over the table on her stomach. She tried to pull back, but he wouldn’t let go of her. He sat down on a stool, near her face. Holding her by both wrists, he looked into her eyes, and could see she was scared.
“What are you doing?” she whispered.
Cole shook his head, silently telling her to be quiet.
“Stumpy! Let’s go,” Taz yelled.
“What’s he going to do?” Angel whispered softly to Cole.
He looked at her a long moment. “He’s going to put a tat on you that says you belong to me.”
“A…a tattoo? But that’s permanent.” She tried to pull away.
Cole tightened his grip on her wrists, holding her where she was. “Quit.”
“If she’s too much for you to handle, I’ll take her off your hands,” Taz offered with a grin, watching her struggle. “There’s nothing I enjoy more than breakin’ a woman’s spirit.”
Angel turned to look at him. He smiled back at her, and she could see the evil in his eyes. She turned back to Cole, and whispered, “Why are you doing this?”
Cole leaned forward, and said in a low voice, “It’s the only way to protect you from all of them. Do you understand? So they won’t touch you.”
She started to tear up.
Cole saw her eyes pool. “Hey, look at me. You are not going to cry in front of them. Understand? Don’t give that asshole the satisfaction.”
She studied the look in his eyes, and nodded, blinking away the tears, and taking a deep breath.
Stumpy came out from the backroom. He was in his sixties, and covered with tattoos. “Hey, Cole. Taz. Boys. What can I do for ya?”
“We need to get her stamped,” Taz said, nodding toward Angel. He tossed the bills down on the station counter.
Stumpy looked over at the woman being forcibly held down across his table. “She don’t look too willin’, Taz. We got rules about-”
“Just fuckin’ do it, old man,” Taz snapped, threateningly.
“Yeah. Okay.”
Angel could hear the snap of surgical gloves being put on. She tried to turn to look behind her, but Cole turned her face back to him.
“Just look at me, baby.” He turned to Crash, and held out his hand.
Crash passed him the whiskey bottle.
Cole handed it to Angel. “Drink this.”
She shook her head.
“Do it,” he insisted, his eyebrows raised.
She took the bottle, and tilted it up for a drink, and then handed it back to him.
Taz didn’t miss the exchange. “You need to teach her to do what she’s told.”
“She’s learning,” Cole snapped back at him with a deadly look.
Taz smiled. “Bet there’s lots of stuff she needs to learn. Fuck, I’m getting hard just thinking about it.”
Cole passed the bottle back to Crash, and whispered, “Get them the fuck out of here.”
“Come on, guys. Let’s go drink this whiskey while they get this done.” Crash led the way out the door.
Angel looked over. The three others followed Crash out. Taz remained, leaning against the counter, watching her with a smile. After a long moment, he straightened, and followed the others out. They all stood by the curb, drinking and laughing. Angel could see them through the plate glass window.
Cole nodded for Stumpy to get started.
Angel could hear the buzz of the tattoo machine as he turned it on. She put her head down.
Cole kissed the top of her head, wondering how she was ever going to forgive him after this. He’d fucked up, big time. He should have never taken her to that party. Should have known better, but hell, he’d had no idea Mack was going to invite the Devil Kings. What was he thinking, wanting to make any kind of alliance with these assholes?
Cole knew this was payback for the disrespect he’d shown them at the party. Knew, too, that they’d purposely followed them to Sonny’s. Big Ed wanted him to know just who he was messing with. This was all about dick size. Cole wasn’t afraid to fight, but Crash was right. They didn’t stand a chance against eight of them. Mack would shit if he messed up this deal he was trying to work. Besides, didn’t Mack already give him shit about Angel? He wanted her gone.
Angel’s back was burning. She wondered how much more of this she could take, and how long this would go on.
Cole bent his head to hers, and kissed the top of her head again. She noticed he still hadn’t let go of her wrists. She didn’t understand any of this. She’d trusted Cole, and now she didn’t know what