Chapter 9
ANGEL
There was no way Raleigh had been in that bathroom alone. If he thought I didn’t know his sex voice by now, then he was sorely mistaken. I shuddered, banishing the thought. I didn’t need to get myself all worked up again over Raleigh.
And what he sounded like was horny.
So I fled, and I pretended to be none the wiser when he came up to check on me.
Hours later, I migrated from the couch to the bed, bringing my blankets along with me. I pulled the one over my shoulders tighter, snuggling into my nest. My favorite show played on the TV, but I wasn’t paying much attention to it; it was nothing more than background noise while I watched the time on the clock creep closer to last call. Watching the clock and waiting for Raleigh to come home was pathetic. I knew that. It’d become so normal that I didn’t question it anymore. Eli’s concurrent night shifts left me alone with my thoughts—a dangerous situation on the best of days.
As two a.m. crept closer, I started to feel somewhat sleepy. When the front door shut, however, my eyes popped open and I perked up—until I heard a second voice.
A familiar voice.
I detangled myself from the blankets and rose from the bed, creeping toward my bedroom door. Pressing my ear to the wood, I heard a giggle. Raleigh shushed them, saying I was probably asleep. He referenced me by name, so the person must’ve known me. When they scoffed, it clicked.
Billie.
They hadn’t shown their face around the bar in years, not since Raleigh met Kali and they seemed to vanish without a trace. Raleigh claimed the relationship had run its course. Right, if that “course” was Billie following him around like a lovesick puppy. They were everywhere . In our apartment, in the bar. Hell, I even came home one night to find them passed out in my bed.
To make matters worse, Billie had never liked me. Maybe it had something to do with them spending the entirety of their relationship attached to Raleigh’s fucking hip.
That was my spot.
Raleigh was an out and proud pansexual who had no desire to settle down. Over the years there’d been a variety of partners traipsing in and out of our lives, but it never bothered me. I was here when they came, and I was here when they went. They might’ve shared his bed, but I was the only one who shared his life. Some of them tilted their heads a bit at learning I was nonverbal, but most of them were nice about it. Raleigh had absolutely zero patience for the few who weren’t.
Billie, however, was too clever. They never said anything derogatory within earshot of Raleigh, outside of voicing their “concern” about how “weird” our relationship was.
Raleigh brushed off their comments every time. Maybe I should have been comforted by that, but anxiety crept in like winter’s chill, whispering that the next time it happened, Raleigh would think, “You know what, they’re right,” and drop me faster than I could blink.
That said, I could appreciate what Raleigh saw in Billie. Though they weren’t my type—far too short and not nearly tattooed enough—I could admit they were attractive. Their natural copper hair and striking green eyes could turn anyone’s head. When they smiled—their true, genuine smile—you could sometimes forget their sinister side.
They were wicked smart. I never asked much about their career, but they were some kind of scientist or something.
And at the end of it all, they made Raleigh happy, even if just for a night.
Which was why I never told him about the time Billie confronted me.
There were only three keys to our apartment: mine, Raleigh’s, and the spare that Ryder held onto for emergencies. So imagine my surprise when I was home alone one day and the front door opened to someone else. Thinking it was Raleigh, I left my bedroom, freezing in my tracks when I saw Billie hovering in the middle of the living room. When they saw me they grinned, perching on the arm of the couch and crossing their arms over their chest.
“What are you doing here?” I signed.
They tilted their head. That was another thing about them: They refused to communicate with me. Billie didn’t have much compassion. Even when they understood what I was saying, they often didn’t care enough to address me.
“Oh,” they finally said. “You’re wondering how I got in.” They lifted their hand, Raleigh’s keyring hanging from one finger. “I borrowed Raleigh’s keys. He really should keep an eye on that blazer.”
I swallowed hard, calculating the time it would take to get to my phone. Billie was half my size and a human to boot, but fear was a bitch.
“I’ll make it quick before he comes up here.” They shook their head in disgust. “I can’t believe he leaves his shift to check on you. Like a child.”
I flinched, but it wasn’t like I could say anything to defend myself. It was true, and I liked it when Raleigh went out of his way to make sure I had what I needed.
