Independence: #2 Angel (8 page)

She was sure she had more to say. A lot more and she knew the words were in her brain. She’d practiced the speech for the last week. Up until his hand gripped the nape of her neck and tipped her head back. She saw him moving closer but it was kind of a really fast blur and then it was like kissing a cloud.

It wasn’t a hard demand. It wasn’t what she’d been prepared for.

His mouth moved softly, seductively from one corner to the other and his free hand went to her waist, not giving her room to move out of his grasp. He tasted the cookies and sugar and more on her lips, his tongue delving between them and stroking along hers. A tiny mewl broke from deep in her throat when she tried to move and found her arms trapped down her sides.

Colin knew this had not been his intent. He didn’t intend to get totally lost in the taste of Angelica Morehouse in the middle of her kitchen on a busy Saturday morning. He had intended to make certain she was alright. Safe. He’d checked up on her the night she fled the club and had felt like a stalker, watching from the street outside her apartment building.

Then he saw the pure joy on her face and heard her laughter and it was as if none of the things she’d told him about, had ever happened to her. That there was a safe place for her to go where she could conquer the words that wouldn’t leave her alone.

He withdrew just enough to trace a slow line around her lower lip before tugging it gently between his teeth. She didn’t protest the touch or the kiss. The passion she returned sent twinges of hope through him. He’d dreamt of kissing her, something that had never invaded his unconscious before and something the far surpassed what his imagination had conjured.

“I want you to come back to the club tonight, Angelica.”

“I don’t want to make you angry.”

“And I want to teach you there’s a vast difference between the power and control of ego and abuse versus the nurturing and compassion the flows between a dominant and his sub,” Colin stared down into her eyes. “Come to the club tonight. Please. For me.”

The patience and honesty she saw in his face decided her response.

“Yes, Sir,” Angel said firmly.

His hands moved to her shoulders, turning them gently until her back was against his chest.

“Don’t move,” he pulled the case from his pocket and opened it with one hand. He lifted the silver braided half inch band with the special addition he’d found at the jewelers before coming to her bakery. The angel was inlaid in cloisonné colors of pink, blue and gold with delicate wings and a soft halo of silver above her head. He fastened the collar and again gripped her shoulders, leading her forward to the mirror that was hung on the wall next to what he guessed was her office.

She felt the cool, slim line being placed on her neck, her hand rose automatically, only to be gripped in his and lowered to her side as they walked. Until he stopped before the mirror and released her fingers.

“Colin…I can’t accept this…” but her fingers rose to touch the delicate looking angel that dangled from the center and she saw them shaking. Presents. She’d never received a gift from a man before.

Lunches in college and the occasional flower. She’d never stayed with anyone for more than friendship. When they began wanting more, she became very, very busy. Viewing the displeasure and frustration in their faces when she worked to avoid their advances hurt more than they could possibly imagine.

“My initials are on the back of the angel,” he said quietly, very aware of the people coming and going in the large, busy kitchen. He could see them trying not to stare and smiled to himself.

“Why?” The word whispered out and only the two of them heard it.

“I don’t know,” Colin wanted honesty and had to share the same with her. “I just know it feels right. We’re more than what we are in the bedroom, Angel. And I want to explore that, too.”

Dark eyes met his in the mirror and then shifted to the dangling angel. She nodded.

“You’ll wear this all the time, except in the shower,” he winked at her in the mirror. “This and my cuffs at the club will let others know you are not available, Angel.”

“It’s beautiful,” she whispered.

“I don’t want you in jeans tonight, Angelica. I want you in a skirt and corset,” he watched her in the mirror, brows knit slightly. “You don’t have either of those?”

“I have a few dresses, but…I haven’t worn them in a long time.” She held perfectly still when his hands moved to her wrists and raised them above her head before sliding slowly down her body, stopping at her hips.

“What time do you close?”

“Three,” she slowly lowered her arms when he once more took her wrists, turned her to face him and brought them to his chest. “I’ll be here before three with the clothing you’ll wear tonight. Would you rather I meet you at your apartment?”

