She trembled in Micah’s grip, and he loosened his hold. His gaze dropped over her arm to make sure there were no marks from his fingers. He’d done enough damage for one night. Now he just wanted to get her out of this place as fast as humanly possible.
“Do you know Micah, Angelina?” Damon asked, his expression skeptical. “You don’t have to go with him, friend of mine or not. My first responsibility is to my members here. I wouldn’t allow any woman to be manhandled as Micah has done you.”
“Member?” Micah bit out. “Are you telling me Angelina is a goddamn member?”
He looked to her for confirmation, but she wouldn’t look at him. She was staring at Damon, her expression calm.
“I know him,” she said simply. “He won’t hurt me. He’s angry because he doesn’t understand.”
“Understand?” His head was going to explode. “I understand that I’m getting you the hell out of this place, and under no circumstances are you to ever set foot in here again.” He glared at Damon as he said the last. “And I expect you to see to it.”
“What’s going on here?” Damon demanded. “This isn’t like you, Micah. I won’t let you walk out of here until one of you provides me with an acceptable explanation.”
“She’s David’s sister!”
Damon’s eyes flickered as understanding dawned. “I see.”
Micah made a sound of disgust. “No, you don’t see. Christ, Damon, you’re letting teenagers in here now?”
Angelina turned to him, one finely arched eyebrow creeping upward. “I’m twenty-three years old, Micah. Hardly a teenager. Certainly not in need of a babysitter, though you seem keen to sign up for the job.”
He stared back at her in disbelief. Confusion jacked through his mind like a buzz saw. Twenty-three? How had she gotten from a sixteen-year-old to a woman of twenty-three? Had it really been so long? How could he have lost so many years?
“At least let her dress,” Damon said quietly. “There’s no need to take her out like this. I’ll send Maverick up for her clothing.” Then he glanced at Angelina. “Do you want to leave with him, Angelina? I’ll be more than happy to provide a ride home for you. I can arrange for one of my men to take your car home.”
“She’s leaving with me,” Micah growled. “Now, if we can dispense with the chitchat, I’d like us to be on our way.”
Damon motioned for Maverick to go upstairs to retrieve her clothes, and then he reached for Angelina’s hand.
“You can change in there,” he said, pointing to one of the rooms a few feet away.
She looked expectantly toward Micah and then dropped her gaze pointedly to his hand on her arm. Grudgingly he let it fall away.
As Damon opened the door, Maverick appeared holding Angelina’s clothes. Clutching the sheet tightly around her with one hand, she took the jeans, shirt and shoes and disappeared into the room.
Damon immediately rounded on Micah. “I don’t care what your problems are in the future, don’t ever let something like this happen again.”
Micah ground his lips together and tried to hold his temper in check.
“I’m going to assume you had no idea who Angelina was when you gave her membership.”
Damon’s eyebrow went up. “There are a few things you need to remember, Micah. This is my club. You don’t vet my members. You don’t make the decisions. And you sure as hell don’t take advantage of your membership here. Angelina is an adult. She was reviewed just like any other person applying for membership here.”
“Did. You. Know. Who. She. Was?”
Damon sighed. “Of course not, Micah. How the hell would I? You’ve only told me cursory details of your friendship with David and the unique relationship you and David both shared with Hannah. I’m not even sure you ever told me what David’s last name was, so how on earth would I associate a beautiful young woman named Angelina Moyano with your past?”
Micah sighed. “You’re right. I’m sorry, man.”
He dragged a hand through his hair and shook his head in disbelief. He was still reeling from the shock of the whole fucking night.
Damon looked skeptically at him. “Can I trust you to see her home or do I need to take care of it?”
Micah scowled. “When the hell have I ever been a threat to a woman? She’s coming with me because she and I have a hell of a lot to discuss. Namely what she’s doing here in Houston, why she didn’t come to me before now, and what the fuck she’s doing here allowing men to see her naked, to touch her and mark her.”
He shook his head again, too furious to continue.
“Goddamn it, Damon. I was the one who flogged her. I lusted over her from the time I walked into that room. I kissed her, I touched her and then I marked her. I asked her to come home with me because I wanted to fuck her. And then the damn mask came off and I’m staring at David’s kid sister. David would roll over in his grave if he had any idea what I did.”
Damon’s mouth twisted in sympathy. “Try to remember she’s not the teenager you have set in your mind. She’s a woman now. A stunning woman who’s obviously in charge of her sexuality.”
Micah made a strangled sound that got stuck in his throat. It was all he could do not to childishly cover his ears and eyes.
“Fuck me.”
Damon laughed then clapped a hand on Micah’s shoulder.
The door opened and Angelina stepped into the hallway, her eyes hooded and wary as she stared back at Micah. As beautiful as she was naked, she looked just as gorgeous fully clothed. Her jeans rode low on her hips, hugging every curve all the way down. She wore a simple sleeveless tank that showed a hint of the outline of her nipples and fit her slim waist like a glove.
“So where are you taking me?” she asked.
The question was asked innocently enough, but there was still enough reserve in her expression that he knew she was uneasy.
He worked to remove his scowl, but he finally gave up. She needed to know just how stupid she’d been for coming in here, and he wasn’t in the mood to soothe any feathers he may have ruffled.
He grabbed her hand, irritated with the way her slight fingers curled trustingly around his.
“Where I’m taking you is home. My place. You and I are going to have a long talk.”
CHAPTER 3
Angelina glanced over at Micah as he roared into the parking lot of his apartment complex. Of course it wouldn’t have occurred to him to take her to where she was staying. He wanted to bawl her out on his turf.
She had to suppress a smile as he turned to her, his scowl still in place. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t expected stiff resistance. He was Micah after all, and it would take more than one night to make him see her as anything other than David’s little sister.
“Inside,” he directed as he opened his door.
Angelina reached for the handle and hopped out of his truck before he could come around to collect her. She met his gaze evenly, and his scowl deepened as he clasped her elbow and guided her toward the building.
At the door, he fumbled with the keys, shoved it open and herded her inside. He flipped the lights on, and she blinked as she glanced around.
The place looked so sterile and uninviting, as if no one really lived here. It reminded her of her own hotel room, where she lived out of a suitcase and never made herself at home.
It wasn’t the Micah she was used to. She’d spent a lot of happy hours at his, David’s and Hannah’s house. But then Hannah had made it that way.
Her mouth drooped, and she wiped at it in an attempt to remove the unhappiness that arose when she thought of David and Hannah.
Micah dropped his keys on the coffee table then spun her around to meet his gaze.
“Now suppose you tell me what the fuck is going on here, Angel.”
She smiled at his use of the nickname he’d given her. Butterflies danced in her stomach until she was left with a queasy sensation. How much to tell him? What was she supposed to say?