Independence: #2 Angel (2 page)

“Then she intended to explore,” Colin continued.

“I don’t think she’s…”

“You don’t think she’s a sub?” Gabriel asked.

“I…I don’t know how to tell that,” Bailey answered honestly. “I know that she has a very thick wall around her,” she sighed, knowing she was well past friendship boundaries. “She loves to sing and she loves dancing and music. But watch how she dances.”

Both men looked where she had been sitting, their eyes shifting to the dance floor. She knew the song; she knew the words and they could see her singing as she danced. But every move her partner made to touch her was met with a single raised and wagging finger and a very stern expression.

“No one’s allowed to touch,” Bailey said softly. “It took Patsy and me several months before we could get her to accept hugs without fear in her face. Her family isn’t like any I’ve ever been around. They don’t touch and she grew up that way because the only time she was touched was verbally or…or in anger. Those hurts don’t go away,” she said softly, her palm touching the small scar on her upper ribcage.

“You know what a Dom’s task is, Bailey,” Gabriel began tenderly, his lips brushing the top of her head. “Colin would never do anything to hurt her.” He stopped, something registering in his mind. “You and Patsy helped her move into your apartment last week. But you wanted it kept in your name. Why, pet?”

“She’s never going to trust me again,” Bailey shook her head, angry at herself. But…if…just maybe…Colin could help her, give her that peaceful place for just a few minutes…

“What happened, Bailey?” Gabriel hardened his voice intentionally, the velvet iron tone holding her focus. That odd tingling swept along his spine. The one that said his sub was keeping something to herself that would anger him.

“Her father summoned her about six months ago. He does that every couple months just to…I think, just to assert the control he has over her. She never wants to go and even tells them no. Angel stays away from them. All of them. But he sends one of her brothers. They’re big. And not very nice. I went with her…actually, I followed in my car. I was there when Andrew came for her and forced her into his car to take to the family gathering,” she said the last word with every ounce of venom in her. “She was so bruised…”

“You followed her?” Gabriel felt the anger rising in him at the scenario she was creating.

“I was going to rescue her,” she said without regret, the strength in her voice making him wince. “Andrew dragged her from the car and I came up behind them. Believe me, when they have witnesses, all of a sudden people turn nice. For a little while,” she added hastily, rushing on before Gabriel could ask questions. “Anyway, her father wanted her there to meet a man. A friend he said, from some other church in the Midwest,” she shrugged. “That’s what he told us, but I’m not sure I believed him. He felt Angel should be settled and that he wanted her to accept this man.”

“Does he have a name, pet?” Gabriel asked the question he saw on Colin’s lips.

“Earl Leonard,” Bailey answered quickly. “He…he’s big and mean. Very cruel. You can see it in the way he looks at you. She told her father she wasn’t interested in marrying again and tried to walk away with me,” she shuddered at the memory. “I should have…I saw her father nod at Earl and he grabbed her by the…he grabbed her arms and forced them behind her.”

“What happened, Bailey?” Gabriel felt a cold chill sweep through him.

“I heard Angel scream in pain and…and reacted,” she said with a slight wince. Thick lashes closed over her eyes when Gabriel’s palm forced her chin up. She sighed. “There were big, heavy empty trays on the picnic table where we were standing. I picked one up and hit him in the back of the head as hard as I could. He released her and fell to the ground. I threw the rest of them at people like Frisbees, grabbed Angel and we ran for the car. We got out of there but…” her head shook, her eyes filling with tears. “He knows where her shop is and he knew where she lived.”

“Has he hurt her?” Gabriel asked firmly and still saw the avoidance in her eyes.

“I don’t know why her father wants her to marry him, it’s probably something stupid like it will save her soul or something,” Bailey rambled, her head shaking at the memories. “He’s hurt her,” she whispered, fear racing through her as the memory replayed itself. “Leonard is vicious…cruel…”

“Has he found her again, Bailey?” Colin pressed with all the firmness in his naturally dominant self. “How did he hurt her?”

