Touching Angel's Desires (38 page)

“We were having sex—”

“Was it consensual?”

“What?”

“Did you agree to have sex with him?”

“I guess, at first, but then he got a bit too rough.”

“Did you ask him to stop?”

“No,” Stacie answered in a tiny voice. “I figured it would just be
easier to get it over with.”

“What happened then?”

“Then he wanted me to suck his mate’s cock, I hadn’t even agreed for
the mate to be there in the first place. He walked in on us when I was naked. I
didn’t want to do that, so I started to fight him off and told him to stop.”

“Did he stop?”

“Yes, but then he got nasty, saying I’m a whore and a slut and that
they’ll find number nine,” Stacie said, tears coming to her eyes at the memory.

“Thank you, that’ll do for now,” Angel told Stacie. Both their heads
turned as the ballroom doors crashed open. Dan appeared, bursting out of the
ballroom. He ignored everyone, storming off through the double doors, looking
ready to kill.
Shit!
Did he know
where Larry was? He looked like he was on a mission, not just aimlessly
wandering. Angel leaped up and ran after him.

Larry had better not drop her in it. If Dan ever found out her part
in this, everything would be lost forever. She barged her way through the
crowds of people, doing her best to keep Dan in her view. She saw him poking
his head in the rooms. He looked furious. He froze at the entrance to the orgy
room, then disappeared inside.

Angel upped her pace and entered the room only seconds later. Dan
stood just inside the entrance, glaring at Larry, who was watching the sex
show, oblivious to his presence. Dan took several strides and was in front of
him. Larry had only a chance to look up, his face full of shock, before Dan was
hauling him to his feet by his lapels.

“Hey, man, mind the jacket,” Larry said with a smirk, pulling away
from Dan’s grip and making a show of brushing his lapels back into place. “Do
we have a problem here?”

Dan exploded, lunging forward and yelling, “You’re a fucking
tosser
!” He prodded Larry in the shoulder.

“What’s your fucking problem?” Larry yelled back, getting in Dan’s
face.

“If Angel’s got any sense she’ll be tossing you out on your ear. I
ought to knock your fucking block off.”

Angel watched Dan clench his fists.

“Just you try it,” Larry sneered. “I’d have you in a second.”

“Gentlemen,” Angel said, her voice carrying clearly. “Can we take
this upstairs, please?”

The two men glared at each other, but subsided.

Angel turned toward the door. Stacie stood there, her face bleak.
Larry and Dan followed in step behind her, their attitudes almost comically
recalcitrant. Stacie moved aside into the corridor to let them out and, when
Angel glanced behind, she saw Dan stepping in between Stacie and Larry, his
attitude one of protection. He tried to take Stacie’s hand, but she pulled it
away.
Interesting
, she thought. Why
would Stacie be angry with Dan? Wouldn’t she want him to comfort her?

Angel led the trio to her office. She opened the door and commanded
Larry to go in. She closed the door, shutting him in the office, then turned to
Stacie. Best make it look good.

“Is that him?” he said

Stacie replied with a nod.

“Just had to check.”

Angel opened the door and they all trooped in.

“Sit down, please,” Angel said, addressing all of them. The two men
settled themselves on the sofa, sitting as far apart as they could. Stacie sat
on a chair, not looking at anyone but the floor.

“Larry, can I please remind you of the rules of Desires?” Angel said
abruptly.

“What about them?” he said, his attitude cocky.

“Do you remember this young lady?” Angel said, pointing to Stacie.

“How could I forget? She led me a right merry little dance. Stunning
pair of fucking tits, but a major attitude problem,” he said, turning to glare
at Stacie.

Dan exploded, leaping up and getting right in Larry’s face. His face
was purple. “This woman’s my client and you have just fucked up two weekends of
hard work, you
tosser
.”

