Chapter 16
Elizabeth
I’m nervous as I head downstairs to the main clubhouse, feeling like everyone will be able to see right through me and know that I spent the night with Angel, and have been for the last few weeks.
Rather than go together, he told me to head down first, so I can tell them that he’s using the shower, instead of the truth which was a shower for two with lots of kisses and soapy cuddles.
There’s no point rushing to make my first class, I figure I’ll take my time and head into college a bit later today. The lecturers will just have to accept that with my place getting broken into last night, I needed to deal with stuff.
Everyone is sitting around the table, either drinking coffee or eating breakfast.
“Beth?” Tank says, the first to see me when I reach the bottom of the stairs.
“Hey,” I say, giving an awkward wave.
“I didn’t know you were here.”
“Yeah, when I got home after my shift, my place had been broken into. I usually call Donovan when it happens, but he said Diablo would help while he’s away, so he came to pick me up.”
“Shit, did anything get taken?” Tipo asks, while Tank pulls up a chair for me to sit with them, before pouring me a mug of coffee.
“No, I never keep valuables there, they just went through my clothes and left.”
We’re interrupted by the sound of footsteps on the stairs, getting louder the closer Angel gets.
“El Jefe,” he says, walking straight over and skipping any niceties, “can we give Elizabeth one of the spare rooms? I don’t want her going back there.”
“How long for?” El Jefe asks, “We’ve got guests coming this weekend, so the spare rooms are spoken for.”
“Shit, I was hoping long term, at least until we can figure out something else.”
“Where did she sleep last night?” Pretty Boy asks.
There’s a thud as someone kicks him under the table.
“She slept in my room; I took the chair,” Angel says, “and we can do that again if there are no other rooms.”
“I don’t want to be a nuisance,” I say, “once my door is fixed, I can go home, it’s no trouble.”
“No,” Slim says, “you can’t go back there; it doesn’t sound safe.”
Everyone looks up in shock, he never usually talks when I’m around, in fact, other than him placing an order at the diner, this might be the only time I’ve heard him speak.
“He’s right,” Pretty Boy says, “a cute young thing like you, all alone in a dangerous apartment, what kind of gentlemen would we be? In fact, I insist you take my bed tonight, darlin’, it’s plenty big enough for two.”
I can practically feel the anger radiating from Angel, so I quickly speak up to ease any tension .
“And yet, you call yourself a gentleman,” I say, crossing my arms and lifting a brow, making the others laugh.
“Actually,” Slim says, “I suppose this is a good time to mention it. I bought myself a place, got the keys yesterday, was gonna tell you this weekend. I could move my stuff out today and Beth could take my room?”
“Congrats!” Tank says, giving him a punch on the arm.
“Good for you, Slim,” El Jefe says, “are you sure you don’t mind going earlier?”
“I really don’t want to make things difficult,” I say, “I appreciate you offering, but I don’t want you to rush moving out.”
Slim shrugs. “It’s not a problem.”
“Then that’s settled,” El Jefe says, “Beth will take Slim’s old room, if that works for you of course, Diablo?”
I notice the look El Jefe gives him as he asks, probably wondering why he’s taking such a vested interest in my welfare all of a sudden.
“Yeah, thanks Slim,” Angel says, “you want us to help you move?”
“Yes,” I say, “please let me at least help you move, or help you decorate or something.”
Slim nods. “Sure.”
“Great,” I say, “anyway, I should probably be getting to class. Are you still okay to help me pick up my stuff later and sort out my contract, Diablo?”
It feels so strange to call him that after using Angel so often.
“You don’t need to worry about that,” he says, “Tank and I will drop you off at college and then go and deal with everything.”
“Yeah, leave it to us,” Tank says.
“Okay, thanks, I really appreciate it. ”
They finish their coffee and breakfast, before we head out to the car, the same one Angel had borrowed the week earlier. Tank goes straight to sit in the back, leaving me with the passenger seat.
It’s different having Tank in the car with us, usually Angel and I chat, hold hands over the console, or rest a hand on the other’s thigh, but today we feel distant, and I don’t like it. I also feel empty at the thought that I won’t be able to kiss him goodbye when we get to the campus.
Angel must have also had the same thought, because after saying goodbye and making my way across the grounds, his voice calls out behind me.
The next thing I know, I’m gently being pushed behind one of the large trees, so we’re hidden from Tank’s view while he presses me against the trunk and kisses me deeply.
