ANGEL'S WRATH by SK (SIN CITY HEAT) Page 4

  His thoughts turned again to Nikki. Until the stock was transferred into his company’s name, he decided he would pass his time by entertaining himself with her. She would make a very satisfying distraction until he was ready to proceed with the next phase of his plan, especially knowing she was involved with Jaxon Davidson.

  Angel got up from his chair as he heard the whirling of the fax machine. “About fuckin' time.”

  He waited until the pages had all been spit out before picking them up and taking them back to his desk. He gave a cursory glance at the general information he was already aware of: where she’d grown up, how many brothers and sisters she had, parents retired and living in Florida, etc. etc.

  Angel raised his eyebrow when he saw she’d graduated magna cum laude. Actually, she and Jaxon had attended the same Ivy League school. That's where they first became acquainted and developed a close friendship. After grad school, Jaxon of course took his rightful place at his family owned company, and brought Nicole along with him. DWC, along with several other Fortune 500 companies, had been courting her since her junior year. The moment she graduated, she'd become an employee of the corporation with a six figure starting salary.

  Angel wasn’t really surprised. Nicole had always been a smart, intelligent girl, a quality that was definitely a plus in his eyes. She was also very strong willed. Yes, Nikki was going to be a challenge but he was definitely up for the chase. Although he already knew what the outcome would be, he was going to enjoy getting to the destination.

  Angel continued his perusal of the report, slowly swiveling from side to side in the chair. Never been married, no children, numerous proposals, engaged once…he scanned towards the bottom.

  “Here we go,” he muttered to himself.

  Wes had put together a complete dossier on Nikki. Apparently, Davidson had been after her for a while to take their relationship further, according to several sources, but so far, Nikki hadn't given in. Angel put the papers on the desk in front of him and turned around in the chair to stare out the window again while his mind raced.

  Nikki had just unknowingly given him yet another weapon to use against the Davidsons. It wasn’t anything as important as the stocks he so desperately coveted, but it would personally bring him great pleasure to use this bit of information to his advantage.

  “Unbelievable how shit turns out,” he whispered to himself.

  Nikki rolled over on her side, praying for sleep to find her, but it wasn't happening no matter how hard she tried. This is ridiculous! She frowned. She had to get up extra early to prepare for an important meeting tomorrow. She needed to get some rest, but staring into the darkness, all she could see were a pair of green eyes staring back with an intense hunger. As hard as she tried, Nikki couldn't stop thinking about Angel.

  Sighing in frustration, she could see his face so clearly. She'd purposely pushed aside any thoughts of him in the last few days whenever her mind drifted towards him. Tonight, it looked like she wasn't going to be able to dismiss those thoughts so easily.

  What was the cause of the instantaneous attraction she’d felt when he first walked into the room? He was sinfully handsome, yes, had always been so, but then again, she'd met a lot of good looking men. Why was he different??

  Nikki had always had a case of serious hero worshipping when it came to him. He wasn't like her brother's other friends who acted like she was an irritating nuisance whenever her mother insisted Jacoby take her with him to play. Angelo has always been nice to her and very mature for his age. And his eyes. His eyes were still as mesmerizing as they’d always been. Along with that smile of his, Nikki along with every other girl in the neighborhood, had been in love with him.

  She couldn’t believe it when he’d offered to invest in DWC. What she’d told him had been the truth. The company had done a thorough background check on him and his finances. Nikki had been shocked when the results of the report showed that everything was legal and on the up and up. And when he’d walked into the restaurant…

  Nikki had been around men in corporate America for a long time, but none of them were like Angel. There was just something about him that demanded respect, a certain something she just couldn’t put her finger on. When he'd looked at her, there was no need for him to say a word. Nikki had been aware of him with every fiber of her being.

