ANGEL'S WRATH by SK (SIN CITY HEAT) (32 page)

 
 
 
 
“Yes, I know you blamed Joey, but he swore with his last breath that you were in it just as deep as he was. You went to a lot of trouble to make sure all the evidence pointed to him, didn’t you?” When Nelson’s eyes rolled back in his head, Angel’s fingers eased their pressure a bit. He wanted this son of a bitch to be fully aware of what was getting ready to happen. “Something just didn’t sit right with me about the explanation you gave. There was no way in hell I wasn’t going to turn over every stone to dig up the truth of what happened. You fuck with the most important things in my life and think I won’t find out?” Angel lifted Nelson’s head and slammed it down on the desk.

 
 
 
 
“A-Angelo, p-please…m-my family,” Nelson managed to wheeze.

 
 
 
 
Angel’s face contorted in fury. “
Your
family? You’re worried about
your
family’s well-being when you didn’t give two shits about safe-guarding
mine
?" Angel pushed him away as if he couldn’t stand for his hands to get dirty by touching him any longer. “You can rot in hell.”

 
 
 
 
Without sparing the terrified man another look, he walked towards the door. One of his men stepped forward and placed the barrel of the gun to Nelson’s skull. Before he left out, Angel turned to him one last time.

 
 
 
 
“I want this to be the last thing you hear before your fucking brains are soiling my desk. You asked me about
your
family's wellbeing? They’re being taken care of as we speak.”
 

 
 
 
 
He nodded to the guy holding the gun who pulled the trigger a second later.

 
 
 
 
“Are you sure it’s okay for me to bring him tomorrow? I know you’re supposed to get him for the weekend starting tonight, but…”

 
 
 
 
Angel stood in the library of his home talking to Nikki on the telephone. A.J. was spending the weekend with him, but Dominick wanted to know if he could spend the night with them tonight. Dom's son was only three months older than A.J. and the two young boys loved each other as if they were brothers instead of first cousins.

 
 
 
 
“Nikki, I told you it’s fine. And you don’t have to bring him. I’ll pick him up in the morning.”

 
 
 
 
“Okay. If you‘re sure…”

 
 
 
 
An awkward silence fell between them as they both held the phone. It had been two weeks since they’d had the confrontation and had only spoken once since then.

 
 
 
 
“What do you have planned this evening?” Angel asked her. “If you’re not busy, maybe…”

 
 
 
 
“I am. Busy, that is. I’m meeting a client from out of town for a business dinner to finalize a few clauses of the contract before they have to fly out tomorrow.” Nikki had resumed working at
DWC
after she left Angel.

 
 
 
 
“Okay. Well, maybe afterwards we can meet for a drink.”

 
 
 
 
Nikki was quiet for a moment before she answered. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, Angel.”

 
 
 
 
Angel exhaled and looked upwards in frustration. “So is this the way it’s going to be, Nikki?”

 
 
 
“You tell me. Has anything changed?”

 
 
 
 
Angel’s eyes narrowed. “It seems we’re at an impasse, doesn’t it?”

 
 
 
 
“Am I being unreasonable, Angel? Do you really think that?”

 
 
 
 
“Nikki…”

 
 
 
 
“Is it asking too much to just want a normal life? Don’t we deserve that?”

 
 
 
 
“This
is
my norm. At least for now. You need to accept the fact that I’m never going to be that guy in the suit who works a nine to five and mows the lawn on Saturdays.”

 
 
 
 
“I’m not asking you to be someone you’re not.”

 
 
 
 
“Aren’t you?? Aren’t you, Nikki? I thought I could do as you asked, but I can’t. I don’t know what’s going to happen ten, fifteen years down the road, but for now, this is me. Take it or leave it.”

 
 
 
 
Again, the silence stretched between them before Nikki finally spoke. The sadness was evident in her voice. “I guess there’s nothing else to talk about then is there?”

 
 
 
 
Angel clenched his teeth so hard they ached. “So this is it?”

 
 
 
“It would seem so.”

 
 
 
 
Angel nodded. He gripped the phone in his hand so tightly he was surprised it didn’t break in two. “Fine. I guess we’ll have to get together to make arrangements on the next steps we should take.”

 
 
 
 
“Angel…” His name came out strangled, as if her throat was clogged with unshed tears.

 
 
 
 
“Goodbye, Nikki.”

 
 
 
 
 
Angel disconnected the call and stood in the same spot afterwards for a good five minutes before dialing a number. The phone only rang once before the person on the other end picked up.

