by Graham, Jan
Daniel released Angel’s hands from above her head and lowered himself onto her, trapping her lips in a passionate kiss. Angel raised her legs, wrapping them loosely around Daniel’s hips. The head of his erection pressed against the entrance to her cunt as he slowly entered her. Angel moaned as he inched into her opening. She clenched against him as he stretched and filled her. Angel raised her legs higher up his back, opening herself to him fully. He thrust deeper, feeling the head of his cock press against the entrance to her womb.
Angel cried out as he began to fuck her, each deep glide causing her to gasp and clench against him more tightly. She let out a load moan, and Daniel flinched as her nails press into his shoulders. He covered her mouth with his own as Angel began to thrust back against him. Her kiss became frantic with each clench of her cunt. Daniel felt her pussy begin to spasm and swallowed her muffled cries of pleasure as Angel began to orgasm beneath him. He raised his torso slightly and moved Angel’s legs to rest against his shoulders. As soon as she was repositioned, Daniel began pounding into her with force. His thrusts were deep and fast, and she responded by meeting each one with her own. Angel screamed Daniel’s name. Her channel filled with its own watery ejaculate, washing over Daniel’s cock as her cunt and body shuddered in orgasmic bliss.
“Oh, baby, I love when you come like that.” Daniel groaned loudly. “You’re so fucking beautiful.”
Daniel’s pounding continued. Harder and faster, each thrust maintaining wave after wave of pleasure that he watched rip through her until she was screaming in ecstasy. Daniel joined her as his climax exploded through him. He cried out loudly as he found his release, hot jets of cum spilling into her before he stilled, lowered her legs, and rested his body against hers.
“God, I needed that.” Angel gasped, trying to catch her breath.
“You and I both, baby. Whoever said an afternoon quickie couldn’t get a person off?” Daniel panted, rolling onto his side and taking Angel with him.
Christian and Steve looked at each other and smiled as they heard the final cries of Angel and Daniel’s lovemaking. When Daniel walked Angel from the room, they both knew his intentions. Steve had been surprised Christian hadn’t followed, but his friend had stayed put. He sensed Christian’s attentions begin to falter when Angel had screamed in pleasure, but still Christian had continued trolling through the mass of documentation they had found on the laptop.
“I assume you’ve heard Angel make noises like that at least once before?” Christian stated, looking over at Steve.
“Don’t go there, man. It was before she met the two of you. Besides, you’ve both made other women come like that in the past before you met Angel,” Steve replied.
“You were supposed to say ‘no, I’ve never heard her come like that.’ You idiot.” Christian shook his head and laughed.
“Get over it,” Steve stated as he opened another file and began to read.
The file Steve had clicked on quickly drew their attention back to the task at hand. It was entitled “structure” and before them was a list of names. Each name had a title. Although some titles were cryptic, they managed to guess the function within the Hastings organisation that it referred to. Some names cross-referenced with other file numbers. Steve paused at two names not very far down the list.
“Is this for real?” Christian looked at Steve with concern.
“We’d need to check it out, but other files seem to be accurate. I can’t see why this one wouldn’t be,” Steve replied.
“It would explain how Barnard could use the threat against Angel’s nieces and nephews to get her to drop the attempted murder charges and return home three years ago.” Christian obviously didn’t like the connection that stared him in the face.
Steve realised Christian had never met either of Angel’s brothers, but he knew the names before them on the computer screen were theirs. According to the information, Jarrod Wylde did laundry and Justin Wylde performed international traffic control. Both men were also listed as funeral directors. Steve and Christian easily figured out that Jarrod’s laundry task stood for money laundering. The accompanying file reference listed offshore bank accounts and transactions as well as share portfolio activity for companies owned by both the Wylde brothers and Adrian Hastings.
Justin’s traffic control was more puzzling until the accompanying file made the situation clearer. A list of import dates and the quantities of drugs and illegal weapons was extensive. The file also included names of contacts and payment amounts made to customs officials, along with what each item had actually been imported as.
The final file link for each man contained a list of names and dates along with a location. Many of the locations were inner city buildings that had either been built or renovated within the last ten years. Only one of the names on the list was familiar to Steve. It was the name of an undercover cop who had disappeared five years previously, presumed dead. He had infiltrated the Hastings camp then disappeared. Everyone assumed Hastings had discovered the man’s identity and killed him, although there was never any evidence and no body had ever been found. According to the information before them, the cop in question now resided on the lower level of the Riverview Apartments in the inner city. Steve knew the apartment building didn’t have a lower level, which meant the man was probably buried under a slab of concrete. Steve also assumed a check of the company responsible for the building of the apartment block would no doubt be one owned by the Wylde brothers.
“Fucking hell,” Christian stated. “Funeral directors my arse, there are obviously bodies buried on every construction site the Wylde company ever worked on. How do you prove that without tearing down half the damn city?”
“This whole fucking case just gets messier by the minute.” Steve groaned in frustration. “Maybe we should all just move away and never be heard of again, leave them all to it.”
