ANGEL'S WRATH by SK (SIN CITY HEAT) (29 page)

 
 
 
 
“I didn’t ask your opinion, old man.”

 
 
 
 
“Well, I’m giving it to you.” Oscar had known Angel since he was sixteen years old and had never bitten his tongue with him. “Angel…”

 
 
 
 
“Oscar, I seek no one’s permission to see my son. Nikki’s problem is with me, and I’ll be damned if I let her or any court dictate when I can and can’t see him.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
Stepping outside, Angel walked towards his car where Dre was holding the back door open. He and Oscar slid inside of the charcoal gray Maybach which sported pitch black tint on the windows and fell silent. When Dre started the ignition, the engine of the luxury vehicle purred to life as he pulled out of the circular driveway and headed east.
 
 

 
 
 
 
Angel absently stared out into the darkness, letting his thoughts drift back to his marriage. He never intended to get involved with Nikki beyond the physical. Fuck her? Yes. But wife her? Hell no. After sating his appetite, the plan had been to remand her to the status of a favorite mistress, but that plan changed quickly.
 
He fell for her in a way he never expected, had known almost immediately that she was 'the one'. She soon became a necessary part of his life, more precious than the air he breathed.

 
 
 
 
No matter how much his subconscious screamed that the life he lived wasn’t for her, he'd told himself she would be able to handle it. In actuality, Nikki had never really gotten used to it.
 
She hated the personal bodyguard assigned to protect her whenever she stepped out of the house, even as inconspicuous as he was. No matter how much she protested, Angel wouldn't budge on that. Nikki and his child were the most precious things in this world to him. He didn't believe in taking chances, and his number one priority had been to keep her and their son safe.

 
 
 
 
Angel tried to make things as normal as possible for her, tried to keep her happy. Things seemed to be perfect, at least for a little while. The two of them enjoyed a life many only dreamed of, but few achieved. A beautiful mansion in Vegas, luxury cars, homes in some of the most spectacular cities in the world...he gave her everything.

 
 
 
 
Everything except the one thing she really wanted,
a taunting voice in his head whispered.

 
 
 
 
As Dre pulled through the security gates to enter the secured community where Nikki was leasing a house, Angel felt the intensity of Oscar's stare as surely as if he were physically touching him and easily read his thoughts.

 
 
 
 
"I don't want to hear it Oscar." He didn't even look in his direction.

 
 
 
 
"Angelo, I just think you should give her more time. You don't want to push her away permanently."

 
 
 
 
"She's had time, more than enough. Nikki knew who and what I was from the start." The car came to a stop in front of an attractive two story house. The yard was beautifully landscaped with colorful flowers lining the pathway, complete with a welcome wreath on the front door.

 
 
 
 
When Dre opened the car door, Angel got out, pausing to take in the quaint picture in front of him.
 
He snorted softly. Suburban America. This is what Nikki wanted. And it was everything he wasn't.

 
 
 
His face hardening, he buttoned his suit jacket and glanced at Oscar. "Her 'time' is up. Either she's going to stand by my side as my wife or we take steps to end this. It's her decision, but it's a decision that she's going to have to make now. I refuse to wait any longer."

 
 
 
 
He walked away, nodding for Dre to close the door on Oscar's protests. "Take him home then come back and wait for me."

 
 
 
 
Minutes later, Angel let himself into the dark house and disarmed the alarm before quietly making his way up the stairs, stopping at his son's room first. He walked over to the large crib and stared down at him, running his hand over his cheek. His heart burst with the same emotion he always felt when it came to him. This was the most important person in the world to him. His seed, Angelo Spain LaCroix, II. His son was the one person who would never judge him, who loved him unconditionally. Not too long ago, he could’ve sworn he would always be able to say the same about his wife. Apparently, he was wrong.

 
 
 
 
Earlier he'd sent her a message telling her he’d flown back in a couple of hours ago and had to make a stop, but afterwards, he'd be coming by to see A.J. His jaw clenched in anger again at her reply. For some reason, she’d felt the need to reiterate the terms of the visitation agreement which stated his scheduled time with A.J. was not until this weekend.

 
 
 
 
As if he gave a fuck.

 
 
 
 
Angel leaned down and kissed the top of his son’s head. Nicole knew better than to try that crap with him when it came to A.J. He didn’t give two shits about some judge signing a piece of paper telling him when he could see his son.
His
son!

 
 
 
 
Angel took deep breaths to keep his anger at bay as he walked in the direction of her bedroom, still smarting from the way she'd gone about this entire situation. He’d been out of the country when he’d gotten the call from the bodyguards assigned to protect his family. Nikki had moved out and taken A.J. with her. That bitch of a sister had helped her.

 
 
 
 
He'd underestimated them both. Nikki had quickly found a house and paid a year's lease on it while Raven submitted papers for a legal separation, complete with a custody agreement. Angel had been livid. There was no fucking way he was signing that shit. But then Raven had played her ace in the hole.

