Page 71 of Angel

Angel jolts awake in my embrace. I don’t think I stopped holding her all night. “Hey, it’s me. It’s just me,” I tell her softly.

She relaxes, resting back down on my chest. She slept like a baby, and so did I. It was the best sleep I’ve had in forever. “What time is it?” she asks, her beauty reflecting off the rays of light as if she were an angel from heaven.

“It’s nine,” I tell her. I haven’t slept in this late—ever. I’ve never slept in. “I, uh, better get dressed. I’m meeting up with Scorpion in an hour.” I gently move her aside, sliding her perfectly warm, soft frame off mine.

“Well, hang on, I’m coming with you.” She stands, scooping up the sheet and hugging it around her body as if I hadn’t just seen her naked last night. And the time before that.

“No, you’re not.” I’m firm, which pains me, but I don’t want her coming with. This was it, and I’m not sure what’s going to go down, but I won’t put her in danger.

She freezes midair, holding her sexy lace bra in her hand. “Wait… what? No, I’m going with you. Why wouldn’t I go?”

My jaw clicks in frustration. “You’re staying here.”

“Um, no, I’m going with you,” she demands, while snatching up the rest of her clothes.

I lock my hand around her delicate arm. “Listen, I can’t have a repeat of yesterday. You know, when the prospect patted you down and then said he wanted to strip search you. I cannot hear those things again. And I have no idea what’s going to go down out there today.” I step in closer to her, peering into her ocean eyes. “I have this obsession with you, with believing that you’re mine. And I swear to Christ, if I have to witness another fucker put their hands on you, I will—and I promise you I will—rip them apart. Do you understand?”

She swallows and her mouth parts. “Well, good thing I am mine and mine alone, which means I make my own decisions. And that means I am coming with you, whether you like it or not. We’re a team, damn it!” Hearing her tell me she’s not mine stings in places I didn’t think were possible. I don’t know why I thought a woman like this would gladly accept me claiming her, taking her as my own. But good… I need her to not want me. “Now, give me five minutes.” She struts into the bathroom, but I already know I’m not going to be here when she gets out. This is something I need to do alone. I won’t put her in danger.

I sneak out, start my Harley, check the location my President sent me, and take off. What the fuck am I going to do when I get there? I haven’t the slightest idea.

The back roads and deserted areas mean this isn’t just a regular exchange of money, or catching up on old times. He brought me here for a reason. Well, fuck that. I’ll be ready for whatever he has planned, because everything about this gives me a bad feeling. I park off to the side, behind some trees, and grab my piece, tucking it safely inside the waistband of my jeans. I make sure my boot knife is secured in place too, for backup.

Since I arrived first, I scan the area, scoping it out and planning any quick escape routes and places to cover behind, if need be. I lean against my bike as I hear the roar of another engine. I watch Scorpion ride up, and I push off my bike before walking up to greet him. And he does the same.

“Well, shit, it’s been a minute, brother,” Scorpion says, as we share a slap to the back and a shoulder hug. The moment we shake hands, I want to rip his ugly mug off his face.

“Definitely, man, good to see you,” I lie, because it’s anything but a nice fucking reunion.

“So, you got the money?” I dig inside my cut’s pocket and pass it to him. His filthy, conniving hands snatch it up, and he pulls the bundle of cash out of the envelope, flipping through each of the bills. “Good, perfect.” He snaps his fingers, and from around one of the abandoned shacks, out walks Mouse wearing a sneering grin.

What the fuck? I straighten, preparing myself for the nasty shit that’s about to go down. But I wait in silence, readying myself to draw my piece. I nod toward the newcomer. “What’s this? Setting me up, boss?”

Scorpion hands Mouse the envelope of money, and he whistles.

Scorpion smirks, then points a finger my way. A finger I want to cut off. “You know, there was always something about you, brother. Something I just couldn’t figure out. And after Mouse told me what went down at the club, you booting his ass out over a woman, I knew you chose the wrong side.”

I stare him down. “If you think I booted this prick out because of a woman, you’re sadly mistaken. I could give two shits about her.”

“Oh yeah? Didn’t look like it from the pictures Mouse sent me.” Scorpion snarls, and Mouse crosses his arms over his chest. My once cold, dead heart beats again. And this time, it’s out of control. Were they following us? Fuck, we should have been more careful.

“Yeah? You got proof to back up your little accusation?”

“Ha! You want proof? That fine honey of yours sure was excited when you took her to Disney World.” He laughs, and my blood turns to ice. “So, when we’re done with you, we’ll be paying her a visit.” I see red. Rage. “And with the things I plan on doing to her, she’ll be begging for her life to end.” Mouse laughs again.

I clench my fists together, while my vision blurs with anger. I will die before I let anyone touch her. With the slightest glance to the small rundown shack, I clock it to be about ten feet away. I can easily make it.

“What was your plan, Venom, huh? You really want my club that bad? Sorry to tell you this, but I won’t let it go that easily. And I sure as fuck don’t want you turning it into some pussy show like the Chains. This isn’t a woman’s world—this is a man’s world—and I will run it like it should be ran. Tell me something though… was she worth it? Was a random whore of a snatch worth your life?”

I raise one side of my mouth, to a grin. “Fuck yeah, she was.”

Scorpion’s smirk falters, and he reaches inside his leather.

It’s now or never. I rush downward at the same time, pulling out my boot knife. I fling it forward, landing the blade right in his jugular. Blood splatters in every direction as he tries to cover the open, spurting gash.

Mouse yells out, brandishing his piece, but I drop and roll my body to the shack for cover. A scorching, searing pain tears through me just before I make it. Fucker hit me.

Fuck. I lean my back against the dilapidated building and watch as the blood pours out of the hole in my arm.

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