As he breaks the kiss for a moment I manage to ask, “And what exactly does Tank think is happening right now?”
“He thinks I forgot to get your apartment key. It’s such a shame it’s gotten all tangled in with your other keys too,” he chuckles, “it’s taking forever to untangle them.”
He stays pressed against me, kissing me until I’m breathless, only stopping when the giggles and cheers from other students get too loud and draw more attention to us.
“Alright princess, I’ll pick you up later this afternoon, okay?”
Still reeling from the kiss, I can only nod and smile as he gives me another quick peck on the lips before heading back towards the car, leaving me trying to figure out what class I have and where I’m meant to be going .
Diablo
“This is where Beth was living?” Tank asks, as I park the car at Midtown Apartments.
“Yeah,” I say, slamming the car door behind me. “Come on, we’ll get her stuff first, then go and speak to the landlord.”
I lead him up to her floor and find the door still broken in; I’d managed to wedge it shut before we left, but still, anyone could have wandered in.
Tank doesn’t question how I know where everything is, which stuff belongs to her, and what needs to stay.
I’m trying not to take my anger out on the things we’re leaving behind, reminding myself that breaking the table won’t solve anything.
But the more I look around the place the angrier I get.
I’d planned on trying to have a friendly conversation with the landlord to make sure Elizabeth gets her deposit back, but now I’m thinking he needs to be taught a harsher lesson.
“Come on, let’s find this asshole,” I say.
The office door cracks under my boot as I kick it open, wood splintering over the floor. I’m met by a weedy little man trembling on a sofa with his hands raised.
“What… what are you doing?”
“Not fun having your door kicked in, is it you piece of shit?” I say.
I’m across the room in a couple of strides, his collar in my hands as I pull him to his feet. The man’s eyes glance down at my patch and over my shoulder to Tank; his bottom lip starts to shake… fucking pathetic.
“I didn’t know anyone from the MC lived here,” he says.
“That doesn’t fucking matter. You think it’s okay to let lowlifes come around and kick in innocent people’s doors?”
“They… they make sure nobody’s there, no one ge ts hurt.”
“Yeah? Well I’m not so considerate.”
My forehead connects with his face and blood gushes from his nose. A punch to the ribs has him crumpling to the floor, coughing and spluttering.
“I want the full deposit and last month’s rent from apartment 3F. Now.”
I add a sharp kick to his gut to make sure he gets the message.
“Okay, okay.”
“And you’d better not shortchange me, or you’ll see what I’m like when I get really pissed off.”
He crawls over to a cabinet and opens a drawer, rifling through some envelopes before pulling out three and removing the cash.
“Here.” He holds it out to me, and the bills shake in his hand. “This covers everything.”
“Deposit and last month’s rent?” I ask, quickly counting the notes and seeing that it’s all there.
“Yes, yes, I promise.”
He’s backed into the wall now, hands still raised, his face covered in blood and snot.
“Alright, you can find a new tenant for apartment 3F, although you might need to get the door fixed first.”
I don’t wait for him to reply, instead walking out with Tank behind me, leaving the landlord bleeding on the floor.
On the way back to the clubhouse we stop off at a store and I buy Elizabeth some nice things for her new room—a couple of pillows, a blanket, and a lamp she can use for reading at night. Tank doesn’t question it and keeps his mouth shut; there’s a reason why he’s my best friend.
When I’m ready to pick Elizabeth up from college, I’ve got her room all set up.
I know it’s not much, but considering she’s been living out of a suitcase for however many years, I think she’ll like it.
I’m waiting for her in the usual spot and I’m excited to see her, I’ve got an idea in mind for our journey home and the thought is already making me hard.
By the time she opens the car door, I’m aching with need. She glances at the backseat to check it’s empty, before leaning over the center console and pulling me into a deep kiss which I return greedily, loving that she might have the same idea as I do.
“How come you bought the car?” she asks, her voice sexy, as though she already knows the answer.
“Thought we could take a detour on our way home.”
She grins. “Let’s go.”
I’m driving out of town towards the Blacklodge Mountain Nature Reserve; I rarely come up here, but I figure it will be remote and give us the privacy we’ve lost now we both live in the clubhouse.
It doesn’t take me long to find the perfect spot, a lookout point that’s off the road, and there’s only enough space for one car, so anyone that tries to come here will have to reverse out before they get too close.
“Wow!” she gasps, looking out over the view, “This is beautiful.”
“Yeah, I hardly ever come here, but thought it would be nice.”