Page 132 of Jake's Angel
“We have some things to talk about.” She takes a step back, and I lift her chin, bringing her eyes back to me. There’s so much going on behind those beautiful green eyes. I know she fears what might happen, and at the moment she may even be a little scared of me, but she needs to learn to trust me. To know I would never hurt her or abandon her. I speak to her in a low tone where only she can hear me. “No more running, Angel. That shit ends tonight.” She pulls her chin from my hold.
“I’m not running.”
“Liar.” Even when her face is sayingfuck youshe’s beautiful. She’s scared and angry, but it’s too damn bad. I made a vow to protect what’s mine, and Avery is mine. Period.
“Where’s Sadie?” Hawk asks, coming up behind me.
“She went upstairs to one of the rooms. Said she wanted to read on her tablet and go take a nap. It’s been a long day,” she says, eyeing me from the side.
“I’m right here. When did the dipshit brigade get here?” She calls out from the stairs, making her way back down, her iPad held close to her chest.
“You will watch your mouth around my son,” Vincenzo scolds. Sadie throws her hands up in the air in concession to his request and continues walking toward the boy.
“Sorry Antonio. I apologize for using dirty words,” she says, leaning down and rubbing her hands through his hair. He swats her away, combing his hair down with his own hands. “Lighten up buddy. Girls like the disheveled look on a guy.” She winks at him, then plants her ass on the couch.
“I’ve got an idea how we can take care of that dirty mouth of yours,” Hawk says. His heated gaze locked on Sadie.
Oh shit.
“You won’t be doing anything with my dirty mouth or any other part of me. I canhandle myselfjust fine, thank you. Isn’t that right, Aves?” Hawk’s eyes narrow at Sadie while she wiggles her fingers in the air at him. I watch as my woman’s face turns three shades of red and wonder what exactly they’ve been talking about. Though I can imagine. “Don’t worry Hawk, BOB and I have my needs covered. You stick with your groupies at the clubhouse.”
“Dinner will be ready in a few minutes,” Nora calls from the kitchen.
“Would you girls mind helping get Antonio washed up?” Vincenzo asks sweetly.
What the hell?
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
AVERY
Sadieand I drop Antonio off in his room to play after helping him make a colossal mess with the foaming hand soap in the bathroom washing his hands. Once he’s secure in his room, we head to the bedroom across the hall where she left her bag. She pulls out her tablet and sprawls out on the bed. “Close and lock the door, Aves.” I do as she asks and come back to sit next to her on the bed. I watch as she pulls up several surveillance cameras in different rooms and hallways.
“What are you doing?” I whisper.
“I hacked into the security cameras so I could figure out our best exit route. It was actually pretty easy. Someone should tell him he needs an upgrade, or they should at least consider a more difficult password.” She’s tapping away on the wireless keyboard, changing views from one camera to the next.
“Okay. It looks like I can get us out down the main stairwell, through the laundry room, and out the back door. There’s one camera here that may be an issue, but as long as you keep yourback to it, it should be okay,” she says, as if escaping the Kings is the easiest task in the world.
“Wait! What about the keycard thing the men in black were wearing? How do we get past that and the retinal scanner thingy? I’m pretty sure we aren’t in the system.” I know I shouldn’t be so snappy with her, but after the way Jake spoke to me earlier, I don’t know that I’ll be able to sneak out again, and if I do, will he forgive me for it. He said no more running. But I have to know the truth.
Sadie grabs something from her back pocket and hands it to me. It’s a key card. “How did you …?”
“Nora left hers in the front pocket of her apron. I lifted it when I went into the kitchen to get a glass of water. Remember when I bumped into her on my way to the fridge?” She smirks. “Relax. I’ve got you. As for the retinal scanner, it’s only on the elevators for this end of the hotel, and you’re taking the stairs. You’ll need the key card for the stairwell door and to get out of the last door that leads outside.”
I slide the card into my back pocket. “Are you sure about this?” I’m feeling a little queasy about the whole situation. Maybe it’s because they came all this way to find us and take us back. Or maybe it’s just because Jake is here, and I don’t want to lie to him again. Whatever the reason, I don’t like the feel of this.
“It’s the only way. I’ve already reached out to Thomas. He’s going to meet you two blocks over outside the laundromat. He said he would pick you up in his SUV and you two could drive around and talk. Then he’ll bring you back here and I’ll help you sneak back in.”
“Wait. You said he’s picking me up? What about you?”
“I have to stay here so I can control the cameras and the security controls to get you in and out.” She rolls her eyes. Placing her hands on her chest she says, “Tech goddess” thenputting her hands on my shoulders, “escape artist.” I smile at her descriptions of our upcoming roles.
“Oh, look!” She spins around and types something on her keyboard. “I can even tap into the spy cameras downstairs. They’re really small, like they’re hidden in the walls or something, but they have sound. I’ve just got to …” I know she’s in deep concentration because she’s biting down on her tongue as she types. “There.”
“How are you going to tell Avery about her psycho grandmother killing her mom? This shit is fucking insane, brother.” Hawk says to Jake. The camera is under a scone on the wall a foot across from them.
Jake scrubs a hand down his face. “I don’t know. Pres may decide to keep it club business, but I think she deserves to know the truth,” he replies. “She knows more than she’s letting on.”