Angel on Fire

by Jacquie Johnson

  Griffin shook his head. “No, at least not that I know of. I wish I could tell you more, but he didn’t tell me where he planned to go or what he planned to do when he left the bus station. It’s not like we talked. He just issued orders, and I followed them.”

  “Angela?” Chase nuzzled her neck and placed a wet kiss on the shell of her left ear. “You traced your dad’s steps, right? What else did he do the day he died?”

  “He went to work in Boston, apparently left with Griffin, did what Griffin said, and then went to the jewelers, remember?” Angela appeared surprised by the question.

  “That’s right,” Chase recalled. “You said he had your birthday present engraved?”

  She nodded, as her right hand reached up and toyed with the gold heart around her neck.

  “He ordered a pendant for my birthday. It’s a heart,” she replied, removing it from under her shirt. “I didn’t look at the engraving though,” she admitted as she fingered the warm pendant lovingly.

  Chase nudged a section of her long curls over her shoulder as his big fingers struggled to open the clasp.

  “Oh my God!” Maddie jumped up. “Let me see the necklace!” She rushed over to Angela and dropped to her knees as she inspected the pendant. She smiled faintly as she pulled a chain out from under her red v-neck t-shirt. “Look, Angela! Mine’s the same.”

  “Where? How?” Angela asked, as she examined the perfect replica of her present around Maddie’s neck.

  “It arrived in the mail three days ago. My mail goes to the lawyer’s office, and he forwards it to me. Your dad sent it to me. He included a note. It said something about it bringing peace to my heart. I thought he was referring to…the incident…and all the changes I’ve made over the past year.” Maddie fluttered her hand as she stumbled over the reference to the attack by her husband.

  “No,” Cat announced, walking toward her friends and kneeling next to Maddie. “He said, ‘May peace be with you, always in your heart.’”

  “Holy shit!” Griffin exclaimed. “Peace! Pax!”

  “What!” Chase demanded, as he compared Angela and Maddie’s pendants.

  “The - The name of the project,” Griffin stammered. “Project Pax! Pax means peace in Latin.”

  Chase rubbed his face with his hands, trying to make sense of what he was hearing. “So you think Angela and Maddie’s pendants have something to do with the project. Cat, how do you know what the note said?”

  Cat unlatched the chain around her neck and dropped the pendant next to Maddie and Angela’s. “Because I got one too. It came the day before Griffin and I left for the cottage. It was why we left in the first place.” Cat paused. “I mean, Mac sends Griffin to me, dies, and I get a package from him. It just seemed odd. Then when I couldn’t reach Angela, I figured we would be safer here.”

  “Shit!” Sean reached for Cat’s necklace and carefully examined it before moving on to Maddie’s. He glanced at Chase, his look conveying that the pendants sure looked identical to him. “Do you still have the boxes? Maybe the chips are hidden in the boxes?”

  Angela stood quickly and fumbled for her purse, which she had left on the kitchen counter. “I put it in here,” she mumbled as she attempted to find the box. After a few minutes of digging, she dumped the contents on the counter in hopes of finding the box. Maddie and Cat scurried from the room, headed in different directions in order to retrieve their boxes.

  Fifteen minutes later, the three women huddled on the floor next to the coffee table, their boxes in various states of disarray. They had taken the lining out of each package and removed the outer covering but hadn’t discovered any sign of the tiny computer chips.

  “Damn!” Chase swore, as he inspected Angela’s box once again. For hours, the group tossed around ideas about where Mac could have hidden the chips, but they kept coming back to the pendants. Mac had sent necklaces to Maddie and Cat while knowing that Angela would receive hers around her birthday. Cat and Maddie’s notes referenced peace while Angela’s pendant was engraved “Be at peace, my angel.” Three chips, three necklaces and three references to peace. The pendants had to lead to the chips.

  Chapter 36

  When tempers started to fray later that evening, the group scattered to the various corners of the cottage. Sean agreed to take first watch as Angela and Chase ascended the stairs to the bedroom Cat had been using. Cat moved into Maddie’s room with her while Griffin settled down in the small office turned bedroom behind the kitchen. Sean planned to sleep on the couch when Chase took over guard duty.

  Being close to Angela all day without being alone had taken its toll on Chase who prayed the walls were thick enough to offer some privacy. As Angela led the way upstairs, he spread one hand along her back and rubbed gently, his desire to remain in constant contact with her growing over time. Angela turned and looked down at him over her shoulder, a seductive smile gracing her beautiful face.

  “Like what you see?” she teased, her voice as soft as a caress.

  “Absolutely.” Grinning, he chased after her as she scurried up the remaining stairs and down the hall, her laughter trailing after her.

  “You are so gonna get it, babe,” he chuckled as he closed the door.

  His dark eyes blazed with fire as they caressed her body. She trembled ever so slightly as he edged closer. With tantalizing slowness, she lifted her t-shirt, revealing soft, pale skin and a lacy white bra. Keeping her eyes on his, she toyed with the front closure on her bra while offering him a sultry smile.

  Chase released a low growl, his fists clenched to avoid touching her. Her eyes darkened to cobalt, her desire palpable. “Do you know what you’re asking for?” he demanded stalking toward her like a panther hunting its prey.

