Dante's Angel Read Online Free PDF

lean in to kiss him again.
    Zoe knew he
didn’t understand. How could he know just how much she wanted the comfort and
safety she knew she’d find in his embrace? How could he know just how much she
cared for him, or how much she’d give to be his?
    But, she
couldn’t have him. Not as long as she was living a lie.
    Dante stopped
pacing and turned back to her as she slipped off the table and moved to put her
violin back into its case. She heard him take a few deep breaths, and forced
herself to keep moving away from him.
    “I didn’t know
you played.”
    Zoe paused,
then removed the shoulder and chin rest from the instrument before wiping it
down with a soft, clean cloth she kept in the case. The violin was a priceless
collector’s piece, but more than that, it was a personal treasure to her,
almost like a best friend.
    And it was one
of the only things she had brought with her from her old life.
    “I don’t play
much anymore,” she said softly.
    “What was that
last song you were playing? I’ve heard it before, but I can’t place it.”
    “It was Samuel
Barber’s “Adagio for Strings,” one of my favorites. It may not be as old as
some of the classics, but it’s still a wonderful piece.”
    “It makes an
impact,” he agreed.
    When she was
done, she closed the case, securing the locks in place then fiddled with the
strap before turning to meet his gaze. “I’m sorry for coming in after hours
without permission.”
    Dante frowned
at the docile tone of her voice. He was used to her sniping at him, not
sounding so contrite. For some inexplicable reason, it made him angry. Usually,
Zoe was a hot package with a fiery temper, one he’d been singed with countless
times before. Actually, for some sick reason, he enjoyed their verbal sparring,
and it made him confident they were more than a match for one another.
    “Since when
the hell do you ever ask my permission for anything?”
    “I…” When she trailed
off and winced, his irritation increased.
    “Christ, you
have the keys and the codes. It’s not like you were bothering anyone here, but
it’s almost fucking three in the morning. You should be home, sleeping in your
damn bed.”
    And I should be there with you…
    Thinking about
her in bed was a bad idea. Images of her slim body writhing on silk sheets
beneath him slammed into his brain, making his dick twitch in his jeans. Any
more thoughts like that and his cock would end up with the zipper impression of
his jeans on it. No, fantasies like that wouldn’t do him any good. Not if he
wanted to get out of the bar without taking her.
    Zoe’s eyes
fired at the censure in his tone, and seeing that bit of temper settled him a
bit. He liked the way her eyes narrowed and how the gleam of annoyance made
them sparkle.
    Yeah, he was a
sick man.
    “You’re one to
talk. What are you doing here right now? Dante, this isn’t good for you. You
need your sleep. Were you at the gym again?”
    His eyebrow
quirked up. “Worried about me, angel?”
    Her lips
tightened as they always did when he called her by that nickname. She didn’t
like it, and knowing that just made it even more satisfying to use it.
    “Someone has
to,” she muttered as she put her jacket on. Once she zipped it up, she picked
up the violin and slung the long strap over one of her shoulders so the large,
rectangular case lay over her back crosswise.
    Dante reached
down and picked up his own hoodie, never looking away from her as he put it back
on. “We closed at midnight. I didn’t see your bike out back.”
    Zoe sighed a
little. “I went home after closing, then walked back about an hour ago.”
    His expression
darkened. “You walked here at this time of night? Alone? Are you fucking out of
your mind?”
    Zoe fought the
urge to roll her eyes at him. It was well known that Dante took safety of the
women who worked for him seriously. It was even standard practice for one of
the guys to walk the female staff members to their vehicles at the