by Graham, Jan
“No conflict of interest if you sign off on the paperwork.” Yep, Trevor didn’t like that one but finally agreed.
“You said yourself I’m the best chance of getting Angel to agree to a deal. Sleeping arrangements don’t change that.” Christian listened to a very unhappy Trevor reluctantly concede defeat once again but not until he had given him an earful of “advice” about professional conduct.
“I’m involved and not stepping out of the picture now. Besides, you don’t have the manpower to keep her alive.” Christian hoped Trevor would realise this point was nonnegotiable.
When Daniel returned to the room to prepare dinner, Steve went and sat at the kitchen island. Christian heard Steve filling Daniel in on what he thought was going on. They both listened as Christian verbally beat Trevor Duncan into submission. Christian rarely lost an argument. And this often heated discussion with Trevor was not going to be an exception.
“Sorted,” Christian stated proudly as he ended the call. “I just need to let my second-in-charge know I’m out of the office for the next couple of days, and I’ll give you a hand with dinner.”
“It’s under control,” Daniel replied before adding, “And Steve is grabbing a beer for us all out of the fridge.”
Christian was pleased Steve took the hint and walked to the fridge to get the requested beers. He also grabbed another packet of frozen vegetables and shoved them onto his groin as he sat back down on the chair he had claimed.
Christian finished his call quickly and joined Steve and Daniel at the kitchen island. He took a sip on the icy beer and began to roll his head around in an attempt to relieve the tension that had settled in the base of his neck. Christian thought back over the last weeks. Walking in the door and seeing Angel’s smiling face had been his stress relief from the toils of work until today.
The terror he felt at hearing Angel’s panicked screams over the phone sent a chill down his spine. Had he not heard Steve in the background trying to calm her, Christian would have had every police car in the area descending on the house within seconds. What if Steve had been one of Adrian’s men? Christian knew that by the time he had arrived, Angel would have more than likely been dead. He desperately wanted to go back to the way things were yesterday, when he thought that Angel’s worries stemmed from her past, from issues that had been dead and buried along with Samuel Barnard. Those issues he knew would have been dealt with easily. They were nothing that couldn’t be overcome with time, love, and security. Instead, Angel was being haunted by her past in a very real way, and Christian hated that fact. She should have been freed by Samuel’s death. Instead it looked like Samuel was going to drag Angel to the grave with him.
“So how much information does Angel have regarding Hastings and his operation?” Christian finally asked.
“Honestly, at this moment in time, none,” Steve replied.
“None,” Christian echoed curiously.
“Then why is there a bounty on her head?” Daniel was obviously surprised at Steve’s answer.
“Adrian wants the ledger that Barnard offered to give the police before he died. He asked Angel to find it, as did I.” Steve took a sip of his beer before continuing.
“Hastings gave her two weeks to find the ledger. Before that two-week deadline had virtually even begun, our spy informed Hastings that Angel had given me evidence that could be damaging to him and that she was now working with the police. Her disappearance added fuel to the theory that she was working with us. Hastings’s reaction was to put a bounty on her head.”
“So Angel is now being hunted by God-knows-who because of miscommunication.” Daniel sounded incredulous.
“You nailed it in one, Dan,” Steve responded
“Let me get this straight.” Christian needed to clarify what he had just heard. “Hastings thinks Angel has information that will damage him, and Trevor thinks Angel has information that will bring Hastings down. But you believe both men are functioning under a misapprehension. As a result, an offer of witness protection from Trevor and a bounty on Angel’s head by Hastings is the outcome. Yet, to the best of your knowledge, Angel hasn’t got any information on Hastings, and all she can testify to is that she doesn’t know anything. Am I correct?”
“Well, there was the aftersex discussion that may be a confession to murdering Barnard by Hastings, but we have that on tape. In fact, the recording was taken to the DA. We were told that the admission is open to interpretation and a murder conviction is highly unlikely.”
“So Angel is possibly going to die because men who should know better have lost the ability to think rationally?” Christian shook his head in disbelief as he spoke.
“Look, I need to come clean about something.” Steve broke the silence that had descended over them all.
Christian looked at Steve. His face was filled with concern, and he suddenly dreaded what his friend might be about to say.
“Before I discovered you two were involved with Angel, I was going to make her an offer before I called you in.” Steve stated, “I was going to offer to help Angel change her identity and pay for her to leave the state or even the country if she wanted to. I would have just told you and Trevor I couldn’t find her.”
“Why would you even contemplate doing something like that?” Christian asked in shock. “Why would you risk your career, and probably your relationship if Kathy found out, for a woman you hardly know?”
“I have asked myself that for as long as I’ve known her. I don’t understand it, but I have to keep her safe. She haunts me. I have nightmares where I hear her screaming and I can’t get to her to save her. I wake up in a cold sweat terrified for her. When Barnard was alive, he was hurting her so badly one night…”
Steve paused for a moment. His hands trembled and his voice wavered as he continued.
“The two cops on surveillance with me that night had to cuff me to the van to stop me from going into the house and killing him. I just knew I needed to rescue her. So if you’re talking about men who have lost the ability to think rationally, Christian, then add me to the list, mate.”
