Angel rolled over and opened her eyes. Everything in the room was white and crisp, except for the hard wood floor. Her head was throbbing as she tried to focus.

“Oh good you’re awake,” Jordan’s voice came from somewhere beyond her line of sight.

Angel was startled and rolled over, “Where am I?” She was going to be sick, “Oh God,” She groaned.

Jordan rushed over to help her up out of bed and into the nearby bathroom. She heaved and vomited into the toilet. Her head pounded and her belly rumbled, and she thought she was near death.

“Are you OK?” Jordan asked after she stopped heaving.

Angel was embarrassed he had witnessed her vomiting. Her face flushed red. She turned around and looked up at him. He was wearing cowboy boots and jeans. The sort of outfit she despised. “W-who are you?”

It was obvious to Jordan she didn’t remember anything from the night before. “Jordan Parker.”

“How did I get here?” Angel asked.

Jordan knelt down and looked at her, “I didn’t know where else to take you, so I brought you home with me. This is my house.”

Angel wondered what on earth she had gotten herself into, “Do I know you?” She asked. His looks were so familiar they unnerved her. She wondered if she had been kidnapped and taken back to Reno.

“I don’t think we’ve ever met,” Jordan said.

A loud pounding on Jordan’s front door interrupted them.

“Open up Parker,” Angel could hear Frank’s voice coming from outside the front door.

Jordan left Angel and walked slowly to his front door and opened it.

“You son-of-a-bitch,” Frank said as the door opened. He stormed inside Jordan’s house, “Where’s my sister?”

Jordan was stunned, “What?”

“My sister, Angel,” Frank said in an angry voice, “Where is she?”

Jordan couldn’t believe Angel was Frank Pirelli’s sister. He knew Frank’s sister, and the woman in his bathroom wasn’t her.

Angel was so weak and sick she had difficulty standing, but somehow she managed to get to her feet and stumble out to the living room. Jordan’s house was very nice. It was older but it had been renovated, and the old wood was beautiful. The house was decorated in a modern style and it had a very classy and clean feel to it.

When Frank saw Angel he was relieved. He walked over and grabbed her by the arm.

“I had no idea she was your sister,” Jordan said in disbelief, “If I would have known I would have left her at the bar, believe me.”

Angel wasn’t sure she liked that statement.

“Just don’t ever go near her again,” Frank quipped in irritation.

It was becoming obvious to Angel that there was no love lost between Jordan Parker and her brother Frank. They seemed to be bitter enemies even though unbeknownst to Angel they had once been good friends.

“I hope you realize that if not for me she would have been raped and left at Red’s Barn to rot,” Jordan said in irritation.

Frank didn’t want to accept the fact that Jordan had rescued his sister, “You’re full of shit Parker,” Frank said angrily.

Jordan looked first at Frank and then at Angel, “Where have you been hiding her Frank? If she was my sister I wouldn’t let her go running around dressed like a slut and drinking like a sailor. You should have seen her last night.”

Frank looked at Angel. She was definitely dressed like a slut and based on everything else he had heard from others at the bar, she had behaved terribly.

“What she really needs is a good spanking,” Jordan added with disgust.

Angel flushed red, “You’re a brute,” She said bitterly. And as she stood there she began to remember her behavior from the night before. She realized she had put on quite a show. What had she been thinking?

Frank wanted to defend his sister’s honor, but when he looked at the way she was dressed and the guilty expression on her face, he couldn’t seem to find the words. “Just stay the hell away from her Parker,” Frank warned.

“Like I said,” Jordan shrugged as he looked down at Angel, “I didn’t know she was your sister.”

Jordan seemed condescending and Angel didn’t like it.

“I ought to give her a good spanking anyway,” Jordan continued, “For wasting my time.”

Frank became angry that Jordan continued to badger them, “She’s right Parker, you are a brute,” And then Frank rushed towards the door with Angel on his arm.

Jordan knew he should be happy that Frank had come and picked Angel up, since he had no idea what he was going to do with her, but for some reason he was livid. He wasn’t sure why. Perhaps the realization that Angel was Frank’s sister had set him on edge, “You better teach her to behave herself or next time I just might take her over my knee,” Jordan called, mostly because he knew his taunting was getting under Frank’s skin.

Angel felt like a child the way Jordan kept going on about spanking her. She didn’t like it. Who did he think he was? He was threatening to spank her, and it sounded to her like he meant it. It made her blood boil.

“C’mon Angel,” Frank said and helped her out to his truck, “You’re staying with me from now on, I should have never let you stay at that sleazy motel last night.”

“Hah,” Jordan gritted his teeth with disapproval when he heard Frank’s words, “You let her stay at the Hanover Motel? Some brother you are,” Jordan scoffed.

Frank locked eyes with Jordan, “You and I will settle this later Parker,” then he turned to his sister, “Let’s go Angel,” he pushed her inside the truck and then got in and revved up the engine and quickly drove away.

