Angel

 

I was still drunk, but standing in the foyer and staring at the man standing next to Chuckie, my blood ran cold. No, it couldn’t be him. I shook my head in disbelief. When I opened my eyes, the resemblance was still there, and it was stronger than ever.

 

The man who had saved my life, who had taken me to a bar and tried to seduce me in public, was none other than Trey. Trey Minter. My first love. My only love. After Trey, I’d never loved again. Sure, I’d gone on the odd date here and there. I’d even had another boyfriend or two. But no one serious, no one who lasted for more than a couple of months. It was impossible. But it’s not impossible, my mind insisted. He’s right there. That’s him, all right.

 

A new shiver went through me when I realized who he was. Did he know who I was? Was that why he had grabbed the necklace? My heart started pounding against the walls of my chest as I recalled the angry look on his face while we were standing outside. He knew. He must have known, ever since I told him that a boy had given me that necklace all those years ago. Eight, to be precise. Chuckie’s exact age.

 

I cursed myself for not having asked for his name. What are you, stupid? I thought, burning with embarrassment inwardly. I’d draped myself all over him like some kind of biker slut! But then again, I hadn’t been able to resist him. I’d never been able to resist Trey. Not eight years ago, and not now. Even though I didn’t mind living like a nun most of the time, Trey brought my most hidden desires out onto the surface. It was like part of me had been dead since I’d said goodbye to him, and that part of me wasn’t ever going to wake up again. But seeing him had rekindled it. And now, I felt it stronger than ever. The worst effects of the alcohol had worn off but I was still feeling tipsy and slow.

 

“Get out,” I said in a shaky voice. “Get out and leave me alone.”

 

Trey looked at me. His face was a mix of confusion, anger, and hurt. I couldn’t even look at him without feeling like my heart was breaking in two. I didn’t want him around, he couldn’t stay, or everything would fall apart. My life, my whole life that I’d spent working to move on from Trey would crumble at my feet if he gave me one more of those heartbreaking, lopsided smiles. I blinked, feeling tears well up.

 

“Wait,” Trey said. His voice was deep and husky. “I need to talk to you!”

 

“No,” I said as calmly as I could muster. “Get out, now. Leave, and don’t ever come back. And don’t ever contact me, ever again. You understand?”

 

Pushing past Trey, I picked Chuckie up and held him in my arms. At eight, he was almost too big to be held. He was tall, just like Trey, and big for his age. And already, I could tell he was going to be heartbreakingly gorgeous when he grew up. I shook my head. Suddenly, I felt exhausted. I wanted a long, hot bath, and to sleep for hours. “Come on,” I told Chuckie, setting him down on the ground. “Come on, Mommy wants to take a bath. Did Lindsey feed you your dinner?”

 

Lindsey, the babysitter, stood up from the couch. She was a nervous-looking blonde teenager and she shook her head, casting fearful glances to the side. I laughed out of sheer anxiety. I didn’t realize it, but Trey looked incredibly intimidating.

 

“He was a little fussy with his dinner,” Lindsey said, trying to keep her voice at a normal tone. “He didn’t want his vegetables.”

 

Chuckie made a face. “Mom, she knows I hate squash,” he said in a petulant tone. “I told her when you got home, I’d have some carrots.”

 

“Why don’t we just wait until tomorrow, okay?”

 

Chuckie nodded. He swallowed, and I could tell he was scared. “Mom, who is that?” he asked in a soft, scared voice. “What’s that man doing in our living room?”

 

“I need to talk to your mom,” Trey said. He looked at the boy with an incredulous gaze on his face and, suddenly, I knew he knew. The resemblance between himself and Chuckie was too strong to ignore, and it was making me feel dizzier than ever.

 

“No,” I said too forcefully. Lindsey and Chuckie looked at me with confusion on their faces. “I mean, this man gave Mommy a ride home,” I said, looking right at Chuckie, trying to calm him. “And it was very nice, but Mommy wants to be alone now.”

