Sweet Temptation

She pursed her lips in concentration and slowly shook her head. “There was no one to tell.”

Micah dragged a hand through his hair and met the stares of his friends. Anger was alive in their eyes, and the message was clear. They considered Angelina theirs just as they did Faith, Serena and Julie. No way they were going to allow some psycho asshole to hurt her.

“I feel the need to point out that it’s entirely possible that this isn’t the same whack job,” Connor said.

Angelina shook her head. “It’s him. I’d recognize the handwriting anywhere, and he always uses that same paper. It’s stationery. Plain, but the texture is different than regular paper.”

“Did you save all the other stuff or did you turn it over to the police?” Micah asked.

“I wasn’t going to turn over my only evidence to them when they weren’t ever going to take me seriously.”

“Did you bring it with you?”

“It’s under my bed,” she said. “Do you want me to get it?”

“I’ll get it,” Connor said. “You just stay put where it’s safe.”

Micah nodded his agreement. If it was up to him—and he was going to make damn sure it was—she wasn’t leaving his side until they nailed the fucker responsible for terrorizing her.

When Connor left the apartment, Micah pulled Angelina down to his chest again and stroked her hair in a soothing pattern.

“I should get back to the house,” Gray said uneasily. “Faith is alone.”

Nathan balled up his fists, a mixture of rage and fear tightening his features. “Julie’s alone at her place too. If this joker knew enough to pin a note on my truck, he’ll know about Julie too.”

Angelina sat up, her eyes so sad that it took Micah’s breath away. “I’m sorry,” she said, turning to Gray and Nathan. “I never thought in a million years he’d come here or I wouldn’t have brought this to you, I swear it.”

Gray stopped by the couch on his way to the door. He reached out and briefly touched her cheek. “Don’t be taking blame that’s not yours to take. Our girls are tough. We just want to make sure they know what’s going on so they can be careful.”

She nodded miserably, and Nathan and Gray hurried out the door, leaving her alone with Micah.

Restlessly she stirred in Micah’s arms. She shoved and scooted as she tried to get up, but Micah held firm.

“Angel,” he said in a soft voice. “Stop pushing me away. I already feel you putting up the walls and distancing yourself.”

“Just let me up. I need to breathe,” she begged.

Reluctantly he let her go, and as he’d anticipated, she put the entire room between them as she paced a tight line in front of the television.

Connor walked back in, holding a box. He set it down on the coffee table in front of Micah then took a seat in the chair next to the couch.

Angelina wouldn’t even look at Micah when he opened the box. She turned away, tense and worried, her arms wrapped protectively around her slim figure.

He tried to tune her out, tried to think and act like a cop even if it had been several years. He tried to look at the stack of letters objectively, but as he read, rage took hold.

As she’d said, they started innocently enough, but he still found them creepy from the onset. And then it was as if a switch had been flipped. They went from seemingly harmless to an explosion of rage and violence.

A chill slithered down his spine as he read the countless promises, the threats. No longer was the man trying to be subtle. He outlined in stark clarity just what it was he’d do to her once he had her in his hands.

Jesus. It was a miracle he hadn’t gotten to her before she left Miami. Only because of her sheer intelligence and determination had he not kidnapped her from the club. Thank God for Nathan.

“What do we do?” Connor asked when Micah put the last of the notes back into the box.

Micah blew out his breath in an effort to control the wash of emotion that threatened to overtake him. He was angry—oh yes, he was pissed beyond belief—but he was also scared.

Before he could answer or even think of what the hell to say, Angelina turned, her eyes no longer reflecting fear or upset. No, determination burned deep and red-hot.

“The logical thing for me to do is leave,” she said evenly.

CHAPTER 19

Neither Micah nor Connor had any liking for her statement. Both got this pinched look on their faces, and Micah reddened, looking like he was about to erupt.

“Don’t be stupid,” he growled.

Angelina sighed. “I was stupid to come here, Micah. I thought I was playing it smart. Had a plan in place. Was meticulous in its execution. I’d hoped I could come here, start a new life and forget the past. That was stupid. Leaving is smart.”

Micah gaped incredulously at her. Connor frowned and eased up from his chair.

“Think I’ll just go into the kitchen and let you two hash this out.”

Micah waited until Connor had left the room and then rose from the couch, crossed the room and took her shoulders in his hands.

“You aren’t leaving, Angel. Where the hell would you go?”

“Back to Chicago first. After that? Anywhere I want.”