“No, babe, they are still tracking them down. You trust me?”
How could I not trust him? “Yeah.”
“They will find her, promise k,” this time, he squeezes my hands. Nodding, I take a sip of my wine, feeling guilty that I am here while my mama is somewhere away from my dad. I know that they will find her, they have to. I can't imagine my life without her. I need her to guide me when I decide to get married and have kids. Without her, I would be lost entirely. I mean who else would I ask about a dream wedding the woman was like a walking Disney narrator. The woman was always spilling about love and happy endings.
We sit in a comfortable silence as we watch the last remnants of the sun disappear, we don’t go back inside until the stars begin to twinkle up in the sky. It amazes me how bright the stars are out here at the little ‘safe house.’ “The stars are so beautiful out here,” I tell Hale.
“Yeah, I guess they are.” He responds as he gets up from his chair. “Let's get something to eat.” Nodding, I follow him back into the little cabin. Sitting at the bar, I watch as he pulls some canned food out of the cabinets. “Looks like we have the options of soup, soup, beans, Spam and…” he squints as he reads the label. I don’t let him finish as I get up from the stool and open a few more cabinets. I find the ingredients for drop biscuits, turning to him. “You heat up the soup, and I will make some drop biscuits for it.” Pulling out a mixing bowl, I get started mixing the ingredients. Glad that my mother pushed me to learn to cook from scratch. I knew my way from egg noodles to cakes.
After getting the drop biscuits into the oven, Hale traps me against the counter with his arms. My heart beats a little faster, seeing his tattooed arms and fingers bracing against the bar. The man has some mojo that is for sure. Leaning back into his warmth, I let out a moan as his lips leave a trail of fire down my neck. “How did I get so damn lucky with you?” His question takes m breath away. We never really talked about what this is. As far as I know, I am just his side piece, something to have fun with. Not like I can complain, that was my intention with him. just something to keep the boredom at bay.
“Hah, you better believe you got lucky,” I reply with my usual sass. Chuckling, Hale doesn’t stop kissing the side and back of my neck. His hand leaves the counter and grips my hip as his erection grinds into my ass. Crushing back into him, my head falls onto his shoulder. I could get lost in his touch; he is just too damn right. We need to talk about what the hell this is. Sure, he was only supposed to be a one-time-fuck, but somewhere amid things we got comfortable, my stupid heart decided it wanted more.
I already know, though, that once all of this is over, he is going to walk away. No one wants to be associated with Evan O’Malley, and that is precisely what I would be an association with that name. I heard his club brothers before we had to leave. They weren’t happy that he was seeing me. I couldn’t do that to him, have his brothers at his throat because of who I was. Brick would probably keep Korey and their kids away from me. I understood there was no way I would want my kids in danger, either. That is what I am a danger to everyone they love. I will allow myself what Hale and I have until everything is settled, then I will leave like I planned before. But I might just go back home to my mom and dad. There is no sense in the running from who I am anymore. At the same time, I didn’t want to live with mom and dad at twenty-eight years old.
I was able to get a month of pure happiness with Hale. He gave me that. He gave me something to hold me over for the rest of my life. The man is something else, and he doesn’t even know it. He will be happier with someone else. Another woman that doesn’t have this stigma behind her will do him better, someone safer. Just the thought of him with another woman turns my stomach as jealousy rears its ugly head to some unknown woman. The timer goes off, and I push away from my Hale cage to get the biscuits out.
Sitting down at the little table, we eat our dinner in silence for a time. “So, Angie. Are you going back to teaching?”
Laughing at my thoughts and his question, I bite my lip and nod. “Yeah, I love teaching. I truly do.”
“Good, you’re a damn good teacher. Sean did so well with you. it would be a shame if you didn’t teach anymore.”
