“Man, we got trouble.” I turn to see West, and I lift my chin in acknowledgement. I had guessed as much.
It was driving me crazy being in that cabin with her, her scent constantly around me. What made it worse was that I liked her there—in my space. I couldn’t let my need for her take over the reason for us being there. I spent the nights watching her sleep, making sure no one caught us off guard. I knew she was pissed thinking I left her all day, but I constantly walked the perimeter, watching her from the trees like a damn stalker, knowing that if I spent time with her, I would cave.
I jump out of the truck. “What's gone down?”
He shakes his head, indicating he doesn’t want to talk here, and I frown. What the hell? West walks straight to the bar, grabbing a bottle of whiskey before we walk to the back of the club, to Reaper’s office. West doesn't knock, just walks right in, but curses as soon as he enters.
Walking in behind him, I see Star fixing her clothes, her lips swollen and red as Reaper does up his jeans. Just as Star goes to leave, Reaper grabs her elbow.
“Go to my room and wait for me.” A smile lights up her face as she nods. Star is one of the better-looking girls we have; natural blonde hair down to her waist, huge tits and a peachy ass. She also isn’t a bitch. She’s still young, but her eyes tell a different story.
As good looking as she is, she’s nothing compared to Harla.
Reaper waits for the door to close before he turns to us, his face hard.
“Only three men knew about my baby girl: Dash, Ringo and Mullet. I kept it a secret for a reason. It was the only way to keep her safe,” he growls. We all know them; old timers that still come around at parties. Dash had gone nomad a few years ago when his wife died, Ringo’s son, Bash, was a brother, and Mullet had died a few years ago.
“You spoke to them?” West asks.
Reaper looks at me. “They’re waiting for us.”
The three of us walk through the club, and every brother moves out of the way. Normally they’d be included in a club decision, but with a mole on the loose, Reaper isn’t taking any chances.
I walk into the meat shed and see Dash, Ringo, and Bash all pacing around.
Bash is the first to question us. “What the fuck is going on?”
“Sit down,” Reaper growls. Bash looks between the three of us, remembering the respect, and takes a seat.
“We’ve been friends a long time, Reap. No right holding me here,” Ringo tells him.
Reaper glares at him. “Yeah, and that's the reason you fuckers are here. Only you and Dash knew about my Maggie having a baby.”
All their eyes widen. It's Bash who’s connects the dots first, which doesn't surprise me, as he's been here. He knows what's happening.
“You think my father is a fucking mole?” he growls, standing, his face red with anger, fists clenched. I understand his rage. Two things in this world that no one wants to be known as are a rat and a mole. Both end up in a barrel of acid, their remains poured down the drain, their family banished from the club.
Ringo stands. “My boy’s right. You’re accusing me of snitching? After everything I've given to this club, everything I know?”
Reaper continues to stare them down.
West takes a step forward. “Look, it’s just a friendly chat.”
Dash snorts. He, too, stands, joining Bash and Ringo.
“You think I’m stupid, boy? May have gotten old, but it ain't affected my brain. Why not go into the club and have a meeting over a few beers, aye?”
This time Reaper steps forward. “Ain't brought this to the club because I still respect your ass. You know how they talk.” Reaper passes over the whiskey. The three of them all nod, taking a long pull.
We all take a seat, Reaper cursing. “Someone told Fang about Harla, and now he’s got his sights set firmly on my baby girl. They’ve already killed Ma.”
Ringo rubs his beard. “Payback for Jimmy?”
“Yeah, that’d be my fucking guess.” Jimmy was Fang’s son, an evil bastard that raped Callie. West was the one who put a bullet through his head.
“No one knew about her, not even my boy.” West’s body tenses at Reaper’s words.
Dash nods, pointing the whiskey bottle at Reaper. “I hear you, but I swear on my June, that never crossed my lips. Christ, Reaper, we’ve all got kids.”
Reaper nods, his lips thinned. He’s pissed, as are we all.
