My Demons (The Angel Trilogy #2) (2 page)

I’ve been dreaming about a man that takes my breath away. I feel dirty though because the things that we do in those dreams are things I’ve never done before. I’m not saying I’ve never had those thoughts before, I’ve just never acted on them, I don’t think.

Oh, I hate not being able to remember the last year of my life. I want to act on these thoughts. I wish this man was real and not just a figment of my imagination.

I open the door to the bathroom and grab the hairdryer from the sink. I get to leave this awful place I’ve called home for the last three months.

I want to tell Amy about the madness running circles around my injured mind. It feels like this man is real and…well, I’ve hoped…

Ok, when I say this out loud it sounds crazy so don’t judge me, but I wish it was Evan.
Crazy right?
Mhmmm, I think it would be really amazing if my life were like that.

I’m definitely grinning and biting my bottom lip. I’m not going to lie, I’m turned on just thinking about him. I don’t know what it is about him that gets me excited. When he walks into the room, there are so many things that happen all at the same time.

First thing that happens are his eyes pierce mine with confidence that’s so sexy, then unknowingly he flexes his muscles through those tight t-shirts he wears, and the way he runs his hands through his hair when he’s frustrated, usually because I’m giving him a hard time. Oh my, I can definitely see why I was in love with him. He’s everything a girl could want. I think. Well, from the outside he is for sure, but the sensible Abby needs to get to know the inner Evan.

“You ready to go?” My mom strolls in the hospital room.

“I’m ready and have been for a while, are you kidding me?” I roll my eyes.

“You have to let us help you, Abby.” My mom’s driving me insane and she’s only been here three seconds. Inner sexy girl checks her watch.

“No, no I don’t.” I shake my head, not wanting to be fussed over.

My mom has insisted for the last few months, that when I get out of this godforsaken hospital I live with her and my dad in my childhood home. I say childhood home because apparently I’ve been moved out for a while and I’m too damn confused to know what else to call it, since it isn’t my home anymore.

When Dr. Sexy recommended someone, take care of me because of the seizures I’ve experienced over the last few months they jumped all over the opportunity.

My mom resigned from her position as hospitalist and surgeon. My dad resigned from his positions as Chief of Staff and from the Board of Directors at Denver Memorial. I begged them not to do that, but they just went on and on about wanting to take care of me.

I don’t want them to. I can take care of myself. My inner sexy girl is tapping her designer heels on the tile floor of my mind. She’s annoyed.

“Abigale Hayes, do not give your mother lip.” My mom’s becoming upset with me quickly. I say this because she’s talking in the third person.
Lovely.

“Mom seriously, I
need
to have my
own
apartment with my
own
space.” I’m definitely pouting.

“Abigale, please just humor your mother.” My dad is scrunched in the uncomfortable chair that sits in the left corner of my hospital room. He has one leg crossed over the other and he’s attempting to prevent my mom from going into a parental meltdown.

I roll my eyes.

“Yeah, I totally agree, Abbs. She needs to get out of that dump of an apartment.” Amy nods her head while speaking to both my parents and I.

“See?” My mom lifts her hand agreeing with Amy.

“You didn’t even know that you had an apartment Abbs, so I don’t know why you’d care about going back.”

“Amy…” I shake my head.

Inner sexy girl just punched her in the face. She’s supposed to be on my side. I’m going to kick her ass. She’s supposed to be
my
best friend.

“Abigale you can’t expect to just get back to your life the way you’d been living it, since you can’t remember what it was you were doing…” my mom pauses to stare me down. “Am I the only one that thinks this girl has lost her mind?” She throws her arms in the air.

“Thanks Mom, I appreciate that.” I’m biting my lower lip and nodding my head because, of course, I’ve lost my mind, I have amnesia.

“Oh Abigale, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it that way.” She takes a deep breath. “Ok we are going to go make some arrangements for your homecoming and then we’ll be back.” She holds her hand up, stopping me from speaking as soon as she sees my mouth open to object.