“Twice,” her voice shook. “He found her twice. I barely…she was hurt so bad…I got her to the hospital and we filed a police report. They found him, but her father claimed she lied,” Bailey shook with anger. “They lied to cover for him and the police believed them instead of her. The second time…he only hit us a couple times before Patsy showed up with a friend of hers and…”

“He struck you?” Gabriel voice dropped several levels and he felt his blood begin to boil.

“We were at her old apartment waiting on Patsy to go to the movies. Her friend was dropping her off, only she knew the car wasn’t supposed to be there and Carl came up with her,” Bailey sipped the water in her hands. “He lifts weights and is very large. He threw Earl out of the apartment. That was about two weeks before Halloween. We haven’t seen him since. That’s why she moved. My apartment has better doors and security.”

Bailey didn’t look up until the silence stretched into several minutes. She really didn’t like the dark expression on Gabriel’s face. The thoughtful look on Colin’s face worried her more. But what if she was wrong? What if Angel had a chance for something like she shared with Gabriel and she missed it?

“Please, Sir, I don’t want to see my friend hurt more,” she finally said with a bit of firm back in her voice.

“Do you believe Colin would harm your friend?”

“I believe it would hurt Angel to be mean enough to drive him off,” she answered immediately, keeping her gaze from them both to avoid doubting herself. “Angel refuses to allow anyone into her life because of what might happen to them. She’s…she’s been pushing me and Patsy away since this happened, Sir. You don’t understand,” she finished raggedly.

“I understand fear and I understand your friendship is valuable to you,” Colin told her quietly, his palm over to tip her chin up. “I also understand bullies. Can you trust me to help her?”

“She says the last thing anyone needs in their life is a friend with baggage,” Bailey said softly, peering into a pair of compassionate dark eyes, unable to stop the moisture forming. “She was married before. For five months. Just before she turned eighteen. Her father said she asked for it. She went to a party and had too much to drink...from her description of how she felt, I think he put something in her drink. He forced her to have sex with him and she got pregnant. She lost the baby at two months and the family of the boy forced through an annulment because Angel threatened to kill him if he touched her again. You don’t understand,” she repeated again, not fighting it when Gabriel gathered her against his chest. “You’re different. You have compassion and consideration…”

“She’s been through a lot,” Collin said calmly.

“I think Colin is a big boy and can handle himself, pet. And I also believe your friend deserves a chance to see a different side of life than she’s been handed,” Gabriel continued stroking his palm down the back of her head. He felt her head rock back and forth and kissed her lightly. “Bailey, we will have one thing absolutely clear,” he didn’t wait for her to move, but took her shoulders in his hands and lifted until they were nose to nose. “Any indication that the bastard is near, and I want an immediate call. Do you have his photo?”

“Patsy does,” she answered instantly. “She snapped pictures with her phone and we…we gave them to the police.”

“Well, we have a friend in the department now. I want them and I’ll be in touch with Lieutenant Templeton on Monday,” Gabriel told her firmly, accepting her nod before lowering her to the floor.

“She looks Native American,” Colin said thoughtfully. “With the exception of the pixie haircut.”

“Her mother was Native American. She died when Angel was born. She’d left her husband, but he found Angel and took her from her grandparents. He said she’d been too puny to bear him strong healthy sons so he married the woman who is her step-mother.” Bailey stiffened her shoulders when she heard her own voice quake. “She cut her hair because he…the man her father wants her with…he grabbed and told her it…it would make an excellent handle for when…when he fucked her,” she whispered at the memory.

“You were there?” Gabriel ground his teeth at the shudder racing through her and held her closer.

“Yes. It was right before Patsy’s friend got there and twisted his arm behind him and threw him out of her apartment. I wasn’t very much use…should have kept a baseball bat with me,” she said with a watery smile.

“Thank you, Bailey,” Colin leaned in and kissed her forehead. “I will do my very best to avoid her arrows.”

“Why?” She blurted the one word question that seemed to baffle the men. “Why her? There are so many girls…women…here who look at you both like the first present on the Christmas tree and you targeted her.”

“She asked the same questions when I…targeted…her,” Gabe told him with a low chuckle.

Colin’s laughter joined Gabriel’s, his head shaking slowly. “I honestly don’t have an answer to that one. Something pulled at me when I watched her at your house that first time,” he shrugged and drained the bottle of ale before sliding it down the bar toward Reed. “I might just be having a mid-life crisis moment.”

