“So. You were only sixteen.”
“I thought you were closer to my age at the time. Not that fifteen or sixteen sounds any better now. I guess it makes more sense why everyone got so incensed by it all.” If he had a young teenager daughter and some smart-ass young buck thought to turn her over his knee...maybe he had gotten off lightly. “I’m sorry I treated you like that then.”
Angel sat up and hugged his neck.
“You have nothing to be sorry for. That spanking fueled my hormone-driven imagination for years. So you can’t stop now.” She kissed his neck. “You know you haven’t spanked me in days. I’m sure I’ve been a bad girl. You just haven’t caught me,” she teased, batting her eyelashes at him.
“You’re being a bad little girl now.” He grabbed her hand and pressed it to the hardness between his legs. “I have too much to do this morning and afternoon to straighten you out.” He pulled down a corner of the sheet and palmed a full breast. “Wait until this evening. You won’t be able to sit down for a week.”
Her eyes closed, and she moaned. “Promises, promises. I’d love a birthday spanking. Maybe we can try out the toy I bought online.”
“That is a thought, too.”
She opened her eyes and gave him a sultry look. Fuck, that woman was seeped in depravity as deep as he was.
“I can’t wait.” Her tongue slipped between his lips and showed him what else she wanted.
When they came up for air, he sucked in a breath, trying to regain his thoughts.
“I want to spend some time with Damien,” Jake said. His chin dipped down as he waited for her reaction. “So he’s going with me on my rounds.” Once a week, he checked in with several of his businesses, answering questions, straightening out arguments among the employees, and other miscellaneous crap that popped up. Considering how she didn’t want Damien in the business, she might argue, but he sensed the boy needed some one-on-one time while they searched for her present.
“You’re not taking him to the clubs.” She dropped her head back and raised her eyebrows.
“What? You’re trying to boss me?” His tone threatened in a teasing manner.
“He’s my responsibility.” Her expression grew serious.
“Your grandfather’s will says differently.”
She turned her head. The sting of her grandfather’s lack of faith in her still stung. “He’s relied on me for years to take care of him. It’s hard to quit caring.”
He smoothed hair from her eyes and cupped the side of her face. “No one expects you to. Anyway, Damien needs guidance from a male perspective.” Putting a finger over her mouth, he added, “And Tick isn’t exactly the type he needs.”
“I’m glad to agree on that,” she said after removing his hand. “There are a couple things I can do today.”
“Be sure it’s something fun.” He gathered her up in his arms and gave her a loud smack on the lips. “No work today, birthday girl.”
“Anything you say, sir.” Her grin looked a little drunk with happiness.
“Now I like the sound of that.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Angel watched all the activity around her. Damien played Skee-Ball against Tick. Their shouts echoed in the large room when the ball dropped into the highest scored circle, causing the lights and bells to go off. Lydia worked a claw in a huge stuffed animal bin while Jimmie Sue looked on, giving advice. A couple of guards eyed a young woman playing a retro arcade game.
In one corner, a group with a seven-year-old girl staring at a large white cake began to sing Happy Birthday. Nearby, kids ran in and out of a jungle gym huge enough to hold twenty kids.
She felt a little lost. She didn’t know how to play any of the games. When she was younger, money had been tight, and later, Mac considered it a way to rot the brain, same as watching television. Hopefully, no one realized this was her first birthday party. She didn’t want anyone pitying her.
Still, she did enjoy seeing everyone having a good time. Even Jake teased a teenager as they fired matching rifles at deer leaping across a large video screen.
Cutting into the cake slice on her plate, she groaned. Really, she was full but couldn’t resist eating the last bite. Her gaze wandered over the disarray of colorful paper plates, plastic forks, two almost-empty pizza trays, and an ice-cream birthday cake two-thirds gone. Cake made from ice cream became her top favorite dessert from then on.
