Angel Girl

by Christine Michelle

  “We don’t have a garage set up yet, but we can load her up in the truck and run her by JoJo’s place in town,” Quick told him.

  “Sounds like a plan,” I offered up hoping beyond hope that maybe I’d see Angel Girl there somehow or, at the very least, get some information out of JoJo about her.

  “JoJo one of the guys?” Steel asked, looking around and getting the lay of the land.

  “Nah, you’ll see,” Quick explained on a laugh. Steel just shrugged his shoulders and followed us out to the front lot where he had his bike parked. The damn thing was the same color of his eyes. Shimmering damn steel except for the seat that was black leather and the saddlebags he had hitched up to it.

  “You need to stow your shit first?” I asked indicating the full bags.

  “Probably for the best. Give me a minute to grab my shit and then we’ll haul it out of here.”

  “Come on, I’ll show to your new room,” I told him once he had his bags in hand. “They’ll probably have your bike loaded by the time we get back out.”

  Steel chuckled. “Less work for us, you mean?”

  “Exactly,” I told him with a grin. “This will be your spot for now. If we need to make changes just let us know. All the rooms have their own bathrooms though, and they’re pretty much all just alike too.”

  “I’m not picky man. So long as I don’t have to listen to my best friend banging my girl next door, all is well.”

  “Damn, tell me that isn’t why you’re here.”

  He huffed out a breath and then opened the door to his room. “It ain’t the only reason, but yeah, it definitely helped with the push for a change in scenery. Thank fuck you guys were starting up here. I didn’t want to roll into a place where everyone already had their shit established, you know. It’s like starting as a prospect all over again.”

  “True enough,” I agreed. “Though, without all the shit details.”

  “Let’s go get this done. I heard there’s some great spots to ride out here.”

  I smirked. “That has been one of the perks to being here. The ride is never boring.”

  “Nice place from the outside,” Steel commented.

  “It’s a great place inside too. JoJo keeps a clean shop and does some of the best work around. The employees here have nothing on what JoJo manages to do with an engine.”

  Steel nodded and took note of Quickshot grinning over the fact that I failed to identify JoJo as a female. Steel would find out soon enough, and be shocked just like the rest of us. I still couldn’t imagine her working her way around a car engine. Hell, she was tiny enough I always pictured her as some sort of mechanical fairy that just climbed in and fixed shit. She always seemed the opposite of a gremlin or something.

  “Can I help you?” A scraggly older man asked.

  “Need to see JoJo about getting some space to fix a bike.”

  “Gettin’ some space?” The man questioned with narrowed eyes. “This here is a garage and a business. Either you want us to fix it for you or you get on your way,” he stated evenly.

  Steel scoffed at that. “No one touches my bike.”

  “Then get gone with ya,” the man called back as he made his way into the open bays.

  My heart ticked up a beat when I saw Keys was already in the garage with JoJo discussing something that had them both laughing. I glanced around hoping to see Angel Girl here too, but those hopes were quickly dashed when I saw was the other mechanic JoJo employed on a regular basis.

  “She’s not here,” JoJo finally said, having taken notice of us.

  “We have a bike outside that needs some work on it, but Steel here wants to do the work himself.”

  “Then why are y’all here?” Keys stood up to defend her friend, arms crossed over her chest and glaring at Quickshot who let out a heavy sigh. Shit. This was not going in any direction I thought it would.

  “We were just hoping you’d let us use some space. I’ll rent it until Steel’s done the work he needs if I have to. We don’t have a garage area set up just yet.”

  “And y’all don’t trust a woman working on your bikes?” JoJo’s words were more accusation than question, and rightfully so considering the position she was currently in with her garage.

  “Look, sweetheart, I don’t let other men work on my bike either. Where’s this JoJo guy so I can work something out with him?” I knew as soon as those words left Steel’s mouth that we’d be carrying his bike right back to the clubhouse without the wobble worked out.

