Angles With Attitudes: Three Book Collection of Angel Stories!!

by Mimi Barbour

  She pulled her fingers away and shrugged. “Fine, whatever. What’s wrong?”

  A grin slashed across his features, and she’d never seen him look more handsome, or so downright sexy. And this was the man who radiated sex like a Heatdish radiated heat.

  “I’m worried about the baby.”

  If a heart could drop from its original location to the bottom of a stomach, then hers did. A baby! The asshole had a baby and never thought to tell her? The son-of-a-bi… She spit the words out before the screech got loose. “What baby?”

  “Isobela Ruiz’s baby. Oh, I never told you, did I? Later, on the day of the accident, I went back to visit them, to see if the boy Pedro had any repercussions from what happened, and I arrived in time to help the father, Angelo, while he delivered the baby. It was a girl. They called her Teresa.” Strange, she’d swear she heard pride in his voice.

  “You went back to visi…? I’ve been wanting to do that but didn’t have the energy or the nerve. Figured I’d be intruding. But I worried about the boy. I’m so glad you did. That was really very thoughtful.” She finally ran out like a cell phone whose battery power just ended. And this time, it was she who reached for his hand.

  “Yeah, well, you saved him. It was me who hit him. A bit different. Plus you’ve been laid up some, and I haven’t.”

  Awwww! He was trying to make her feel better. Maybe the hotshot wasn’t such a jerk after all.

  “Tell me about the baby. How did you just happen to get there in time for her birth? And what did you do?”

  “You don’t want to know. Suffice it to say, it seems to be my talent, lately. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”

  “So! Was she beautiful?”

  “Who, the baby? Nope! She was wrinkly and red, and she screams a lot. Pedro’s opinion not mine. But once she’d arrived, and this is my view, I thought her the most adorable female I’d ever laid eyes on.”

  By the sound of his voice, she figured he’d revisited those moments, and she could understand his sentiments. A baby’s birth must be something to see.

  Gosh, I’m an idiot, a flat-out bubblehead. Linking all males together. Look at Stan. He’s really nice. And Liam’s turning out to be a man I could admire. Maybe some guys aren’t so bad. Sadie didn’t know what to do with all the gushy feelings rampant inside her body. Urges smoldered. She wished she could throw her arms around his shoulders and squeeze.

  And kiss him all over his face.

  And rub her nose gently against his.

  * * *

  “He’s gone! My baby’s gone!”

  “Mrs. Brill, calm down. Giorgio must have decided to take a walk or something like…” Nope. That didn’t make sense. Sadie knew the dog hated walking. “Did you call the police?”

  “Call the police? Pah! They didn’t care. Asked me few questions and then told me to check with the SPCA. I informed them that my Giorgio’s worth was over $50,000 since he was an American champion for two years running, and you know what they said?”

  Sadie shook her head, knowing the woman was on a roll. The flying spittle was only one of the clues. The wildness in her eyes another, and the biggest hint was the way she’d grabbed Sadie and shook her every time she spoke.

  Intimidating, Liam stepped close, and the crazed lady had no choice but to let go and back away. Thank goodness, Sadie thought. Her arms were starting to feel numb. Which was a bit of an oxymoron if she ever heard one.

  “They told me they had k-killers to find and drugs to get off the streets.”

  Her words broke through Sadie’s distraction, and she zeroed back in time to see Liam catch Mrs. Brill just as she began to collapse. “My beautiful baby! How will he ever survive? All his precious things are here, his doggy bed, his special food, and the treats he loves…”

  Before she could launch into another crying jag, Liam spoke harshly, snaring her attention.

  “Show us where he was before he disappeared.”

  Swiping at her globby eyes with tissues that mysteriously appeared from inside her sleeve, she blew her nose, stiffened her backbone and said, “This way. I’ll show you.”

  As they walked through the sumptuous apartment that had never been opened to her before, Sadie made out like a bobble doll—she couldn’t see enough. What a palace! But way overdone for her taste, which didn’t run to wine-colored velvet swag drapes and lavish carpeting to match.

