Confessions After Dark (8 page)

“We’ve become sort of close.” Her voice was thick and strained. “I mean…” she searched for words and laid her head against Max’s. The dog responded by throwing a paw over one of her arms. “He’s my buddy now. We’re sort of used to each other.”

Alex settled on the floor next to her and reached a hand out, his knuckles brushing the petal softness of her cheek. “Lucky dog,” he murmured—his eyes more serious than his words and the slight smile that played on his lips. He studied her, searching for an understanding of her sadness.

“He is. He has you.” Angel’s eyes were intense, never leaving the green depths of his.

“You have me, too.”

Angel’s heart seized. Those words should have been nirvana, but instead, they ripped through her like a knife. Her chin trembled slightly as her throat swelled and tears burned her eyes.
God, help me keep it together,
she prayed. It was going to hurt like hell, but she would do what she needed to do
,
no matter the consequences to herself, no matter if he never forgave her for her deception. Keeping him out of harm’s way was the most important thing.

Angel was unsure if she just wanted more precious time with him or if she was unwilling or unable to win the fight should he choose to resist her decision. Alex would resist; she was sure. His relationships ended when he said they ended and not before. Who in their right mind could fucking leave him anyway? No matter the circumstances, the boundaries he put in place, or how small the scraps he threw, who was strong enough to walk away from Alexander Avery?

Suddenly, she felt very sorry for the woman she spoke with on her program, empathy painting an all too vivid reality of what the prospect of losing this man felt like. Angel swallowed hard, trying to clear the pain from her throat.

“No one has you, Alex,” she said simply, her hand coming up to wrap around his wrist while he continued to stroke her cheekbone, his touch feather-light and gentle. His tenderness tore at her heart. “Not completely.”

Alex seemed oblivious to his nakedness, sitting with his legs stretched out in front of him and crossed at the ankles, leaning one elbow on the cushion of the sofa, facing her. His eyes bore into hers. “You have me more than anyone ever has,” he admitted. His hair was wild from sleep, and she yearned to wrap her fingers in the silky strands. There was no end to his sexual magnetism. Her heart was aching, and yet, she wanted him. Always wanting him.

Alex reached up and ruffled Max’s furry mane. “Are you taking good care of Angel, boy?”

Angel’s eyes were still trained on Alex’s face and following every movement. “Are you cold?”

Alex smirked. “If you’re insinuating that my dick’s shriveled, save it. It is cold in here.”

Angel couldn’t help the grin. “No. Sorry to disappoint you, but um… I wasn’t referring to your
man banana
,” she said cheekily. “Just because it’s all you think about, don’t assume everyone else is also preoccupied with it.”

Alex burst out laughing, his brilliant green eyes crinkling at the corners. “Oh, really?”

“Yeah. I mean, no!”

“Man banana?”

“Perhaps you prefer tube steak, pork sword, or my personal favorite; stinky pickle?” She bit her lip and tried not to giggle but gave up when Alex threw his head back and laughed uproariously.

“Oh, my God! Angel!”

“What?” she asked innocently with wide eyes and raised eyebrows. “I had a patient with a penis obsession last year! I’ve heard ’em all!” She fell over into Alex’s arms, giggling uncontrollably. A miracle considering the overwhelming sadness she’d felt only moments before.

“I doubt I’ll ever be able to get it up again after that! I think I prefer man banana!” He chuckled, enjoying the way she felt in his arms—her warm breath on his neck, the soft curves beneath the expensive linen. She always smelled so good.

“I have faith in your ability,” she murmured, sobering. Her hand traced his jaw softly.

“You do, huh?” His lips found hers, softly, and he closed his eyes, inhaling her scent.

Angel nodded and yawned, drawing her hand to cover her mouth. “Yes.”

Even with Angel in his arms, Alex got easily to his feet. “Come on. Back to bed with you, young lady.”

Angel laid her head on his shoulder and snuggled in, memorizing the feel of his arms around her and his firm chest, warm next to hers. The clink of Max’s collar followed them down the hall and the dog found a warm spot on the floor next to Alex’s bed.