  She reached for him, her expression conveying desire and love as she breathed, “Yes. Love me, Chase. Love me without restraint.”

  His control snapped and he hauled her against his chest, his lips descending upon hers, demanding entrance. She met his demands with equal fervor, tangling her hands in his hair and using the thick locks to hold him to her. He kissed his way down her neck, leaving a pale mark where her neck and shoulder met. Angela tugged at Chase’s shirt, desperate to feel his skin against her own. Hands touched, lips tasted and tongues tangled as passion heated their blood.

  Once Angela lay satiated and sleeping, Chase kissed the top of her head and ran his fingers through her riotously curly hair. Leaving her lying in bed all warm and rosy from their loving was one of the hardest things he’d ever had to do. With regret, he rose from the soft bed and retrieved his clothes from the floor. As he untangled the sheets and velvety blanket, he couldn’t help but be amused by the bed’s state of disarray. Covering her naked body gently, he cast one last longing look in Angela’s direction before walking silently downstairs.

  “Did you get any sleep at all?” Sean asked with a small smile. Chase’s hair stood on end and several of the buttons of his shirt appeared to be missing. “You might as well be wearing an ‘I got laid’ sign.”

  “You just wish you were me,” Chase retorted smugly. “Been a long time hasn’t it, Dutch?”

  “Screw you,” Sean rejoined but without any heat. Chase wasn’t surprised by the response. Sean had committed to Emily a long time ago. He just refused to admit it.

  “No, thanks. You don’t meet my requirements for sharing my bed.” Chase couldn’t help but tease his friend.

  “Wasn’t too long ago that your only requirements were beauty and willingness.” Sean made the statement sound almost like a question.

  Chase stared out the window, watching as the water glowed under the soft moonlight. Until Angela, women had been confined to the sexual pleasures category. Now, he wanted more than sex. “It’s different with her,” he finally admitted.

  “When did you know?” Sean asked.

  Chase glanced over his shoulder, surprised by the question. Instead of the contempt he had feared, he saw only genuine curiosity on Sean’s face. As Sean settled on the cou
ch, Chase returned to staring vigilantly out the window. “It took me as long as it took you with Emily. The only difference is I’ve given up fighting what I feel for her. It might be a disaster. Hell, this might be the worst decision I’ve ever made, but I’m sure as hell going to do everything I can to keep her in my life.”

  “I’m glad,” Sean acknowledged, closing his eyes and ignoring the reference to his non-relationship with Emily.

  Well aware that the subject was closed, Chase slipped from the room and headed outside to check the perimeter. Surrounded by night’s peaceful sounds, Chase allowed himself to think about a future with Angela. How will Zach feel about my relationship with her? Will he actively interfere? Will he consider limiting my out of country assignments so I can spend more time with her? Hell, for that matter, maybe he could reduce the number of undercover assignments I handle? I never thought I’d want a desk job, but I sure would be willing to try one if it meant I could go home to Angela.

  Chapter 37

  Around three o’clock in the morning, Angela stirred and reached across the bed. Finding cool sheets instead of a hot, male body, she rolled over and buried her face in Chase’s pillow, inhaling his scent as she relived their earlier lovemaking. He’d been so passionate, so loving, and so instinctively male. She couldn’t hold back the wide smile and accompanying giggle as she reminisced about the way he had touched her. Gentle loving strokes led to passionate explorations. When he finally slid inside her eager body, he demanded that she open her eyes. Their eyes met and he growled “mine” before staking his claim in the most primal of ways.

  Surrounded by evidence of their lovemaking, Angela’s worries and uncertainties faded away. She loved Chase and knew that he loved her too. With love and compromise, they could build a life together. It might not be a conventional one, but as long as she had Chase, it would be enough. Intuitively, she recognized Chase wouldn’t be able to share all parts of his life with her. Then again, her father obviously hadn’t shared everything with her either, and she still loved him. Life with Chase would be a risk, but she would gladly put up with not knowing things as long as he loved her, remained faithful and shared what he could.

  Secrets. She could only imagine the kind of secrets men like her father, Uncle Zach, and Chase were required to keep. Did such secrets eat away at them or did they set them aside and never think about them again? The mere word conjured up images of explosions, torture, death and destruction. As her mind wandered, picturing all kinds of fantastical secrets, an image of Mr. Jenkins, the jeweler, popped into her head. Puzzled, her brow wrinkled as she sorted through her conversations with him. What did the jeweler have to do with secrets?

  Minutes later, she jolted upright in bed. Secrets! He said Dad hid things in my jewelry! Three necklaces, three chips. The boxes don’t hold the key. The necklaces do! Reaching across the bed, she flipped on the small lamp and frantically worked to unlatch the delicate clasp. Seconds turned to minutes as she struggled with trembling hands. Finally, she managed to remove the chain. Using the light from the lamp, she scrutinized the gold heart the size of a half-dollar. It glimmered in the low light, the inset diamonds sparkling as if they were winking at her.