Jordan wondered what had gotten into him. He felt a bit stupid for threatening Angel with of all things, a spanking. He wasn’t sure why he had done it, but something about her seemed to bring it out in him. Maybe it was because part of her reminded him of an innocent child, yet he knew from what he had seen the night before that she was far from innocent.

***

Frank was angry. “Why did you go home with Parker?” Frank demanded as he drove Angel furiously towards the Hanover Motel to get her belongings.

“I didn’t know what I was doing,” Angel admitted, looking down remorsefully. She wasn’t sure if Jordan Parker had taken advantage of her in her drunken state or not, but somehow she didn’t think so. He wasn’t the type, “How was I supposed to know you didn’t like him?”

“You’ve been back in Argus Falls less than twenty-four hours,” Frank said with disgust.

Angel’s head was still pounding, “I need a bathroom Frank,” she whined as he sharply rounded a corner.

Frank shook his head. As much as he hated to think about it, Jordan Parker was right, his sister had behaved like a slut or even worse and she probably did need a good hard spanking. Some things never changed.

Frank pulled up to the motel and Angel jumped out and fumbled to unlock the door to her motel room. Once inside, she ran into the bathroom to be sick.

When she came out of the bathroom she looked down with embarrassment, Frank had been examining her room and he was holding the bottle of vodka she had purchased the night before. “I was hoping maybe you had changed Angel,” Frank said and she could hear the disappointment in his voice.

“I have changed Frank,” Angel protested, and she rushed over to Frank and threw her arms around his neck. She didn’t think she could stand it if he rejected her. She needed him, “I swear I have.”

Frank put his arms around his sister and hugged her with affection. Despite everything, he loved her and he always had. Part of him wanted to demand Angel start giving him answers about where she had been the past fourteen years but another part of him sensed he was probably better off not knowing.

“C’mon,” Frank said to her, “Get your things and let’s go to my place.”

Angel hesitated, “I can’t stay with you Frank. What if Pop finds out? He wouldn’t approve.”

"I don’t care about that," Frank said and he rolled his eyes, “We aren’t kids anymore.”

"You shouldn’t have to put up with Pop’s disapproval because of me," Angel said.

Frank began to laugh, “I’m used to it sis. Now quit arguing with me and get your things.” Frank had spent half the night thinking about Angel and he was more than ready to stand up to his father. He had never agreed with his father's attitude about Angel and his father knew it. Enough was enough.

“I better not stay with you Frank,” Angel said again warily, “It’s OK, I’ll just stay here.”

“Get your stuff or I’ll do like Parker said and take you over my knee,” Frank smirked.

Angel shook her head, “Jordan Parker,” she said bitterly, “Who does he think he is?”

Frank had loathed Jordan Parker ever since the night he caught him in a motel room with his ex-wife. They had once been the best of friends and even though he despised Parker now, he was grateful that Parker had rescued Angel from Red’s Barn. He shuddered to think of what could have happened to his sister. He would keep his eye on her from here on out, that much he knew.

***

Rumors were known to circulate quickly in a town the size of Argus Falls and it didn't take long for Martin Pirelli to get wind of the fact that his long lost daughter had returned. When he arrived at the store on Monday morning, he could hear whispers among his employees when they thought his back was turned.

No one dared speak about Angel openly because they knew Martin had disowned her. Martin learned after awhile that Angel had made quite a spectacle of herself at Red's Barn Saturday night. Her exploits continued to get more outrageous with each telling.

When Martin couldn’t take the whispering any longer he went to his small office at the back of the store and closed the door so he could be alone. He made sure the blinds were drawn so no one could see him. He sat at his desk and stared at the family pictures decorating his office. He had pictures of everyone, except Angelica.

He picked up the picture of his daughter Rori and her husband Doug and their two boys. Rori had a good life, and he loved her, but for some reason he had never felt close to Rori. He could rely on her to do anything for him and she was always looking for ways to please him, but that didn’t seem to bring them any closer.

Martin put Rori's picture down and picked up Frank's picture. Martin knew Frank still loved his ex-wife and probably always would. Frank had been the perfect son while growing up, strong and self-confident and always sure of where he was going. After Frank’s senior year of high school when Frank injured his knee and could no longer play college football, things had changed. It was a huge blow and Frank had struggled with the disappointment. Martin had struggled with it too.

Martin had helped bring Frank home from the bar countless times when he was fallen down drunk, but thank God Frank was better now. He had a great head on his shoulders. No one could fix a car engine better than Frank. Martin smiled as he looked at the picture of Frank's young son Colton, who was the apple of his father's eye. Martin reasoned that Colton would grow up to be a good man just like his father.

Martin looked at the picture of his wife Claudia. He loved her and always had. She had been a good wife and mother all these years and she had been loyal to him despite everything. She was a nurturing mother and always looking out for the needs of the kids. She was loving and kind. Harsh words seldom crossed her lips, which was good because Martin’s harsh words more than made up for her lack of them. At this point in his life Martin felt he would do practically anything for Claudia, anything except forgive Angel, and he knew she wanted him to forgive her. Now that Angel was back her pleas would be worse than ever.

