Harlequin Kimani Romance January 2018 Box Set

by Reese Ryan

  CHAPTER 26

  “You have got to be the craziest woman in the state of Florida,” Vicki said, shaking her head and looking at Angela as if she wanted to drive her to the nearest mental facility.

  Angela crossed her arms. “I can’t believe you don’t see my side in this.”

  The music in the club didn’t block Vicki’s snort of disbelief. Sapphire hurried over and waved her hands impatiently. “You got my beers?”

  “Yeah.” Angela nodded and turned away from Vicki’s glare to put the beers on Sapphire’s tray. She wiped the counter down before facing Vicki again. “What?”

  “What? You know what? You’re mad because the man said he’s falling in love with you and that’s why he covered your expenses for the next six months.”

  “I’m mad because he did that without asking.” Angela glanced around the bar to make sure the patrons were okay. For the moment everyone watched one of the dancers and the kitchen hadn’t delivered her customer’s chicken wings, which gave her a second to focus on Vicki.

  “He loves you,” Vicki said, as if that explained everything. “He’s not just playing around with you. That’s why he did it.”

  “But I don’t want to be dependent on him.”

  “This doesn’t make you dependent on him. It makes your life much easier in the next few months while you fight the battle to get full custody of Cory.”

  Nervous anticipation fluttered in Angela’s stomach. “I can’t believe I’m really going to be a mom.”

  She hadn’t told Cory, but as she’d explained the situation to Vicki and thought about what could happen to Cory if she didn’t, she’d come to an immediate decision. She wouldn’t let him be shuffled around by a flighty mother, or sit in a foster home until Darryl was released to do who knew what. He needed stability, someone who wouldn’t just dump him, someone he could trust, and she would be that person.

  Vicki rubbed Angela’s arms. “You’ll be a great mom. You already are, and Isaiah’s help will make the transition easier.”

  “But what if I get used to his help and he snatches it away? What if I’m left high and dry and struggling again?”

  “Are you going to ask him to always pay your bills?”

  “Of course not.”

  “Then you don’t have anything to worry about. He’s not going to take over your life unless you let him. And he’s not your aunt. He isn’t doing you a favor just to turn around and betray you later.”

  “How do I know that? How do I know if trusting him is the right thing to do? I trusted family and family let me down.”

  “Your aunt didn’t love you,” Vicki said simply. “Don’t view what she did as an act of a loving person. Isaiah sounds like the kind of man who says what he means without an ulterior motive. Trust your instincts. Do you really think he’ll try to take advantage of you, or are you just afraid to finally be in a relationship that will require you to trust him as much as you want to?”

  Fear tightened her throat and her chest. She wasn’t falling in love with Isaiah, she had already fallen. She could imagine the type of life they could build, a life she wanted, but she was afraid to have that dream shattered.

  Vicki must have read her face because her smile was sad. “Sorry, Angela, but sometimes you’ve got to step out on faith. Plus, how often do you meet a rich guy in a strip club that actually wants to do something besides peel off those wings and take you to bed?” Vicki asked with a grin.

  The humor lessened some of the tightness in Angela’s chest and she laughed. “That’s not why I love him.”

  “I know, but it’s not a bad perk, either.”

  Z walked over and tapped his knuckles on the bar. “Are we finished with our touching moment?” Despite his words there was a trace of humor in his tone.

  “What do you need, Z?” Angela asked.

  “Another VIP group came in. Small party. One of the guys on the Gators team. He asked for you to serve the drinks specifically” He looked at Angela.

  Angela pointed to her chest. “Why me? It’s not Isaiah, is it?”

  Z shook his head. “Nah, the new guy traded to them. I don’t know why and I don’t like the look of him, but I’ve got no good reason to say you can’t. Just bring the drinks and let me know if he gives you any trouble, all right?”

  Angela nodded. “I will.” Z’s bad feelings about customers usually proved to be correct. Angela and Vicki exchanged a look before she grabbed a note pad to write orders on and walked to the VIP.

  Bruno stood close to the area. He gave her a reassuring nod before stepping aside to let her by. Some of her unease settled. Bruno didn’t care who the customers were—if the guy asking for Angela caused any problems, Bruno would get rid of him.

  Angela took a deep breath of the lavender scent in her diffuser charm, pasted on a welcoming smile and walked up to the VIP. The two bodyguards there eyed her white tank top, black skirt and angel’s wings with interest, but stepped aside without talking.

  “Hello, fellas, I’m Angel and I’m here to take your drink orders.” There were four men in the VIP. She recognized the one from the team. A younger player named Mark who dressed in a flashy style meant to show off the millions in his reported contract. The three with him were just as flashy, but didn’t look like anyone from the team she recognized and she assumed they were his friends or entourage.

  Mark stood, wobbled a bit before he regained his balance. He lifted the shades from bloodshot eyes and licked his lips while he looked at her from head to toe. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t Isaiah’s own perfect angel.”

  Angela barely kept her smile on her face. “Can I get you something to drink?”

  He stumbled over to her. “Of course. We want four bottles of your best champagne. We’re celebrating before heading off to training camp.”

