CHRISTIAN’S POV:From a young age, 12 to be precise, I’d been taught to take no prisoners. Do what needs to be done. No remorse. No mercy. You only give up when you’ve taken your last breath, buried alongside your demons and left cold. And even then, you’d find no peace till you’ve conquered hell itself. The chess board before me was built of white and black soldiers, and just like the pieces were my soldiers, the entire board was my empire. Father had taught me that. It was a tango that needed patience and strategy; a truly deadly combination.I moved my white pawn, the weakest on the board, and couldn’t help the small curve of my lips at the surprise that flitted across Roma’s face. Reclining into the sofa and crossing my legs, I took great pleasure in watching the other man’s pensive eyes reassess his next move. And as expected, he moved his knight. A wicked grin lighted my features.“It’s not very satisfying to see my opponent smile when he’s obviously losing.” He passed me
ANGEL’S POV:There was a reason I never thought about Christian for two years. He was a mistake. One that consumed my mind at every waking second I spent in Carter’s arms. His icy gray eyes. Intense and haunting. That slow sexy smile he loved to wear. And of course, the blood that coated his skin when I ran.Somehow, that scene had permanently etched itself to my memory.It drove me mad with anger and disgust that I’d let myself roll in bed with a man who had a relation with my mother’s murderers, that I had tossed away my relationship with Carter just to quench a single desire that had been conceived from a stupid dare.I glared harshly at the white tiled walls of the bathroom. The cold water freely falling from the shower head did not nearly extinguish the scalding resentment that coursed through me. I scrubbed my skin with intent to bruise it.If I could go back to that night, I’d have never said yes to Nadia and Sage. Hell, I’d have slapped some senses into the naïve girl I’d been
CHRISTIAN’S POV:‘Be gentle with her,’ was all mother had said when I’d told her about Angel. Her words had been nonchalant, drifting off in a lost pattern, but from a woman who had long given up on her will to live, it was everything I needed to hear.Everything that pushed and taunted the heights of my control when it came to Angel.I ruled the pile of my darkest thoughts and restraints, yet with just one glance at the infuriating woman beside me on the car seat and I was filled with an obscene urge – one that beckoned me to break her, to rip out that maddening fire from her spine.Or at the very least, fuck it straight out of her.Blood shot down my groin and it only further provoked me that even in this moment, with my patience worn thin from her attempt to slap me, I was still so fucking hard, it ached.The thin line between my irritation and this wild desire was blurring and by the second, it proved even more difficult to know where one stopped and the other began.From the rea
CHRISTIAN’S POV:I leaned closer, languidly meeting her gaze through darkened ones. Confusion ran deep in her eyes as she tried to piece together my next move. I leaned even closer and before she could back away, I snatched her waist, holding her down against my body. Her eyes grew wide.She opened her mouth in an attempt to protest and I smirked, but right before she could get any words out, a chaotic thud jerked both our attention to the corner it came from. A bumbling idiot had fallen right into the room, knocking down an entire column of mannequins.Christ.Cherry was fast behind him, click-fucking-clack, as she immediately pulled the man – scratch that, the boy to his feet. With the suspenders and glasses twice his fit, my guess was that he escaped adult daycare.From the new distraction, Angel slipped out of my grip and left that bloody distance between us again. Irritation scratched my surface but rather than act on it, I forced my gaze back to the two people that were now
ANGEL'S POV:All my life, I've only ever been a good girl. You know, the type that never parties, never swears, never gets naughty and too damn nice for her own good.Yes, my very existence puts the ugly B in boring. And maybe that was exactly why I'd burned up my usual Friday schedule and had spontaneously agreed to the crazy idea of going clubbing with Nadia and Sage.In my defense, those two girls would rather suck on poisoned cactus than take no for an answer. The craziest part of it all was that of all the exclusive five-star clubs in Las Vegas, my friends had picked this one.The Pavilion.The freaking Pavilion!With the neon lights flashing through the enormous club, strippers swinging seductively on poles and vibrating music, The Pavilion was a private world of vodka, seduction and sin. In here, anybody could be a different version of themselves – wild, unhinged and maybe even a little naughty.Regardless of the dangerous rumors that these grounds stirred through the city of
ANGEL'S POV:The club was wild.Even wilder than I had realized.It took me awhile to navigate my way from the regular section of gyrating sweaty bodies, cat-callers and drunks, to the reserved VIP area of The Pavilion.Thanks to Nadia and her first-class privileges, we all had VIP passes for the evening. Although Sage had insisted that we stayed down at the regular just cause 'it was more fun.'However, once the heavily built bouncers let me through the threshold that separated the VIP section from the rest of The Pavilion, I inwardly cursed Sage for keeping us away from this city of pure luxury and sin.The whole room was cast in low red lighting, toned down music that vibrated lightly, and high-end architecture that screamed finesse and wealth. My jaw dropped at the type of magnificently dressed people lounged gracefully on couches, reeking of arrogance and an air of superiority.I almost cowered in their presence. Like if I breathed the wrong way, they'd all realize that I didn't
ANGEL'S POV:It's the fact that he said like it was nothing. Like those men had every right to shoot me and no one would even bat an eye. Like he was a god whose every word was law.Nonetheless, I panicked.I found my feet shooting forward, faster than I'd have liked and half-convinced that maybe my life did, in fact, depend on it. Before I could stop myself to think or rehearse or even process what was happening, I was standing readily before him.And for the first time, I had a perfect view of this man.This insanely handsome stranger with power on his fingertips.My heart skipped an excited beat once my gaze fell to his face – breathtaking, reeking of danger and charm, the perfect combination to bring any female to their knees, ready to please.Sharp silver eyes, ignited with a flair of boredom and mischief, pierced through me, almost like he could see beyond the flimsy leather that covered my skin.Like he could possibly see right into my soul, right into the dirtiest parts of me.
ANGEL'S POV:~Sage bear: Wtfff??? You're leaving w him??Naddie: Istg girl, have you been hypnotized?Me: Guys, calm down! I'll keep my location live at all times. And c'mon, don't be prudes now 😉Sage bear: WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY BEST FRIEND?Naddie: Carter left the group chat...Me: omg, Nadia. ~The second I typed off those last words on my phone, it was immediately snatched away, drawing my attention back to the man who was currently flipping everything I'd ever known about myself upside down.Just like Sage, I questioned who I was in this moment. And just like Nadia, I knew this decision would forever haunt me.Well, only if Carter finds out – which he won't cause I'll make sure of it."Eyes on me, Angel." He cooed as he softly took hold of my jaw, directing my gaze to his own. God, he was breathtaking. So handsome that I was envious.He was exactly the type of man who I had no business with, yet here I was in his sleek black car, wanting a whole lot more tha