ANGEL'S WRATH by SK (SIN CITY HEAT) (5 page)

 
 
 
 
Angel finally nodded then came back to the table and sat down. His eyes once again latched onto Nicole. Matt moved to follow, but Angel held a hand up. “Matt, can you go check on that thing I needed you to take care of?”

 
 
Matt had been with Angel long enough to follow Angel’s lead at the drop of a hat. “Of c
ourse," he nodded, glancing at Nicole. "If you’ll excuse me.”

 
 
 
 
Nicole watched him walk away then slid eyes dancing with merriment back to Angel. "And just what 'thing' is he supposed to take care of?"

 
 
 
 
Angel shrugged in unconcern. "I'm sure he'll find something."

 
 
 
 
She pressed her lips together, shaking her head and shifting through the paperwork in front of her.

 
 
 
 
“And what is that look for Ms. Randolph?”

 
 
 
 
Nikki reluctantly pulled her attention from the documents and focused on him. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean, Mr. LaCroix.”

 
 
 
 
Angel chuckled softly and sat back. “How have you been, Nikki? It's been a long time.”

 
 
 
 
Their eyes held before they each broke out into a smile. The years melted away as memories of their past acquaintance from the old neighborhood overcame the tension in the room. Angel and Nicole's brother, Jacoby, had been best friends. Five years younger than them, Nikki had always harbored a fierce crush on Angel, but he never treated her as anything other than his best friend's kid sister. The appreciative gleam in his eyes now told her he noticed she'd grown up.

 
 
 
 
“You’re looking well."

 
 
 
 
Nicole glanced around to make sure Neil wasn’t in hearing range. “Thank you. So are you."

 
 
 
 
“You can imagine my shock when I walked up and saw you sitting here. It’s been, what, almost fifteen years?”

 
 
 
 
“Yes, about that.” Nikki was very cautious. The last time she had seen Angel was the summer before she left for college, and by then, he'd been deep into the streets and well known in the drug world. She eyed him thoughtfully. Apparently, he had decided to go on the straight and narrow.

 
 
 
 
“I see you’ve done well for yourself. Quite the businessman."

 
 
 
 
Angel lowered his eyes before looking up at her. “Thank you. Let’s just say my investments have paid off quite nicely,” he smiled.

 
 
 
Nikki didn’t return the smile. “I'm aware of that.
DWC
had you and your company thoroughly investigated before we proceeded with this deal. I'm not surprised you've done well for yourself - legally, that is. I've always known you were far from stupid, Angelo. Everyone paid so much attention to Dominick’s genius mind because he always did what he was supposed to. You? You were the one constantly into trouble, one thing after another, taking the focus off of your brilliance and diverting it to the latest legal fiasco you seemed to be entangled in.”

 
 
 
 
“Well, let’s just say I’ve turned my life around.” His reply was quite brusque as his eyes went over her again. Her hair was pulled back into a thick knot, accenting her high cheekbones and her square, but delicately feminine jaw. A cinnamon spice colored gloss covered her full, lush lips, making it a struggle for Angel to keep his mind on things that had no business entering his thoughts until after he got what he wanted from
DWC
. Once he did, all bets were off.

 
 
 
 
"I was sorry to hear about Jacoby."

 
 
 
 
The light went out of Nikki's eyes for a moment before she acknowledged his condolences. She had worshipped her older brother and still found it hard to believe he was gone. "Thank you."

 
 
 
 
Silence fell between them before Angel spoke. “You’ve grown up, Nikki. You were always a cute girl, but you’ve matured and become a stunning woman.”
 

 
 
 
 
Nikki could all but read his thoughts, and he was right. She wasn’t a little girl any longer. Now was as good a time as any to get things out in the open if they were going to be working together.

 
 
 
 
“Angel, I think it best if we keep our relationship strictly professional, and our past between us. I wouldn’t want my objectivity to come into question with
DWC
.”

 
 
 
 
Angel nodded but remained silent, still watching her with those eyes of his. Nikki took a deep breath, ignoring the twinge of awareness her body was responding to. She had long ago gotten over her school girl crush, but it didn't help that Angel remained so devastatingly handsome over the years, and that was no exaggeration. There was something about a man like him that drew women in, even when their heads screamed 'beware'. As long as she'd known him, his confidence had bordered on arrogance, but the thing about Angel was he could back it up without even trying.

 
 
 
 
In the business world, Nikki met many men who liked to project the illusion of power with big words and big bravado. Angel didn't need to do that. He'd sat at the table the last hour in virtual silence, but his presence had been felt by everyone in the room. Neil was usually cool and unflappable, but Angel had him shaken to the core, something Nicole had never witnessed with the company's 'boy wonder'.

 
 
 
 
"I'm surprised you didn't make our past history known, Nikki. I'm sure
DWC
would've suggested you use it to their advantage in order to get me to alter that clause, which I assure you won't happen."