  Then alcohol probably shouldn’t be on his menu. “Okay, I’ll be right back.” She turned to leave but his hand ran down her back. Angela swung around and glared. “Don’t touch me.”

  He chuckled and his friends followed suit. “Why? Because you’re Isaiah’s flavor of the month?” He leaned in close. “I know your type. How much for a taste. Let me see what’s so good it’s got Mr. Perfect all tied up in knots.”

  “I’ll get your champagne and another waitress for you.” She turned away again.

  He wrapped an arm around her waist and jerked her hard against his body. “Playing hard to get, huh?”

  Angela stomach lurched with disgust. She stomped her heel into his foot. He squealed and his grip loosened. She spun and shoved him away with both hands. He was already wobbly on his feet and fell backward into the table with a loud crash. His friends look stunned before they all started laughing and pointing at him. He groaned, lifted his head, then rolled over and threw up on the floor.

  The bodyguards and Bruno burst into the room. Bruno immediately moved to stand between Angela and the rest of the guys. “What the hell happened?”

  “He grabbed me from behind. I got him off of me,” Angela said with no remorse.

  “She attacked me,” Mark said from where he was bent over on the floor.

  Z entered the VIP. “Then let’s pull the recording and see exactly what happened.”

  Mark blanched. “Recording?”

  Z nodded. “I record every VIP room for this very reason. I don’t like men manhandling my girls. If she attacked you, fine, she’ll be dealt with. But if you touched her and she defended herself, we’re pressing charges. Of course the video will be released as evidence.”

  He looked as if he’d throw up again. “To hell with this. Let’s get out of here.”

  “You will get the bill for cleanup,” Z said.

  After they left, Z took her into his office and gave her a glass of water. Her hands shook as she brought it to her lips. “Are you o
kay?”

  She nodded. “Yeah. He only grabbed me.”

  “Still, I don’t like it when you girls get touched without your consent. Why don’t you take the rest of the night off?”

  “I don’t need to do that. It’s Saturday and busy.”

  “I can handle the bar with Candy. You’re shaking, and from the way you and Vicki kept chatting, I can tell something is bothering you. I’d rather you deal with that than stay here and be a half-assed bartender.”

  The words were gruff, but there was a smile on his hard face and concern in his dark eyes.

  “Are you sure?” she asked.

  “Get the hell out of here before I change my mind.”

  Angela smiled and walked over to kiss him on the forehead. “For a sleazy strip-club owner, you’re not half-bad.”

  Z laughed. “Sleazy? I run the best strip club in the area. Don’t get it twisted. Now go get some rest. And call your boyfriend before word gets back to him about his teammate and he tries to kick his ass. I need the Gators to make it to the playoffs again, not fight each other and ruin the season.”

  Angela waved him off and left. Her heart tightened with the idea that Isaiah may not care one way or the other. He’d been angry when she’d kicked him out earlier today. She was still mad he went behind her back and wanted her to quit bartending, but nights like tonight weren’t atypical. Every few months she had to fend off some overzealous customer. She was tired of fighting off men. The money was good, and Z was a great boss, but if she was going to give Cory a stable home, she didn’t want to keep working late nights. Quitting may be her best choice.

  CHAPTER 27

  “She must be the realest woman in the area,” Kevin said to Isaiah.

  Isaiah paused in making his shot on the pool table. Instead of going to the favorite pool hall the team typically visited after a game, they were playing in Will’s game room. Isaiah stood and gave Kevin a confused look. “What?”

  Will stood next to Kevin and nodded. “I gotta agree with my man.”

  “She’s mad because I tried to help,” Isaiah said in a disbelieving tone of voice. “She kicked me out of her house.”

  “Let’s be real, Isaiah,” Kevin said. “How many people do we come across that’ll be mad we paid all their bills? Zero to none. You’ve actually found a woman who doesn’t want you to come in and make all her problems disappear with a swipe of your checkbook.”

  “Are you on her side?” Isaiah asked, frustrated.

  “Not really. I get why you did what you did,” Will said. “No man is going to sit by and watch his woman struggle if he can help. But the fact that she didn’t ask and she’s upset means she isn’t after you for your money. That’s a good thing.”

  “Did you think she wanted me for my money?”

  Will shrugged and ran a hand over his beard. “I mean…that’s always a possibility when it comes to the women we meet.”

  “Yeah,” Kevin said. “You’ve got someone who’s real about being with you. That’s not something to throw away.”

  “I didn’t throw anything away. She kicked me out.”

  Kevin held his pool cue in front of him and looked thoughtful. “Any idea why she’s mad about you paying her bills for her? I mean, with women there’s usually a reason.”

  Will chuckled. “Usually? I can’t agree with that. How about around fifteen percent of the time there’s a good reason.”

  Kevin shook his head and grinned. “Okay, I admit that. So what’s her reason?”

  Isaiah thought back to what she’d accused him of doing. “She doesn’t want to be dependent on me. But that’s not what I’m trying to do.”

  “Why would she think you’re doing that?” Kevin put down his cue and walked over. “Come on, man, let’s think about this from her side. You be you and I’ll be her.”

  Isaiah laughed. “Are you serious?”

