Chapter 30
Elizabeth
The week since Angel and I have been back together has been pretty perfect; we’ve moved all of my stuff into his room at the clubhouse, giving Slim his house back.
Having the week off from the diner has meant we’ve had every evening and night together, and no longer needing to sneak around means we’ve become pretty insufferable for everyone else, they’re all happy for us though.
I had a good catch up with Donovan on the phone and told him the good news about the club, about them agreeing to change the rule, how they all love him and consider him family; and that if anyone ever gives him any grief, they’ll have seven angry bikers to deal with, which made him laugh.
His semester ends in a couple of weeks, and I can’t wait to have him home with us.
It’s the weekend so we’re on our way to visit Diablos Rojos.
I still can’t believe Angel asked me to come with him.
Obviously I’d rather be with him than not, but I’m nervous about going to their club.
We don’t know how they’ll react to the idea, or how they’ll react to hearing about Frank.
I’ve talked to Angel about it, and he’s assured me he’ll keep me safe no matter what, and I have to trust that.
Honestly, I think the main thing he’s been looking forward to is the ride.
He loves having me on the back of his bike, but this ride is different.
Since the club went legit, it’s only been the seven of them; but on this ride, we’ve got twelve ex-LAMC members joining us en route.
He told me that nothing compares to the feeling of nearly twenty bikes all riding together.
He taps my leg to get my attention and signals up ahead to the shoulder.
Six guys sit ready on their bikes; the engines roar as they start them up before falling in behind us.
Even with just these six, the sound is nearly deafening, so I can only imagine what it’s going to be like when all twelve are here.
I nestle into Angel, wrapping my arms even tighter around him and he squeezes my thigh.
Yeah… he’s definitely enjoying the ride.
I’ve only seen the Lobos Aulladores clubhouse, so I’m not sure what I expected when we pull up to Diablos Rojos MC, but it’s not this.
Their clubhouse is a bar in the middle of the city, it’s not quite a high rise, but it’s tall with quite a few floors.
Bikes line the road outside, out in the open for anyone to see—I guess if they’re still involved in illegal shit everyone local knows not to mess with them.
And judging by the number of bikes, their club is way bigger than LAMC.
The bar is buzzing with energy, people packed in like sardines; all the men wearing denim or leather cuts, and the women wearing very little, even less than the girls at our clubhouse.
I definitely feel overdressed in my skinny jeans, tank top, and leather jacket—a gift from Angel for the ride.
The chatter dies down as we walk in, everyone turning to check us out; some nod in greeting or raise their beers.
“Welcome,” the man I recognize as their President says, making his way through the crowd towards us.
“Pedro,” El Jefe says as they shake hands. “Thank you for having us.”
“Of course. Come in, come in, make yourselves at home,” Pedro beckons, signaling to the bartender to bring a round of beers for everyone.
I’m about to sit at the booth with the others when Angel grabs me, pulling me into him and kissing me deeply. A few cheers erupt around the clubhouse.
“What was that for?” I murmur, as he nuzzles into my neck after the kiss.
“Just making sure everyone knows you’re mine, now they’ll leave you alone.”
“Oh…”
As much as it shouldn’t, his possessiveness does turn me on… I just won’t admit that to my FemLit club at college…
“I need to go and deal with business,” he says, leaning close so I can hear him over the noise. “You stay near Slim, okay?”
I nod. At first he was jealous that Slim and I grew close when I stayed with him, but now he seems to like it that I have someone else to watch over me, and it definitely helps that I said I see him more as an older brother than anything else.
I slide into the booth next to Slim, we’re on one side while Tank and Pretty Boy sit on the other. Some of the girls immediately bring us more beers and ask to join us; Tank and Pretty Boy are already very familiar with them, so I’m guessing these are some of their threesome buddies .
“I know you missed out last time,” I say to Slim, “so don’t feel like you have to babysit me. As long as I’m somewhere Angel can see me, he’ll be okay with it.”
He chuckles. “He’d be okay with you, but definitely not with me if I left you alone. Besides, it’s a bit early yet, and we need to get business over with.”
I nod, looking over to the table at the back of the bar, where El Jefe, Tipo, and Angel are sitting with Pedro and Alejandro.
Angel didn’t say anything, but the guys told me what happened between him and Alejandro at the Pit.
