“Abel, get your hands off me! It’s me that rabid bitch wants to talk to right now, not my sisters! If she’s gonna cuss somebody out, it should be me, not them!” Patience argued, smacking at Abel’s hands as they pulled her closer.
“Getting upset by Angie’s crap won’t be good for you or the babies,” he pointed out, having to raise his voice to be heard over Angie’s irate screams at Zeke. “I’m the one that led her on while I tried to make you jealous, Hellion. This is on me. Let me handle her.”
“Are you crazy? It’s my name she’s screechin’ like a scalded cat out there! And she’s doin’ it in front of half the town, too! So, it’s ME that’s gonna end this nonsense once and for all,” Patience glared at Abel over her shoulder, prepared to end this argument once and for all.
As Patience lifted her boot shod left foot and brought it down on his toe, Abel winced, momentarily loosening his grip on her and allowing her the three second window she needed to escape. “Damn it, woman,” he swore under his breath as he regained his balance and hurried after her into the dining room portion of the café.
“Well, well, well,” Angie sneered as Patience finally made it to the customer counter separating the waitress’ station from the rest of the restaurant. “I wondered if you’d actually show your face in here. Did you finally decide you were brave enough to face me?”
“First of all, you stumbled onto my turf, Angela,” Patience retorted confidently as she glared at Abel’s ex-fiancé. The other woman was dressed in a gauzy tight white dress that left very little to the imagination, Zeke and Ice had their hands restraining her.
“Your turf?” Angie laughed without humor. “It’s a public establishment, Patience. And I’m a paying customer.” She held up her purse and waved it around. “Or, I would be if some member of your staff would take my order.”
“Oh, I’ll take her order, alright. I’ll take it and knock it upside her bleached blonde head,” Harmony muttered darkly from her position by the jukebox as Jake massaged her tense neck.
Patience merely smiled as she took a step forward. “Look around you. I own a quarter of this place. If anybody needs to be brave here, that would be you. Unlike someone who won’t be named, I belong here. And in case you didn’t know it – and you should know it since you’ve told everybody who’ll bother listenin’ that you’re some kinda hot shot attorney for the all- powerful Diego Fuentes - We, here, at the I Don’t Care Cafe have the right to refuse our services to anyone. Unfortunately for you, we’ve decided that we have a brand spankin’ new policy. It’s the ‘No shoes, No sluts, No service policy’. It says we don’t have to serve women of low moral character. Sorry, darlin’, but that means you, bless your heart” she apologized with sugary sweetness, looking Angie over from tip to tail” “Now, I’m just all tore up over it, but my sisters and I are gonna have to ask you to leave the premises since you failed the second qualifier.”
The sound of barely muffled laughter filled the cafe, and Angie’s cheeks blushed flame red as she slammed her purse on the counter. "You really are delusional if you think that I'M the one to be labeled a slut. You really think Abel's gonna believe that kid's his after you've slept with half the freaking county?"
“Me? I’m the slut in this scenario, am I?” Patience returned with a shake of her head and a laugh. She heard mutters from her family, and waved a casual hand in their direction, signifying she had the situation under control. “Angela, honey, I think you need to give some serious thought to what qualifies a woman as a slut. I’ve been told it’s a woman of loose character, a bold hussy, or a prostitute. Now, while I don’t know if you’ve ever accepted any kind of compensation for the act, I am fairly certain that you’ve got the loose character attribute covered. And the bold hussy characteristic? Darlin’, you’re a natural!” Patience stated enthusiastically, clapping her hands in applause.
“Listen, here,” Angie began heatedly, shoving past Zeke to get a step closer to where Patience stood.
“No!” Patience bit out, shrugging off Abel’s hands when he tried to settle them over her stiffened shoulders. Her voice turned hard as she clenched a fist at her side. “You listen, you tramp! I’m sorry that Abel doesn’t want you anymore. I’m sorry if you think I’m to blame for it. Maybe I am the reason. I don’t know for sure,” she remarked with a careless shrug, “…but, I seriously doubt it. See, I think his reluctance to have anything to do with you or your charms now isn’t so much because I’m in the picture. Rather, I think it’s because he’s sampled those charms of yours before. He knows that while you come in a pretty package, when you take off the wrapping paper, in your core – where it matters - you’re just plain rotten. You cheated on him, Angela! Repeatedly. And with God knows how many men! I know of at least three. Maybe four. You cheated, and you didn’t even hide it very well. You just assumed when you got caught by me, and I told him the truth about you, that he’d forgive you. Sorry you were disappointed, but he had more pride than that! Most men would. Get over yourself and move the hell on like any real woman would!”