  Now the artwork? Well, that was a different matter altogether. She could have spent hours analyzing the picturesque landscapes and family portraits.

  “Here.” Mrs. Brill pointed to the luxurious patio enclosure with tall jungle-like plants, wonderful cascading flower baskets, and a plush mat that surrounded an enclosure which resembled a miniature castle. Oh, my god, thought Sadie. This was Giorgio’s doghouse? At least she had the class to keep her thoughts to herself. Not so Liam.

  “That’s his doghouse?” Shock vibrated in his loud voice.

  “Yes, I had it specially designed for him. He liked to come and lay in the sun sometimes, but I worried about his skin. He did use this house occasionally. Mostly, when he slept, he stayed near me. Which is why I’m so upset. I went to Greta’s to get my hair done earlier, and my housekeeper had to go to the pharmacy to pick up some prescriptions. Giorgio refused to go along. Poor baby doesn’t have a lot of energy left after his walks everyday. So, she left him here on the patio, as we do occasionally. But when she returned, he’d disappeared. We’ve looked everywhere.” Tears gushed as soon as she’d finished her explanation.

  Liam jerked his head at Sadie, and she knew he wanted out. With a heartfelt hug for the distraught woman, Sadie started towards the door. At the entrance, she stopped.

  “Mrs. Brill, I have a few good shots of Giorgio that I can post around the neighborhood, and I’ll warn the store owners that he’s missing. Also, when I pick up my other dogs today, I’ll pass out the word to their owners to take extra precautions with their own animals and to keep an eye open for him. If you hear anything at all, please let me know.” Before she stepped out, from the corner of her eye she watched as Liam patted the old dear’s shoulder, grinned one-sidedly, and left her trying to smile.

  This guy was getting to her… digging his way through her walls of resistance. If she didn’t want her heart broken, she’d better take care. After all, she’d only known him a short time. But then why did it feel as if she’d known him forever?

  As he helped her back into the van, he swore. “Bastards! Stealing someone’s pet. Should be shot.”

  “A little drastic, but I know what you mean. Giorgio’s all she has, no children and no other interests, just the dog shows. I guess you could say he’s her whole life.” Sadie bit her lip to stop nattering as she tended to do when emotional.

  “Has this ever happened before?”

  “You mean dogs being stolen? Sure, especially these dogs. Most of them are worth a bundle. And they have to be untouched in order to be allowed into the conformation dog shows.”

  “Untouched?”

  “Not spayed or neutered.”

  “Gotcha. I guess it makes sense. They’re probably used for breeding purposes.”

  “Exactly. As Mrs. Brill explained, Giorgio himself is worth a lot of money, but his puppies would be worth a fortune. Not for showing, because they’d have to be registered, but there are people who don’t care about the shows. They just want bragging rights. If only there was someone who might have seen what happened.”

  “Even though the patio is ground floor, I didn’t notice any neighboring windows overlooking the space. It’s pretty private.”

  “No help there, then. I’m going to ask around, Liam. Just the thought of some thieving jerks ripping off these people makes me want to scream.”

  “I might know of someone who could help. No promises, but he does have unusual powers of… of perception.” He turned and held up his finger just as she intended to pose the next obvious question. “Don’t ask!”

  Chapter Sixteen
>
  Two more dogs were missing. As they went from place to place to pick up their brood, the story was the same and had Liam scratching his head. The common denominator happened to be obvious. They all lived within a mile of each other, in the rich district with homes where every dog’s worth more than tripled the norm.

  “Nicky? How in the world did they capture him? He hates men and wouldn’t let a stranger anywhere near him. I don’t get it.” Sadie had become more upset with each dog-napping tale. Their day’s schedule had to be re-organized, and as she worked the cell phone to call her clients, he saw her hands shaking.

  Poor doll! He hated to see her so distressed, but he couldn’t do anything until he contacted his mysterious apparition, who seemed to always be around when he didn’t need him and disappeared during times when he could use his help.

  “No!” Shock took over her voice as she spoke into the phone.

