Adam's Angel Read online

  She gave his hand a tiny squeeze as the baby within her kicked against his palm. “Not my future, Adam. Yours.”

  “W-what? I’m not going to have a baby. I can’t. I’m a man. Not that you seem to notice.”

  He thought about how his sister possessed the gift of magik now too and cringed. If Adira dared to cast a spell on him resulting in a pregnancy he’d hunt her down and strangle her.

  Tori caressed the back of his hand and laughed, still partially sleeping. “Not you. You should see the woman you will wed before you now…in my place. You should see your future with her.”

  “I see you, Tori.”

  She looked confused and as if she were trying to wake up. “No. That can’t be right. You should only see the woman you’ll have a future with…and a glimpse of the good and the bad from it all.”

  He stared around at the bloody feathers, confused. He glanced back at Tori, whose belly was still swollen. Closing his eyes, Adam let his power run through her stomach. When he sensed his own power coming back at him, in a small amount, he drew in a sharp breath. The baby was his and the woman before him most certainly was Tori Dore.

  “Tori. Look at me, sweetie.”

  Sweetie? I’ve lost my mind.

  She blinked up at him, her eyes still golden instead of their normal color. “Hmm?”

  “Is this hard and true or can our future be changed?”

  She yawned. “Our future? You mean your future, right?”

  He bit his lower lip, trying to remain calm—all the while tapping his foot, the need to expel nervous energy was great. “Sure, whatever makes you answer me. Can it be changed?”

  “Don’t you like who you ended up with?” she asked, laughing slightly, before closing her eyes once more.

  “I more than like her. I want to make sure this comes true.”

  What? Had he really said that out loud?

  A Cheshire cat smile moved over her. “I’ll pray to the gods for you, Adam, that it does come true, but nothing is ever for certain. Outside forces can change destiny. We can change our own destiny as well.”

  Impulse took the lead and Adam bent, capturing her lips with his. So many emotions swept over him that he cried out in her mouth, pressing his body to hers. It took him a moment to realize he was pushing hard against the baby too. He stopped and pulled back enough to kiss Tori but not to harm the baby. She returned his kiss weakly, as if exhaustion had won out again.

  “Adam.”

  The sound of Lars’ voice tugged at the back of his mind as he kissed Tori again.

  “Adam.”

  Adam opened his eyes to find himself still sitting on the bench in the hallway with his arms around a sleeping Tori. Annoyed, he narrowed his gaze on Lars. “What?”

  Lars pursed his lips. “Gee, sorry to wake you, Sleeping Beauty, but I think the jury is heading back into the courtroom.”

  Roxy came around the corner just as Adam began to pull his power away from Tori. She woke with a start and he kept hold of her. “I’ve got you, hon.”

  “Hon?” Lars asked.

  Ignoring Lars, Adam focused on Tori, hoping she’d ignore his slip of the tongue. She touched her swollen lower lip, confusion coated her face. “Was I asleep?”

  Lars cleared his throat. “Yeah, do you, uh, remember anything?”

  Tori stared blankly up at Lars. “No.” She beamed. “And it was perfect.” She turned to Adam and tossed her arms around his neck. “Thank you.”

  She stood quickly and rushed off behind Roxy.

  Adam rose to his feet and walked to his friend, waiting until he was positive Tori was out of ear shot before speaking. “What did you see that has you so shaken?”

  Stiffening, Lars scuffed his foot on the linoleum floor. “Nothing.”

  “Lars, you’re a horrible liar.”

  Lars focused on the floor and picked at his thumbnail. “Uh, we’re going to want to stick close by her, Adam.”

  “Why? What did you see?” His heart leapt to his throat.

  “Zephaniah’s people want her dead. They blame her, not us, for him going to prison. And, Adam,” Lars exhaled a long, shaky breath, “he is going to jail. Tori is sure of it and something tells me when she knows something to be true, it is.”

  Adam’s gut clenched. “Lars, if I tell you something, will you swear to not laugh and think I’m crazy?”

  “She’s your mate,” Lars said matter-of-factly.

  Adam’s gaze snapped to his longtime friend. “How did you…?”

