Page 51 of Angel Of Darkness

But Keenan was?—

“Once an angel falls, he becomes something very, very different.” He pulled off his sunglasses. His eyes were the same bright blue as Keenan’s. His blue gaze trekked to the left, then to the right as it swept past the pedestrians. “Why don’t you come closer,” he invited, “so we can talk without worrying that the humans will overhear?”

She didn’t move. The gun was tucked in the waistband of her jeans, hidden beneath her shirt. But what would the silver bullets do against someone like him? Probably not much. “I’m fine right here.”

His eyes narrowed. “Are you?”

Nicole swallowed. “What do you want?”

He took a step toward her. She tensed.

“Where is Keenan?” he asked.

She braced her legs apart. “You’re not really his friend, are you?” Her right hand began to edge toward the gun. So what if the humans saw? She wasn’t dying on this street.

He didn’t blink. “No, I’m not.”

Great.

“He left you all alone.” His lips—sensual but cruel, just like the rest of him—pulled down. “Didn’t expect that. I thought you mattered more.”

“Why would I matter to him?” I begged for help. Help Keenan hadn’t given her. “We barely know each other.” Fury thickened her voice.

He took another slow, gliding step toward her. She was reminded of a snake slithering up on his prey. “Oh, you might not know him well,” he said, “but Keenan knows you.”

Then he was in front of her. Mere inches away. He’d moved in a blink—as fast as Keenan had at the motel.

Her hand flew for the gun.

He caught her wrist. Held tight. “I can’t let you do that.” His head came close, and his lips feathered against her ear as he spoke. To everyone else on the street, it would look like they were lovers whispering secrets and promises. “Digging those bullets out,” he told her as his breath stroked over her, “can be a real bitch.”

She’d lost feeling in the tips of her fingers. He wasn’t hurting her—there was just no feeling. “Who are you?”

His left hand rose and brushed back the hair from her cheek. “You can call me Sam.”

That told her nothing.

He eased back and gazed down at her. “He should have been with you.” There actually seemed to be some sadness in his voice. “I thought he was going to protect you.”

“Why would he?” Nicole demanded, refusing to cower. For all she knew, this jerk was a low-level demon, just bullshitting his way around and trying to screw with her head. “Keenan has no link to me.” Even though she could still feel his hands on her body. Still taste him. Bastard. “We’re not?—”

His laughter cut through her words. “Don’t bother lying to me.”

“I’m not.”

Faint lines appeared around his eyes, then his brows shot up. “You don’t know.”

She snapped her lips closed.

Once more, his fingers brushed down her cheek. “I bet he likes to touch you, doesn’t he?”

Two giggling teenage girls passed them.

“Everything’s so new when you fall. Touch—it can bring so much pleasure.” To be so bright, those eyes of his were so cold. “Or so much pain.”

“Let go of my hand,” she gritted. A cop was walking down the sidewalk. The last thing she needed was to get caught between this creep and a cop.

He didn’t let go. “The emotions hit next. Anger. Hate. Fury.” His gaze dropped to her mouth. “Lust. I bet he knows all about that, thanks to you.”

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