Two Doms For Angel (15 page)

He took a breath. “Tell me
about your relationship with him.”

She snuggled further into
his lap and began talking.

“My friend Ifrah hung
herself from the bedroom door. I found her long after her body had
grown cold. Our lives were not good. I can’t explain what it’s like
to be dishonored in my culture. Women are killed by their families
when this happens. In America, being half-caste made life easier
for me. Ifrah covered her head and was treated with much
disrespect. So was I, but my blue eyes seemed to help me fit in
even when I also chose to cover my body.”

“
After
she died, I was so lonely and didn’t know what to do. I went to the
store one day and when I returned, Monroe was sitting in my living
room. I thought he was there to kill me.”

“Why would he kill
you?”

“As an honor killing for my
family. I tried to run back out the door but he stopped me and
placed his hand over my mouth to keep me from screaming. He kept
telling me he wouldn’t hurt me but I was too afraid. He tied and
gagged me and then forced a bad tasting drink down my throat. When
I woke up, I was in this house, though still tied.”

“If I killed him, I think
we would both feel better.”

She frowned, her brow
furrowing in confusion. He decided to let it drop — for
now

“What happened
next?”

“He talked.” She became
silent.

“What did he talk
about?”

“You.” Silence.

“Go on, please.”

The floodgates
opened.

“He told me your story. I
didn’t listen at first but as he continued, the sound of his voice,
his gentleness began to sink in. He told of saving you, and then
keeping track of you. He told me you applied to be an officer and
the two of you met again. His words made sense but then I would
wonder why he was telling me this story. He talked about your
career and your advancements. I stopped thinking about the why and
just listened. When he told me about you becoming a lieutenant, I
started putting the pieces together and then he told me about
spending a week with you after you rescued me.”

Zach remembered that week,
too. He had been hurting and needed his friend like never
before.

“I didn’t even know I was
crying until he wiped my eyes and released my arms from their
bindings,” she continued. “He handed me a picture of you. I will
never forget what he said.”

Zach didn’t know if he
wanted to hear this but let her continue.

“He said, ‘I found you for
Zach. He needs you, and you need him.’”

So many thoughts swirled
around Zach’s brain. But, the one he stopped on was if Monroe found
her for Zach, why the hell was she Monroe’s slave?

“He loves you. I know he
didn’t want to love me. But, I think our feelings for you became
wrapped up in each other. We did not see it happening.”

“He saw it.” Zach’s jaw
tightened. Monroe was too smart not to have been aware of what was
happening. Damn him!

“Maybe so,” Angel said
softly, stroking his chest. “But I do not think he could stop
it.”

Zach swore under his
breath.

“So what
do we do now?” he asked.

She looked at him, her blue
eyes swallowing him whole.

“I think that we wait for
him to return,” she said, “and then ask him.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Zach had slept with women from time to
time but seldom, if ever, found enjoyment in the actually sleeping.
Angel was different. She snuggled in, digging her hands into his
biceps, making herself an extension of his body. Waking up and
looking at her long, braided hair made him think of the possibility
of waking beside her each morning.

But then his mind wondered to Monroe,
and all his uncertainties surfaced.

He gently pried her fingers away and
offered a brief kiss when her sleepy eyes opened. He stood before
she could entice him to stay and slapped her ass.

“
Come on sleepyhead, I’d
like to take a walk and stretch out my knee. We won’t leave the
property so wear what you like.”

He went downstairs and grabbed a
banana. He would make waffles when they returned. Zach loved
Marguerite’s cooking but it would be nice to take advantage of the
high tech kitchen and prepare a meal. He turned at the sound of
light footsteps and stopped chewing.

Shorts. She was wearing short shorts
and a tank top and…she was sexy as hell.

“
You expect me to ever let
you cover your body again?”

A deep blush and then uncertainty
appeared on her face. She turned away before speaking. “Stephens is
gone too and I thought you would like it.”

In three strides he was turning her so
she could see his wolfish smile. “‘Like’ is not the best
word.”

Lifting her up onto the counter, he
grabbed another banana and broke off a small piece. He placed it
between her lips and watched in fascination while she chewed, then
swallowed.

Absently, he finished his own, not
taking his eyes from her lips until she swallowed her last
bite.

Even perched on the counter, she was
still shorter than he was. He moved her knees apart, then stepped
between her thighs, tipping his head down to taste her sweet
banana-flavored mouth. Her pussy pressed against the front of his
sweatpants and it was hard to resist splaying her on the counter
and sinking into her hot mound. He pulled away but clamped his
hands on her knees and spread her legs wider.

Stepping back he was able to
look between her thighs at the inviting flesh showing beneath the
line of her shorts. Marks, bruising from his teeth, hardened his
cock further.
Mine
. The thought traveled through his body and lodged in his
brain.

He rubbed over the slightly raised skin
with his thumbs.

Her head went back and her long neck
tempted him to take a few more bites. “We, my tempting sub, are
going for a walk. If you choose to play tonight at the club, I’ll
oblige. If not, we’ll wait for tomorrow and make up for lost
time.”

Refusing to give into her sigh of
frustration, he swung her down and took her hand. Once they were
outside, she tried to let go but he added just enough pressure for
her to know it wasn’t happening.

Her mischievous grin came into play.
“Your knee is better?”

“
It feels good this morning
and Stephens says I can start a slow jog next week if it keeps
improving. Do you run?”

“
Only from mean
doms.”

