Christmas Angel (23 page)

“This is crazy,” he whispered between kisses. Her mind spun with delirious pleasure. “You don’t know how many times a day I think of this.” He cupped her hips, drawing her to him with each thrust. She grabbed hold of the coat rack, her other arm hooked around his neck. “Seeing you in the tub…lying back on my bed, you parading around in my boxers—do you…have any…idea how fucking sexy you are?” He drove harder, and she squeezed her eyes at the heightened sensation, wanting to remember this moment no matter what the future held.

“I want to know it’s me, Angel, who makes you feel like this—only me.”

In the next room, there was another thunderous round of applause. The thought of missing her friend’s presentation flitted though her mind, yet somehow she felt she would’ve understood. Angel clung to Shado, silently pleading with the fates not to let her be taken from him. She no longer cared who Billy was or about the lyrics that once captured her heart. Right here, in her arms was the man who made her heart take flight.

“Yes,” she whispered, turning her face to the heavens. Her body trembled with need, set free by an explosion of light. Wave upon wave shuddered through her with an ecstasy of delight and all her thoughts dissolved in a watery, erotic haze— save one…she loved him.

“Angel.” He pulled his head up and she kissed him hard, stifling the scream of pleasure wracking her as he gave over to his own release.

He lowered her legs until her feet touched the floor. Her gown slipped around her ankles as he held his forehead to hers. “Let’s go home,” he said, still catching his breath. She nodded. Tears pricked the back of her eyes. She held his jacket and tie, one in each hand as he righted himself. He tucked his shirt in his pants and then leaned forward to place a soft, slow kiss on her lips.

“Home sounds good,” she whispered, for the first time feeling she was where she belonged.

God Almighty, he wanted her again. Shado stared ahead into the dark night; the beams from the streetlights cast pillars in the dense fog. Beside him, Angel had been uncharacteristically quiet. “Are you okay? Are you having second thoughts about this?” He refused to touch her, afraid he couldn’t trust himself to stop, and though he’d risked being caught in public once, he wasn’t about to tempt fate again. Besides, he wanted her at home, in his bed—alone and to himself.

She smiled a smile that sent his libido into a tailspin. “No, but I am curious though.”

“About what?” He slid a glance toward her. Though it was freezing outside, he was itching to get out of the stifling suit.” He turned the car heater down a couple of notches.

“Were you jealous tonight?”

The question hit him hard between the eyes. “Jealous?” He glanced away. The idea was ridiculous, of course. Had she not been listening when he told her he cared for her, but there was little for them in terms of a viable future together?

Sure, the sex was incredible, but jealous?

“What I want to know is if it bothered you—the idea of another man touching me like you did?” Her small hand touched his arm. “Don’t you know by now I don’t
want
anyone but you to touch me?”

He eased the car to the curb. “Look, Angel….”

She leaned toward him, searching his face and her wrap slid off her shoulders, revealing the satiny smooth skin he’d memorized. “What are you afraid of,

Shado?”

Here it was. What he’d feared most. She was looking for something more—a commitment from him. He struggled with his guilt. It was maddening to want her like this and yet know in his heart he couldn’t give her the happily ever after she deserved. But her tempting mouth, the thought of his hands gliding over her skin, washed away all good intent. He didn’t want to hurt her, but he was addicted, needing what she so freely offered—selfishly perhaps—unable to let go, just yet.

He grabbed her chin and groaned at how their mouths fit, how quick the hunger between them exploded. A glorious ache, like sheer madness, traveled all the way to his groin. If they hadn’t been on a public street, he would have taken her to the back seat right then.

“Home.” He tore himself from her, reminding himself how crazy it was to be this absorbed with her. It wasn’t going to last. Nothing good ever did. All he had to do was look at the picture of Penny and Danny Jr. to see it was true. He gripped the steering wheel in a futile attempt to gain perspective. Needing to distance himself, and aware he’d already taken too many chances without protecting Angel, he pulled into a drugstore parking lot. “I need to make a quick stop in here.”

She leaned back in her seat, tugging the wrap around her shoulders. “You’re avoiding my question.”

“No, I’m not, really. I just need to get…something.” He stopped in front of the double doors, debating whether it was wise to leave her alone. There was plenty of light, enough people milling in and out, and what he needed would only take a heartbeat. Still he hesitated. “Do you want to come in?”

She glanced at him. “I'll be fine here. Look, you can see me through the glass.”