“Dad?” I beg for him to save me, but he only shrugs. I remember him being so much more dominant. He’s so wrapped up in Mom these days. I remember him being so dominant, now he’s just so pliable.

“Twilight zone,” I murmur.

“I’m sorry?” My mom turns in her blue sleeveless dress to investigate what I’d just said.

I suck in a harsh breath as I realize this
is
the twilight zone and I can’t fight with her about this anymore. “Ok,” I growl.

She doesn’t speak right away, but instead walks over to my bed where I’m sitting and leans in to kiss my forehead. “Thank you.”

“Yeah, yeah.”

“Does this mean that I get to stay there too?” Amy babbles.

“Of course it does silly, you know you’re always welcome in our home. You’re family.”

“Thank you, Alison.” Amy melts at my mom’s feet.

“Suck up.” I say rolling my eyes.

Amy’s family is in L.A., but they’re not close. It’s not from conflict, it’s just how they do things in the Alexander home. Amy’s parents are from
‘old’
money and very self-centered. Not that the two are related in any way, but that’s just how it’s always been. Their social standing is of major importance and they have little time for anything else. Heidi and Stephen Alexander are very nice people, they just have odd priorities. Amy always hung out at our home when we were growing up, it was just the norm for her to be there.

“Ok, we will pick you up around noon, love,” my mom says as she and my dad walk out the door, closing it behind them.

And so it begins…

Chapter Two

Evan

“They’ll be in the black SUV with no plates,” Michael says.

“I don’t know why you won’t let me do this E?” Natalia pouts.

Natalia is the little sister I never wanted. I laugh to myself only because now’s the time I need to at least appear serious.

“Here,” I toss Nat a water bottle. “Stop whining it’s not cute.”

“Ha-ha,” she sulks with her head leaning forward on the headrest from the back seat.

“It’s definitely cute, don’t listen to him.” Michael laughs as he loads his 9 mm Glock.

“Oh God,” she whispers sitting up in her seat gawking out the window. “Showtime girls.”

I turn in my driver’s seat to see the black SUV pulling to the side of the road on the bridge we’re parked on.

I hop out of the Hummer and secure my weapon in the holster to my back. Michael and Natalia flank me. Two very large men step out of the SUV with a third exiting at four-point-six seconds later. All the men walk forward and appear very confident with my crew approaching. No nerves seem to be exposed, they all appear very cool and calm. I notice that they’re watching us very closely though.

Buzz, the guy to my left, is at least three-hundred pounds of solid muscle, but what really interests me isn’t his size, but his ability to uphold his objective. Stretch, the guy behind him appears very solid, strong isn’t always in the muscles, but don’t get me wrong he’s substantially built. I don’t really have a nickname for the guy on the right eating an apple with a knife in his hands, but I’m intrigued since I haven’t figured him out yet and let me tell you that it doesn’t take me long to figure someone out.

Both of our groups stand there about one-hundred feet from the other staring and anticipating the other. I want to see what these guys are capable of.

I reach for my gun hidden behind my back and apple guy throws his knife directly at me landing it in my right arm while stretch has already pulled his piece. Buzz just stands there, I wrinkle my brow cause I’m thinking
, what the fuck?

I pull the four inch blade from my shoulder, damn that shit stings, but I’ve had worse.

I tilt my head, and when I do Buzz speaks with his hands in his pockets. “Forty-five in the back holster, knife in the left ankle and right hip. You would’ve had a bullet in your head before you got your piece aimed at us.”

“What makes you so sure?” I ask with my cocky ass grin.

“There’s been a gun on you three the whole time you’ve been within three miles of this bridge.”

I let loose of my piece and run my hands over my scruff. I turn toward Natalia knowing she’d be pissed that shit happened, and then I run my hand through my hair pulling a smile on my face.

“Nice. Where’s this gun?”

“Now, if I told you that I’d have to kill you wouldn’t I?” Buzz answers.

