by Vivi Dumas
“What kind of danger?” Elise questioned.
The pressure of Jacque’s grip got stronger. She glanced up at him, seeing the concern in his face. Before Angel could answer, Jacque stepped between the women. “Ms. Dias or can I call you Elise?”
She batted her lashes and gave him her fake come-hither smile. “Oh, Elise is fine.”
“Elise, there’s a lot of danger. I’ll be happy to explain everything once we’re in a safe place. Please pack your things. I’ll feel better by ensuring you’re secure somewhere else.” The silky reassurance in his voice could entice steel to bend.
“Oh, of course. Let me go upstairs and grab a few items and I’ll be right down.” Elise looked down her nose at Angel and left the room. Angel dreaded being back in her mother’s grasp, allowing her access to her life, especially this life.
Twenty minutes and a large suitcase later, Elise reappeared. Jacque relieved her of the bag, garnering a bright smile. Angel swore her mother brushed her breast against Jacque’s arm when he took the suitcase from her. His expression gave no clue if she did. Classic Elise. She’d been hitting on Angel’s boyfriends since she was in high school. Always just toeing the line of inappropriate, but never crossing over. None of them had been as hot as Jacque nor were they old enough for consent. Angel would have to keep a close eye on her mother.
“Nice car.” Elise ran her hand along the shiny black finish. “Is it yours? I didn’t catch your name, sugar.”
The idea of being trapped with Elise was insufferable. Angel wanted to make it short and sweet. “Jacque. His name is Jacque. And no, it’s not his car. We borrowed this from a friend.” She wished her grandmother was still alive to serve as a buffer. When they were all in the car, Angel hit the gas.
“Jac, what do you do?” Elise probed.
Jacque took a moment to think about the answer. “I guess you can say I’m a military consultant right now.”
“Ooohh. Sounds exciting. Are you from New Orleans?”
“No. Farther south.” This drew a giggle out of Angel.
“Farther south? Like Houma or Morgan City?”
“Something like that.” This time it was Jacque who was amused.
“How did you meet my daughter?”
“We have a mutual friend.”
“Mom, stop being nosey,” Angel snapped.
Elise traced the lines of Jacque’s seat, grazing the tips of her fingers across his shoulders. “I’m just making small talk. Getting to know our fine friend here. Jac, are you seeing anyone?” Jacque shifted in the seat to escape her slender fingers.
Angel caught the movement and ground her teeth. “Mother, I’m warning you!”
Jacque gave her the most innocent smile laced with an undercurrent of mischief. “I’m sorry, Elise. Yes. I am seeing someone. I’m dating your daughter.”
“Why?” The shock in Elise’s face was evident.
“What do you mean ‘why?’ She’s a beautiful person, and I care about her.”
“Look at her,” she announced, pointing to Angel’s face.
Angel gripped the steering wheel until her hands turned white.
Jacque rotated in his seat and met her mother’s stare. “Yes, I see her. Apparently much better than you do.” He turned back around and played with the radio.
Angel had a new alliance to buffer her mother’s attacks. Only one other person ever shut her mother up, her Gran. She reached over and caressed Jacque’s hand, thankful for his support. When she went to pull her hand away, he grabbed it, keeping it in his hand. She understood at that moment Jacque loved her.
***
Jacque held Angel’s hand in his, providing her the security she needed to face the horrid woman, she called her mother. He understood the reasons behind Angel’s insecurities once he met Elise. Breaking through the walls built by her mother would be a difficult task. He had to make Angel understand her own self-worth. The silence was a welcomed retreat from the stinging words Elise dished out ignorantly.
The heat rose with the emotions trapped within the car, pulsing in the back of his head. Angel’s pain twisted his heart, while Elise’s disregard invoked both sadness and anger. He couldn’t imagine the self-loathing it took to despise your own child. Elise deserved her seat in hell for the way she treated Angel.
Angel reached Etienne’s house record time. She drove as if she were in the Indy 500. “Get out,” she barked to her mother.