“Okay, I'll be right back. Lock the doors after me. And I promise, we'll talk later.”

He waited until she touched the button, securing her inside then hurried through the store. The sheer variety in products designed for sexual pleasure stunned him. Grabbing a box that looked familiar and a bottle of cheap champagne off a New Year’s Eve display, he made his way to the front register. His heart sank when he saw the line ahead of him. The longer he stood there, the more his impatience grew. Tapping the box against the bottle, he eyed the clerk— new guy by the look of things—methodically checking each customer’s item thoroughly before he rang it up.

Are you jealous of other men touching me like you did?
Her words filtered into his thoughts, occupying his mind. Was he jealous? Not of guys he knew.

Gleason, Murphy—they had his best interests at heart. Hell, Gleason and Marla had been trying to hook him up with blind dates for the last three years without success. So why should he feel frustrated at seeing her having a good time without him? He spied a pack of mints at his fingertips and added it to his purchases in a futile attempt to distract his mind from the real issue.

Was she right? Was he avoiding the truth? His brain wandered briefly to the image of her twirling in that gown for his approval, her radiant smile as she danced earlier tonight, and the soft admiration on her face when she whispered,
“Let’s go home.”
It hit him then, causing his stomach to pitch like the sudden drop in an elevator. He had feelings for her. Real. Unplanned. Serious. Jesus, he hadn’t seen it coming.

“Who’s next?” The clerk, a studious young man with thick glasses, peered at him as he stepped up to the counter. He glanced at Shado’s full arms and gave him a toothy grin. “Merry Christmas.”

“Uh, yeah, same to you,” he mumbled and put the items down. He reached in his jacket to retrieve his wallet.

The clerk held up the box of condoms, studying it with a frown.

Shado cleared his throat. “Is there a problem?”

“Extra large?”

Shado’s forehead broke out in a sweat.
Really?

“Do you know—how much?” The precise man’s broken English was succinct and professional.

“Won’t it scan?” Shado suggested, glancing at an older couple behind him, clutching a gallon of milk and a carton of bran flakes.

“The scanner is broken and this doesn’t have a tag. The extra-large are more.

Let me call back and get a price.”

This was doing little for Shado’s frustration. What cosmic force didn’t want him to own a blessed condom?

The elderly gentleman reached around him and grabbed the box from the clerk without preamble. “Twelve ninety-five.” He dropped them on the counter and gave Shado a wink. “The missus prefers those. Better stimulation. Can’t stand that gel crap. Burns like hell.”

Shado tried to hide the surprise on his face and nodded. “Thanks.”

The ring of the register pulled his attention back to the clerk. Through the plate glass of the front window, he saw a familiar form walk past. It was likely his imagination, but it sure as hell looked like the guy from the tavern. Crazy. Still he wasn’t taking any chances.

“Uh, yeah, could you please move it along? I’m kind of in a hurry.” Shado craned his neck but to see his car but a man and his wife stood inside the front entrance arguing over what coupons to use.

Misunderstanding his impatience, the old man chuckled and patted his back.

“Take your time, young fella. She’ll like it better.”

Shado barely heard his comment as the clerk began to count out his change. “Keep it.” He grabbed the bag, darted outside, and searched the lot. A misty fog clung to the air, indicating there’d soon be snow. He stepped up to the car and looked over the hood. A lance of cold fear shot through his gut when he realized her car door was open. He ran around to the other side, and searched the lot, his instinct warning that the man he had seen had her. Shit. Shit. Shit. He pressed the number to the precinct, praying someone other than a rookie was on tonight. “This is Detective Jackson. I’m at the CVS on the corner of One-Forty-Second and Crescent Avenue. I need to report a missing woman—possible kidnapping. Need all units in the area to search for a white female, approximately five-six, blonde hair, blue eyes—last seen wearing a long evening gown, ivory in color. She is a murder witness, and her captors should be considered armed and dangerous.” He walked around the car, searching for anything, any clue. It was as though she’d vanished into thin air.

“Ten-four. We’ll send all units in the area your way.”

He then punched in Gleason’s phone number and after several rings, he finally answered. “Jack, we have a problem. Angel’s missing. I made a stop here at the drugstore near the apartment, and when I came out, she was gone.” He held his palm to his forehead and scanned the parking lot for the umpteenth time. “Goddamnit. I think it might have been the guy from the tavern. The one I thought looked at me strange. Shit. He has to be a tail for Espinoza.”
Fuck!
He raked his hand through his hair.
This is what I get for being distracted by a woman.
“I’ve got to find her, Jack.”

