeze Adam’s fingers off. “I was kidnapped, but does anyone here care about that?”
“Bullshit!” Dan snorted finally finding his voice.
She ignored him and looked at her mom. “Didn’t you even notice I was gone, that I didn’t come home?” When her mom looked away, Angelina just shook her head. “You didn’t even call the police, did you?”
“We didn’t have a damn phone,” her stepfather shouted, throwing his hands in the air. “How the fuck are we supposed to call someone when the phone was turned off?” He cocked his eyebrows as if waiting for an answer.
Adam actually felt Angelina’s hurt; her head dropped as her shoulders slumped in defeat. Ah, hell no! He was beyond pissed; he actually saw red. “Pack a bag, Angel,” Adam told her, but his eyes glared at Dan in total disgust.
“I don’t have anywhere to go,” she whispered just loud enough for him to hear before raising her eyes to look at him.
“Yeah, you do,” Adam assured her, a softness in his voice. “With me.”
Biting her lip, Angelina finally nodded. “Okay, if you’re sure.”
“Go.” He winked down at her. “I’ll wait right here.”
Angelina walked past her mom without a glance; Adam knew her heart was broken. Hell, his heart was breaking for her.
“Who do you think you are?” Dan waited until Angelina walked out of the room.
“Obviously, the only one in this room who cares for Angelina,” Adam snarled, more pissed than he’d ever been in his life. Holding back at that very moment was the hardest thing he had ever done.
Dan stalked up to him, but stopped. “You’re a goddamn half-breed,” he spat staring at Adam like he was some kind of science experiment. “Get the fuck out of my house.”
“Dan, please.” Angelina’s mother stood, wringing her hands.
“Shut up, Maggie,” Dan hissed, throwing his hand toward the direction Angelina went. “I’ve put up with her long enough and now she brings a dirty half-breed in this house. I should have married her off to my damn brother when he wanted her, but now no decent man’s going to want her after fucking this half-breed.”
Adam didn’t even realize he moved; it was an immediate reaction. He had Dan around the throat and lifted him up off the floor. “You piece-of-shit.” Adam lifted the man higher, high enough he had to look up at him and Adam admired the shade of blue he was turning, his feet kicked out at him, but Adam didn’t feel a thing.
“No, Adam.” Angelina ran into the room with her bag, but dropped it to pull at Adam’s arms. “Please!”
At Angelina’s pleas and tugging on his arms, Adam opened his hand dropping the asshole to the floor. With probably more satisfaction than he should have, Adam watched as Angelina’s stepfather rolled around on the floor gasping.
Looking over, he saw Angelina and her mother looking at him with wide-eyes. “He’s fine.” Adam shrugged, and then reached down to pick up her bag. “You ready?”
Nodding, Angelina went to follow Adam out, but stopped and turned, walking toward her mom. “I love you, Mom.” She hugged her tightly. “But we both deserved better than him and I have to take me out.”
“I’m sorry.” Her mother tucked Angelina’s hair behind her ear with a shaking hand. “I should have been a better mother to you.”
“What are you talking about, Maggie?” Dan’s voice was raspy and rough. Staggering to his feet, he glared at them both, rubbing his throat. “You need to shut up before I boot you out right behind her. You’ve always favored her over me, you whore.”
Angelina turned and took two steps at Dan, fisting her hand. With everything she had, she punched him right on the nose. Blood gushed everywhere. Shaking her hand, she pointed in his face with the other. “If I find out you ever hurt her or treat her bad, I will send every VC Warrior here, and if you run, they will find you. It’s what they do. They chase down scum like you.” Angelina stuck her hurt hand under her armpit, but pulled a hundred dollars out her pocket, sliding it to her mom. “I had money hidden in my room. Pay the phone bill so I can call you.”
“You’ll still call me?” Angelina’s mom started to cry. Tears of regret rolled down her face, her eyes haunted by the life she had raised her only daughter in.
“Of course. You’re my mom. Though you have the worst taste in men.” Angelina smiled sadly, and then kissed her cheek. “Don’t let him take that money.”
Her mom nodded, watching Dan cursing while trying to stop the bleeding of his nose. “Maggie, get me something. She broke my damn nose,” he shouted, tilting his head back.
“Get it yourself,” her mom yelled back, sounding like the old mom Angelina remembered. Her mom turned to look at Angelina, and then smiled a smile that transformed her face before winking. “Go, get out of here, and know that I love you.”
Once outside, Adam stopped Angelina. “Are you okay?”
Angelina couldn’t help it; she laughed, with the biggest grin on her face. “Do you know how long I’ve wanted to say all that? And punching him in the face was a bonus.”
Laughing, Adam hugged her, but stopped when she yelped. “What is it?”
“I think I broke my hand.” Angelina frowned, sticking her swollen hand out.
Adam grabbed it carefully placing a kiss on her fingers. “We’ll have Slade check it out.” Angelina nodded, then stopped turning back toward the house. “What’s wrong?”
