Page 124 of Angel

‘Babe,’ I rasped.

Yearning flared in my chest as Roxy leaned on the doorframe, her eyes scanning my car keys on the counter.

‘You left in the middle of the night?’

I pursed my lips, a brutal internal war waging over whether to tell her the truth or shield her from Evangeline’s mess.

If I mentioned Eva was back in town, and I went to her rescue, it’d ruin Roxy’s peace of mind.

Possibly even wreck what we’d both bled so hard for these last few weeks.

Fuck.

So I went with a carefully worded omission.

‘I had something to take care of,’ I growled, my tone clipped and defensive.

She gave me a long, piercing look as I glanced away from her gaze.

‘Right.’

She said it so softly I almost missed it.

With that, she turned and disappeared back down the hallway without another word.

I stood alone in the growing morning light, rocked to my core by a wave of guilt.

Fuckinghellshit.

Chapter 23

ANGEL

Six Sinners had a brutal schedule to finalize the latest EP over the next few days, which sucked the soul out of me, along with managing Evangeline’s disaster of a life.

I hired a specialized private security detail to guard her and deliver food.

I consulted my attorneys about securing her with a new life; perhaps even moving cities into a safe house.

I was overstepping, but if I got her stable on her feet, I could finally sever the cord forever.

However, I was soon reminded how high-maintenance Evangeline was.

She called me all the time, left messages, and griped about every possible issue.

She complained about the food, the shower pressure, the water temperature, the layout of the townhouse, and the sheer boredom of her isolation.

Each interaction with her reinforced the reality that I’d dodged a massive, radioactive bullet by not marrying her.

As for Roxy, we hadn’t made love since the first night Evangeline called me away.

I was too preoccupied to think about sex.

Once, when Roxy came up to me in the kitchen and slid her arms around me while I was at the barstool, I gently lifted them off me.

Still traumatized by Evangeline’s groping, I set her hands aside with care.

The hurt in Roxy’s eyes cut me.