Page 12 of Angel

Roxy, Evangeline’s sister.

She glanced at me with wariness as she eased in, her rose gold bridesmaid dress trailing on the carpet.

Slight and olive-skinned, she was beautiful in her quiet way, with an oval face, a dark-haired pixie cut, and expressive, long-lashed hazel eyes.

They now flicked from Reese to me, tinged with worry.

Her father turned on her as soon as she took a second step.

‘Where is she, Roxy? Where the fuck is Evangeline?’

She gave him an arched brow and a tiny shrug, a touch of disdain that I respected.

‘As if I would know.’

‘Damn it all to hell.’

Reese’s curse reverberated through the room as he halted in the center of the suite, leaning on his gold cane.

He raised a finger to me once more.

‘Son, this is an unfortunate turn of events. However, we must consider what might have driven a young woman to such an extreme flight response. What did you say to her?’

The accusation hit me hard.

I leaned in, arms crossed over my chest to stop myself from hooking his jaw, as my timbre broke into a harsh snarl, not caring if our shit got aired in public.

‘Don’t you dare. I’ve done nothing to send her away and everything to support her. When she was losing her mind, when she was partying in toxic clubs and running off to drug dens, I was the one who dragged her back. I nursed her through a series of overdoses while you hid in your corporate boardroom. I loved her through her storms. Not you.’

Reese flinched, his aristocratic composure cracking for a fraction of a second before his eyes hardened and narrowed.

He adjusted his grip on the marble cane.

‘Clear the room,’ the silver-haired man commanded. ‘Only Angel and his parents can stay, along with my team.’

Jude remained unmoving until I gave him a tight, furious chin raise.

Everyone except those named filed out into the hallway.

My Six Sinners brothers gave me side hugs and nods as they prowled away, herding everyone before them.

But not without giving Reese and his entourage glowering expressions, lurking with unspoken promises of violence if things went sideways.

The door closed, and Reese’s demeanor transformed, his face shifting from a concerned father to a calculating tycoon.

‘There will be a wedding today, Angel,’ Reese stated, devoid of any warmth. ‘If you don’t marry a Rosedale before sunset, I could lose a prospective deal with a Saudi Prince. He’s one of our guests and is looking to buy my horse-training division and relocate it to Dubai. Any scandal from this wedding might make him skittish, to coin a phrase. I also have a series of upcoming investor deals that are contingent on our family’s clean image. I will not allow our goodwill to be sullied, least of all by you, Angel.’

‘What are you getting at?’ I growled.

My father stepped in, placing a cautionary hand on my arm.

‘I’ll deal with this son,’ he rasped.

Swiveling to Reese, my father raised his chin, his expression turning to stone.

‘Rosedale, you’re out of your damn mind. There’s zero chance Angel marries Evangeline after this circus.’

Reese bypassed my dad, speaking right past him as if he were invisible.