Page 19 of Demon's Angel

“See you later, Doll.” Pal reaches over as though to give Jay a kiss. Immediately the feline stands, arches her back and hisses.

Pal doesn’t complete his movement toward the girl, but steps away with his hands held up in defeat and a rueful smile on his face.

Then, one by one, the men disappear.

“What was that about?” I kiss Theo’s head, holding him to me, breathing in that baby aroma I didn’t expect to fill my nostrils again.

“Bitch,” Jay giggles, pointing at the now settled cat. “She hates men. Women, and presumably babies, are fine. She can be really vicious with the opposite sex.” She eyes me for a moment, then her hand moves from Bitch and indicates Theo. “I fed him a bottle, he took it well. Are you still feeding him yourself?”

Her attention draws mine to the dried milk on my clothes, realising I need a clean shirt, but that’s the least of my worries for now. I answer her question, “He’s fine with bottles. I can’t produce enough so he’s used to them.”

“I don’t know where you’ll be sleeping, but I got the girls to get this…” She points over to the other side of the room where there’s a portable crib. “They got blankets, too.”

“Couldn’t find any with motorbikes on, but I’ll have a look online.”

“Oh, Titsy,” Jay addresses one of the women who’s nearly naked. “I doubt he’ll notice as yet.”

“Got to start them young,” Titsy replies with a wink. “He’s an absolute sweetheart.” She nods over at Theo who, blissfully unaware anything significant happened today, is dropping off in my arms.

Apart from Jay, there’s an older woman hovering in a doorway looking at me curiously. The barely-dressed woman called Titsy is standing with two other under-clothed girls. Demon is presumably setting the men straight, it’s up to me to make peace with the women.

“I didn’t abandon him because I didn’t want him,” I tell them, my tone serious. “I didn’t know what else to do.”

“Hey, hon. Demon wouldn’t have let you near him if there was any worry about that,” the older woman speaks, crossing the room. “I’m Jeannie, by the way. My old man’s Bomber. You don’t need to explain yourself to us. We’re,” she points to herself and Jay, “old ladies. We don’t need the details. And as for the rest,” now she indicates the other women, “they do what they’re told.”

Titsy leans over to Jeannie. “Not much difference between you and us as I see it,” she says, jokingly.

Jeannie, glares, then gently bats her with her arm, and her eyes fix on me. “Wealth of difference between an old lady and a whore.” Then she winks. “But yeah, we do as we’re told as far as the ‘don’t ask questions’ goes.”

“Club business,” Jay starts.

Jeannie finishes, “isn’t our business.”

Whatever the reason, I’m relieved they’re not going to give me the third degree. Right now I’m too worn out to go through it all again.

Chapter Eight

Demon

My brothers are curious, as they’re entitled to be. I’ve brought Violet and Theo to the compound, and into their home, after all, and under extraordinary circumstances. But I can’t leap as I want to and take Silvestri down without carefully thinking how best to handle him. There’s no fucking doubt Violet has gotten involved with the completely wrong person, and I’ve promised to sort it, and that I will. But in between the time I got the story and now, while I’ve been waiting for the men to leave their businesses and return to the compound, I’ve had second thoughts. As they walk into church and take their seats, it dawns on me I’m unprepared and have called this meeting prematurely.

Tell them all of it, bring in my brothers, and there’ll certainly be a war. One we’re not prepared for.

I should have first considered taking Angel out on my own without getting the club involved, a hit for which I’d take full responsibility. If these men knew I was even considering that option, the club would not let me get away with it, and not just because I’m the president. They’d want to have my back. Nah, I think looking around, the only way I could do it alone is to leave them in the dark.

One thing I can’t do is dismiss this roomful of men without saying anything. Though it’s lame, to buy time, I decide to pretend it’s just a normal meeting and that I haven’t interrupted everyone’s evening.

I bang the gavel. “Right, let’s get this meeting started. When’s the contract being signed for the new premises for the tattoo parlour? Any progress?”

“That’s where you’re starting?” My father,brotheris sending me an incredulous look. “You call us in for a special meeting, then start as if it nothing unusual? Think we’d like to have an update on Violet and the kid.”

Fuck. Of course that’s the reason for this meeting, can’t pretend otherwise. But not only am I belatedly considering tackling Angel on my own, looking around at their critical and inquisitive faces, I realise I’m also loathe to discuss Violet’s painful truths and bring everything out into the open. I brazen it out, staring at Hellfire. “I’d say our new business, getting it up and running as soon as possible, is the most important item on the agenda. I propose we start with something that affects us all.”

“As does the woman you’ve been questioning,” Bomber, sitting beside Hell, insists.

“Yeah, Prez. Is she our prisoner or what?”

“You gave the kid back to her, Prez, is that wise?”

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