After viewing the files relevant to Justin and Jarrod Wylde, Steve continued to scroll down the list of names before him. His curiosity paid off. At the end of the list under “information” was a list of people in various government, legal, and law enforcement roles. Each person had a monetary figure listed against them. Steve and Christian saw a few familiar names, but only one name made them both smile.
“Gotcha, Detective Markham,” Steve said as he picked up the mobile and dialled Trevor Duncan’s number.
Trevor Duncan arrived at the Shore brothers’ home just after six that evening. It hadn’t taken much to convince him that he needed to come out and meet with everyone to discuss the case. Steve merely told him Angel wouldn’t testify but Samuel Barnard could, and the man was hooked. Of course, his agreement to meet hadn’t come without a few choice expletives aimed at Steve. By the time he arrived, he had calmed his demeanour enough so that he didn’t terrify Angel any more than she already had been over the last day.
Steve felt sorry for Angel. She had emerged from the bedroom with Daniel so happy and relaxed only to pale again after she found out that dinner included a special guest straight from police headquarters. Angel had never met Trevor Duncan. He tended to be an indoor sort of leader, who oversaw investigations from a distance, unlike Christian who could often be found making visits to major crime scenes just to “keep his skills up” and support the teams he controlled.
During dinner, Steve knew Trevor was aware of Angel’s nervousness and did his best to alleviate it. Trevor complimented her on the meal she had prepared for them all, advising her he hadn’t been so well fed since his wife had passed away some time ago. Angel’s wariness of Trevor softened after hearing he was a widower. She even insisted Trevor take the leftover oven-roasted chicken and vegetables home with him for tomorrow night’s dinner, an offer that Trevor graciously accepted. She placed the food in a vacuum-seal bag while cleaning up and allowed the men to talk through the preliminaries before rejoining them at the table.
Steve sat patiently as Trevor looked over the documentation of the interview Christian and he had conducted with A
ngel and agreed that, based on the information supplied, Angel had little to offer the investigations as a witness. Steve was pleased when Trevor agreed that the setup to supply Hastings with the ledger was effectively a good idea. He was thankful when Trevor expressed concern over the risk to Angel that meeting with Adrian involved.
“If things go wrong, then she would be directly in the firing line of Hastings’s wrath. I know Shore will advise his men participating in the setup they are under threat of death if Angel is injured in any way, but still I’m concerned for her security.” Trevor stated, “Usually, when I find myself in a situation like this, where people are risking their lives, the Robert Burns iconic verse always came to mind, ‘the best-laid plans of mice and men go oft awry.’ I hope, in this case, the saying doesn’t ring true.”
“I think we’ve got everything covered, Trevor, Angel’s safety will be everyone’s priority,” Christian assured him.
Steve fired up the laptop and began to talk Trevor through the material contained there. He thought Trevor was about to cream his pants as he viewed the information. Steve admired Trevor’s attention to detail when he quickly pointed out that some of the files, particularly the financials, appeared in ledger form. There were scanned pages in PDF format, and it intrigued him enough to ask Angel if she would mind showing him the ledger she had found. Steve understood Angel’s concern at unwrapping the book, fearing Adrian would assume she had copied it if the packaging was disturbed. Still, after some encouragement, she finally agreed. Trevor was careful to make sure they could rewrap the book as Angel had found it. Steve watched as his boss carefully looked at the pages.
“Well, gentlemen, we may not have to put your plan into effect at all. It appears Mr. Barnard has scanned the book and attached relevant pages to the files we have here.” Trevor smiled.
“But the original book would be valuable to have, especially if found on Hastings,” Steve added reluctantly.
“Possibly, let me talk to the DA before we hit the go switch on the setup though. If he thinks we can get a conviction without putting Angel in further danger, then we may just be able to use the digital format as evidence,” Trevor replied.
“I hate to burst your bubble, Trevor, but I didn’t agree to give Adrian the ledger so you could get a conviction.” Angel was polite as she spoke. “I’m giving Adrian the ledger so he won’t kill me.”
Daniel reiterated Angel’s comment. “Angel’s right. This whole setup is designed to clear the bounty on her and allow her to live without threat from Hastings and his men.”
Steve watched Trevor eye Angel and the men sitting with him at the table. A flash of recognition reflected in Trevor’s eyes and Steve noticed the man shake his head slowly. He wondered whether Trevor had suddenly realised the whole situation had been poorly managed, and if he had been less consumed with the downfall of Hastings, he may have been more cautious with Angel’s life.
“Of course, you’re both right. Forgive me, Angel, I’m just an old cop that sometimes gets too involved in the thought of taking down the bad guy. Experience over the years has taught me that I need to weigh the cost before acting, but sometimes that lesson fails to impact me until after the fact.” Trevor was sincere as he spoke.
“The electronic files will certainly be more than enough for the warrant and possibly even an arrest, so if charges are laid, Hastings may not be in a position to go ahead with the meeting,” Christian noted.
“I doubt we will be able to move in that quickly, given the wealth of information we have to sort through,” Steve suggested.
