Crash (Evil Dead MC 2)

Again Crash shook his head. “I can’t. I can’t do it. I can’t lose her again. I can’t lose another person right now. Don’t you get it? I can’t let her in because if it all goes south again, I won’t survive it.”

“Brother-”

“Cole, just let it go.”

*****

That evening, Cole and Angel were in the kitchen. She was trying to frost a cake, and he was reaching around her, swiping at the icing with his finger. She smacked his hand. “Cole!”

He grinned around his finger. “Hmm. Delicious.”

“At least let me finish it, then I’ll gladly cut you a slice.”

Laughing, he put his hands on her hips and kissed the side of her neck. “You take too long. Hurry up.”

She turned with the frosting-coated butter knife in her hand and jabbed it at him. “Go.”

He laughed, backing up, his hands in the air in surrender. His cell phone went off, and he pulled it out of his pocket. Looking at the screen, he put it to his ear.

“Hey, sweetheart.”

Angel immediately swiveled her head, her brows arching at the endearment.

“It’s Shannon,” he told her.

Angel grabbed the phone out of his hand and put it to her ear. “Shannon?”

“Hey, Angel. How are you?”

“I just baked a cake. Get your butt over here.”

“I don’t know.”

“Shannon, Cole told me about your visit today. Now, get in your car, and get over here. Now.” She could see Cole chuckling out of the corner of her eye.

“Give it up, Shannon,” he called out. “She’s not gonna let up until you do.”

Angel grinned at him and said into the phone, “He’s right, babe. I’m like a dog with a bone when I get something in my head. And I’m determined we’re going to fix this.”

Twenty minutes later, Shannon pulled down their long drive.

Cole met her at the door, holding it open for her. He gave her a hug. “Good to see you, honey.”

She hugged him back.

Angel was next in line with a big hug.

“Come on, sit down. I’ve got a pot of coffee on.”

“Cut the cake already,” Cole said.

Angel grinned. “I made him wait. He’s been trying to get a piece since I pulled it out of the oven.”

They all sat at the island. Well, Angel and Shannon sat, Cole stood leaning back against the sink, shoveling cake in his mouth as soon as Angel passed him the plate.

Angel barely waited until Shannon took a sip of coffee before she started in. “Well, spill.”

“He won’t talk to me. I’ve called him. I’ve left messages. And today I finally got the guts up to go see him. I don’t know what else to do.” Shannon held her hands up.