  Lars rubbed his chin. “You stopped bedding everything that moved the minute you met her, Adam. It was a safe bet she was the one for you.”

  As much as Adam hated to admit it, Lars was right. He had changed his ways upon meeting Tori. He should have recognized the signs for what they were but he wasn’t looking for a mate—nor was he hoping for one. Now, the idea of having Tori ripped from his life before she even truly had the chance to be in it terrified him.

  “Lars, I have to protect Tori and our baby girl.” As he said it, he cringed.

  “Uh, you been sticking it to the prosecutor and not telling me?” Lars ran a hand through his blond hair, wisely picking then to levitate just out of Adam’s reach. “Just kidding.”

  “Come down here so I can kick your ass.”

  Touching the ceiling lightly, Lars shook his head. “Nope. I’m fine up here. Better get a move on it.”

  Adam groaned as he stormed off toward the courtroom. Nothing would stand between him and protecting Tori.

  Nothing.

  Chapter Three

  Roxy grabbed Tori and swayed her hips, laughing as she went. “I still can’t believe we got you out here!” she yelled over the loud music pumping through the club. “You’re always all work and no play. And we have cause to celebrate. That bastard is in prison for the rest of his life.”

  Tori was that bad and she knew it. The problem was, it had little to do with being a workaholic—which she was—and more to do with her being a natural wallflower in her “other” job. The one she kept a secret from almost everyone in her life.

  Roxy danced in a circle around her, eyeing her closely. “I’m still having a hard time believing it’s really you.”

  Tori would have argued the point but she knew what Roxy meant. It wasn’t often Tori slapped on a pair of blue jeans and a belly shirt. Not only had she done just that, but she’d added a pair of “fuck me” boots to the outfit. There was no sign of her normal business dress suit attire she practically lived in.

  Roxy glanced at something behind Tori and a wide smile broke over her friend’s face. Tori went to turn around but Roxy grabbed her. “So, I want your opinion on that one League member—the hottie with the shoulder-length brown hair and amazing blue eyes.”

  Tori stared blankly at her friend.

  Roxy gave her a cross look. “Victoria Anne Dore, do not tell me you were so obsessed with work you didn’t happen to notice a walking sex god practically trailing you. You know, the one who held you while you slept?”

  Tori moved to the beat and laughed. “Oh, Adam.”

  “Oh Adam?” Roxy echoed. “You can’t possibly tell me you don’t think he’s drop-dead sexy.”

  “He’s handsome.”

  “Handsome?”

  Smiling, Tori took Roxy’s hand in hers and began to thump against her friend slowly. “Adam is very handsome. Happy now?”

  “Admit he likes you.”

  She snorted. “He doesn’t like me.”

  “Tori, come on, the guy asked you out in roundabout ways almost daily. I just assumed you blew him off because you didn’t want to compromise the case—you know, dating a key witness and all.”

  Tori’s brow knit. “Adam has never asked me out, let alone daily.”

  Roxy sighed, touching her temple as if her head hurt. “You are the only person I know who would mistake a man trying to make a play for you for anything but what it was. Did you think he had something stuck in his eye whenever he winked at you fro
m across the courtroom? Did you think he just really liked coffee and kept trying to buy you cups to get his own fix? Do you think he acts like a human pillow for just anyone?”

  Tori swayed her hips to the beat and shrugged. “I don’t know how to answer that because it’s absurd. Why would someone like Adam be the least bit interested in me?”

  Roxy rubbed the bridge of her nose. “In what world is tall, blonde and beautiful not considered an asset?”

  Tori bit back the truth. In her realm or plane of existence, she wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. Everyone was tall and almost all of them were blonde.

  “Adam Shafer,” Roxy laughed, “League member extraordinaire, has it bad for you, Tori. Open your eyes and see it. He’s superhero material for sure.”

  Tori shook her head. “He’s not into me, Roxy. He’s a gigolo. It’s his thing. You know, naturally coming on to the opposite sex? I don’t think he can help himself. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a very nice and very attractive man but he’s not my type of guy. And I highly doubt I’m his type of woman. I have a brain and I’m not afraid to use it.”

