Graham, Jan - Finding Angel [Wylde Shore] (Siren Publishing Ménage and More) Read Free

head of the family, taking over “the business,” as he called it, from his elderly father when he was in his thirties. Samuel, on the other hand, had become the family’s main henchman and problem solver. He knew more about Adrian than anyone else. Having seen the guy’s leadership and ruthless attitude when they were both in their twenties, Samuel had aligned himself as a friend and confidant to Adrian. Samuel believed this would secure his own position in the business and give him some leverage if things ever turned bad. Samuel believed the sensitive information he held on Adrian would not only keep him safe, but it could also act as a bargaining tool if he ever needed it with the feds.
    Samuel rented a small, dilapidated cottage on the outskirts of a tiny town located at the western side of the city. The home was nothing like anyone would expect someone involved in high-level crime to live in. During one of Samuel’s more amicable moments, Angel had questioned his choice of home. Samuel had explained that, due to his line of work, he preferred to live a low-profile life. Almost as an afterthought, he added that once he grew too old to survive in the business, he would disappear to a quiet house on a hill and live in peace. Angel wondered if he actually believed his little dream. Firstly, she believed that at fifty-five, Samuel would see old age sooner than he thought, unless someone killed him first, and secondly, from what Angel had experienced Samuel didn’t have a peaceful bone in his body. She teased him by asking if his house on the hill would have a nice little white picket fence.
    His reply surprised her. “ No, black wrought iron, with spiderweb design panels. ”
    During their time together, Samuel had kept Angel on a short leash. He had given her some freedom but had always made it perfectly clear to her that she was not a free woman. Angel was his to do with and use as he pleased. Initially, Samuel had made an effort to be interested in her and had attempted to be friendly. It turned out not to be in his nature to show long-term kindness to anyone. Within the first year of Angel moving in, the relationship had deteriorated into one of mental, emotional, and physical cruelty. Much to her disgust, Angel stayed. After all, she had little choice in the matter. Samuel had threatened nearly everyone in her life. He had little compunction when it came to human life. People were only pawns that could be used to get what you wanted. He made threats against Angel’s friends, family, and even the dog she used to have when they first met. Samuel was a ticking time bomb. Over the five years they had lived together, Angel came to believed one wrong move and someone would die. Most likely her.
    The one serious attempt she had made to get away from Samuel had ended in disaster. A well-devised plan, or so Angel thought, had left her with scars that over the last three years had served as a constant reminder that she had nowhere to go.
    Angel had resigned herself to life as it had become…a never-ending nightmare. She supported herself through freelance writing. Having left her job at the local newspaper when she attempted to leave Samuel, Angel cited her need to write more extensive articles than those on a local level. Given the injuries she had to recover from after Samuel found her, leaving the job had been a blessing. There was no need to explain a long absence of recovery, and freelancing had made her a better living than the standard rate of pay she had received at the paper. Even though Samuel controlled her bank account, he did allow Angel to access her money when she needed it. The fact that she had to supply receipts for purchases annoyed her, but if it meant not using his money, then she was happy to do it. Angel viewed Samuel’s money as tainted with blood and destruction, and she had no desire to be associated with it. In actual fact, Angel had no idea where he kept his money or how much he earned. Not