ANGEL'S WRATH by SK (SIN CITY HEAT)

by S K

  “Yes.”

  The possessive expression on his face made her heart flutter in her chest. Angel began to move inside of her again, and the next time she uttered the word 'yes', she was screaming it out from the top of her lungs as she held on tight. She was already home.

  “We have to be quiet, okay? We don’t want to wake Mommy.”

  Angel held A.J. with one arm and kept a secure grip on the breakfast tray with his other hand. He had finally allowed Nikki to fall into an exhausted sleep a couple of hours before he got up and left to pick their son up from Dom's house. She hadn’t even stirred when he’d kissed her cheek before walking out.

  Angel smiled as he looked at his son. A.J.'s complexion was a perfect combination of his and Nikki's. Angel's light skin combined with Nikki’s pecan brown color merged together to produce the child’s smooth, caramel features.

  Nikki’s two men quietly walked in. Angel placed the tray on the nightstand then placed A.J. on the bed beside his mother who started patting Nikki's cheek to wake her. Angel laughed quietly when Nikki groaned. She tried and failed to open her eyes but A.J. gave her no choice. He jumped on top of her and called her name as loud as he could.

  This time Nikki managed to open her eyes, and as always, the sight of her son brought a smile to her face, albeit a groggy one. She looked up at Angel who was standing by the side of the bed taking in the scene before him. They exchanged a look that said more than any words could right now. This felt so right. Their family. The way it was supposed to be.

  “Good morning, baby.” Angel’s low, intimate greeting caused a shiver to run through Nikki’s body. Careful to keep the sheet which was covering her breasts in place, she sat up and fixed the pillows behind her back before leaning back on them.

  “Good morning. Breakfast?” Her eyes went to the tray laden with more than she could possibly eat alone.

  “Mmhm. I figured you’d worked up a hell of an appetite last night, and this morning. Gotta make sure you keep your strength up because we're far from finished.”

  “Angel!” Nikki’s whisper was meant to scold him for talking like that in front of A.J., but she couldn’t stop the grin that pulled at her lips.

  Angel chuckled and placed the tray over her lap. “To answer your question, yes. A.J. and I cooked breakfast ourselves, didn’t we champ?”

  Seeing his father nod, A.J. did the same. Nikki blinked rapidly as her eyes began to water. She’d missed this so much. She knew Angel had as well. She was never letting anything come between them again. When Angel leaned down to softly kiss her, she raised her lips to his to receive the gesture. What was meant to be a loving peck, instantly turned into a sensual, full out kiss.

  Angel finally lifted his head and stared into her eyes. “I missed you.”

  “I missed you, too.”

  Neither looked away until Angel noticed A.J.’s mouth working overtime as he chewed on a strip of bacon. He couldn’t stop the laugh that burst out. “Hey! We’ve eaten already. That’s Mommy’s food.”

  A.J. looked up at his father and grinned an identical smile before quickly shoving the rest of the bacon in his mouth. Shaking his head, Angel reached over and picked his son up, causing him to giggle uncontrollably and kick his legs. Angel playfully swatted him on the backside before looking at his wife.

  “I'm taking the bacon snatcher with me to get a haircut so that you can have a little alone time. We’ll be back in a couple of hours.”

  “Okay, baby. Be careful.”

  Angel winked. “Of course.” He pulled A.J. off his shoulder and held him towards Nikki. “Tell your mama goodbye.”

  Nikki leaned forward as A.J. held out his arms and gave her a big kiss. “Bye, baby. I’ll see you when you get back. I love you.” Nikki looked at Angel. “And I love you, husband.”

  Angel’s eyes flashed as he growled quietly. “I love you too, wife. Don’t ever doubt that.”

  “I don’t. I never have.”

  “Good. See you when we get back.”

  Nikki watched them leave with a smile on her face then picked up her fork. Angel was right, she was ravenous after the demands he’d put on her body last night. She didn’t think he’d ever get enough. Finally, she’d pled for them to take a break. He’d looked down at her with an expression of masculine arrogance before having mercy on her and letting her fall asleep.

