“Well, I guess you got off easy, then, huh? I’m the one that paid the price.”
“You think it didn’t tear my heart out to have to put you through that? To have to be the one that held you down while they did that to you?”
“I don’t know what to think.”
“If Crash and I had put up any resistance, they wouldn’t have hesitated in taking us down. And you-” he broke off, not wanting to verbalize the possibilities.
“What?”
“God, I don’t even want to think about what they might have done to you. If Taz had gotten his hands on you-” he broke off, shaking his head. She needed to hear the truth, and he’d promised he’d give it to her. “Did you hear what he said, how he likes to break a woman’s spirit? He likes to make them suffer, Angel. Do you understand? They’re some sick individuals in that club. The stories I’ve heard of the things they’ve done to some women, you don’t even want to know. Makes what Chuck did to you pale in comparison.”
“And this is the life you lead? This club, that club, what’s the difference?”
“We’re not like that bunch, Angel.”
Angel went into the bathroom. She looked in the mirror, and turned, raising her shirt. Her eyes landed on the reflection of the tattoo. It was an intricate design with three words in the center. The words were reversed in the mirror, but she could still read them.
Property of Cole
Cole stood in the doorway.
Their eyes met in the mirror.
“It looks good there,” he murmured. “It’s sexy as hell.”
She let the shirt fall. “It’s medieval.”
“It’s the truth.”
“What do you mean, the truth? I’m not your property.”
He walked over to her, and tilted her chin up. His face was a few inches from hers. He told her softly, “Whether you admit it or not, Angel, you are mine. And that, I’m not sorry about.”
She stared into his eyes, and was lost. She watched as his mouth lowered, and brushed against hers, softly, tenderly.
He pulled back, and took her by the hand, and led her back to the bed. “Lay down on your stomach.”
She refused, and just stood there, looking at him.
“Please, babe.”
At his soft request, she gave in, and complied.
He sat on the edge of the bed next to her, and pulled her shirt up, exposing the tattoo. Picking up a jar of ointment off the bedside table, he twisted the lid off, and scooped a glob out with two fingers. Then he turned, and gently applied it to the reddened skin of her fresh tattoo.
She closed her eyes, and Cole watched as a fat tear leaked through her spiked lashes, and fell on the pillow. He brushed his hand over her forehead, his thumb following the line of her brow. Leaning down, he kissed her temple. “Baby, please forgive me.”
She turned her face away.
Cole got up, and went into the bathroom. She heard him rummaging through the cabinet. A moment later, the bed sagged as he sat back down.
“Take these.”
She turned to look at him. He was holding a couple of pills in his hand.
“Please, baby. It’ll take the pain away. Let you sleep.”
She took them.
He handed her a bottle of water, and watched as she washed them down. Then he stayed with her until she fell asleep.
That night, after Angel fell asleep, Cole went down to the clubhouse. The guys were all back. He walked outside, and found Crash, Cajun, Red Dog, Green and Kilt Boy. They were standing around, smoking and drinking.
Kilt Boy looked up when he saw Cole walk out the door. He walked over, and put his hand on Cole’s shoulder. “Crash told us what happened. Is the lass alright?”
Cole nodded. “Yeah. But she is pissed.”
Kilt Boy nodded. “Aye, I can imagine. Wish we’d been there, Sonny-boy. We should have gone with ye.”
Cole shook his head. “You couldn’t have known. Anyway, it’s done now.”
“We can still go kick some bluidy arse.”
“No. Let it go. I shouldn’t have pissed on Big Ed. It’s my fault.”
“You’re fault? I was there, brother. You couldn’t have stopped them,” Crash insisted.
“I instigated it. We both know that. What I did at the War Dogs clubhouse-” he broke off, shaking his head.
Crash didn’t know what to say to that. He watched Cole. Could tell he was pretty tore up about this, although, he didn’t want them to see it. “Maybe, maybe you should get her out of here.”