Outlaw (Evil Dead MC 1)

Mack shook his head and laughed. “Fuck. I guess I sound like a lovesick puppy.”

“That talk about a Leukemia Run, you serious about that or were you just trying to impress her?” Cole asked him, referring to a suggestion Mack had made earlier to Natalie.

Mack looked over at him. “I meant it. I think it’d be good for the club. Do something good for the community and for your family. Maybe we could call it Melissa’s Ride.”

Cole just looked at him. He wasn’t sure what to say. He nodded. “That’d be real nice, Mack. Thanks.”

“And I want to involve all the chapters. Make it big.”

“I’m sure the money would help. But what they really need is people willing to be tested to see if they’re a match for donation.”

“What kind of test?” Mack asked.

“Simple stuff. Swab your cheek. Take a blood sample.”

Mack nodded. “We could get everyone on board with that.”

Cole stared at him, dumbfounded. “You mean…everybody?”

“If I say so. Yeah.”

Natalie walked back to the table. She looked from Cole to Mack. “What did I miss?”

“Mack has offered to get the entire club and all its chapters to test for bone marrow donation,” Cole said, locking him in.

“Really?” Natalie asked, her mouth dropping open.

Mack looked at Cole, knowing he had to come through now. “Yeah. Sure. Why not?”

Natalie squealed, “Oh! Thank you, Mack!” She leaned over and wrapped her arms around his neck. “You don’t know how much this means.”

“I’m gonna need your help to set it up, darlin’.” Mack said as she squeezed his neck.

Cole smiled. Mack had met his match with Natalie. She’d have him wrapped around her little finger in no time.

***

It was after dark by the time they got back to town. Mack pulled in a little dive bar, and Cole pulled in behind him. They walked in and sat at the bar. Natalie walked over to the jukebox to play some music.

Cole noticed the way Mack watched her. When she came back, there was a slow song playing, and Mack slid off his barstool and pulled her into his arms for a dance.

Cole leaned back against the bar and watched. He still couldn’t believe this was happening. He shook his head and smiled. Angel would shit. She didn’t even like Mack.

After the first song ended, another one came on. It was Melissa by The Allman Brothers. Cole turned back to the bar; this song brought back memories of Angel and another bar.

Mack and Natalie kept dancing.

Cole’s thoughts filled with Angel. How was he going to get her to come to him? He still hadn’t figured that out. He could go out there. Try to see her again. Maybe with Natalie on his side, he could get her to at least hear him out.

Cole felt a hand slide up his back and turned to look over his shoulder. It was a pretty brunette. No one he knew. Or cared to know. She wasn’t Angel.

The girl smiled. “Buy me a drink?”

Cole straightened up, looking down at her. He smiled back. “Not tonight, darlin’. Sorry.”

“You sure? Maybe I could buy you one. You look kind of lonely.”

“I appreciate it. But, I’m gonna have to pass.”

***

Natalie looked over Mack’s shoulder at the exchange at the bar. “I bet that happens a lot.”

Mack turned to look back. He nodded. “Yep. It does.” He looked back down into Natalie’s face. “You okay?”

Natalie watched to see what Cole would do. She saw him say something to the girl and shake his head. The girl turned and walked away.

“Yeah. I’m good.” She smiled back at him.

“He loves Angel. He has since the moment he first laid eyes on her. I saw it right off.”

“Is that why you sent her away?” Natalie asked him pointedly.

Mack looked away. “You know about that?”

“Angel told me.”

“I see.”