"Angel?"

"Hello, John. I'd ask you what brings you to my door but I have a feeling it's not a social call."

John had smiled at her sardonically.

If the devil had a son, Angel would have sworn it was John. He certainly had the face of an angel, which just screamed innocence. To look at him was to think here is a model "A" citizen with nothing to hide. Angelique could see why he was such a success as a lawyer. To a jury, his devilish good looks must ooze trust.

Only Angelique knew better. She knew what danger lies just beneath the surface. The only sign of imperfection he had was a slightly crooked from being broken in his youth. A fight he had gotten into because of her, and so she saw that flaw as his most endearing feature. It still amazed Angelique at what the mere sight of him could do to her senses. She was not even aware she had been standing there staring at John until he interrupted her thoughts.

"So, are you going to invite me in or just enjoy the view?"

Ashamed and annoyed with herself, Angelique replied without her usual tact. "No, I don't think so. Despite my passion to want to shelter and protect every stray animal I meet, I still haven't gotten over my aversion to snakes."

"Funny. You know, not all snakes are evil, Angel."

"So, the serpent said to Eve," Angelique pointed out, "and look where that got her. Why don't you get to the point and tell me why you are here? I have already told your beloved law firm my children's lives are not for sale unless you failed to pass on that message."

"I did, and it was intentional. I've come for a second chance to convince you to take the deal."

He so wanted her to take the deal. Then they could all put this behind them and moved on. He did not want to face her in court. How would he hold up under her accusatory glare? Seeing her pain and knowing he was responsible? Again, his anger took hold. "Why the hell didn't she just take the deal?" Then it would be over, quick and easy. She had no idea what it took for him to get them to offer her anything. The way Caldwell's attack dog, his son Danny, was salivating over the chance to be the one "handle" Angelique.

John had seen firsthand how Danny "handled" defendants that wouldn't do as the firm wished. John practically begged for the case. He'd rather Angelique despise him forever than see Danny get within ten feet of her.

John's answer surprised Angelique, but she stood firm. "I don't want money, John. I want a safe place where my kids can go to get off the streets. That's what they want to take away from me, that is what you are going to take away from me."

"They are not your kids, Angel. They are just kids. And St. Gabriel's... is just a building."

"And that's why you and I cannot come to a resolution," Angelique said, and moved to shut the door, but John leaned his full body weight against it to bar her from doing so.

"I have a shelter to run, John. It hasn't closed down yet so, please move out of the way, so I can get on with my day."

"Why aren't you at the shelter, Angel? I thought you lived for the midnight shift with your criminal delinquents? What's the matter? Do you have a hot date in there or something? Is that why you won't let me in?"

Angel lost the last of her composure, too tired to continue to spar with words, "Look your say in my personal life ended four years ago when you walked out on me. Now, move out of the way so that I can get on with my day as I have with my life."

Even though her words hit their mark, John was too proud to let it show. "You look like you haven't slept all night. So who is he? Does Michael know about him?"

Angel felt so tired. "Who is who? And what does Michael have to do with anything?"

"The man in your apartment," John taunted. "You know the one that you just couldn't help spending time with that you made my poor brother take over your shift at the shelter?"

Angelique felt as if he had sucked the air from her lungs. Her hand reached up to touch her throat as if to stave off the strangling sensation.

John raised his one eyebrow as he looked at her. "So, Michael doesn't know?"

He hadn't really believed she had a man in her apartment. He was only using the idea as a ploy to bring up his seeing Michael at the shelter. He couldn't believe that she'd be the kind of woman to sneak around. Perhaps he no longer knew her at all.

Shaking her head to clear her confusion, she had to ask, "Know what? Did you go to the shelter?"

"Yes, imagine my surprise to see my little brother but I guess it was the best that he heard the news about the shelter from me, us being family and all."

"You bastard!"

Suddenly, she sensed a presence behind her. Hoping she didn't wake Rebecca with her outburst, she turned to see Gabriel standing there. A wave of calm washed over her when he rested his hand upon her shoulder.

"Angel, is everything all right? Who's at the door?"

John's facial expression showed that it completely took him off guard. His eyes widened and his lips parted ever so slightly as if it were now his turn to gasp for air.

Angelique looked back at Gabriel and then to John. Surely he could not see Gabriel. Suddenly an idea occurred to her. She might as well open the door. If Gabriel was serious about helping her, he should see the source of her frustration face to face.

John wasn't expecting to be right. He sure as hell wasn't expecting a man in her apartment. She remained a virgin the entire time they dated. So many times in their relationship they had come close, but her beliefs kept her from going any further. The rejection he felt at not having her love always stung, but in the end, he always thought she would be his, so it didn't matter. He thought somewhere inside she would always love him. Vain perhaps, but when she told him she'd loved him forever he had believed her or he wanted to, maybe even needed to.