  Yawning, Nikki took one more bite before placing the tray on the nightstand and burrowing under the covers. She hadn’t nearly gotten enough rest and intended to take advantage of the next few precious hours before Angel and her son came back home.

  She’d just begun to doze off when she heard the insistent ring of her cell phone. Angel must have placed it on the nightstand before he left to pick up A.J. She started to ignore it, but just in case it happened to be him calling her she turned over and felt blindly for the phone. Not looking at the caller ID, she connected the call and asked in a sleepy voice.

  “Hello?”

  There was a pause on the other end before he spoke. “Nicole?”

  Nikki’s eyes popped open. It had been over a year since she’d spoken to or even thought about him, but she instantly recognized his voice.

  “Jaxon?”

  Chapter 34

  “Yes. How are you?”

  Nikki’s answer was slow in coming. She knew he heard the confusion in her tone. “I’m…fine. Jax, why are you calling me?”

  “I need to speak to you, Nicole. Can we meet?”

  Nikki slowly sat up in the bed. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.” What possible reason would they have to see one another?

  “Nicole, please. I think you’ll be very interested in what I have to say. I can meet you at your house, say, forty-five minutes?”

  “No! Jax, I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to come here.” Angel would be back soon and Nikki shuddered to think what he’d do if he saw Jaxon.

  “I don’t mean yours and Angel’s house. I’m talking about the house you’ve been leasing.”

  Nikki’s eyes narrowed. “How do you know I’m leasing a house? And how do you know where I live?”

  “I know more than you think I do, Nicole. For instance, I know that you and Angel have been having problems for a while. Nicole, you’re both from two completely different worlds. You‘re too good for him.”

  “You don’t know anything about my husband, Jaxon, and I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t presume to act like you know anything about my marriage.” Nikki’s voice was cool and sharp.

  “I know that you, and your son, deserve more than having to live a life of constant danger. Nikki, he’s a thug wrapped up in a polished package. Take away the money, the glamour, and the sophistication he’s taught himself over the years and you have a common, street criminal.”

  “That’s enough! Jax, I’m going to forget we ever had this conversation. Don’t call me again and don’t try to see me or…”

  “Did you know he had a man killed a couple of days ago?”

  Nikki was rendered speechless by Jaxon's proclamation. “I don’t believe you,” she whispered. “You’ll say anything to turn me against him and that’s not going to happen.”

  “I have proof. His name was Nelson Taylor. He’s dead.”

  Nikki gasped. “You’re lying.”

  “Ask him. Ask him, Nicole. Angel ordered his murder and barely batted an eye.”

  “Stop it!”

  “The man had a wife…”

  “I mean it, Jax!”

  “Two kids.”

  “Shut up!”

  “Kids who’ll have to grow up without a father now because of the man you claim to love so much. He’s a monster, Nicole. Meet me at your house and I’ll show you the proof.” When Nikki was silent, Jax pressed his advantage. “He’s a cold, dangerous, drug dealing murderer.” Then he used his winning card. “Do you really want your son, my nephew, around that?”

  “Don’t.” Nikki’s voice was barely audible as a tear ran down her face.
r />   Jaxon's voice softened. “Nicole, please. Thirty minutes. That’s all I ask.”

  Nikki sniffed and wiped her face. “Thirty minutes, Jax. Then I never want to hear from you again. Do you understand?”

  “Yes. But I think you’ll change your mind once you hear what I have to say.”

  Nikki hung up without another word. She sat in the bed, stunned by what Jax just told her. He had to be lying. She threw the covers back and walked to the bathroom to take a quick shower. Then, she would meet with Jaxon, if only to disprove his vile accusations.

  But what if he's telling the truth?

  Nikki shook her head as she stepped into the shower stall and closed the glass partition. If what Jax said was true, what would it mean for her and Angel? Had they taken the steps to put their family and relationship back together only to have it torn apart, piece by agonizing piece?

  Life couldn’t possibly be that cruel.

  A pair of arms hugged Jaxon from behind. “What did she say?”

