Page 94 of Awakened by Sin

George scurried ahead of them as they walked down the hallway, back to the bar.

“Angel,” she began.

“Not now,” he said quietly.

They walked into the bar, and this time, she felt every single eye on them. As Angel made his way through the crowd, the music abruptly stopped. She tensed, but Angel gave her hand a reassuring squeeze as he stepped aside to let her slide in the booth. The dancers gave dazzling smiles before they teetered off stage. Angel’s plates were gone, and now that the music stopped, a foreboding, buzzing silence filled the room. Her skin prickled. The strobe lights shut off, and normal lights around the bar came on, flickering and fucking with her eyes. All heads were turned in their direction, and as she eyed the men, she realized that this hole in the wall bar was filled with the most dangerous and influential men in the city. Anyone with ties to the underworld was here. Enemies, former allies, and the many, many questionable ones who flip-flopped sides on a whim. Whatever happened in Hell had brought even the Black Vipers out of the woodworks. Lecherous, greedy, soulless eyes focused on her. She resisted the urge to pull out her gun.

Angel leaned back against the table and looked around the room. “I’m Angel Roman, but you all know that. The war between Gavin and Vega is finished, but you know that as well, which is why you’re here.” Angel grinned. “Some of you came to plead your allegiance, others are here to assess whether they can take me, and the rest of you …” He scanned the room slowly, taking his time, letting the tension increase with each passing second. “The rest of you are here to see what I’m going to offer for allegiance.”

A soundless murmur went through the crowd, but she couldn’t make out any words or where it was coming from. Angel clapped his hands together. If she wasn’t holding herself so still, she might have flinched. Two lawyers and one of George’s sons-in-law jolted. The Black Vipers gave them disdainful sneers.

Angel spread his hands wide. “I’m not offering you shit for your loyalty.”

Maddog, the leader of the Black Vipers, stirred. He had a bald head with a thick goatee. “You expect loyalty for nothing in return?”

“Yes.”

The bikers weren’t the only ones who muttered under their breath. There were infinitesimal shifts as the occupants glanced at one another. Angel pushed off from the table and began to walk around the room. She wanted to grab the back of his jacket to keep him by her side, but she stayed where she was. Any show of weakness would tip the scales. She slipped her hand into her purse and gripped her tiny gun and maintained an “I don’t give a shit” expression that she hoped passed muster. Her senses were dangerously elevated due to the danger saturating the room. She was sure the guy at the next booth could hear her heart racing.

“Why would any of us agree to that?” Maddog asked.

“Because you don’t have a choice,” Angel said without looking directly at him. He clapped a man on the back who sported two black eyes and a split lip. “Tommy, I’m glad you made it.”

Angel weaved through the tables, almost as if he was counting heads.

“What happened to Pyre?” a lawyer asked.

“He’s out.”

“Why?”

“Family.”

“Pussy whipped,” someone muttered.

Angel stopped in his tracks and turned to face a table of three. He slid his hands into his pockets as he surveyed each of them in turn. The way the men sat at the table spoke volumes. They weren’t in uniform, but she recognized them as a unit. She recognized one as a cop, but she was sure the other two were military men from Nellis Air Force Base.

Angel put one hand on the table and leaned toward the largest man who looked like he had a steel rod strapped to his spine, his posture was so straight. “General Leeward, is it?”

If it was possible, he sat up even straighter. “Yes.”

“Funny you mention pussy whipped.” Angel tapped his fingers on the table. “Don’t you have a sixteen-year-old mistress?”

A loaded silence filled the room. She willed Angel to ease back, but he didn’t. He stayed less than a foot from a man who looked like he could have been a professional wrestler. She didn’t have to be as close as Angel to know the guy was furious.

“You’re waiting for her to graduate, isn’t that right?” Angel winked at General Leeward. “Talk about pussy whipped. Gavin found a woman worthy of our family name. Lyla has kills under her belt unlike your … What do you call her? Girlfriend, daughter?” Angel waved his hand. “Well, that’s neither here nor there. Lyla didn’t make Gavin weak; she made him stronger, and if you think I’m wrong …” Angel pulled his phone out of his pocket and slid it across the table to the general who didn’t move a muscle. “Call him and tell him yourself.”

Holy fuck. Angel was insane. A bead of sweat trickled down her back as she waited for all hell to break loose. She waited … and waited.

“That’s what I thought.” Angel grabbed his phone and pocketed it. “You wouldn’t be where you are today without Emmanuel’s help, and you know you wouldn’t win against Gavin financially, politically, or physically, so take my advice, General, and shut the fuck up unless I tell you to speak. Got it?”

Carmen held her breath. Oh, fuck. Oh, fuck. This was it. He’d gone too far …

The proud, wizened general gave him a minute nod of agreement. Angel nodded and turned his back on him. She waited for him to reach into his jacket and pull out a gun or toss a knife, but he sat there, seething. Angel was making enemies of some of the most powerful men in the city. Holy shit.

“This is what I’m talking about,” Angel said as he continued to meander through the tables of motionless men. “I think there’s been a lot of miscommunication about this position. None of you has ever gotten close to being kingpin, so let me tell you how it goes. I take; I don’t ask. I speak, and you do what I say. Rebel and your life is forfeit. There are rules, my rules, and no other. Are we clear?”

“No.”

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