to think. Why was he letting them force this on her? She looked out the plate glass window at the men lounging on their bikes, and saw the answer. They were a mean bunch. And they had him outnumbered.
When Stumpy finally told them he was finished, Cole nodded to him, and said, “Give us a minute.”
“Sure, Cole.” He pulled the surgical gloves off, and tossed them in the wastebasket, and walked into the backroom.
“Look at me.”
Angel looked up.
“You okay?”
She didn’t say anything, just pulled on her arms, trying to break his hold.
Cole let go of her wrists, and took her hands in his, and brought them to his lips, and kissed them. “I’m sorry, baby. For all of this.” He reached a hand up, and cradled the side of her face in his palm, his thumb stroking over her cheekbone.
Just then, Crash leaned his head in the door. “Hate to break up this tender moment, but the whiskey’s gone, and we need to get the hell out of here before they start lookin’ for trouble.”
Cole helped Angel up. He took her by the hand, and led her outside.
The Devil Kings were standing by the curb.
Taz was slouching on his bike, his ass sideways in the seat, leaning back on one elbow, his legs out straight, crossed at the ankles. “Well, girlie. Let’s see.” He took a drag off his cigarette, and blew the smoke out, his eyes never leaving hers.
Angel looked up at Cole.
He put his arm around her shoulders, and pulled her toward him so that her back was facing them, then he lifted the hem of her shirt up.
“Now, see boys. She’s learnin’. Did you see how she looked at her man for permission and instruction?”
They all snickered.
Taz studied the tattoo.
Cole glared at him.
Angel felt humiliated and put on display.
“Stumpy does nice work,” Taz observed, smiling. He tilted his head sideways, his eyes sliding over her ass. “Real nice.”
Cole noticed, and barely leashed anger flashed in his eyes. He let her shirt drop.
Angel winced when the fabric brushed against the new tattoo.
“So, we done here?” Cole bit out.
Taz looked at him, and they stared each other down. Taz took another slow drag off his cigarette. He nodded, finally. “Yeah. We’re done. We’re headed back over. You comin’?”
“No. We’re going back to the clubhouse.”
“Suit yourself. See ya ‘round.”
Cole nodded.
Cole, Crash and Angel stood there while the Devil Kings mounted up, and pulled out. The engines roaring, as they gunned it down the street.
“Fuck, man!” Crash exhaled, looking at Cole.
Cole hooked his arm around Angel’s neck, and pulled her close, and kissed her forehead. “Let’s get out of here.”
Chapter Eight
Cole led Angel straight up to his room, his hand clamped firmly on her wrist. He was afraid if he let go, she’d bolt. He pulled her inside, and closed the door.
She yanked free of his hold, and glared at him. “Don’t touch me.”
“Baby, I’m sorry. I never meant for that to happen.”
“You didn’t stop it.”
“We were outnumbered. I think you saw that.”
She turned away from him.
He walked over, and stood behind her, his hands closing on her upper arms. Bending his head close to hers, he whispered in her ear, “Angel, I swear to God, if there had been any way out of that situation, don’t you think I would have done it? If Crash and I had fought them, and gone down in the fight, you would have been at their mercy. Do you understand?”
She turned in his arms. “I don’t understand any of this. Why would they do that? For what?”
God. He had to explain to her, to admit to her that this was all his fault. That he’d brought this on. “They did it to teach me a lesson. Payback for the disrespect I showed Big Ed at the War Dog’s clubhouse.”
“What? I don’t understand. You’re not the one they tattooed.”
“No. But he knew it was a way to get to me. He was either going to take you from me or show me he could do that to you, knowing I couldn’t stop him.”
“Why didn’t he just beat the crap out of you?” she asked, her voice filled with anger. She spun away.
“Is that what you would have preferred?”
As much as she hated him right now, and as pissed as she was, she still wouldn’t have wanted them to have hurt Cole. She shook her head.
“He didn’t do that, because it would have pissed on the deal with him and Mack. But forcing the issue with