When Angel was tucked back in, Alex slid in behind her and gathered her back against his body. The heat radiating between them quickly warmed the covers and created a cozy cocoon around them both. The duvet was plush and fluffy, and Angel mused how everything that surrounded her was soft as silk, even Alex’s skin. His body was solid muscle, but she fit so perfectly to him: it was heaven. Angel’s fingers ran over the soft hair on his forearm that was wrapped around her and let her feet rest between his calves.

Alex hugged her closer still. “Mmmm… this feels nice.” His lips found her shoulder in a gentle caress that ended in the soft bite of his teeth. “Go to sleep, baby.”

They lay in the darkness, but Angel continued to stroke Alex’s arm, her fingers entwining with his when she reached them. “How am I different?” she wondered aloud, needing an answer that she might never have the chance to hear again.

Alex’s eyes snapped open and he frowned. The hand holding hers tightened, and he kissed her shoulder again. “How aren’t you different, Angel?” he responded.

“But…
how
?”

He considered how to make his meaning clear; how best to communicate her significance. “Well, you’re amazingly gorgeous, and your body anticipates and reciprocates every move I make. I let you tongue-lash me and, the strange thing is, I like it. You give as good as you get.”

“You don’t
let
me do anything. I do what I want.”

“Exactly.” He laughed softly, his chest shaking gently against her back. “Soooo fucking sexy.”

“So it’s about the sex?”

“No.” He shook his head. “I mean, sure, it’s incredible, no question. My dick has never been happier, but it’s your wit and your intelligence that I adore, the many ways you affect me.”

He ran a hand over the soft swell of her hip and down her thigh, only to retrace the movement. “Your body is irresistible and fits mine perfectly. It’s like you were made just for me.”

She listened, her heart aching yet anxious for the comfort of his voice.

“I miss you,” he said quietly after a moment’s pause, the realization a surprise, even to himself. “That’s the biggest thing.”

“What?” she asked so softly he barely heard her.

“
I miss you
.” He shrugged slightly, the admission leaving him vulnerable—which was new and uncomfortable. A position he avoided at all costs most of the time, but with Angel, he was driven to spill his guts. “I never missed anyone before. In fact, I couldn’t wait to leave. But when we’re not together, I can’t wait to be with you, and when we are, I never want to leave.” He huffed in realization. “It’s ridiculous. You’re always on my mind, Angel. When I woke up earlier and you weren’t in bed, I panicked. It’s just stupid.”

Tears filled her eyes as they slammed shut, then seeped from the corners to fall softly on her pillow as he echoed her feelings with his words. She brought his hand to her mouth and placed a series of butterfly kisses on his knuckles. She drew in a steadying breath. “No, it’s not stupid.”

“I’ve been summoned for brunch with my family this Sunday. My mother won’t take no for an answer, and I’d like you to come with me. I think even Allison and Josh will be there.”

Iron bands of emotion wound tightly around her chest making it difficult to breath, and she struggled to could keep the tears out of her voice. “What about your brother?”

He knew that couldn’t happen right now, not if Cole was to be successful watching over her. The repercussion would bite him in the ass, he knew, but it was a price he was willing to pay to make sure she was safe. “No. No, he won’t be able to make it.”

*****

“Angel?” Elizabeth’s voice interrupted her attempt to concentrate on the report she was working on. Her heart was heavy and her mind wasn’t focused on work. “Mark Swanson is on line one. Do you want to take it?”

Angel pushed the pause button on her handheld tape recorder and threw it carelessly on her desk. It landed with a dull thump.

Shit
, she thought. Her heart skipped a beat. Just the mention of that fucker’s name made her skin crawl. “What does he want?”

“He didn’t say. Should I ask?”

“No. I’ll talk to him.” She hesitated only briefly, her hand pushing the soft tendrils of hair behind her ear, before she picked up the phone. “Good morning, Mr. Swanson. What can I do for you?”

A harsh laugh fell into her ear. “I’ve got a surprise for you, sexy doctor.”

“A repeat performance?” she asked stiffly.

“Ah. Well, whatever. Did you enjoy that as much as I did?” His voice slithered through the phone and wrapped around her.

Her back stiffened and her hand clenched around the phone until her fingers hurt. “Yeah. It was a barrel of laughs. Sick motherfuckers like you fascinate me. If I were a man, my dick would be hard.”

She was chilled by the low chuckle that followed. “Come now, Angel, play nice. I know where it hurts, so remember that.”

