Promises After Dark (After Dark #3) (12 page)

“Cardio tier.”

“Okay, let’s head up there.”

“So what’s the plan? Did you tell Angel about Bancroft being missing?”

“Yes.” Alex’s chest rose in a deep sigh. “Not in the way I wanted, but there was no easy way to tell her. I want to keep things as normal as possible and not give Swanson any clue that I’m the least bit spooked. So, I guess the plan is to work out, stop back at the house, get Max, and go to the folks for brunch.”

“Have Mom and Dad met her already?”

“Yeah. You should have seen Mom go all gooey over Angel the other night.” They climbed the stairs to the upper level together, both shirtless and the focus of several admiring stares as they passed. “Allison and Josh will be there, too. Angel can hang out with them while you and I figure things out and follow up with the team.”

“But you’re still going to Sydney?”

Alex shrugged. “I don’t want the folks agitated by any of this, so as long as you’re with Angel 24/7, I will. She wants to invite Becca and her little girl, Jillian, to be at the house, but I’ll leave Max with Mom and Dad.”

“What the fuck? I don’t have enough to worry about?” Cole’s voice grew hard. “I need to be looking for Bancroft.”

Alex knew Cole was right. He also knew he could try to convince Angel to go with him, but he did promise her and was certain, no matter what the degree of danger was or how much he protested, there was no way Angel would miss Jillian’s birthday.

“The others can do that. I need you to be with Angel, Cole. I’ll be worried sick every second I’m gone.”

Cole nodded. “I know.”

“You know how stubborn Angel is. To get her to stay at my place, I had to make a deal. It was before this latest shit with Swanson and Bancroft or no way in hell it would be in play. Believe me, if I had my way, it would just be you two. Or better yet, she would be on the plane with me.”

“Why isn’t she?”

“She has a birthday party to attend.”

“Since when did you make deals that weren’t work-related?”

“Yeah, I know. A lot of things have changed.”

“Obviously. Whose birthday is important enough to risk her safety?”

“Becca’s little girl is turning three. That’s part of the reason why I agreed to allow them to stay at the house.”

Cole sighed heavily and rubbed the back of his neck. “I get it, but try to convince her anyway.”

Alex’s eyes scanned the huge room lined with one cardio machine after another. Rows upon rows of treadmills, elliptical machines, and bikes stretched in front of them at the top of the stairs, and Alex searched for the two women. They were on two treadmills along one wall, both of them running at a good pace. “I’d try, but it would just end in a fight. I have to pick my battles. I’d convince her if it were anyone other than that little girl. Angel adores her like she was her own child, and Bean would be heartbroken.”

“Bean? Her name is Bean?”

“Jillian. Bean is a nickname.”

Soon both men were running on treadmills at a good vantage point from the women. Close enough to keep an eye on them, but in a corner of the room so they could watch the entire scene easily as they worked out. Alex’s shoulders and neck were tight, and getting his blood pumping was helpful. Twenty minutes later, Angel zipped past his machine, followed by Becca.

“Meet you in the ring, sexy,” she panted out between breaths and the heavy rise and fall of her chest.

“You shouldn’t have left it all on the treadmill if you wanted a shot at the title,” Alex teased back. He didn’t want her to worry or be afraid and did his best to squash his anxiety and keep his apprehension about Bancroft from showing on his face. The team was on it, as well as the police, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it, so it was best just to try to take her focus off of it. “You can’t take me, little girl. You’ll just end up on the mat.”

“Pfft!” Angel scoffed over her shoulder. “Hurry up!”

He moved one foot then the other to the frame beside the moving belt, shut the machine off, and followed. “Are you sure you want to do this? I’ll have you under me in short order.” A sly grin slid across his mouth, flashing his white teeth as his eyes followed every move she made.

Angel smiled back, her dark eyes sparkling, warmth spreading through her. No matter what was happening, there was no getting around how sexy Alex was or how he made her feel with his gentle teasing or his scorching glances. “Or, you might be the one who ends up on the bottom.”

“There are worse places to be.” Alex winked with a cock of his head when she looked over her shoulder at him, just before she climbed in the ring. She began an exaggerated boxer’s dance around the ring, punching the air and waggling her eyebrows at Alex flirtatiously. He only chuckled. She looked amazing. Sexy and strong, with her hair tied up in a knot on top of her head. Her sports bra and tight spandex capris left little to his imagination, especially since his imagination had firsthand knowledge of what lay underneath. “You look gorgeous.”

