Angel's Halo (Angel's Halo MC 1)

A. Fucking. Year.

All my resolutions that I made to myself in the shower are now tossed out the window. My heart, having only felt dented the night before, is now suddenly shattered. He keeps so much from me. I don’t even know him anymore.

Do I even want to know him now? Can I trust him?

I’m not sure if I even wanted to try.

Up in my room I toss a bunch of clothes into a gym bag and grab my keys. I never could take emotional pain well. It hurts like no physical pain ever could, and that just pisses me off. Now I’m not only broken inside, but I’m angry at everyone I know.

My brothers have known about the kid—and sure I understand about them waiting to let Bash tell me—but they’ve also known about him living with another female. They fucking knew and they didn’t say a word! I’ve been stupid enough to let him worm his way back into my life, maybe even my bed.

It’s obvious where their loyalties stand and it’s not with me. The club is their life, their first priority. Bash is their new president, their leader. Their boss man. Little sister’s feelings don’t matter, just follow the big man.

I can’t honestly remember a time when my feelings have mattered to any of my brothers. It doesn’t matter if I beg, plead, or cry. As long as I’m safe, and no one touches me, they are content where I’m concerned. Not even when I begged Jet not to hurt Bash.

I can’t stay here. I can’t be under the same roof as my brothers for a second longer. They may love me, but they don’t care about me. Possessive, protective, but not caring, those are my brothers.

I only have three people I can choose from. Only three options to take refuge with. Uncle Jack won’t understand. He loves me just as much as my brothers do, maybe even more, but he’s all club. Felicity loves me, cares about me, but I can’t really handle her mom. She’s loyal to the club in every way and would definitely take sides if it comes down to it.

That only leaves one place.

I run down the stairs and out to my car before anyone can stop me. If my brothers know I’m leaving them, they’ll lock me in my room. I start my Challenger even as I toss my gym bag full of clothes in the back seat. Reversing quickly, I punch the gas as soon as I’m out of the driveway.

It’s a twenty minute drive and my brothers blow up my phone before I have even gotten five minutes away. I turn it off, half-tempted to toss the cellphone out the window. By the time I pull into the parking lot of the old, rundown apartment building, my nerves are shot and a few defiant tears spill free.

Grabbing my stuff, I lock my doors and take my time climbing the steps to the second floor. It had once been a hotel, and is now apartments, at least the second floor is. I’m not blind to the fact that the first floor is a pay by the hour whore house.

My fingers shake as I step in front of the door at the end. A few more tears spill over, and I don’t even bother to brush them away as I knock twice.

I hear an animalistic growl, a “son of a bitch” and a few other curses that he would have killed another man for saying in front of me. He must have drank more than usual the night before because he’s tripping over things, mostly his own clothes and maybe even a chair or two.

He doesn’t take time to look through the peephole before opening the door. The sun makes him growl again before he focuses on me fully. “Raven?” Spider blinks then rubs a big hand over his face. I keep my eyes on his face because I know he’s completely naked. “Babe, what’s wrong?”

Unlike my brothers, unlike everyone else in my life, Spider loves me. He cares more about me than any other person in my life. Even though he’s the enforcer now, I know that I come before the club with him. It doesn’t matter that his best friend is the president. It doesn’t matter that the club is the only family he had.

He cares about me.

Another tear spills free. “Can I stay with you for a few days?”

Chapter 16

Spider

I pull on a pair of jeans as Raven flops down on the second queen bed. My room isn’t a pretty sight, but that’s never bothered her before, so I don’t pick up the stray beer bottles or the empty pizza boxes. It’s the typical hotel room turned apartment: two queen beds—one that I normally toss my crap on—a dresser, a desk, and a mini fridge. The only thing I added to the room was the big flat screen television on the wall. The bathroom is the only other room in the apartment. Small, but it’s all I need. Not to mention it’s a lot nicer than the rooms I’ve stayed in before. The ones at the warehouse are half this size and a black light will show exactly how much sex they’ve seen.

Putting on an old T-shirt, I watch as Raven curls into a ball on the bed and swipes at a few tears. “What happened?” I demand, although I can take a guess. Something to do with Bash. He’s the only person that can bring Raven to tears. My strong girl isn’t as strong as she wants to be when it comes to my douche bag best friend. That fucker doesn’t deserve her, but I’m not in a position to dole out advice in the love department.

“I guess you knew that Bash has a kid.” She sighs.

I shrug. “Yeah. He told me when he found out …” I break off when she shoots a death glare at me. “Okay, maybe I should have told you. I suspected that’s why he left, but I wasn’t sure. I mean he didn’t exactly confide in me at the time, babe. He left without a word to anyone.” Not even to me, who would have gladly died for the fucker.

The glare turns into more tears. “So you didn’t know he’s been shacked up, playing house, with Willa Blackstone for the past year?”

All of the air is suddenly sucked from the room. My body turns hot just at the sound of Willa’s name, then ice cold as Raven’s words finally register. I stumble to the first bed and drop like a pile of bricks. “What … did … you … say?” I grit out.

She sits up, looking concerned now. “Willa Blackstone. She’s been living with Bash.”

I flinch and Raven’s eyes narrow. “You know Willa, don’t you?”