  Carefully, she traced her fingertips over the front and back, seeking an opening of some kind. When that failed, she ran her fingernails along the sides, wondering if she could pry the pendant open. An hour later, she buried her face in the pillow and pounded her fists into the mattress in frustration.

  With a sigh, she sat up and traced each and every curve of the pendant again without success before dropping her head back onto the pillow and closing her eyes. Thinking back, she tried to recall the jeweler’s comments. Had he mentioned what the secret was? She could just call and ask him if she wasn’t wanted for murder.

  As the sky brightened with a pale pink glow, Angela gave up her exhaustive efforts and rose from the bed. After a quick shower, she headed for the kitchen in search of her morning addiction. Spying Sean asleep on the couch with Taz lying at his feet, she grimaced and set about gathering the coffee beans and grinder with minimal noise. Her arms laden, she crept toward the laundry room at the other end of the cottage.

  As she rounded the corner, she slammed into a hard, hot body. Startled, she emitted a shrill shriek before Chase’s mouth covered hers. “Morning, Angel,” he murmured against her now wet, swollen lips. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

  “I’m not exactly complaining.” She stood on her tiptoes and planted a quick kiss on his mouth before stepping around him.

  “Where are you going?” he demanded, following her.

  Pushing open a nearby door, she entered the small laundry room, plugged in the grinder, poured the beans in and ordered, “Close the door.”

  “Why are you making coffee in the laundry room?”

  “So I don’t wake Sean up,” she replied smartly.

  The corners of his mouth tilted up. “Babe, I assure you Sean knew the moment you entered the room. Men like us sleep very lightly. It’s an occupational hazard.”

  “Do you ever let your guard down?” she wondered, turning away from the counter to look into his vibrant green eyes.

  He shook his head, his expression grave. “No. I can’t afford to. That doesn’t mean I don’t relax at all. Just that I don’t relax completely and I’m cautious about my surrounding when I do.”

  She bit her lower lip, lost in thought about the life he must lead. Pushing those thoughts aside, she returned her attention to the coffee paraphernalia and smiled at him. “Grab the beans, please, and I’ll start the coffee.”

  “Sure,” he replied agreeably. “Once you’re settled in the kitchen, I’ve got to check the perimeter.”

  “Settled in the kitchen?” She crossed her arms and tapped her toe.

  When Chase simply shot her a questioning look, she cautioned, “You’d better not be one of those men who believe women belong barefoot and pregnant.” She slipped out of the room and tossed an annoyed look over her shoulder as he trailed behind her.

  She had just poured the water and grounds into the coffeemaker when Chase responded to her warning. Quick as lightning, he pinned her to the counter immobilizing her with his weight as he nuzzled her neck. “Barefoot, no. I can definitely afford to buy you shoes. Pregnant, on the other hand? Well, that’s negotiable. I can certainly promise we’d enjoy the process.” After kissing her senseless, he sauntered from the room, leaving an astonished Angela propped against the granite countertop with her mouth wide open.

  “Careful, sweetie,” Cat advised, dragging herself into the room and sleepily digging through the cabinet for the oversized, earthenware mugs. “Lots of flying creepy crawling things around. You’re offering them a perfect home.”

  “Yuck!” Angela frowned at her bleary-eyed friend who poured two cups of the fresh brew before adding two heaping teaspoons of sugar to the red cup. “I don’t know how you drink it like that.”

  “You purists,” Cat complained, “you really don’t know how to enjoy things.”

  “Don’t know how to enjoy what?” Maddie waltzed in. Catching sight of Angela, she smirked. “From the looks of things, I’d say Angela sure enjoyed herself last night.”

  Angela felt her face heat and covered her burning cheeks with her hands. “For God’s sake, Maddie!” she objected in a low whisper.

  Pushing Cat out of the way, Maddie grabbed a cup of coffee and leaned over the counter, eyeing Angela inquiringly. “So?”

  “So what?” Angela retorted, crossing her arms across her chest defensively. She wasn’t breaking. No way.

  “So, how was it?” Cat teased. “Is he as good as he looks?”

  “Based on the glow she’s giving off, I’d have to say he’s better than he looks and that’s got to be damn good because that man is fine.” Maddie let loose a torrent of giggles as Angela turned bright red and started sputtering.

  “Babe? You okay?” Chase swaggered into the room, removed the cup from Angela’s hand, and spun her in
to his arms. Kissing her deeply, he murmured, “Yum. You taste like coffee.” After pouring two more cups, he ambled from the room. All three women watched as he left, their eyes glued to his butt.

  “Holy smokes!” Maddie muttered under her breath. “That man is hot.”

  “And he has one fine ass,” Cat added, fanning herself.

  “Stop it, you two. That man is my….” Angela trailed off, loosely waving her hand in the air at a loss for words.

  “He’s what?” Cat demanded.

  “Yes, exactly what is he to you?” Maddie encouraged.

  “Well,” Angela nibbled on her lower lip pensively. “He’s…well, he’s…boyfriend sounds lame; lover sounds ridiculous.” Her face contorted as she tried to find the words to describe their relationship. “I don’t know,” she finally conceded. “He’s just…mine, I guess. I don’t know where we’re going with this but I l-like him.”