  Her thoughts turned to Jaxon. True, he was very attractive in his own right. Dark hair, emerald green eyes, and a body he kept in tip top shape, but as she had told Angel, it had always been a rule of hers to never mix business with pleasure, and she'd never broken it. Jax understood that and respected her for it, but it didn't stop him from trying every once in a while. They'd gone out for a drink a couple of times as friends, and she’d enjoyed herself, but the chemistry hadn't been there, even if she had entertained the thought of dating him. That spark was missing for her. But not when it came to Angel.

  At the meeting, he'd made no secret of the fact that he wanted her, but she refused to allow herself to even think about crossing the line. She instinctively knew that if she ever allowed this attraction between them to go further, she’d be lost. Still, she couldn’t stop herself from remembering his face, his body. Her hands cupped her breasts, lightly rubbing them and pinching her nipples. She moaned softly as she imagined his lips closing over her nipples, his tongue worshipping them.

  One hand squeezed and kneaded her breasts like twin loaves of dough, while the other one slowly wandered over her stomach and made its way between thighs. Her legs fell open to allow her fingers to slither down between the lips covering her sex.

  She was so wet, so…sensitive. Her fingers glided over her clit, lightly teasing the erect little nub and sighing as she felt jolts of pleasure going through her body like fireworks on the fourth of July. She imagined that her fingers were Angel’s, imagined him stroking her faster, applying pressure to her clitoris. Her hips moved in time with her fingers until she exploded into a million tiny pieces. Nikki turned her face into her pillow to stifle her low moans as her body shuddered to a climatic finish.

  Afterwards, she lay there, weak but more satisfied than she had been in a long time. The last thing she remembered before she drifted off to sleep was the sound of Angel’s name whispered softly from her lips.

  Chapter 6

  Angel and Carmen were on their way to a black tie fundraiser sponsored by Davidson World Corporation. He had received the invitation last week, but didn't decide to go until the last minute.

  Sitting in the back of the chauffeured luxury car, his eyes ran over Carmen. The front of the black couture gown she wore was cut almost to her navel. Strategic double sided tape kept it just short of being indecent. Her hair flowed down her back in a dark, glossy mane and her ears, neck and fingers were iced out, glittering in the darkness like lightning striking brilliantly in a black sky.

  “Did I tell you how gorgeous you look?”

  Carmen preened under Angel's attention. “Yes, you did papi. And you showed me even better. You were more insatiable than usual.”

  Angel smiled, offering no comment. He and Carmen had fucked earlier tonight, but Nikki had been on his mind the entire time. Even now, he had to work to control his body's reaction at the mere thought of seeing her tonight, had been anticipating it all day. His cell phone rang in the middle of a favorite fantasy he'd been having about her for the last couple of weeks. Pulling it out of his jacket pocket, he connected the call. “Yeah…”

  “Angel, it’s Samuel. We have a problem.”

  Angel's voice was sharp with frustration. “Then handle it. That’s what I pay you for.”

  The other man hesitated. He knew his boss had zero tolerance for bullshit, so he wasn’t looking forward to delivering this news to him. “Before I do, I just thought you’d want to know…it’s about Teddy.”

  Angel frowned. Teddy was one of his lieutenants who’d been with him for a long time. “What about Teddy?”

  “We found out he’s been selling your weapons on the st
reet. Apparently, he’s been taking a few at a time which is why we didn't miss them right away.”

  Angel’s expression turned thunderous and his silence spoke volumes. Samuel nervously cleared his throat and continued. “We caught it before things got too out of hand, and estimate he made almost ten grand.”

  “How did you let it go that far? Hm? Weren't you taking inventory regularly…the way you were supposed to be doing?” Angel interrupted quietly.

  “I take full responsibility. I designated the job to someone and didn’t check up on him. I suspected it was going on a couple of weeks ago, but wanted to be sure before I accused him. Tonight, we have indisputable proof. We set him up and he took the bait.”

  Angel pulled the phone away from his ear for a moment then leaned his head back against the seat. He was furious for so many reasons, the main one being that Teddy’s greed had put him and his operation in serious jeopardy. Angel was meticulous when it came to every detail of his business. He had to be. One slip up could mean a life sentence. That’s all it took. Teddy selling guns on the street to God knows who could lead a trail straight back to him. Sighing, he brought his cell back to his ear.

