Chapter 8
Angel drummed his fingers upon the hard wooden table, waiting for the rest of the club officers to join him at church in the clubhouse”s backroom.
Zeus had called church to discuss the end of their five-week lockdown, but Angel had mixed emotions about ending lockdown.
Especially after last night. Watching Nora fall asleep in his arms after she gave herself so freely did something to him.
Nora touched his soul, and he didn’t know if he could ever go back to how things were. Maybe that’s why he left her this morning without waking her up. He needed a moment to screw his head back on straight.
“Hey.”
Angel duck just in time before Dragon could clog him in the back of the head.
“Wakey wakey, brother,” Dragon said with his signature grin on his stupid face as he shoved Angel’s shoulder instead.
“Fuck off.”
Dragon snickered while taking his seat opposite of Angel. “So, where is everyone?”
He’d texted the club officers last night, making sure they would all be present at the table this morning.
Angel checked the time. “It’s still five to eight.”
Demon entered the room in silence, a single nod the only hint of acknowledgement.
“What’s up, Cuz?” Dragon asked Demon.
Demon took his time answering his cousin. After taking out his favorite knife and carving the side of the table for a moment, he said, “I’m ready to hunt.”
“Makes two of us,” Dragon said.
The former sniper had been born for hunting. Unlike Dragon, Ace and Ranger, Angel had never served his country. After he’d been kicked out of his sixth foster home at age eighteen, he’d started prospecting at the club and never looked back.
Angel never felt like he belonged somewhere before he met Zeus that night at the gas station. Zeus, Wolf and Demon had come up to him after Angel had clocked some asshole who’d aimed his gun at the frightened girl behind the cash register in the shop.
At first, Angel didn’t know what to make of the long-haired Greek and his two best friends. Wolf had been nice enough, joking straight away how the club whores would like Angel, inviting him to a party at the clubhouse.
Demon had been his same old self; quiet and observing. It had taken Angel several years to earn his spot inside Demon’s inner circle.
A lot has changed since that night at the gas station over a decade ago. Annas, the former president of IVMC, betrayed the club and lured them in a club war with his new club, the Strong Riders.
Even though Annas had been killed, the clubs were still at war. Since the start of this lockdown five weeks ago, Whirlwind had been kidnapped and Princess unintentionally exposed Vic as the mole in the club before he shot Turtle right in front of the clubhouse.
By some miracle, their oldest club member survived the shooting by the man he’d considered his son. If they didn’t respect Turtle as much as they did, Vic would’ve been put down like a rabid dog weeks ago.
“Morning, assholes,” Wolf said upon entering church.
“What’s with that smile?” Dragon asked Wolf.
“What? Can’t a guy wake up happy?”
Dragon chuckled. “I should find a girl like Princess?—”
“There’s only one Princess, asshole. And she belongs to me,” Wolf said, his eyes narrowed, all happy energy gone.
It didn’t surprise Angel that the Club Princess’ stay in Wolf’s room during lockdown would result in them finally getting together. It baffled Angel that Amara’s brothers thought Wolf would keep his paws to himself for once.
After kicking the shit out of Wolf, Zeus slowly warmed up to the idea of his youngest sister together with his best friend. Demon, however, proved a tougher nut to crack.
Angel never became part of the Doukas family, like Demon or even Wolf, who’d spent most of his time at their Greek Prez’s home. Attaching himself to others had only hurt Angel in the past. He found a family in this outlaw band of brothers, though. That was more than enough for him.
The slam of the gavel against the hard wooden table brought Angel back to church. He’d missed Zeus, Fox and Zion walking in to complete their group of Club Officers.
“First thing we need to discuss is the empty basement,” Demon grumbled before their Prez could officially open their meeting. As the club’s Enforcer, Demon couldn’t wait to fill up their torture basement again.
“Ah, our guests checked out? I hope they filled in the costumer satisfactory survey before they left?” Dragon asked without needing an answer.
“They checked out all right. Mud and Snare are a fine addition to Whirlwind’s dirt bike ramp,” Zeus said.
While the rest of them banged their closed fists upon the table in support of killing Cat’s kidnappers, Zion said over the rumble, “I hope Whirlwind found some sort of closure.”
