Two Sides to Every Story (Love Spectrum Romance) (20 page)

“Did you tell him that your brother tried to have him killed?”

Her parents were glaring at her and for a moment they looked like strangers. How could they possibly think she would have done that?

“Of course not,” she answered. “You don’t even have to ask me that.”

“We don’t know you anymore. We have to ask. A couple of weeks ago I would have bet my life that you wouldn’t lie to us, wouldn’t betray your brother, but you’ve done them both. I have to ask.”

Angela moved toward her mother. Her mother moved away, sobbing, breaking Angela’s heart.

“You’re not doing any good here, you’re only making your mother more upset,” her father said, coming to stand between Angela and her mother.

“We don’t care about you dating this guy anymore so you may as well do it. Heaven forbid that you should put your life on hold. You’re right, forget about your brother, go have your affair, do what makes you happy. You don’t need your family; you have Rafe Remeris.”

The last her father spat out with such disgust that it felt as if she’d been physically hit. Her heart clenched within her chest, the pain almost unbearable, and she thought of Rafe and wondered if he had felt this way when she’d not trusted him, when she’d left.

“I told you I broke it off already. I can’t just walk back into his life. I hurt him.”

“That’s why you’re here. He doesn’t want you, now you want your family.”

She saw the sadness in her father’s eyes and was aware of what he was going to do. His eyes swung toward the door and he walked toward it. “I think you should leave,” he said and refused to look at her.

Angela agreed. There was nothing she could do at the moment to regain her parents’ trust. She walked out the door and called the one person who would be happy to hear of her fight with Adrian.

She laughed bitterly as she waited for her cousin to answer. For more than two years she’d fought Simone. Now she was agreeing with her.

“Let me guess,” Simone began after hearing her voice. “Your brother beat you to the punch. He turned your parents against you.”

“I guess he did. When I talked to my dad earlier I thought I would be able to see them in person and convince them of the things I’d found out. But they think I did all of this because of Rafe.”

“You told them about the cop?”

“Adrian did.”

“Wow, I can just imagine what you went through. Did they order you to stop seeing him?”

“They can’t. I’m an adult and I take care of myself.”

Simone laughed, “Yeah, but I’d bet they wanted to.”

“Maybe, but they did ask me to leave.”

“Ooh, that must have hurt.”

“More than you could ever know. I forgot to tell you that I broke it off with Rafe.”

“How did he take it?”

“He told me to get the hell out of his life.”

“You’re kidding?”

Angela sighed. “Maybe that wasn’t exactly what he said but it was what he meant. I hurt him. I don’t blame him but I did it for him. I don’t want him getting hurt.”

“What are you talking about?” Simone’s voice was alert. “Did Adrian have something to do with the cop getting shot?”

Angela wished she could take back her words. She didn’t want to add to her brother’s time. “No, that wasn’t what I meant,” she lied. “I mean, I don’t want him hurt by the family. I know my mom’s going to be on the phone with your mother in a minute or so, if she’s not already, telling your mother that I’ve gone crazy, that I’m dating a cop.”

Simone laughed again. “You can bet on that. I’ll probably get lectured just because of you. Now my mother will be all in my business and you know I don’t like that.”

“No, but you sure know how to stay in mine.”

“You needed me in yours.”

“Why?”

“Because you didn’t have any. Girl, it’s been so long since you had a man that I was just trying to help.”

Angel laughed despite the painful truth in her cousin’s words. “Let’s hope it won’t be that long again.”

For an hour after she’d returned home Angela had paced the rooms wondering what she was going to do. The thought of anything more happening to Rafe or his family because of her was more than she could bear. The thought of not being able to tell him to be careful hurt like hell.

She closed her eyes in angry frustration as the tears rolled down her cheeks. She loved him and once again she’d made the wrong choice. Giving him up for her brother was a choice she hadn’t wanted, but one she felt forced to live with. Now, after talking with Adrian, it was crucial to keep up her deception. She had to pretend that he meant nothing to her. She wondered if he would believe her. Part of her prayed that he wouldn’t.