Now he was forced to face the fact that she had moved on, and he didn't like it. He felt somehow cheated. Whoever this man was, he looked to be everything John wasn't. Taller by a few inches, he towered over Angel's five-foot three-inch frame. His hair was longer and raven black and he had the same sky-blue eyes as Angel, which was unnerving with his high cheekbones and light complexion. His hand was resting casually on Angel's shoulder, and John didn't like it being there.

"John, John..." Angelique had to say several times before interrupting his thoughts. Undoing the chain lock, she said, "You might as well come in. You seem in no hurry to leave, otherwise."

Trying to recover from his thoughts, he said, "Fine, but aren't you going to introduce me to your... friend?"

Angelique looked oddly surprised by the request. "You can see him?"

"Silly girl, he would have to be blind not to see me." Gabriel leaned over Angel's slight frame and extended his hand to John. "Hello, the name is Gabriel Sinclair. I am Angel's attorney. And you are?"

"John McDougle."

"McDougle... McDougle... where have I heard that name before? Ah, that's right you're supposed to be the competition."

Not particularly caring for how he phrased it, John grabbed hold of Gabriel's hand for a very firm handshake. "That's right, I am the competition," he said.

Gabriel, not backing down, gripped John's hand just as tightly. "It's a pleasure."

"So her lover was also her lawyer. That makes for a cozy arrangement," John thought.

"I came because my firm has made Angelique an offer. Not sure if she mentioned it to you but I had thought she ought to reconsider before all offers are withdrawn," John announced, annoyed that he felt he must explain his being there at Angel's apartment.

Turning his attention once again to Angelique he added, "Unless, of course, you have the funds to pay us?"

Despite the comfort of having Gabriel near, John still had a way of getting under her skin. "Like a venomous snakebite," Angelique thought bitterly. "You know damn well I don't have the money. You got my funding revoked, remember?"

"Pardon me, for saying so," Gabriel spoke up, interrupting the feud once again, "but it looks to me like you're enjoying this, Mr. McDougle. If I didn't know better, I'd say you're taking personal enjoyment out of closing down my client's shelter. Or am I mistaken that you two share a past?"

John shot a look that spoke volumes in Gabriel's direction.

Was he really becoming so transparent? He had best get hold of his emotions. He sure as hell would not give this loser any information with which to hang him.

"Angel," Gabriel began, not the least bit unnerved by John's murderous glare, "didn't you say something about coffee being made before?"

Angelique looked oddly back at Gabriel and shrugged. "Yeah sure, why not?"

"I take mine black," John had said after her.

"I know," Angelique grumbled as she continued to cover the short distance to the kitchen.

"And you know how I like it, don't you, Angel?"

If she hadn't known better, she would have thought Gabriel was flirting with her. The thought made her feel a little giddy. She smiled. Gabriel knew full well that she hadn't a clue how he liked his coffee. She didn't even know if he drank coffee. Well, if she is an angel and he is an angel then maybe they have similar tastes. She tested her theory.

"Extra cream, extra sugar, right," she said.

"You know it," Gabriel responded with a wink. Surprised by his actions, Angelique couldn't help the giggle that escaped her lips. This was so weird, but then when was her life ever normal.

Gabriel looked at John, who obviously did not care for the casualness of Angel's and his manners towards her. That he openly flirted with Angel solidified in John's mind that Gabriel and she were an item. Which is exactly what Gabriel wanted him to think. He pointed to the sitting area. 

"Shall we?"

John took the lead and sat down in the comfy armchair, and Gabriel took the sofa.

Angelique couldn't resist the urge to study them as she fixed the coffee. There they were, John the love of her life and Gabriel her angel. Only he no longer looked like an angel. Well, he still looked the same as when he had first appeared, only that his wings were no longer visible. He looked like any other man. An incredibly good-looking man who was also an angel. 

Of course, she really had no reference point, for he was the only angel she had ever seen. Unless she counted herself into the equation. Then that would make two. That pill was still hard to swallow, but it would certainly be nice to be one of the Lord's elite.

Gabriel had said that she was here to fulfill a purpose. She wondered what he could have meant. Placing the three cups of coffee on a tray with some pound cake she had sliced down, she headed back to the living room. Neither man was speaking to one another but seemed to be locked in a battle of wills as they stared at each other. Angelique sat on the sofa between them.

She had picked up a cup to hand to John. He reached out to take it from her. His hand had touched hers and for a moment he had pulled back as if he were burnt.

"I'm sorry, are you all right?" Angelique asked with genuine concern. "I should have warned you it was hot."

John knew whatever he felt had nothing to do with steaming liquid in the mug. "Yeah, I'm fine," he said adding most reluctantly, "Thanks."

She nodded in acknowledgment, then handed a cup to Gabriel and took the third for herself.

"So, what was it again that brought you here?" Gabriel asked. Not allowing John enough time to answer before he turned up the charm a thousand watts all directed at Angelique, "Sorry, didn't mean to imply that seeing your smiling face was not enough."

Angel didn't reply, she just smiled into her mug as she took a sip of coffee. She wondered who had met their match: was it Gabriel or was it John?