“I’m worried about what you’ve just said, Steve. Why now? Why Angel? You’ve never gotten involved like this in a case before. What’s different?”
“I have no idea,” Steve replied despondently, “but it’s nearly killing me.”
“Maybe the violence you witnessed against her has caused Post-Traumatic Stress,” Daniel suggested.
“Or the stress of the job as a whole is finally taking its toll. I mean, you’ve seen some serious shit over the years,” Christian added
“Exactly, and it’s never affected me before. So why would it now?”
“Maybe you have a crush on her.” Christian raised an eyebrow and waited for Steve’s reply.
“It’s not a fucking crush,” Steve snapped “I’m committed to Kathy, you dick. And I’m actually relieved to see how much you guys love her. Anyway, ninety percent of the time Angel drives me nuts. I want to grab her and shake her and make her listen to reason. I’ve totally lost my mind, and it’s her fault.”
“I’m going to organise for you to talk to someone at the hospital. I can make sure it’s all discreet. But it definitely sounds like some form of PTSD to me,” Daniel stated.
“So, are you still going to make that offer to Angel?” Christian looked at his friend with deep concern.
“If you decide not to, then yes I will.” Steve’s voice held a determined conviction that assured Christian he was deadly serious.
Silence descended over the room. Steve obviously knew he was pushing the friendship but he stood his ground. Christian knew Steve wouldn’t have made this decision lightly. Christian had heard the stories about how ruthless Hastings was and obviously Steve believed the chances of keeping Angel alive and safe from Hastings were slim at best if the man was determined to see Angel dead.
“I can still work in the US. The hospital will take me back in an instant,” Daniel finally said, looking at Christian.
“I marry Angel, she comes in as my wife, and we start a security company with you as CEO. We could get you in with no trouble.”
“Access for Angel and I would take too long. We don’t have enough time to set it up,” Christian replied thoughtfully.
“Whatever you decide, we still need to move Angel somewhere that she can’t be found,” Steve replied. He continued to fill the two men in on the house he had found that now belonged to Angel. For Christian, the security setup and the fact that the house was not known to the Hastings gang all sounded appropriate for a safe house. And if Samuel had set it up as a haven for his retirement, then there was no way he would have told Hastings about it. Still, Christian thought they should only use the house as a last resort. If they needed to run then that would be where they’d go.
“I think we can protect her here. I don’t think anyone will track her to us.” Daniel seemed adamant.
“I agree. I mean, you only knew to come here because you had information from Daniel and me about meeting her. No one else is privy to that, except Trevor, but he’s not going to be giving her location away.”
“I’m not convinced.” Steve’s tone was serious. “We have to be one hundred percent sure she can’t be discovered because Hastings will kill her, gentlemen, make no mistake about that.”
Angel lay in her bath. She didn’t really want to get out, appreciating the solitude and peace after the discussion that had just taken place. Angel knew she had to let everyone know about her telephone call with Adrian and the fact that she was no longer in danger. She was sure Steve would not be happy with her decision to give Adrian what he wanted, but she hoped that after she explained her reasoning behind the decision they would all understand. Angel just wanted to move on, to let the past fade behind her and live happily ever after with her two Prince Charmings. Angel smiled at the silly analogy but thought it fitting as she remembered her first meeting with them. Angel got out of the bath and dried herself. How time changed a person’s view on life. A few weeks ago she didn’t believe in fairy tales. The thought of them just made her miserable, but now she had hope. Maybe fairy-tale endings existed. At least she hoped they did.
As she walked down the hallway, she could hear the guys discussing the bounty. She needed to tell them that they needn’t worry anymore. But she wanted to do it in her own time and way. Angel anticipated that once she announced her decision regarding the ledger, she may have a fight on her hands, especially with Steve.
“Angel,” Daniel announced loudly as he saw her exit the hallway. “Perfect timing, dinner is ready.”
Angel almost laughed. She hadn’t ever experienced one of those moments where someone walks into a room and everyone abruptly stops talking, that is, until now. Daniel quickly started serving the food into large bowls. From what she could see, the beef and noodle stir-fry looked delicious, and the smell of it made Angel’s stomach rumble. Christian busied himself getting forks and chopsticks from the drawer and then poured Angel a glass of wine. Steve made his way to the table with his beer and packet of frozen veggies and sat down at the table with her.
As Angel stared across the table at Steve, she thought he looked tired. The signs of worry still etched his face. He looked drawn and washed out. His hair that usually had a nice sheen to it was dull. His angular features that she initially thought made him look quite striking seemed to have hollowed, and his piercing, blue eyes that usually contained a sparkle of mischief appeared pale. The pallor even extended to the disgusting tattoo that stretched the full length of one forearm.
“Whatever possessed you to get a picture of a dragon fucking a naked woman tattooed onto your arm?” she asked him as he began to eat.
“Because that’s how I imagine I fuck,” he stated bluntly.
“You fuck like a dangerous mythical creature that kills people?” Angel laughed. “Oh God, I feel sorry for your poor wife.”
