Page 10 of Sins & Paradise

I take a few steps back and lift my hands so she can see that I’m not a threat. “Look, I’m not here to hurt you.”

“You’re a liar. He sent you didn’t he? Why are you following me?” Her hazel eyes lock onto me as she watches every breath I take. I’m sure she’s ready to run again at any given moment.

I groan when I realize what she said. ‘He sent you…’ That means Coca was right. Something bad is going on with this woman.

“No one sent me… well that’s not true. Coca sent me. She said she met you earlier today. She just wanted me to come check on you.”

Her eyes flit from side to side and her eyebrows cinch together. “I’m fine.”

“Bullshit. What are you doing back here?” I ask taking a step forward. She flinches but doesn’t run away.

“I don’t… I wasn’t doing anything.” She replies.

It’s killing me to see her still huddled up like that in the corner. Taking a deep breath I kneel down so I’m at her level. “Can you please come out from there. I know what I look like and I know you must be scared out of your mind but I promise you I’m not here to hurt you.” It feels more like I’m talking to an animal than to a woman.

She stares at me for a few moments before she slowly gets to her feet. Still she doesn’t move any closer to me.

“What’s your name?” I ask standing on my feet as well.

“Angela.” She answers quickly.

“I’m Lobo. Now what the hell are you doing out here?”

She looks down. Even in the darkening night I can see her face turning bright red with embarassment. “I sleep here.”

The anger I was trying so hard to hide from her burst forth and I growl hard before I put my hand out for her to take.

When I left out the clubhouse earlier I had no intention on taking on another mission but I’ll be damned if I let this beautiful stranger sleep in this mess either.

I don’t know what demons she’s got on her tail but I’m about to find out.

Four

Angela

Throughout my yearsat the seminary school, I've taken away quite a few lessons, but one sticks out in my head right now:

Trust the soul.

Everything about the man in front of me screams danger. It screams that I should run in the opposite direction, but something more pulls me closer to him. It's almost spiritual in nature.

I've made poor judgment calls in the past regarding people's character; the only way to know for sure if I'm doing the same with this man, Lobo, is to give him a chance.

I'm scared, though. So scared.

"What the fuck do you mean you are sleeping here? Where do you live?"

He snarls at me, and I force myself to stand my ground. I'm ashamed, but I'm not going to back away from the reality of it. I haven't made enough money yet to find a place to stay, and I don't know if I'm staying here long enough to bother getting a permanent residence.

"It's fine. The weather is nice, and there are no animals around. It's like camping." I smirk and try to play this off.

"The hell it is. Can't you call someone? Don't you have family?"

I look away from him and wrap my arms around myself. My family is the one who put me in this situation to begin with. There's no way I'd even think about calling them for help.

"No, I have no one." The words taste like bitter acid on my tongue.

"Fucking hell." He grumbles before he turns his back to me for a second and kicks one of the rocks lying on the ground.

---