 
 
 
 
“Hello?”

 
 
 
 
“It’s Angel. Be ready in an hour.”

 
 
 
 
She only hesitated for a moment. “Okay.”

 
 
 
 
Without another word, Angel hung up and walked towards the stairs to go to his bedroom. As far as he was concerned, his marriage was over; signing the papers would only be a formality.

 
 
 
 
He forced himself to concentrate on the only thing that mattered now. A.J. He wouldn’t have a problem with signing a custody agreement. But Nikki might because he planned on having his son with him.
 

 
 
 
 
His soon to be ex-wife could either go along with the program, or not. To be honest, he really didn’t give a damn what she did from this point on.

 
 
 
 
Angel was just wrapping up a phone call when his driver opened the back door of the black Lincoln Town car. The first thing he saw was a pair of long, shapely ankles and thighs beneath an unbelievably short skirt before she curled herself into the seat beside him and gave him a long, wet kiss.

 
 
 
 
When she pulled back, her lips lifted into a sexy, seductive smile. “Hello,
papi.
It’s been a long time.”

 
 
 
 
An answering smile crossed Angel’s lips. “That it has, Carmen. You’ve grown even more beautiful if that's possible.”

 
 
 
 
“And you’re still as handsome as ever, Angelo." Her eyes traveled over him before she purred. "Extremely so.”

 
 
 
 
Angel laughed and settled back against the soft leather of the seat. “Hope you’re hungry. I’ve reserved a table at Gregoire’s.”

 
 
 
 
“Mmmm. You know that’s my favorite restaurant.”

 
 
 
 
“Is it really?” Angels raised an amused brow as he watched Carmen’s lips purse in the attractive pout he remembered so well.

“
Papi,
don’t tease me. You know that’s our place.” Angel smiled, but didn’t address the comment. Carmen’s eyes dropped before she coyly brought them back to his face. “What changed your mind anyway? I thought you wouldn’t be able to see me before I left Vegas.”

 
 
 
 
Angel’s eyes turned guarded. He turned his head to look out the tinted window into the darkness. Without thinking, his thumb absently played with the wedding ring he still wore. He didn’t know why he hadn’t taken it off before he left the house. When Nikki slipped it onto his finger for better or for worse, he thought it would be forever. His eyes darkened as he thought about the close knit family he used to have as a young boy.

 
 
 
 
Forever? No. Nothing lasted forever.
 

 
 
 
 
“Angelo?”

 
 
 
 
The sound of Carmen’s lightly accented voice brought him out of the thoughts running rampant through his mind. He studied her silently, meaning what he'd told her. She’d always been an extraordinarily beautiful woman; independence had only enhanced that.

 
 
“Let’s just say I need a distraction. Can you be that for me?”

 
 
 
 
They both knew he didn’t even have to ask. Carmen was in love with him and always would be. Even though she was involved with someone back in L.A. where she'd finally put down roots, she would forever belong to Angelo. Yes, she’d noticed the wedding ring he still wore and knew he and Nikki were still married, but it was obvious something was wrong.

 
 
 
 
No matter. Angel’s problems with his little wifey were none of her concern.

 
 
 
 
“Anything you need,
papi
. Anything you need.”

 
 
 
 
Nikki and Walter Kelly had finished up the last of their business at a table located towards the back of Gregoire’s. Each was satisfied to have worked out the few kinks holding up the final phase of the deal they’d been working on. They were now enjoying an easy, relaxed conversation over dessert and Nikki was laughing at a story he was telling her about his youngest child, Becky.

 
 
 
 
“Walt, she sounds absolutely adorable. Maybe the next time you come to Vegas, you can bring your family. I’d love to meet your wife and kids.”

 
 
 
 
“I think I just might do that, Nicole.”

 
 
 
 
“Good. Sounds like A.J. and Becky would get along great together.”

 
 
 
 
“Yes. God help us.” They both laughed again. Nikki was getting ready to inquire about how Walt and his wife met when she felt a tingling along the back of her neck. She casually looked around and froze when her eyes came in contact with the icy glare of Angel’s.

 
 
 
 
“Nicole? Is something wrong?”

 
 
 
 
Walt's worried gaze followed her line of vision, and that's when his eyes collided with those of a man standing in the doorway of the restaurant preparing to follow the maître d to a table. There was no way he could miss the blatant hostility directed his way from the guy.
 

 
 
 
 
“Friend of yours?” Walt asked, his voice full of sarcasm.