  Sure enough, JoJo squared her tiny little shoulders and wiped her dainty, grease stained hands on a cloth as she moved in close. “Get your bike and get the fuck out of my garage,” she seethed.

  “Your garage?” Steel questioned and then glanced back at me for confirmation. I nodded just enough that he’d get the point. Yes, this was the JoJo I had been talking about. I’d offered up a little about the shop probably closing soon or being sold as we were heading over, but I didn’t go into the details of why, and I never did mention that JoJo was a woman. I thought it would be funny to see his reaction in person. I was now seeing the error of my ways, as was Steel. “Well, shit,” he huffed out. “I didn’t mean to offend you. Look, I’m sure we can work something out. I hear your place is in some kind of trouble, I can work something out where I rent the space from you to work if it’s a financial issue you’re having. I could buy the place too if that’s open for discussion.”

  “Are you serious right now?” JoJo turned on me then. “I see why your wife came back from your honeymoon without you now.”

  That was a low blow, and a direct hit if ever there was one. It seemed I was doomed to piss all the women in my life off these days. The scene was far from over even though I kept my mouth shut at that point.

  “You have a great setup here,” Steel told her even though it now sounded like he was just blowing smoke up her ass.

  “Thanks,” she managed to get out in a clipped tone before adding, “I am well aware since it’s mine.”

  “Oh hey,” Quickshot interjected nonchalantly after pulling his lips away from Keys, as if the room hadn’t filled to the brim with all kinds of tension. “JoJo this is Steel. He’s our mechanic, just transferred in from the South Dakota chapter. Steel, this is JoJo. She owns the place.”

  “For now,” she huffed.

  “What exactly does that mean?” Steel’s question brought up the fact that he had just offered to buy her out or rent space from her and I watched as she bristled again, ready for a fight.

  “Long story.” Her response, again, was clipped.

  Quickshot took that opportunity to set everyone straight with a dose of reality. “Her father left the place to her with the stipulation that she had to be married in a certain timeframe or the business would pass on to her brother who performs in Broadway plays and wants to sell the place for a quick buck despite the fact it’s been in the family for several generations now. Her timeframe is almost up, and she’s not even dating anyone let alone close to marrying someone.”

  I left them to that conversation and slipped outside to text Angel Girl.

  Me: At JoJo’s garage introducing her to our new transfer. He’s a mechanic and things are interesting. I wish you were here to see this. I miss you. Please, let me come talk to you, sugar. I need you.

  I stood there by the truck waiting on the guys to finish up. In reality, I was waiting on Angel Girl to respond. I needed her to. “She’s busy right now,” Keys’ voice damn near startled me as she moved in closer. I didn’t say anything so she continued. “They’re placing Grant - Kat’s little boy - with MiMi today. Her and Tash are both over there making sure everything goes smoothly. I was supposed to be, but I wanted to check in on JoJo too. She’s had a rough time, and I don’t think it was wise to bring someone here to taunt her with an offer to sell the place.”

  “That wasn’t the intention,” I let her know right away and explained the situation. “How’s it going in there?”

  Keys laughed.
“Who knows? They might kill each other or one might bend the other over a car and give them what they both seem to need more than fixing cars and bikes.”

  “Well, hell. I think I’d actually pay to see little JoJo bend Steel over like that.”

  “Me too,” she admitted and laughed again then looked up at me with a guilty smile that faltered quickly. “I don’t know what you’ve been hiding from Angel, but if you’re going to break her heart, get it over with it quickly so she can heal. This is hurting her.”

  “She’s all I want in this life. Things are just complicated and I need to explain them to her, but the last thing I want is to lose her.”

  “Bit of advice?” She asked and I quickly nodded my head, because I’d take all I could get.

  “Stop fucking up then.”

  “Well shit, I already know that part,” I mumbled.

  “I just bet you do,” she agreed. “I’ll talk to her and see where her head’s at and let you know, Quick.”

