Back at the house Angel walked through her closet trying to decide what to wear. She was going to go with what she would have worn to a club back in Cali. True she had some nice club dresses in her wardrobe now, but they weren’t conducive for dancing. She pulled on some cargo pants that were black and fit her body perfectly; they rode low on her hips. She then pulled on a shirt she had bought that had slits in the shoulders and was cut in various places strategically over her black tank top, she put on her shoes and pulled her hair up into a ponytail her curls prominently on display. While her outfit look could be considered not what the upper crust were looking for, they were all high-end brand clothing, that she’d thrown together to complete the look. Her whole midriff was visible and showed off her perfect abs to perfection. She put in her earrings and added a choker necklace and her cuff bracelets, she stuck her credit card and ID into her back pocket though she seriously doubted her father or Damon would let her buy anything. When she came down, she asked “This okay?” Hunter had to be objective this was his daughter on any other woman he would have found those low ride cargos sexy as hell and that bared midriff, but this wasn’t any other woman it was his daughter. He said evenly “You’re beautiful as always kiddo.” On the way out she grabbed her cellular and stuffed it into her front pocket. Grant met them out front with the SUV so they could all fit.
First, they went out to eat at a Chinese restaurant and this time Grant and his men joined them. That’s not to say they didn’t keep an eye on everything they were highly alert. When they arrived at the club later all the men were out of the door first, and she found herself stuffed into the center of all their bodies, she knew it was for her protection, but she still found it odd. When her father reached the door, the doorman nodded at his group and immediately let them through.
She followed along with the way their bodies pushed through the crowd until they reached the VIP area. She found it ironic less than a month ago they would have turned her away from this club now she was in the VIP section. When a waitress appeared and asked what they wanted to drink she looked disgusted when Angel and her security said water. She looked around the club taking everything in, the men had all seated themselves at various angles so they could see everything. She watched the crowds move, and dance. They were actually playing good club music surprisingly.
There were some good dancers out there. She leaned back in her chair and carried on a conversation with the guys, talking about everything that had happened in the last day. Even bringing up Kingsley, which was bound to be a bad omen because his son Jared appeared at their table shortly afterward, he said laughingly “I hear your truck had a slight accident earlier.” Before he could say anything more Grant and his men were on their feet as well as her father and Damon. Angel stood and said evenly “Don’t give him the satisfaction because he’s the kind of sissy boy who’d run home to daddy and call the law saying you beat him up. He’ll never be a man; he’ll always be his daddy’s puppet.”
A man she didn’t recognize appeared at Jared’s shoulder and looked at her father asking, “Everything okay over here Hunter?” her father’s jaw was clenched so tight she thought it might break, she reached across the table and grabbed his hand and said, “Let it go, dad.” She didn’t miss the widening of the new man’s eyes, but he kept his thoughts to himself. Hunter said coldly “Jared, you better hope you had your daddy’s approval for your little stunt earlier, because now you’ve confronted her in front of witnesses, that makes you responsible. Give your dad a message from me, he’s being dethroned.”
She saw it before anyone else did, and automatically put herself between her father and Jared who had swung at him. She caught his fist in her hand and squeezed tightly. She said coldly “Say what you want about me, play your childish little boy games, but touch my father and I’ll make you disappear.” Devon by this time had himself between Angel and Jared, Jared was staring at her in shock, then said snidely “What kind of woman can do shit like that, you’re a freak.” Grant said coldly “No, she’s just a fit one, who can kick your ass ten ways from Sunday. I’d suggest an immediate retreat before Devon lets her go.” Angel was glaring at Jared’s back when he left, she said coldly “They want a war, I will give them a damn war.” She went to pull out her cell phone, and Hunter stopped her saying “Angel, calm down. No business tonight.”
Angel plopped back into her seat and huffed out a breath; Hunter turned to the new arrival and said “Cole sorry for the disturbance. Cole Masters this is my daughter Angel, Angel this is Cole Masters he owns this place.” Angel nodded and said, “Nice to meet you, wish the circumstances had been better.” Cole was smiling and said, “I don’t know it was highly entertaining, if you ever need a job as a bouncer let me know.” Angel laughed and replied, “I’ve got my hands full already.”
She had begun to calm down then she saw Gwen making her way toward them said “What is this my night to run into people who hate me? Am I cursed or something?” Everyone followed her eyes and Hunter swore, and then said, “I told her the last time not to do this shit, she’s already been banned from more than one place for pissing you off.” Cole arched his brow at Angel and said “Banned?” she said ironically “Yea, I’m rich what do you know, huh? People seem to think that’s the end all and be all of everything.” She sighed then said, “There has to be somewhere in this town all these idiots don’t congregate.” She paused in her rant then continued “I have to see Jared at every racing function and auction there is, and then see Gwen at every place I go too. It’s like a cosmic joke at my expense.” Angel slouched back and closed her eyes, just as Gwen arrived and said snidely “Already making a nuisance of yourself I see.” Angel said wearily “Eh, screw it I can afford a lawsuit.” Before she could reach Gwen, Grant was a solid wall of muscle between them. He said coolly “Don’t make me defend that thing, because yea that leaves a bad taste in the mouth. She isn’t worth the effort.”
No one else at their table had to say anything because Cole said angrily “It appears to me Gwen that the only one making a nuisance would be yourself. If you’re not here with someone, you aren’t welcome in this section.” That took the steam right out of Gwen’s sails as she blustered and said, “Excuse me?” Cole replied evenly “This is my venue, and only VIP members and their guest are allowed beyond the rope. You are neither a guest it would appear or a member. You can join those you consider beneath yourself or find another venue all together.” They watched in shock as Cole had her escorted from the VIP section of the club, then as she stormed from the premises.
