Total pages in book: 39
Estimated words: 36632 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 147(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36632 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 183(@200wpm)___ 147(@250wpm)___ 122(@300wpm)
Me: Archangel? Are you up?
Immediately, the dots of an incoming text flashed.
Archangel: Always.
Crap. The guy was smooth. I couldn’t help but smile. The butterflies in my stomach made me shiver.
Me: If you’re not busy, would you like to talk?
Archangel: When and where?
Me: The girls got me a suite in Palm Beach. You could come here whenever you have time. I’ll share the key with you on the app.
There was a whirr as the door to the room opened and Archangel stepped inside. He put the Do Not Disturb sign on the door, then shut it, turning the lock as well as closing the safety latch.
“Angel!” I jumped up and took a couple reflexive steps back. “You asshole! You scared me to death!” I tried to be mad. I really did. But all I felt was relief. I grinned and threw myself at him, wrapping my arms and legs around him.
He chuckled. “Ah, baby. I missed you.”
“Were you sitting outside my door? That’s a little fuckin’ creepy.” I laughed. Because he was waiting for me to call him. He was watching over me. And he respected my privacy by not coming in before I invited him. Yeah. I was a goner on this man.
“Like I said. I missed you.”
“I was only gone a few hours.”
“Way the fuck too long.” He hugged me as hard as I hugged him. “Though I confess I hadn’t expected this kind of greeting.”
I pulled back to grab him and kiss him all over his face. He laughed until our lips finally met.
Archangel responded to my eager kisses with equal passion, his hands sliding down to cup my towel-clad bottom as he held me against him. Our lips moved together hungrily, tongues tangling. I felt like I was starved for a taste of him. Angel had given me a small bite and I wanted the whole fucking pie.
When we broke apart, both of us were breathing heavily. Archangel rested his forehead against mine. “I’m so sorry, Sonya. I don’t care if it was my fault or not. I will take full responsibility and beg your forgiveness and mean every fucking word. Just please let me explain.”
“It’s OK. I swear. I just needed a bit to calm down. I’m sorry for making an idiot of myself in front of… uh… your…”
“Ex-wife. Emphasis on the ex.” He slid me a sheepish grin. “Shotgun fixed that first thing. She’s still at the Black Reign compound because I want to make sure whoever she was with before isn’t still a threat to her. While there’s no way I’m continuing a relationship with her, if she’s on the run from someone, I can’t kick her out until I’m sure she’s not in danger.”
“Nor would I expect you to.” I smiled up at him, still cupping his face in my hands. “You’re not that kind of man. You’re a protector. A fixer. You can’t go against your nature. Not like that.”
He pulled me close again, this time turning to sit on the bed. My knees were beside his hips and I clung to him. He sighed and so did I, both of us content to just sit there and hold each other.
When he finally pushed me away from him enough to look at me, he brushed a few strands from my forehead and tucked them behind my ear. “I fucked this up to hell and back. I’ll tell you everything you want to know. But I swear to you, I don’t remember half of what happened that night.”
“I think you explained that part well enough. What I want to know most is what happens from here? You said she was now your ex-wife, but that she was staying at Black Reign until you knew she was safe. What will your obligation be to her?”
“Nothing.” His answer was immediate and firm. “El Diablo said Jezebel was taking care of her. If she wants to stay, they’ll find work for her. If not, they’ll settle her somewhere else if she needs help.”
“Like financial help? I thought she had all kinds of money.”
“No financial help. She’s got all the money she’s getting from me or the club. But if she needs help moving her stuff, the prospects will help her out.”
“No one is that much of a saint, Angel. While I think it’s admirable and I wouldn’t want it any other way, why would you do that after she deceived you?”
He moved us farther onto the bed and rolled over so he laid on top of me. I loved the tender smile he gave me. He looked… younger, or something. Maybe carefree? Contented? Whatever he was feeling certainly agreed with him and I wanted to always see that expression on his face when he looked at me.
“When I first met El Diablo, he told me something I took to heart and I try my best to live by. He said to treat everyone with respect, even if they hadn’t earned it. He said, when you understand the difference between granting respect to someone you don’t know and making someone you do know earn your respect, then you had the right to choose which applied. If you aren’t sure, you err on the side of caution. It costs nothing to be nice. You might make an ally.”