My perusal traveled back up and found he was no longer watching me. His attention was on his friend’s conversation and a deep frown obscured his soft features. Instead of investigating his change in mood, I studied his hair. His dark roots faded into the blonde highlights before disappearing behind his skull and into whatever tie he used to hold the strands together.

He had a playfulness about him that made me wary. He probably knew exactly how attractive he was and how much power he could wield with his assets.

My gaze pinpointed the spot where my fist had connected with man bun’s jaw as soon as he released me. A bruise was beginning to form, and I smiled at my handiwork. His partner’s slight limp as he paced told me he still felt my kick to his kneecap. It was too bad it didn’t shatter.

I bet they wouldn’t be writing home about the hundred-pound girl who kicked their asses anytime soon. They hadn’t seemed to be in any rush to hurt me. I even hurled insults as I was carried down, but they never reacted.

“What the FUCK do you meanlet her go?” The angry outburst from the brooding one caught my attention. His was already fixed on me. His disdain for me was obvious, so I made sure to return the gesture. “Why?” he growled into the receiver. He listened and then scrubbed his hand down his face. “Fuck. Fine.”

I made sure to look real smug about that. He caught my smug look and expressed with his eye and the curl of his lip exactly how much he wanted to murder me. When he started toward me swiftly, my smile dropped, and I scooted back on my bum.

“It’s for you.” He extended the phone, but it might as well have been a bomb.

“Um…”

“Take it,” he demanded through clenched teeth.

“Why?”

He snatched the phone back and stabbed the screen. “You’re on speaker,” he informed. There was nothing but silence while my heart pounded in my chest.

“Tsk. Tsk.”

So much for lucky breaks.

“Ever the disobedient one…” I felt my blood drain when I recognized the refined voice. It was deeper now–stronger. “Even when you’re in my houseuninvited.”

“You have something that belongs to me.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

I shrugged to hide the tremble, but then remembered he couldn’t see me. “Believe what you want.”

“There are consequences to bad decisions.”

“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.”

“But your father would, wouldn’t he?”

I sucked in a breath and tried to talk myself out of being afraid. There was no way he could know my father had anything to do with this. “My father is none of your concern.”

“Wasn’t it your father who sent you?” I didn’t answer that. I wouldn’t. “If you won’t answer, maybe I should ask him myself.”

“No!” His silence shattered my armor. “My father didn’t send me.” My voice begged him to believe me. It was only half the truth. If he had a choice, I wouldn’t be here, but I gave him none.

I waited, but only silence followed. I looked to his two henchmen who listened to our exchange with curiosity and confusion etched on their perfect faces.

“I’ll see you soon.” He didn’t say more. The line disconnected, and I was left feeling as if fainting would erase everything that just happened.Chapter SixDevil,meet angel.

ANGEL

Nine Years Ago“Angel.”

The commanding gruff of my godfather’s voice pulled me away from the video game. Lucas and Z were sleeping off last night’s job, so this was all I had to occupy my time. His tall, muscular frame filled my bedroom doorway. It was actually my second bedroom in my home away from home where I spent my summers away from the nauseating boredom of the countryside.

I paused the game and threw down the controller. I had been in a bad mood since my father, once again, denied my request to initiate me. “What’s up, Unc’?”

I was actually surprised he was here since my father left for one of his safe houses an hour ago. They rarely made moves without each other.

His face cracked into a wide smile. “I want you to meet my pride and joy.”

I didn’t get it, and I’m sure my face said as much because he stepped aside after a beat. Brown hair and pale skin came into view, and I realized that his pride and joy was a girl.

My first thought was that she was pretty.

And then,I noticed how soft she looked.

Fuck me, but she was tiny.

Standing next to her father, she looked completely breakable.Except she stared back at me as if it were the last thing she would ever do.

Mine.

My body jerked and it completely ruined me when she did the same. Her father was still talking, oblivious to what was happening between us.

The territorial feelings were foreign but the powerful urging to do something about them was winning me over.