“Nice place. Is it yours, Jacque?” Elise lingered close enough to him she stumbled when he stopped.
Jacque grabbed the bags and started up the stairs. “No. It’s a friend’s.”
The small blond opened the door before they even rang the bell. Elise absorbed her surroundings with a look of contentment. Jacque placed the suitcase at the foot of the stairs and caught up with Angel as she entered the parlor. He slung his arm around her shoulder, cuddling her close to him, ensuring both Elise and Damon got a good view.
Elise’s surprised expression brought Jacque amusement.
“You’re back safely and with another beauty on your arm. Jacque, you’re a lucky bastard.” Etienne graced Elise with a small bow, and she rewarded him with a magnificent smile. He garnered his attention to Marie, who sat primly on the settee in the corner. “I must say you have a fantastic bloodline.”
A confused Elise recovered quickly. “Why, you’re too kind. I have to assume this is your home?”
“Yes, I’m Etienne.” E brushed his lips on the back of her hand.
“Faith, I didn’t expect to see you here. I should’ve known you’d be taking care of your sister.”
“I can’t say I’ve missed your humor, Mom. I hope you didn’t give Angel any trouble.” Faith sipped her drink and glared at her mother over the rim of the glass.
“Why would I give her trouble? She has a talent for finding her own trouble. Have you seen her face lately?” Elise jerked a thumb toward Angel, rolling her eyes.
Faith snorted. “I see you’re still vying for the Mother of the Year award.” The ever diplomatic Etienne jumped in the middle. “Elise, can I offer you a drink?”
“Yes, I’ll take a Crown Royal on the rocks. Someone needs to tell me what the hell is going on.”
“I’ll make introductions while you wait for your drink. These guys are the Boudreaux brothers. You know Nat and Jazzy. And this is Marie Laveau, your great-great-grandmother.” Faith watched Elise’s expression, as did everyone else.
“Y’all shitting me, right?”
“Non chère It’s the truth. I’m your great-great-grandmother.” Marie’s smile turned to a grimace.
“They’re all crazy, Ms. Elise. The girls think they’re witches and voodoo queens and dead people. Who knows what the guys think. They’re a bunch of freaks.” Jazzy perched on the settee. Etienne’s spell must have worn off. Angel sat next to her friend to calm her down.
All the emotions in the room roared inside Jacque, making his stomach turn. This was the problem with humans, always flaunting their emotions, especially the women. Emotional overload had a sickening feeling.
The butler brought Elise’s drink, and she downed it in one swallow.
“Elise. The important thing is there are people trying to kill Angel. They’ll do anything to get to her. You ladies aren’t safe by yourselves. You need to stay where we can protect you,” Jacque explained, as he sank into the seat next to Angel.
“You always seem to find trouble, don’t you, girl?” Elise’s honey-colored hair bounced as she shook her head. Take away the hardness around her mouth and the void in her eyes, she would be a stunningly beautiful woman. The poison of hate stole her youth, aging her prematurely.
“It’s not her fault.” Jacque cut his eyes at Elise, wanting her to shut up. Unable or unwilling to read his queues, she continued yapping.
“Who she piss off now?”
“The Devil.”
Elise was the only one who found it humorous. “I’ma need another drink,” she said when she realized no o
ne else thought it was a joke.
“I think we all need to call it a night and reconvene in the morning.” Jacque helped Angel to her feet. “Jazzy, are we gonna to have to put you out again, or are you gonna cooperate?”
“We’ll take care of her.” Marie took the girl by the hand, patting it lightly. “She’ll be fine.”
“Mom, you’re with us.” Faith nodded toward the stairs.
“Where’s Angel going?” Elise questioned.
“With her man, I assume. She’s the only one here with one. No need for her to suffer because of the rest of us.” Marie winked at Angel. “Good night, chère.”
The quiet was welcoming. He and Angel left the rest of the group on the second floor, continuing to their room on the third. Looking around the room, Jacque realized it must be one of the servant’s quarters. He wondered which servant was inconvenienced in order to get the room. He had to remember to make it up to them. The compact size of the room created an air of cozy comfort. The double-bed seemed tiny compared to the king-size one he slept in at home. He lay across it watching Angel rummage through her bags. The bed shrunk as his body filled the space, making it seem even smaller than it actually was.