“Okay, okay. You’ve got to slow down. Think this through. I’ll be right there, and promise me, Shado, you don’t go fishing around alone. Understand?”

He paced the parking lot, angry for leaving her alone in the car. What an idiot.

“If anything happens to her…shit, just hurry.”

“A few of us are leaving now. Units are on their way. We’ll find her. Don’t worry.”

“Right,” he scoffed. He caught a slight flutter of something on the chain link blocking the lot from the next property.

“Stay right there. Copy?” Gleason reiterated.

“Yeah,” he answered, distracted by the odd piece of something waving, it seemed, at him. He punched off his phone and dropped it in his coat pocket. Cautiously he moved toward the fence, keeping his eyes open for movement. One man couldn’t have gotten far with a struggling woman—unless she wasn’t struggling. Shado pushed the thought from his mind. He would find her. There was no other plan. He reached up, plucked the object from the wire. It was a piece of Angel’s lacy gown.

Encouraged he had a clear direction; he hustled back to his car, retrieved his service revolver from the glove box, and started down the dimly lit alley next to the store. He did a quick search of a trash bin and behind a stack of crates— possible places where one might dump a body if in a hurry, breathing a sigh of relief when he found none. Moving farther down the alley, he came to an abandoned car. His heart pounded like fury in his chest as he rounded the vehicle. He took a deep breath and yanked open the back door. The car was empty, but a glint captured his attention, and he reached down to scoop up the garnet from the ground.

Shado glanced up and silently applauded her skills at leaving him clues to know he was on the right path and prayed her ingenuity would keep her alive until he could find her. He stuffed the necklace in his pocket and kept moving down the alley. Behind the next building he came to a large lot overgrown with weeds. Mottled graffiti covered the low brick walls and backs of the surrounding buildings.

Not far from the alley entrance he spotted three cars, new models and far too nice for the neighborhood, parked outside a boarded-up strip joint. The area was silent, and he cursed the amount of time it was taking for the other units to arrive, but he couldn’t wait. It could mean the difference between life and death. Pushing forward, he paused next to a dumpster, prompted by a rank odor to shove the lid open and peer inside. Thankfully, the smell wasn’t human. Careful not to make a sound, he eased the lid down and scanned the area, listening for the sound of approaching cars. Reason and fear warred inside him, but determination not to lose Angel drove him forward. He crouched low and hurried across the shadowed lot.

Staying to the back of the building, he searched for a way in. To his surprise, the door eased open, unlocked. He grew more cautious.
A trap?
He took one final look around to see if the units were on their way and then moved into the narrow hallway. The pungent stench of rotting wood, urine, and old liquor assaulted his nose.

“I say we take care of business and get outta here.”

Shado plastered himself against the wall and held his breath.
Hang on a few more minutes, Angel.

“How fortunate you were walking past the drugstore and saw our guest.”

“It was like a gift from heaven, boss. She was just sitting in the car by herself.”

“It’s nothing personal, you understand. We can’t have any loose ends. And you, my lovely lady, are a loose end.”

“What do you want me to do with her?”

“Be patient, my loyal friend. Let me ask this. Did you make sure her boyfriend,

Detective Jackson, didn’t follow you?”

The authoritative voice spoke with cool-headed clarity, sending chills down Shado’s spine. It had to be Espinoza.

“I was too fast. I thought he might recognize me from the bar, so I kept my head down. Besides, if he’s stupid enough to come after us, we’ll take him out like you did his brother.”

A maniacal laugh made his skin crawl. “What luck you have, Anthony.

Unfortunately, there is no room for sloppiness. You should have killed the girl there, not chanced he might follow you to me.

“I’m sure he didn’t see me, Mr. Espinoza.” The man’s voice shook with fear.

Then a frightened gasp. “No!”

Two shots, fired in rapid succession, and silence.

Shado held his breath, squeezing his eyes tight, his jaw clenched to prevent him from screaming out to Angel.

“You are quite beautiful. I can understand why he would wish to protect you.”

“He will think I’ve left him.”

Shado opened his eyes and released a sigh of relief when he heard her voice.

The bastard hadn’t killed her.

“We had an argument before he went inside.”