The guilt hits me hard at my decision to not go back to Redding. Maybe I can get a job in San Diego as a teacher or another town, perhaps I am not sure about all of my credentials, especially if Angela Veets dies. There has to be a place that will hire me, even if they know who my father is. Teaching is the one thing that I have fallen in love with. Watching the children learn and grow right in front of me, the bond that I form with them is incredible. Being with those little angels makes me want a family of my own. I just don’t see it happening for me. Why would I do that to an innocent child? Bring them into the fold that is my father’s world. I gave it my best in my way. I failed miserably. Time to tuck my tail and run back home and lick my wounds and start again. I would love to run to a smaller town but being alone. I am terrified that the Cartel will find me still. But this time, I won’t have a Hale ‘Tank’ Stevens to keep me safe.
“I don’t think I could give that up, even if I had to.” Dipping my spoon in my bowl, I try and smile as I think about what my future might hold for me. What if they can’t get my mama out? What if she dies? I can’t think like that. She will be fine, all will be well.
“Good, ‘cause you are a sexy teacher.” Hale bobs his eyebrows up and down. Shaking my head at him.
“I think you just have a fantasy where the teacher disciplines you.” He lets out a laugh.
“You might be right, maybe you can help with that teach.”
“Oh, lord. Hale, you are impossible.”
“Na, I just know what I want.”
“And what is it that you want?”
“You.” one word, that is all it takes for me to slip from my resolve. I can’t give in to Hale, though, not after all of this is over. I can’t keep bringing danger to him. I already fell for him and hard. I don’t want anything to happen to him or to his family. He has so much to look forward to. There is Molly, and all his club brothers and sisters. I don’t want him to lose any of that. And he will if I stay around them. If it isn’t the Cartel, there will be another threat that comes up from the ashes of my father’s past, present, and future dealings. I love my father, but he has more demons than the devil himself.
“Well, you can have me after dinner.” I grin at him. Trying to keep the sadness out of my voice. Before Hale can respond to his burner phone rings.
“Tank.” He barks out. His brow creases for a second before he breaks out in a smile.
“Yeah, that’s good news.”
“She will be glad to hear it.” As soon as I hear those words, I feel two things, happiness, and sadness. I am not ready to give him up yet. Apparently, there are higher powers out there that have other plans.
“Got it.”
“Yeah, I got you.”
Hanging up the phone, he gets up and kneels in front of me. “Babe, your mom is fine. The threats have been neutralized, and she is going to be at the clubhouse with your dad.” The smile on his face is contagious. I throw myself into his arms and cry. I cry for happiness that my mama is safe and still here. And I cry because I am going to lose this with him.
Chapter 24
Angela
The ride back to the clubhouse was spent in silence. The two-hour journey was a sad, silent one. Hale held my hand the whole way, being the quiet rock that I needed. I knew what I needed to do, even if I was going to be ripping my heart out in the process. There just wasn’t any way around it that I could find. Pulling up to the clubhouse, I smile over at his handsome face, even in the dark he is attractive, and it pulls on my heart a little harder knowing what I have to do. I knew deep down that my feeling was one-sided, but it still hurt leaving him.
“Stay put, woman.” He commands as I roll my eyes at him. I was never one to like to be bossed around, but with him, it just fit. He would tell me to do something, and I
just had to defy him at every turn. Silly, I know, but it worked and made for our times to be exciting and fun. Opening the door for me, he holds out his hand for me to take. Slipping my much smaller hand into his bear paw of a hand, he pulls me out of the SUV with ease.
I needed one last kiss before I walked into the clubhouse. Pulling Hale down to me, I slam my lips over Hale’s and nibble on that lip ring as he takes control of the kiss. Pushing his tongue into my mouth, I let off a little whimper as his hands cup my face. Our tongues dance with one another. Hale pushes me up against the car, grinding his erection into my belly as I shift my hands into his hair and scrape my nails on his scalp. He gives me what I was looking for. His deep moan vibrates into my chest, leaving his mark forever on my ears and heart.
Hales pulls away from the kiss first. Telling me just above my lips, “damn, woman. You are killing me here.” He makes his point by grinding into me again.
“Yeah, I think you will survive it,” nipping his lip ring to prove my point. He groans as he leans his forehead against mine.