 
 
 
 
“As long as we can come to a happy medium that satisfies both parties that’s all that matters, isn’t it?”

 
 
 
 
“And what would it take to satisfy you, Nikki?” Angel returned the question without missing a beat.

 
 
 
 
Her mouth tightened. "Excuse me?"

 
 
 
 
She was used to men trying to treat her like a sexual object in meetings and negotiations instead of their equal. She always handled it with skill, letting them know in no uncertain terms she was to be shown respect and wouldn’t settle for anything else. It didn't matter that she and Angel had known each other since they were young. She was determined for him to take her seriously.
 

 
 
 
 
“Nicole, I haven’t changed all that much. I still get straight to the point. I've never seen the need for games nor do I have time for them. I think you know exactly what I mean.”

 
 
 
 
“Angelo, I think we need to get something straight. Whatever…business…that goes on between us will be just that, business. I keep my personal life separate and never intermingle the two."

 
 
 
 
“There’s always a first time for everything.”

 
 
 
 
Nikki shifted in her chair. God, he was a sexy devil, always had been. He could be very charming as well, but the problem was, he knew it. "Let me be blunt. I’m not interested in pursuing a relationship with you.”

 
 
 
 
Angel laughed in genuine amusement. “I’m not interested in 'pursing a relationship' with you either. Let me be blunt as well; I want to fuck you. There's a difference.”

 
 
 
His eyes lowered to her mouth then down to those luscious breasts hidden underneath that damned blouse, letting her know exactly what he wanted from her. Her arousal was obvious to them both by the way her nipples hardened, and the pulse at her neck fluttered like a frightened animal facing a powerful and mighty predator.

 
 
 
 
Feeling cornered, Nicole was just getting ready to deliver a scathing reply when Neil, followed by Matt, came huffing back to the table with a triumphant look on his face. “Angel, I appreciate your patience. That was Mr. Davidson on the phone calling to let me know he was on his way. I explained the situation to him and he agrees to the terms. Again, he apologizes for being delayed, and should be here in less than..." Neil glanced down at his watch. "Less than five minutes."

 
 
 
 
Nicole stared at Neil in surprise, but remained quiet.

 
 
 
“Great,” Matt said. “As soon as the contract is signed, we can have the money transferred to your business account.”

 
 
 
 
“And that will be the full amount, correct?” Neil asked cautiously.

 
 
 
 
The smile that played around Angel's lips only hinted at the satisfaction he felt. "Of course," he answered.

 
 
 
 
Nicole glared at him, seeing the gleam that sparkled in his eyes. She seemed to be the only one who heard the mocking contempt in his voice. For reasons she couldn’t quite explain, a sense of dread curled and twisted up in her stomach. Angel sent her a quick wink, causing the feeling to grow in leaps and bounds.

 
 
 
 
She turned to Neil. "Wait. Maybe we should…"

 
 
 
 
Neil stood up, cutting her off, when the door to the private dining room opened. A respectful smile covered his mouth as he nodded. "Mr. Davidson. Just in time, sir." He turned to Angel.
 
“Angelo LaCroix, I’d like you to meet the owner and CEO of
Davidson World Corporation
: Bradley J. Davidson II.”

 
 
 
 
Unrushed, Angel stared at the man standing in front of him. He took in the perfectly tanned skin, dark hair and handsome face. Quintessential white corporate America. Bradley Davidson represented generational wealth whereas Angel’s money was new, made straight from the streets. Angel found it ironic that one of the largest and oldest family owned businesses in the country had to turn to him to bail them out of their financial hardship. He slowly reached out a hand to shake the one Bradley extended.

 
 
 
 
“Angelo. It’s nice to meet you, and please, Bradley Davidson is my father," he smiled charmingly. "I go by my middle name, Jaxon or Jax. I hear the negotiations have gone well and we’ll be doing business together.”

 
 
 
 
Angel hesitated then smiled. “It seems that way.”

 
 
 
 
Jaxon frowned at Angel’s less than enthusiastic response. "Forgive my tardiness, but it was unavoidable. My pilot tried to insist we wait it out, but there was no way I was going to miss this meeting. It's too important." After shaking hands with Matt, Jaxon turned to Nicole. "How are you? I trust everything is to your satisfaction?"

 
 
 
 
Angel froze. He didn't miss the intimacy of the look Jaxon sent Nicole. Comprehension caused his eyes to coolly narrow. They were seeing one another.

 
 
 
 
The five of them sat down and went over the terms of the contract once more, but it was only a formality.
DWC
needed what Angel had too desperately to try and push him any further. After scrawling their names on numerous documents, the deal was closed with handshakes. Jax ordered the waitress to bring them fresh drinks to celebrate, and seconds later, they all stood up with glasses lifted in a toast.