Discussion turned to Markham. Trevor asked if Angel would provide a written statement to the effect that the weapons and other information she’d handed over to Steve had indeed been in the home when Markham had conducted his search. Steve knew that the statement, along with the information listing Markham as an informant in Barnard’s files, should seal his fate. It was decided Trevor would make an announcement to his team, Markham included, stating that new evidence had been located and the investigation was now a priority. He agreed to include information that Angel had been located on holiday down the coast and state that she was no longer of interest to the case. He’d continue to monitor Markham’s correspondence and calls and instruct IA not to arrest him until the information had been passed to Hastings.
Steve breathed a sigh of relief. Finally, the game of chess was solidly in their favour. And Adrian Hastings was about to hear the word checkmate.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Adrian Hastings sat behind his desk and toyed with the mobile he used for contact with the elusive Miss Angel Wylde. It had been two days since he had spoken with her, and the last time he texted her she had stated she would not answer the phone if he called. He wondered whether today would be any different. Maybe he should just ring and hope for the best. After all, if she didn’t look at the caller ID, she may answer automatically. He tossed the mobile on the desk and berated himself for this strange compulsion to contact her. He could have received the ledger by now if he’d agreed to let her send it via courier, but no, Adrian had insisted Angel hand it to him personally.
You fucking moron, you’re the boss of the major crime organisation in the fucking state, not a horny school boy.
Adrian knew that Angel was not interested in any kind of relationship with him. She had made that perfectly clear, and after living with Samuel, who could blame her. Still, it didn’t stop the increasing fascination he had for her and the desire to make Angel his. Adrian realised that he was old enough to be her father, and for many years he had watched her, believing his interest and attempts to protect her, although not effectively, stemmed from fatherly concern. It wasn’t until she had moved into Samuel’s house that he realised he had never really had a fatherly interest. He’d simply told himself that because he had been married when his fascination first developed.
Once Adrian’s marriage ended, he finally admitted more than a passing interest in the young Miss Wylde. However, by then she had sold her soul to one of his leading devils, and all Adrian was able to do was watch with regret as Samuel attempted to destroy the precious soul he had deceptively acquired.
Adrian had first seen Angel when she was fourteen. He had been meeting with Harold Wylde regarding a burial at one of his construction sites, and Adrian watched her through the window as they spoke. Angel was hanging clothes on the line, and when he asked about her, Harold had referred to Angel as the freebie maid. Adrian had been horrified to discover the young girl was actually the third child in the Wylde family. In all the years he had known Harold, he had no idea that a daughter even existed. Harold Wylde was a despicable man, and he raised two despicable sons. Years later, after Harold’s death, Adrian had heard Justin and Jarrod Wylde refer to Angel as “the thing our mother left behind.” They had showed no concern at all that their sister had been given to Adrian’s most renowned and sadistic hit man as payment for a debt.
Truly despicable men.
Adrian had built his organisation on despicable men and knew all too well that he could also fall into that category. God knows his ex wife and children thought of him that way. Not that he saw his family anymore. He still paid for their lavish lifestyles. They took his money with no qualms. His money was fine, it was just his presence they couldn’t tolerate. Disliking Adrian had at least saved his son from following in his footsteps. Adrian’s son may have shunned the business but Adrian never believed he’d end up having a twenty-eight-year-old religious fanatic in his family. But that was what his son had become. Adrian assumed it was the only form of rebellion the boy could find. After all, if your father dealt drugs and was a major crime identity, what else could you do to rebel as a teenager? So at sixteen his beloved son had turned to God. Adrian had hoped his son would let the religious fanaticism go eventually, but at twenty-eight his son was still intent on praising the Lord. For Adrian, payback had been a real bitch.
Adrian shook his head and once again picked up the mobile. He dialled Ang
el’s number…She didn’t answer.
“Cheeky little imp,” he said to the phone.
She was the only woman in the world who constantly resisted him. Except for that one time, but really he had manipulated the situation to his own end. Maybe that was the basis of his attraction to her, Angel wasn’t interested in him. Didn’t she realise how irresistible that made a woman to a man? That and, in Adrian’s case, someone who would dare to tell him exactly what she thought of him. He moved in his seat, trying to adjust the erection that had formed in his pants to a more comfortable position. He picked up the phone and dialled the gentlemen’s club he frequented. Luckily, Samantha was working. She was a buxom little brat with raven hair, and if he took her from behind, he could imagine he was fucking Angel again. He booked a time with her and picked up his keys. He needed to relieve the throb between his legs.
Any cunt in a storm. Adrian left the office.
As Adrian entered the car park of Mistress M’s establishment, his mobile rang. The Bluetooth answered automatically, and he winced as he heard Markham say hello.
“Speak, and speak quickly. I’m on my way to a meeting,” he snapped.
The little turd infuriated him. Adrian remembered Angel’s reminder to be careful who he listened to as Markham began to ramble.
“So what you’re telling me is Samuel had another house that no one knew about and he kept detailed information there which the police have now acquired. How did they find this house?”
“Apparently they went to the address expecting to find his father living there, but the old man had died and the house was just sitting there, vacant. Apparently that’s where Jax has been.” Markham’s voice seemed strained.
“I thought you told me Jax was with Angel Wylde. That she had given evidence about me and was in police protection. Are you telling me that’s no longer the case?”