Page 117 of Beautiful Dangerous

“I thought you’d be at home getting changed for the big night.” Angel leans against the wall of the clubhouse and lights up a cigarette, taking a drag and blowing smoke into the air.

“I’m on my way there. I wanted to see you first.” I sit down on the bench facing him. “Eddie tells me you saw your mom and dad last week.”

Angel’s eyes meet mine, and it takes a moment, but the smile finally arrives. “Yeah. And I’m not gonna say it wasn’t kinda weird, ’cause it was, I mean, we haven’t seen each other in years. Twenty-four, to be exact. I wasn’t expecting them to look so old, but then I guess they weren’t expecting me to be this six-foot-two, bearded, tattooed guy who’s VP of an outlaw motorcycle club.”

“Yeah,” I sigh, clasping my hands together. “How did that go down?”

He laughs and reaches for the bottle of beer by his feet. “Again, not gonna lie and say they were proud of me or anything, to be honest, Liv, I’m not sure what they made of me. What they made of my life.”

“Did you talk at all?”

He shrugs and downs a mouthful of beer. “A little. We’re meeting up on Monday, before they head back to Vermont.”

“Is that where they’ve been living?”

“Yeah. Got themselves a good home in a small town, they’re part of a close-knit, friendly community now, everything my momma always wanted.”

“But everything you didn’t, huh?”

He looks at me, and his smile is a little weaker this time. “I need to apologize to them, Liv. I haven’t done that yet, and I should’ve done.”

“It wasn’t entirely your fault, Angel.”

“I know. But I never gave them a chance, I jumped to so many conclusions…” He drops his gaze and tosses his cigarette to the floor, grinding it into the concrete with the heel of his boot, dragging a hand back through his hair. “I don’t even know how they found me, I thought I was pretty much off the radar. I don’t knowwhythey wanted to find me, they haven’t said all that much yet.”

“Sometimes people realize that being apart for a long time, it doesn’t mean you can never reconnect with that person. But, whatever made them get back in touch, this is a second chance, Angel. And we’re not always lucky enough to get those.”

He smiles again, and this time it reaches his eyes, and I get up and I hug him. His arms wrap around me and he holds me tight, and this man, I missed him more than anyone else while Lucca and I were away.

“If anything had happened to you, Liv…” he murmurs into my hair, and I pull back and smile at him.

“But it didn’t. I’m okay, we’re all okay.”

“Thanks to Harry.”

I laugh and step out of his arms, sliding my hands into my pockets. “Yeah. Thanks to Harry.”

He takes another swig of beer, and I watch as he briefly drops his head again, his parents turning up like this, it’s really affected him. I just hope it’s all good, and that their reasons for tracking him down are ones that might mean they have a chance to reconnect with their son, he’s a good man, deep down. A kind man. I can only hope that they see that, too.

“I should go,” I sigh. “I don’t want to be late for the hotel’s opening night.”

“You’ve done good, Olivia. You and Lucca, you turned it all around, you made it happen. You’re the good guys now.”

I laugh again, and even though it’s been a while since I’ve hung out here, at the Devil’s Creed compound, one thing hasn’t changed. I still feel instantly comfortable in this man’s company.

“Thank you, Angel. For everything. You put a lot on the line to help me and Lucca, and we’ll never forget that.”

He finishes his beer and throws the empty bottle into the recycling can by the door. “Keep giving us those discounts at the casino and the bars and we’re all yours, kiddo.” His eyes lock on mine. “Whenever you need us.”

~~~

Lucca’s hand slides into mine as we walk into the huge function room filled with business associates, friends, and those staff members who are able to make it tonight to help us celebrate the opening of The Orchid Resort.

“The casino’s doing great business,” Lucca says as we head to the free bar. “And according to the front desk we’re already at full room capacity for the summer and well into fall.”

“It’s a beautiful hotel. I’m not in the least bit surprised.”

He looks at me, and he smiles. A beautiful smile that reaches his ice-blue eyes, and I feel my stomach dip and dive for all the right reasons, I love this man so much.

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