Tonight revealed many things about her he wished he could take away. Her mother’s behavior explained a lot about Angel’s insecurities. She was Elise’s creation, and somehow he had to find a way to undo the damage.
Angel’s smile caused his heart to race. She clutched her gown as she teetered on the edge of the bed. “Thank you,” she said, her warm hand running across his arm.
“What’re you thanking me for?” He leaned on his elbow and brushed a wayward curl from her face. The gratefulness and love inside her glowed in her aura, fulfilling his heart.
“For helping me with my mom. I know she’s a handful.”
He leaned back and grinned, thinking about his own mother. “Oh, she’s nothing. Trying having a goddess for a mom.”
“She doesn’t really mean a lot of the stuff she says. She’s had a hard time with my father leaving and all. My Gran said she was never the same after.”
Her happiness cocooned around him, surrounding Jacque with warmth. “Babe. No matter what someone does to you, you should never treat your child as she treats you. You deserve better. I hope you know she’s wrong.”
“I know. It’s just hard sometimes to block her out.”
“Think of me as your shield.” He lightly kissed the curve of her shoulder. Her heat pulsed through him awakening his desire.
She leaned back into him, allowing Jacque to gather her close. He tucked her protectively into the contours of his chest, pressing his face into her hair. She shivered in his arms as he trailed light kisses down her neck, and his hand fondled her breast. Her body went lax, releasing the weight of the night’s events and surrendering to his will. With his face in her hands, she captured his bottom lip with her teeth and then freed it with a light flick of her tongue. Her mouth covered his with hungry passion, searching for fulfillment.
Jacque answered with his own demanding need. He stopped to catch his breath and gazed into the chocolate brown pools smiling up at him. He trailed quick kisses down her scar; she stiffened and she tried to turn away. His steely grasp detained her from moving. Showing her he loved every part of her was important.
“You’re beautiful,” he whispered.
The fast beating of Angel’s heart thumped loudly. She laid against his chest. Jacque drew her closer, kissing her forehead. Fire followed Angel’s touch as her hand trailed down his arm. His resolve weakened as her lips grazed the base of his neck.
He rose, lifting Angel from the bed, and carried her to the small bathroom. He turned on the water and began to remove her clothes. He drank in the glory of Angel’s body as she stepped into the steaming shower. The perfection of Angel’s breasts and taut roundness of her ass caused him to harden.
He stripped and joined her. The hot stream of the shower washed away the anguish of the day. He grabbed the soap and wrapped his arms around Angel, lathering the suds over the swells of her breast and the flatness of her stomach. The feel of her wet, naked body created a pulsating arousal in him.
As he washed lower, skimming his hand between her legs, she moaned and backed into him. His hands explored the curves of her body as the water rinsed the soap away. He ran the lather over her breasts, feeling her nipples tighten under his thumb. Jacque leaned over her and slid his hand down her flat stomach and between her thighs, discovering the heat within the folds of her sex. The moisture of her mouth mixed with the wetness of the water as she lapped at the spot just behind his ear. He groaned against her as his fingers glided into her.
Angel moved against his palm, moaning his name. She removed his hand reluctantly and turned toward him. Her moist pink lips slanted on his as she stretched to reach him. The water created a moist heat as her breasts rubbed against his chest. He cupped the firm round cheeks of her ass and lifted her off the floor.
Her legs encircled his waist and his cock grew even harder between them. He longed to be inside her, to be a part of her. Jacque leveraged Angel on the shower wall as his tongue explored every expanse of her mouth. Angel ground her sex down the length of his shaft, causing him to release a low growl.
