“Are you seeing someone else?”
Angel bit her lip. “Only just recently.”
“I see. Who is it? How did you meet?”
“Kenneth, please. None of that matters. We both know that we used each other. We had fun, we had good sex when we both needed it, but that’s all it was. Be honest!”
“Still, if it weren’t for this other guy—”
“If it weren’t for him then nothing! We’d have nothing more than what we’ve had. I’ve been thinking about it for a few months, since before he was in the picture. Would you want me to lie and just go through the motions?”
Color flooded his face as her words sank in and his eyes bore into hers, finally. He shook his head and promptly changed the subject.
“I still don’t want you to mess with Swanson. Let us do our job in the D.A.’s office and stay out of it, Angel. If you don’t mind, I’m gonna take off.”
Wow. Either he was very hurt or he’d seen the relationship as she had—comfortable and convenient. Angel was stunned. It was like turning the last page of a novel that you enjoyed but weren’t dying for the sequel. It was over. No big deal.
“Yeah. So, I’ll call you after I get the second set of tests completed next week.”
Kenneth loosened his tie as he stood, leaning down to give her a lame attempt at a hug. “Be careful with that bastard, Angel. Just do the tests and leave it at that. Don’t take unnecessary risks to incriminate him. I mean it.” His free hand moved up to hold the back of her head as she kissed his cheek. “I still don’t want anything to happen to you, even if you don’t want to be with me.”
Angel hugged him back, choosing to ignore the last part of his comment. “Thank you for worrying about me. I’ll be careful.”
Blood rushed in Alex’s ears as he watched the blond man wrap his arms around the woman he now considered his possession, the heat from within causing a thin film of perspiration to break out on his forehead and his heart to race painfully.
What the fuck was happening to him?
Patty’s was loud, and he was unable to hear the conversation above the din, but Angel looked far from uncomfortable. She kissed his cheek before the man bent to speak into her ear while he threaded his fingers through her dark hair. She was beautiful. Her slender curves accented by the tight designer jeans, legs made longer by her animal-print pumps, full breasts being pressed to the other man’s chest. It was too fucking much.
The room exploded around them as Kenneth Gant’s hand slid down her back over the top of the sheer lace, over her skin. Alex ran a hand through his thick hair as he stopped dead in his tracks, unsure if he should turn around or stake his claim. The latter won as he resumed his beeline toward them.
“Good evening,” he stated coldly as he waited for them to acknowledge him. Angel pulled back from the embrace immediately at the sound of his voice and turned. She looked like a deer in headlights, but Alex soon turned his attention to the other man. Sliding his left arm possessively around Angel’s waist and pulling her close to his side, at the same time he extended his right hand. “I’m Alex Avery.” Kenneth’s mouth opened and then closed without uttering a sound. Alex was Alex. Outwardly confident, commanding, intimidating, even casually dressed in dark jeans and a crisp white V-necked T-shirt that showed a hint of the dark hair on his chest. He relaxed only slightly when Angel’s arm moved around him to return his embrace. “And, you are?”
“I’m Kenneth Gant. District Attorney,” Kenneth said, finally taking Alex’s proffered hand.
How gratifying for you, Alex thought.
“Yes, Angel mentioned that,” he returned, his eyes narrowing, sizing up the other man. “Sorry I’m late, honey.” He turned to capture her open mouth with his, daring her to deny him as he pulled her lower lip between his and then placed another small kiss on the corner. “Are you finished with your business?” he asked against her mouth, carefully pounding the last nail in Kenneth’s coffin. He wanted it clear that his own reasons for being with Angel were oh-so-personal. “I wanna play.”
Alex was pissing her off. He knew it and he didn’t care. He couldn’t help it, even if he’d wanted to; the lack of control was infuriating. He should be cool and calm, not giving a shit one way or the other. But, that wasn’t happening in this instance.
She scowled at him and stiffened in his arms, defiance jutting out her chin. His own arm tightened as he silently dared her to say she didn’t want to convey the same goddamned message to everyone in that bar. We are together. End of fucking story.
After a little more uncomfortable small talk, Kenneth left the two of them alone, and Angel plopped down on the stool and crossed her arms. “What the hell was that? Why didn’t you just pee on me?”
Alex’s lip twitched, but this voice was still hard. “Don’t tempt me. We’ll discuss this in the car.” He pulled out his phone and hit a speed-dial. “We’re ready. Be in front in five.” Long fingers wrapped around her forearm and slid down to her hand. “Come on. We’re leaving.”
“No.” She jerked her hand free of his, her eyes defiant.
“What did you say?” Green fire burned over her face, his expression blasé.
Fuck him! How dare he think he could order her around? “I said. N. O. Is English your second language?”
Alex’s temper was boiling, and the muscle in his jaw twitched impatiently. “Hilarious. Let’s go.”
“You didn’t have to be such a jealous prick to him, Alex! He’s a nice guy. We were talking about the case!”
Anger constricted his chest and heat flamed under his skin. Did she just call me jealous? What the hell do I have to be jealous of?
“Yes, I saw you talking. Now, let’s go! I’m not getting into this here.”
“Well, maybe I don’t want to get into this at all!” She felt like a little brat having a tantrum, but goddamn him! Who did he think he was? She jumped up from the table and started to storm out of the bar.
Alex followed right behind, amused at the looks being shot in their direction. He didn’t give a shit. The end result was what he wanted—her on the fucking sidewalk. Charles was there waiting in the valet lane, the back door to the black limo open and waiting for them, but Angel walked past it, put two fingers between her lips, and whistled loudly, clearly hailing a cab. Alex quickly grabbed her arm, and she reacted by smacking him hard with her purse.
He smiled slyly, her show of anger somehow comforting him. “Come on. Get in the limo, Angel.” His amusement only infuriated her further.
“Fuck you, Alex!”
“Okay, if that’s what you want.” He said the same words that he did on the day he met her, his tone softening, his anger fading. She was so beautiful in her rage; it almost hurt. Hair flying in the breeze, her cheeks were flushed, breasts heaving, and eyes glistening in angry frustration. “But you have to come first.”
“Oh, shut up!”
He sighed, his mouth returning back into an angry line. “I know you want to be with me tonight, so stop fighting it. Get in the goddamned car, Angel!” He waited ten seconds before taking matters into his own hands.
“You are the most infuriating man I’ve ever—oof!” She lost her breath as Alex hoisted her over his shoulder in the middle of the busy Chicago night and moved effortlessly toward the car.
“Lover’s spat.” He flashed a smile at a group of people on the sidewalk who stopped to gawk, acting like it was nothing out of the ordinary as he deposited her in the car like a sack of potatoes and followed her inside.
Angel scrambled away from him as he closed the door, and Martin pulled the car from the curb. Alex sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “Go to the house, please, Martin.”