  “Hell yeah.” Kevin put a hand on his hip and batted his eyes in a bad imitation of a woman. “Isaiah, you can’t be ruling my life.” He held up a finger and talked in a falsetto voice.

  Isaiah and Will both laughed. “I’m not trying to take over your life.”

  “You’re trying to control me,” Kevin continued in the same silly tone of voice. “You’re trying to run my life just like my…” Kevin’s words trailed off.

  It hit him like a basketball in the face. “Just like her aunt.”

  “I can’t trust you just like I can’t trust her,” Kevin continued.

  She couldn’t trust her aunt. Her brother was in jail and then his girlfriend had moved to New York with no immediate plans to return, leaving her with the responsibility of taking care of Cory. She’d constantly had to handle the consequences of bad decisions made by people she should’ve been able to trust.

  “She thinks I’ll move in, pretend to make things better, then leave her high and dry just like everyone else.”

  Will looked between the two of them. “That actually worked?”

  Isaiah shushed him and connected the dots. He told her he was falling in love, honestly loved her a little already, but he’d gone behind her back to do what he wanted anyway. That didn’t make it easy to trust him in the future. If she felt like he was stepping in and making things better, but she had no reassurance he wasn’t going to leave her hanging like everyone else, then of course she would push him away.

  “Damn, how do I show her I’m not going anywhere?” He looked at his friends.

  Will shrugged. “I’m not about that monogamous life.”

  Kevin shook his head. “I’m zero for two with my long-term relationships. But what I will say is be honest with her. Show her you trust her to make her own decisions. Maybe then she’ll believe you won’t just drop her with all the work.”

  Isaiah’s cell phone rang. He pulled it out. “It’s Jacobe.” He answered the phone. “You coming to hang out?”

  “Nah, I’m calling to see if you’ve heard about what happened at Sweethearts,” Jacobe said in a hesitant voice.

  Isaiah’s stomach clenched. “What happened?”

  “Mark went there with some of his friends. He was drunk and grabbed Angela.”

  “What?” Isaiah yelled. He looked around for his keys. “I’m going to kill him.”

  “Calm down, Rambo, apparently she handled it. Left him on the floor throwing up. Lots of damage and one of his boys posted the video on Instagram already,” Jacobe said with a laugh. “Your girl is pretty badass.”

  That didn’t lessen Isaiah’s anger. He was happy to hear she was okay. He was crazy for behaving as if she couldn’t handle herself. She wouldn’t have been able to work for so long at Sweethearts if she needed a savior. Someone who rebounded after her aunt’s betrayal, took in a teenager without argument and fended off idiots like his teammate didn’t need a savoir to step in. She only needed a partner. He wanted to be her partner.

  “Thanks for telling me. I’m going out there now.”

  “All right. Just wanted you to hear about it now instead of in the locker room.”

  “Thanks for looking out,” Isaiah said. They got off the phone and he looked at the fellas. “I’ve got to go check on Angela.”

  Isaiah hurried out to his vehicle. He went straight to Sweethearts first, but her boss informed him that he’d sent her home for the day.

  “Was she okay? Is she hurt?” Isaiah asked.

  Z shook his head and chuckled. “Anyone who messes with Angela is more likely to be the one who ends up hurt. She knows how to handle herself. She had your teammate on the floor long before my bouncer could even get in there.”

  Isaiah’s shoulders relaxed hearing that. He smiled and felt a little proud. “Really?”

  “You sound surprised. Don’t you know you’ve got a fighter on your hands?”

  �
�I do. It’s one of the things I love about her. She doesn’t let anything stop her.” Including him.

  He left Sweethearts and went to Angela’s apartment. He thought about what he could say. Obviously he wasn’t there to rescue her because she didn’t need to be rescued. He had to apologize, hope she was willing to listen and hope he hadn’t pushed her away.

  His palms were sweaty and his pulse raced when he knocked on her door. Worry that she was okay and concern that she didn’t want to see him caused his stomach to clench.

  Angela jerked open the door. “Cory?” Her hair was out of place, as if she’d run her hands through it constantly. Her eyes were wide and worried, and she gripped her cell phone in her hand. When she focused on him, her lower lip wobbled and she flung herself into his arms. “Isaiah, Cory is missing.”

  CHAPTER 28

  Angela didn’t care that they were kinda sorta broken up. When she saw Isaiah, she knew he would help her find Cory. Since his fourteenth birthday was the following week, she’d agreed to let him stay home while she worked that night. He’d said he was just going to spend the time playing video games and watching television. He still seemed upset about the phone call with his father and said he didn’t want to hang out with Nate. Stupid, stupid, stupid of her to let him stay.

  Her mind raced with all the possibilities of what was going on. Had someone knocked on the door and taken him? Had he left to go somewhere and gotten snatched? There was no good reason for him not to be here, which meant there were only bad reasons for him to have left.

  Isaiah brought her into the apartment and sat her on the couch. His hands were stable and strong as they pushed the hair away from her face. She drew her first steady breath since coming home and finding Cory missing. Her entire body trembled.

  “Now tell me what happened?” he said in a calm voice. He met her eyes and took several deep breaths.