“Club was busy back then, Reap. We had everyone in and out. You told everyone Maggie left, but everyone could see you were in a world of fucking pain. She was your weakness. With her gone, they found your other one,” Ringo says, and his eyes flick to West. “Ain't saying your old man don’t give a shit about you. He loves your stupid ass. I was there the day he brought you home, couldn’t be fucking happier. Men in this world are different to our women. They become our enemy’s target.”
I flinch at his words. Making Harla mine would put a bullseye on her back. They’d get to her to hurt me. I growl low and deep.
“No one is touching her.” The three men opposite me all widen their eyes, before nodding.
Ringo carries on, “Someone knows more than you think, someone who you’ve overlooked. Keeping your girl away has shown how much you care. You need to change it, because my guess is they’re still close to you.”
“I agree. You need to think about who was around at the time, who you pissed off,” Dash says.
“Not a small list then,” West grunts out, causing a few more grunts.
We watch as Dash and Ringo leave. Reaper turns to me, and I shake my head. They are clean. Ever since I can remember, I’ve been able to pick up on people lying, the small things others wouldn’t.
Bash walks up to us. “You know they didn’t talk, right?”
West nods. “Yeah, and we expect the same from you.”
Bash nods before walking into the club.
“He is going to be a problem,” Reaper growls as he watches Bash disappear.
“Nah, he's a good brother,” West says, before turning toward us.
“Ringo had a point. Since coming here, we’ve all warned the brothers to take it easy around Harla. If we have a snake, then we get things back to normal.”
“Yeah, I know exactly what to do.”
It’s just after two in the morning by the time I make it up the stairs. We still have a lot to talk about, and the thought that there is a snake in our club doesn’t sit well. To start doubting brothers could be the end of a club. Is there only fucking one, or are there more? The end result is all the same. They want my angel.
I check the hallway, making sure no one is lurking before slipping into her room. I watch her sleeping, her hands under her chin, hair spread around the pillow. I go to sit down to watch her, but I can’t, not with her still branded on me. Getting undressed, I slide between the sheets, pulling her warm body against mine. She tenses under my touch. She’s awake.
“Know you’re pissed, girl, but I need you, yeah?” She lets out a deep breath, turning toward me.
“What’s happened?” She grabs my face, her eyes so full of concern.
“Club business. Angel, you need to prove that you belong here.” A frown appears between her brows, but I just shake my head. I know I’m talking in riddles, but if Angel is going last in this life, then she’s going to need everything she’s got for the next few weeks.
Before she can ask anything else, I take advantage of her partially opened mouth, my lips descending on hers. My hands travel all over her body, and she whimpers.
“You sore, Angel?” She nods, biting her lip, and something fills my chest at the thought of her still being able to feel me there.
I kiss every inch of skin available, until both our lips are swollen and bruised, then tuck her up against me.
“Sleep, Mi dulce angel.”
West and I stand against the bar, watching as the brothers let loose as we throw a party. Something that would be normal before Angel arrived. We’ve been out
all day, trying to gather intel.
I look to the stairs to see Angel and Callie walking down them, dropping the beer from my lips at the sight of her. Black tight jeans, a black top that hangs off her shoulder, lips painted bright red, and her hair messy, looking like she just got out of bed.
As one, all the brothers turn and stare at them. West lifts his brow, a smirk hidden behind his beer bottle as Angel’s eyes widen as she takes in the chaos around her.
I watch as Reaper stands, crossing the room, his lips pulled into a sneer.
“This isn’t your thing, sweet little Harla.” I watch as hurt crosses her features, making my grip on the bottle tighten when Reaper leans in. “This is the Reapers. You won’t like it, run back to your room, baby girl.”
I go to step forward when I see her look around the room, her eyes coming to mine before flicking to West and then back to me again.
“Stay fucking put. She’s got to learn,” West growls.