 
 
 
 
Just as he'd told Nikki, the bitch had called Matt and told him if Angel didn't sign the documents, she would testify at the custody hearing how she'd witnessed him in a meeting with the Pattels in the presence of his son. Of course, the legal system knew who the Pattels were. Any hint of interaction between them and Angel would have had agencies from New York and Vegas comparing notes to find what their connection was. If it had just been him, he would've told them to go and fuck themselves, but getting the Pattels involved in his shit would've spilled the discord overflowing in his own house over to theirs, and that's one thing he would not do. He'd handle Raven his way in due time. And Nikki?

 
 
 
 
 
His wife was far from stupid, but trying to keep him away from his son? She’d truly lost her fucking mind. But he was getting ready to help her find it. This rebellion of hers had gone on long enough. If she didn't get with the program, Angel had a judge waiting on his call to reverse the terms of the custody agreement as soon as he gave the go ahead.

 
 
 
 
Once Angel got to Nikki's room, he heard the shower running in the master bathroom. Leaving the light off, he went to the window and stared out into the night. Angel freely acknowledged the fact that Nicole was unlike the women he’d known in his past. Before her, he was used to being obeyed without protest. He enjoyed the fact that Nikki had a mind of her own and was his equal.

 
 
 
 
Up to a point.

 
 
 
 
But enough with this bullshit. He wanted her – and his son – back home where they both belonged. She could get pissed off, take a stand, rant and rave as much as she liked. But she would do it at home.

 
 
 
 
Restless, Angel sat down in a chair in the corner of the room. Sighing deeply, he leaned back and closed his eyes. He was tired. So tired. The most peace he’d ever found was when he was with Nikki. She calmed him, helped to ease the stress that was a constant in his life. He needed that peace back. He needed his wife.

 
 
 
 
Angel's eyes opened when he heard the shower turn off. In his mind, he could imagine everything she was doing. After patting herself dry, she would generously apply lotion over skin which was already unbelievably silky smooth. His nostrils flared when her scent drifted into the bedroom.

 
 
 
 
"Nikki…"
 
Her name floated from his lips as soft as a light breeze.

 
 
 
 
When the bathroom door opened, Angel’s eyes tracked her silently as she walked out with a towel wrapped around her body, still unaware of his presence hidden by the shadows. She still used the lotion and perfume he’d had specially formulated for her in Europe.
Nikki’s Essence
.
 
He watched as she left out of the room, presumably to check on A.J. A few minutes later, she came back and padded barefoot to the bed, throwing the numerous pillows to the floor and pulling back the covers.

 
 
 
 
Angel’s breath caught in his throat when she slipped the towel off, letting it drift to her feet. A sliver of moonlight shining from outside highlighted the curves of her body before she climbed into the bed. She was such a beautiful woman. His mouth literally watered when he thought about how she tasted on his tongue. Like decadent chocolate and the sweetest of creams. Succulent, rich, and sweet.

 
 
 
 
And she was crazy if she thought he would ever let her go.

 
 
 
 
Getting ready to make his presence known, Angel paused when he saw her move restlessly in the bed. She kicked the covers off impatiently and released a low, frustrated moan, turning as if she couldn't quite get comfortable.

 
 
 
 
The golden brown specks in his green eyes darkened. He knew what was wrong with her, which was the exact thing that kept him in such a foul mood. The two of them had only made love once since she left him. He hadn’t touched another woman since, hadn’t even been tempted, and they’d been apart for a long time. She damn sure hadn’t been with anyone else. Angel knew every move she made, more for her and A.J.’s safety than anything else, but the thought of another man putting his hands on her…his hands clenched at even the possibility of that happening.

 
 
 
 
He bit back a groan of his own when her thighs spread wide. Her hand inched its way down to what he knew would be a thick, creamy pool building at her center, verifying that he’d correctly guessed why she was so restless. Angel watched her hips move to the sensuous rhythm her fingers were playing. He had to taste her.

 
 
 
 
Nikki didn’t even notice him stand up to remove his jacket and loosen his tie. With his eyes glued to the movements of her hand, he moved silently until he stood by the bed. Her name came out a painful whisper on his lips, causing Nikki’s lashes to flutter and open.

 
 
 
 
Seeing him, her hand stilled abruptly before she shot straight up in the bed. “Angel?”

 
 
 
 
With his eyes latched to her body, Angel unbuttoned his shirt as she leaned over and turned the bedside lamp on. Mouth agape, her wide eyes followed his fingers as they went from one button to the next. “Wait! What do you think you’re doing?!”

 
 
 
 
Her answer was a cocked brow before he slipped his shirt off and dropped it to the floor. Nikki swallowed as she pulled her eyes away from his hard chest and wide shoulders.

 
 
 
 
“How did you get into my house, Angel? Not only that, I know the alarm was on!
Wh
-
what are you doing here?" she sputtered. "In the text I sent you, I clearly told you…”