Page 71 of Dark Angel
“No more,” she said before she sashayed into the bathroom.
Seconds later, he joined her and together they cleaned up. No words spoken. No idle chit chat. No promise of another hookup.
For the first time in a long time, Gabriel had questions for the woman by his side. Most times, he’d date casually. Dinner, sex. An outing on his yacht, more sex. His relationships were more transactional than meaningful, but that was by design.
He’d learned life at the knee of his mafioso father. Love no one. Trust no one. Everyone was replaceable. Life was a series of meaningless transactions all in the name of power.
Even though Gabriel was a player, he hadn’t found anyone who’d snagged and held his attention for more than a few months.
Barbi had his attention, but would it stick?
Knock-knock.
“It’s the staff,” said a woman on the other side of the door. “Ten minutes to closing.”
They dressed in silence, left the suite. As they made their way down the hallway, he glanced over at her. She peered back.
Most women asked for his number, suggested they get together, offered to make him dinner.
She said nothing. Absolutely nothing.
Back on the first floor, Gabriel paused to say goodbye to Hawk while Barbi continued toward the exit. He caught up to her outside where the cold winter wind had her wrapping her arms around herself.
“Where’s your coat?” he asked.
“Where’s yours?” she quipped.
“I’ll walk you to your car,” Gabriel said.
“I’m good,” she replied as the stranger from earlier—the hotheaded idiot—strode toward them. “Looks like the douche waited for me.”
Gabriel wrapped his hand around his pistol.
Rather than stand there, she hastened her stride. “I’m parked over there.”
They took off in a full-on run toward her SUV as the man yelled out, “Hey, you got me kicked out of the club!”
She jumped in, Gabriel got into the passenger seat as the guy continued charging toward them. She started the engine, out she sped and onto the road.
He started laughing. “It’s like I’m with Bonnie.”
“Bonnie who?”
“Bonnie and Clyde.”
“We didn’t rob a bank.”
“You know American history. I’m impressed.”
“I know all American outlaws.” She waggled her eyebrows. “They’re my heroes.” At the red light, she buckled her belt. “I need to circle back to your car.”
“I got dropped off, so I was gonna call a rideshare.” He clicked the seatbelt into place.
“Where are you headed?” she asked as she drove through the intersection.
“Home.” He gave her the address.
“I don’t have my phone, so you have to tell me where to turn.”
