by Jayne Blue
“How did it happen?” I asked.
He shifted, going back to his side. He touched me, making languid strokes down my ribcage. His eyes traveled to my naked breasts. I let him.
“Gunshot,” he said. “It was a long time ago. Back when I was a prospect.”
“Someone shot you in the back?”
His brow lifted. “Well, they were aiming for Sly’s front.”
My jaw dropped and realization slammed into place. “Guardian angel. That’s how you got your road name.”
He nodded. “Yep. It’s how I earned my patch too in a way.”
I placed my palm against his chest, where his patch would be if he were still wearing his cut. “That’s a hell of a price, Angel.”
He took my hand and brought it to his lips. “It was worth paying. Sly Cullinan is one of the best men I know. He took me in when I had nothing. That’s true for a lot of us. And he’s brought the club out of the one percenter shit. We’re legit, Maura. I know what everybody thinks, but they’re wrong.”
“Well, that was a legit bullet that nearly killed you. Legit doesn’t mean no danger. I’m not naive enough to think that.”
“No,” he admitted. “It doesn’t.”
“But you’re right,” I said. “You’re not what a lot of people think. It’s just ... Angel ... what happened with Lee Corley. If we do go in business together, that’s not what I’m after. I won’t sit here and pretend it wasn’t satisfying. He hurt Tonya, badly. And he’s hurt their little boy. But I operate within the system. I have to. I took an oath. If the club ends up connected to the clinic, I need to know you understand that.”
“I told you,” he said. “Corley was a one-off. Let’s just say we were in the wrong place at the wrong time together. I won’t apologize for that. But I give you my word we’re above board as far as that contract. One hundred percent.”
“Thank you.”
“So,” he said. “What about you? Why are you so afraid for your sister?”
Old instincts flared hard. Lie. Protect. Don’t let anyone in. But Angel had told me something about himself I sensed he didn’t often reveal. “It’s just been us,” I said. “My mother and us. She had me when she was fifteen. I’ve met my real dad exactly once. She’s made kind of a career out of going from one loser guy to the next. Bailey’s dad Nick was one of the worst. Let’s just say he and Lee Corley were cut from the same cloth. But he was the love of her life, she says. I’ve taken care of her, of both of them, from the time I was seven or eight years old.”
“It’s hard to let go,” he said. “You want something for her.”
“Yes. But I want her to be something for herself. Bailey doesn’t get that. She’s too much like our mom. She’s just looking for the next guy to take care of her. It never occurs to her to learn how to take care of herself. That’s probably my fault. She rebels. It’s just ... I can’t be that. I can never let some guy rule my life.”
I ran on. I hadn’t meant to. And I’d said way too much. Angel leaned back and smiled at me. “What?” I asked, feeling a little defensive.
“I think you’ve just been hanging around the wrong kind of guys, Maura.”
“Really? And what’s the right kind?” It was a loaded question. All I got for an answer was his sultry smile.
“I’m sorry that happened to you,” he said. “With your mom and your deadbeat dad. You deserve something else.”
“It’s not about what I deserve. You make your own luck. And Angel ... this ... last night ... I don’t.”
His low laughter startled me. “Relax,” he said. He reached for his jeans and my heart sank a little. I felt like we existed in a little bubble this morning and last night. I wasn’t sure I was ready for it to burst. But burst it did.
“I didn’t mean … you don’t have to …”
“Yeah,” he said, leaning down. He hooked his finger beneath my chin and gave me a soft, delicious kiss. “I do. You gotta get to work. I gotta get to the club. But later, I’m going to call you. I want to see you again.”
My heart raced. No. This was going all wrong. Except it felt so right. I had to be firm. Lay boundaries. This was just supposed to be a one-night thing. An itch we both needed to scratch. Except I burned for him. Even now. It would have been so easy to just pull him down to me and start all over again.
“Okay,” I found myself saying, then quickly added, “I’ll have an answer to your proposal by the end of the week.”