Larry’s face altered almost comically. “Oh, and how was I supposed
to know that?” he rushed out, with an edge of sarcasm. “She was flirting with
me, virtually throwing herself at me. I thought she was up for it.” A slightly
panicky edge crept into his voice, as if he was just figuring out that he’d
royally screwed up. Angel was impressed with his acting. Hopefully, only she
noticed the sly glance he slid at her. Her emotions were so mixed, an awful
combination of guilt and a sick pleasure that her plan might have actually
worked. But at what cost? Stacie looked horrendous, her eyes sunken, her demeanour
hopeless and pathetic.

“That girl had come here for help with her confidence and thank you
for fucking her up and setting her so far back I don’t know if she’ll ever
recover. You are pathetic. Men like you need—”

“Thank you, Dan,” Angel interrupted, sensing Dan was losing his
temper. Stacie shrank into herself, trying to hide in the chair.

“She was on her own. I had no idea she was with you, Dan. I am truly
sorry. Please,” he said, staring at Stacie, a very believable look of remorse
on his face. “I swear…I had no idea who you were and I cannot apologize
enough.” He stood up. Dan stepped between them protectively. “Please, I’m so
sorry. Will you please accept my apology?”

Stacie looked around at everyone, nervous. Angel sensed she had no
idea what to say.

Angel looked at Stacie as she, in turn, looked at Larry. Larry put
his best sad face on. If Angel didn’t know better, she would have believed him.
Making a mental note never to trust him a nanometre, she turned back to Stacie.

“Stacie, do you accept his apology?” Angel asked

Stacie stared at Larry, then looked at Dan. Angel began to grow
irritated, sick of the silence, wishing the woman would make a decision for
once without Dan’s backup. Why didn’t the woman just hurry up, pack her bags
and leave the club?

“He needs an answer. If you don’t accept his apology, his account
will be closed and he will not be allowed back here.”

Larry stepped up his crawling a notch or ten. “Please Stacie. I am
so, so sorry. If I had known you were Dan’s client I would never have touched
you. How was I to know? I made a big mistake. I should have checked my list.
But I hadn’t seen you with Dan. Please,” he said, almost batting his pathetic
eyelids at her. “Please, I am begging you, I need this club…”

Stacie didn’t reply, looking
anxious, even miles away. Abruptly, she got up and walked out of the room, not
giving any of the occupants another glance.
Angel
huffed with annoyance—nothing had been resolved. But maybe Stacie had gone to
pack her bags and leave Desires for good. Maybe she saw no reason to accept
Larry’s apology if she was leaving.

“Now see what you’ve fucking
done,” Dan said, turning on Larry again.

“Look, I am sure there has just been a misunderstanding.”

“Is that what you call this bloody mess?” Dan said whirling on Angel.
“A misunderstanding?” Angel looked at him, seeing a whole different Dan—a
loving and caring man who was looking out for his girl.

Angel looked at her desk, unable to face his anguished eyes. “Look
Dan, losing your temper isn’t going to solve a damn thing. I understand you’re
upset and concerned but—”

“Look, I am so sorry Dan,” Larry interrupted. “I honestly had no
idea.” At least he was sticking to the story. Mind you, if he dropped her in
it, he wouldn’t get his bonus, which was probably all he was worried about.

Dan interrupted quickly, jumping almost down his throat, “And that
automatically makes it okay? You are one seriously sick bastard.” He turned to
Angel. “I hope you’re happy now. You’ve wanted Stacie gone since the first
moment she got here. You’re so jealous of her you can barely breathe whenever
she’s in the room.”

Angel struggled to control her temper. “Dan, it is simply a
misunderstanding. What do you expect me to do? Give Larry photos of the girls he
cannot touch?”

“Yes…fucking yes…excellent idea. Only this time it’s too late and
all because of your incompetence. You know about Stacie’s past, yet you allowed
her to be treated like a whore by that…that animal,” Dan said, pointing to
Larry.

“I had no idea who the hell she was…how many fucking times? Get a
grip Dan,” Larry said.

“You both deserve one another,” Dan said, glaring from Larry to
Angel.