The bright lights above her glinted off her new diamond bracelet. For the first time in her life, she wore two pieces of expensive jewelry. Her wedding band and the bracelet that Jake had bought her. Pushing wrapping paper to the side, she checked out her new earphones from her brother. She looked forward to using them while she worked out.
Lydia had given her a bottle of the older woman’s favorite perfume. Though expensive, no way would Angel ever wear that. Who wanted to smell like their mother-in-law when her husband kissed her? Eww!
Jimmie Sue, always practical, had presented her with a beautiful antique brush and mirror set. It made Angel feel so girly. A rare occurrence.
She’d even felt pretty today. While Jake and Damien had gone off together, she’d visited the local salon and had her roots touched up. For a few moments, she’d seriously thought of cutting off the red and coloring her hair back to a natural color. Then she remembered Jake saying he found her hair sexy, and he loved how her being different turned him on. Well, he didn’t say that word-for-word, but she’d been able to read between the lines.
She touched her cheek. It felt funny not wearing the thick makeup that normally whitened her face. She’d decided today to wear a natural color foundation. She wasn’t brave enough to go without makeup entirely.
“Why aren’t you playing a game?” Jake eased into the chair next to her. “I should’ve known Damien had an ulterior motive for picking this pizza place.”
She laughed as she caressed his arm, enjoying the feel of muscles shifting and tightening beneath her fingers. She never could get enough of touching him and the freedom to do so. “Don’t worry. Watching everyone having a good time makes me happy.”
“You are a special woman.” His thumb glided over her chin. “I like seeing you without your mask.”
“Mask?” She shivered, briefly closing her eyes, as his fingers skated down the line of her jaw. On realizing he meant the white makeup, she laughed. “Oh, thanks. I thought I’d try retro.” She teased, her face heating up.
“Don’t stop wearing the white stuff on my account, though. I like being the only one to see the real you.” He edged closer and brushed a kiss across her mouth. He leaned back and his gaze searched her face. “You about ready to go home? Tick said he’d bring Damien home by ten.”
Tired to the marrow of her bones, she was happy he asked. She hadn’t wanted to hurt anyone’s feelings by leaving too early.
“What about your mom and Jimmie Sue?”
“I’m walking them to their cars, but they have their own homes.” He raised his eyebrows in a devilish manner.
Having Jake all to herself in the big house for a couple of hours was a wonderful idea.
“Then let’s go. I feel an urge to be naughty on the way home.”
“I’ll keep an eye on you. Don’t want to miss a chance to punish you later,” he said softly in her ear.
She giggled and covered her mouth. When was the last time she’d giggled like a little girl? Jake made her feel young and carefree.
He pushed back his chair and stood, holding out a hand. The pleased look on his face brought a different kind of warmth to her face and body. She so wanted this man. Grinning big, she teased internally, like he has no idea. She’d been obsessed with sex since Jake first laid hands on her, but once he placed a ring on her finger, she’d become a fiend.
After goodbyes to Damien and Tick, Jake rounded up his mom and Jimmie Sue, and they walked together with Angel trailing behind out into the humid late June weather. Out of habit, she had hesitated inside the doorway, checking her surroundings before fo
llowing the others. The parking lot’s adequate lighting eased her worries a little, but she stayed on alert. Then an odd heavy feeling revved up her senses. Someone was watching. A movement to her right caught her attention. Someone had dashed, hunched down, between two cars on the opposite end of the lot. She glanced over to Jake. The way he laughed and placed an arm around his mom, looking off into the distance, but not directly at their stalker, told her he probably had seen it, too.
Jake turned his head and raised his eyebrows, giving her a quick nod. Yeah, he’d noticed.
She dipped her chin. They understood what needed to be done. The first priority was to make sure the older women were safe in the car and on their way.
Slowing down, allowing a couple of yards to separate her from Jake, Angel adjusted the purse’s strap on her shoulder. She actually possessed a real one, not a small backpack. When Jake had seen it, his eyes had widen and he teased her about getting girly on him.
