Angel of Redemption (18 page)

“
Well, that sounds promising. Care to
share with the class?
”
Aiden teases.

“
Maybe later,
”
Kayla quips, her tongue peeking out playfully. She shifts
slightly to cross her legs. The booth is so small that her hand grazes my
thigh. I jump slightly at the contact.
“
Sorry,
”
she whispers.

“‘
S
’
okay.
”
I try to smile, but I
’
m sure it looks forced.

When
the waitress comes over to take our drink orders, Kayla orders a Jack and Coke.

“
What?
”
she asks when she catches me staring.

“
I just didn
’
t take you as the hard-liquor kind.
”

“
Well, what good is it if it isn
’
t hard?
”
she deadpans. Emily and Aiden both
laugh loudly.

Fuck,
I like this girl. She
’
s got a dirty mouth. Flashes of red
heels and flushed skin hit me, making my cock twitch in the confines of my
jeans. I lean back, attempting a sly look at her feet. She
’
s wearing jeans and boots
—furry
ones, not sexy ones. Thank God.

When
I look back up, they
’
re all watching me. Aiden and Emily are silently
questioning, and Kayla has her eyebrow cocked. I smirk and wink at her,
eliciting a soft chuckle
—
a very alluring sound.

When
the waitress returns with our drinks, we order dinner. We talk easily, laughing
and bantering. Kayla fits right in. She tells us about her friends at work,
Sara and Warren. Apparently Sara was the social worker for one of Wyatt House
’
s most notorious cases. Kayla says I
’
ve met her, but I can
’
t remember. The kid had only been with
us a few weeks, and all I remember is Aiden and I rushing to the hospital only
to be told that he was being treated, had been placed on a psych hold, and
would be released to police custody upon discharge. Aiden took care of
everything else after that.

Now
Warren, I know. Well, I know
of
Warren. Everyone knows of Warren. His
father is one of the richest men in the US, and yet, instead of pissing away
Daddy
’
s
fortune, he works at a thankless job and donates every cent he earns. I
’
m surprised to learn he
’
s bisexual and not just gay. That
explains the gorgeous creatures he always brings to the fundraisers. I wonder why
he
’
s
never brought Kayla.

“
Oh, he
’
s a smooth one,
”
Kayla laughs.
“
He
spent the first six months I knew him trying to talk me into his bed. Every
time we went dancing, he
’
d whisper dirty things in my ear in Spanish.
”
She furrows her brow.
“
Actually,
he did that to me last night, too.
”

“
Last night?
”
I ask, my voice higher than I was aiming for.

“
Yeah, we all went out last night.
Sometimes we like to let go at the end of the week. I think it
’
s the only way we can all stay sane.
”

“
Huh. Imagine that,
”
Emily says, looking pointedly in my direction.

“
Is he still trying to talk you into
bed?
”
I ask curiously, ignoring my
sister-in-law. The more Kayla talks, the more I begin to question her
relationship status. She has yet to mention a boyfriend or anyone who remotely
sounds like one. Of course, the conversation hasn
’
t exactly gone in that direction,
either.

“
No. He gave up on that a long time
ago.
”
She smiles, and then frowns.
“
At least I hope he has.
”

“
You never even considered it?
”
Emily asks.

“
No. He was never looking for a serious
relationship, and I have to work with him. It would have become awkward.
”

Just
like that, reality hits me. Even if she
’
s not in a relationship, she
’
s pointing out the two problems with
me acting on my urges: I have to work with her, and I can
’
t promise her anything serious. I
’
m damaged goods. My thoughts feel like
a fucking yo-yo going back and forth.

The
waitress comes back to tell us our order will be ready soon and that the side
salads will be right out. We order another round of drinks.

“
I have to go to the bathroom,
”
Kayla announces, playfully shoving me. I don
’
t react, other than to slide out.
“
Thanks,
”
she whispers, obviously noticing my
change in demeanor. When she
’
s out of earshot, Emily pipes up.

“
What just happened?
”

“
What do you mean?
”

“
You were doing fine, Dean. You were
nice and sociable and then
poof
, you
’
re all moody.
”

“
I don
’
t know what you
’
re talking about. I
’
m fine.
”

Aiden
eyes me, but doesn
’
t say anything. I
’
m quiet while they talk between themselves. I have to take
a piss, but I don
’
t
want Kayla to think I
’
m following her. Unfortunately, watching the waitress
refill our water glasses makes it worse.