He loved the sound of her
laugh.

“
Really? We’ll see how far
you get next week before I catch you. I want you wearing the same
shorts and shirt for added incentive, not that I need much to catch
naughty subs.”

Her grin widened wickedly. “Yes,
sir.”

Then her expression changed and he knew
she wanted to ask him something.

“
Say it.”

Her smile became hesitant. “Do you miss
working for the police department?”

“
Yes, I do.”

“
Could you go
back?”

“
They wanted to give me a
desk job but it’s not my style. I need to be in the action and not
continually worrying about what’s happening in the trenches.” His
look became possessive. “I have control issues.”

“
I love your control
issues,” she laughed.

“
I’m glad to hear it. Do you
miss your husband?”

Just a touch of sadness passed over her
face.

“
Sometimes, but mostly I
miss the sense of family.”

“
Do you think you’ll ever
feel it with Monroe?”

“
I don’t know. He shows
little emotion, but somehow I can always tell when he’s
displeased.”

“
Yeh, I know what you mean.
I don’t think anyone wants to displease him.”

“
Sometimes he terrifies
me.”

Zach stopped walking.

“
He would never harm you
outside of the boundaries he sets.”

“
I know that, but his
thoughts are so controlled and I wonder what would happen if he
lost it.”

“
That’s not something anyone
wants to see.”

Zach knew Monroe held himself on a
tight leash, but he protected those he loved. Zach had no worries
for Angel. It was what might happen with Angel in the middle that
worried Zach.

***

The day passed quickly. Before the sun
went down, they dressed for the dinner with Damian and Lydia. Zach
put on jeans and a black buttoned-down shirt, which he left hanging
loose.

Angel looked unsure when she walked
into his room wearing another set of flowing pants and top, with
her hair covered.

“
You look beautiful.” Her
relieved smile made his cock tighten and his jeans uncomfortable.
“Once we’re inside Damian’s apartment would you be willing to
uncover your hair?”

“
If that is what you
wish.”

“
Will it keep you from
enjoying yourself?”

“
No, I do not think
so.”

“
Then that, my beautiful
damsel, is what I wish.”

***

He resisted the temptation to hold her
hand during the drive, but only because he needed to shift the
Mustang. His craving for touch wasn’t diminishing and he only made
it halfway to their destination before he grabbed her hand and
placed it on his leg.

“
Leave it there.” It was a
command. Thank goodness he had loose cotton pants in his club bag.
If they played, he would change first.

He dropped his bag in Monroe’s suite
and then turned to Angel.

He removed the long scarf from her face
and neck. Placing a gentle kiss on her nose, he straightened her
hair and turned to walk out the door.

Spending time with Monroe had made the
world of the rich and famous less intimidating for Zach. Over the
years, his friendship with Damian, the club’s owner, had grown, but
he barely knew Lydia. The active community grapevine rumored she
wielded a mean whip. Her dominant behavior might be fine for
Damian, but Zach preferred a gentle, less bossy sub, though it
wasn’t taking long for Angel to feel comfortable enough to test her
brat limits.

He wouldn’t lie to himself; he loved
every minute. It was one of the reasons he never considered a 24/7
slave. He wanted a woman to submit but he also wanted them to stand
up to him on occasion.

His thoughts made him stop walking.
Grabbing the hair he’d just groomed, he pulled her close and
thoroughly kissed her hungry mouth. Pulling away, he was satisfied
with her swollen, just-kissed appearance. She was his, and he
wanted to make sure everyone knew it.

Dinner was wonderful and seeing Angel
holding little Abigail tightened the muscles in his
chest.

“
She’s beautiful.” Angel
smiled down at the baby who stared back with inch-long curly red
hair and wide blue eyes.

“
She’s finally getting to
the stage where she recognizes us.” Lydia moved in closer and
tickled the baby’s chin. Her reward was a big toothless smile.
“She’s acting fine with you but she’s tends to cry if someone holds
her besides me or Damian. Raul doesn’t count because we know he’s
her favorite.”

Lydia laughed, letting them know she
didn’t mind that her child adored Raul, Lydia’s
submissive-turned-nanny.

“
Raul’s been a lifesaver.”
Damian broke in.

“
Is Raul spending the
evening in the club?” Zach kept his voice neutral.

“
No, Raul is having man
trouble,” Lydia replied in much too-cutesy baby talk, “and he’s
actually out on a date. He’ll be sorry he missed you.”

“
Too bad I’m taken,” Zach
teased. “Raul needs to look elsewhere if his new boyfriend doesn’t
work out.”

“
He told me long ago that
you were
unavailable,
” Lydia’s voice lilted suggestively over the word as she
smiled slyly, “as his dom.”

“
I have no problem taking a
flogger to his ass,” Zach smiled, “but the redness left behind just
doesn’t do it for me.”

His eyes looked straight into Angel’s
and she blushed, causing Damian and Lydia to laugh.

“
Are you playing in the club
tonight?” Damian asked.

Zach saw the panic seep into Angel’s
eyes and he let her off the hook.

“
No, we’re returning to
Monroe’s house, but another time soon, I promise.”

“
Have you heard from
him?”

“
No, but he should be back
in a week or two.”

“
It’s time for Abigail to go
down,” Lydia announced. “She’ll be a bear tomorrow if she doesn’t
get her sleep.”

Angel gave the baby a gentle kiss on
the forehead and passed her to her mother. A short time later, they
all said their goodbyes.