Acting nonchalant, she ran her hand down her blouse as if to straighten it. In truth, it was a nervous tic. Every few minutes, she checked her gun, especially when she wore the made-for-women velcro type holster. It wrapped around her ribcage beneath her top. Lightweight and perfect for one of her smaller pistols. The gun rested beneath her arm. If she ever needed her gun, she would have to pull up her shirt, snatch it from under a velcro strip. Simple, right? The only probably was, velcro was a noisy son-of-a-bitch.
Jake stopped next to Lydia’s Caddy and opened the door.
A loud pop and the tinkling of glass had everyone ducking. Screams echoed from the car and the building behind Angel. People ran back inside.
In seconds, she had gun in hand, searching for the shooter.
Swallowing her heart, she hoped Jake and the ladies were all right. Not wanting the shooter to know exactly where she was, she kept quiet, not asking if they were okay. Low deep murmurs reached her ears. From the tone, it sounded as if Jake was handling the women.
Running by two crouching, scared teenagers, she motioned for them to stay put. Then she headed to the darker side of the lot where she’d seen the suspicious person earlier. The shooter probably had already moved to a different position, but she hoped to get a visual. Later, she wouldn’t be certain why she looked where she did, but she lifted her gun and fired a split second after the muzzle flash gave away the shooter’s location.
Jake paced up and down the hospital waiting room.
God, if she didn’t survive that bastard’s bullet wound, he would never forgive himself for not protecting her better.
Judd Richards charged into the room. His hair stuck up in every direction. As a successful lawyer, he usually was a well-dressed man, but at the moment, he looked a wreck.
“I’ve got to talk with you, Jake.”
“If you don’t get the fuck away from me, I’ll beat you to a bloody pulp.”
The big man’s face whitened. “Is he still alive?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Right now, I don’t give a fuck about anyone except the woman who almost bled to death in a filthy parking lot.”
“No matter what, please don’t kill him.” Judd tried to whisper, but failed miserably as the last two words came out in a wail.
Coldness seized Jake’s heart. He couldn’t feel anything but blind hatred for the man whose son had nearly...he couldn’t think about it. He’d deal with Tick later.
Shoulders slumped, Judd’s gaze searched Jake’s face. No sympathy broke through the wall Jake had built in the last hours. Judd turned and walked out of the room. No one else said a word to him.
The stink of fear filled the room. He wasn’t sure if it was because of his continued anger or the news they had begun to expect as the minutes dragged by. She’d been in surgery for two hours now. Though the doctor sounded confident they had gotten her to the hospital in time, Jake knew anything could go wrong.
An arm came around his waist and the familiar scent he loved to immerse in surrounded him, almost cancelling out the stench of hospital and fear.
“Everything will be okay,” Angel said.
Jake gathered Angel into his arms and stood in the middle of the room, needing the comfort of a warm body.
“Your mother is a strong woman. Hey, look how long she put up with your dad. A little bullet won’t keep her down. You know that,” Angel said in a poor attempt at humor.
He pulled away after pressing his lips to her forehead. “I know. Let me chill for a little while.”
She grabbed his hand. He shook his head and she released her hold. He went to a small sofa in a partially hidden alcove, giving him a little privacy.
Angel sat at the other end, keeping her distance as he folded his arms. His body closed off from her.
Never had he felt so old. When he’d been told Dick Whitfield had died in a fire, shock had numbed him for a few hours. After they discovered the old man had been shot, sure Jake had felt sad, but more pissed. Never to have the opportunity for the relationship he’d always dreamed of with the old man. Mutual respect, a pat on the back, and a hearty, “Good job, boy.” Sounded stupid now. If the old man hadn’t changed in all the years Jake had lived around him, he would have never done it.
His mom had been a different story. Of course, she’d given him up when he’d been little, allowing the old man to treat him like shit, but she’d been nearby. Her softness and love had been in the background and on the weekends the old man let her visit. No. She hadn’t been the perfect mom, but he knew she loved him.
