Betrayed (Atlanta's Finest Series Book 5)

by Sharon C. Cooper

So, she did. Her eyes slammed shut and her body shivered from the alcohol’s burn as it went down her throat. By the third shot, she felt no pain and could barely see straight.

  She wasn’t a drinker, especially of hard liquor, but Angelo was right about one thing. The alcohol did help her relax, and suddenly she was hungry.

  They ate, mostly in a comfortable silence, except for when they discussed safe topics. Topics that didn’t have them reliving the last few hours. After they finished eating, Angelo escorted Zenobia to her bed.

  “Why don’t you try to get some sleep,” he said as he pulled back the covers. Tired, she climbed in between the cool, soft sheets. Then, like before, impending dread settled over her like a two-ton boulder. Her pulse amped up, and her heart pounded inside her chest as her body shivered.

  “Ca-can you stay with me, at least…at least until I fall asleep?”

  Angelo looked as if he was going to turn her down, but Zenobia wasn’t sure what he saw on her face. Before she knew it, he had dimmed the lights and kicked off his shoes.

  “Scoot over and don’t try any funny stuff,” he cracked.

  She hadn’t planned to, but now that he brought it up…

  Chapter Sixteen

  “Take off your clothes.”

  Angelo’s brows shot up. “Excuse me?”

  He sat on the edge of the bed. Maybe it hadn’t been a good idea to supply her with so much alcohol. Even if he had learned a couple of things about her after she’d slammed back shots.

  She cursed more after a drink, and alcohol made her brave. She’d been speaking her mind for the past thirty minutes, and saying things she wouldn’t normally say to him. Such as, “Drinking makes me horny. Maybe you can do something about that.” He’d store that info away for future use.

  Zenobia didn’t look as terrified as she had a moment ago when she thought he was leaving, but she was still trembling. He meant what he said to her. He had no intentions of leaving her alone. Like she seemed to need him, he needed her, too.

  Her hand rested on her chest while she inhaled and released a breath slowly. He wasn’t sure if it was the crash that still had her on edge or something else. She’d had moments of panic since they got her home, but a tightness in his gut told him that something else was going on.

  A loud yawn escaped her and Zenobia rubbed her eyes as she snuggled deeper into her pillow. As if suddenly remembering that he was sitting there, her head popped up and she looked at him.

  “Go ahead. Take ’em off. I want to see your fine ass.”

  Angelo chuckled and stretched out on top of the covers, clothes and all. He fluffed the king-size pillow behind him and leaned his back against the headboard. She didn’t know what she was asking. He might’ve been tired, but being close to her and the tiny outfit she wore gave him life. If he got too close, he wouldn’t be able to control himself from all that he wanted to do to her luscious body.

  It was already hard keeping his distance. He had a love-hate thing going with the tank top and short shorts she preferred sleeping in. When she walked out of the bathroom in the outfit after her shower, his mind had immediately taken him back to the night they’d danced in the kitchen. She hadn’t worn a bra that night, but tonight she had one on. Thank goodness. He would’ve had to poke some of his friends’ eyes out downstairs if he’d caught them looking at her wrong.

  “You can’t be in my bed with clothes on,” she said sleepily.

  “Okay. I’ll bring one of the chairs from your sitting area in here.” It was probably better to put a little space between them anyway. He started to move off the bed, but she reached out with quickness and grabbed his arm.

  “Please…don’t leave.” Her voice cracked, but then she hurried to clear her throat. “I don’t want to be alone.”

  The vulnerability he saw in her eyes twisted his gut. The crash shook them up, but the deepening anxiety painted across her face confirmed his suspicions. The attempted kidnapping triggered a fear inside her—and this fear had nothing to do with tonight. This fear represented past demons.

  Who had deserted her, Angelo wondered, because he knew someone had left her behind. He also knew that the remnants of that desertion forever marred Zenobia, leaving her scarred and broken.

  “I already explained that I’m not leaving you.”

  “Then take off your clothes and get under the covers.”

