Her hands twisted in her lap, clueing Vex in that she was worrying. “Is there anything else you need to say to someone here, Angel?”
She shook her head. “I want Sammie. Can we go home?”
“We can.” Vex pressed a soft kiss to her forehead and stepped away to slam the door.
“See here. I’m not done speaking to Angel,” Trevor blustered.
“Angel said don’t contact her. She’s not going to change her mind. Your engagement is over. She’s done.”
Without another word, he circled the hood, keeping his eye on Angel the entire way. She leaned toward him as he climbed into the cab. “Let’s get out of here, Baby girl, and I’ll find a place to hold you.”
“Please.”
Vex didn’t look at Trevor. He was done. What a boringly proper life Angel would have had with that wimp. Until they’d driven away, part of him had worried she might choose the life that was familiar to her instead of the protected and cherished one Vex would offer her. Angel had erased that concern. She’d never wavered.
“He’s not a bad guy,” Angel whispered.
“I’m glad he was nice to you, Baby girl. I’m also glad you weren’t burned to a crisp in that rattrap of a hangout.”
They both sat with that statement ringing in their brains for a few minutes. That fatal possibility was harsh even by Vex’s standards but true. Vex had no doubt Viper would have continued to solicit ransom funds from Angel’s father even after she’d died. Maybe, after a longer period, Mr. Daniels would have relented and thrown his money away to free someone who’d passed away months ago.
Vex forced himself to stay in control as anger boiled in his gut. Angel’s sweet presence was the only thing that kept him from barreling through the fancy gate guarding the Daniels’ estate. Angel scooted as close as she could to the massive console in the big truck cab. She leaned over to wrap her hand around his thigh.
The sight of her delicate fingers on the battered denim of his jeans defused some of his ire. He covered her hand with his. “Thanks, Baby girl.”
“I bet you’re wishing anyone else had found me.”
“I will spank your bottom so hard you’ll stand for a week if you ever suggest or even imagine that statement is true again. Running into you in that hellhole is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I feel like a total asshole for saying that. You shouldn’t have been there.”
“But then I wouldn’t have met you,” she added.
“No.” Vex wanted to tell her that fate would have brought them together, but he knew better. Except for some catastrophic event, their worlds never would have collided.
“Then that’s what I’ll remember when I have a nightmare. I’ll hug you tight and celebrate that we found each other.”
“Fuck, Angel. Don’t make a grown-ass adult man cry as he’s driving a truck down the middle of millionaire lane,” Vex pleaded as he headed for the other side of town.
Her infectious giggle made the corners of his mouth tilt upward. He chuckled, and laughter bubbled out of her. Angel wrapped her arms around her stomach as she abandoned herself to the merriment filling the cab.
“And you decked my father. That’s going to make next Thanksgiving interesting. My father will have the staff make the dining room table as long as possible so he can sit you out of arm’s reach.”
“I’m okay with that. I can sprint down the middle of the table to punch him again if he dares to value money over your safety,” Vex told her.
She patted his thigh to placate him. “Do the Devil Daddies celebrate holidays together?”
“Always. We’re family. We gather at Inferno instead of the compound.”
“I can’t wait to experience Inferno. I’m sorry I never ventured there before.”
“Not really a Daniels kind of place, Baby girl.”
“Don’t be a snob, Vex.”
“A snob?” He glanced over at her, completely taken aback by her response.
“Yes. I don’t judge the Devil Daddies. Do you think it’s fair to judge me and my friends?”
Vex shook his head as her logic rang true. “You’re right, Angel. I shouldn’t make any assumptions about people based on the amount of money they’re swimming in. You do have money in your pools, don’t you?” he teased.