“At thirty-five?” Gabriel chuckled. “Good luck. I think I have a few things to introduce my little sub to. She deserves a reward for being honest and brave enough to share with us,” he winked at the suddenly drawn in breath, his hand taking hers and towing her off to the curving stairwell and the second floor.

Colin had been watching Angel dance off and on; various younger men and various songs. Never a slow song and never were they allowed to touch. One time when one ignored her and used his hands to skim down her ribs to her hips, she stepped back and walked from the floor, ignoring his calls to return. She flipped him off and kept walking to her quiet corner. When he followed, she caught the attention of a monitor and had him removed. So the lady knew the rules and how to use them when she needed to.

A very good sign.

Then he saw the tears slide down her cheek.

Chapter Two

She wasn’t sure why she was there.

Not really. Illusions and make believe were the first things that came to mind.

A diversion, she thought with a sigh. Someplace new to hide, the little girl in her whispered. The music was just loud enough, just buoyant enough to occupy some of her thoughts. She’d made the decision that she no longer was going to run. She’d fight back the best she could and if she failed… The important thing was keeping her friends safe. Keep them away from her family and Earl.

“Why the tears, pet?”

Angel looked from the offered white handkerchief to the soft smile on the face of the man she blinked up at. She recognized him. Or at least, she was positive she’d seen him before.

Surprise was in her eyes when her palm touched the stream of water coming from the corner of her eyes. Her head shook, her expression unchanged.

“Thank you. Must be a leaky ceiling,” she flicked her eyes upwards and shrugged, her attention back on the dance floor. She’d trapped enough details of him in that single look. His hair was dark blond and he had disturbingly dark blue eyes that saw too much. He was tall. Big, she corrected herself. His clothing followed the lines of his body the way a lover would hug him.

“That’s one I hadn’t heard before,” he said with a laugh.

“Glad I could improve your mood.”

“So you don’t like talking about crying?”

“Big girls don’t cry,” she answered without taking her eyes from the dancers. Certainly was a costume for every occasion, she thought, seeking a distraction from the strength in the man too close to her. “I’m sure it’s a law somewhere.”

“We’d never get any work done at the prosecuting attorney’s office if that was the case,” he replied casually, sinking to the wide cushioned bench and resting his elbows on his parted knees. “Crying isn’t so bad. You can purge a lot of pain that way. And there are always happy tears to be spent.” Colin decided he was definitely losing his edge.

Angel continued to stare straight ahead, not a muscle moved on her face.

Time for another track. “Would you like a tour?”

Angel took her gaze from the large dance floor and looked him over. He was close, she decided, too close and she shifted slightly to the side, giving him a much longer appraisal. Hair that looked not quite a dark blond shade and in multiple layers that fell over his ears and across a high forehead. Weren’t lawyers supposed to have short military style cuts?

Blue eyes and yep, pale lashes. He didn’t look bulky, more lean with an oval face and square chin. Nice lower lip, she thought absently, the corner of his mouth a little tilted while he patiently waited for her response. But since her intent was to piss him off and make him leave her alone, she continued her inventory.

A soft looking leather vest in a caramel tone that was actually kind of nice. A plain, dark tee shirt and a pair of dark chocolate leather pants. That had to be cold to wear outside, she thought with a tiny frown.

“I have a heavy coat for the outside,” Colin said as if reading her mind, the grin that had been on his face moving to his voice. He liked her voice. She hadn’t said much, but it was low and naturally husky. “Have I passed your inspection?”

She wasn’t sure why she continued to stare at him, taking in the small collection of half inch scars at the side of his jaw and onto his throat just beneath his left ear.

“I’m not very good company.”

“But you’re considering my offer of a tour?”

Finally her eyes returned to the name plate that she guessed was stuck on because no one serious about their leather would put pin holes in it.

“You work here?” She finally asked, turning her attention back to the dance floor. Colin was the name on the plate. But she knew she’d seen him before somewhere. Again, though, people come into the bakery from all over the place. Not so much during winter, but in summer… Bailey’s house, she realized with a slight jolt.