Angel’s eyes glinted. “Right.” He grabbed his cut from the chair against the wall and slipped his arms through it. I realized I was still lying naked on the bed. Heat poured through me as his eyes went over me. He melted me. It shocked me how quickly I felt myself falling for him.
Oh hell. This man was far more dangerous than I thought.
Chapter Thirteen
Angel
Maura had my head spinning. In the week since we’d spent the night together, I couldn’t get the chick out of my head. The way she smelled. The way she felt. The way she tasted. I wanted more. And it spelled trouble. Sly needed my head in the game more than ever. It wasn’t like me to get distracted like this.
The rest of the guys were starting to notice. Dex and Ford were watching me. Switch knew something was up, but one hard look from Dex and he didn’t ask. Now we all sat at the conference table as Sly called church.
It had been two weeks since the warehouse fire. I knew Sly had feelers out all over the state. He sat grim-faced, locking eyes with Dex as the rest of the guys filed in. I knew I wasn’t going to like what he had to say.
“It ain’t good,” he said. “Some of Londo’s top lieutenants are starting to defect.” Ed Londo had taken over the head of the Pagano crime family after we took their old leader out. Another debt settled. Or so I hoped.
“What did you find out down in Texas?” Big John asked. Dex, Sly, and Tiny had taken a run down to Corpus Christi last week. Sly wanted a sit-down with the new prez of the Dark Saints M.C.
Dex pounded a fist on the table. “Like Sly said, it ain’t good. They put some pressure on some informants they have. It’s all rumor, we’re trying to verify.”
“But what?” I said. “Fuck rumors, what are you hearing?”
Sly leaned forward. “We’re hearing rumblings about the Hellz Rebels M.C.”
I jerked my head back, shocked by that. “The Rebels? They’re strictly Albuquerque. What the fuck business would they have all the way up here?”
“Last couple of years,” Sly continued, “the Rebels have been doing business with the Diaz cartel. Small-time shit. But now it sounds like they’re ramping things up. Sticking their toe in the heroin trade. Running guns.”
“And you think the Diaz family is looking for weaknesses in Pagano’s old crew?”
“I know they are,” Sly said. “This shit with the warehouse? It’s got Hellz Rebels written all over it.”
Gunn said. “You actually fucking think those assholes would have the balls to try and move in on our territory?”
“Not by themselves,” Sly said. “Not in a million years. But if they’ve got new muscle behind them. If the Diaz family can exploit the problems with the Paganos, that’s a whole different ballgame.”
Fuck. It was way worse than any of us thought. We weren’t just talking about a potential club war. We were talking about a mob war too.
“So what’s the play?” I asked. “We remind the Rebels who they’re trying to fuck with?”
“Maybe,” Sly said. “But when the time is right. It’s good intel, but it’s not a lock. There are enough loose ends with this it might be a setup.”
“You think the Diaz crew is trying to make it look like it’s the Rebels or somebody else?” Tiny asked.
Sly nodded. “I can’t rule that out yet. Until I can, we sit tight. Nobody makes a move without running it by the table. Got it?”
“Yeah,” I said, though I didn’t like it. If he put it to a vote right now, I’d want to send a strong, swift message. Then agai
n, that’s why Sly held the gavel and I didn’t. I was no diplomat. Lee Corley’s face was a perfect example.
“Good,” Dex said. “Then we’re clear. We need another source. Ford, John, Tiny, you keep your ears on our bar suppliers. If they’re going to hit us, it’ll be there. I’m working with the contractors. Switch, Angel, you watch your backs with the security contracts. Nothing new for a while.”
“We’ve got a bid out,” I said. “We’re still waiting on an answer from the Harrington about the legal clinic. I’d like an exemption as far as that goes. They’re a special case. It’s a non-profit. There’s no risk of a connection to Pagano or Diaz or anyone else.”
Sly and Dex exchanged a look. “All right,” Sly said. Relief washed over me. “But you keep your shit straight on that one, Angel. I mean it. If you can’t be impartial, you turn it over to Switch or somebody else. No missteps. We can’t afford careless mistakes or blind spots. You got me?”
