Page 4 of Angel

Terror fills my body. Did he shoot? Am I bleeding?

A sob catches on my confusion as my mind implodes and then a grunt and a thump cause me to freeze in disbelief as two lifeless eyes stare at me as he falls to the ground, blood seeping from a hole in his head, running toward me like a river of death.

Another shot, another thump behind me, demons screeching in my ear as they fly around the truck, their cold fingers of hell surely reaching for me next. Then another voice, a different one, confident, reassuring, strong. It’s not my father though.

Heavy boots appear and I note the camouflaged leg of a soldier bend down, two piercing eyes staring into mine, a helmet covering the man’s features, His eyes are kind and his tone reassuring as he whispers, “You can come out soldier, you’re safe now.”

Another voice yells from the door.

“The house is secure.”

His tone is soft. “Do you hear that, soldier?”

I can almost sense that he’s smiling.

“You’re safe now.”

My eyes widen. Can I trust this man? Something tells me I can, but what if?

He reaches under the truck, his arm wrapped in camouflage, and he whispers huskily, “Special ops, Officer King at your service. You can call me Ryder, though.”Something tells me I can trust this man, and I whisper, “My mom, my dad.”

I hate how nervous I sound, and his eyes twinkle under his face covering; his helmet obscuring the view.

“They are safe. I’ll take you to them.”

“Jason!”

My heart lifts at the sound of my father’s voice, almost panicking as he runs into the barn.

“He’s safe, sir.”

The soldier reassures him, and his relief is evident as his voice breaks, “Thank God for that.”

As I reach for his hand, he pulls me swiftly from under the truck and says softly, “Don’t look at anything but me, soldier. I’ve got you.”

Ryder shields my eyes from the facts and almost carries me to the door and into my father’s arms.

“Thank you.”

I sense the relief in my father’s voice, and Ryder says gently, “Always a pleasure, sir.”

I catch sight of a scene I will never forget. Bodies strewn across our yard, soldiers with huge guns standing over them, the sun beating down on the hard ground, blood staining the stones, death running riot around the yard.

My father shields my eyes as he pulls me toward the house, but just before he slaps his hand over them, I catch sight of the man who rescued me.

I have never seen a man like him before. Strong, confident, fearless. He is barking orders at the other soldier; he is obviously in charge, and then I catch his eye and he winks before he turns away.

I will never forget that name, or the man, and if I spend the rest of my life trying to be just like him, I will consider it an excellent use of my time.

CHAPTER 1

SOPHIE

Present Day

Ihate these events. The trouble is, I’ve attended so many now they are all blurring into one. Usually, I attend them on the arm of my latest co-star or an escort for the evening. I’m not interested in a relationship. I never wanted one after witnessing the devastation my mother’s one created.

Most of the invitations come through my job. When you are one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood, they come thick and fast.