Angel and the Assassin

didn‟t want her to worry when Sven‟s body was found. She didn‟t leave me an e-
    mail address, and I knew her phone wouldn‟t work outside the US. You told me
    that. I had no way to contact her, so I thought maybe Maria-Jesus could help.”
    “Your mum left without telling you how to get hold of her?”
    Anxious to explain, he looked at Kael. “She was in a hurry. Sven was only gone
    for a couple of days. She didn‟t want him to catch her leaving.”
    “So why didn‟t you go with her?”
    Angel‟s eyes dropped to the countertop, and he began to chew on his
    fingernails. “I told you; it all happened in a rush. She took the opportunity to leave
    while Sven was away. She didn‟t have time to get me a plane ticket.”
    With his mother‟s money and that of her new millionaire boyfriend, she could
    buy all the plane tickets she wanted right at the airport. The droop of Angel‟s
    shoulders and the increased attention to his nails told Kael he was hurting. “What
    did you tell the maid?”
    Angel spoke quietly. “I wanted her to let my mom know that I‟m alive and
    okay, but she probably doesn‟t know how to contact her either.”
    “What did you write?” Kael asked again.
    “I said, I‟m okay. Please let my mom know if you can. I miss you and your
    cooking. Someone will contact you.” He spread his hands. “That‟s it.”

    Angel and the Assassin
    73

    “Someone will contact you?”
    “I meant you, Sir. I wanted to reassure her I was okay. I thought you could
    drop her a line and tell her not to worry. Maybe she knows where my mom is. I
    don‟t know.” He tore a strip off the nail of his middle finger. “I just wanted to let my
    mom know I‟m alive.”
    Kael leaned against the counter to drink his coffee. “They all think you‟ve been
    kidnapped. Now everyone‟s looking for you.”
    “Kidnapped? Who found Sven‟s body?”
    “I don‟t know any details, but the maid called the police as soon as she got your
    e-mail.”
    “Maybe we can get some ransom money out of Gregoire.” He drank some coffee
    and looked at Kael. “How do you know about this, Sir?”
    “Your picture was on the CNN news today as a missing and endangered
    person, along with Sven Andresen, who they said was shot.”
    “Shit.” Angel looked slightly startled at the reminder that only a couple of days
    before, he had seen his stepfather murdered by the man who stood in front of him.
    “Sir, I‟m sorry. Will the cops be able to find you now? You can tell them he was
    selling guns to criminals.”
    “I‟m sure that‟ll help.” Kael half smiled. “The picture they had on the news
    wasn‟t very good. It didn‟t really look that much like you.”
    Kael stopped speaking abruptly, looking closely at Angel, who looked back
    nervously under the sudden intense scrutiny.
    Angel‟s face was very smooth, with no discernible beard, and he had definitely
    not shaved since he got to England. He had pubic hair but no chest hair, and he was
    very immature for a twenty-year-old. He certainly didn‟t look twenty. He cursed
    himself for not looking at Angel‟s passport more closely to check his birth date.
    “How old are you, boy?”
    “The day I met you I turned twenty, Sir.” Kael held his gaze, not wavering.
    The blush on Angel‟s cheeks deepened, and he licked his dry lips.
    “How old did you turn the day I met you, Angel?”
    “Eighteen,” he whispered.
    “I‟ll bloody murder you!” Kael slammed his cup down on the counter, spilling
    the contents.
    Angel leaped up from his stool and dropped to the floor with a scream.
    Horrified at the fear in the boy‟s eyes, Kael strode quickly round the counter to find
    him cowering on the floor. He felt like a bully, not a master, and certainly not a
    daddy.
    “No, I didn‟t mean it literally. Get up, you little twit.” He reached down and
    grabbed Angel under the armpits, pulling him to his feet.
    Angel fell against his chest, breathing hard. “You‟re pretty scary, Sir. You‟re
    really big, and you kill people.”

    74
    Fyn Alexander

    “I wouldn‟t hurt you. I‟ll smack your arse if you need it, but I‟ll protect you. I
    promise you that. No one will hurt you while I‟m alive and kicking.”
    “Sir, why would anyone hurt me? You‟re the most dangerous person I know,
    and you said you‟ll keep me safe.”
    Angel had no idea that he was in danger from everyone but Kael. “Do you want
    to stay with me, boy?” Kael looked intently at him, wanting him to