“You’re not taking into account that I’m a cold bitch and I have a purpose here. It doesn’t matter what you do, my agenda will not change.”

“I love your defiance, but we both know the tests show nothing.”

“Your crystal ball needs adjusting.” Anger flooded her until she thought she’d burst, and she knew this was the time to push his buttons. When he called her office, he gave her the opportunity to engage his rage without initiating contact. “I’ll do what needs to be done.”

“As will I. Accidents befall important men all the time.”

A chill ran over her skin like lightning. “Well, you might have a point, but you’ll come up empty.”

“I know you’re involved with Alex Avery.”

“Not involved, exactly. I
was
fucking him. We had an arrangement, but it’s over. I got bored.”

“I’m not convinced, but maybe you need a real man.”

She rolled her eyes in disgust. “Well, let me know if you run into one. Until then, I’ll just concentrate on putting your sorry ass behind bars. Have a nice day.”

Somehow, Angel had ended up on the far side of her office to stare out of the window and didn’t notice that she’d inadvertently knocked her latte over with the cord from the phone. The tan liquid was dripping down the side of her desk, and the reports she was working on were ruined.

“Oh, crap!” she moaned, returning the phone to its cradle and pulling tissues from the dispenser near the corner of her desk; she began to frantically mop up the mess.

“Mr. Gant is here.”

“Thank you, Liz. Send him in.” She glanced up as she threw the tissues away. He looked anxious as he entered her office. “Hi, Kenneth.”

Kenneth deposited himself in one of the sleek black leather chairs opposite hers. “Angel, I wanted to let you know that I got word the victim is refusing to testify. Apparently, Swanson offered his wife a huge settlement and a quickie divorce to keep it all hush-hush.”

“But—it’s a criminal matter. It still goes to trial, right? Regardless of what she wants, it isn’t up to her.”

“Well, yeah, technically, I could push it. But if the victim is called as a hostile witness and then refuses to talk, she’ll be charged with perjury and contempt of court. Frankly, Angel, it’s a huge waste of taxpayer money to take something to trial that we’ll probably lose. And, don’t you think that poor kid’s been through enough?”

Angel tugged at a tendril that had fallen free from her chignon to softly frame her face. She sighed heavily. “It’s better than knowing that fucker got away with what he did to her! He’ll just do it to someone else! Creeps like Mark Swanson don’t stop because they
almost
got caught. He’ll just feel empowered, like he can get away with anything!”

“Angel, there’s not a whole hell of a lot I can do. It’s my job to take cases to court that I can win, and I don’t think I’ll win this.”

“That bastard!” she breathed. “I’ve never hated anyone so much in my life. Maybe, if I talk to the girl again?” Her face felt like it was on fire even as the color drained from away and desperation clung to her soul. After all of the torment that he’d caused, he would get off scot-free? Her heart fell and she felt like she would vomit, her hands shaking to the point where she had to steady them by smoothing out her navy skirt.

“It’s doubtful it will help. You can’t win ’em all, Angel. I know how much this means to you, but you have to let it go.”

“Can’t you stall for a little while? Give me some time to crack this asshole on my own?”

“It’s too dangerous, Angel.” Kenneth shook his head. “And I’ve already stalled so you could repeat the tests.”

“He’s threatened me and had his thugs break into Alex’s house. I have to get him on something, for God’s sake!”

“
You
don’t have to do anything! Stay out of it! He’ll screw up on his own; trust me. We just have to wait him out.”

Her upper teeth gnawed on her lower lip, and Kenneth knew that look well.

“Angel! It’s not worth it.”

“Ken, there’s nothing you can say to change my mind. It’s personal now. He’s invaded my life and threatened people I care about.”

“What will your boyfriend think of you chasing rapists around? You’re too smart to put yourself in such a dangerous position!” Kenneth argued.

“Alex is no one’s boyfriend!” Angel admonished. “Even if he were, I wouldn’t ask his permission. You know me better than that. But, it’s moot.” She paused, unsure how much she should say. “I’m not seeing him anymore.” She concentrated on keeping her voice steady despite the ache the words caused. The burning behind her eyes resulted in tears welling up. She blinked rapidly and turned away so Kenneth wouldn’t see, absently digging around in her desk drawer.

Kenneth’s tone softened. “Avery’s reputation is what it is, but I never expected him to be through with you so soon.”