I’m really not looking forward to interacting with him at any point.
I can’t hear what’s going on, I can’t even read their facial expressions, so I let myself get lost in the conversation with the guys, which is mainly listening to them flirt with the DRMC girls.
After what feels like hours, Angel finally approaches our table with a smile on his face.
“It’s a deal,” he says.
I breathe a sigh of relief and Tank and Pretty Boy cheer and shout, “Fuck yeah!”
“Thank God,” I say to Slim, who smiles at me.
“Good work, Beth,” he says.
“Yeah, good work, beautiful.” Angel leans down from behind me and kisses the top of my head.
“I’m just glad it’s all sorted.”
Angel pulls up a chair and takes a seat beside me as there’s no more room in the booth, though of course he gets as close as he possibly can.
“What about Frank?” Slim asks .
“Pedro said they’re gonna take care of him.”
He takes my hand and squeezes it, before bringing it to his lips for a kiss.
He knows I’m not okay with this, that a part of me feels responsible.
Logically I know I’m not, Frank’s actions are nothing to do with me, the deal was nothing to do with me, even Diablos Rojos retaliating isn’t on me, but being this close to it all is enough to make me feel like some kind of an accomplice.
Murder isn’t something I can ever be okay with, no matter how much of an asshole Frank is.
But it’s out of my hands, I’m not in a position to advocate for him, and ultimately I need to support Angel.
The fact that he’s being so calm about this is a reminder that before me, before the club went legit, this was his life.
A life he’d been born into sure, but also a life he chose.
They’re legit now, but he has a dark past, they all do.
But with Diablos Rojos agreeing to the plan, and the deal with Frank at an end, their future doesn’t have to be dark.
“Anyway,” Angel says, “business is done, so that leaves you guys free to party.”
He grins as Tank and Pretty Boy each take a couple of girls by the hand and let them lead them away. Then pulls me to him as I get out of the booth to give Slim space to leave.
“I assume you’re both going to be okay?” Slim asks, and we both nod as he makes his way over to chat to a couple of girls who are waving at him.
Angel pushes me into the booth and slides in next to me, shielding me from the room before nestling his head between my neck and shoulder and inhaling deeply.
“I’m surprised you can smell anything other than booze and cigarettes.”
“That’s why I need to get so close to you,” he says, “I wish we could leave and get a hotel, but it would be rude when we’ve been invited to stay here. ”
“It’s okay, I don’t mind staying. Although maybe we should try and get a room that’s far away from the others, I don’t want to be competing with multiple threesomes surrounding us.”
“Mmm, there’s no competition, princess. You sound better than all of them put together. But I am gonna go and ask what room we’re in. Wait here, okay?”
I nod, watching him walk over to the bar, but as soon as he’s gone, Alejandro appears in front of me. Shit. I roll my eyes, not needing this right now considering things are going so well with Angel again.
“It’s okay,” he says, “I’m going to stay a meter away with my hands raised. I just want to apologize.”
I gesture for him to continue and sit back, leaning away from him.
“I’m sorry for being such a dick to you when I was at the clubhouse, I know I came on way too strong, and I should have accepted your repeated no as an answer, I apologize.”
“Fine, apology accepted. You can go now.”
I turn away from him, not wanting him anywhere near when Angel gets back.
“I also wanted to ask you a favor.”
“A favor? After what you did to Angel… Diablo… are you fucking kidding me?”
“I mean, in my defense he gave better than he got so…”
He signals to the bruise that still shades his eye and the cut on his lip that hasn’t healed. I know it’s wrong, but it makes me happy to see he’s not healing as quickly as Angel.
“What’s the favor? And that’s not me agreeing to it.”
“I want to transfer to Lobos Aulladores.”
I scoff and shake my head.
“Wait, please hear me out,” he says, “it’s not about you.
But I want what Diablo has, a relationship, and to do that I need to get out of all the illegal work.
” He pauses, waiting to see if I’ll say something, but I honestly don’t know what to say.
“I’m going to ask Diablo for his vote, and ask El Jefe to consider me, but I wanted to get your okay first, I know you might not want me there. ”
He’s right, I don’t, but the fact that he’s asking instead of going behind our backs is a good thing, and I can’t blame him for wanting to get away from the illegal stuff.