Angelique looked saddened by Gabriel's leaving, and that only put John in more of a foul mood. How was he to stop this guy from taking advantage of her when he's the only enemy she sees in this whole scenario? Certainly, she wouldn't listen to him even if he tried to tell her the truth about Gabriel's intentions.

And where did these feelings come from? He came here intending to get her to settle for the deal, even if he had to badger her into it. Now all he could think of is how was he going to save Angel from herself, from Gabriel, and now even himself.

What the hell was it about this woman? She was like a magical fairy who casts spells over every man she meets. They all love her, but unfortunately, none of them know exactly how to love her.

Angelique just looked at John. She found it unnerving that he had said nothing since Gabriel had left. He just sat there staring at her like she was some kind of science experiment. Feeling the compulsion to flee, Angelique thought of the only escape she could.

"Would you like more coffee?"

John struggled to come to grips with the onslaught of emotions coursing through him. Unable to find his voice, he just nodded. 

Angelique got up from the couch where she had been sitting. Putting down her own empty coffee cup, she went to get them both a refill.

John grabbed her arm when she walked past. Once again, he had that sensation of his skin feeling on fire. Did she feel it too? He wondered. Knowing that he should release her and yet afraid of what might happen if he did, he held on.

"Angel?" he said, his voice sounded somewhat strangled.

Looking down at her arm and then back at John, Angelique tried hard to fight the wave of emotions that she felt emanating from him. She tried to remain cool, hoping the iciness in her voice would somehow block the emotions that threatened her heart.

"What do you want, John?"

Oh, how he wished he could answer that question truthfully. If only it were that easy. Instead, he picked the only safe topic he could think of "Where did you find that guy?" Pointing to the front door Gabriel had just left through. Angelique's smile immediately returned. John felt the stab of pain straight through his heart.

"Well," she said with a half-laugh, "you could say he just appeared out of nowhere when I needed him most."

Standing up from the armchair, not relinquishing his grip. John stared down at her hard as if demanding an answer to some question she didn't know he asked. Daring her to lie to him. Angelique's pulse raced at the closeness of him. John could feel it flutter under his fingertips as he held onto her wrist. His turbulent green eyes stared directly into her cool blue ones.

"I don't like him," John stated with finality.

Angelique stared at John defiantly. "What's a matter, John? Nervous you might actually lose?"

"More than you know," John had answered.

His answer confused her. She wished she could read thoughts like Gabriel. She knew she should put some distance between them, but the look in his eyes did more to hold her in place then the hold he had on her wrist.

He removed a wet lock of hair from her face and his other hand pulled her towards him by the small of her back.

"John, please?" Angelique begged she knew what he wanted, and she knew she was powerless to make it stop.

"Angel... I?"

Angelique felt as though she was drowning in the flood of emotions that John was experiencing and making her experience. She wanted to fight but found her traitorous heart had no will and so when he leaned in to kiss her she gave into him willingly.

His kiss was gentle, almost kind. He took the time to caress her gently with his lips and his hands, to feel her in his arms. Her heart beat in rhythm with his own.

Angelique felt dizzy by the onslaught of emotions not being able to discern which were his and what was hers. So many times she prayed he would return to her and knowing she would be forever damned if she gave in but she could no more stop loving him than she could keep the sun from rising.

John could feel the tension returning to Angelique's body. He couldn't handle her rejecting him now, even if he knew the right thing was to walk away. He crushed her to him, fearing, given an inch, she'd run away.

"You feel so good in my arms, Angel. I've missed this." He buried his face in her hair. She smelled of raspberries from the soap she used to shower with.

She knew she had to stop what was going on between them, but his hands and lips made her body sing. He made her mad with wanting. Her entire body ached for his touch, just as it always had.

Suddenly there was a scream shattering the world they were creating. Coming from the direction of Angelique's bedroom.

"What the hell!" Startled, John jumped and was looking for the source of the ungodly sound.

There it was again.

"Oh God, Rebecca!" And without hesitation, Angelique pushed John away and ran for her bedroom. Leaving him standing there in a state of confusion.

"Rebecca?!" Angelique knelt down next to her bed. "Wake up, Rebecca!"

Tears once again shed in her sleep rolled down her cheeks as she opened her eyes to the comforting scene of Angelique by her side.

"I'm sorry, Angelique!" Rebecca said, trying to sit up but with little success. Feeling as though her body had been through a war.

Angelique assisted her to sit up partially by propping pillows behind her back. "Careful," Angelique warned, "I told you you'd be sore today. Between the marathon, you ran and the bruises you have from the fall, it's only common sense."

"I'm so sorry, Angel. I should have stayed in the shelter. I've kept you up all night."