His mouth found the soft mounds of her breast. He sucked hard on the supple flesh and brushed his tongue across the pinkish-brown peak. Angel panted as her rhythm increased. He grazed her nipple with his teeth. She stiffened at the sharp pain of euphoria surged through her nervous system. In her heightened arousal, she ground herself into his hardened shaft. He rubbed the tip of his crown into the sinful pleasure of her wetness, but stopped her from taking him into her. His thumb danced slow circles around the center of her desire, until she begged for relief.
With the hot stream of the shower washing over them, he held steady against the wall and thrust deep inside her. Angel bit down into the top of his shoulder, sending sheering bolts of ecstasy inside of him. Her tightness gripped him with every thrust. He battled to maintain control as she countered his movement, making him want to explode.
Angel angled herself to stroke the length of his erection.
“Make me come,” she groaned hotly into his ear, tangling her fingers in his hair.
A tremor tore through him at the urgency of her words. He pushed harder, penetrating deeper inside of her. Their pace increased to a frenzied hunger.
“Oh God, don’t stop!” Angel’s nails dug into his arms. The pleasure of pain pushed Jacque closer to his climax.
With her back pressed hard onto the tile, he stroked until he felt the warmth of her release surround him. Her tongue flirted with his earlobe and down his neck. A quiver of satisfaction encouraged his release. Stoking deep inside her, he shuddered into his own orgasm.
His arms looped under hers and came to rest against her shoulder blades, trapping her to him, not wanting to disconnect. The water had turned icy. Jacque took her lips once more shivering, partly from the cold, mostly from the ecstasy she delivered.
He moved to escape the chill of the shower and smiled at her. “You’re going to be the death of me.”
“Already been there and got a souvenir. Let’s try to avoid it in the future.” She kissed him and quickly refreshed herself in the freezing water.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Angel fondled the warm body tangled around her. She lay listening to his breathing and basting in the joy of being loved for once in her life. With closed eyes, she prayed for this dream to never end.
She snuck out the bed and found her ice blue BCBG top and a chocolate brown skirt to match. She opened the suitcase stuffed with shoes and grabbed a pair of chocolate Michael Kors with a four-inch heel. Her outfit was comfortable, yet dressy enough for a house full of guests. Frumpiness was not an option when unknown guests were involved.
She brushed the hair from Jacque’s brow and kissed his forehead. She resisted the urge to crawl back in bed and wake him with a more compromising greeting as a
reward for last night’s performance. They would never make it downstairs if she did.
The house was bustling. Angel hummed the chorus of “Brand New Love” by Robin Thicke as she descended the stairs. Boisterous conversation floated from the back of the house from what she assumed was the kitchen. She followed the smell of coffee and bacon until she found the other ladies sitting around the kitchen table.
Angel beamed at the eclectic group gathered before her. “Morning, ladies.”
“You look much happier this morning, mon cher,” Marie pointed out with a devilish glint in her eyes.
She winked at Nat and stole a piece of toast off her plate. “I have to admit I’m in a good mood.”
Nat giggled, taking a bite of the other slice of toast. “I wonder why.”
“We all heard why. I guess y’all forgot others were in the house with you. I wasn’t aware I raised such a trashy daughter.” Elise poured a cup of coffee.
“Mother, don’t worry. You didn’t raise me at all. You have no fault or reward in anything I do. At least not anymore.”
Nat interrupted the bickering. “I’ll be trashy if it gets me a man who looks like Jacque. Tell me where I sign up.” All the women laughed, except Elise. Even Jazzy cracked a smile at Nat’s admission.
Angel poured some coffee and grabbed a piece of bacon off Faith’s plate. Bacon had been a guilty pleasure when she worked the runway. Once or twice a month, she allowed herself to eat like a regular human, otherwise it was low carbs, high protein, and zero sugar. She appreciated not having to watch everything she ate for a change.
She hopped on a stool at the granite counter and examined the kitchen. It was rarely used, nothing unexpected in a house owned by a vampire. This was probably the first time someone actually cooked in it. Although Etienne didn’t have a use for the kitchen, he didn’t skimp in its design.
“Jazzy, how’re you doing this morning? I’m sorry I got y’all mixed up in this.” She waited for her reaction.