“Oh, I’m a hundred percent real woman, you little redneck nobody,” Angie bit back, her eyes glittering with rage. “Look, Patience, you might be able to pull the wool over Abel’s eyes,” she stated, giving Abel a soft look of adoration before focusing on Patience again, “but I know the truth. There’s no way that could possibly be Abel’s child. He’s always careful, and he never goes without a shield,” she informed Patience haughtily.
“Maybe with you,” Abel returned before Patience could open her mouth. “But, I was so hot for my woman that night that all I could think about was getting inside her.”
“Oh, sweet Jesus,” Honor whispered, burying her face in one hand while Zeke rubbed her back with one hand.
“Go, sis!” Faith chuckled, leaning against Cain and rubbing her belly.
“Tell me more,” Aunt Orla demanded, enthralled by the happenings around her. “Exactly how hot was ya, Abel? I mean, on a scale of say, number one to Holy Hell, It’s HOT!!”
“Abel!” Patience shouted, turning to punch him in the shoulder as Aunt Orla’s question pulled a grimace to her face. “My family is here!” she growled, gesturing around at the gathered individuals. “I’d feel better if they didn’t know absolutely everything about me. Or us!”
“Don’t be so stingy, Patience,” Aunt Orla complained. “Families share. It’s the Christian way!”
Abel shrugged and offered Patience a lazy smile. “Just sayin’ it like it was, Hellion.”
Angie ignored the side play happening around her as she reached out a hand to cling to Abel’s arm. “Abel, don’t be stupid! You can’t trust these backwater hoochies. I swear if you so much as give them a smile that lasts a second too long, they’ll have your wedding planned before you can spit,” she whispered loudly. “They’ll trap you, honey! At least demand a DNA test or somethin’!”
Rolling her eyes, Patience forced herself to take a deep breath as she grumbled under her breath. “Why does everybody keep assumin’ that I’d want to marry you?”
“You haven’t heard?” Abel asked with a grin, ignoring the other woman who was attempting to dig her claws into his arm. “I’m quite a catch. And you’re the odds on favorite to finally slip the marital noose around my neck.”
“Believe me, Abel, if I ever slip a noose around your neck, I won’t be tryin’ to marry you,” Patience assured him gravely. “It’s your fault I’m even standin’ here havin’ to listen to this crap. I could be upstairs watchin’ my zombie show! Instead, I’m stuck here being given a life lesson from Beach Bimbo Barbie about how I have done you so wrong. You’re not the one that’s gonna have to lug these kids around in the hottest part of the summer! Do you know exactly how hot it gets in August, Abel?”
“Not offhand,” Abel sighed as the people gathered around them watched their conversation like they’d be tested on it later.
“Nobody does, Abel! We just assume that the Good Lord sets the thermostat to ‘Roast in
Hell’ and leaves it there,” Patience complained, “And I will be wagging around two extra people in my womb during that nightmare!”
“Hello!” Angie huffed, waving a hand between the two who were obviously ignoring her. “I was talking to you, Abel. I know you probably think that I’m just trying to make trouble, but honestly, what real assurances do you even have that this kid is yours besides her word? You’re the most intelligent man I know. Please, stop acting like a Gullible Gomer before it’s too late!” She paused for a bare second and cocked her head to the side as if she was considering the origin of the universe. “And did I just hear you refer to this woman’s offspring as kids? As in the plural of the word ‘kid’?
“Not that it’s any of your business, but we learned today that we’re having twins,” Abel informed his ex-fiancé coldly, his hand automatically reaching for Patience’s. “As for your other remarks, I know these children are mind because I know I’m the only man Patience has ever been with.”
