I paced my living room several times, arguing the pros and cons of hiring someone. The cut on the side of my head stung, and my face hurt, tender to the touch. As the sun sank over the tops of the skyscrapers, I looked outside, wondering who’d sent me the ink bomb and what disaster the future had waiting for me next. Without stopping to think too hard about how foolish I’d been to assume I could simply step back into my old life, or about the action I was about to take, I punched in Sachs’s number and listened to it ring.
“Hello?” A quiet voice hit my ear, sending a shiver through me.
“Is this Angel Gabriel? The man who helped me earlier?”
A swift intake of breath. “Ronan Michaels? Are you okay?”
Not really, but I didn’t want to scare the guy away before I had a chance to see him again. “The one and only. I…I’d like to see you.”
“See me?”
“I might have need of your services.” Those words sounded dirty, and I couldn’t help imagining Gabriel rolling around in my bed. All that muscle and restrained power made me dizzy.
Get your mind out of the gutter.
“I see. When were you thinking?”
“As soon as possible. Now, if you aren’t busy.” I swallowed hard, a little lonely and a lot scared.
“Did something else happen?” His sharp tone surprised me.
“Can you come?” I thought I had it all under control, but I heard my voice quiver.
“I can be there in less than an hour. What apartment are you in?”
“Twelve C.” I touched the side of my head, winced.
“See you then.”
Feeling grimy, I showered and got another beer. The box from the ink bomb remained on the counter, untouched from the time it exploded, and I figured it best to leave it there in case Gabriel wanted to check it out. Splatters of ink dotted the countertop and the floor. Needing to keep my hands busy, I opened the last package and shook out a new leather jacket.
“Good thing this didn’t get screwed up.” I hung it in the closet and sat on the couch, foot tapping nervously, waiting for Gabriel to show. When the intercom rang, I jumped and answered it, telling Luis to send Gabriel up.
I stood at the open door, and almost swallowed my tongue at the sight of him exiting the elevator. He’d been gorgeous earlier in a sharp, gray business suit with a plain white shirt unbuttoned at the collar and showcasing his strong throat, and he was even more so now, having changed into a black Henley that clung to his muscular biceps. Dark-wash jeans encased thigh muscles that should be indecent outside of my dirty fantasies. Once again, images of him naked in my bed rendered me speechless for a moment.
“Hey,” I managed.
“Hi.” He approached me with a smooth stride, and as he passed by me, entering the apartment, I caught a whiff of his aftershave. I closed the door and followed him several steps before realizing I was sniffing after him like a dog in heat.Jesus, get a grip.I really needed to get laid. It had been a long six years, and I was ripe for it.
“Uh, hi,” I repeated. Whereas normally I was in control, I now found myself hesitant and tongue-tied. Gabriel, on the other hand, with that sharp-eyed stare, had no problem speaking his mind.
“What the hell happened to you?”
I ran a hand over my face. “I got a bunch of packages today. I was expecting stuff I’d ordered, so I sat there”—I pointed to the kitchen island—“and when I opened that box, it exploded in my face and knocked me off my seat. A thick black liquid covered my face, and no matter how long I washed it, this was the best I could do.”
Before I finished my explanation, Gabriel had taken two steps toward me, which brought him close enough to touch. “Were you hurt, aside from your face being covered in ink?” His words flowed over me, and my breath hitched.
“Uh, no. But I’m pretty freaked out.”
Gabriel peered into my face. “May I?” When I nodded, his fingertips brushed lightly over my cheeks, and all the blood in my body rushed south to my groin. I swayed, and he grabbed me. “Whoa. Let’s get you seated.”
My brain might’ve said this was not a good idea, but my body was doing a hell-yeah, and I allowed Gabriel to lead me to the couch, where we both sat.
“Better?” he asked.
“Yeah. It’s just a little overwhelming after having a bottle thrown at my head to come home and deal with an ink bomb.”
“Of course it is. What did the police say?”