Chapter 22

Her car seemed to lurch into the air and fall down with a thud. Angela shook her head; she knew what it was. She had a flat. She pulled over to the side of the road and cursed. She didn’t need this today.

Five minutes later she cursed again. It was going to take the tow truck two hours to assist her. They were busy, they’d said, get someone else to help, they’d said. “Send me back my money,” she’d said.

She screamed out of frustration and pounded on the dashboard.
Forget it
, she thought,
I’ll change the tire myself
. She knew what to do. True, she’d never actually changed a tire, but she knew what to do.

She got out the lug wrench, placed it over the first lug and tried to turn it. Nothing happened. She tried again, but the lug refused to budge.

Angela was becoming more frustrated by the second when she noticed a cop car halfway down the block put on his lights and come toward her.

That’s all I need
, she thought,
another cop
.
What’s he going to do, give me a ticket for having a flat?
She attempted once again to turn the stubborn metal and once again nothing happened.

The cop approached her and she barely glanced over her shoulder at him.

“Having any luck with that?” He pointed at the lug wrench in her hand, making her want to ask if he saw the tire off the car.

“Not yet,” she answered instead, “but it’s coming.”

“Mind if I give it a try?” he asked, coming toward her and holding out his hand for the wrench.

Angela held the wrench for a moment and looked at the officer, wondering what his angle was. “Are you from the Damen station?” she asked.

“No, I’m not.”

“Do you know Officer Rafe Remeris?”

“No. Is he a friend of yours?”

He still held his hand out for the wrench. Angela handed it over. “He used to be.” After answering the officer’s question, she stood back watching as the officer took the tire off so easily that that in itself angered her.

“I’ve never seen the Chicago police help anyone change a flat,” she stated in a matter-of-fact manner.

She couldn’t see his face but she could hear the smile in his voice. “Serve and protect,” he said. “That’s what we do.” He started putting the spare on.

Angela still was unconvinced. The man had to have an agenda. All she had to do was wait and it should become clear enough. More than likely he would hit on her when he was done.

“All done.” He tossed the wrench and the flat in the trunk, slammed it, and smiled at her.

Here it comes
, she thought,
the let’s-have-a-drink or how-about-coffee line
.

“You have a good day now.”

He started to walk away. “Thank you,” Angela stuttered. She stuck her hand out. “I really mean it. You surprised me by helping me. I don’t know what to say. Is there anything I can do for you?” she asked. If he was going to hit on her, now was the time.

“Yes,” he said.

Here it comes
, she thought.

“Don’t forget to get a new tire or at least get that one patched.”

Angela stood speechless for a moment. “Why did you stop and help, really? And please don’t say it’s your duty to serve and protect.”

He grinned broadly. “Okay, it was obvious you weren’t going to get that tire off and if my wife had a flat somewhere, I would hope someone would come along and give her a hand. Take care now.”

He got in his car and Angela stood by the side of the road and waved at him. She climbed back into her car, glanced at the visitor pass and chewed on her lips. She wasn’t supposed to get help from the Chicago police. That wasn’t how it went. Maybe if it had been a Black officer she could accept it, but it hadn’t been.

Things were going screwy. Her brother was not the man she’d thought he was. At the same time she’d met at least two Chicago police who were not what she’d thought.

She didn’t want to think about it. She didn’t want to think about Rafe. She’d lost him, and she certainly didn’t want to think that she’d lost him because of a lie.

For days there had been nothing in Angela’s life but work, work and more work. She hadn’t talked to her parents or even to Simone. What could any of them say? They had gone over it all. Besides that, there was only one person she really wanted to talk to and the fear of putting his life at risk prevented her from doing so.

She’d taken to driving, pretending that she wasn’t hoping that maybe, just maybe, she’d spot Rafe driving by in his squad car. She thought of the many times she’d come out of stores in the neighborhood to find him giving her a ticket. Even that was preferable to now. At least she got to see him. Now she didn’t even get a glimpse of him.

