Page 10 of The Sinner's Touch

Kade glanced over at Angel as he turned at the red light. He’d watched her from the corner of his eye the entire time they’d been in the car. She’d been lost in her thoughts. Maybe thinking of their past? He couldn’t stop thinking about it either. Memories had broken past the dam he’d built around them and flooded his mind the moment he’d locked eyes with his Angel.

While he hated to interrupt whatever thought made her smile, he slowed and asked, “Is this the place?”

“Yeah. Pull around the back, though. You’ll get a ticket if you park in front.”

Kade did as she directed and found the back lot as dark as he’d feared. Anyone could snatch her from here. One lonely, dim light in the center of the back of the building fought the darkness, and it didn’t so much as make a dent. There was no way he was going to let her stay here by herself. She’d just have to be pissed at him.

He parked the car and got out, going around to open the door for Angel, but she was already climbing out. It was another quirk of hers. He’d always tried to open doors for her, and she’d beat him to it. She maintained she wasn’t some debutante who couldn’t do things for herself. He just thought it was a man’s place to do those things for a woman. It was what he’d been taught by his father in Russia, and that had been hammered home by his uncle once he’d come to the States to go to school.

Angel stalked ahead of him, her back rigid. She still had a figure that made his mouth water. And that cute little ass of hers bounced as she stomped up the stairs. He shook his head. He needed to get his mind out of the gutter and focus on the situation at hand. The woman was in danger, and she needed protecting. She didn’t need him lusting after her.

The small apartment he followed her into was neat, tidy, and so very Angel. The floors were white, and he took his shoes off before he could muddy up the carpets. He noticed Angel did the same. She still wasn’t speaking to him. She moved from the front door to the kitchen where she flicked on the lights, and he took a moment to look around.

She hadn’t gotten over her purple obsession. There were hints of it everywhere, from the little purple flowers in the white curtains to the deep purple accent pillows thrown on the couch. Textbooks were strewn across the coffee table, her laptop resting next to them. A vase of fresh tulips sat on the end table next to the door, a purple dish beside it where she’d tossed her keys. The place was small, but it was cozy. He could imagine her sitting here late at night, the TV on low, studying. Both he and Peter had wanted her to go to college. He was glad she’d finally done it.

A tabletop Christmas tree sat on the dining room table, decorated in purple and white. Christmas was only two weeks away. He’d forgotten all about it, thanks to his obsession with finding this serial killer. He’d bet anything that tree hadgone up right after Halloween. Angel always wanted to skip Thanksgiving and go right to Christmas. It was her favorite holiday.

“Nice place.”

She didn’t even look at him. Instead, she started up her Keurig then went down the hall, toward what he assumed was either her bedroom or the bathroom. The fierce slam of the door took him back to another day when she’d gone stomping up the stairs. Only back then, she’d been embarrassed and not full of rage.

Peter had laughed off his sister’s embarrassment, and then they’d gone inside for beers and discussed football. He hadn’t done it in a mean way, but a brotherly way. Peter loved his sister. That much Kade knew from spending so much time with him. He’d met Peter two months prior, and it had taken him that long to get the guy to trust him enough to start bringing him home. It would be another month before Peter introduced him to his boss. Everything had been about worming his way into the cartel back then.

Until he met Angelique Lemoraux.

He and a couple guys had gone to The Velvet Room, one of the classier strip joints in Miami. Strip clubs weren’t his thing, but the guys he was with loved them. Seeing as how they worked for the people he was trying to get close to, he’d gone along. They told him he was in for a surprise.

The place definitely wasn’t what he expected. He and his buddies from high school had been to a few, but those were in small towns, not a major city. This place was swanky, done in deep purples and grays. The lights were low, the only bright ones surrounding the girls on stage. The waitresses wore simple black dresses and were friendly enough. A no touching policy was in effect. He’d even seen security throw someone outfor groping one of the women when she bent down to collect her tips.

They’d been there for about an hour, and Kade was nursing his second beer. He refused to get drunk around any of them. Ray and Tony were both well past five beers each when Ray looked over at Tony, a grin on his face. “It’s almost time.”

“She’s on tonight?” Tony sat up straight and ran a hand through his hair. If Kade didn’t know better, he’d think the guy was trying to clean himself up enough to look presentable.

“Yeah. I called to check.” Ray rubbed his hands together, his eyes a little glazed.

“Who?” Kade was now curious. He’d never seen either of these two get this excited over a woman. She had to be one hell of a stripper to inspire this kind of nervous behavior.

“Angelique.”

Ray said the word almost reverently, and Tony nodded like they’d found the Holy Grail. What was with them? She was just a stripper. A step above a prostitute, in his book. They used their bodies to get paid, same as a hooker, only they did it legally. No self-respecting woman would do this job if she didn’t have to.

The music changed and lights dimmed. Tony and Ray leaned forward, eager and expectant. The song wasn’t one he knew, but the beat was slow and sensual. Then the spotlight flared to life, centering on the lone woman standing motionless in the middle of the stage.

Her head bowed, and she shifted, her body on display as she started to move, and he couldn’t take his eyes away from her. She stalked toward them, like a hunter after its prey. Each movement was calculated, designed to drive them crazy. The room was hushed, its collective breath held while she danced for them. Her dress slid away, and when she turned her back tothem, the simple white lace of her panties was the sexiest thing Kade could remember seeing.

Her body was young, supple, and she moved with the grace of a cat as she bent and twisted. It was not cheap or gaudy as he’d expected, but erotic and mesmerizing. Had any of the other girls danced like this? No. They were sitting right in front of the stage, and no one else had captured his attention like this one…like Angelique.

His gaze traveled up slim legs to her firm little ass that jutted out just enough to set his hands aching to squeeze it. The skin on her back was smooth, flawless. She turned and bent low, her face only inches from the three of them. Those cat green eyes stared at him, full of recognition.

It felt like someone hit him with the force of an oncoming Mack truck. The air fled his lungs, and he couldn’t stop his mouth from falling open. It couldn’t be the same person. She tossed him a saucy grin and a wink. Holy shit. Angelique…Angel. Peter’s little sister. There was no mistaking those eyes or that hair. It was bright red, not that ugly shade of orange a lot of redheads ended up with. And her body. He was so hard right now, it was going to be painful to get up and walk to the car.

How was he supposed to erase the memory from his mind? Every time he saw her, he’d be seeing her on this stage, half naked and moving in ways she shouldn’t even know how to move. How had he ever thought she was a kid?

Tony elbowed him, bringing him out of his shocked stupor. “Don’t be cheap.” He threw a hundred-dollar bill on the stage alongside Ray’s. They stared him down until Kade pulled out his wallet and tossed out two fifties. She leaned down and collected her money, throwing a kiss in their general direction before leaving the stage.

At least now he understood why they hadn’t invited Peter along. No man would ever tolerate seeing his sister shakingher ass for a bunch of pervs. And right now, he was including himself in with the pervs because he wanted her to come back out and do it all over again.

It had been the beginning of the end for him.

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