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“I-I-I—”

“Angel!” Madelaine said on a burst of laughter, rising to her feet

Angel laughed uneasily and slapped Zach on the back “Just a little parent humor”

Zach deflated and coughed up a wan smile “Oh”

“You’ll have her hoel said sharply

Zach nodded and showed them his watch “I will”

“You have batteries in that? If not—” Angel started to take the Rolex watch off his wrist

Madelaine grabbed Angel’s ar so hard, heAngel a pointed look “We trust you”

Angel turned to her, and there wasn’t one iota of trust on his face His thick black eyebroere drawn forbiddingly together and his lips were pressed into a thin line When he opened his mouth to speak, she shook her head firmly

His gaze cut to Zach, then back to Madelaine “I’ll go get Lina,” he said

Madelaine alhed out loud at the sullenness in his voice “You do that”

Angel snagged the bouquet of roses and strolled down the hallway toward Lina’s room To his credit, he didn’t look back once

Madelaine s how to be a father”

Zach pulled uncoood job”

Silence fell between the man He looked rail-thin and aardly tall in his rented navy-blue tuxedo, his sandy hair a fresh-cut path across his brow His cheeks looked like they’d been scrubbed with low-grade sandpaper