Jake looked at Angel sitting one cushion over on the sofa. She warily watched him. He guessed he owed her some apologies, but it would have to wait. All he could say was when he lifted his mom and found blood coating his fingers, he went a little nuts. He’d said some ugly things to Angel before the ambulance showed up. His men had backed off, disturbed by his attitude toward his wife. But here she was being patient, waiting for him to come back to his senses.
“Did you put him where I told you to?” He knew the answer, but hearing her confirm it would loosen the knot in his chest.
“Yes. Dan showed up with the men you mentioned. They took care of him. I didn’t follow. Felt it was best I stay and answer the deputies’ questions. Sand County’s finest is searching the woods near the pizza joint for the shooter. They won’t find anything,” she said in a soft voice, making sure it didn’t carry over to the other occupants in the room.
Nodding, Jake felt the tension in his body release. His men had already scooped up Tick and taken him to the house. He still had to deal with the traitor, but the rat bastard was secured in the basement and would be going nowhere. Once he knew his mom was safe, he would tend to that scum of the earth.
The large door swung open and the doctor, dressed in scrubs, walked in.
Jake met him half way. The seriousness on the man’s face caused Jake to pause.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Whitfield...” Blood left Jake’s head in a rush. Somehow he kept his knees locked. The buzzing in his ears almost caused him to miss the rest of what the doctor had to say. “For taking so long. Your mother is fine, and you can go back and see her in about twenty minutes. They should have her set up in recovery by then.”
At the moment, Jake was unsure if he wanted to hit the man or hug him. He decided to merely nod. Thankfully, Angel came up and asked, “How long will she be in the hospital?”
“The surgery went so well, I believe a few days. The next twenty-four hours will tell us how she’s responding. I’ll know better then.” His confident voice gave Jake some comfort.
“When can I see her?”
“Wait a couple minutes and a nurse will be waiting for you through those doors.” He waved to the doors he’d gone through. “She will you let you peek in on her.” The doctor absently smiled. “Excuse me, but I’m needed.” A nurse stood off to one side, holding out an electronic pad.
Tears prickled Jake’s eyes from relief. His mom was okay. When he’d seen the warm blood on his hands and more spreading a
cross her blouse, he’d gone insane. He’d been on autopilot rage for several hours and every bone in his body ached.
“Come and sit back down. Give yourself a moment.” Angel sat and patted the cushion next to her.
“No. I rather stand.” He twisted his neck. The popping helped ease up the stiffness. “Go on home. I’ll be there after I see Mom.”
“Your mom...I thought I would go with you—”
“No. You have plenty of things to do. Best for me to see her alone.”
He felt her gaze, but the paramount need was to see his mom, to be assured she was alive. Before he walked away, a commotion at the nurses’ station caught his attention.
“Oh, there you are, Jake. I filled out all the paperwork. How’s your mama?” Jimmie Sue looked pale, her eyes puffy and red from crying.
“She’s out of surgery and doing fine. I’m about to go back there and see her.”
“May I go with you?”
“Of course, this way.” He opened the double doors, waved Jimmie Sue through, and then he looked over at Angel. “I’ll see you later.”
Her expressionless face told him nothing about how the shooting affected her. Her grandfather taught her well. Maybe too well. Did none of this bother her? Did she not care about anyone but herself and her brother?
She looked away, stood, holding her purse against her chest. “As you said, I have things to do. I’ll go check on Damien.”
He watched her walk away. Shoulders straight and eyes forward, she didn’t wave goodbye or look back. Something about that interchange felt off to him.
“Are you coming?” Jimmie Sue waited anxiously in the hallway.
“Yeah. Right behind you.” He glanced over at the elevators. The doors slid closed. Angel was gone.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
“Tell me again why we can’t stay in Jake’s house?” Damien asked for the tenth time.
Angel leaned closer to the kitchen countertop, pretending to be immersed in cleaning the black laminate. If only she could afford granite ones like those in the Whitfield house.
Jake: A Southern Crime Family Novel Page 22