  “Not that I’m not thankful, but why?”

  “Because my friend is hurting, and this is supposed to be an exciting new start for her, not the end of something before it even had a chance to begin again. I want her happiness. I think you can give it to her if you pull your head out of your ass for a while.”

  Yeah, I deserved that. I nodded my head in her direction and turned to the truck again as Steel came barreling out of the garage with Quickshot hot on his heels. “Let’s go,” he announced as he swung up into the rear of the truck to ride with his bike.

  When Quickshot got in the cab I had to ask. “I’m guessing that didn’t go well or end with someone bending the other over a car?”

  “What the fuck kind of question is that?” Quick asked.

  “Ask your woman, it was her idea.”

  He gave me a funny look then started texting on his phone. After a couple minutes and a few text dings he started laughing. “She’s feisty,” he admitted having received the details from Keys. I admired their easy relationship and found myself hurting over the fact that my own phone hadn’t signaled an incoming text once yet. I didn’t have to worry about a child coming into this world changing Jamie’s mind about me. I’d done that all on my own with one stupid decision.

  Chapter 22

  Do you really think I need to be headed to Vegas right now considering everything that’s going on?” I asked Keys as she poked her bottom lip out at my in a pouty expression.

  “Of course I do. JoJo needs this. She’s about to lose the garage, and honestly, we may not be able to get it back for her if that happens. Her brother is well aware of who we are, and at this point, I think he’d fuck her over just out of spite since she cut him off from the garage funds. Asshole should’ve actually helped out once in a while.”

  “I still don’t understand why he thinks he deserves a cut of what the garage makes when he hasn’t even stepped foot in the place,” I stated coolly wishing I could take my frustrations out on the douchebag himself.

  “I don’t know. The more pressing matter is why her dad would leave the garage to him instead of the one of the guys that worked for him all those years if he wouldn’t leave it to JoJo outright, you know? He had to know his son wouldn’t do the right thing by the place.” She stood then and paced the room. “You’re getting me off topic though. You need this as much as she does. You’re already not speaking to Sweet. You can do that from Vegas where we can take your mind off of it too.”

  “This doesn’t sound like the greatest idea,” I reiterated my stance.

  “It sounds like the best of ideas. You’ll see.” Without waiting for my confirmation Keys started digging through my closet and pulled out an oversized backpack I used when I traveled. “This should be good enough for the weekend.” She tossed the bag at me. “Don’t make me pack it, because you won’t like what I put in there. Get ready, sweet cheeks, we’re goin’ to sin city!” With that little announcement Keys left me to it and went to bother someone else with her crazy plan to make her sisters forget all about their man troubles.

  Vegas was all lights until we got to our hotel suite, which contained two bedrooms. JoJo and Tash were sharing one and the other was shared between Keys and myself, which I thought was a little odd. Keys was closer to JoJo than the rest of us while Tash and I had come up together since our first day in college. I didn’t question it though. I figured Keys was just putting the “taken” women in one space and the single ladies in another in case they wanted to get their freak on or something.

  “So what are we doing tonight?” Tash asked as we all finally sat down after dropping our things off in our various rooms.

  “We have entertainment coming to us tonight. I figured after the flight we’d be easily wiped out so I organized a little male review in the room,” she slapped her hands together and rubbed them together furiously.

  “Male review?” My question was met by her evil grin.

  “Who knows?” She asked the room. “Maybe one of them will be willing to marry our JoJo and save her garage. Then we can watch him work while she works.”

  JoJo spit out the soda she’d been taking a sip of. “You’re trying to marry me off to a stripper?” Her words were sputtered out as she cleaned the fizzing drink from the front of her shirt.

  “We’re members of an MC, one of us might as well live up to the stereotype,” Keys laughed out sending us all into a fit of giggles.

  “Jesus, Keys. Why do I have to be the one to meet your stereotype?” JoJo complained lightheartedly. “Although, I will reserve judgment until I see him.” That had us laughing again, not that I could blame her for her assessment.