“You think a little dick sucking and lap dancing bothers me?” Her voice is strong, and fuck if I don’t smirk. Even West turns his back, facing the bar, like me, to hide is grin. “Looks like both of us were lying.” She stands a little taller. “Sweet little Harla,” she says sarcastically and scoffs. “I just didn’t get caught. Sorry, Daddy, but I haven’t been sweet for a very long time.” She saunters on past him and has every man’s attention as she and Callie find a seat in the corner. Reaper’s eyes narrow but he doesn’t say a word.
I shoot a look to West, who’s holding his side from laughing so hard.
“She’d better be spouting bullshit,” I growl, hating even the fucking thought, which makes him laugh even more.
Callie and Angel stay in the corner, drinking beer. A few of the brothers sit down with them for a while, but none stay long.
Fingers run up my back. “Hey, Saint.”
I turn to see Diamond pushing her chest against my arm, and everything in me wants to push her away.
Flicking my gaze to West, he nods to keep going.
“Diamond,” I grind out, bringing the bottle to my lips and taking a long pull as she runs her nails over my chest, making me grind my teeth.
“Saint, why don’t we take this upstairs.” Her voice grates on me.
A snort sounds, and I know instantly who it is. I keep the beer bottle at my lips to hide my smile.
Diamond spins on her heels, her eyes flashing with anger. “Isn’t it your bedtime, Princess?”
Harla glares at her. I see Callie whisper something in her ear, and she straightens.
“Why don’t you two children go to bed and leave us real women to look after the men?” Diamond sneers.
“Oh shit.” I look up at West’s words, ready to grab my piece. Instead, Angel is on her way over here, her lips in a tight line, eyes wide with fury. Fuck, she looks beautiful. Just as I open my mouth, Angel grabs Diamond’s hair and slams her face on the bar.
“Bitch!” Diamond screeches, blood running down her chin.
West chucks a cloth at her. “Go clean that shit up.”
Harla stares at both West and I. I want to grab her, crush my mouth on hers, show everyone in the room that she’s mine. Instead, I keep my mouth shut, just as West does.
“Come on, Harla.” Callie shoots us a look that would kill a lesser man before leading Harla upstairs.
I slip out the back, racing up the fire escape. The hallways are empty, everyone still at the party downstairs.
I push open the door to her room, making her spin. She shakes her head.
“Oh no—” Before she can say anything else, I claim her mouth, stopping all the words. After a kiss that leave us both breathless, I pull back, just so our lips touch.
“Me das miedo, mi angel.” You scare me, my angel.
I have never been scared of anything, but holding her in my arms… it’s the first time I have something to lose, because it hits me like a fucking bullet to the gut. She is my weakness. She’s the silver bullet to my heart.
Lifting her into my arms, my lips on hers, I walk her to the bed. I need her.
“Don’t expect to get any sleep tonight,” I tell her with a smirk. I can’t get enough of her.
13
Harla
The wind blows around us as Callie and I sit on the grass. The brothers are scattered around the club, West and Saint in the garage working on Saint’s bike. Hammer, Milo, Ace, and Mace are standing just outside the club, talking, their ol’ ladies not far from their reach. It’s been a week since I had that altercation with Diamond, and since then, Diamond has kept her distance. The ol’ ladies think it’s hilarious. Monica even gave me a proud hug the next day. It was surreal, to say the least.
My heart hurts and I daren’t turn to face Callie, instead keeping my gaze ahead, not wanting Callie to see the lone tear that falls down my face. She’s just opened up to me, told me about what she’s been through. What that monster did to her. He was a member of Renegade Phoenix, the son of their president. I’m glad he’s dead. I can’t imagine what she’s been through. I won’t even try and pretend to.
I reach over and grab her hand, offering her support, just as she has given me since I’ve been here. “You’re safe now, Callie.”
She clings to my hand as if it’s her lifeline. “I know. The brothers will never know how much I appreciate them.” Glancing at her, I see her watery eyes. “I’m fucking glad you came here.”
