AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Adam sniffed, turning his full attention to me, stepping to the end of the booth. “Scoot over, baby. You okay?” He asked in a low voice, brushing the backs of his fingers down my lips, surprising me with the sudden softness in his eyes.
I slid over in the U-shaped seat and Adam sat next to me. Ron drew a shaking breath, opening his mouth to speak, but Adam cut him off.
“Don’t. Ron. I’m going to be real fucking clear. So, listen closely. You’re not calling the cops. You know why?”
Ron crossed his arms, setting his jaw in an attempt to square off with Adam but it just made him look more like a playground bully that had met his match.
“I’ll tell you why. Turns out you have a little problem with the IRS. That’s no news to you, I’m sure. But, what they might be interested in learning, is that you have two offshore accounts to the tune of about $1.2 million. I’m thinking they may be very interested in that.”
Adam reached into the inside pocket of his suit jacket, pulled out a small slip of white paper with some numbers scribbled across the front, and slid it across the table toward Ron. Ron inspected it, and a flush of sweat gathered on his upper lip.
A satisfied smile crested Adam’s face as he sat back, his hands folded on the table, his eyes pinned on Ron.
“How’d you get this?” Ron mumbled.
“Is that a real fucking question? It doesn’t matter one shiny shit how I fucking got it, what matters is that I have it and you are going to get your skinny ass out of this restaurant and never fucking come near Angel again. Trust me, little man,” Adam leaned into the table, licking his lips, “there are worse things that could happen to you than the IRS. Got it?”
“This is bullshit. You’re making a huge mistake, Angel, and I won’t be here next time when you need me.”
“Get the fuck out, you piece of shit, before I throw you through that front window.” Adam rumbled as Ron slid from the booth and made his way toward the door, his head darting from side to side, his ass tucked in like he’d just shit his pants.
My pulse thundered in my ears. Adam stared straight ahead for a long moment as I tried to figure out how he knew I was here.
Then I remembered. The flowers.
I left in a rush, so worried that I wouldn’t be back in time that I had forgotten that I set the huge vase of flowers in the garage, meaning to stuff them in the back of my car and toss them into a dumpster somewhere along the way.
“You okay?” Adam asked staring straight ahead as the bistro sounds buzzed around us.
“Yeah. I’m okay. How did you know that stuff about Ron with the IRS?”
“That piece of shit? You think after the other night I wouldn’t find out everything there is to know about him? He touched you. He’s not a friendly. I always arm myself with more ammunition than my enemy. Even when I’m not sure I’ll need it.”
I nodded, folding my hands in my lap looking contrite.
“I got two questions for you, Angel.” The deep baritone of his voice hit me like a velvet hammer in my chest.
I nodded and drew a breath. “Okay.” I knew I had fucked up, and I wasn’t sure after last night if Adam was going to be able to forgive me again. I hoped, since he had read the card on the flowers that maybe he saw I had to come here. For him.
“Do you love me?” He finally turned my way, and as always, I fell into the deep pools of his blue eyes.
“God, yes. I love you more than anything.”
“Do you trust me? One hundred percent?” His lips pulled together ever so slightly and one side of his brow lifted. His dark, perfectly cut black hair framed the pained expression on his face. The silver scar along his neck twisted as he faced me.
“Yes. I trust you.”
He reached forward and spun the glass of wine a few times as my temples throbbed. “If you really trust me, you need to act like it. You should have called me. I’m the one person you should trust with anything. Everything. I’m the wall between you and the rest of the world baby and you keep trying to run around the wall.”
The sadness in his eyes broke my heart. He gave me one last nod and pressed his lips together.
“I—” I stuttered. The relationship I want is like that. I want him to be my ride-or-die. The person I tell everything to, no matter what knowing he will always be there for me.
“Hope you enjoyed your wine.” He said, eyes down as he slipped out of the booth as smoothly as he had slipped in, adjusted his suit jacket and headed toward the door.