“Woman, you got me, all of me.” Why did he have to be so damn perfect? Everything about him, from his smart mouth to his childish foot-stomping, to his beautiful hands, skilled tongue, and the way he can read my body. He is the perfect man for me, and I can’t be with him because I don’t want to see him get hurt. All I can do is grip his shirt in my hands and nod my head. If only O’Malley weren’t my last name, this could go on, and I could see us living a happy life together. My happily ever after was right in front of me, and I couldn’t have it.
“Come on, let us go see your mom.” Taking a deep breath, I nod my head. I am scared if I talk right now that I will break down and sob like a child. Taking my hand, Hale leads me into the clubhouse. Right away, I spot Ivan, and my parents huddled together in the corner of the common area. My dad has my mom in his arms and his whispering in her ear and rubbing her arms. She is nodding her head. I can bet money that he is reminding her of how much he loves her.
Hale squeezed my hand, and I chanced a look at his handsome face. His blue eyes had a storm brewing behind them, god I would miss his eyes and the intensity they held. “Go, babe. I’ll catch you in a bit.”
“Okay, see you in a bit,” I whispered to him. As he walked away from me, I watched his retreated form. His broad shoulders and tight ass swaggering away. Shaking my head, I bit back a sob as I made my way to my parents.
“Mo Mhuirnin, My darling, Angela, come here.” My dad called to me as I got closer to them. Giving a wobbly smile I crashed into his arms, I couldn’t keep the sob from coming out this time. “Tell ya da, what is wrong?”
“Oh, daddy. I can’t stay.” I shook my head as he shushed me and patted my head.
“My sweet daughter, what is this?”
Pulling away from him, I shook my head. “Daddy, I can’t put him in danger. I love him too much for that.” My mama let out a small cry as she encased me in her warm embrace that I thought I would never feel again.
“Baby girl, you can’t leave him. You can’t.” My mama sobbed in my hair. “Love always finds a way.” Shaking my head as I tried to compose myself. I was relieved that my mama was okay. Pulling back, I looked her over from head to toe. Besides having rope burn and a few fresh bruises on her arms, she looked to be in good health.
Looking from one to the other, I squared my shoulders to get my resolve back in place. I needed them to understand why I had to do this. “Listen, I need you to understand why I have to do this.” I paused, waiting for them to listen to me. They both nodded. My mother, of course, gave me a heated look. “I have come to terms that being in a relationship is futile. No matter where I am or who I am with, they will be in danger because of my last name. Daddy, I love you so much, and I know that you do everything to keep us safe, but there will be a day when you can’t. How can I bring a family into our lives knowing that one day something will happen to me, or them?” I could tell my mother was about to say something, I raised my hand to stop her.
“Rhetorical question. Listen, I don’t want to take that risk. I can’t. I love Hale too damn much to do that to him. I just can’t.” Shaking my head as a new bout of tears came on.
“Angela O’Malley, I can’t believe that you are giving up so damn easy.” My mama scolded me. Dropping my chin to my chest, I listened to what she had to say. “You are going to walk away from a man that loves you? You are going to walk away from love, if you do this child, you will always feel that ache in your heart. Do you hear me? If you think you can live with that, then go ahead and walk away.” My mother turned away from me and made her way to the bar. The only time she has ever taken that tone with me was when I stole a piece of candy from the grocery store when I was a child.
I knew that this ache would never go away, but how could I live with myself if something happened to him, if he was killed because of my selfishness, I just couldn’t do it. There would be no living after that.
“Angela, my dear, is this what you want?” My father asked with a sad voice.
No! I wanted to scream. “Yes,” I said in a small voice. I thought that I could stay with my parents, but there was no way, especially if my mother didn’t understand why I felt that I needed to leave Hale Stevens. There was no other choice.
“Listen, Angela. Go to the mountain cabin and stay there for a little bit. Get yer head on straight before ya decide. Take my car.”
