Matthias agreed, but before he took off on his skateboard, he gave Maria another one, “See you around, princess.”
The blonde narrowed her eyes at him as he sailed away. Looking to Angel, she gave him a message. “He better hope not.”
Understanding, Angel nodded as he took Adalyn’s hand again, leading her to the car.
“You two are complete opposites, aren’t you?” she asked when they were alone.
“In every way but appearance.”
Looking over at him, she felt it starting to click. “Is that why all your tattoos are flipped, because you are opposites?”
“No.” His voice took on a dark tone as he revealed the real reason they mirrored each other. “My father made us do that so he could tell us apart.”
Every hair on her body stood up. It was the first time he had spoken about his father to her. After hearing about who he was and what he had done to Chloe, that alone had made her sure she never wanted to hear more.
“Oh.”
When his response was silence, she figured he didn’t want to tell her more about it.
Angel continued to walk her to the car, where he opened the door for her, but she didn’t want to get in just yet. Needing to spend a little more time with him before he took her home, she reached up on her tippy toes and placed a hard kiss on his lips.
He grabbed the small Italian girl’s tiny waist, holding her in place. “What was that for, sweetness?”
“I just thought I’d give you a kiss, so you’d know what you’ll be missing over winter break.”
“So, you don’t want to keep seeing me?” he asked with a smile.
“Oh, I do. That was in case you didn’t want to see me.” She leaned up and wrapped her arms around his neck, keeping him there for just a bit longer. “Where are we supposed to hang out every day now?”
Angel was the one to place a rough kiss on her lips this time. “Get in, sweetness. I’ve got something to show you.”
Thirty-Six
Between Heaven and Hell
“No fucking way …” Adalyn breathed as she stepped into the empty penthouse apartment. It was bare, with no furniture, and much smaller than the other ones she had seen on the top floor, but the view was damn sure amazing. “How did you …? When did you …?”
“Lucca gave me the keys last night and said it was mine if I wanted it,” Angel told her.
She looked over at him, noticing the devoid expression on his face. The happiness she initially felt started to drift away, replaced with sadness. “You don’t want it?”
“It’s not that I don’t want it. It’s what it means if I take it.”
She darted her tongue out to lick her lip, nervous for what he was about to say.
Angel stalked toward her, then began to walk around her in a circle. “The fact that he even offered it to me tells me he doesn’t plan on me leaving.” His gray eyes moved over her body. “And if I take it, that would mean I accept the fact that I will be trapped here …”
She breathed heavily, and her heart began beating faster and faster the more he stalked around her.
He stopped right in front of her, bringing a single tatted finger to the base of her chin, slowly tilting her head higher and higher. Then he said the word that held one final guarantee, “Forever.”
The beating in her chest grew louder.
“Do you know what forever for me means for you, sweetness?”
She held her breath.
“An eternity with me.” He said the words with such a force that they seemed to shake the room.
She heard the strong pounding in her chest ringing in her ears.
“Is that what you want, sweetness?” He pressed his fingertip into her chin even more. “Because if not, you better walk out of this room right now.”
Her eyes drifted to the door, knowing this was going to be her last chance.
Sliding them back across the room, she then looked him straight in the eyes, telling him exactly what she wanted. “I want you.”
Angel grabbed her neck, pulling her lightly toward him, letting her see him for all that he was. “You sure about that?”
He was everything she ever wanted, and then some.
“Absolutely.”
Bringing her to him, he gripped her tighter, sealing it with a kiss.
Not expecting what was to come next, she found her feet being swept off the ground as Angel carried her up the steps to the lofted bedroom. It all happened so fast, and not until she was tossed onto a mattress that had been placed in the middle of floor did reality return.
Looking at the bed that was covered in white sheets and pillows, she propped herself up on her elbows and looked up at him in confusion. “I thought he gave you the keys last night?”