But her heart pounded faster than it had when she'd been woken by the storm.
Her breath caught in her throat as his fingertips trailed lightly over her panties.
“Open for me,” he said.
Astrid spread her legs to let him stroke her. Why was she letting this happen? Why was she agreeing to this? It was fucked up. Sick. She could convince herself she'd been young and naïve when she'd fallen into bed with Joey. She hadn't really known what he was. But she knew exactly what Angel was.
“S-stop. P-please.”
He sighed and pulled his hand away. “Go back to your room.”
He didn't seem angry, but he was serious about the terms of her sleeping in his bed. It wasn't as if it was entirely unreasonable. She was the lunatic who seemed to think sleeping in here with him was preferable to being down the hall alone with her husband's ghost.
“Please, I-I can't go back there,” she whispered, knowing she must sound like such a child. What grown adult woman prefers to share a bed with the man who just killed her husband when she had the option for anything else? It didn't matter how good he looked or smelled. He was a killer. Just like Joey.
“I told you my terms. Either spread your legs or leave.”
Astrid didn't do anything. Frozen in indecision, she lay there waiting to see what his next move would be. Would he force himself on her? It would be so much easier to be the victim than to willingly choose to let a monster touch her again and then blame herself endlessly when he inevitably turned on her.
“You have exactly thirty seconds to make a decision,” he said.
She lay there, the sound of her heartbeat rising in direct competition with the howling winds and rain outside as she counted the seconds in her head.
Finally, Angel got out of bed, came around to her side, picked her up, and carried her back down the hall to her room. He set her down on the fluffy white bedding and turned to leave.
“Angel, wait.”
He stopped.
“Please don't leave me by myself.”
He turned back and took a couple of steps toward the bed, causing her to involuntarily draw back. Lightning lit his face making him look almost as terrifying as Joey used to.
“I'm going to warn you once, Astrid. It's not wise to tease me.”
“I'm not teasing.”
He sighed. “If I get in that bed, I'm doing whatever I want with you. It would be better if you told me to leave now.”
She shook her head. “Please. I can't be by myself right now.”
***
Angel watched her chest rise and fall. The terror on her face was real. Was the fear of him or the storm? Why would she be begging him to stay with her if it was him? He'd promised himself he'd be honorable and let her come to him, but he wasn't the kind of man who would let a woman justsleepin his bed.
And he hadn't expected her to come to him tonight. He'd thought it might take a few weeks at least—until she felt safe. Even then, he thought he might have to make some small overture because he couldn't picture her being the type of woman who would make the first move—especially not in a situation this twisted.
But if she came to his bed, she was there for whatever he wanted to do with her. She had to understand these rules. He'd already been kinder than normal by giving her an out. A sort of safeword.
He wasn't sure where this strange sense of honor was coming from. He should have just pushed past her defenses. She'd come to his bed half-naked after all. It wasn't as though he'd stalked her across the house.
Fuck it. This was too complicated. If he stayed another minute, he'd end up doing things he couldn't justify in his mind because she wasn't a contract. She was just an innocent woman he'd been too attracted to. That might be to her own detriment in the end.
“I'm sorry, no. Sleep with the light on. You don't want what I want, and I'm not going to be your sleepover bodyguard.”
Angel turned to leave, figuring the issue was settled. He had barely made it to the door when she launched herself at him.
“Please, don't go. I'll do whatever you want.” Her voice was desperate.