"If I took you to the shelter, it was my shift to work so you would have kept me up, anyway. So quit apologizing it comes with the territory. I'm used to it."

Rebecca gave her a small smile. Anything more than that was too painful because of her black eye, which was now larger and more gruesome looking.

"You hungry?"

Feeling awkward again, and slightly timid, Rebecca just nodded.

"Okay, good. Stay here and I go fix you something to eat."

"I'm sorry, Angel. I don't like causing so much trouble."

"Please, stop apologizing... I..." Angelique stopped speaking because of the distracted look on Rebecca's face. 

Nodding in the direction of the bedroom doorway, Rebecca asked, "Who's the suit? You said no cops, Angel. You promised." Now in a state of panic, Rebecca tried to get out of bed. "I knew it was a bad idea to come here."

Annoyed with John for intruding, Angelique laid a hand on Rebecca's shoulder to still her movements.

"John, do you mind waiting in the other room? I'll be with you in a moment."

The young girl's appearance repulsed John. She looked like someone had used her face for speed bag practice between the bruised eye and the scratches on her cheek.

"If he won't leave, can you at least ask him to stop looking at me like that?" Rebecca requested. She knew she must look bad, but this guy was weirding her out. He made her feel like she was some kind of freak.

Angelique once again looked over to John, who seemed to be frozen in the doorway.

"John, PLEASE! I will be there momentarily. Go! Shut the door behind you."

Incensed by Angelique's tone of voice, he looked about to argue but then left them alone and shut the door.

"Angelique, you promised."

"And you would do well to remember I keep my promises, young lady. That man in there is here to see me about a business matter that has nothing at all to do with you. Now relax and I will go get you something for breakfast." Shutting the door behind her, Angelique immediately walked to the kitchen to prepare something for Rebecca to eat.

"Bringing your work home with you now, Angel?" Angelique jumped at John's words. She didn't expect him to be so close.

"Not now, John!" Angelique declared.

"Not now, John? That's all you've to say to me? You were sure as hell not saying that a moment ago," he reminded her.

Shame caused her cheeks to flush with color, recalling how easily she surrendered to him. For a moment in his arms, she abandoned her heart in her willingness to be with him. At that moment she did not care about the pain or torment she would feel, only the rightness of his lips on hers. Anger at her own weakness swept through her, filling her with a trace of intense bitterness.

"What do you want to talk about, John? The teenager bruised from head to toe in my bedroom? Hurt both physically and emotionally, or did you just want to gloat over the fact that you proved your point that I'm not immune to you?" she asked breaking some eggs into a bowl and whipping them fiercely. "Although I do hear they are hopeful to have a vaccine soon."

John opened his mouth to reply, but Angelique stayed his words with a raise of her hand. She knew she asked him questions, but she didn't really want to hear the answer. "You've taken my heart, my hopes, and dreams away from me. Now you want my shelter, my kids, and my very livelihood, but that still isn't enough, is it John?"

When he didn't move to speak, Angelique stopped beating the eggs and placed the bowl on the counter. She braced herself against it, not able to face him but needing to say more, "Will you ever be satisfied? You always want more or what you think some else has. So where does it end, John?"

"You have removed from my life just about everything I've ever cared about. You want my virginity too? Is that it? Because I haven't been with anyone else. Is what you're after? Because if it is, I'll make arrangements perhaps at The Plaza Hotel, since I know you can afford it. Then we can get it over with. After all, you know how much I love to accommodate the needs of others."

John walked over to her, turning her so that she had to look at him. The emptiness he heard in her voice showed in her eyes. A single tear escaped her long lashes and rolled down her cheek and she just stared at him defiantly, not making a move to wipe it away.

"Are you through?" he asked.

"I don't know you tell me?" she answered.

John rested his palm against her cheek and wiped the tear away with his thumb, just staring into her eyes as if looking for a clue. Touched by the gentleness he showed, Angelique only felt more conflicted. If he stayed any longer, she knew she would give in to the pull that draws her to him.

"John? I want you to leave," but her words were lacking the angry conviction of a moment ago.

"Is that what you really want?" John asked softly, knowing she was close to the breaking point and needing her so much it hurt. He was hard-pressed to let her go.

With tear-filled eyes, she looked up at him and added in a tone of finality, "Leave now."

Knowing it was not the time or place for them, John conceded. He needed time to sort things out. Still holding his hand against the smoothness of her cheek. John briefly swept a kiss over her lips before taking his leave of her.

Confused, Angelique just looked lost as she watched his retreating figure head for the door. He opened the door and took one last look at her before walking through.

"I'll see you in three weeks, Angel," and closed the door with a resounding thud behind him.