“She doesn’t complain.” Steve made no other comment, continuing to eat the mountain of food in his bowl.
“I think you’re full of shit. I think you got it because as a kid you loved the idea of being a dragon. Something nothing could hurt, who breathed fire and who people didn’t mess with because they were scared. As a kid you wanted to be brave and powerful when in reality you didn’t feel like that at all.” Angel sipped her wine and watched his reaction.
“So how do you explain the fact that it’s fucking a beautiful woman?” he asked
“I don’t know…By the time you were old enough to get one, you were obsessed with screwing anything that moved.”
“He got it to shock people.” Daniel looked at his friend with a wry smile.
“I like it. That’s why I got it,” Steve stated calmly. “And if I had known you were so taken by my dragon, I would have bought you one instead of getting you this.”
Steve took the key ring out of his pocket and placed it in front of Angel. Angel sat motionless for a while and then picked up the pretty angel key ring and looked at it thoughtfully. She had no idea why he had bought her a present, and it confused her. She thought it was a lovely gesture, but she had no idea why he would even think to give her a gift.
“You bought me a present?” Angel’s voice expressed the element of surprise she was feeling. “Why?”
“I didn’t like the key ring that Barnard had put on these.” Steve again put his hand in his pocket and placed the keys to Angel’s Toyota on the table.
“Oh my God, you found my car,” Angel squealed.
Angel hugged her keys before quickly putting the key ring onto them. Angel wouldn’t have cared if he had just given her the keys with Samuel’s disgusting key ring. But she loved the shiny angel that now adorned them. Angel tried not to be suspicious of Steve’s motives. Instead, she tried to focus on the thoughtfulness of his act and, for a moment, decided that maybe he wasn’t so bad after all.
“Thank you, Steve, the key ring is beautiful.” She smiled across the table. “So where is my car?”
“It’s out the front, but don’t get too excited. I’ve been driving around in it all day and it’s a bit grungy. You know, boy germs, empty coffee cups, half-drunk beer cans, cigarette butts, and of course those cum stains on the backseat from all the women who threw themselves at me today.”
“You’re disgusting.” Angel looked at him in horror.
“And you’re so gullible you scare me.” Steve’s lips curled up in a wry smile. “I’m not a complete pig, Angel.”
“You are so,” Angel replied
“Do I get a kiss for finding the car?” Steve leaned forward and puckered his lips.
“No,” Angel snapped.
“A hug?” He stretched out his arms toward her, laughing as he did it.
“Stop creeping me out. I wouldn’t touch you in a pink fit. You’re a shithead,” Angel snapped at him.
“And you’re a brat. God, what does a guy have to do to win you over?” Steve took the frozen veggies from between his legs and threw them at Angel.
Christian quickly reached out his hand and caught the peas midair as Angel screamed and ducked out of the way. Christian threw the peas toward the kitchen, smiling in satisfaction as they landed on the bench near the sink.
“Well, not tormenting her might be a start.” Daniel looked at them both in amusement.
“Not that it isn’t entertaining watching the two of you squabble,” Christian added with a laugh.
Daniel started a new topic of conversation with Steve and Christian immediately joining in. They talked about the Chevy restoration with great seriousness, and used those petrol-head terms that Angel just didn’t understand. Not that she really wanted to. Angel began to clear the dishes and tidy up. She was beginning to feel nervous in the stomach as she thought about her phone call with Adrian. It had to be discussed tonight, or she wouldn’t be able to sleep. She had heard the three men discussing him when she had come into the room before dinner and realised that it must have been weighing on their minds as well, but for different reaso
ns, of course.
Angel decided there was never going to be a good time to start the discussion about Adrian. She decided she would just blurt everything out as soon as there was a lull in the conversation. She made coffee before returning to the table and sat patiently until the car talk subsided and the three men started sugaring their hot drinks. Angel took a deep breathe and then began.
“I rang Adrian Hastings today and…”
Angel didn’t get a chance to finish the sentence before her ears were bombarded with shocked comments
“What the fuck,” “Jesus fucking Christ,” and “Bloody hell, Angel.” She tried to continue but didn’t even get the chance as questions and accusations flooded the room. At one stage, Angel could barely decipher who was saying what.
“Are you crazy? Do you have a death wish or something?”
“Please tell me you’re joking. You can’t be that fucking naïve.”
“Jesus, Angel, whatever possessed you to do that?”
Angel placed her elbows on the table, resting her head in her hands and sticking her fingers in her ears. Eventually the bombardment stopped, and Angel looked up. She saw three sets of questioning eyes and three very worried faces all fixated on her.
Christian placed his hand on Angel’s head and slowly ran it over her soft curls. He let it come to rest on the shoulder closest to him and spoke in a calmer tone than he had seconds before.
“Okay, so tell us what happened.” She heard him breathe out in frustration as he spoke.
“Just start at the beginning,” Daniel added.
When Angel looked at Steve, his lips were pressed tight. Angel didn’t even want to know what those thinned lips were holding back. She just assumed it wouldn’t be good.