  Roxy paled, staring at someone behind Tori. “I wouldn’t necessarily call him a gigolo.”

  Putting a hand up, Tori began using her fingers to count the varying reasons as to why Adam Shafer was indeed a gigolo. “We had to dig into his past to see about his character and do you know I ran out of printer toner and paper while printing the list of his ‘known female associates’?” She grinned. “He also admitted to seducing Zephaniah’s secretary in order to gather inside information on the man and—”

  Nodding, Roxy gulped. “Okay, I get your point. Setting aside the fact you think he’s a gigolo, did you at least think he could possibly be boyfriend material? I mean, I get you probably prefer men with suits and briefcases but could you maybe see yourself with a guy like Adam?”

  She stopped dancing. Adam had caught her eye on more than one occasion and that in itself had unnerved her. Still, she hadn’t noticed him making a play for her, whatever that was. “Is there a reason you’re drilling me about Adam Shafer? You’re not trying to fix me up with a superhero man-whore, are you?”

  Deep laughter sounded from behind her. She turned and found a man who, at six-two, was a few inches taller than her. She’d meant him many times over the past year. His green gaze twinkled with amusement.

  “Lars, I didn’t know you’d be here—” She stopped in mid-sentence as she glanced at the man next to Lars. Heat rushed through her neck and cheeks as she stared into a set of royal blue eyes. A set belonging to the famed gigolo in question.

  Adam crossed his muscular arms over his massive chest and arched a brow. “Superhero man-whore?”

  “Mr. Shafer, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it that way.”

  Lars lost it, laughing so hard he snorted.

  Adam cast him a rather un-amused look. “Mr. Shafer? Correct me if I’m wrong, Ms. Dore, but I think you know enough about my sordid past to dispense with the pleasantries. By all means, please call me Adam. I mean, I only held you in my arms today.”

  “That,” Lars hiccupped, “or call him man-whore. Gigolo works too. Really, it’s totally up to you. I find any of the above highly entertaining.”

  “Who’s a man-whore?” a familiar feminine voice asked.

  Tori turned and froze when she spotted a female equally as tall as her standing arm in arm with a raven-haired hunk. The man looked familiar but Tori couldn’t place him. The woman’s blue eyes widened as she looked at Tori. Tears welled as emotions Tori had long since buried surged forward. In an instant, the woman was moving away from the man she was with and moving to embrace Tori.

  Grabbing hold of the woman, Tori choked back tears. “Adira?” She drew back slightly, shaking her head in disbelief. “Adira? No. It can’t be you. Adira?”

  “Tori?”

  “Wait?” Lars asked. “You two know each other?”

  Adira pulled back a bit, tears running down her cheeks and nodded, keeping her gaze on Tori. “I thought you were… You’re really okay? Gods, Tori, I thought—”

  Tori knew exactly what Adira had thought. Adira had thought her dead. “I looked for you after everything was said and done but they told me your brother came for you—that he took you home.” Tori wiped Adira’s cheeks, hating to see one of her oldest friends crying even though it was exactly what she was doing. “I couldn’t stay there, Adira, not after what had happened and I couldn’t go back. Once I left, I stayed away.”

  “Time out.” Lars waved a hand before their faces. “How is it you know one another?”

  “Boarding school,” they answered in unison.

  Tori chuckled through her tears. “We were roommates.”

  Adira grinned. “Yep, for three years, until… Until… Umm…” She bit her lip. “You’re really okay, Tori? They wouldn’t let me see you after it happened. I tried to visit the hospital but they had you under guard and they’d brought in League members from out of state to watch over you.”

  “What?” Adam asked, reminding Tori he was there.

  Roxy moved closer to her. “Tori, what happened? You never mentioned having League members assigned to you, or having ever been hurt. They only send League members to protect someone when—” Her friend gasped. “Ohmygods, you were attacked by supernaturals?”

  Adira was suddenly on Tori, hugging her so tight she could barely breathe. “It’s my fault. I’m so sorry, Tori. I am. I didn’t know then that I’d develop the same gifts as my brother and he’d made me swear not to tell anyone he was a League member. I should have known. I should have warned you. I should have done something more.”

