“Lash was being crude. He can’t step in for me.”
“Those bitches will walk all over you. You never hear them saying shit to Eva. Lash protects you because you’re too fucking sweet for your own good. What are you going to do when Lash finds out?”
“If Lash finds out what we’re doing, I’ll handle it. He shouldn’t be angry. I’m doing this for him.” She placed her hands on her hips, waiting for his comeback.
“Is that right?”
“Tiny wants him to step up as club president when the time comes. I’m going to need to fill Eva’s shoes. I can’t do that while being afraid. I’ve got a place to earn within the club.”
He took several steps toward her. She backed up, terrified.
Gash was taller than she was, stronger. He could hurt her, and no one would have a clue where she was.
Tears sprang to her eyes at the predicament she’d put herself in. Suddenly he stopped moving.
“Shit, you’re that scared?”
She shook her head, but she couldn’t stop the shaking. “I’m not scared.”
“You’re shaking, Angel. I’m not the enemy, but you’re scared.”
“Lash has told me you’re unpredictable and that a woman put you in prison for lies.”
“He tells you a fucking lot.”
Angel swallowed. This was a big mistake, and she said as much.
“Look, I’m not going to hurt you. You were not the bitch who cried rape and murder, okay. I’m not going to hurt you. I happen to like you.”
She looked up at him. “I won’t sleep with you.”
“Okay, it’s a pretty big leap from helping you to fight to sleeping with you.”
“When I asked for your help you thought I wanted to sleep with you. I don’t. I’ve seen the way you’ve gone through the sweet-butts, and I’ve heard the talk.”
He placed a hand over her mouth. “We’re totally getting off the wrong foot here. For once, Angel, I respect a woman. I’ve never respected a woman in my life. All of them have a purpose, whether it be as a hole or as a mother. I don’t give a shit about them. You, Angel, you’re the first woman I respect. I see that you love Lash. You’re only wanting this to help him.”
She nodded. “I don’t want to disappoint him, but I’m tired of being scared. He finds excuses all the time. I can’t protect Anthony when he’s not there. Lash, I love him and I know he loves me, and I know doing this will hurt him, but I also know I can’t do anything else. I can’t have Lash worrying about me all the time, which is exactly what he’ll do. I need him to be able to trust in me like Tiny does Eva.”
“I’m going to help. Come on.”
Angel followed Gash inside the warehouse. This was not about going behind Lash’s back even though she was having to. All she wanted to do was go and hide. Her love for Lash was absolute, and she wouldn’t go back on him. They were a couple and would fight the world together. She hoped when he found out the truth, he saw that she was doing this for him.
Chapter Two
Alex left the clubhouse and headed toward the house he’d bought outside of Fort Wills set back by a small forest. It looked like an old ranch house in the middle of nowhere, but he liked it.
Several months ago he’d hired a young black woman by the name of Sunshine. From the moment he saw her, he knew he couldn’t be alone with her. She set his fire burning, and they’d only spoken for two minutes. He’d hired her to take care of his home and to cook. If he was honest with himself he’d hired her so that he wouldn’t be lonely. His parents were dead, as was his sister. Besides Tiny and The Skulls, he was alone, completely alone. He had a son that hated him, and Cheryl despised him. There were so many mistakes he’d made in his life, and he was scared. He’d also hired Sunshine as a favor to her parents. There was another element to the deal, but he’d yet to take Sunshine as his own.
Running a hand down his face he parked up the car. His bike was in the garage at the compound. Devil was right about many things. Alex hadn’t been part of the club, not really. He knew how to ride a bike, but for so long he’d been hidden behind a desk not having the first clue what to do with the club. It was good Tiny had decided to hand the gavel over to Lash.
Lash was loyal to the club, through and through. Angel had it within her to be a good old lady as well providing she was prepared for the sacrifices ahead of her.
Climbing out of his car, his cell phone went off. Checking the caller he saw it was Tiny on the line.
“What’s the matter?” he asked.
“Nash stopped by and said you left the clubhouse. Is everything okay?”
This was the first time he’d left the clubhouse in over six months. His room had been lived in more than this house he was staring at. With five bedrooms, three bathrooms, a large kitchen diner, it was a dream home for a family, but for Alex, it was too big. This house reminded him of everything he didn’t have. He didn’t have a family, and all he did was invade Tiny’s. Eva and the kids had nothing to do with him, not really. They weren’t related in any way. Tate was his niece and Tiny his friend.
Stop with the moping. This is what you get for the way you live.
He didn’t give women a chance or care what they wanted from him. All he ever cared about was work and getting shit done. His sister had warned him that he’d be alone. Alex hadn’t cared. There was no woman out there for him.
Flicking his keys in front of him he walked up to the front steps of his house.
“Mr. Allen?” Sunshine opened the door. She was wiping her hands on a towel as she looked at him.
For once he didn’t know what to say and simply stared at the beauty in front of him. She was a local in town. Her parents owned the local bakery that had been open the past ten years. Sunshine had been the first and only woman to apply for the position of a live-in housekeeper for him. She probably had it better than most people seeing as he never came home. Finding out that the bakery was in need of some money, he’d struck a deal with her parents. All he had to do was wait for Sunshine to come into his life. Since she’d taken on the role of his housekeeper, Alex hadn’t been able to come home. He didn’t want her hurt or put in any kind of danger.
“Hello, Sunshine. The name’s Alex. Please use it.” He brushed past her aware of the small connection they had between their bodies. For a split second he closed his eyes, relishing that small contact. The sweet-butts within the club used to be able to take care of his needs whereas now, they no longer did anything for him. He was tired of the constant need to connect with someone, the yearning that built in the pit of his stomach whenever he saw one of The Skulls couples.