“I got you,” I said. Just as always, he could see right through me.
“And another thing,” Sly said. “Do we have a problem with Judd?”
Switch shifted in his seat. Judd was back to business as usual, but Sly knew he’d gone AWOL for days.
“Nothing we can’t handle,” Switch said.
“Can’t afford to have him thinking with his dick,” Dex said. “You let him know or I will.”
“On it,” Switch answered.
Sly went over receipts with Charlie then he banged the gavel. Meeting adjourned. Switch and I walked out together. I needed a damn beer and knew he did too. Mo was waiting with a cold pitcher. I wanted to kiss that woman.
“Did you talk to Judd?” I asked Switch.
“You know I did. But he’s a kid. He thinks he’s indestructible. And he also thinks he’s in love.”
“Sheeit.” I sighed. “With Maura’s kid sister?”
Switch raised his mug and took a swig of beer. “As far as I know. He’s been smart enough to keep her away from the Den. I don’t know where they’re spending their time.”
“I don’t either,” I said. “The girl was crashing at Maura’s apartment up until a couple of weeks ago.”
“How’s that going?” Switch asked, smiling.
I drank my beer and didn’t answer. I knew it made me a hypocrite. Here I was bitching about where Judd slept.
“Well,” Switch said. “Speak of the damn devil.” Sure enough, Judd rolled in with Bailey giggling on his arm. His face dropped when he saw the expressions on our faces. He whispered something to Bailey. She kissed him and took a seat at a table on the far side of the room. It’s where most of the banger chicks hung out, though it was still early yet.
“I got this,” I said to Switch, sliding off my stool. I downed the rest of my beer and made my way to Judd. I grabbed him by the arm and walked him back outside.
“You don’t listen,” I said, giving him a light shove against the side of the building, not enough to hurt him, but enough to get his attention.
“What the fuck, man?”
“That girl doesn’t belong here,” I said. “She’s nineteen.”
“She’s not drinking,” he said.
“It doesn’t matter and you know it. What the hell’s gotten into you?”
Judd smiled. “I don’t know, Angel. I just ... I fucking love her, man.”
“She’s just a kid,” I said. “And you’re not doing her any favors. She’s supposed to be going to school. Working. Not warming your bed all day and night. Where the hell have you been, anyway? I know you’re not staying at her place cuz she doesn’t have one.”
Judd wouldn’t wipe the damn smile off his face. “And how do you know that?”
I curled my fist, feeling the urge to smack the grin right off him. “Judd, don’t fuck with me right now. Your place is here, glued to Switch’s side until you’re told otherwise. And she doesn’t belong here. You send her home. And you don’t follow her back.”
“She won’t go,” he said. “We’ve been staying over at my cousin’s place.”
“Your cousin. The one that lives in Chico? Jesus, Judd. That’s twenty miles from here. You know the gig, man. You get a call, you get here in five minutes, not thirty. It’s no good. You’ve got a room here. And I told you, you’re Switch’s shadow.”
“What the hell’s going on?”
It was a legitimate question, but as a probie, he hadn’t earned the right to know everything that went on at the table. But he was supposed to follow directions without question.
“It’s not your place to know. It’s your place to follow directions. If you’ve got a problem with that, you turn in that cut right now.”
“Ease off, man. I don’t got a problem with that. I figured I was doing you a favor.”
He straightened his vest. “A favor?” I asked.
“Yeah,” Judd said. “I know you’re banging Bailey’s sister. Good on you, man. Bailey says that bitch is frigid as fuck.”
I saw white. The next thing I knew, I had an arm across Judd’s chest and slammed him against the side of the wall.
“What did you say?”
All color drained from Judd’s face. We’d caused enough of a commotion to draw the attention of Switch and Gunn. They came out of the bar and started walking toward us. I kept a vice grip on Judd.
“Take it easy,” Judd said. “I don’t mean nothing.”