“You need to back off of Raleigh.” Now it was my turn to tilt my head. They didn’t give me a chance to raise my hands before they continued. “Our relationship can’t flourish if you don’t let go of your schoolboy crush. Get a grip on yourself.”
My heart raced. I picked my hands up, but signs were pointless.
“You think I don’t see how you look at him? All starry-eyed, like he was sent from Heaven just for you?”
Ironic.
Billie pushed off the couch and crossed the room. To prove I wasn’t afraid, I stayed rooted in place, arms crossed over my chest. They probably knew that they’d gotten under my skin, but I didn’t have to prove it to them. “Let me tell you something, Angel. If he wanted you, he would have you.” They shrugged. “He chose me. Either learn to be okay with that and take a back seat so our relationship stands a fighting chance, or get out of the way. I won’t ask again.”
I didn’t get angry very often, but standing there with Billie challenging me, my blood boiled. For the first time in nearly a decade, I tried to speak, but all that emerged were stutters before I gave up. I sighed, frustrated.
Billie laughed .
They left soon after, closing and locking the door behind them. I wasn’t sure how long I stood in the middle of the living room trying to figure out what to do, but in the end my anxieties won out. I never told Raleigh, worried it would make him realize he truly didn’t need me. Or worse, that he’d accuse me of making the whole thing up.
So I swept it under the rug. I made myself as scarce as possible when Billie was around, and it worked. Eventually, their relationship fizzled out and things went back to normal.
I guess the spark had been ignited once more. Though it was borderline comical for Billie to think Raleigh considered them more than a fling. The man was thirty years old, and outside of me and the Hopyard, he’d never committed to anything in his life. I think his tattoo artist was the longest standing relationship he’d had.
Before I fell down a rabbit hole of anxiety at hearing their voice, I returned to my nest. I dug out my headphones and connected them to the TV. When I heard another giggle and Raleigh’s low, rumbling voice, I turned Joey and Chandler up as loud as they would go.
The next afternoon, I got up and ready before either of them woke up. I wasn’t sure whether Billie was back for one night or more, but I dreaded the idea that they were back in our lives. Either way, I had no desire to cross paths with them.
Unfortunately for me, Raleigh couldn’t actually read my mind. They both stumbled down the stairs—an hour late.
Raleigh flashed me a grin, and I did my best to return a genuine smile. With one arm around Billie, he tried to usher them out the back entrance, but Jack caught his attention, causing him to poke his head into the front of house. Of course. It was Tanqueray day, and yet again the vendor had dropped the cases wherever they saw fit.
Since the entrance required a key from both sides after hours, someone needed to escort Billie out. Raleigh reached into his pocket, and fearing the worst, I jumped into action. There was no way in hell I was letting Billie get a spare set of keys again.
I rose from the table I’d been sitting at. “I’ll see them out.”
Billie glared, but Raleigh gave me a grateful smile. “I’ll call you, okay?”
Billie plastered on the fakest smile I’d ever seen. I matched it with one of my own. “Sounds great.” They clenched the front of Raleigh’s T-shirt, hauling him in for a kiss that even made Jack squirm. It was only when he cleared his throat that Raleigh pulled away and nudged Billie toward me.
I unlocked the door and held it open for them. “Thanks, Angel,” they said in a tone that made me want to slap that fake smile right off them.
I only gave a noncommittal grunt and made sure they were well out of sight before I shut and locked the door.
When I returned to the front of house, I fussed with the liquor delivery to avoid Raleigh. I could sense his eyes on me, and I should’ve known better than to think I could hide it from him. The second we were alone, Raleigh lowered his voice. “Are you all right? You seem off.”
“Fine,” I signed.
Raleigh leaned into my field of vision, trying to make eye contact with me. So like the twenty-nine-year-old I was, I turned and walked away, pretending to have something else to do. God, I wish I had something else to do.
Lo and behold, the big guy followed me. “Are you sure?”
“Since when have I ever judged you for the fuck buddies you bring home?” If Billie knew I’d said that, they’d go absolutely batshit.
That thought almost produced a smile.