“What?” Angel said, horrified. Why would Dan be angry at her for
this? Did he suspect she had something to do with it? “No Dan…I had nothing to
do with this. He had a list…” she forced the undertone of panic out of her
voice. “I will give him pictures in the future, that is, of course, if he stays
with us.” She had to distance herself from this fiasco, and keep sweet with Dan.
She had never seen him looked so distressed. He guts churned. It was obvious
now that Dan loved her…that woman…the woman she gave to him.

“Whatever…do what you like. It’s too late for Stacie. I’m out of
here.”

Dan left, slamming the door, leaving Angel and Larry alone in the
office.

Chapter Fourteen

“So go on then—where the hell does this leave me?” Larry asked,
staring at her.

“Don’t worry—I’ll deal with it.”

“You’d bloody better. I did you a favour. You can’t sack me for
this.” He sat forward, his attitude threatening.

“Stop worrying. Nothing’s going to happen to you. I’m in charge,
remember.”

“Yeah, well, you had better make sure I am safe.”

“Larry, I will deal with the situation,” she assured him. “You get
back to the ball and have some fun.”

Larry left, muttering and glaring as he went. Angel sat back in her
chair, wondering what was going on. Was Stacie packing? Had Dan gone to find
her?

Angel pulled up the register on the computer. Stacie was still
registered as being in the club, as was Dan. But she could still be packing.
They could be arguing. God, she hoped they were arguing. She went back to the ball,
trying to enjoy herself, and failing miserably. However, she did see Larry
picking his next victim and Dexter flaking out in the orgy room. She wondered about
getting him moved, his snoring might put the participants off, but it was too much
like hard work and he’d probably start pestering her.

Angel’s personal life aside, the evening was going wonderfully. She
received so many compliments on the organisation and the entertainment.
 
It would have made her decade. There weren’t
even any complaints, well, apart from Stacie. It was an unprecedented success.

The ball officially ended at four o’clock, although there were still
people hanging around in the rooms and corridors as Angel walked around
checking everything. The club would need a major clean-up operation in the
morning. Some guests had booked rooms and wandered off blearily to go to bed,
others were ball guests only and Angel almost had to chivvy them out of the
door. Once everyone had gone, and the club was on night mode, Angel sat down at
reception, resting her feet and removing the high heels. She checked the
computer, struggling to focus with eyes that wanted to close.

There were only two people whose whereabouts she was interested in.
She checked on Dan first. He was still in the building, which set her heart to
pounding. She had not seen him since their little meeting on her office. If he
was still here…she looked up Stacie next. Her heart thumped as she saw her name
still on the list. She was still here! Why? Why had she not gone home? There
was the possibility she had found a way to sneak out, but everyone was supposed
to go in and out through the main door, which registered their membership
numbers. The only other way out was to climb over a wall and Stacie had no
reason to hide the fact that she was leaving.

Drowsiness overcame Angel and she shook her head. She had been up
for far too long and it was time to sleep. The Stacie problem would have to
wait until morning. She dragged herself down the corridor to the flat, dropped
her dress on the floor and climbed under the duvet, asleep the second her eyes
closed.

* * *
*

Something woke her abruptly the next morning. She sat up in bed
reflexively, alert and listening. Her eyes felt glued together and she rubbed
them, dropping back onto the pillow, recalling the fading fragments of a dream.
That was what had woken her. She had been falling in her dream. Falling down a
cliff—she’d woken up just before she hit bottom. Her heart slowed as the
adrenaline dispersed. She glanced over at the clock. Nine-fifteen, the implacable
red digits informed her. She groaned. She had only been in bed for five hours. However,
now she was awake, the Stacie problem encroached on her brain once more and she
knew sleep would be impossible. She needed to get up and find out what was
going on. She dragged herself out of bed, grimacing at the state of her face.
She’d gone to bed with her makeup on, and it was smeared everywhere. She showered
and dressed, putting on jeans and T-shirt, then dried her hair, pinning it up
on top of her head. She thoroughly cleansed and
moisturized
her face, before putting on a little
subtle makeup and going down for breakfast.