Chapter Four
The next morning Angel woke to the sound of the door opening. She turned her head on the pillow and saw Cole walking in with a steaming mug. He set it down on the bedside table.
“I brought you coffee.” He stood next to the bed, looking down at her. He smiled, lifted a hand toward her and ran the back of his knuckles gently along her cheek.
She smiled back shyly.
He leaned down bracing his palms on either side of her head and kissed her. Her response was soft and inviting. When he lifted his mouth from hers at last, he made a low purring sound of satisfaction deep in his throat. He rose back, suspended over her and held her gaze. “You tempt me to get back in bed.”
She looked away, timid under his scrutiny.
“Why you blushin’, baby doll?” he asked, his voice tinged with humor, the corner of his mouth pulling in a grin. “You gave me a lot more than a kiss last night. Don’t be shy with me now.”
She couldn’t help but return his smile.
He sat on the bed next to her and turned serious. He studied her for a moment. “Last night, if I hurt you, I’m sorry—”
“You didn’t,” she stopped him.
He studied her for a long time. “You’re okay?”
She smiled reassuringly, her hand closing over the top of his. “I’m fine.”
He nodded. “Okay.”
“How long have you been up?” she asked.
“A while. Look, will you be all right here for a couple hours? I’ve got a run to make. Shouldn’t take too long.”
“Sure. I guess.”
He nodded. “Good.”
“Cole. About our deal—”
“Yeah. I’m trying to work that out.” He blew out a breath. “The club is going up there in a couple weeks to patch their club over.”
“Patch?” she frowned, that word jogging something in her memory.
“They become a part of our club.”
“And Chuck?”
He blew out a breath. “Well I never did want to share a patch with that guy.” He looked down at her. “I figure I’ll need to get the information out of him on the Asian guy first. Then I can take care of both of them.”
“We,” she corrected.
“What?” He frowned down at her.
“I’m going with you, aren’t I?”
He stood, shaking his head. “Like hell you are.”
“If I don’t, how will I know you’ve got the right guy?” she pointed out.
He ran his hand through his hair, exasperated. “I don’t know. I’ll text you his picture right before I blow his head off.”
“But, Cole—”
“You’re not going, Angel. Get that shit out of your head.” He headed for the door.
Angel sat up suddenly, clutching the sheet to her chest, the fragment of memory clicking into place. “Cole. Wait. Before you go, there’s something, something else you should know.”
He paused at the door, looking back at her.
“That place. Where you found me…” she began.
He nodded, a frown forming on his face, and she could tell he was wondering where this was going.
“The night before you came, when he dragged me off from the campfire and everyone else, and—”
“Don’t!” he stopped her, shaking his head. “Don’t relive that nightmare, sweetheart. I don’t need to hear—”
“Damn it! I have to tell you something,” she snapped.
Her agitation startled him. He moved back to the bed and stood over her, his eyes searching hers. “Okay. I’m listening.”
Angel cleared her throat and started again. “He dragged me off into the brush and, well after he was finished with me…”
Cole looked away and clenched his teeth.
She could see the muscles in his jaw move. She could also see that this was as hard for him to listen to, as it was for her to say. She looked down. “He left me there and went back to the others. I…I lay there for a while. I wasn’t even sure if I could move.” She took a deep breath and continued. “I’m not sure how long I laid there, but after awhile I heard a man talking. I looked toward the sound. There was a guy not ten yards from me, dressed in the same cut as Chuck’s. I guess he didn’t realize I was there. He was talking quietly into a cell phone.”
She looked up at Cole.
“And?” he prodded her to continue.
“He was talking about setting them up.”
His mouth tightened. “What are you talking about? Setting who up?”
“That club. Both clubs, I think.”
“Are you saying he was an undercover cop?” Cole stared down at her, his expression hardening. He took a step closer, towering over her. “You realize you’d be signing his death warrant.”
There was something about the way he stood over her, looking down at her with that tick in his jaw as if… as if he was barely containing his rage. Angel swallowed, falling back onto her back, and realized in that moment just how deadly he could be if he was crossed. She’d witnessed a taste of it in the Dead Souls’ clubhouse. And now that expression was leveled at her. She knew the rage wasn’t directed at her, but still, it was scary to look into his eyes with that expression on his face.
“Answer me, Angel.”