“But…”
“No, listen to me, Darling. I understand why yer panicking; I truly do.” My father’s green eyes were burning like fresh-cut grass. “My little girl, I can see that ya don’t really want to leave. So, humor yer da, okay. Take a week and think about what yer heart wants.”
“Okay, daddy. I will give it one week.” Giving him another hug. “Love you, daddy.”
“Love ya too. Now go on before yer Tank decides to lock ya up like he should have.” Nodding my head, I couldn’t waste any time. Running up the stairs to Hale’s room. I scribbled out the note and left it for him on his bed. The memories that we made in this room hit me hard as I sunk down to my knees.
I didn’t want to leave him, but I didn’t know how to keep him safe, how could I possibly keep them all safe from my father’s demons that will continue to reach up out of their graves long after he leaves this earth. There was no other solution other than running from my heart’s desire. If my suffering meant keeping him from harm and out of the crosshairs, then so be it. Wiping the tears from my face and getting up off the floor, taking one last look at the room where Hale told me I was his. Closing the door and descending down the stairs and not looking back as I walk out of Tank’s life.
Chapter 25
Tank
I knew there was something off about Angie, but I didn’t have time to figure it out. When we got back to the clubhouse, she ran into Evan’s arms and cried. I hated seeing her tears, but I knew they would come. They were tears of happiness. I was happy that the club and her father’s men were able to find and take out the Las Mocias trash. It was a long time overdue. Hopefully, we could get a more extended break than fifteen years.
I already know that the head is being repaired as we speak of the Las Macias. The next in line is taking over, and it will only take a few years for them to lick their wounds and come back for revenge. But knowing that we are getting out of the gun-running business helps with that threat. The money might be missed, but that is why we have more companies that the club owns. It helps to keep the coffers full.
“Tank, since you were away, we will fill you in.” Brick announces with a grin on his face. “It didn’t take Diesel, Jag, and Evan’s men long to find the whereabouts of their little headquarters. Once we found it, it was only a matter of time to get in and get out. As soon as we got Margot out, then the fun happened.”
Although I was upset that I wasn’t there when the shit went down, I wouldn’t trade it for the time I got to spend with Angie. That woman amazes me. She went through three run-ins with those assholes, and she
survived each time. She didn’t waiver or cower down. Nope, my woman was a fighter. She was brave and ready to face the enemy with whatever she needed. Hell, she was even prepared to run off and start again on her own. I knew what she thought if she could get them on her trail, then they would leave the rest of alone. But what she failed to see was that it wasn’t just her that they wanted. They wanted her father, and the club to suffer. What better way than to take the two women that were attached to both Evan and the club. We all fell for Margot. That woman was a force to be reckoned with, she was loving and a damned good cook. Angie was so much like her mother, but she also had that resolve that her father has. Once she gets something in her mind, she isn’t backing down.
“So, what all kinds of fun did I miss?” I inquire. The smiles that Brick and Jag give me tell me all I need to know.
“Ah, brother. You missed the blood bath. We even saved one for you and Ivan. A peace offering if you will.” Jag’s gravelly voice gives me a smile. He may have a sick and twisted mind, but the man knows how to get answers.
“Yeah, who is it?”
“Juan. We had a hunch that you two would want a crack at him.” My fist clench under the table. What do they know? Nodding my head at Jag and Brick, I have plans for this asshole that Jag would be proud of. That damn piece of shit hurt my woman, stole her maidenhood from her, I have ideas that the devil himself wouldn’t even have planned. I didn’t know how much Ivan knew, looking over at him. He nodded his head at me. Yep, this poor bastard’s last hours were going to be hell.
Brick gets my attention back to the present, “on a more pleasant note, the dealing with Evan have been smoothed over. The Death Bringers are taking over our route completely.” Brick nods towards Ivan. “So, boys, we have officially gone legit.” Poundings on the table go around. Looking around, there isn’t a disgruntled face on my brothers' faces. This was the right decision for the club. Families wouldn’t have to worry about going to prison, not unless they do something stupid.
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