“
Fuck. I gotta pee.
”

“
Thanks for the announcement, bro,
”
Aiden chuckles.

“
Check on Kaylawhile you
’
re back there, will you?
”
Emily says without looking at me.
“
She
’
s been gone a long time.
”

“
You want me to walk into the women
’
s room?
”

Emily
turns her head with her lips pursed.
“
Knock
on the door, smartass.
”

I
glance at Aiden, but he
’
s deliberately avoiding my gaze. He
’
s looking at his phone as if it
’
s the most interesting fucking thing
in the world.

“
Fine,
”
I huff. I
’
m not quite sure how I
’
m going to do this. I don
’
t want to look like a total pervert. I
guess I could just hang outside the women
’
s room until she comes out, but that might be worse than
knocking. I turn the corner to the hallway that leads back to the bathrooms. I
’
m still trying to figure out the best
thing to do when I hear voices. They aren
’
t shouting, but they
’
re loud enough for me to hear.

“
Don
’
t touch me.
”
It
’
s Kayla, I know that much, but she
’
s not anywhere in the hallway that I
can see. I stop walking, hoping to follow her voice.

“
Come on, Kay. I said I was sorry. How
many times do I have to apologize?
”
a male voice asks. It sounds like they
’
re farther down the hallway. There are
chairs back there, and it
’
s really dim, but I
’
m sure that
’
s where they are. I walk forward, listening.

“
None, Brody. I don
’
t care anymore.
”

“
Good. Then let me take you out. We can
go dancing, get drunk, go back to your place. Like old times.
”

“
Are you serious?
”

There
’
s a
bang,
and I can hear the chairs rattle.

“
Yes, I
’
m fucking serious.
”

“
I said don
’
t touch me. Get off.
”

That
’
s my cue.
“
Hey,
”
I say, making my presence known.
“
Everything okay?
”

“
Mind your own fucking business,
”
the asshole snaps.
“
Everything
’
s fine.
”

I
look over at Kayla. I don
’
t know if she wants me to do what I
’
m doing or not. Her expression tells
me that she doesn
’
t
need
me, but she wants me. At least, that
’
s how I choose to interpret it.

“
Baby, what
’
s going on?
”

Kayla
’
s eyes go wide, but she recovers
quickly.
“
Nothing. Brody was just leaving.
”

“
Baby
?
”
the Brody dude scoffs, looking between
the two of us.

“
Who the hell is this guy, Kayla?
”
I growl. I approach them with an overconfident swagger,
pushing up my sleeves. It
’
s a punk move, but it always works. My mother
’
s right; I look like a hoodlum.

Slipping
my arm around Kayla
’
s shoulders, I let my hand dangle over her collarbone. I
wait for her to tense or pull away. She doesn
’
t. She plays along, leaning into my side
as if she belongs there. I watch Brody scanning my ink and the way I
’
m draped over Kayla, his eyes darting
around, trying to figure out if I
’
m really a threat. If he pisses me off, I will be. Suddenly
he laughs.

“
Nice try, but I know Kayla. You
’
re not her type.
”

“
Oh yeah? And what is her type? You?
”
I snort. Brody pulls himself up to what I assume is his
full height, although he
’
s still a good four or five inches shorter than me. He can
’
t be that sure of himself. My forearm
’
s probably bigger than his bicep.

“
Yeah, actually. Didn
’
t you know? Kayla
’
s a society girl, wealthy and
privileged.
”
He glances at her.
“
At least she used to be. Last time I checked, anyway, she
wasn
’
t
into slumming it.
”
Brody reaches forward, putting his
hand on Kayla
’
s
wrist. I
’
m
not sure who he insulted more with that comment, me or Kayla, but the way he
’
s gripping her is out of line. I lurch
forward, shoving him into the opposite wall. He grunts as the wind is knocked
out of him.

“
Dean!
”
Kayla yelps. She jumps in front of me, and I feel her hands
against my chest, trying to push me back. I know I could get in trouble for
this, but right now I
’
m acting on instinct. He put his hands on what
’
s mine. Sort of. Not really, but he
doesn
’
t know that.