Fallen Angels: Beguiled / Wanton / Uncovered

Besides, the familiar objects gave her comfort, as if her entire life hadn’t been reorganized by the vengeful hand of fate.

Unable to help herself, she said, “The bed is new.”

“Oh?” He looked it over, but she could tell he hadn’t realized it.

“I thought about burning the other one, sort of as an exorcism given the hideous memories attached to it, but that seemed wasteful in my financial predicament, regardless of the sentiments attached.” She propped a pillow behind her head and smiled at him, enjoying his scowl and the two spots of hot color high on his lean cheekbones. “I sold it instead. Cheap.”

Like an animal of prey moving in, Derek slowly approached the bed and leaned over her, his eyes never leaving hers. He braced an arm on either side of her head and lowered his face until only inches separated them. Angel pressed back into her pillow and held her breath.

His voice was low and rough, compelling. “You keep pushing me, honey, practically daring me with those big green eyes of yours.”

He looked away from her eyes to her mouth, and she bit her lip. “Derek…”

“Shh.” His lips brushed hers, light, teasing. “I told you I’d never hurt you again. You can believe it. Besides, it’s too soon for much, but not for this.”

That was all the warning she got before his mouth settled warmly over her own, devouring. Angel gasped, clasping the soft blanket next to her hips, tightening her fists to keep from kissing him back. But it was impossible. Nothing like this had ever happened to her. Surely it hadn’t been like this before or she’d have remembered.

Heat exploded, radiating out to her arms and legs in tingling waves; behind her closed eyes, tiny sparks ignited. She squirmed—then felt his tongue at the same time he groaned, giving her the sound, letting her feel it deep inside herself. Wet, warm, he shifted for a better angle and she leaned up to him, anxious for more.

It seemed an eternity before the kiss ended, before Derek was slowly pulling away, taking small, nibbling, apologetic kisses along the way. He breathed hard, but when he lifted his head, there was a gentle smile on his mouth.

Angel didn’t trust herself to speak.

“Don’t look like that,” he chided.

“Like…like what?”

“Like you’re afraid, and sorry.” His thumb rubbed the corner of her mouth. “One way or another, everything really is going to be okay.”

Reality intruded. “Derek, swear to me you won’t tell anyone about Grayson.”

“You’ll believe me?”

Tears filled her eyes. “Do I have a choice? I don’t want to run again. I don’t—”

“Again?”

He had her rattled, that was the only reason she’d made such a slipup. Shaking her head, she said, “If you tell your family about Grayson, I’ll go.”

His large warm hand cupped her cheek. “I won’t let them bother you, and I won’t let you go.”

She was afraid they were already bothering her, because she couldn’t think of another single enemy she could have. Why they would want to hurt her, she couldn’t guess. Unless they knew of Grayson and were afraid she’d come to Derek for marriage. She just didn’t know what lengths they might go to in order to protect their son from a woman they’d consider beneath him.

Her hands shook, as did her voice. “How could you stop them if they knew? Especially your brother.” She shivered, knowing her fear of the brother was out of proportion, based on Derek’s dramatized bragging and her own wild imagination. But in her mind, he’d become her nightmare, and she was very afraid. “Out of all of them, I fear him the most.”

He leaned back, watching her carefully. “Angel…”

“No! They can’t know. Ever. If that seems selfish of me, I don’t care.” Her hands trembled, despite her tight grip, because she knew if he decided to take her baby away, he could. And she was already proving how weak she was against him. “I’m a good mother, Derek, I swear it.”

He sighed. “I never doubted it, honey.” He shoved himself reluctantly from the bed and pulled a pen from his pocket. Using a notepad on the bedside table, he scribbled down some numbers. “I’m going to give you my number.”

“I already have it.”

He stalled, looking harassed for a moment, then shook his head. “It’s hard to reach me at home these days. Here are the numbers to my cellular and my pager. You can always reach me with them. If you ever need me, for anything, call either one of these numbers.”

Angel nodded, feeling foolish for her outburst. She was just so weary, so tired of being afraid. He cupped her cheek again.

“I’ll be back tomorrow.” His gaze probed hers, demanding. “You’ll be here?”

“Yes.”

“Good.” He leaned down and kissed her once more, a light kiss that still made her shiver. “Pretty soon, you’ll stop looking so afraid, Angel. And you’ll start to trust me. I promise.”

As he walked out of the room, Angel looked at the paper with his numbers. Somehow, just having someone to call made her feel safer.

She heard the front door close, the lock turn, and she dropped her head back on the pillow, closing her eyes. As she drifted off to sleep, the paper was still in her hand.

CHAPTER FOUR

“I WAS TAILED last night,” Dane said the minute Alec had taken his seat. He looked at his closest friend, waiting for his reaction.

“From the woman’s place?”

“No, thank God. Later, from my house. It was dark, and I have no idea who it was, but I don’t like it. I want you to set up a watch at her apartment. Something is definitely going on and I don’t want her hurt.”

“The man who was with her yesterday?”

Dane shook his head, again remembering how protective Mick had been. “No, he’s a kid and a blessing as far as I can tell. If it hadn’t been for him, she’d probably never have made it.”

Alec said nothing. It was one of the things Dane liked most about him. He didn’t pry. In fact, he was one of the most closemouthed bastards he’d ever met.

“Something about her just doesn’t add up. It’s like she wants Derek around, but she’s forced to it.” Then he shook his head again. “No, that’s not entirely true. There’s something there—but it sure as hell isn’t trust or friendship. She initiated things, but now that I’m, or rather Derek’s, interested, she’s trying to back off. I think she got more than she bargained for.”

“You want me to check into her background, the time she spent with your brother?” Alec’s eyes were almost black, the same as his hair, and piercingly direct. Dane knew he could find out anything he wanted. How he found things out sometimes left him curious.

“No.” He didn’t want anyone snooping into Angel’s past but himself. He had no idea what clues he might uncover, but they were his business and no one else’s. He didn’t question his protective attitude. He’d find out what happened to his brother, but he’d find it out his way, and isolate Angel’s involvement as much as possible. After all, she was his nephew’s mother; for now, that was all the excuse he needed. “I’ll take care of it. In fact, I have Raymond coming in today.”

Alec snorted, shifting his big body uneasily in the chair. He was in his usual jeans and a flannel shirt, his hair pulled back in a ponytail. He looked like a mugger, or the typical bad guy. Dane grinned.

“You don’t like him either? Why?”

Alec shrugged, indifferent. “I don’t really know him.”

“Dammit Alec…”

“Something about him just doesn’t sit right. You know it yourself.”

“Yes. I know you’re also suspicious of just about everyone.” Dane assumed his own dislike of Raymond was personal. He was engaged to Dane’s sister, Celia, and Raymond reminded him too much of his own family—ruthless, business-oriented. He probably suited Celia to a tee.