Avenging Angel by Naomi Porter

12

Storm

Sugar glared at me in my office, her hands on her hips. I followed a lot of Uncle Matt’s ways in running the club. He always had church Monday mornings. Said it was to connect with his brothers after the weekend. Made sure everyone was doing all right and on the same page for the week. I did the same. Except we didn’t have church yesterday after the clusterfuck with Carla.

By the looks of it, my aunt was not happy. I just might be late for my own goddamn meeting. I expected as much, but Sugar and the boys were staying here whether she liked it or not.

“I promised Matt I’d keep you and the boys safe. You need to stay on the compound.”

She paced in my office, twisting her hands. It was a dick move mentioning Matt. Sugar missed the shit out of him—to the point of falling into a funk when anyone brought him up. I didn’t have time to draw this out so I used Matt to get Sugar to stay.

She stopped and faced me. “Okay. I don’t like it but I understand. The boys and I will stay for as long as necessary.” She twisted her lips. “What’re you doing about the dead woman that was found?”

“That’s what church is for.”

“Right. I shouldn’t have asked. I need to pack a couple of bags for the boys and me.” She reached for the door handle.

“Take them with you. I’ll send AJ and Copper.”

She placed a hand on her hip. “Two prospects? Is that necessary?”

“Why are you questioning me?” I had no patience right now. Couldn’t help being an ass.

“Fine.” She bit her bottom lip. “Before I go, are you and Angel okay?”

Standing from my desk, I stalked toward her. “Yes. You know what Dane did to her, don’t you?” I suspected Madeline told her and Tina. I hated being the last to know important stuff about my woman.

Sugar nodded with an almost pained expression. “She told Tina and me a little bit.”

“I figured.” I jerked my chin toward the door so she’d open it.

“She doesn’t want you to do anything to Dane.”

“I know.” I gritted my teeth. Last night I promised not to go after him. Then I warned Angel if Deputy Miller so much as looked cross-eyed at her, he was done. She agreed. It wasn’t like me to be controlled by anyone, but I saw her point. What happened to her was before me.

Madeline was strong as fuck. She’d dealt with her own demons and moved on. I could stand to learn a thing or two from her.

Sugar patted my bicep. “We won’t be too long.”

I grunted, following her out.

Raul and Track sat at the counsel’s table for church. Grizzly was at his desk in the corner. Not only was he my techie guy, but he also helped Boxer setting up security systems.

I raised my chin to them. “I’m really tired of these fuckin’ Hunters.”

Track and Raul nodded in agreement, their faces solemn. They knew about the young woman who was raped and murdered. I felt awful and responsible for this bullshit.

I dropped into my chair at the head of the long, oak table. There were always carafes of coffee for our morning meeting and sometimes an egg bake Tina made, or breakfast pizzas a kitten picked up at the Stop & Pump on her way to the clubhouse. Other times, Sugar spoiled us with homemade rolls… cinnamon rolls.

Pouring myself a cup of joe, I inhaled the aroma as I took in the room. This was where the council voted a man in or out. Or, in my case, into a new position. We celebrated a newly patched member. Got sloshed after one had fallen. We plotted retribution for an offense against our club and family. It all happened within these four walls.

Since I’d been a member, the club only had one other MC war. Most of the club’s dealings were with gangs or the Mafia. I was ready to turn my territory upside-down to get the Dirty Hunters wiped off the plant once and for all. Word would spread if we couldn’t get rid of them. We’d look weak. Vulnerable. Fuckin’ pathetic.

I growled low, imagining what my father, the president of the mother chapter, would say. He didn’t want me to be president. He wanted Raul holding the gavel. I needed to get this shit taken care of.

The rest of the council entered: Hero, Boxer, Justin, and Lynx. Hero had breakfast pizzas in his hands as he kicked the door closed. He set out the boxes and took his seat.

I hit the gavel on the table, bringing this meeting to order. “Hendricks will do all he can to help us. Sugar and the boys will stay at the clubhouse until further notice.”