“I think that would be better,” Angel looked around. Her staff was accustomed to her taking the weekends off, so functioning while he was there didn’t have an effect on her customers. Only her. “I’m pretty sure my staff is in shock at the moment as it is,” she said with a sigh.

“They seem to be handling it well,” Colin teased, the little smile vanishing the next instant when one of the girls that he swore looked like she was all of sixteen, came running in from the front of the shop.

Theresa barely looked at him, her gaze on Angel.

“Your brother’s here…” she swallowed and looked over her shoulder. “Daria just saw him coming in from the parking lot while she was cleaning up the patio.”

“Thank you, Theresa. I’ll be right there,” Angel started moving forward, her hand suddenly going to her throat. “Oh, god, this…”

“Angelica, that collar does not leave your throat,” Colin knew his tone, his voice would break through the momentary panic and he wasn’t denied. He met her eyes without faltering. “Is that clear?”

“Yes, sir,” she whispered, though her eyes wandered to the arch that led to the customer area.

“You take care of your customers,” he shook his head when her mouth opened. “Let me help.”

“Colin, please…”

“Your customers, Angel. They are your concern. And how about getting me a really hot coffee and one of your large fruit pastries? I’m starving,” he let his palm slide to her waist, gently guiding her out of the kitchen to the larger area swarming with customers laden down with Christmas purchases. He liked the bright smiles on the faces of the four girls she had working for her even though he saw their gaze skitter to the large man just coming through the door. He spoke to her without taking his eyes off his adversary. “What’s his name, Angel?”

“Thomas,” she said quietly, looking up to meet his eyes and turning to fix his coffee. She felt the cold metal against her skin; a constant reminder that felt it as if it burned despite the chill sweeping through her. “If you find an empty table, I’ll bring your coffee out to you.”

“Thank you,” Colin stopped her only long enough to lean closer to kiss her in full view of everyone and anyone who chose to watch. He saw most people smile as he staked his claim. But the expression that filled the tall, dark blond haired man was far from happy.

Colin kept his gaze on Thomas Morehouse when he took a step back and just watched his half-sister. When he looked over at Colin, Colin tipped his head and held eye contact as he crossed the room and came to stand in front of him.

Everything pure dom shot through his system. Independence and arrogance from a past on the streets took up the remaining space.

He’d given brief consideration to extending his palm until he saw the obvious look of disapproval and open disgust on her step-brother’s face when he looked at Angelica.

Thomas Morehouse gave the man approaching him a passing look and moved to step aside only to find his move was matched, his path blocked. His scowl deepened.

“Excuse me,” he said without actually looking at Colin.

“I think you should go and leave Angelica to her business,” Colin responded, the silk in his voice holding all the strength the erotic fabric held and more.

“And you are?” Thomas stopped trying to move around the man, taking in the too long hair, tee shirt and casual jeans beneath the long leather coat.

“The one not allowing you to disrupt Angelica’s day,” Colin answered with a deceptive grin. The man was something out of a male high end clothing magazine, he noted. The wool coat alone would cost over twenty-five hundred dollars. Then there was the suit beneath the coat and the perfectly cut short hairstyle. Definitely money somewhere in his life. “I believe she’s asked you and your family to leave her alone.”

“I believe none of this is your business,” Thomas returned, taking in the stance with one arched eyebrow.

“There you’re very mistaken,” Colin shrugged lightly, looking deliberately at Angel as she came toward him with his coffee and pastry. It was impossible to miss the fear on her face or the stubborn mixture of emotions in her eyes. Her color was off and he knew she was pale because of this man’s presence. “Thanks, Angel,” he took the coffee in his left hand and tipped her chin up with his right. Before she could do more than tell him with her eyes that this was a really bad idea, he touched his mouth to hers, grazing gently from one end to the other and taking his time doing it.

“Your father expects you at service tomorrow by eight,” Thomas said between clenched teeth, the red tinting his face darkening when she shook her head. “It was not a request, sister.”