  “She doesn’t believe me, but once she sees the pictures, she won’t be able to deny it. She’ll help us take him down because she loves her son.” Jax brought the woman's hand to his lips and kissed her palm. “Don’t worry. By the time we finish, we'll both get what we want.”

  As Jaxon stared out the window, the woman rested her cheek on his back and thought about the plan they'd decided on. She kissed Jaxon's muscular back and caressed his tight stomach. He was such an attractive man. Dark hair, green eyes, and a body he kept in tip top shape. She wanted him again.

  "Come to bed, papi."

  Jaxon could tell she was aroused. Her accent thickened when she wanted to fuck. "It'll have to wait until I come back. I need to take a shower then I'll be leaving to meet her."

  Even though she pouted, the woman crawled back in the bed, and minutes later, was asleep. As Jaxon walked to the bathroom, he let himself remember the last time he’d seen Angel. He'd ended up looking like a fool. But things had changed since then. Jaxon was back for what was rightfully his...and he wouldn't stop until he got it.

  “It’s good to see you again, Nikki. You look great. How've you been.”

  “Let’s cut the pleasantries, Jax. We both know this isn’t a social call.” Jaxon had just gotten to Nikki’s house and she planned on making this short and sweet. “Whatever you want to say, say it. I want to be home when my husband and son get there."

  Jaxon's eyes followed Nikki’s frame as she walked past him. His nostril’s flared at the scent that wafted behind her. Damn. Intoxicating. He’d never smelled anything like it. Sweet. Seductive. Sexy. Like Nikki herself.

  And now his half-brother was the one enjoying her flavorful fruit.

  Nikki cleared her throat. “Excuse me. If you’re just going to sit there and stare at me, then we’re through.”

  A quiet laugh escaped Jaxon. Without a word, Jax placed the large manila envelope he’d brought in with him on the table between them. He tapped it twice and sat back and waited.

  Nikki eyed him warily before reaching for the envelope and getting up to walk a few steps away. The first picture she pulled out showed Nelson, obviously terrified, sitting in a chair in front of Angel. The second one showed a furious Angel leaning across the desk towards Nelson as if he would love nothing better than to rip him apart with his bare hands. Nikki took in the fury in his flashing eyes. They almost seemed to jump off the glossy sheet. The tense, bulging muscles were visible beneath the shirt he wore and his teeth were bared in savage anger.

  “How did you get these?” she asked.

  “Keep looking.” Jax watched her with an intensity that made his emerald eyes sizzle.

  Nikki glanced at him and paused when she saw the look of anticipation displayed on his face. Something told her to just shove the pictures back into the envelope and throw Jaxon out of her house, but a force she couldn’t explain urged her to continue.

  Swallowing, she pulled out the next photo. Angel had pulled Nelson from his chair. Nelson was on his back on Angel's desk and Angel's fingers were wrapped tightly around Nelson’s throat. The photo after that one showed Angel’s face inches from Nelson. The next showed another man pointing a gun to Nelson’s head.

  “Look at the last one, Nicole.” Jax stood up and stood beside her. When she pulled out the last photo, she cried out and let it and the others flutter to the floor. She had only glimpsed it for a second, but that had been more than enough time.

  Nikki covered her mouth with her hand and raced to the half bath, making it just before she threw up the breakfast the man in the photos had lovingly fixed for her with their son. She held her stomach as she heaved and emptied every bit of it. After several minutes, she carefully straightened and stumbled to the sink. She rinsed her mouth out and splashed her face with water before reaching for a towel, which she held over her face for several moments, trying to erase everything she’d just seen from her mind.

  She’d often teased Angel that his name was as far from his true self as anything could get. But she hadn’t realized how accurate the statement had been. Nikki wasn’t stupid. She wasn’t one of those naïve little wives who pretended not to know what their husbands in this business did for a living. She knew Angel was a very powerful man, a feared man and heavily into organized crime. Drugs, weapons, gambling…but they never talked about it. Never. And she never asked. She didn’t want the details.