Angel said evenly “Wow, Kudos to you man. Now tell me how to get rid of all of them like that?” Cole said teasingly “Buy every place they attend so they have nowhere to go.” He caught Grant, Hunter, and Damon shaking their heads and watched her eyes light up as she asked, “You really think that’d work?” Hunter sighed and said “He was joking Angel you have your hands full right now. You need to keep focused on your other two projects till they are finished. No starting new ones until they are up and going. You are stretched way to thin.”
Cole was stunned; she’d seriously considered buying everything to make life a little simpler. Cole said uneasily “You realize that all these places I was joking about would have cost hundreds of millions upwards of a billion dollars.” He watched as she scrunched her nose and then turned to Hunter and said, “That reminds me, I want to setup a college fund for Louisa, so she can attend whatever school she chooses when she graduates.” Hunter shook his finger in her face and said “Nooo… Business.” Whatever she was going to say was cut off by her cellphone vibrating in her pocket; she gave everyone a concerned look as she fished it out.
She saw it was her grandma Marigold’s number and answered immediately asking “What’s wrong?” it was very unlike her grandmother to be up this late much less call this late. She listened to her grandma ramble about something before she caught the gist of what she was saying. She asked shocked “Are you serious? What made you check?” She listened as her grandmother explained that she had been concerned and she needed to know for sure. Angel told her she completely agreed and understood.
Then hung up the phone after telling her she’d be over directly. Hunter took in her pale look and was instantly concerned he asked, “What happened?” Angel stared at him with glassy confused and worried eyes as she said, “I’m not the only one.” Hunter was confused as he asked, “What do you mean you’re not the only one baby girl?” Angel closed her eyes hoping it would keep reality from intruding in and said “Stacia, she didn’t just do it one time. She made a habit of it.”
Grant, Devon and Brandon’s eyes widened, and Hunter swore loudly and said, “You’re kidding right?” he could tell from her expression she wasn’t in the slightest. He said simply “Okay let’s go, you’ll never settle until you know all the answers. Stacia better be glad she’s dead, I’d have killed her for this.”
Cole stared after them when they excused themselves wondering what he’d just missed. He glanced to his side when he saw James Malcolm beside him. James or better known as Jamie asked, “Who’s the girl that has Hunter on such a tight leash?” Cole couldn’t for the life of him explain why but he was immediately defensive, that girl had been hurt enough. He’d seen the press release but had never thought she’d be as beautiful and real as she was. He said coolly “Lay off Jamie, that’s Hunter’s daughter Angel.” The man couldn’t have been more shocked if Cole had told him, he was on fire. He said, “You’re serious?” at Cole’s nod his response was “Wow, she’s beautiful.”
Angel and the group made it to her grandparents’ house in record time. There was a man she had never seen standing there. She turned to him and said, “You’re the detective she hired” at his nod, she asked “Show me what you found.” She noted he looked to her grandmother for permission first and once she nodded, he handed her the folder. Grant, Hunter, Devon, Brandon, and Damon huddled around Angel as she read the papers and saw the pictures. The hair alone was a dead giveaway. But what kind of woman could do this to her own children. Angel asked, “Their father?” the detective said simply “Unlisted but like yourself they have a different last name.” It was Hunter who asked “The last name?” the detective replied honestly “Montgomery.” He paused then said their names are “Jackson Denae Montgomery, and Kaleb Denae Montgomery.” He sighed deeply and said “All I can say for these boys is they were left in slightly better circumstances than you yourself were Miss. McDaniel’s. She found an elderly lady who took in the boys but she’s not mother of the year material, she keeps them for the money that comes in. You said someone here was helping her, I’d suggest asking him how many times he helped her.” Harrison nodded and said, “We will.”
He looked at Angel who was staring at the pictures of her half-brothers, they looked half-starved he knew he’d seen the pictures. He looked at his sons and said “Call Liam’s attorney. Like Stacia his will was held in probate.” At Angel’s look he said “Stacia and Liam Montgomery were both killed when their plane crashed. Liam had no surviving family members.” Angel asked, “We’re bringing them home right” at their curious look she said, “The boys.” Harrison nodded and replied “Yea, we’re bringing them home.”
The peace was interrupted as the police detective who had handled the case involving Angel showed up. He said legally speaking Stacia had been an adult when the twins were born so she could pass custody on to whoever she pleased. But as they were her legal family there should be no problem.
Angel wanted to hit something, she wanted to maim something. She’d never been so angry in her life. She had brothers, she’d never dreamed she’d have anything, and she had brothers. Then the reality set in that she had two fifteen yr. old brothers. Angel said evenly “I’ll have Hannah go through everything and distribute my mother’s estate evenly between myself and the boys.” Her grandmother said, “It would go into a trust until their twenty-one.” At her look, her grandmother said “The boys have shown a decided knack for getting into scrapes. They might not adjust as easily as you did.” In other words, she’d learned from her mistakes, her brothers kept repeating theirs.
What her grandmother hadn’t said out loud was that she feared they were just like their mother. The difference here was, no one had kicked her mother’s ass into gear or called her on her crap. She wouldn’t make that mistake with her brothers, she’d lay it out for them, they could toe the line or else. But she had to think about it realistically, she was nineteen she wasn’t in any shape to raise two teenage boys, and she couldn’t jeopardize those around her because she felt responsible for them. But She would make damn sure they behaved.