“I’m sending my girl back to college early.” Justin drummed his fingers on the table. “Do we have a spare prospect to send with her? I’ll pay for it myself.”

I raised my mug, cutting my eyes at my VP who managed the prospects. “Raul, what do you think?”

Raul considered my question. “With all the shit going on, we need to keep our most experienced here. We could send that pretty surfer dude with Emilee.”

Justin growled. “Hollywood?”

Some of the guys called the prospect Hollywood because of his perfect blond hair and tanned skin. The nickname seemed to stick. Heartthrob might’ve been a better name. Not very tough for a road name, but neither was Hollywood.

Raul turned toward Justin. “He’s strong and muscular but has little experience. Although, he can handle a gun well.”

“You could send Ire with him. He could use the rest,” Track suggested. “He won’t admit it, but I know he’s still recovering from his head injury.”

I refilled my mug. “Yes. Send Ire with the prospect. Now, we have the run coming up next month. It’s not been on my mind because of the fuckin’ Hunters.” I paused as some brothers dug into the food. “Hero’s been on it.” I nodded to my SAA. “But we need these maggots gone. We can’t do the run and leave the compound vulnerable. I don’t want to call in a marker for reinforcements.”

Grunts came from around the table. We needed to preserve the few markers we have. Burning another one, so soon after the Fallen Soldiers helped us last month, was stupid as hell.

“I’ll need a minimum of six brothers.” Hero looked around the table. “But I’d prefer ten.”

I reached for a slice of breakfast pizza, thinking. “What do we have, two or three weeks?” What is wrong with me? I should know everything about the run.

Hero scratched the top of his head, mouth full. “Not quite. Eighteen days.” He drank his coffee, then cleared his throat. “The Italians don’t play games up in Canada. I want to be there in sixteen days, in case we run into any problems.”

“Shit.” I gritted my teeth. “Continue getting the arms in order.” I turned toward Justin. “If you want to get your girl out of town, do it by Thursday. We’ll be moving to eighteen-hour shifts on Friday.” I made eye contact with each man. “School resumes soon. I don’t want my woman going back to work if the Hunters haven’t been eliminated.”

My brothers grunted.

“Okay, let’s take care of shit.” I hit the gavel on the table, ending church. “Eat up.”

We powered down the food and coffee. As the room cleared out, I told Track, “I need you to stay behind.”

He eyed me with a curious expression. “Yeah?”

“Let’s take a ride into town.” I cracked my neck, getting up. Taking this step with Angel was insanity. Never in a million years did I think I’d want to get married, but here I was, wanting to propose to my girl.

“Where to?”

I stared my best friend in the eyes. “The jewelry store.”

Fuckin’ Track flashed me a Colgate smile. “For what?”

“What the fuck you think, brother? You’re not this stupid.” Jerk.

“No, no, I am.” The damn fool smirked. Only Track could act like an idiot with me and get away with it. “Gimme the words, brother.” He laughed, fake punching me in the gut.

“You’re an asshole, you know that? I want to buy my girl a diamond ring.” I shook my head, leaving the room.

“About fucking time.”

“Seriously?” I glanced back at him, striding out of the building. “We’ve only been together a little more than a month.” But I was ready to legally bind myself to Madeline for life. Even after death, in the afterlife, we would remain one. Nothing could ever separate me from my Angel.

The sun hitting my face felt good. Not a cloud was in the sky. I hoped it meant good things were coming my way, like a yes when I asked Madeline the most important question ever.

“Yeah. For you? A week with the same woman is huge. A month? That’s a lifetime.”

I considered Track’s words as I straddled my bike. Raising my eyes to clear blue sky, I smiled, imagining Angel’s eyes. I’d known her for more than half my life—longer than everyone in the club. The twelve years apart didn’t matter. She was home to me.

The way she had looked at me when she was a kid had made me feel like a king. Like I’d hung the moon for her. She still looked at me the same way. It was so damn easy to be with her. My soul could breathe when we were together. She was my safe haven, my soul mate.

I put on my sunglasses, jerking my chin to Track. “Let’s hit it.” I had a diamond to buy.