Angel abruptly thrust his other hand and arm out, stopping the male student who had almost ridden his skateboard right into her.
By the smile the guy on the skateboard had and the laughter from a small group of students who were watching, it became apparent it wouldn’t have been an accident if he had collided with her.
Angel twisted his ink-covered fingers into the student’s shirt. “You could’ve fucking killed her.”
Adalyn looked down at the hand that had slightly tightened around hers as he’d said those words. A strange feeling washed over her, reminding her of the feeling she had gotten when she had first met him, making her realize that feeling had never left but had just hidden deeper inside her the more he ignored her.
The greasy-haired kid smirked even wider, clearly unaware of the serious shit he had just stepped into. “I had to make sure you goons were doing your job.”
As Tom stepped forward, Angel shoved the skater with one powerful move, making him fall to the ground. “Now you fucking do.” Then he reached out with his foot, flipping the skateboard up into the air and grabbing it with his free hand.
What the fuc—
Her hand was tugged on to begin walking beside him.
Did that really just happen?
“Hey! That’s my board!” the kid still sprawled on the ground yelled behind them.
Okay, it did, but did he just flip it … then catch it?
That feeling that was creeping up on her got stronger.
Dammit, stop it! Don’t think it!
When he dropped his hand from hers once they left the building, she felt it again—that bizarre sensation that happened when their skins were pulled away from each other’s. She felt another piece of her leave with him while she captured another piece of him. It was unlike anything she had felt before, a feeling that should frighten and bring her to her knees in fear of losing herself to him. But it didn’t. At least, not yet.
When Angel continued walking, he left her still very much too shocked to move.
Lake stood beside her, apparently just as shocked. “That was, um …”
“Fucking hot,” Adalyn finished for her, unable not to think it anymore.
They stared as he confidently walked away with the skateboard still in his hand.
“Yep.” Lake’s voice was a little heavy.
“Do you think he knows how to ride it?” Her voice might have been a little heavy, too.
“We can only pray.”
When the two girls began to pray, they prayed for two different things.
Dear Heavenly Father, if you want to keep me a virgin … don’t let him ride that damn board.
Nine
A Bullet with Your Name On It
“Where are we going?” Adalyn asked when he didn’t turn off to head to her house.
Tom looked up in the rearview mirror to look her dead in the eyes. “Lucca asked to see you.”
Her eyes grew wide before she quietly nodded. Oh shit.
The car ride was silent on the way to the casino hotel, and the walk to Lucca’s office was quieter. When they had gotten off the elevator, there was a moment when Angel looked at her, telling her that he knew what she planned to do. His eyes didn’t plead with her, however. No, there was something else in them. Disappointment.
Knocking on the door, she exhaled, not realizing until then that she had been holding her breath the whole way up.
“Come in.”
She walked into the smoke-filled room, taking a seat in front of the beautiful demon. His blue-green eyes practically glowed in the dark room.
Finally, it was his voice to break the silence. “You wanted to talk to me about Angel?”
“Um, yes …” She cleared her throat, trying to pull her thoughts together. She pictured him taking the ring off Lucca’s desk. “He …” She trailed off, looking down at her hand that had held Angel’s.
“He what?” Lucca asked.
It was time for her to make a decision. She only hoped she wouldn’t regret it.
Taking a long, deep breath, she made up her mind. “Angel’s a dick.”
A slow smile appeared. “A dick? How?”
“Yep. And sexist.”
“Sexist?” Now he looked a little confused.
Nodding, she continued, “You heard me; he’s sexist. He will only talk to the men.”
“Well …” He took a moment, seeming to process this. “He’s there to protect you, not talk to you.”
“He could at least say good freaking morning.”
“Yes, he could.” He smiled slightly before it disappeared. “Do you in any way think he’s not capable of protecting you?”
“No,” she admitted in defeat.
“And is there anything else he has done that could change my opinion of him?”
Her last chance was here. If she was ever going to tell him what Angel did, it would be now. Instead, she whispered the word that would seal her fate. “No.”
“Then this is an issue between you and Angel to solve.”
She gave a solemn nod as she stood up and headed for the door.