“I hope he doesn’t take what I did out on my mom.” Her eyes shot up to his, fear at the very thought shadowed her features. “I was brave because you were there with me, but when we leave she won’t have anyone.”
Adam honestly didn’t think her mom deserved her worry, but he lead Angelina to the car, helped her in, and shut the door. Turning, he passed the car, went up the two steps and opened the screen door. Walking straight up to Dan, who had his head tilted backwards, but had turned to see who came in; he back peddled as Adam advanced on him.
“What do you want?” Dan’s voice was high-pitched and his nose looked a little crooked.
Adam grabbed him by the throat again. “If I find out that you harmed Angelina’s mom in any way, I will be back and that
broken nose will be the least of your worries.” Adam shook him, his eyes narrowed. “Understand?”
Dan nodded his head, which sent a fresh stream of blood seeping out one nostril.
“Good.” Adam let go with a forcible push, sending Dan down on the couch. Turning, Adam nodded to Angelina’s mom before heading back out to the car. Getting in, he strapped his seatbelt and looked over at Angelina. “He won’t hurt your mom.” A grin slipped across his lips as he put the car in reverse and backed out of the driveway.
Chapter 15
Sid leaned against the door to his room waiting for Lana to get out of the shower, but what he really wanted to do was strip and get in the shower with her. Since he had already tried to follow her in the small bathroom, only to be pushed out with the door closed on his face, he pretty much figured she was still pissed.
It was three in the morning. Her face was battered and he knew she was exhausted, but that didn’t stop him from wanting her, craving her and didn’t that make him a big asshole.
The door opened and she exited the bathroom looking sexy as hell in one of his large shirts, which looked a hell of a lot better on her. She caught him staring at her breasts; her nipples peaked through the plain white shirt begging for him. Turning away, she bent over and removed a pair of underwear from her bag as well as a brush.
Sid’s eyes dragged down her body and groaned, which caused her to stand up quickly pulling the shirt down before shooting him an evil glare. “Don’t even think about it.” She pointed the brush at him.
Throwing his hands up innocently in the air as a sexy grin played at the corner of his lips, took all the innocence out of the action. “You’re beautiful. I can’t help it.” He took a step toward her, but stopped suddenly when she reached into her bag and pulled out her gun.
“Don’t lie to me.” Lana pointed the gun at him with a steady hand. “I look like shit.”
His eyes dropped to the gun. It was actually sexy as hell with her panties dangling from it. “I didn’t know you had another gun.” His grin didn’t disappear.
“Exactly.” Lana smirked. Her smile turned into a grimace when it pulled at her swollen cheek. “Now back off, lover boy. I’m still pissed and not in the mood.”
Not one to say sorry to anyone and definitely not one to admit when he was wrong, Sid struggled with this one. He had reacted a little harshly, but he had been in shock. He knew it wasn’t her fault and he had practically bit her head off.
Lana was watching him closely. “I’m serious, Sid,” she warned. “I’m not in the mood.”
Walking up to her, he stopped when the barrel of the gun hit his chest. “Shoot.”
Narrowing her eyes, she nudged the gun, but then dropped it to her side. “It would be easier to shoot myself than you.” She sighed, placing the gun back in her bag.
He cupped her chin, bringing her face up to his. “Don’t ever say that,” he ordered. He rubbed his thumb across her damaged cheek; his eyes glazed over in rage. “I want to kill the son-of-a-bitch who did this to you.”
“That makes two of us,” Lana replied, reaching up to touch her face. “It really hurts. And I’m so damn tired and I’ve got a headache from hell as well as wanting to puke because I sound like a damn girl.”
Sid smiled down at her when she glanced at him. No wonder he loved this woman; she was it for him and he knew it without a doubt. “I shouldn’t have yelled at you.”
“Sid, I don’t care if you yell at me. I mean I care, but I’ll yell back and give you hell.” Lana’s eyes flashed so many emotions at once from miserable, to angry and then finally hurt. “You didn’t trust me. You know everything about me, my secrets, my fears and I know close to nothing about you. I was there to help you and you shut me out.”
“Lana, I…” Sid began, but stopped, pulling away.
“I know you’re a big badass Warrior who needs no one, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to be there for you.” Lana’s voice cracked. “I honestly don’t know if I can be in a relationship with someone who doesn’t trust me enough to confide in me. I want a partner in a relationship, Sid. It has to go both ways. I lean on you and you lean on me.”
“I was raised in a place run by priests, where once you were old enough, they tossed you out unless you were a lucky one and found a family. I wasn’t one of the lucky ones, but I was bigger than most and they kept me because I could work. I worked slowly on whatever they gave me for fear of the unknown. I was afraid of being set free in a world I knew nothing about. After they finally had nothing left for me, I was let go. It took only two days for me to be arrested for trying to steal some bread.” His eyes were closed so he couldn’t see her reaction to his past that haunted him. He hadn’t spoken about his past to anyone, but he remembered everything. The smells, his fear, his hunger, his loneliness, but most importantly, the horror of what he had become. “Because of my size, I was bought out of the prison system by a man named Alexio Milona, a Lanista…trainer of Gladiators.”