  Angelo shook his head and grunted. She might be a little traumatized, but her special style of sass that showed up off and on over the past week was still there. Getting undressed and into bed with her was a bad idea. A very bad idea, but he’d be lying if he said that he didn’t want to hold her close.

  “Do you wear boxer or briefs?” She yawned again, watching him intently.

  “Why don’t I just show you. Put your mind at ease so that you can get to sleep.”

  Grabbing the T-shirt at the back of his neck, he pulled it over his head. He took his time unbuckling his belt and then went for the zipper on his jeans just as slowly. All the while her appreciative gaze took him in.

  “Don’t look at me like that.” She already stirred something in him that kept him at a constant state of arousal. “Otherwise you’re going to see more than you bargained for.”

  “I’ll take my chances,” she said sleepily, her gaze steady on him as if she was in Vegas watching the Chippendales perform. All he needed was a little music, and he’d be giving her a real show.

  Angelo stripped down to his boxer briefs, leaving his clothes in a heap on the floor next to the bed.

  “Wow.” Her voice was light and loaded with awe. “I knew you had an incredible body, but man. Your muscles are stacked on top of each other. Not a lick of fat.”

  Angelo chuckled as he climbed in next to her. “Come here so you can get some sleep.” He stretched out his arm and she scooted up to him, laying her head on his chest.

  “And you smell so good,” she murmured sleepily.

  He held her close, grateful that they had survived the car crash. Now all he had to do was survive having her lush body molded against his. Angelo put his other arm behind his head and sigh.

  It’s going to be a long night, was his last thought before he drifted off to sleep.

  Hours later, Angelo’s eyes popped open. He glanced around the dimly lit room, illuminated by the lamp on the side table next to him. His coworkers’ voices flowed up the stairs, and the night’s events flashed through his mind. They were probably strategizing on next steps. It had been decided after leaving the hospital that his focus would be solely on Zenobia, while his team worked with authorities.

  Angelo lifted his arm and glanced at his watch. Five-fifteen.

  He hadn’t planned to doze off. His intention was to wait until she was sound asleep, and then check in with Myles. He and Parker were now full-time on Zenobia’s detail, and planned to stay at the house. If anything jumped off, he had no doubt they’d wake him.

  Turning slightly, Angelo looked at Zenobia. She was no longer in his arms but still laying close to him. As he stared down at her, his heart swelled. Somehow this sweetheart of a woman had gotten under his skin. She had him thinking about changing their fake relationship to something real.

  How crazy was that?

  How was it possible that he had fallen for her so quickly? He couldn’t explain it. All he knew was that she was important to him. In his mind, she was already his. Which was even crazier. There was just something about her that touched him deeper than any woman ever had. Angelo might not know everything about Zenobia, but he would one day. Until then, he would hang onto their powerful connection and see where it took them.

  Reaching back, Angelo turned off the lamp and snuggled up with Zenobia. He threaded his fingers through her hair, pushing some of the strands away from her face. She was so beautiful and seemed so small and fragile.

  He could’ve lost her tonight. Lost her to some unknown enemy for some unknown reason. It would’ve gutted him, not only to have lost her, but to have failed h
er.

  Laying there with her felt like a new beginning. A second chance to get to know her on a different level. Not as a bodyguard boyfriend, as she often called him. Or as an assignment.

  Angelo wanted Zenobia in his life. All of her. Even if he didn’t know where their relationship would lead.

  He snuggled closer as thoughts circled his mind.

  Could he trust her with his heart?

  *

  When Angelo woke again, he lifted his head off the pillow, only to turn and find Zenobia staring at him. She was propped up on her elbow, looking deep in thought.

  He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and blinked several times. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. I was just wondering if you always woke up with an erection.”

  Well…dang. Wasn’t expecting that.

  Angelo dropped his head back onto the pillow and covered his eyes with his forearm. “Yeah, I do when I’m dreaming about the most beautiful woman in the world,” he mumbled. He was too exhausted for conversation, and the last thing he wanted to discuss was his shaft unless he was putting it to good use.

