Adam (The Protectors #5)(37)
Adam didn’t say anything for a second. He raised his head to the sky, letting the rain pour down on him. “What do you want from me, Angelina?” He finally lowered his head. “I don’t know what to say.”
Angelina jumped as Anne came up beside her. “She lied to keep me alive.” Anne stood in the rain, Jill behind her. “I was in the next room with a gun held to my head. They said even being a half-breed, a bullet pointblank to the head would kill me. She was told one word of warning to you or anyone would be my death warrant even if it saved her.”
“Anne, you need to get out of this rain.” Angelina nudged her toward Jill. “You don’t have to go through this again.”
“You saved my life, Angelina and everyone will know it.” Anne wobbled slightly, but Slade, who had followed closely behind them, caught her before Adam could, holding her steady. “Knowing that one of us would be turned, we had a plan, a plan to fight. Their being human, we had a chance to overpower them, but they fed us little blood and drugged us to the point of being too weak to hardly walk.”
“Please get her back in the car,” Angelina pleaded with Slade.
Before Slade could ease her back, Anne grabbed Adam’s arm. “We found ways to talk, from under the door until we were caught. Then we each made a small hole in the wall that we talked through.” Anne’s eyes spoke true. “She always talked about you. You are what got her through our nightmare, just like my husband and son got me through mine.”
“They will pay for what they put you through,” Adam vowed, his eyes glowing hot.
Anne nodded. Turning to Angelina, she weakly lifted her arms to hug her. Angelina wrapped the woman in her arms, holding her tightly. “I wouldn’t have made it without you,” she whispered over the rain. “And for that I can never repay you.”
“You just did,” Angelina whispered back. “Thank you, Anne.”
Chapter 14
Adam watched Slade and Jill help Anne back to the car. He felt a touch on his wrist and looked down at Angelina running her finger over her hairband.
“Why did you keep this?” Angelina asked, looking up, raindrops beading on her long eyelashes.
Slade passed them with the women, leaving them alone except for a few uniformed police officers as well as Sloan and Steve, who were still carrying stuff out of the house.
“Because it belonged to you,” Adam replied, holding her wrist and backing her into his car. The rain had let up, the lightening further in the distance, but the thunder still rumbled around them. “I’m sorry for what you’ve been through, Angel.”
Reaching up, she touched his cheek. “I’m stronger for it as long as you are by my side, Adam.” She pulled her hand away, her eyes brimming with uncertainty. “You are by my side, aren’t you?”
Clutching her sweet face between his hands, he took her lips in a kiss that had been building, a kiss he had wanted from the moment he saw her. He devoured her mouth, his body molding around her like a safe cocoon. Her kiss mirrored his own as she gave as good as she got. He pulled away, his eyes searching hers.
“Are you okay?” Adam asked, not wanting to scare or make her uncomfortable. “I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you.” Even though she wasn’t marked in any way, he didn’t know where her mind was, how hurt mentally she could be. The thought of her being hurt sent anger surging through his body making his hands shake with rage.
Angelina blushed, but shook her head. “He never…” She looked away. “I think he was too afraid of you. Every time he came in and tried, I would cry your name and tell him if he ever hurt me, you would kill him. After that, he would leave. I also think he may have loved me in some sick twisted way. He really believed I was his wife. He wouldn’t let any of the other men in my room. But he hurt Anne and the others. They all did, but only he came to my room night after night.” Angelina pushed away from Adam and looked up at him with a shaky smile. “But I don’t want to think or talk about that anymore unless I have to.”
Relief flowed through his mind and heart hearing that none of the other men used her in any way. “You don’t have to say anything else.” He pulled her to him tight, holding on as if making sure she was real and here at his side. “I won’t ever fail you again, Angelina.”
“You didn’t fail me, Adam.” Angelina pulled away slightly to look up at him. “I knew you’d be back for me.”
It felt like something slammed into his heart making it sink to his stomach, then rush back up to his throat. The faith she had in him was scary as hell, but meant more to him than anything ever had. He would make damn sure he never failed her, ever. “I will always be back for you, Angel.”
Leaning back down, Adam pushed her against his car, his lips slamming down on her. He couldn’t get enough, didn’t want to get enough. How he could have even thought about walking away and not fighting for her was enough to drive him insane, but never again. She was his and he would go through hell for her.
“Get a room!” Steve shouted out Sloan’s window as they passed, but he tossed them a thumbs up.
Adam laughed, shaking his head. “Let’s get out of this rain and get you home.”
The drive to her house was quiet as they held hands, simply enjoying being together again. Adam was doing his best to let it go, but a deep anger burned through him when he thought about the man who almost succeeded in taking his Angel away from him. Pulling into her driveway, Adam got out, walked around and opened the door for her.