29. Angel
ANGEL
Iwake to an empty bed and get showered and ready for the day before sneaking down to the other end of the house, trying to remember which way Hayze carried my sister in last night. I tap on a door hoping it’s the right one and her soft voice answers. “Come in.”
She has her sheet lifted right up beneath her chin when I walk in. “I don’t know who the son of a bitch is that brought me upstairs, but he stripped me bare!”
My mouth gapes. “What?”
Ari nods. “Yep, not a stitch of clothes on but my panties.”
There must be some misunderstanding. Hayze is a really good guy.
At least now that I’ve gotten to know the intimidating man better than I did the first night I walked through that door.
“That doesn’t make any sense. He’s Rogue’s right-hand man.
He’s not going to hurt my sister. Were your clothes wet or something? ”
Her eyes widen. “Who cares. I didn’t ask him to undress me!”
I sit on the mattress beside her. “Why don’t you ask him?” I honestly don’t think he meant any harm but undressing her after what she’s been through and as a perfect stranger does sound a little over the top to me too.
“I don’t ever want to see the asshole again. He had no right.”
She’s not wrong but she was pretty out of it last night and who knows how long it had been since she had a decent night’s sleep. “Why don’t I ask him?”
Ari glares at me. “No, if I’m going to stay here for a while, we’re going to run into each other and when we do, he’s got a hell of a lot of explaining to do! I’ll ask that asshole myself.”
I take her hand. “Do you want to talk about what happened when the Scorpions found you? I know Dad gave up your location. That man is the worst snake in the world. How he can even look himself in the mirror after all he’s done to his daughters, stepdaughters or not, is beyond me.
He always treated us like his real daughters while mom was alive. ”
She shakes her head. “I really don’t. We’re safe. That’s all that matters now. Besides I’m famished. Think you could find something for me to eat? I don’t really feel like being around anyone else just yet. And maybe you could find me some clothes since that asshole seems to have stolen mine?”
I smile. She may not be ready to talk yet but at least she has an appetite, and some of that hot tempered Ari spirit. I’ll take that as a step in the right direction.