  Liam pulled over to the side of the street and shoved the gearshift into park. “What?” As he watched Sadie’s eyes fill, he felt like a size eleven had just kicked him in the guts. “Breathe. Stop crying. Tell me.”

  “Peppi! They took Peppi, my favorite of the bunch. He’s such a little trooper, and so affectionate.”

  “Affectionate? He’s a sugar-cube. Licked me all over when I finally caught up with him the other day.” He used sarcasm on purpose to coax a smile, and it worked.

  “I know he likes to run away, but he’s the smartest of the bunch. Learned how to count before the rest, and will fetch anything I throw for him. Oh, Liam. Will we ever see them again? What do people do with stolen dogs? Where do they take them?”

  “Logic tells me that they either sell them or use them for breeding—like in puppy mills.”

  “How horrible! Last night Stan, you remember Greta’s boyfriend, mentioned that he was a cop. Do you think he might be able to help us solve this mystery, or at least give us some direction on where to start?”

  He coughed, and then prattled on as though he were in a sit-com trying to draw a laugh. “Oh, good idea! Now why didn’t I think of him?”

  “I get it!” She chuckled. “That was who you had in mind earlier. I’ll call her and make arrangements for after work, see if they’re free. Maybe we can order in pizzas and discuss it over dinner?”

  “Great. In the meantime, we’d better walk the rest of your mutts.”

  She scrutinized his smile and eventually returned it. Glad to be able to ease her spirit without having to go into explanations, he breathed a sigh of relief. After all, how could a guy tell the girl who’d begun to mean way too much that he intended to pick the brains of his elusive guardian angel?

  At their next stop, Liam waited in the van while Sadie approached the owner who stood at the gate with the dog sitting at the end of its flashy leash.

  “Hey, Johnny? Angel? If you’re hovering around I’d appreciate a moment.”

  “Hello, Mate. Just having a bit of a nap, I was. What can I do for you?”

  Sure enough, there was the spitting image of Johnny Depp lounging in the back seat, head bolstered on his hand, elbow resting on the window edge.

  “Sorry to disturb you.” Liam could do sarcasm so well.

  Shrugging nonchalantly, the angel yawned and answered, “You’re having me on, right?”

  Liam let his sigh last longer than usual and figured even an angel would get it. And it seemed he was right, by the cheeky grin he picked up through the rearview mirror.

  “You want to know about the puppies?”

  “Yes. The owners aren’t the only ones upset with their disappearance. Sadie is heartbroken, and I want to help. Only I have no idea where to start.”

  As the phantom started to fade, he left behind the message, “Stan is your man. He can find out what you need to know. And Liam, your first guess was right about puppy mills. And Oklahoma is a puppy mill Mecca. One more thing… follow the money.”

  Just then Sadie approached the back door and waited for Liam to come and help her settle the golden retriever in his doggy seat. “Who were you talking to?”

  “Me? I wasn’t talking to anyone.” Damn if his cheeks didn’t feel hot.

  “Oh, I get it! You’re one of those weirdos who carry on conversations with themselves.” She giggled, and he loved the sound.

  “You got me!” He winked in the wicked way he knew turned the girls on, guided her to her seat, and helped her inside.

  * * *

  “So you think there’s a dog-theft ring branching out all over the city?”

  Stan finished chewing his pizza and nodded. “Sure, we’ve been on to them for a while but haven’t been able to find out where they’re taking the dogs. As you know, the police department doesn’t get involved with this type of crime as much as we’d like to. There just isn’t enough manpower. But when it comes to the elite victims who’ve been hit recently, we’ve had to give up some time and start digging.”

  Sadie, who listened to every word, spoke up before Liam. “And, what did they find?”

  “We think it’s the Bradford brothers, mean-hearted sons of bitches—s’cuse my language—who are behind it all. They have high-class puppy boutiques and sell to the very rich. Unfortunately, whenever the S.P.C.A. searched their breeding premises, everything seems in order. The dogs look well cared for and healthy, with veterinarians available and all their papers up to date.” He stood to get another glass of wine, then returned to his seat and carried on with his explanation.