  “Where is he now?” Angel’s voice was deadly quiet.

  “We have him here at the warehouse.”

  Angel was debating the situation in his mind. He had to make sure nothing had been compromised. “Find out what he knows. Find out every single person he sold a weapon to and get the information back to me before morning.”

  “What about Teddy?”

  Angel scowled at the phone. Did he have to tell him every fucking thing?

  “Samuel, it’s your mess! This is all because of your carelessness! Clean it the fuck up, or do I need to tell you how to do that too!” Angel was livid.

  “It’ll be taken care of. Angel…I’m sorry.”

  “I don’t wanna hear that shit! You just better pray those weapons didn’t get into the wrong hands or I swear to God, your ass will be ‘taken care of’ right along with Teddy’s!”

  After Angel ended the call, Carmen stared at him wordlessly. She knew better than to ask him about his business, so she just rested a soothing hand on his thigh. Angel closed his eyes, trying to will away the migraine he felt coming on. For the first time in a long while, he was tired. He was getting tired of constantly having to look over his shoulder, constantly having to analyze every single move he made….he was getting tired of this life period.

  Oscar was the only one who was aware of the fact that he’d been slowly trying to ease out, but it was so much harder to get out of the game than it was to get in…next to impossible. Situations like tonight didn’t get him any closer to making it happen. Whenever he thought he’d made progress and taken one tiny step towards legalizing his businesses, something always happened to push him ten giant steps back.

  Angel opened his eyes and looked out the window. His good mood was gone.

  Nikki looked around the room. As usual, the yearly event had a great turnout; she hadn’t expected anything less. She glanced across the room as Jax caught her eye and winked at her. She gave him a small smile before turning back and continuing the conversation she'd been having.

  Feeling someone staring, Nikki casually glanced around the room until she saw the reason for the prickling sensation that was running up and down her spine. Her eyes stopped as if they’d hit a brick wall when she saw a pair of hazel eyes staring intensely at her. Angel. She'd wondered if he would show up tonight.

  Nikki caught her breath at how handsome he looked. She recognized the cut and design of the tuxedo even from across the room. A Brioni. The Italian fashion house’s tailors had to each undergo a four year apprenticeship before they were allowed to work alone. The expensive tuxedos were meant to emphasize a man’s broad-shouldered narrow-waisted physique. Even though Nikki was privy to the working class neighborhood Angel had grown up in, he wore the tuxedo as effortlessly and with as much confidence as any man there.

  “Nicole…Nicole?”

  Nikki shook her head a little to break the connection between herself and Angel as she turned back to the group she'd been talking to. However, if she had to repeat the conversation, she wouldn’t have known where to begin. All she could think about was how she’d pleasured herself with thoughts of Angel for the last few nights. She was mortified, as if he would be able to tell just by looking at her. Feeling slightly discombobulated, Nikki excused herself and headed outside to the patio to get some air and pull herself together.

  Angel followed her with his eyes, taking in how beautiful she was. Unlike Carmen, whose dress was purposely provocative, Nikki managed to look sexy yet classy all at the same time. She revealed just enough skin to make him want to peel the dress away from her body in order to see what was underneath.

  Keeping his eyes fastened onto her as she stepped outside, Angel leaned down to whisper in Carmen’s ear. “Go and get something to drink. I’ll be right back.” He left without waiting on a reply.

  As he stepped out into the night, he saw Nikki standing with her back to the door gazing up at a sky full of twinkling stars. Angel stood there staring at her body, sweeping his eyes from her neck, to the smooth skin of her back, to her generous derriere.

  “Penny for your thoughts.” He noticed how her body stiffened at the sound of his voice before she turned to face him.

  “Oh, they’re much more valuable than a penny,” she told him in a light voice which had a slight tremor. Seeing him up close, her eyes ran over him voraciously. She didn’t realize the hunger she felt was reflected in her eyes…but Angel saw it.