“Oh, my God! This is priceless,” Angie laughed hollowly, taking a step back as she turned to glare at her nemesis. “How in the hell did you get him to believe that?”
“She didn’t have to get me to believe anything, Angela. You see, a man knows.” Taking a half step toward the embittered woman, he offered her an icy smile. “See, after being with you, I know what a loose woman feels like. Literally and figuratively. So, when I got Patience underneath me, I could truly appreciate what I found in her bed. She was wholesome. She was pure. But most of all, she was untouched and untried. All things I doubt you ever were. If I remember correctly, you were always trying to push my limits in and out of the bedroom. We weren’t suited, Angela. Looking back, I can see that now. Especially since I have my ideal woman.”
Even Patience had to grimace at the insults Abel threw at Angie. Yes, the crazy bitch deserved every one of them, but they were still difficult to hear. But Patience also couldn’t let Abel get away with laying claim to her like that, now could she? So, of course she felt obligated to mutter out the side of her mouth, “Not your woman, Abel.” Seeing him jerk his eyes to her and glower, she shrugged. “Just sayin’,” she added under her breath.
Ignoring the interruption, Angie gasped and she pressed one hand to her heart and the other to her abdomen as if in pain.
Abel narrowed his eyes as he continued ruthlessly, “I warned you yesterday morning that, for me, it’s Patience. You should have listened more carefully, Ang. You could have saved yourself a lot of embarrassment. Perhaps you can see things more clearly now.”
“You realize that during our time together, you wouldn’t even discuss children. Did it ever occur to you that I wanted to have your babies?” Angela asked, lowering her head and resorting at last to tears. “Maybe if we’d tried to have a-“
“Don’t do this, Angela,” Honor cut her softly, staring at the older woman. “Don’t drive down this road. We both know that you might just meet a roadblock you can’t get around.”
Patience watched as some of the color drained from Angie’s face. Glancing up into Abel’s face, she saw that he looked as confused as she felt. Was this the secret that Honor had mentioned this morning?
Angie recovered quickly, though. “Ah, Saint Honor to the rescue,” she snarled, looking down her nose at the youngest McKinnon sister. “Still Paradise’s favorite daughter, I’m assuming.”
“Angie,” Patience warned through her teeth, “Leave her alone. You wanna be a bitch, then you keep those fangs of yours aimed at me.”
“It’s time for you to go, Angela,” Zeke bit out harshly as he moved his body until he was half in front of Honor.
“Let her talk, Zeke,” Honor spoke serenely as she lifted a hand and let it rest against his chest, almost like she was unaffected by Angie’s special brand of venom.
“The woman’s just gonna spew more of her viciousness at you, Honor,” Zeke growled, his dark eyes dangerous as they met Angie’s. “And I’m warning you,” he cautioned Angela, “I won’t have it.”
“Aw, that’s sweet,” she chirped. “I think our friendly, local sheriff is anxious about some of the things I just might share with everybody’s beloved homespun hick,” Angie continued caustically. “It would seem that precious Honor and I have a lot of things in common,” she continued with an ugly smile.
“I think you should go instead,” a heavily accented voice suggested in a tone that made it clear that his words were less of a suggestion and much more of a threat. “My gracious hostesses have listened to enough of this filth, Senorita Hastings,” Diego Fuentes remarked in a silky voice from where he slowly rose from his table at the back of the restaurant where his angry, coal black eyes settled on his attorney.
“Mr. Fuentes is right!” Angie’s colleague, Vivian, agreed from where she stood near the door of the café as she eyed the unfolding situation warily. “I think it’s time for us to leave, Angela. I don’t think our Atlanta office would approve of what’s happening right now. This isn’t the image corporate wants to project.”
Patience found Vivian’s concerned and slightly disgusted face in the crowd and offered the other woman a grateful smile. She barely knew the woman, but she was smart enough to know that Viv cared very little for her co-worker, but she was still here, trying desperately to help. Patience could only assume that Maggie had filled her in on the animosity between the McKinnon women and Angela Hastings.