But it was Mia’s picture that tugged at Martin’s heartstrings the most. She wasn’t even his child, she was his granddaughter. Yet she was so loveable that just being around her brought him joy. He had formed a bond with her that could never be broken. He had been ready to hate her when she was born because of the way she had come into the world, but even as an infant, Mia had managed to worm her way into his heart and stay there. She had turned out to be very special to him. He loved her, more than life itself.

Reluctantly, Martin opened the drawer of his desk and dug beneath the pile of papers he kept in the drawer until he finally found the old faded picture of Angel. It was worn from all the times he had looked at it over the years. He made sure no one could see him looking at the picture. Angel was supposed to be dead to him, and he didn’t allow anyone else the luxury of a picture. He had ordered them all destroyed.

It was Angel’s eighth grade picture, taken not long before she left. Martin felt the old familiar pain in his chest as he looked at her picture and thought of her. Tears formed at the creases of his wrinkled eyes and he willed them to go away. He wondered why he had to be such a stubborn old bastard, yet he couldn’t help himself. He had been rotten to his own child. He wished the rumors weren’t true and that she hadn’t come back. He wasn’t ready to forgive her.

He quickly put the photo back in the drawer and hid it beneath the papers in his desk and stood up to leave his office. Betty was working at her desk and she looked up when he came out of his office.

“Did we send that order in yet?” Martin asked her.

“Not yet, did you want to add anything to it?” Betty asked warily, wondering if he was going to make her revise the order yet again.

“No, go ahead and send it,” Martin said quietly, “I’m going to take the afternoon off,” And with that he strode out the back door of the store without another word.

***

Angel realized that even though Jordan Parker was arrogant, she probably owed him the courtesy of a thank you. He had taken her to his house and that was a pretty big gesture. So while Frank was at work, she drove back to Jordan Parker’s house. She was surprised she could remember the way, but when she got to the house she knew it was his.

Once she arrived she got out of the car and approached the front door, but she couldn’t seem to make her finger ring the doorbell. She paced back and forth in front of Jordan’s door, wondering if he was inside and wondering if she dared knock. She rehearsed her speech over and over in her mind as she paced. She would be quick about it and then leave. It was the afternoon and he might not even be there. She wondered why she was so nervous. Try as she might, she couldn’t seem to knock.

Jordan had pulled an all night shift at the hospital in the nearby town of Cedar Springs and he was exhausted. He had slept most of the day, until he suddenly realized it was late in the afternoon and he had patients waiting at his office. He rushed out his front door, determined to get to the clinic right away and that’s when he almost ran headlong into Angel.

Angel was stunned to see him.

“What are you doing here?” Jordan asked, not meaning to sound as abrupt as he did.

“I um wanted to um thank you,” Angel said nervously, “You know, for the other night.”

“Yes, I remember,” Jordan said, “You’re welcome,” He looked into her beautiful dark blue eyes with a smile.

“Well, I mean, you didn’t have to do that for me,” Angel said nervously, realizing how stupid she must sound the way she was stammering around. She needed to use her allure, but she couldn’t seem to muster any at the moment which wasn’t the norm for her.

“What would your brother Frank say if he knew you were here at my house?” Jordan asked.

Angel looked down, “Frank’s not in charge of me,” She said.

“Well maybe he needs to be,” Jordan said with raised eyebrows before he could stop himself, “It seems to me after what I saw Saturday night, you need someone to look after you.”

“No I don’t,” Angel said bitterly, “Plus, I never asked you to bring me home, you just did it on your own.”

Jordan began walking towards his truck, “Well I meant what I said. If I ever see you acting like that again, I’ve a good mind to turn you over my knee.”

Angel was livid, “You wouldn’t dare,” She said and her face flushed red.

“Try me,” Jordan said as he got in his truck.

Angel went from being apologetic to wanting to strangle him and she hoped she never saw Jordan Parker again. After he drove away, she stormed over to her old mustang and got inside and quickly drove away. She didn’t care if Jordan was a doctor or not, he had no right to talk to her like that.

But the truth was Jordan’s threat to spank her was pretty minor compared to many of the things Angel had endured. She was an emotional wreck as she pulled off to the side of the road and began sobbing. Her small hands pounded the steering wheel in frustration as the tears fell unrestrained. The things she wanted to forget suddenly came rushing to her mind.

”Don’t ever cross me, Angel.” It was Rico’s voice that haunted her now. “You belong to me, and you know it. I bought and paid for you. ” She thought of Rico’s whip and cane and she shuddered. He had tied her up and whipped her many times for minor infractions, plus he was always punishing her in one way or another. She had only been with Rico a couple of years at the most, but she would never forget him.

Angel reached down and massaged her wrists, and thought of how often she had been bound or restrained. She was beginning to realize how much of a toll everything had taken on her over the years. And what made it worse was that when she looked at Jordan she thought she was looking at Rico’s boss, a man she hated even more than she hated Rico and she hated being reminded of him. Why couldn’t things be easier?