Hell's Angel (2 page)

chaps.

Oh, hel !

Kaylea groaned from sexual frustration then mocked herself. “Cripes, I real y do fit

the typical librarian persona, don’t I?”

“Maybe, or maybe it has something to do with your name.”

“My name?”

“Yeah, Kaylea means ‘keeper of the key—pure,’” she elaborated, a testament that

they’d both harvested an enormous amount of useless information as librarians.

“If that key has anything to do with my chastity belt then I sure as hel wish someone

would tel me where it’s hidden so I could unlock it.”

With that both girls laughed out loud, the sound drawing attention from those

around them. Stil chuckling, Kaylea put her finger to her lips to hush her friend. The

last thing she wanted was for everyone in the place to know she was a damn virgin

who was completely clueless in the area of seduction.

“Then again, maybe it’s your aura,” Nicole suggested.

“How so?” Kaylea asked.

Nicole palmed the air. “You have this purity about you that probably scares men

off.”

Kaylea chewed on her bottom lip and considered her friend’s astuteness. Natural y

Nicole had no idea just how bang on she was with that observation, since Kaylea was

careful to keep her family’s secrets, wel , a secret.

Her thoughts faded to the background as the heavy oak door slowly creaked open.

The two women turned and stared at the entrance, waiting to glimpse the man who

was about to be gifted with Kaylea’s virginity, but Kaylea couldn’t seem to keep her

focus, not when the man sitting in the corner of the coffee shop, with his head tilted

downward, low enough to veil his identity, kept drawing her attention.

Yeah, he was good-looking. Damn good-looking, but she never was one to swoon

over a man’s good looks before. So she either real y had a thing for guys in leather

biker chaps, or this particular bad boy had the ability to play some mysterious

alchemy with her libido.

When Kaylea’s mother and father walked in, Kaylea let out a breath of relief and

Nicole laughed. “Look at you. You look like you’re about to faint. That’s one hel of a

way to make a believer out of me.”

Without bothering to deny it, Kaylea grinned, then turned her attention to her

parents as they stepped up to their table. They exchanged pleasantries before Gage

and Jadyn disappeared into the back room to prepare for their shift. A moment later

one of the waitresses came with their sandwiches.

As Kaylea examined her lunch, her lips tingled and her mouth salivated, but it

certainly wasn’t for the egg salad in front of her. She inconspicuously watched the man

in the corner, as he in turn watched her parents pul on their aprons, relieve the counter

staff and step up to serve the lineup of patrons.

Kaylea noted that her stranger seemed a little dark, a little brooding and a whole

lot dangerous. As a shiver moved through her, something flashed in his eyes and

gained her ful focus. Something soft, kind and compassionate. Something that

completely intrigued her.

Tempted her.

Shortly after her perusal, he pushed his chair back, the metal legs squealing

across the floor like a broken fan belt. He vaulted to his feet and stalked out the front

door, letting it slam behind him.

Biting into the sandwich, Kaylea contemplated his hasty exit. But before she even

had time to swal ow, the door swung back open, and Mr. Leather Pants stood here,

darkening the archway. Intense brown eyes locked on hers and in that instant sexual

energy leapt between them, bombarding her body with primal hunger.

Desire moved through her, sending heat al the way to the tips of her toes,

stopping to warm every erogenous zone on the way. Kaylea gulped down her food,

slid her fingers through her hair and nearly chocked as a barrage of emotions

overcame her. Everything from excitement and anticipation, to doubt and

apprehension, whipped through her blood.

Mr. Leather Pants pul ed his gaze away and catalogued the room, his glance

settling on her parents as they shared an intimate moment at the counter.

From her peripheral vision, Kaylea caught the salacious grin on Nicole’s face.

Knowing exactly what her friend was thinking, Kaylea shifted restlessly in her chair

and sucked in air, barely able to inflate her lungs. Her body fairly trembled as lust

prowled through her and settled low in her stomach.

Kaylea wagged a finger in his direction, both excited and terrified by the prospect,

she asked, “Uh, does he qualify?” Dammit, her voice came out squeakier than she

would have liked.

Nicole cocked her head and assessed Mr. Leather Pants. Her mouth curved, a

look of approval spreading over her face. “Why yes, Kaylea. I believe he does.”

With her raging libido urging her on, demanding she answer her body’s desires

once and for al , she gathered her bravado, braced her palms on the wooden tabletop

and forced herself upward, praying like hel her knees would cooperate.

Nicole licked her lips. “I’l cover for you at the library for the rest of the day, and

since we both have tomorrow off you can take your good old time with Mr. Hot Pants.

Oh, and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,” Nicole suggested.

Kaylea shot her a wry grin. “Wel , in that case, I guess the sky’s the limit.”

Nicole laughed, dropped two condoms into Kaylea’s handbag and pointed toward

the door. “Don’t you have a man to seduce?”

Yeah, she did. Now if only she wasn’t so innocent in the ways of seduction…

Brand had stormed from the coffee shop knowing he couldn’t carry off Lucifer’s

plan. Not after glimpsing Kaylea. Christ, he hadn’t expected that Gage and Jadyn’s

daughter would be such a bright, gorgeous, vivacious woman. One who made him

feel things he hadn’t felt in a long time. Something about the way her eyes glistened

with love and laughter when she talked with her friend real y got to him, down deep,

awakening things he’d long ago buried. Everything from her feminine lilac scent, her

smile and her mannerisms, to the melodic sound of her laughter was infectious, and

for a brief moment she made him remember what it was like to love, not hate. He’d

fled the cafe ready to cal it off, ready to spend the rest of his time on Earth between

the legs of someone who was already marked, but then, inexplicably, as if driven by a

greater force, something compel ed him to turn around. He wasn’t sure why he’d

turned back, when al he wanted to do was run away and fuck Kaylea out of his mind,

but nevertheless, he’d ventured back into Halo. The second he’d flung open the door

and glimpsed Gage and Jadyn sharing an intimate moment behind the counter,

holding onto each other in a loving embrace like they hadn’t a care in the world, his

anger came back tenfold and reminded him that they’d left him behind to suffer at the

hands of Lucifer. Turmoil reverberated through his blood, and urged him to carry forth

with his mission.

