Page 8 of Angel

“He’s in the gym.” Tank walks by, scratching his bearded face with a yawn.

“Isn’t it a little early for you to be awake, or even alive?” I tease him.

“Ha! I have to help Bullet play detective. Not sure what I can do, though.” He stretches his arms above his head, pulling his shirt up, and I should be admiring his toned abdomen, but my brothers don’t get me hot and bothered. “Chain doesn’t want us wasting any time. He wants us to find that asshole, and he wants us to find him now.”

“You think we’ll actually be able to locate him?”

Tank shrugs. “Don’t know, but if anyone can, it’s Bullet. Plus, we have a mysterious mafia man to worry about too.”

He’s got a point, once the brother of the mafia guy we killed finds out—if he hasn’t already—he’ll want his revenge. And we’re guessing he’s going to find out eventually, considering his dear old brother won’t be coming home with a pretty new sex slave on his arm. Or at all… for that matter. We don’t know much. No name. We have just enough information to tell us he was one powerful guy. If he finds Scorpion, or talks to him, we can assume he’ll tell them it was our girl they snatched. He’ll also include that our club was the one who put a bullet in his brother’s head.

I open the doors to the gym, and the cool air immediately sends a shiver through my body. The interior feels like a bucket of ice being poured over my skin. The problem with being around all men? They seem to be impervious to the cold.

I bet my nipples could cut glass right now.

Chain’s grunt echoes throughout the entire gym, and the heavy weights he sets down indent onto the soft black mat underneath him. Sweat runs along his forehead, then drips onto his forearms, which now rest on his knees. Even in his older years, I would not want to be his enemy. He’s about six foot four, all muscle, and could easily crush a grown man with one of his bare hands. Did I mention handsome too? Even at fifty, he’s as much a looker as Charger and the younger guys.

“So, he tell you anything?” He stands, tossing me a warm-up band, and then grabs the pull-up bar.

“No, sorry, boss. He says he doesn’t know where Scorpion is. And by the way he sounded, I’m not sure he’s lying. Not that I trust him at all, but it didn’t seem like he gave a damn if we knew or not.” I stretch the band over my head. “Also, I wouldn’t say he’s a man of honor, not even with his own club, but he insists he didn’t have any part in the plan that went down.” I snort. “I feel like he’d sell the fucker out just to move up as President.”

“That may be true,” Chain grunts. “Or maybe he wants to see him buried more than even we do. Who knows what kind of bad blood they may share…? Either way, I didn’t figure he would say much.” He struggles with heavy breaths as he releases from the pull-up bar. When he drops, I’m surprised the whole building doesn’t shake.

“So, if you knew he wouldn’t talk, then why even send me down there?” I stop stretching and study his tense facial expression. I feel a story coming on…

“Do you know what we do, Angel?” he asks, and now I’m confused. “Do you have any idea what goes on behind closed doors? What we do to some of the evil scum, to get the information we need?” His eyes are downcast, but there’s no sign of regret.

“No, can’t say that I do.” I aggressively cross my arms. I don’t know shit, because he doesn’t allow me to play with the big boys.

“We’re the good guys, but we don’t hesitate to do what is necessary. Would you be able to handle that? To torture men. Break their ribs until your knuckles bleed. Until all you can see are the whites of their eyes covered in a pool of blood.” He nods, waiting for me to answer.

I don’t need protecting. I joined this club to be a Steel Valley Chains member. And if that means I have to get my hands dirty, then so be it. I’m not afraid. I’m not afraid to spill blood. Hell, I welcome the idea.

“Yes. You’re asking me if I could do that—if I can handle it—and my answer is yes.”

Chain ponders my response. “And that’s what worries me about you. This Wonder Woman complex you have, it’s careless, and it’s goin’ to get you hurt one day.”

That hits in all the wrong places. “Why? Because I’m a woman. Having boobs doesn’t mean I can’t handle the same things as you guys. You patched me in. Now, start treating me like a damn member, Chain.” I toss the band off to the side and stare at the ground, too nervous to look at him.

“You want me to start treating you like one of the guys? Fine, wish granted. Finish your damn workout. I’m calling church at noon. Don’t be fucking late.” His voice drips with rage, and with that, he stalks out of the gym at the same time Tequila struts in.

She quickly side-steps, giving him the much-needed space. “Morning, boss.” He ignores her, as he disappears around the corner.. “Um, I take it you two had a fight?”

I have no regrets about what I said because it’s all true. I’m glad he finally listened to me. It’s about damn time. But then, why does sadness swirl in my chest? As if I was too harsh with my words. He did patch me in, and if I was in any other club, it would never be allowed. Having a female club member is absolutely unheard of—forbidden. But Chain broke that rule with me, broke it for me. He changed the traditional laws of his club because of me. So why do I keep questioning my place here?

“Angel, hello… did you hear me?” Tequila’s voice pulls me out of my head.

“Sorry, what did you say?”

“I said… I heard you talked with Venom. How’d that go?” Tequila’s worried tone is the norm. She’s always looking out for me, always trying to keep me in check. Sister from another mister. Lucky enough for her… my dad’s not hers.

“Just the ass twat we know him to be.”

“Yes, well, can’t say I’m all that surprised.” She sits down in front of me and I mimic her position. “It is a little weird, him being chained up down there.”

“Sure, it’s weird, but he deserves it. If not more. I think everyone’s forgetting what he did, and I don’t feel bad for him, not at all.”

“Damn! Down, girl.” She reaches out a palm and we interlock hands, using them as stretching equipment with the heels of our shoes touching. “I just meant… we’re all up here doing our normal daily routines, and we have a Skulls member locked up. It’s unsettling.”

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