“Yeah,” I said. “That’s your whole fucking problem.” I pushed him again then pulled away. Judd staggered sideways and adjusted his cut. Gunn and Switch stood behind me, ready to back me up, but stayed out of my way.
“She doesn’t belong here,” I said. “Bailey belongs in school. You send her home. Now. Then get your shit. You’ve got a room upstairs. Use it. You ride with Switch. You do every fucking thing he says. If he tells you to eat shit, have a fucking spoon ready. You feel me?”
Judd looked at Switch and Gunn over my shoulder. They stood still as stone, their arms crossed in front of them. As soon as Judd realized he’d get no help from either of them, his shoulders sagged and he nodded. “Yeah. I feel you, man. I got it.”
“Good,” I said. “Time you started remembering what your probie patch means. If Bailey’s not out of here in five minutes, you better clear out too and forget about coming back.”
Judd didn’t need to be told twice. He sulked off and went back into the bar. I ran a hand through my hair and turned back to Gunn and Switch.
“Well,” Gunn said. “That went well.”
“Kid needed a little tough love,” I said. “He forgot his manners.”
“Yeah,” Switch said. “I heard that part. Something about a frigid bitch.”
“Somebody had to do that,” I said. “Sly’s right. Everybody needs to keep their head in the game.”
Gunn shot Switch a smile, shook his head, then went back into the bar. Switch walked toward me.
“Come on,” he said. “Let’s take a walk.”
“Switch, I’m not …”
“Easy,” he said. “I’m not trying to bust your balls. You’re right. Judd needed a reminder. It’s just ... you’ve been a little uh ... distracted lately too.”
“I’m good,” I said. I felt wildly protective of Maura’s privacy. Whatever was going on between us, it was nothing like Judd and Bailey. I would never in a million years blow off my responsibilities to the club. Not even for her.
“Okay then,” Switch said. “But you can’t deny you haven’t been the same since Sly’s wedding. I’ve been worried about you. We all have. Then the other day, that shit you stirred up with that Corley dude. That wasn’t like you. At least ... you should have called me. Someone should have had your back.”
“I handled it. I didn’t need back-up.”
“Right. His old lady brained you with a pipe but you handled it. Got it.”
“Switch, I swear to God …”
He put his hands up in surrender. “We’re cool, Angel. We are. I’m not judging you. I’m not busting your balls. I’m
just reminding you, you want Judd to have my back. Well, we need to have each other’s. I don’t give two shits about Corley. But if you had called me like you’re supposed to, I would have gone out there with you. I would have enjoyed it. That’s all. No judgment.”
He slapped my back then shook my hand. He was right. He knew I knew it. A second later, things were easy between us again and we headed back to the bar.
Switch had always been the closest friend I had in the club and out. We came up together. I felt like a shit for not telling him more about Maura. But I wasn’t ready to admit to him how much she was starting to mean to me. I guess it scared me a little. It was new. It was mine. For now.
By the time we walked in, the evening crowd had picked up and the drinks began to flow. It was good. I needed it. A text came through about an hour later that heated my blood.
“I need to see you again,” Maura typed.
“Glad to hear it,” I answered back.
The cursor blinked for a few seconds. “The college has an answer to your proposal. Can you meet me after work tomorrow?”
I smiled. Switch caught my eye but I shielded my phone. “I’m all yours, baby,” I typed back, then slipped my phone in my back pocket.
Chapter Fourteen
Maura
When my mother called, it usually meant the world was coming to an end. Today was no different. My phone buzzed fourteen times while I handled my court cases this morning. I had two emergency custody hearings and final entry on one of my client’s divorce judgments. I was about to leave the building when Judge Saul’s clerk, Micah, poked his head out and called my name.
“The judge signed your orders on the Corley deal,” Micah said. “We’ll get them entered into the system after lunch. Deputy Powell’s picking up a few other things later, you want me to hand him your stuff for service?”
“That’d be great, Micah. If you can have Leslie leave two true copies for me, I’ll send one of my runners over for them before the end of the day.”