Page 37 of Angel

Maybe I needed to just let it out. Get it over with. I hadn’t wanted to hurt her with the information, but in the long run I would do just that. Once she found out I kept something from her she’d probably never trust me again.

And even if I didn’t tell her the young man was Moretti, she’d find out eventually. He didn’t look that much different today. She would know the second she saw him.

And by then she’d be gone from my life.

I took a sharp breath in through my nose. No. No way would I just sit around and let that happen.

“Angelo!”

“What?”

“You just drove right by the office.”

“Oh. Sorry.”

I took a right and circled around the block, Paige silently watching me out of the corner of her eye.

“Here we go,” I announced, pulling up to the front of her office building.

“Thanks.” She leaned over to give me a kiss. I tensed, anticipating her familiar taste. I was too used to it, too used to everything about her. Her all round cuteness, the sound of her laugh, the way lines crinkled around her eyes when she smiled…

How could I ever do that?

I needed to clear my head, needed to stop feeling sorry about all of this. I needed to get something done.

“Have a great day,” I forced myself to say.

“You too. Bye.”

She climbed out of the car and sashayed into the building. Her tight ass got the attention of a couple of guys walking by. I resisted the urge to roll down the window and threaten to hurt complete strangers. My day was already packed so I pulled my cell phone out and made the call needed to book a last-minute private jet.

After dropping my car back off at the garage, the driver I’d just booked picked me up to chauffeur me to the airport. This way I wouldn’t have to worry about parking.

I texted Paige on the way.

‘Something came up with work in Chicago. Will send a car to get you from work. See you tonight.’

The car glided smoothly across the tarmac, coming to a stop right in front of the private jet. The stairs were already put down, just waiting for me to climb them. So I lied about the work part. Not a huge deal. It was too late to undo it. At least this one secret could never be as big as the other one I found myself keeping.

I rehearsed my unplanned speech to Dominic during my flight and on the drive to his office, making room for a few different ways to approach him. Pleading was a definite no. Borderline threatening him gave me a slim chance. One that asked him to please just stretch his empathetic muscle and see things my way—probably a waste of time.

The front desk reception knew me well, and waved me up to Dominic’s office. I knocked once and went in without waiting for an answer.

Dominic turned around in his leather office chair, his eyes wide. “Angelo. What’s the hell is going on?”

“We need to talk.”

His eyes narrowed. “You couldn’t call first? I’ve got things to do.”

“Don’t give me that bullshit. I’vebeencalling.” I walked across the room and rested my hands on the edge of his table.

Guess I’m going with the angry, threatening approach.

“I’ve been answering.”

“Yeah well you don’t say much.”

“Let me guess,” Dominic coolly said. “This is about Paige.”