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Angela’s mouth dropped open. “Are you serious? You want medical advice?” She couldn’t believe her ears.
“You’re a doctor,” Abel pointed out, looking pitiful.
“You kidnapped me,” she reminded him.
Abel looked pained, planting his fists on his hips. “When are you going to let that go?”
“Let it go? Let it go?!” Angela repeated shrilly, taking a step forward.
Abel held up his hands, warding off her advance. “Whoa there, Doc. No need for more violence. I apologize, okay? I was desperate. When Roman told me to go and find a doctor, I took the first one I found.”
“Did you ever consider not kidnapping anyone?” she asked sarcastically. “Maybe asking them to help?”
Abel shrugged his heavy shoulders. “Honestly? No. I was so worried about Luca. Besides, asking for things isn’t really my way.”
“Why am I not surprised?” Angela muttered to herself. She silently warned herself not to continue the conversation, but she couldn’t help asking, “What is your way?”
Abel held his hands out in front of him and made two fists. His impressive biceps bulged as he admitted, “Smash.”
“Great.” She rolled her eyes. “I was abducted by the Hulk.” Abel laughed, and she was annoyed at the quick recovery he seemed to have made from the pepper spray. His eyes were still red, but they didn’t seem to be burning him anymore. “And now I’m apparently being stalked by him.”
She noticed Abel and his ostentatious car the same afternoon she had sexed up Roman. After a long shower, disassociating under the spray long enough for her hot water to turn cold, she ventured to the store. Abel didn’t even try to be subtle. He honked his horn at her and even had the audacity to wave his gun around. She was a little worried about his mental stability, if she was being honest. But she completely ignored him that day, and every day since, other than to offer him the occasional cup of coffee. She was a sucker—sue her.
Seeing him outside her apartment on her way to work so early in the mornings caused her to feel bad, and she had taken him a to-go cup a couple of times. But that didn’t mean she liked him. And it certainly didn’t mean she wanted him to follow her around forever.
“I’m not stalking you. I’m watching you for your own good,” Abel quickly retorted.
Angela looked at him drolly. “My own good, huh?”
“That’s right.” Abel shot her a serious look this time. “So you don’t do anything stupid. I’d hate to have to tell Roman you went to the police.”
“It’s been a month,” she pointed out frustratedly. “I haven’t so far.”
“Things change.” Abel shrugged his heavy shoulders. “Though I happen to believe you won’t do the dirty on us. Not after spending so much time making sure Luca recovered perfectly. Plus, you’ve used the money Roman blackmailed you with.”
Angela huffed. “Firstly, of course I was going to make sure Luca was okay. He became my patient the moment I worked on him. And, as much as I hate to admit it, your boss was right. Luca is a sweetheart.”
Abel grinned. “Luca is the best. He’s the annoying little brother everyone never knew they wanted. The best thing Roman ever did was find him and raise him.”
Angela was curious about what Abel meant by finding Luca. She did know Roman, from twenty-two years old, had raised Luca from the time he was ten. Luca was chatty and spoke about his big brother as if he hung the moon. Angela thought it was sweet, and she was happy for the young man. But given that she knew Roman was more likely to hang human beings than the moon and the stars, it was difficult for her to reconcile Luca’s hero worship with Roman’s reputation.
“Secondly,” Angela began, finally getting back on track. “I realized there was something more than ass wiping that your blood money could be used for.”
Abel looked over her shoulder at the Lighthouse Resource Center. “I’ve seen this place a few times driving past, but can’t say I knew much about it. I did some research after I followed you here so often. It’s a worthwhile cause.”
Angela huffed. “What would you know about worthwhile causes?”
Abel pursed his lips, clearly insulted. But what got to her was the flash of hurt in his eyes. “Not everything I do is illegal, Angela. I’m more than just an abductor of women,” he pointed out quietly.
It felt very much like a reprimand. And it worked because she felt immediately guilty. She sighed, her shoulders drooping a little. She found words to be a wonderful offensive, as well as defensive, maneuver. But her quick wit and extensive vocabulary also made her a bitch. “I’m sorry,” she said.
Abel immediately perked up, smiling at her. “All good.”
She could only shake her head in wonder. Abel was like a big dopey puppy. How he mastered being scary and serious half the time was astounding.
“Now, as I was trying to show you before...” he broke off, unbuttoning his shirt halfway. “What do you think?”
She thought he had a mighty fine chest. It was hairy but not Chewbacca-level hairy, and it was heavily muscled. It didn’t hold a candle to Roman’s, however, whose chest was more finely muscled, like a swimmer or a dancer. Roman’s abs were chiseled and he was toned to perfection—not an ounce of wasted skin on the man.