  “Tash, give me a hand?” Keys called out and both of them left the room leaving me alone with JoJo for the first time since we spoke at my wedding reception.

  “Jo,” I started she waved me off.

  “I know what you’re about to do. Don’t. You had a stressful day and I disappointed you. I had my reasons Angel Girl, and I didn’t think you needed to be burdened by them while you were planning a wedding and getting married.”

  “For all the good that did,” I huffed out.

  “Listen,” she stated quickly drawing my attention back to her. “I know y’all are going through something right now, but it will pass. You’ll figure it out. It’s obvious that you both love one another. Right now, you just need to figure out what’s more important: your hurt pride or communicating and getting everything out in the open to air our all the doubt. Honey, that doubt is drowning you. You’re still sinking in it, even here in Vegas. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out.”

  I smiled at her then. “No, a mechanic will do just fine.” She grinned.

  “Damn straight,” she answered back.

  “I really am sorry. I want you to know something else.” She sat, taking in everything I had to say with serenity that I wish I could have for myself. “You look so much like her,” I started and she sat a little straighter on the couch. “Marisol,” I clarified. “You could be her damn twin. I didn’t know what it was all this time that rubbed me a little wrong about you, but I finally put my finger on it. I was seeing her betrayal every time I saw you and it has kept us from getting close like I am with Tash, Legs, and Keys. That’s all on me too.”

  She nodded her head sagely and then smiled at me. “Well, now that you’re aware maybe we’ll be able to move past it. I can’t change the way I look, but I’m not that woman. I’d never do that to a friend.”

  “I get that. Just be patient with me, okay?”

  “Of course,” she answered just as there was a knock on the door. “I guess Keys’ entertainment is here already.” JoJo got up to answer the door, when the phone rang. She instead moved to head toward the phone since Keys was closer to the door. Keys turned with a startled expression pasted on her face and her cell phone clutched in her hands. She flung the door open and her shoulders went back as she kept the door pulled just enough that we couldn’t see who was on the other side.
>
  “This is supposed to be a girl’s weekend, what are you doing here?” Uh oh. I had a bad feeling about who was on the other side of that door.

  “Aw, come on, I couldn’t let my baby come to Vegas without me. What fun would that be?” Yeah, that’s what I was afraid of. If Quickshot were here then he wouldn’t be alone.

  “Oh my God, what did you do?” Keys hissed as the door to the suite was pushed open and three large and very in charge bikers moved into the room. They were definitely not the strippers we’d ordered, and one of them was staring me down with pleading eyes. “We’re here for JoJo,” Keys went on reprimanding Quickshot as Sweet made his way to me. “We haven’t met,” I heard as the third man held his hand out to Tash.

  “Charmed,” she answered back with a bite in her tone.

  “What? Did you two get the only non-frigid chicks in their club?” The third biker who had entered the room, and one I was unfamiliar with, didn’t have a whole lot of self-preservation it seemed. A quick glance at JoJo’s furious and hurt face told me she thought this was some setup.

  “Who in the hell are you calling frigid, you poor excuse for a cue stick?” Tash was pissed off at the bald man who I would normally consider sexy if he hadn’t opened his mouth, and if my husband hadn’t been in the room to dim the other man’s light for him. Even when I was frustrated and confused by Sweet, he still shined for me brighter than anyone else ever had. I both adored that and hated him for it.

  “Please,” he whispered as he closed in on me and wrapped his hands around my hips, pulling me forward into his body. Before he could say anything else JoJo had grabbed hold of Sweet’s arm.

  “Why is he here?” She demanded.

  “Quick and I talked about coming for Angel and Keys. Figured we’d bring Steel along to help him get used to us and take his mind off other stuff.”

  “And you thought it would be a good idea to have him around me, on my get-away and de-stress weekend before I lose everything?”