  But that was only one side of him. The other side received invitations to the most sought after social events, charity balls, Fortune 500 business functions…he played golf with some of the most powerful political figures in the U.S. The man was positively brilliant. As Jax put it, he defined wealth and glamour, a façade that hid the ugliness he ruled with an iron fist.

  Nikki squared her shoulders and opened the bathroom door. She walked out and found Jax anxiously watching her. He’d picked up the pictures and put them back into the envelope. “You alright?”

  The anger the question evoked felt good. “What do you think? Are you satisfied now? Did you get the reaction you were looking for from me?”

  “Nicole, believe me, I didn’t do this out of some perverse sense of satisfaction. You need to know what kind of man you’re married to. The man that’s the father of your child is a monster.”

  “He loves his son! He loves A.J. more than anything in this world, so don’t you dare fix your mouth to say one negative thing about him when it comes to that.”

  “Okay, let’s just say he does. He’s eventually going down. Either the Feds will get him or the criminals he deals with will. It’s inevitable. Do you want to be in the line of fire when that happens, Nikki? Do you want A.J. to be?”

  Nikki tried to hold on to her anger, but the thought of something happening to her son frightened her beyond belief.

  “Nicole, you need to get out. I’ve been watching Angel for a while now. It hasn’t been easy to get someone to betray him, but hey, eventually money talks. My informant is not cheap but it’s worth every penny if it helps me bring this sick bastard down.”

  “Why are you telling me all of this?” Nikki whispered. “What’s stopping me from going back to Angel and telling him everything?”

  “I know you love him, Nicole, or rather you love the man you think he is. Yes, I knew I was taking a chance, but now that the mask has been ripped away from him, you can’t tell me you don’t want to take A.J. as far away from him as humanly possible.”

  When Nikki remained silent, Jax pressed his advantage. “You know as well as I do, he’ll never let you take A.J. Angel has very powerful people on his side. Legitimate people who can decide your fate at the swipe of a pen. Do you really want to take the chance that you’ll never be allowed to see your son again, Nicole?”

  Nikki’s eyes fluttered shut, as if trying to block out Jaxon's words. She felt like she was in a never ending nightmare. She loved Angel, even after what she’d just seen, but Jax was right. There was no way he’d give his son up if it came to that.

  �
�Nicole, if you decide to leave for good, you can run, but there’s nowhere on God’s green earth you can hide that he won't find you.”

  She opened her eyes and stared at Jaxon. “You really want me to believe you have mine and my son’s best interest at heart. Do you think I’m a fool?”

  “No. I don’t. I wouldn’t even pretend to. I care about you Nicole, I always have. I want you safe. I can help you. We can help each other.”

  Nikki looked at him through narrowed eyes as his reason for being here was finally revealed. “You want me to betray my husband.”

  “You’re the closest person to him. We both benefit from bringing him to his knees. You get your freedom and, most importantly, your son.”

  “And what do you get?”

  Jaxon was quiet for a long while. His features were stiff and his eyes dark and determined. Nikki caught her breath. In that moment, there was no mistaking the fact that he and Angel were brothers. She didn’t know how she hadn’t realized it at first. They had the same angular features, the same shock of dark eyelashes. Why hadn't she noticed the similarities at first?

  Nikki studied Jax with a thoughtful expression. “You want DWC."

  “It’s my birthright.” The billion dollar company had been in his family for generations. Angel came and took it from them as easily as one plucked candy from a baby.

  “No more so than it is Angel’s.”

  Jaxon scowled. “Come on, Nicole! He has no interest in the company. The only reason why he went after it in the first place was to avenge his parents’ death.”

  “Which your father caused! You spout off about what a criminal Angel is and how he’s no more than a thug in a suit. You need to look in your own back yard. Bradley Sr. wrote the book on it.”

  Jaxon's lips tightened, unable to dispute anything Nikki said. “I’m not here to defend my father. I can’t stand to think about the man, haven’t seen him since I walked out of his office that day. But I’m through being punished for the things he did. Do we have a deal or not?”