  “I agree.” He took the couple of steps needed to bring him within inches of her until the heat from his body wrapped around hers like a warm, protective cocoon. “Give me a chance; I’d like to offer you more...much more.”

  You already do, Nikki thought to herself, but there was no way she’d ever let Angel know he’d become a familiar face in her fantasies at night. She raised an eyebrow and she tried to look unaffected by his nearness. “I’m sure you would, but like I told you, I never mix business with pleasure.”

  The corner of Angel’s mouth lifted. “It would most definitely be pleasurable, but I have to say, I don’t buy the stance you’ve taken about not mixing the two.”

  Nikki blinked. “And why not?”

  “Are you or are you not sleeping with your boss?” He hadn't meant to ask her that, but since the question slipped out he was curious as to what her answer would be.

  Nikki's lips parted in surprise before her eyes closed into thin slits of anger. “That's really none of your business, is it? If you’ll excuse me, I’d better get back inside.”

  She tried to step around Angel, but he quickly reached his arm out and wrapped it around her waist. As their bodies came into contact, his head jerked back as if he’d been hit in the gut. An electric sensation of awareness like none he'd ever experienced ripped through him and went straight to his groin.

  Nikki’s breath became trapped in her throat as he pulled her closer. “Angel…don’t.”

  She instinctively placed her hands on his chest to push him away, knowing he felt her body trembling in response to being so near to him. With his face mere inches away from hers, Nikki closed her eyes. She couldn’t concentrate with him staring at her as if he had a powerful desire for something she wasn't willing to give.

  A low rumble came from Angel when he became aware of how the curves of her body meshed perfectly with his. Her soft, full breasts pressed against the hard wall of his chest and her soft middle lovingly cradled his throbbing rigidity. He muttered a curse under his breath, instantly aroused, and slid his hands from her waist to her hips, pulling her snugly against him.

  “Open your eyes,” he ordered in a hoarse voice. Nikki shook her head and bit her lip to stop the whimpers of excitement from escaping. She knew if she opened her eyes and looked into his, she would let him take her right here if he asked.

  Angel's voice softened. “Nikki, look
at me.”

  It was the surprisingly gentle tone that made her slowly open her eyes and bring him into focus. He held her gaze and lowered his mouth to hers for a taste, but just as he was set to feel her lips against his, a sharp voice called out his name.

  “Angelo!”

  Angel literally growled in irritation when he heard the jealousy in Carmen’s tone. Nikki looked at Carmen and quickly broke away from him, folding her arms self-consciously across her breasts. Her aroused nipples were clearly outlined through the material of the dress.

  His body thumping with unfulfilled need, Angel swiveled his head to glare at Carmen with eyes that were now the color of green ice, relaying his displeasure at her interruption. Carmen lowered her outraged gaze then defiantly lifted it to glower at Nikki.

  “Carmen. I’ll meet you inside.” He turned around to face Nikki.

  “I’ve been waiting for fifteen minutes already, Angelo.”

  “You'll wait an hour if you need to.” Angel never raised his voice and didn't bother to look at her, but Carmen heard the underlying impatience in his words. Nikki frowned at his tone and swung her attention from him to Carmen when the other woman did as she was told after shooting one last venomous glare at Nikki.

  “There’s no need to be so nasty, Angel. I was getting ready to go inside anyway.”

  Angel grabbed her wrist in a loose, but firm grip when she tried to walk around him. Nikki looked down at his hand then back up at him. When he didn’t release her, her voice turned decidedly frosty and stiff. “Let go of me.”

  Angel’s eyes narrowed. “We’re not finished here.”

  Nikki’s stare was frigid. “Oh, I think we are. I want you to let go of my wrist…now.”

  Angel’s eyes flickered like an unsteady flame, not used to having someone question his authority. Seeing that she wasn’t going to back down, he slowly uncurled his fingers from around her wrist.