Angela wanted Rafe Remeris. She wanted to talk to him, she wanted to watch him scrounging around in her kitchen for ice cream, she wanted him to make breakfast for her, and she wanted to make love to him.

But she’d sent him away. She’d hurt him and she didn’t think he’d ever forgive her.

Her foot pressed the accelerator and she took a look around. She was only a couple of blocks from where they’d first met. She pressed a little harder, aware of what she was doing, praying that he’d returned to work and he would be working today.

It didn’t take long for the sound of sirens to come behind her. She looked in her mirror and saw the flashing lights. The sight brought the tears she’d been fighting. She watched the officer approaching her and the tears came faster. It wasn’t Rafe.

“License and insurance.”

Angela handed them over, blinking away the tears. She didn’t lip off, didn’t utter a word, merely looked at the man that was frowning at her.

“You okay?” the officer asked.

“I’m okay.”

The officer peered in at her for a moment, then handed her back her license. “Take it easy,” he said. “You were speeding.”

Instead of his kindness helping, it completely unhinged her and the tears became sobs. The man was looking at her as though he were afraid she was going to go completely insane. He asked again, “Are you able to drive home?”

Angela stopped her tears. It had been her decision to send Rafe from her life. She just needed to hear his voice to know that he was alive, make sure nothing had happened to his family. If she could ever stop trembling she would call him. In the state she was in now she knew she would break down. No, she had to wait until she could pretend that all was well in her world. She couldn’t ask for his help for fear of signing a death warrant for him or his family.

“I’m okay,” she finally managed.

* * *

Raphael sat in his car in the prison parking lot. He’d broken out in a cold sweat and it preventing him from opening the door. He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t go inside the building; he’d promised himself he’d never, ever go back.

Memories flooded him, pushing at him, bringing back the horror that he thought had been long buried. With the horror came his shame and a doubt that he’d not worried about for years.

He was shaking so badly that he put his hands on the steering wheel to control them, hating the tremors that were wracking his body. His eyes closed tightly as bile rushed up to choke him.

In the nick of time Raphael wrenched open the car door and puked. He couldn’t do this. He couldn’t go though with it. Turning the key, he backed out, ignoring the look the guard gave him. He didn’t care; he couldn’t go inside that building.

* * *

Angela had waited as long as she possibly could. She had to hear Rafe’s voice just to assure herself that Adrian had not harmed him. She dialed his cell and waited, her heart pounding in her chest, praying that he wouldn’t hang up on her.

“I just wanted to check on you,” she said quickly, the moment his voice came on the line. She breathed a sigh of relief that he was alive. A moment later the anger in his voice almost had her wishing that she had not called.

“Don’t do me any favors,” he snarled. “You made your decision. You don’t love me and I’ll soon stop loving you.”

Raphael gripped the phone, wondering how long that lie would take to become reality, if ever. He didn’t think it would happen but he was damn tired of lying down and allowing her to walk all over him. He wasn’t doing it anymore.

“Rafe, you understand about family. Tell me you wouldn’t do the same. Tell me if you had family in prison you wouldn’t do anything you could to get them out, that you wouldn’t spend every moment you could visiting them, making sure they wouldn’t go crazy. If you’d ever been in my situation…”

“I’ve been in your situation. And to answer your question, hell no, I wouldn’t spend every minute of my time in that place. I pray to God that I never have to go into a prison again in my life.”

He was screaming at her, knowing that it wasn’t really her that he was yelling at. She’d come so close to something he’d tried to keep hidden.

“How can I worry about myself when my brother is rotting away in Statesville? I don’t have a choice. How can I even be thinking about being with…” Angela hesitated and sighed, wishing she could tell him what she really wanted. “Rafe, I’m sorry. I’m sorry about all the things I’ve done to make your life miserable. I’m sorry that you were shot—”

“Are you sorry that your brother had someone do it?” he asked, interrupting her pitiful litany. Raphael was in no mood to hear that she was sorry. There was only one thing that he wanted to hear from her and sorry wasn’t it.