 

Before I could react, Trey grabbed my arm. He dragged me into the next room and shoved me up against the wall. I felt my heart slamming across my ribs and I looked into his face.

 

“Are you Angel Carringer?” Trey’s voice came out in a growl and he glared at me.

 

I was too scared to speak. I could barely move, but I somehow managed to nod my head slowly.

 

Trey stared deep into my eyes. His blue orbs were the same gorgeous, haunting eyes they had always been. But I could tell he’d changed. Eight years and he’d become a different man. He probably had a new woman every week, and then some. I shivered. His gaze was so penetrating, I suddenly felt naked. I was all too aware of how my breasts stuck out under the sweater and how my slim waist looked in the high-waisted skirt I wore. But Trey’s intense gaze never left my face, and I felt myself shivering with lust and fear.

 

“It doesn’t matter who I am,” I said softly. “What happened was a long time ago. That’s over now.”

 

Trey opened his mouth to reply, then slammed it angrily shut. I saw a muscle twitching in his strong jaw and I shuddered. He looked angry enough to rip my head off, and I knew he was strong enough to do so if he wished.

 

“It matters,” Trey grunted at me. “It matters, Angel.”

 

Hearing him say my name sent shivers through my body. It wasn’t like before wen I thought he was some sexy stranger. No, this was my first love. I had history with this man. I’d lost my virginity to him, and he’d broken my heart. Blinking back tears, I turned my head away so I wouldn’t have to look up at him. But Trey had quick reflexes and he grabbed my chin in one of his rough hands. Before I knew it, his lips were pressed against mine and we were kissing roughly. His hands were in my hair and his face was smashed against mine. Trey slipped his tongue into my mouth and caressed mine with it. I knew he was angry, but the kiss was passionate and tempestuous. Part of me felt like he wanted to rip me apart, the other part of me felt like he just wanted to rip my clothes off and drag me to bed. Give me a good hate fuck, show me what I’d been missing out on for all these years.

 

As the kiss deepened, I was horrified to feel my pussy getting wet and soaking through my panties again. Just like at the bar, Trey’s body had an immediate effect on my own. I felt arousal brand me until I was twisting my body and pressing up against him. Trey slid his hands down my body and scooped me up, wrapping my legs around his waist. I felt his erection shove between my legs and I moaned softly — even through the layers of fabric we wore, it still felt better than I ever could have imagined. Wrapping my arms around Trey’s neck, I tangled my hands in his hair and tugged hard. Trey groaned into my mouth and slapped my ass gently with one of his hands. The sensation was enough to make me cry out and finally, I broke apart from Trey and licked my lips.

 

Trey set me roughly down on the ground and stepped away from me. He stared at me and I felt my heart beating faster than ever. I wiped my mouth free of our saliva and tried to catch my breath. I felt like I’d just run a marathon. My body was pulsing with lust. As we stared at each other, I silently begged him to come back and pick me back up. It no longer mattered that Lindsey and Chuckie were in the next room. The goddamn Pope could have been in the next room and I wouldn’t have cared. All I wanted was Trey, his strong arms around me, his mouth on mine, kissing me savagely. I wanted him to carry me to bed and slide my panties down my legs before spreading my thighs and diving between them with his tongue, and then his cock.

 

“Get out,” I said softly, shaking my head. No, I couldn’t ever be with him again. I couldn’t take that risk. I was a mother now, and I had to put the life of my son ahead of my own. Back then, Trey had been dangerous. Now, he looked even more so. He was a big, tattooed biker who’d thought nothing of showing up and punching two guys out. I shivered with lust. The conflicting urges in my body were warring, but, finally, the rational side won out. “Get out or I’ll call the cops,” I said finally.

 

Trey looked into my eyes, an expression of wounded rage on his face. Finally, he turned on his heel and stalked out of the door. Out of my life, for the second time. And unlike the first time, this time it would be forever.