Outlaw - By Nicole James Page 0,99
call you back, okay?”
He wasn’t letting her off that easy. “Are the kids okay? Angel?”
“Yes. They’re fine. I’ll call you back once everyone’s in bed.”
“Yeah. Okay.” He hung up, and took a hit off his cigarette. Something was wrong. He couldn’t stop wondering what it could be. She’d said they were all okay. He’d been sending money regularly, so he didn’t think it was money. He’d told her to tell him if there was anything they needed. She knew all she had to do was call him, and he’d find a way to get it for them, no matter what it was.
He waited an hour, then two, before she finally called back. He flipped his phone open, and put it to his ear. “Yeah.”
“Cole? It’s Natalie.”
“Thanks for calling me back. What’s going on?”
“Angel’s been very upset.”
“Why? What happened? Is it Melissa?”
“No. Melissa’s fine. She’s doing great, actually.”
“What then?”
“Angel got a call.”
“A call?”
“From your wife, Cole.”
“What?”
“Yes. She called here, and talked to Angel. Told her to leave her husband alone.”
“My God. I’m sorry.” He was going to kill her. “She must have gotten the number out of my cell phone.”
“That’s not all.”
“What?” He was almost afraid to ask.
“She told Angel that the two of you are expecting a baby.”
“Oh, my God,” he whispered, his eyes sliding closed.
“Yes. Angel was quite upset by that.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“Is it true, Cole?”
He clenched the phone in his hand. He didn’t want to say the words. “Yes. It’s true.”
“Oh, Cole.”
“She told me she thinks she got pregnant around New Year’s. Long before Angel ever came to see me.” There was silence on the other end. “I’m sorry, Natalie. I didn’t want this. I meant to come back here, and divorce her quickly. But when she told me about the baby…I couldn’t bring myself to do it.”
“Of course. I understand.”
“I don’t think you do. Mandy…she’s not like Angel. She’s selfish, and immature. This baby is going to need me, Natalie, more than Angel’s kids. At least they have a loving, decent mother to care for them. And they have you, and-”
“Yes, well…I should go.”
“Natalie, wait! Please.”
“Cole, if you could make sure she doesn’t call here again, I’d appreciate it.”
Natalie was shutting him out. He could feel it. Thinking he’d turned out to be nothing more than another lying, cheating, married man. “Yes, I’ll make sure. I’m sorry. Please believe me. This isn’t what I wanted.”
“Goodbye, Cole.”
She disconnected.
Cole shoved the phone in his pocket, and got on his bike, and fired it up. He had some business to take care of with his wife.
Crash walked out of the clubhouse. “Cole, wait.”
Cole cut the bike back off. “What is it?”
Mack wants to see you for a minute.
Cole got off his bike, and walked back inside with Crash. He found Mack sitting in the chapel, waiting for him. He walked in, and closed the door. “You wanted to see me?”
Mack nodded. “Sit.”
Cole walked over, and sat next to him. “Wyatt’s having trouble with the Hyena’s again. I want you to go up there, and see what’s going on. I’m thinking about finally patching them over. Look around. Let me know if you think it’s a good move or not.”
Cole looked at him. “When do you want me to leave?”
“Tomorrow.”
Cole nodded. “Yeah. Okay.”
Mack noticed Cole staring off into space. “You okay, brother?”
Cole got up to leave.
“Tell Crash about it. I want him to go with you.” Mack made the last minute change, after seeing the distracted look on Cole’s face.
Cole looked over at him, and nodded. He walked out the door, and over to the bar to talk to Crash. He sat down on the barstool next to him. “Mack wants us to pay a visit to the Dead Souls tomorrow.
“Wyatt’s?” Crash asked.
“Yeah.” Cole lit a cigarette.
“What for?”
“See what the deal is with the Hyena’s, and see if we think the Souls are ready to patch.”
Crash nodded. He noticed something was bothering Cole, and he didn’t think it had anything to do with this little trip tomorrow. He motioned Crystal, who was tending bar, over and nodded his head toward Cole. “Another shot glass, darlin’.”
She set one in front of Cole.
Crash picked up the bottle of whiskey sitting in front of him, next to his own shot glass, and filled Cole’s. “Something bothering you, brother?”
Cole looked over at him. “Mandy called Angel. Told her about the baby.”
“Holy shit.”
He downed his shot. “Yeah. I tried to tell Natalie that Mandy got pregnant back around New Year’s. Long before Angel showed up here.”
“She