“My God! Rafe, you never said anything about what those men said. I didn’t know if you remembered…of course I’m sorry…I wish…I wish I could take that night back,” she sobbed.

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“I couldn’t.”

“I want you to tell me, Angel, did your brother confess to you?”

Dead silence. What had he expected? “What do you think I’m going to do with the information, Angel?”

“Rafe.”

“Why did you call, Angel?”

“I can’t.”

“You can’t trust me not to hurt you?”

“I can’t do what you’re asking.”

“You can’t trust me not to hurt you? Don’t call again. There’s no use.” Rafe hung the phone up. He’d meant it when he told her not to call again. He’d rather not have her in his life if she didn’t trust him. It hurt like hell, but in time he hoped that hurt would go away.

* * *

“Officer Remeris, I’m glad to see that you’re doing okay.”

Raphael smiled at the woman, surprised that anyone in the neighbor gave a damn. “Thank you,” he muttered.

“The woman that you were with when you were shot, is she okay as well?”

Raphael’s tightened his jaw. “She’s fine.”

“Good.” The woman smiled at him, then turned slightly as though she didn’t want to be seen talking with him. She was fidgeting, pulling at her hair, her clothes. She opened her mouth as though to speak again, then stopped and a painful look that he could only assume was meant to be a smile registered on her face.

There was something not right. Raphael watched as the woman looked around as though she thought someone was watching her. “Is there something that you want to tell me?” he asked.

“I don’t think that it’s safe for her to be in the neighborhood. She’s asking too many questions. Is she your girlfriend?”

“No.”

“If she’s your friend, you might want to tell her to leave.”

“Is something going on?”

“I don’t know, just rumors probably.” But the woman shrugged her shoulders. “There were a few bangers in the store I was in the other day and they were talking about retribution, something about making the,” she hesitated, “making the sister pay.”

Raphael felt instant fear, fear for his angel. “What are you talking about? Making her pay how, for what?”

“Something about money and Teresa Cortez. Her brother, he can’t find her and some money. I don’t really know what they were talking about but it was like a sister for a sister. I just thought you might want to tell her to leave before something happens to her.”

“Who is Teresa Cortez?”

“I don’t know her but I think she must be a sister of one of the bangers. And I think it has something to do with your friend. There are people who don’t believe that she’s a reporter. They are looking for this Black guy’s sister. They don’t know for sure, but they think she might be the one they want or that she can lead them to the woman. I don’t know exactly what it is but I know it’s something to do with a woman, something with her brother.” She looked behind her. “I’ve talked with your friend a few times and she seems nice. I don’t want to see her get hurt.”

“Thank you,” Raphael answered, pretending a calm he didn’t feel. “I can assure you, she is what she claims. She’s a reporter. If anyone asks, you can tell them to see me. I’ll vouch for her.” He thanked the woman again.

“Don’t worry,” Raphael patted the woman’s shoulder. “I’ll do my best to get her to leave.”

He walked away wondering if the woman was being truthful or if she was fishing. Either way, he wasn’t giving anyone any reason to think that Angela Reed was not what she claimed to be.

He wished he believed that having told the woman that Angela was a reporter, protecting her cover, he’d assured her safety. He hadn’t and he knew it. He had to talk to her.

Raphael rubbed his hands across his face. Damn it, he didn’t want to see her, but he couldn’t just not tell her. He had to give her the information and give her the chance to leave. He hoped to God that she took the chance. He needed her out of the neighborhood. He didn’t want to know that she was a few blocks way, within touching distance, yet he couldn’t touch.
Damn
.

* * *

“Angela.” He rapped on the door. “It’s me, Raphael. We need to talk.” At first he thought she wasn’t home but remembered he’d seen her car in the parking lot. So he knocked again. “Angela,” he bellowed. “You may as well answer the door because I’m not leaving.”

As he’d intended with all the pounding, she opened the door. “Was it that easy to get you to stop calling me angel?” she asked.

He didn’t smile. There was nothing funny happening. “Close the door,” he barked. “I need to talk to you.”

“What is it?” she asked, subdued.