  Normally he slept in the nude, so his erection pressing firmly against his boxer briefs wasn’t the most comfortable. Even worse, now that he knew she was staring at his junk, it was going to take some time to get his body under control.

  “I’m not sure how I feel about you dreaming about other women while you’re in my bed.”

  He lifted his arm slightly and turned his head to look at her, trying to determine if she was serious. “Sweetheart, you’re the only woman who has occupied my mind and controlled my body since the day we met. Trust me. I don’t have the capacity to think about anyone else. Only you.”

  She studied him for a moment. A slow smile crept across her tempting mouth until it blossomed into a full-blown grin. Was she really surprised by his response? Surely, she realized by now that he was totally wrapped up in her, but… Maybe she didn’t know.

  “If that’s the case, maybe we should do something about your um…predicament.” Without another word, she straddled his body, shocking the hell out of him. “I’m up for a ride. If you’re game.”

  Angelo gritted his teeth and gripped her hips when she started moving on top of him, only making him harder. “Babe,” he said on a moan. Damn, she felt good and perfect on top of him. “Zenobia, I have used every bit of restraint I have to remain professional. If you keep moving like that, I won’t be responsible for my actions.”

  She stopped and planted her hands firmly on his bare chest. “Aren’t you tired of being responsible? We could’ve died last night. I don’t know who’s after me. If something happens, and I don’t come out of this mess alive, I at least want to die with my sexual needs fulfilled.”

  With lightning speed, Angelo flipped her onto her back. Her eyes went wide and her mouth hung open as her nails dug into his forearm. He hadn’t intended to frighten her, but he needed to get a couple of things straight.

  “First of all, I’m going to keep you safe,” Angelo said with more force than intended. He didn’t know if she’d been kidding or not, but he couldn’t have her thinking that she was going to die. “I’ll give my life before I let anything happen to you. Do you hear me?” She gave a jerky nod. “Secondly, I want nothing more than to be buried balls deep inside of you. But, sweetheart, once we go down that road, there’s no turning back. One time with you will never be enough for me.”

  Silence fell between them as they stared each other down. Propped up on his hands on either side of her head, Angelo was positioned between her legs. The only thing keeping him from sliding into her sweet heat was his underwear and the itty-bitty shorts she wore. All she had to do was give him the go-ahead and he’d make sure they were both sexually satisfied.

  “What does that mean?”

  “What does what mean?” he asked.

  “There’s no turning back. One time will never be enough. What exactly are you saying?”

  Yeah, what was he saying?

  He was stepping into new territory here and had already broken a few of his professional rules. As a matter of fact, he was about to obliterate the don’t-get-involved-with-clients rule.

  “No more pretending to be your man. Not that I was doing much pretending, but I want to make this, whatever this is between us, official. I want to date you.”

  Last night, between the crash and their hospital visit, something shifted inside him. Every fiber in his body had been honed into her. He had already acknowledged to himself that she was more than just an assignment. But there was nothing like almost losing someone to make you wake up and realize how short life was.

  Her brows rose to meet her hairline. “Are you serious? You want to date…me? I thought you weren’t relationship material. That you weren’t the long-term commitment type of guy. What changed?”

  He wasn’t sure. All he knew was that he couldn’t stop thinking about her. There was no question that she was a beautiful woman, and he’d had his share of gorgeous women. With her, though, everything felt different. She was different. Sweet, edgy, and a little stubborn. She challenged him. Turned him on, and sometimes irritated the hell out of him. He liked her. More than he thought possible.

  “You sang to me,” he finally said. “I can’t imagine my life without you.”

  “Be serious.” She bumped his arm and knocked him off balance. He settled on the bed next to her.

  Angelo could admit that his words sounded cheesy even to his own ears, but he meant them. Sometime between saving her from the attempted kidnapping well over a week ago until now, he’d fallen for her.

  “Don’t play me, Angelo. I’ve been used, abused, and betrayed too many times. Please don’t play with my emotions.”

  Used? Abused? Betrayed?