I laugh. “Yeah? Haven’t I been a pain in your ass?”
She giggles. “No, it’s good to finally have a friend.”
“Same. I’ve always been a loner,” I confess.
She shrugs. “That’s because you hadn’t found where you belonged.”
I let her words sink in. As much as I didn’t want to be here in the beginning, I can’t see myself anywhere else. This is home.
"Well, look who it is." That husky voice has me straightening. Diamond.
That night when we were in the club and she was saying shit about me, Callie whispered to me. She told me I had to stick up for myself, that having Diamond talk about me like that was disrespectful and I shouldn't let it slide. I honestly don't know what came over me, but Callie was right. She was disrespecting me, and I had to put an end to it.
Walking up to her, I had no idea what I was going to do, but as soon as I was in touching distance and saw her hands on Saint, I lost it. The brothers look at me with a bit of respect now. I think they realize that I'm not that sweet Harla they've all thought.
"Don't ignore me," she growls, and I spin around to see her standing just a few feet away from us with her arms crossed over her chest. She has blonde hair that looks as though it's not been washed in weeks, and her tits are huge and obviously fake.
"Is there something you need?" I ask, getting to my feet. I’m not letting her get away with talking to me as though I'm a piece of crap beneath her feet.
“From you?” She scoffs. “There’s nothing I could ever want from you.”
Callie stands beside me. “Then why don’t you scurry along?” She shoos her away with her hand.
My gaze takes in everyone around us. It seems as though everyone has come outside, and all eyes are on us.
“Listen here, bitch,” Diamond spits, taking a step forward. “The only reason you’re still here is because the Reapers feel sorry for you.”
My fists clench at her words. I hate bullies, and that’s exactly what Diamond is.
“Jealousy isn’t a good look on you,” Callie fires back.
Diamond scoffs. “What do I have to be jealous of?”
Callie smirks. “The fact that both of us have the brothers’ respect. For a brother to even think about you, you have to be on your knees with his cock in your mouth.”
Diamond takes a step forward, rage burning in her eyes. “At least I didn’t spread my legs for a fucking Phoenix. Everyone knows that West doesn’t fuck you.” She smirks, her gaze turning to West. I follow it and see both he and Saint glaring at her. She turns her at
tention back to Callie. “Why don’t you ask him where he was last night?” She laughs. “None of the Reapers want Phoenix leftovers.”
Red-hot rage takes over me. My hand balls into a fist and I let it fly. My knuckles connect with her nose and blood spurts out of it. She falls to her ass, gasping for breath. Before she can recover, my hand grasps her face, my fingers digging into her cheeks. I bring her face to mine, so we’re inches apart.
“Listen up, bitch,” I spit. “I’m only going to say this once.” My fingers press against her face harder and she winces, her hands on my arm, trying to pull me away from her. “You say one more word about Callie or me, and I’m going to give you the biggest beat down you’ve ever received.”
Her eyes flash with anger and defiance.
I smirk. “Try me,” I dare her, pushing her head back down to the ground.
She scrambles to her feet and runs back toward the club.
“Jesus, Harla, you’ve got the same right hook as your brother,” Callie mutters.
Glancing away from the retreating Diamond, I catch West and Saint staring at me. West has a proud smirk on his face whereas Saint’s eyes are dark with lust. His gaze is so intense that I have to turn away. Just as I do, I notice Dad standing by his motorcycle. As soon as he sees me looking at him, he turns away. Pain erupts in my chest, and the urge to rub it away is strong, but I fight it, instead turning back to Callie. I smile.
“You okay?” I ask once I’m able to get my breathing under control.
Her eyes widen. “Me? Harla, you knocked her on her ass.”
I shrug. “She deserved it. How dare she say those things?” My blood begins to boil once again just at the thought of what she said.
Callie touches my arm, giving it a squeeze. “Don’t worry about it, Harla. That’s the worst that she can do to me. Her words don’t hurt me.”
Saint's Angel: Mc Standalone Page 9