“Angel,” he warned, drawing my attention. Damn it, looking at him was a bad idea. I swiftly turned my gaze back to the task at hand, acting like napkin dispensers were the most interesting thing in the world. Raleigh continued, “We’ve known each other our whole lives. I know when there’s something you aren’t saying.”
“Technically, I never say anything.”
“Angel Christian…”
“I’m fine, Raleigh. I swear. I’m just tired.”
I couldn’t put much conviction into my words, so I tried to pour as much as I could into the look I gave him. I hoped it was enough for him to drop the subject. I didn’t have the mental capacity to get into why I couldn’t stand the sight of Billie.
“Okay,” he relented, though the tone of his voice suggested he was far from through with the conversation. “If you say so.”
I hoped the shift, at least, would be easy, but we hadn’t been open for more than an hour when Billie returned. After my morning with Billie, dealing with a group of drunk strangers didn’t seem like such a daunting task, so I was working the floor and was the first to notice their arrival. At first I simply rolled my eyes and continued working, unwilling to let them chase me out of my own bar, for fuck’s sake.
Then I caught sight of Raleigh openly flirting with a tiny, busty brunette, and I sensed World War III looming on the horizon. I managed to catch his eye and tell him I was heading to the office. He gave me a nod, then returned his attention to the brunette before I could warn him about Billie. I retreated, having no interest in watching the upcoming disaster unfold. Ducking out of a high-stress situation was best for my mental health. Adding a panic attack on top of the commotion tended to make things spiral.
I didn’t choose when my powers activated. Sure, they favored those people I was closest to—like Raleigh—but my marks often started fluttering in anticipation in situations with obvious stress or injury.
Safely secured behind the desk and two locked doors, I popped my headphones in and got to work. There were two monitors in the office and I utilized both. I had my spreadsheets and other files open on one, the camera feed on the other. From here, it was easier to keep an eye on the bar. I could alert Raleigh or Ryder to an escalating situation faster than they would notice it themselves, being swept up in the dim lights and loud music.
My eyes picked out Billie on the cameras, and… sure enough, they were tromping over to where Raleigh flirted with the brunette, their face a thundercloud. To be fair, “flirt” was one of the only modes Raleigh had. I could say the same for Ryder. I didn’t think they knew how to do anything else when they opened their mouths.
Try explaining that to someone like Billie.
They lunged for the brunette, who scrambled backward in alarm, barely managing to duck out of the way. Jack appeared at her shoulder, whisking her away while Raleigh did his best to calm Billie. His arm around their waist was about as useful as using dental floss to rope cattle. I paused my podcast to see if I could hear anything, but their raised voices were muffled by the heavy rock music blaring through the speakers. I returned my attention to the monitor in time to see Ryder expertly wrestle Billie away from Raleigh and toward the front door.
Huh. I guess Raleigh had taught him more bouncing skills than I realized.
For a moment, one so brief that I would have missed it if I blinked, Billie looked up at the camera. The blatant hatred in their eyes sent a shiver down my spine. There was something else behind it, something dark and ugly, something like… jealousy?
Yes, jealousy, or… I froze. Envy . I couldn’t breathe, my eyes widening as I thought back to Kali. She’d been arrested for embezzlement. For greed .
Fuck. Fuck, fuck. No wonder I’d been so on edge lately: Raleigh was steeped in sin. Or sin was steeped in Raleigh. Shit, I needed to keep an eye on him. He may not know it, but Raleigh Jenkins had an angel on his shoulder.
Even if his shoulder wasn’t what I wanted to ride.
I swallowed hard, forcing my thoughts away and returning to my spreadsheets.
The hours flew by. I was so engrossed in what I was doing that I missed last call and only looked up when Ryder poked his head in to tell me that he was locking up. I straightened up the office, pausing when I realized I hadn’t heard the door shut.
Ryder stood there, eyeing me. “So…”
Uh oh.
Good things rarely came from Ryder Clark opening his mouth, especially when he started a sentence with that tone.
I crooked a brow, waiting for him to continue.
“Billie’s back.”
My only response was a noncommittal grunt in the back of my throat, but it seemed to be enough for Ryder.