Angie didn’t even bother to turn around. “I’m off the clock, Diego. Lodge your complaints with the Atlanta office.” Her failure to acknowledge Vivian was obvious as she simply continued to stare between Patience and Honor. “Seriously, I just do not see what all the men find so damn fascinating about the women in your family. Although, honestly, at least I can find some common ground with little helpless Honor, here.”
“Bitch, I don’t know where you’re goin’ with this, but you need to step the hell back,” Patience hissed, protectively edging closer to her little sister. She would have dove for Angie if Abel hadn’t kept an intractable grip around her arm.
“What?” the malicious woman asked feigning innocence. “There’s lots of similarities between us. I mean, we both know what it’s like to be passed around from man to man, don’t we, honey? It’s such a horrible feeling, isn’t it?”
An audible gasp filled the room as everybody heard Angie’s twisted words, but it was Orla who spoke first and loudest. “Don’t you dare compare yourself to my niece, missy! What she endured was violence. And you…you weren’t so much passed around so much as you handed yourself out! Tell us, did you ask ‘em to pay by the hour, dear, or did you charge a weekly rate?”
“Auntie!” Honor gaped.
“What?” Orla huffed. “She had it comin’.”
“Oh, I think I can handle a few words from a nasty old windbag,” Angie chuckled harshly. “But I’m only gettin’ started on our similarities. Did you know that we shared a common man as well?”
“I assume you’re talkin’ about your brief dalliance with Ezekiel almost a decade ago? Correct?” Honor asked, cool as a cucumber as Zeke’s alarmed gaze flew to the youngest McKinnon sister.
The self-satisfied look on Angie’s face faded as she realized Honor was already aware of the would-be bomb she’d thought she held. “You know?”
“When will people ever learn that I might be sweet, but I’ve never been stupid?” Honor asked as she tilted her head and shook her head at the ceiling. “Yes, I knew. I know it occurred before you became involved with Abel. And before you even say another word, I also know that that evening involved acts of a….wide and varied sort. Would you like me to elaborate on them?”
Patience grimaced as she watched Zeke step completely in front of Honor and turn her toward the bar, removing her from the center of attention and from Angela’s venomous gaze. She had a feeling that she knew what their conversation was entailing; she was certain she would get the lowdown later. But she had bigger fish to fry right now. Turning back to the woman who had invaded her work
place and her life, Patience felt her fury rise to the surface at the invasion. But dammit, she knew that if they didn’t get this troublemaker out of the cafe, she just might not get out at all. Ever, if the evil eyes and glares people kept shooting her were anything to go by. Not that she cared about Angie, but they’d all promised Honor they’d keep the bloodshed to a minimum inside the café after the drive-by a few months ago.
“Look here, Angie, I’m gonna give you one more chance to just leave,” Patience offered, purposefully keeping her tone mild. “Just turn around, grab your broomstick, and go. If I see your Winged Monkeys, I’ll tell them you came by,” she continued helpfully, seeing Maggie smirk out of the corner of her eye.
“No, you look, you bitch, I’m not finished convincing Abel that you’re nothing but a gold-digging tramp tryin’ to pass off your bastards as his yet,” Angie argued, her eyes narrowing on Patience. “If you’re as innocent as he claims, then…”
“Then, nothing,” Maggie snapped, her jade green eyes flashing fire as she faced off with the current bane of everybody’s existence. “Quit deflecting your own faults onto Patience, woman! It’s just tacky. Just own your own failings, Angela. It’s YOU that’s the slut here, not her!”
“I am NOT!” Angie shrieked.
Clearly, it was time to move in for the kill and Patience could already smell blood in the water. “Is that so?” she drawled, finally unwilling to tolerate any more of this bullshit. “Then let’s have a show of hands, shall we?” she suggested, gesturing around the room. “Gentlemen, let me see your hand if and only if you have NOT had sexual relations with this woman. And in the interest of bein’ crystal clear, oral counts,” Patience directed loudly, pointing her finger at Angie and wagging it ever so slightly.
And it was at that exact moment that all hell broke loose in the I Don’t Care Cafe.
Again.
Chapter Thirteen
Ready, Willing and Abel (Passion in Paradise: The Men of the McKinnon Sisters Book 3) Page 19