Free Deceived - The Complete Series by Kylie Walker

her that. Her blood was boiling.
    She looked at Thomas and then at Steve as her heart raced feeling like she was trapped in between these two men. “I don’t need this shit. I didn’t move to L.A. for this!” Her voice was a ragged mess. The tears brimmed in her eyes and she couldn’t control them as they spilled down her cheeks.
    “Angela. I’m sorry,” Thomas said softly, grabbing her arm.
    Steve stepped in and grabbed Thomas’s hand. “Don’t fucking touch her.” He stood a good three inches taller than Thomas.
    Angela looked at both of them again, her face showing the hurt and anger she was feeling. She looked at Thomas and said, “You! Don’t fucking talk to me until I cool down.” She then turned to Steve, “You! Stay the fuck away from me!” She was yelling and she didn’t care.
    With that she wiped her tears away and she ran out of the lobby and onto the sidewalk. She was a mess and still trying to catch her breath, trying to control the emotions that were whirling through her. Her phone buzzed and she pulled it from her satchel. Her hands were shaking as she checked her messages. “Shit!” She missed four text messages from Joanne. She was supposed to meet her half an hour ago for drinks.
    She text her back, “Can’t make it. Something happened. Meet me at the loft? Please!”
    Angela began walking home. She knew the fresh air would help her calm down. Her mind was racing, trying to replay what had just happened. Why the hell would Thomas act like that? She has never seen that side of him in all the years she has known him...and big deal if he saw her kiss Steve. It was her life for Christ’s Sake! That was the point of moving away from Miami and starting fresh, to move on. She moved a strand of hair out of her face as she walked up to her building five minutes later. Angela entered the loft slamming the door behind her. She threw her satchel on the floor and went to her room and changed into a t-shirt and jean shorts. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she looked at her reflection in the mirror of the armoire in the corner. She hated her reflection at that moment, hated her life. Her eyes were bloodshot from crying and dried black mascara ran down her cheeks. She looked like a raccoon.
    Dipping down to the floor she grabbed the skirt that she was wearing and threw it at the mirror and yelled. “Fuck!” Her hands came up and covered her face. She curled into a ball on her bed and she started to cry uncontrollably again.
    Ten minutes or so passed before Angela sat up in her bed. She’d heard the door to the loft open. The last thing person she wanted to see right now was Thomas. She jumped off the bed and slammed her door shut.
    “Angela?”
    With a sigh of relief she hollered, “In my room!” She pushed back against her headboard with her knees curled into her chest, holding them tight. She looked at Joanne when she entered the room and burst into tears again not being able to hold the emotions back.
    Joanne rushed to Angela and sat beside her on the bed. “Honey, what’s wrong?” She wrapped her arms around her friend and just let her sob into her shoulders. “It’s ok, Ang,” Joanne whispered rubbing her back.
    “I want my old life back Jo!” She sobbed in her girlfriends arms.
    “Oh honey.” She ran her hand along Angela’s hair smoothing it. “Tell me what happened.” Joanne let go and moved back a little to take a look at her.
    Angela wiped her tears away and looked at her friend. She shrugged her shoulders, not knowing where to begin. She was thinking of Blake now and how easy life had been with him. No complications, no hidden secrets or people playing games.
    “It’s Thomas...” She finally said, and then added, “And Steve.” She wiped her cheek and took in a deep breath. “You were right Jo, about Thomas. He took me to this wonderful restaurant last night. We had a great time. Then he kissed me... I mean really kissed me.” Her voice was shaky and hoarse.
    She