All eyes went over to Demon, whose creepy smile made the hair stand up in the back of Angel’s neck as he said, “She did. My Old Lady is very inventive with our basement supplies.”
Dragon laughed. “You two are a match made in hell.”
“Thanks.” Only Demon would take his cousin’s dig as a compliment.
Angel wondered what Nora would do in her twin sister’s position. Not that he would ever let her down into their torture basement. Shielding Nora from everything club related could possibly be his new obsession, instead of owning her body and soul.
Zeus continued their meeting and said, “Squirrel watched the Storm Riders’ clubhouse last night, and saw those assholes board everything up, leaving Austin.”
Dragon leaned in, his elbows resting on the carved Viking on the table. “We’re gonna torch the place, right?”
“Yeah. We’re not givin’ them a chance to move back into our backyard like my old man did,” Zeus said.
“And then we’ll go after Vic,” Zion said.
Angel banged his fist upon the table, liking the idea of finally settling the score.
Zeus raised his left hand, signaling the officers to listen. “Vic’s a special case. We all know where Turtle stands on this subject.”
“I can’t believe we’re letting the snake slither around Vegas until our old timer blows his last breath. This is gonna bite us right up the ass,” Dragon said, revealing he’d joined their Austin charter just a few months ago, unrecognizing Turtle’s highly respected role as the club’s patriarch.
“Deal with it,” Zeus said in a tone of voice that left no room for a reply.
Dragon sat back in his chair, having enough sense to show his Prez the respect he deserved.
“Next thing we need to discuss are all these girls brought into our clubhouse for lockdown,” Zeus said.
Angel cleared his throat, uncomfortable with this topic since several brothers already made a remark or two about Angel having a soft spot for Nora.
“Since the Storm Riders are done for, this lockdown will end today. Fox’s cousins Rosie and Joelle will leave for college with Ariella this afternoon. I talked to Devlin five minutes ago, and Quiet One will join the girls and move in at their off-campus apartment.”
“The fuck?!”
All heads turned to Angel, since he’d never showed his cards like this before.
“There’s something you need off your chest?” Fox asked, one eyebrow raised.
“Didn’t those Storm Riders in the basement spilled that Ariella is their next target? I don’t know what you’re on, but if you think I’ll let Quiet One stay in an apartment with that chick, you’re delusional,” Angel scoffed.
Fox turned red in the face. “Fuck you. I would never put Rosie and Joelle in danger.”
Dragon piped in, “Don’t hold it against our brother, Fox. He’s smitten like the rest of our fallen brothers. Can’t wait to see what’s left of these romances when lockdown is over, and our brothers are left alone again with the club whores.”
Angel ignored Dragon, even though the man had a point. Things were probably not any different in Dragon’s former IVMC chapter in Seattle.
“Shut your trap. Let’s round this up,” Wolf said.
Angel wasn’t about to round anything up before making his point. “Quiet One will not move in with the other girls somewhere at a half hour drive away from here. That’s final.”
Demon pointed the tip of his knife towards Angel from across the table. “She’ll be safe there. We’ll have eyes on their apartment twenty-four seven. They’re not just some friends of the club. They’re family,” Demon said.
“We’ve all seen what happened with your Old Lady: taken from our Prez’s backyard! How would Quiet One handle rapist scum? You think she’ll kill two of her attackers like your Old Lady did?!”
With every word leaving his lips, Angel got more and more agitated. He couldn’t believe this shit.
Zeus slammed his fist on the table, demanding everyone’s attention. “If Devlin and Fox are okay with their sister and cousins up in that apartment, then that’s final. You have no say in this whatsoever. Or are you claiming her?”
Angel took too long answering his Prez.
“I thought so. You better check yourself, brother,” Zeus said.
It took every bit of restraint to not go off on his best friend and Prez. Angel gave Zeus a nod before bringing a hand through his hair. Maybe sending Nora on her way to some off-campus apartment would end this stupid growing obsession.
This club, the brothers belonging to this club; it was all he had. He wouldn’t throw it away for some pretty smokey eyes and strawberry smelling pussy.
Nora had to go.
Today.