“I suppose you would… I suppose you would.” I smile even bigger.

I look to my right nodding to Michael, letting him know that I approve of the crew he’s suggested to protect Abby.

“Baldwin, how are you buddy?” Michael asks Buzz.

“Dude, it’s been too long.” They approach each other pulling in for a man hug.

“Evan, this is Baldwin.” Baldwin steps forward with his hand extended.

“Damn good to meet you,” I say.

“Yes sir, thank you for this opportunity. This is Skits and Adam. The one behind the scene is Brent.”

“Nice, I like your style. Real names?”

“Hell no, we prefer not to be traced back to anything, ya know.”

I nod.
I do know.

I hear a vehicle pull up behind us and Baldwin holds his hand up. “Brent.”

A young guy skids to a stop and steps out of a jeep. He kind of reminds me of myself which could come back to bite me in the ass.

“Brent, this is Evan.”

“What’s up?” I ask. This dude is definitely confident and confidence can get you killed, and that shit isn’t cool when we’re talking about Abby.

“What’s the job?” Baldwin gets to the point of our meeting.

This whole thing has been a test. A test they didn’t know they were being given. If I’m going to trust someone to protect Abby they have to be the best and from what I see they
are
some of the best.

“All right then,” I say as we all move in. “We’re dealing with some… unknown, but some known shit as well, and I need to protect someone that’s very important to me. The most important person in my life.” My eyes have to be shooting fucking daggers with seriousness.

“Got it! Do we get to know the known? And do you know what kind of unknown we’re talking about? I like to be as prepared as possible,” Nat turns to me asking silently for approval to move forward with the plan.

I nod.

“This is the file that holds everything that you need to know for now. If and when we have new info you’ll be contacted.”

Baldwin takes the file from Nat and opens it reviewing the info. “Ok,” he says handing the file to Brent.

“She’s beautiful,” Brent whispers.

I look at Brent ready to fucking kill him. “Your job is to protect her not fuck her, do I make myself clear?” I growl.

“Very,” Baldwin answers glaring at his team member.

“I need you to stay invisible at all times. If someone approaches her and tries to hurt her, you take them out from a distance. If someone follows her, you handle that, but someone must have eyes on at all times. Clear?”

“Crystal,” Baldwin answers.

“This job starts immediately and again, all the info is in the file. If I call you and ask what she’s doing and you aren’t able to tell me that she’s safe, without a doubt, I’ll fucking kill you myself.” I hand Baldwin an envelope containing fifty thousand dollars. I’ll pay anything I need to keep her safe.

“Got it.” I like this guy, he knows what’s expected of him and seems to take it very seriously.

“I’ll be in touch,” I say flatly, putting my sunglasses on and head toward the Hummer.

Everyone follows suit and when Nat and Michael are in I skid out onto the road.

“That went well, huh?” Nat asks.

“Yeah, let’s hope they don’t fuck up.”

“Nah, I know this guy, I’d trust him with Natalia’s life. He’s got this.” He says biting into his beef jerky

“Ha, do you ever give up?” She reaches up punching him in the arm.

“Never gonna happen, sexy. You’ll be mine someday.”

“Pfft, not gonna happen.”

“Ok, you two. I’m heading to D.C. tonight, I need you to be on your game.”

“Cool. Briefing’s at eighteen hundred tomorrow. You gonna be back by then?”

“Who the fuck knows. I don’t know what Thomas wants to see me for this time, probably the usual bullshit.”

I pull into the parking lot where Michael and Nat left their cars. I wait a few minutes until they can pull their gear from my Hummer before I pull away.

My stupid fucking sadistic dad has yet again requested my presence in D.C. so I have to go and make an appearance. I know what he wants. I always know what he wants.

Thomas Carter thought it’d be a good idea to make me his bitch. He hires me to take care of, and by take care of I mean silence certain people, and in return he fills an account with the payment. Payment I’ve never touched and really have no idea how much has accumulated. I don’t care either.