“You were a Gladiator?” Lana gasped, her eyes widened in surprise.
“I was a slave who was made to fight for the rich for their entertainment.” Sid spat, hatred edging each word, then turned and walked away from her. He placed one hand on the wall; his head slumped. “How can a man look at the woman he loves more than anything in this shitty world and admit he was a slave? That he ate from the floor any scrap that was thrown to him. He was chained and whipped like a dog until he was ordered to perform whatever task was asked.” He didn’t lift his head when he felt her hand touch his back softly, but he did flinch. “How can a man stand tall knowing that the woman he loves may look at him differently because he killed just for that scrap of food on the floor, or a splash of water to wipe the filth off his body, and in the end, traded his soul for a way out?”
Dipping under his arm, Lana stared up under his hung head. “How can a woman not love the man who survived such horrors? A man who turned out to be a decent human being instead of a monster taking revenge for the life he had been dealt.” His eyes rose to meet hers. “I see the man you are. How can I not love you, Sid Sinclair, no matter your past?”
“I killed people for the entertainment of others.” Sid’s eyes didn’t leave hers, his voice a low growl. “And I found enjoyment in that. It was the only thing I could find enjoyment in. In each face of the person I killed, I saw the men who enslaved me. I was damn good at what I did; we all were. And never forget, Lana, I am a monster. I’m not a human being. I am a vampire.”
“And I’m a human,” Lana replied, touching his chest with her hand, “who never learned how to cook like a woman should, hates to clean and would rather spend her free time at a shooting range.”
His golden eyes searched her face. “I don’t think I can love a woman who can’t cook.”
Lana ran her hand slowly down his chest to the waist of his jeans. “But I can do other things which are much better than cooking.” She gripped him tightly through his jeans, making his eyes flare hot. “I love you, Sid, and I don’t care about anything other than being yours and you being mine. If we stay true to that, then nothing can come between us. That part of your life happened long ago.”
His eyes darkened at her words and the firm grip she had over his crotch. “But to us it’s as if it happened yesterday.”
She ran her hand back up to his chest, behind his thick neck to pull him close to her. “Then I guess I have to spend all my free time making you forget the bad memories by making better ones.” Their lips were inches apart as she whispered, “I love you.”
Sid’s eyes closed for a second as he savored her words, but then they opened to make sure she was real, and of course she was, but never did he think a woman who knew the truth would love him. “You are my life.” Sid, who was full of smartass remarks, had none at that moment. He had never been more serious in his long life. Gripping her just below her ass, he lifted her and instinctively she wrapped her legs around him. “You are mine.”
“I am your
s,” she agreed before sealing it with a slow kiss, her hands tangling in his hair.
Sid pulled back, his eyes almost black, searching her bruised face. “I can make that all go away.”
“Is it that ugly?” Lana frowned, pulling her hand away from his neck to cover up her damaged eye and cheek.
“Nothing about you could be ugly, but every time I look at it, I want to kill someone,” Sid growled.
“How can you get rid of it?” Lana moved her hand away wrapping it around his neck again.
Okay Sinclair, suck it up and do it. If she refuses, it doesn’t mean anything. Just be a fucking man and do it. He felt his eyes shift away from her and couldn’t stop it.
“By taking my blood.” Sid finally looked back at her to see her reaction.
“Your blood can heal?” Lana asked; she didn’t look or sound disgusted which was a good sign.
“Yes, among other things.” He forced his eyes to stay on her and not look away like a scared pussy.
Lana didn’t answer right way, but it was she who looked away down to his chest. “Tessa told me that is how vampires become mates.” Lana still didn’t look at him. “But you already have had mine. That didn’t make us mates?”
“No.” Sid shook his head. “We have to share each other’s blood.” He turned his head, slightly looking away. He honestly didn’t know if he could handle her rejection.
“Do you want me to be your mate, Sid?” She pulled his face back to hers.
“More than anything in the world,” Sid answered with such intense conviction she looked up surprised.
A small, sexy smile played at the corner of her mouth as she tilted her head slightly. “Then make me your mate, Warrior.” Her sigh was soft, but he heard it loud and clear.
“Do you understand what you’re saying?” He felt his fangs growing. Not wanting to scare her, he asked his question out of the corner of his mouth, trying to keep them hidden.
“Yes, I do, and you don’t have to hide them from me Sid.” She ran her fingers over his lips. “I trust you fully. I’m not afraid. I actually think you look sexy and a little dangerous. What girl isn’t turned on by that?”
Adam (The Protectors Series) Book #5 Page 12