  “Thing is—they have a never-ending supply of puppies. Must be from outside this state. And we can’t get the other officials to care very much about following up on that paperwork. The local humane society has helped some, but they can’t trespass and so their hands are tied. Let me tell you, it’s damn frustrating.”

  Liam asked, “If you knew which state to look in, would it help?”

  “Depends on their laws. Why? Do you have an idea?”

  “Oklahoma.”

  “Man! That would be the worst possibility. It’s the perfect location for dishonest dog breeders. Without proper state regulations, they’re rampant with puppy mills. What made you select that area?”

  “Just a bit of info I picked up from a friend who had some inside knowledge. He said to follow the money.”

  Stan’s expression took on a look of interest. He pulled out his cell, got to his feet, and excused himself.

  Liam checked Sadie to see how she was taking in the disturbing discussion. She looked so downhearted. An ache began forming in his chest and promised to choke him if he didn’t do something.

  Greta shot him a wink and rose to clear the table. “I think we’ll leave you guys now, cause Hotshot promised to take me to a movie tonight and it’s my turn to choose. Chick flick, here we come.”

  As Stan flipped his phone closed, she slipped her arm through his and led him towards the back door.

  “Whaddaya mean chick flick? No way!” He stopped and turned to where Liam and Sadie lounged on the couch. “I’ll get back to you if I hear anything.”

  As soon as the bickerers closed the patio screen, Liam gently slapped at Sadie’s hand to stop her picking at the pepperoni left on the piece of pizza she’d nearly demolished without eating a bite. She threw it onto the plate and set the plate on the table, then leaned back.

  All he had to do was turn his head. Her face was so close he could feel her breath. He did so, but slowly, so as not to scare her. Then he watched as her eyes grew larger in the most beautiful face he’d ever seen. Expecting her to move away, he was glad when she didn’t. But he could have sworn she’d turned to stone. Not a flicker, or a blink, nothing.

  Earlier, he’d noticed that for once she’d used some kind of fancy pins to control her hair, but he didn’t like to see the golden curls pulled back and squashed. Angling his fingers, he plucked them out and watched the mass settle around her rosy cheeks. She still hadn’t moved.

  Then he reached over and slid his hands underneath the softness and caressed her neck. Her eyes
closed and a sigh of pure bliss escaped while he manipulated. Her muscles slackened and her body became limp under his ministrations.

  This time, he couldn’t pull away without tasting her. His body had already given him hell for the last trick he’d pulled. He’d had no sleep and no reprieve from imagining how she’d taste. Well he was about to find out.

  * * *

  God, the man was dense. Would he never get to it? Sadie didn’t know how much longer she could hold out without mewing like a cat in heat. His lips were so close that his hot breath inflamed her already scattered senses.

  His first touch released the moan and that seemed to act like a signal. One moment she was angled toward him while he held her head cradled in his big, gentle hands, and the next he’d whipped her around and she was lying across his body while his lips drained every spark of life-giving breath out of her.

  Somehow she’d known he’d be able to kiss. That he’d be well versed in that particular method of seduction. But what he did to her went way beyond anything she could ever imagine. She was on fire. Throughout her body, heat scorched like a flamethrower gone berserk and then pooled between her legs—wet, devastating heat. Heat that turned her bones to mush and had her moving restlessly, seeking, aching for release from the ecstasy he’d started. One thing was for certain; whatever the devil wanted to do to her, she was ready and more than willing.

  The first touch of his hands on her skin and her thoughts screamed “halleluiah.” Then he stroked his way to where her breasts peaked and cupped her fullness. It felt wonderful. The warmth of his fingers caressing, plucking, and then caressing again forced more of those distracting explosions down below.

  All the while he touched, he also kissed, and she found it difficult to concentrate on his lips. He’d changed from tongue-in-mouth plundering to soft, lip-biting, tongue-sucking torment. She loved it. When his lips moved to her neck and her t-shirt got in the way, she was more that happy to help him remove the obstruction. And when he took off her bra, it only seemed sensible.