color of her eyes. “What’s your name, sweetheart?”
She just stared at him, and he didn’t think she was going to answer, and then she licked her swollen, dry lips, and softly said, “Angel.”
His mouth curved into a grin. “Angel?”
She glared at him. People had teased her about her name her whole life.
“Pretty as one.”
She looked away, and asked in a whisper, “Even after what he did to my face?”
“How old are you, Angel?” he asked softly.
“Twenty-one.”
Cole exhaled. “Well, at least you’re legal, barely.”
She looked up at him sharply.
He smiled. “I thought you looked a lot younger, that’s all.”
She looked away.
He watched her a moment, and then raised his hand, and gently touched her jaw, and turned her face up to look at him. “There’s something I have to ask you.”
She stared at him as he hesitated.
He searched her eyes. “Did he rape you?”
She pulled her face away from his hand.
Cole waited, but still she stayed silent. “Is that a yes, then?” he asked softly.
She gave a barely discernable nod, but wouldn’t look at him.
“Shit.” He ran his hand over her hair. “I’m sorry.”
She pulled her head away from him.
“Look at me, Angel.”
She resisted.
“Look at me,” he insisted, the tone of his voice deepening.
Finally, she looked into his eyes.
“No one’s going to hurt you again. Not him. Not me. That’s a promise.”
She just stared at him, and he could tell she didn’t believe him. They looked at each other a long moment, and then he shook his head as if giving up. “Alright.”
Just then her cell phone went off. Cole glanced at the pink phone lying on the table playing the ring tone for the theme song from Cops.
He stared down at the screen, which was lit up with the incoming caller’s name. It read, Dad.
Cole’s gaze cut back to her.
Holy shit.
“A cop? Your dad’s a cop?”
She looked at him, but didn’t say anything.
He stood up, running his hands through his hair. “Holy fucking shit,” he whispered.
She watched as he paced, and then turned back to her. “Did Chuck know?”
She shook her head.
He paced back over to the table, and leaned down putting his palms down on the table, and lowered his head. He stood that way silently, thinking, his eyes darting over the surface of the table.
She jumped when he slammed his palm into the table, and cursed. Then she watched as he sat back down in the chair, and leaned back, and looked at her. He ran his hand over his jaw slowly, and exhaled. “How the fuck am I going to let you go, now?”
The full meaning of what he’d just said hit her. “I won’t say anything. I promise.”
Cole smiled, “Yeah, sure. You’re not a very good liar, Angel.”
She glared at him, her eyes narrowing. “You’re right. It is a lie. I hope he kills all of you.”
He studied her for a moment, imagining the horrors she’d endured. Some of the injuries were plainly visible. He could only guess there were more that were not, both physical and emotional. Considering all she’d been through he couldn’t really blame her for the attitude. “Yeah, I bet you do.”
She looked away. “You’re all a bunch of animals. Nothing but assholes who-”
“Don’t finish that sentence.” He warned in a dangerous voice. She was giving him lip. That wasn’t something he was used to, or willing to put up with. He saw his mistake. He’d tried to be nice to her, shown her some kindness, and now she thought he was going to allow this behavior. He’d overlook it this time, because of all she’d been through. But hell, so far she’d spit in his face, hit him, and pulled a gun on him, and all he was trying to do was get her the hell out of here. The last thing he was going to do was take backtalk from her. He needed to set her straight on that right from the start. “That mouth’s gonna get you in trouble. I don’t take lip from anyone, especially a female, do you understand?”
She nodded.
“How the hell did you come to be here? Tell me that.”
“What difference does it make?” she snapped, turning her head away.
Cole stared at her. She needed to learn who was in charge here. “I asked you a question.”
She looked back at him, hearing the authoritative tone in his voice.
He lowered his face, his eyes boring straight through her. “Answer. Me.”
She dropped her eyes from his, unable to maintain eye contact when he looked at her like that.