“No. I’m not part of that church or those people,” Angel started to turn away when he grabbed for her upper arm and squeezed tightly. She cried out, stumbling the next second when Colin did something to Thomas’ wrist.

His hand fell away with a curse that made several people look in their direction.

“Touch her again and I’ll not only break it, but you’ll have a lawsuit on your hands that will tie up you and your church until you’re old and grey,” Colin stepped between them, challenge in every part of his body language.

“You really believe you can keep this whore from us? We are her family. We are her salvation,” he announced righteously.

Colin clenched his free hand and handed the coffee to Angel. She took it without a question, her mouth opening to comment and snapping shut when Colin stepped forward and took her step-brother’s arm, twisting it behind him and shoving him forward, out the door and onto the concrete.

“Management reserves the right to refuse service,” Colin said flatly.

“You are making a serious mistake,” came the furious hiss, his eyes narrowed and cold. “You cannot keep us from our sister.”

Colin planted his feet firmly. Seriously wishing the man would make a move now that they were outside the shop.

“Don’t come back. Take this message to your father and any of the other sheep he sends to do his bidding,” Colin’s voice hardened ruthlessly. “There will be a restraining order brought against you and all members of your family. Including the man named Earl Leonard.”

“This isn’t your business. Her life belongs to her father to guide and control,” Thomas rubbed his wrist, more than anger in the glare he leveled on Colin.

“Her life belongs to her. Period.” Colin had long ago learned that arguing with this type was not only unpleasant but unproductive. “Have you ever looked at her as a sister in need of your protection? Do you even know her?”

“I will retrieve her in the morning,” Thomas answered flatly, turning and striding away, his hand pulling an expensive cell phone free before he reached his vehicle.

“Yeah, big waste of time,” Colin muttered, going back inside to the table he’d left. He was about to go find Angel when the waitress named Daria brought a tray up to stand beside him. He sat and thanked her.

“No, thank you,” she said quietly, carefully checking to see where Angel was. “They always hurt her and she won’t let us call the police.”

“He’s been here before?” Colin sipped the coffee and discovered it had been refreshed. He sighed gratefully.

Daria did the almost twenty-something half shrug. “Him or one of the others. She told us the first time it happened they’re her half-brothers. She’s always so sad after they come to see her.”

Colin angled his body and pulled his wallet free. He handed her his card.

“You get this number to the others, Daria,” he said softly. “If you even suspect there’s a problem with these people, you have them call me no matter what day or what time it is. And tell the others I’d like them to write down everything they can remember about the visits. I’m going to file restraining orders to start the process of making them leave her alone. Can you do that for me?”

“Yes, sir,” she answered instantly, sliding the card into her pocket and smiling at him. “I’ll talk to them when I can and get you the information. I have to get back to work. Thank you.”

Colin stayed long enough to finish the pastry and come to the conclusion that he’d definitely need to up the length of time on the track if he ate this on a regular basis. He stared down at the empty plate, finished the coffee and left a few dollars on the table before heading out on his shopping trip.

Chapter Seven

Angel watched him leave but wasn’t sure when her hands would stop shaking. The fury on Thomas’s face made her insides quake and she knew the story would now be spreading among her brothers and finally to her father and step-mother. The same feelings raced through her and it was only the stability of her shop that stopped her from bolting.

Here, she felt in charge. Here, she felt alive and creative. Her customers were well-fed and happy; her staff made her laugh and kept her mind occupied with the antics of the young college crowd.

Did that make her a coward?

She couldn’t think about it. Her staff knew their jobs very well. They also knew after a visit from one of her relatives, baking increased considerably. No one bothered her when she dragged down her thick binder and thumbed through the pages. Bowls, pans and containers came quickly from the shelves and still she fought the urge to just pack her car and vanish.

It made no sense, she thought two hours later. Why couldn’t they all just leave her alone? She didn’t need saving, she told herself, slamming things around the kitchen as she cleaned up shortly before three. The girls had closed down and cleaned the front and the patio before leaving until Monday.