“Hey, now, let’s keep focus,” Becca admonished with a grin.

Cole took up his position, leaning against the wall on the north side of the ring opposite the door to the room. It was clear to both Alex and Angel why he would pick that vantage point, and Becca moved to one of the corners of the ring to encourage her friend. “Come on, Angel. Give it to him good!”

Alex was torn about his match with Angel. There was more riding on it than the bet. He could let her win to give her confidence, or he could prove her vulnerability so she’d be more careful. It wasn’t an easy decision, and Angel was independent and proud. The outcome could scare her into being more careful, but he also needed her to have confidence in her ability. It was a tough call.

Alex shot Becca a look. “She gives it as good as she gets it, Becca, trust me.”

“If you weren’t so beautiful, I’d have to punch you myself, Alex,” Becca warned.

“Enough flirting and bullshit. Get on with it.” Cole complained in irritation. “I’ve got other stuff I should be doing, Alex.”

“Just when I was starting to think you were an improvement on all the other meatheads around here,” Becca said pointedly. “Cranky much?”

“Yeah, and referring to me as a ‘meathead’ isn’t helping,” he said flatly, his eyes never leaving the ring.

Becca’s lips pursed mockingly. “I could have said mouth breather or bottom feeder. Or how about meat
ball
? Do you like that better?”

Cole frowned; his mouth pressing into an irritated line. “Alex, I’m outta here in thirty minutes,” he warned and watched Alex climb into the ring behind Angel. “Finished or not.”

“Okay. Come on, babe. Show me what you’ve got,” Angel goaded, using both hands to signal Alex to bring it on, while she bounced from one foot to the other. “Come at me.”

Alex did as she asked; rushing forward, he grabbed both of her forearms and tried to twist her around. Angel pulled her right elbow toward her body and twisted her arm up and over Alex’s, breaking his hold, but Alex recovered quickly, grabbing her by the shoulder. Angel needed her left hand so she repeated the twist move to free it from Alex’s grasp then quickly placed her left hand over his, the other on his elbow, and twisted.

Before Alex knew what hit him, Angel had him in an arm-bar hold by twisting his thumb back painfully. It had him facing away from her and bent at the waist, his wrist bent back and his arm straight in a painful position behind him. Angel was free to bring her knee up to his abdomen and solar plexus in several blows. “Huh, huh,” she grunted, and Alex’s breath left as she knocked it out of him. Her moves were practiced perfection, and though she didn’t hit him with enough force to hurt him, he felt it, and she made her point.

Angel moved away as quickly as she took hold of him, and Alex straightened. “Once I get an assailant’s face below waist level, I’m the winner,” she said. She showed little signs of exertion, her breathing only slightly heavier than normal.

“That’s good, babe. I’m proud of you, but it’s more likely he’ll try to take you down from behind when you don’t see him coming.”

“Okay.” Angel turned her back to Alex. “Go.”

Alex sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He didn’t want to hurt her, and he wasn’t using all his strength. He cast a glance at Cole, who nodded in Angel’s direction, silently telling his brother to put more into it.

When he pounced on Angel, he pulled her into a bear hug, effectively pinning her arms, bent across her chest, and locking one hand around his other wrist to hold her tight.

Angel promptly stepped to the outside and hooked a leg behind Alex’s, using her knee to push against the back of his, knocking him off balance and twisting to clock him with an uppercut to his jaw. It had the effect she was looking for, and he had no choice but to release her.

“See, babe?” Angel said as he recovered from his stumble. “Years of classes. Satisfied?” Her question was accompanied by cheeky grin.

Alex had to admire her skill, though it still wasn’t enough for him to feel at ease. She was good, no doubt, and she would be able to take care of herself in many situations, but Swanson was desperate, and he wanted revenge. Nothing could be taken for granted. Nothing.

He decided to prove his point later in the evening.

*****

The Avery estate was secure. Iron gates, brick walls, and cameras lined the perimeter, and the acreage was big enough that the house was a good distance from any of the entrances. Lush foliage and large trees prevented a clear eye line into the windows, but Swanson’s phone call still tortured Alex’s composure. The bastard was determined, and he felt certain it would only be a matter of time.