He snorted. “I’m not a fan either.” He rubbed his jaw. “They’ve got one hell of a right hook when they’re angry.”
My head snapped up. Maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised that Billie had hit someone, but their typical weapon of choice was their mouth.
Before I could reply, Ryder waved me off. “It’s nothing I can’t handle. I’ve been hit much harder by much larger people—Raleigh included.”
I brought my right fist to my chest, rubbing in a slow circle. Ryder cocked his head. “What are you sorry for? Did you pay Billie to sock me in the jaw?”
I scoffed. “If anything, I’d pay you to punch them .”
“Then don’t apologize for Raleigh’s stupid choices. I know you’re like his protector, but the man makes his own decisions and wears red flags as his Sunday best.” At that, Ryder pushed off the door frame with a smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I monitored the cameras until Ryder locked up and got into his car, then I made my way upstairs. The raunchy noises of an intimate night hit my ears before I could even unlock the door. Ryder had a point: Raleigh always did have a flair for the dramatic.
If he wanted to fuck around with danger, that was his prerogative. He did have an angel looking out for him, after all. Even when I was mad at him, the inhuman side of me had a primal urge to protect him. I slipped into my bedroom, pointedly ignoring the sighs and moans coming from behind Raleigh’s bedroom door. My skin tingled, my powers simmering beneath my skin. For a moment, in the privacy of my own bedroom, I indulged them. Marks flickered to life and wings burst from my back—so quickly that I nearly lost my balance. A soft golden glow filled the dark room, accompanied only by the Vegas lights streaming in through the window.
Every fiber of my being ached to run to Raleigh, but Billie’s words echoed in my head.
“If he wanted you, he would have you.”
As much as I hated to admit it, they were right.
When Raleigh saw something he wanted, he went for it. If that something had ever been me, he would’ve pursued me years ago. I’d learned to settle for having him in whatever way I could, but that didn’t mean I had to listen to the sounds of him pleasuring someone else in ways I’d only dreamed of.
Which gave me an idea. Ignoring the guilt twisting my gut, I took my phone out of my pocket. This energy needed to go somewhere, and there was only one plausible solution that I could think of.
Are you home tonight?
Thankfully. Tell me you’re on your way over.
I am. And you’d better be in place by the time I get there or there’ll be serious consequences.
Yes, sir.
I stowed my wings and released a long breath, packing my powers away. Grabbing my things, I walked back out of the apartment and ordered a car to Eli’s building. By the time I hit the sidewalk, the rideshare was already waiting for me. Nerves—both good and bad—heightened as I made my way across town, but I pushed them aside. My body was more eager than my mind to dominate my boyfriend, the knot in my belly tightening, arousal surging through my veins.
Thankfully, the driver nodded back when I signed thank-you instead of saying it aloud. Using the fob Eli had given me to access his building, I climbed the two sets of stairs to his apartment. If he’d done as he was supposed to, he wouldn’t be greeting me at the door. I thumbed through the keyring, unlocking the front door. The living room beyond was dark, as was the kitchen off to the right. A hallway on my left led to his bedroom, office, and bathroom. I dropped my keys on the counter and started down the hall. I paused with my hand on the doorknob, taking a deep breath to force myself into character. I needed to be mindful; I didn’t want to do this wrong and hurt Eli.
Once I was ready, I turned the knob and stepped into the room, lips curling into a smile at the sight that awaited me. Damn, Eli did make a good sub.
He knelt on the ground at the foot of the bed, a pillow protecting his knees. He was stark naked and fucking gorgeous. His cock, hard and leaking, jutted out from between his thighs. A bottle of lube lay on the mattress, along with his favorite set of silk restraints.
I licked my lips. He had his gaze affixed to the floor, his hands locked behind his back. His chest rose and fell with each soft breath. I hooked a finger under his chin and forced him to look up at me.
“You’re such a good boy,” I signed, and Eli preened under the praise, his hazel eyes glowing in the dim light from his bedside lamp. “Are you ready for your reward?”
Eli bobbed his head eagerly, and his hands flew to my belt.