  Hearing Adira’s confession about being related to a League member shocked Tori. She could have left Adira to believe it had been she the enemy had sensed and come for but that wasn’t the truth and to do so would be wrong. Tori drew in a deep, shaky breath. “They didn’t come for you, Adira.” She touched her friend’s cheek. “No tears. Please.”

  A song they used to dance to while in college came on and they laughed through their tears. Adira grabbed Tori’s hips and began to move with her, giggling like they were teenagers. Before she knew it, they were dancing together, bumping hips and having a blast. Roxy joined in and they laughed more.

  “Pike,” Adira said, crooking her finger to the man she’d been with. He came, hunger burning in his eyes. He slinked up behind her and began dancing erotically. Lars moved forward and Roxy welcomed him with a smile. They too began to dance in a manner suggesting sex.

  “That is my cue to go get a drink,” Tori said, trying to get past them.

  “Or you could dance with me.” Adam was suddenly there, crowding her space, looking very yummy indeed. He didn’t take no for an answer as he began swaying her body with his. Every spot that touched seemed to ignite with warmth. Her pulse raced, as did her breathing.

  She tipped her head back, moaning softly. Adam’s lips met the tender flesh of her neck. The action wasn’t expected but Tori accepted it all the same, unsure why. She clawed lightly at his chest, bunching his shirt up, grinding against him.

  “Mmm,” he purred against her neck. She ran her fingers into his hair, panting desperately, wanting more. “Soon,” Adam whispered, as if reading her mind. The man made dancing something that should be outlawed in some states. The way he moved his hips was downright naughty. It was easy to picture him doing the very same actions in the bedroom, his hips lining up with hers, his groin pressed to hers.

  She wet her lower lip, need slamming through her.

  Adam’s mouth skimmed over her cheek, his face going to her hair as he took a deep breath. “Woman, you smell delicious.”

  She nearly whimpered. Dirty dancing wasn’t something she’d ever really done before and if she kept going, there was a very real chance she’d make a total fool of herself and cry out Adam’s name in a moment of pure ecstasy.

  His lips were suddenly there, edging hers, teasing them.

  Tori swallowed hard,
her resolve gone. If he wanted, she’d easily do anything he asked of her. She hated herself for that weakness. Why was this man so special? What made her go weak in the knees over him?

  Adam feathered his lips over hers, his tongue darting out and over hers so quickly she nearly missed it. Moaning, she tugged at the back of his neck, wanting more than he was giving. A look of pure masculine pride shone on his handsome face.

  Tori pinched his chin between her thumb and forefinger, arching a brow. “Arrogant much?”

  “Oh yeah,” he confirmed. “Arrogant and a man-whore.” The teasing note in his voice made her smile.

  She nudged him. “Adam.”

  He winked. “Kiss me.”

  “W-what?” she stammered.

  Adam flashed a wicked smile at Tori. He wanted to fully taste her lips. He didn’t want to discuss his past indiscretions and his ease with the ladies. None of them mattered. Only Tori did. Somehow, the words wouldn’t come and the confession never actually left him. It was confusing for him, being worried about her view of him. He normally took great pride in his ability to romance the pants off any woman. Not now. Not with Tori. Shame licked at his heels and he had to concentrate to avoid letting it in.

  “I said, kiss me.”

  “That’s what I thought you said,” she confessed, paling slightly.

  Dipping his head, Adam pressed his lips to hers, no longer giving her the choice to accept or reject his demand. Fuck, the woman tasted amazing. Like apricots and vanilla all wrapped up in one. He could get drunk off her taste if he wasn’t careful.

  His cock responded in kind, hardening and digging at the confines of his jeans. Music thumped around them, as if in beat with the pounding of his heart in his chest. He rocked their bodies to and fro, grinding himself against her lush form. Tori molded to him, surrendering herself fully. Would she submit this quickly behind closed doors? Would she allow him to do everything to her that he dreamt of doing?

  Tori swirled her tongue around Adam’s lazily. Her nipples were like diamonds against her thin shirt, digging at his chest. She made no effort to hide what he was doing to her, even though it was outside her normal behavior. She bit lightly at his lower lip and growled playfully. “Mmm, this is different.”