The fall weather had turned the leaves all shades of gold, brown, and red, and the coolness of the air prevented the family from taking their meal outside on the patio as was his mother’s preference when possible.

Angel was in the kitchen with Allison and his mother, and the men were in his father’s den having drinks with a college football game on the television in the background. Cole was playing pool with Josh, giving Alex a chance to talk to his father.

“Have you gotten the engagement ring yet? Your mother is driving me nuts about it.” Charles Avery, elegant as always, was in dress slacks and a cream, Irish wool sweater Cora had given him the previous Christmas. It was beautiful, but he found it itchy and had only worn it twice because of that. His fingers pulled at the collar, reaching in to scratch. Cora’s rules made sure that everyone was dressed for dinner, and Alex, Cole, and Angel had showered and changed at the club after their workout.

Alex stared at the amber liquid in his glass, concentrating on how the glass and ice reflected the fire and turned the scotch a darker color. “No.” He shook his head and met his father’s eyes. “I think Mrs. Dane set it up for tomorrow.”

Charles’ eyebrows raised and the intense blue eyes that mirrored his son’s were intent. “Given our last conversation, I thought you’d have done so already.”

“Tomorrow.” Alex’s attention was still honed in on his glass, and he took a swallow of the burning liquid and felt it all the way down. “I’m leaving for Sydney afterward, so I’ll leave it in the safe at the office. I don’t know when I’ll ask her. Other shit is in the way right now. This trip, being one.”

“Obviously, you’re preoccupied. Do you want to postpone it? Is that what you’re thinking?”

“No. I just want to wrap up this deal. After that, I might take Angel away for a while.”

“Where are you thinking? Somewhere warm? Hawaii?”

“I’m thinking to Joplin. I still need to talk to her father, and we’ve never met face to face. I know Angel misses him.” His lips twitched. “Honestly, it might be the only destination she’d consider taking off for. She’s always got cases she’s working on, and she’s dedicated. I’m not even sure if there is a window, but I’ll be working on that.”

“How? You can’t change the court dates.”

“I’ll call Kenneth Gant, the district attorney, to see what can be done. I don’t expect he can move much, but maybe there is a small window. I’d talk to Angel about taking a break, but she’s a workaholic, and if I’m going to propose, I want it to be a surprise.”

“I think it will be, Alex. You haven’t been together all that long. It will be unexpected from you, given your history.”

“Yeah, well, that’s the operative word.
History
.”

“Hey, Dad,” Cole called from the other end of the richly paneled room. It was masculine, all warm caramel leather and heavy wood. “I lost. Josh needs a worthy opponent.”

When their father went to join his son-in-law, Cole deposited himself next to Alex and reached for his father’s abandoned glass, refilling it with three fingers worth of the 18-year-old scotch.

“What do you want me to do?” Cole lowered his voice so only Alex could hear the question. “Besides stay next to her?”

Alex inhaled, his chest visibly rising as he shook his head grimly. “Kill the fucker.”

“I know you’re not serious, Alex. I meant what’s the plan.”

“I’m not so sure anymore, Cole. Just get her out of here. Take her on a trip to see her father. I’ll leave the jet.”

Cole leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees and head raised to look at Alex. “You have to take the jet so you can get back more quickly.”

Alex considered his options. Cole was probably right, though his instincts told him that access to the jet allowed Cole better security than a commercial jet, but he knew he’d go crazy if something happened and he wasn’t able to leave immediately. He didn’t need delays or airline schedules getting in his way.

Alex pulled out his phone. “I’ll call Mrs. Dane and have her arrange the plane for very early morning. I’d like you to stay at the house tonight so you’re there with her when I leave.”

“So you’re not going to try to convince Angel to go with you again, huh?”

“I know her well enough to know it would be a waste of time. Better to concentrate on getting the deal done and getting back as fast as I can.”

Alex’s face was full of tension. The last thing he wanted was to leave, but if he stayed, not only would the business suffer by losing a huge deal, but also, Angel would be scared. He had to keep everything under control. It couldn’t appear he was rattled. Hiding it from Swanson was one thing, but keeping Angel in the dark was harder. Deep down in his gut, he didn’t want to. It felt like a lie, but he didn’t want her to worry any more than she already was. There was nothing worse than being consumed by worry, and he was consumed enough for both of them.