Page 13 of The Sinner's Touch

“Lemoraux.” Angel bit out the word, her teeth grinding so loudly he heard it as she clenched her jaw.

“Angel.” Bailey settled on her first name. “Could it have been a boyfriend who came in while you were at work and left it?”

“No.” She shook her head. “I’m not dating anyone.”

Thank fuck.

“An ex-boyfriend, maybe? One who had a key?” Bailey looked hopeful, but Angel dashed his hopes.

“I’ve never given anyone a key to my apartment. No one has a set but me and the super.”

“We’ll have a talk with your super.”

“Go ahead.” Angel shrugged. “I’m sure his wife will tell you he’s been home all night.”

“Do you have anywhere you can go for a few days?” Bailey started scribbling down notes.

“I’ve already arranged it.” Kade cracked his knuckles. “I also called my boss and requested assistance. I can’t keep up the pace I was and keep Angel safe.”

“Does it matter if I don’t want your protection?”

“Nope.” Kade flashed her a grin. “You’re my burden to deal with.”

“Burden?” Angel bellowed, all indignant outrage.

Kade watch her cheeks burn a deep cherry red. He knew without looking he could follow it all the way down her neck toward the sensitive patch of skin between her breasts.

“Children, let’s focus.” Bailey attempted to stop the argument before it began, but Kade suppressed a laugh. Bailey was in for it.

“So now I’m a child because I don’t want an overbearing ass trying to dictate what I do?” She stabbed her finger with each step she took, until Bailey was backed up against the wall, looking a little terrified. “Who the fuck do you think you are to call me a child? I’ve had a face-to-face confrontation with a serial killer and then come home to find he’s invaded my apartment, all the while having to deal with that bastard over there. I think I have earned the right to be angry. Don’t you?”

Bailey nodded emphatically. “Yes, ma’am.”

“Then shut the fuck up!” She turned and stormed off toward her bedroom.

“Get some clothes while you’re back there!” The string of curses that followed her up the hallway made Kade laugh out loud. Damn, but he’d missed her.

“Sweet Mary, Mother of God.” Bailey let out a whistle. “Our resident serial killer would return her within the hour.”

“He’ll never get that close.” And if he did, it would be the last thing he ever did.

“So…she’s your wife? I didn’t know you were married.”

He shrugged. “I forgot.”

“How do you forget you’re married?”

“Quite easily when there’s nothing but bad memories attached to it,” he murmured, his eyes landing on a picture of Angel and Peter.

One of the forensic guys yelled for Bailey, and the detective moved out of the living room and down the hall, leaving Kade to peruse Angel’s pictures. The one of her parents on their wedding day sat in the middle of the small mantel. The one of her and Peter sat to the left, and he picked it up. It had been taken in the living room of their parents’ home. He had so many good memories in that house.

His phone blared out a Linkin Park song, and he fumbled it out of his pocket. “What?”

“You’re a cranky bastard tonight.”

“It’s been a long night, Nikoli.”

“I just wanted to let you know I called Stan, and there will be a set of keys waiting for you at the front desk of the building. It’s the penthouse apartment. The place has excellent security. The only people who don’t have to sign in are the people who live there.”

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