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Angela listened with half an ear as they plotted and planned. It wasn’t too intricate. It seemed more about torturing the guy for answers than anything else. She didn’t disapprove, per se. But she thought there was a better way. “What if we can do better than that?” She’d said it quietly, but all eyes turned to her.
Abel squinted at her. “Huh?”
She was suddenly nervous. What was she thinking? They were professional criminals. They knew better than her.
“Angel?”
It was both a question and an invitation from Roman. One she chose to accept. “Say you find this guy and you grab him. You question him, maybe shove some needles under his fingernails to get him to talk. But he doesn’t know anything more about Godfrey’s real identity than my parents. Or the dozen other people you’ve questioned.”
“Wow, way to bring down the vibe, Angel,” Abel said with a smirk.
Angela huffed and flipped him off. But she was feeling more confident now. “I’m just saying, then we’d be back to square one. Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. That’s the definition of insanity.”
Abel clutched his chest. “And the insults just keep coming. I’m insane now?!”
“That’s not news,” Sal said dryly.
Angela ignored the boys when they began to bicker back and forth, focusing on Roman instead. He was looking at her in a considering way. But also, if she wasn’t mistaken, with pride. It made her feel all warm and tingly. Even if she was contributing to something illegal, she was still contributing. She could be useful in Roman’s world as more than just his partner.
“What do you suggest?” Roman asked, curiosity piqued.
“You can set a trap. Follow him and see where he leads you. Or you wait for him to contact Godfrey and trace the call. That’s a thing, right? Tracing calls?”
“Needles under fingernails? Tracing calls? What the hell have you been watching?” Abel asked, wide-eyed.
She shifted in her seat. “I may have been binging some crime shows,” she admitted. “But I’m right, aren’t I? It’s an option?”
Everyone was silent for a moment, then Morrigan was the first to speak. “She has a point. I mean, it’s not the most terrible idea I’ve ever heard.”
“And it could lead straight to him,” Angela said quickly, sensing the energy shift in her favor. “No more following breadcrumbs.”
“You’re a fucking wonder, Angel,” Roman murmured, his voice smooth as silk.
She felt the impact of his words—and his tone—in her core. “I’m glad you think so.”
His grin was slow to form but devastating to her control. She wanted to climb him like a tree. A big, erect, naked tree. His eyes smoldered as if he could read her thoughts, and her cheeks heated.
“Okay. Dr. Beauty and Brains,” Sal said, tossing her a wink. “How do you propose to trap Wayne?”
This was the tricky part. “The same way any good traps work. Bait.”
Silence for a heartbeat, then... “No. No fucking way,” Roman exploded from his chair.
“Roman, just—” she began.
“No! There is no way on God’s green earth I will allow you to use yourself as bait,” Roman snarled, marching around the table to her.
Angela licked her lips, remaining calm. “There’s that word again. Allow.”
He thrust a finger in her face. “Don’t start.”
Angela held up her empty hands. “I’m not trying to be combative. And I know you just want to protect me. But I’m a big girl.”
He crossed his arms over his chest stubbornly. “No.”
“Roman, think about it. Most of Godfrey’s clients and connections in the city have disappeared. Why do you think this guy is still around? Why hasn’t Godfrey gotten to him yet? Why do you think Godfrey is allowing him to stay in the city?”
Roman glared at her, but she could see he was thinking. Finally, he huffed, dropping his arms. “You think he wants us to find Wayne.” It was a statement.
