Page 40 of Demon's Angel

He swings around, then averts his eyes as they land on the damp, bared skin above the towel tightly knotted over my breasts.

“Cad,” he tosses over his shoulder, “take the fuckin’ purse and get out. You too, Thunder.”

“Hey, that’s mine.” I try to go past Demon to stop Cad leaving the room with the bag holding all my personal possessions, but Demon moves to block my way. My glare has no effect, and my feeble attempts to budge him don’t work.

As the two men leave, Thunder tosses, “Good luck, Prez,” over his shoulder. That smirk I don’t understand and find myself wanting to smack off his face is still firmly in place.

“Speak. Now,” I demand, my temper getting the better of me as the door closes behind them. “What the hell are you doing with my purse? If you wanted something, you could just ask for it.”

I’ve little enough in there. But it’s personal.My face burns at the thought of Cad finding my tampons. Like any woman, I don’t carry much around. Only a few notes in my wallet, a couple of bank cards, my driver’s license. A spare diaper, pens, of course. A bit of makeup. An appointment card for Theo’s shots, a spare pacifier, a mirror, hand sanitizer, notebook, lip balm, tissues, band-aid, a few hundred receipts I just chucked in there. A few photographs of me and my mom in happier times, and God knows what else. Lots of things I’d be lost without. Oh, and my car keys, of course. Not that I can remember seeing them. I bet they’ve just gotten buried at the bottom; I’m always having to rummage to find them.

“I want it back, Demon.”

Demon pinches the brow of his nose, then says, wearily, “Put some clothes on, Vi. Didn’t know you were here, else we wouldn’t have disturbed you.”

“Obviously not,” I toss back angrily. “You’d prefer to come thieving when there was no one around.”

“Thieving? What the fuck, Vi? Cad’s not going to steal anything. You’ll get all your shit back.”

I snort. “That ‘shit’, as you so kindly put it, is private. No one should go into a woman’s purse.”

“Clothes, Vi,” he reminds me impatiently. “Got things I need to tell you, and I’d rather do it when you’re dressed.”

“Why?” I strike a pose to taunt him. “Can’t resist me?”

His hand slashes down through the air. “Vi,” he growls, warningly.

“Okay, okay.” I go to the drawer and extract a tank top and a pair of shorts that had been lent to me. I hadn’t bothered to pack much in my suitcase. “Which reminds me, Demon. I need clothes.”

“I’ll take you shopping soon, Vi. Promise.”

Back up. Two things there.One, that I’ll be allowed to go out, when I thought there was too great a risk of anyone seeing me, and the second he’s implied he’ll take me himself. Even my brother would have found some excuse to avoid clothes shopping. But knowing there’s some reason he won’t talk to me until I’m wearing less than the towel covers, I return to the bathroom, quickly throwing on my clean clothes, and tying my hair into a messy bun.

When I emerge, he nods approvingly and seems to relax, as if being in my room with me wearing only a towel discomfited him.

“Where’s Theo?”

“Out for the count. Jay and your mom have him.”

He startles when I mention Mo, but then recovers himself before I can think anything of it. “So, we’ve got time to talk.”

When I nod, he raises his chin as though pleased I’ve agreed. He starts to pace.

I’m not going to give him time to think of excuses. “Tell me, D. Why have you stolen my purse? I’m not going to be making a run for it.” Not that I’d get far with little more than loose change in my wallet.

“Vi, look. I didn’t want to worry you.” Again, his forefinger and thumb meet at the top of his nose. It’s a gesture he seems to use when he’s uncomfortable or when he’s thinking.

He’s going to worry me?Okay, so now I’m concerned. “I suggest you start talking.”

I perch on the end of the bed, pulling my legs up under me. Seated, I can better ignore the great difference in our height. With me in bare feet he probably has a good foot over my just below average for a woman height.

But instead of towering over me, he sits down by my side. Not close enough to touch or invade my personal space.If I was brave enough, I’d inch closer.My anger at the loss of my purse is starting to turn into something else as my heart beats faster at the realisation the man who attracts me so much is on my bed with me. The situation I’ve so often dreamed about. But that was back in the days when I was in my early teens, and him unobtainable. Now? I’m a woman. He’s a man. My son’s in good hands… For a second, I wonder what would have happened if I’d had the nerve to drop that towel. Would Demon have lost control at the sight of me?

Christ, who am I kidding?My body can’t compete with the likes of Titsy or Bella, or any of the whores come to think of it. They won’t have the baby fat I’m still carrying, nor the stretchmarks.He’s out of your league, Vi, forget it.

I sigh. Misinterpreting my action, Demon takes it as a sign of my impatience. “I met Don Lucio this morning. Angel’s father.” When I raise and dip my head, he continues, “A meeting to discuss club business.” His eyes flick to mine carrying a warning that I’m not to ask for more detail than that.

There’s a pause, a clenching of his teeth, then the admission, “Angel was there.”

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