Deciding to do just that, he hardened himself and caught Kaylea’s glance. As her

blue eyes blinked up at him, he noted the lust, desire and intrigue in her gaze. Oh

yeah, seducing her, and marking her for Hel , would be like taking candy from a baby.

Concentrating only on the rage inside him as it went from simmer to inferno, he

buried every emotion she brought out in him and backed out of the doorway. Brand

knew he needed to expel his volatile energy before he went off like a supernova. He

turned on the bal of his foot and left his Harley parked curbside. As his blood boiled,

he briskly made his way down the sidewalk toward the hotel he’d secured earlier, and

put together a plan of action. Tonight, after nightfal , he’d find her and then seduce the

hel right out of her, or rather, seduce the Hel right into her.

Manoeuvring his way through the crowd, Brand nodded to the concierge and

stepped into the massive lobby of his luxurious hotel. He damn wel planned on

spending every stolen moment on Earth in comfort, he mused.

It was past midday when he rode the elevator to the top floor and ventured into the

plush lounge overlooking the city. He needed a drink.

He glanced around the establishment and noted the patrons—business people

punching away on their BlackBerries or conversing privately in a secluded booth.

Quick flashes and distant images of himself in a similar position passed through his

mind. Had he been a businessman? If so, what on Earth could he have done to have

landed in Hel ? He struggled to remember, but since a day in Hel was like a lifetime,

those memories had long ago faded.

He ordered a beer and took a pul from the bottle, savoring the taste. Goddammit,

it had been a long time since he’d tasted anything so fine. As he slammed the bottle

onto the oaken bar top, the fine hairs on the back of his neck began tingling.

He didn’t have to turn around to know she was there. He felt her presence long

before he saw her, felt her sexual energy even from some twenty feet away.

He shook his head and scoffed. Fuck, she had no idea how easy she was making

this for him.

She moved toward him. His body tightened, his pulse quickene, and perspiration

broke out on his flesh. As his senses exploded, lust moved through his veins, and

there was little he could do to conceal his erection. What was it about her that had him

reacting so strangely?

As she approached, he shifted restlessly on his stool. She shimmied in next to

him, her eyes alive with anticipation. When their gazes col ided it did the weirdest

things to his insides, and for the briefest of moments, her mere presence softened his

anger.

He toyed with his beer bottle and studied her, taking note of her nervous gestures,

and the trepidation in her voice as she ordered a strawberry daiquiri. After it arrived

she swal owed half the drink in one gulp.

He arched a brow, amused. “Thirsty?” he asked, breaking the quiet.

“It’s a warm day,” she confessed, and fanned her face. As her big, innocent blue

eyes stared up at him, his heart hammered and he felt like he’d been sucker punched.

Fuck! What the hel was that al about?

She held her hand out. “I’m Kaylea.”

“Brand,” he offered and worked hard to hold onto his anger and summon a

defence against her charm. Unfortunately, his efforts proved futile.

Her knee pressed against his and a rush of sexual energy hit him like a wrecking

bal . As her heat reached out to him, it was al he could do to form a coherent thought.

With his blood pressure soaring, he leaned into her and felt her warm, strawberry-

scented breath on his face. “The hotel has a pool, why don’t you take a swim to cool

off.”

“Oh, I’m not staying here,” she said quickly, then as if she’d given away too much

information she began backpedaling. “I just stopped in for a drink.” She got quiet for a

moment, then something in her expression changed. She aimed a longing glance his

way. “And, wel …”

The angelic look on her face brought warmth to his darkest corners and despite

his efforts, everything inside him turned to mush. He curled his fingers and resisted

the urge to brush a wayward blond curl from her cheek when she tilted her head

forward. “And wel , what?” he asked, softening his tone.

She fiddled with her straw and moistened her bottom lip. Christ almighty, she had

the nicest mouth. “Wel , to be honest, I saw you at the cafe.”

“Oh, yeah?” Her honesty was like a shot in the heart. As he studied her, he

suspected she didn’t have a dishonest bone in her body.

“And wel , I though you noticed me, too.”

After a long pause he said, “I noticed you.”

Seemingly encouraged, her eyes widened, and she leaned forward, affording him

a view of her cleavage. Her attempt, he supposed, to entice him. He studied her,

sensing her discomfort with her flirtatious, come-hither actions. When dark lashes

fluttered over naive eyes, his entire world shifted. He gulped air, suddenly hating

himself. Hating that for one minute he’d considered marking this sweet innocent girl

for Hel .

Fuck…

As his anger completely dissolved, he drew a long breath to center himself, then

touched her shoulders to put a stop to her obviously uncomfortable seduction. He

didn’t want her exposing her body. Not to any man. Especial y not to him. Because he

wasn’t worthy of her. “Kaylea, don’t.”

She pul ed back, embarrassed. Her cheeks flushed pink, and her beautiful blue

eyes widened. “I just thought—”

Oh, Christ. The mortified look on her face turned him inside out. His gut clenched

and he fisted his hands. Dammit, he hadn’t meant to hurt her, but it had been a hel of

a long time since he’d dealt with people, or their emotions.

“I think I made a mistake.” Kaylea climbed from the chair and bolted to the

elevator.

Before she had a chance to round the corner and disappear from his line of sight,