  What the hell? Each day she shared a little more about herself, but abused? He wanted to dig deeper into her painful past, but he also wanted her to open up to him in her own time.

  Leaning on his elbow, Angelo stared down at her and brushed a strand of hair out of her face. His heart flipped inside his chest at the vulnerability in her hazel-brown eyes.

  Now this was the woman he had fallen for. A fighter, but sweet. A thief, but kind. A celebrity, but real. The woman, who without trying, had gotten under his skin.

  Angelo brushed a light kiss on her lips. “I would never intentionally hurt you, and I am very serious about us dating. I like you. A lot. I want to get to know you better on a personal level and see where this relationship takes us. So, what do you say?”

  After a slight hesitation, her smile was back. “I say I think I’m going to like having you as my boyfriend, but what exactly does that entail? Any special perks?”

  Now he was the one grinning. “Oh yeah. I can think of a few right off the top of my head, but I can show you those better than I can tell you about them. As for what it’ll be like dating me, I can promise you weekly dates, home-cooked meals, and a whole lotta kissing. Only thing is, you have to promise to do something for me.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “And what’s that?”

  His first thought was to tell her she had to be honest with him, but after last night, he wanted to keep the moment light. He also knew in time she would learn to trust him with her deepest, darkest secret.

  Instead of saying all of that, he said, “You have to promise to sing to me every day.”

  She nodded. “I can do that. If you also promise to serenade me daily.” She ran the tip of her finger down his chest. A shiver scurried over his skin, and Angelo sucked in a breath. Her touch on his body wielded more power than she probably realized. He covered her hand with his, then brought the back of her fingers to his mouth.

  “Deal.”

  “I think we’re going to have a good time together. Especially when we figure out who’s after me.”

  Angelo sighed, hating that this crap she was involved in was hanging over their head. He couldn’t wait to get his hands on the person or people involved. It was only a matter o
f time before they zeroed in on them. Until then, he would do everything in his power to take Zenobia’s mind off of the situation. At least for a while.

  He lowered his head and covered her mouth with his, kissing her with a hunger that left no doubt to what he wanted them to do next. Their tongues tangled to a rhythm that was quickly becoming their own. She was his, and he planned to treasure every moment they had together.

  When they finally came up for air, Zenobia ran her soft hand over the scruff on his cheek. “In case you hadn’t figured it out, I like you, too. A lot.”

  “Good to know.” Angelo recaptured her lips, devouring her sweetness as he slid his hand down the center of her body. Wanting to take his time, but also wanting like crazy to be buried inside of her.

  Easing his mouth from Zenobia’s, they worked together to relieve her of her shirt and shorts. The only thing left: a pair of red lace panties.

  “Damn, baby.” Those were the only words he could form to describe her shapely mouth-watering curves. The sexy underwear only enhanced the already perfect package.

  He was a breast man, and that’s where his gaze lingered the longest. She was more than a handful. Just the way he liked. His hand slid down the valley between her breasts and moved over her flat stomach until he reached the V between her thighs. Zenobia arched into his touch when he palmed her lace-covered center.

  “Angelo,” she breathed. Her eyes were closed and her arm was around his back. Her cold hand on his skin felt amazing and did nothing to snuff out the fire building within him. But he sucked in a breath when she bumped against the bruise on his side.

  Zenobia froze and her eyes popped open. “Oh, my God. I’m sorry,” she said in a rush and started to lift up.

  He urged her back down when he covered her mouth with his. “Nothing to be sorry about,” he mumbled against her lips. He’d had plenty of bumps, bruises, and broken bones over the years. In comparison, this one was only a scratch. He sure as hell wouldn’t let it stop him from giving them both what they wanted and needed.

  Releasing Zenobia’s mouth, Angelo placed kisses along her jawline, her neck and continued his way down until his lips tasted her beautiful breasts. Unable to hold back, he cupped one of her mounds and lightly flicked his thumb back and forth across her pert nipple. Zenobia whimpered his name and squirmed beneath him, only making him want to experience more of her.