“What do you mean?”
Nash shook his head. “I’m a f**king sucker. Kate has a sister. She’s younger and sweet, and she doesn’t look at the jacket or anything. I could never be with her, but when she talks to me, she talks to me. She refuses to call me Nash. I’m Edward to her.” His brother laughed. “Can you believe I’m f**king a woman I can’t stand just so I can see her?”
Lash stared at his brother shocked by the depth of emotion displayed.
“No, Lash, I don’t think you’re crazy. I think you’re in love, and that I can understand.”
“Mr. Myers?” A nurse came forward calling his name.
Standing up Lash faced the nurse. “That’s me.”
“Miss Marston is out of surgery and is awake. She’s asking for you.”
“What happened?” he asked.
“The bullet didn’t touch her heart, but it was still in there. The surgeons have removed the bullet with minimal damage. She won’t have the use of her arm for a few months.”
Lash nodded and turned to his brother.
“Go on, go and see your woman.”
Taking a deep breath he followed the nurse to his woman’s room.
Angel lay in a large bed. Her face was pale, and her eyes closed. The nurse waved him on inside. Walking inside, her eyes opened, and she smiled at him.
“Hey,” she said, reaching out with her good hand.
“Hey, yourself.” He took her hand and sat beside her on the bed. Lash needed to be as close to her as possible.
“They told me I was going to make a good recovery.”
“You ran in front of a bullet,” Lash said. “Never, ever do that again.”
“I couldn’t have you shot, Lash.” She looked down at their joined hands. “I’m in love with you, and I can’t imagine life without you.”
Cupping her face, he brought his lips down to hers.
“No, you do not, under any circumstances put yourself at risk for me, Angel.” He kissed her again needing to taste her sweet skin.
“I understand,” Angel said.
“I love you too much to lose you.”
Her smile lit up her whole face. “You love me?”
“You have no idea how much I love you.” He glanced down at the floor and cursed.
“What’s the matter? What is it?” she asked. The concern was clear in her voice.
“I killed your father,” he said, whispering to her.
“Good.” There was no hesitation in her voice.
“Angel, I took his life. He’s not coming back.”
“I know, Lash. He was going to kill you. You don’t understand. He didn’t stop them when they were shooting people. He didn’t help at all, and he caused all the problems. I don’t care.” She tightened her grip on his hand.
“I killed him.”
“And your crew cleaned it up, right?” Angel asked.
“How do you know about that?”
“Rumours, and Tate likes to talk. I listen. You’re not going down for killing him, Lash. He doesn’t deserve your time. So it gets cleaned away, and we don’t talk about it anymore, deal?”
“Deal.”
He stared at her and wondered how she’d changed so fast. Lying down, Lash wrapped his arms around her.
“I love you, baby.”
“I love you, too.”
No one hurt his woman and got away with it. Angel was his woman, and he was happy for the whole world to know it. He was a Skull, and no one messed with a Skull and got away with it.
Chapter Thirteen
Angel stood behind Tate as she pinned up another balloon. It had been a couple of months since the shooting at Tiny’s house, and they were finally welcoming home Steven and Blaine. Both men had been badly hurt with Blaine being in a coma for a couple of weeks. It had been touch and go for a few weeks, but fortunately they were both coming home for a party. She glanced across the bar to see Emily and Darcy playing in the corner. Everyone was pitching in for their welcome home party.
Twirling the ring on her finger she looked up to see Tate glancing down at her.
“You keep playing with your ring it’s going to rub out,” Tate said, climbing off the table.
A week after her coming out of the hospital, Lash had proposed. There was no way she’d turn him down. She’d screamed yes and then phoned Tate to tell her the good news. They were planning for a March wedding, which gave them enough time to organise everything. Lash wanted her to have a church wedding. She didn’t care as long as she was with him.
“No, I’m not.”
Arms wrapped around her waist pulling her close. “Leave her alone, Tate. She can play with her ring if she wants. It’s hers.” Lash kissed her neck. Letting out a moan, Angel leaned against him. He caressed her stomach as he kissed her neck and shoulder.
She watched Tate tense as Murphy stood next to her.
“I’m going to see if Mikey needs help with the booze.” She smiled at Angel and moved away.
“She won’t talk to me,” Murphy said, watching her walk away.
“Tate’s hurt, and it’s going to take some time for her to get over that.”
Murphy shook his head. “I don’t know. She’s closed off even from Eva and Tiny.”
Angel wasn’t about to ruin the party by telling them Tate was moving out of Tiny’s home and into an apartment. She’d asked Tate to tell her father, but the other woman continued to refuse.
“She’ll come around,” Lash said, pulling Angel away.
“He looks sad,” Angel said. They moved to the far wall, and Angel started to put more balloons and banners up.
“They’ll get over it. I’m sure they’ll figure it out.”
Lash helped her finish the decorations, and when they got the sound of the horn they all crowded around waiting for the men to enter. Tiny had been the one to collect the men with Eva.
Angel leaned against Lash as they waited. His arms surrounded her with their warmth. The Skulls were her family now. She didn’t miss her father at all. Any love she’d had for him died in the moments leading up to his death. She wished she could forgive him, but it wasn’t possible. He’d grown greedy and put so many lives at stake because of it.
“I love you, baby,” Lash said, whispering the words against her ear.
She smiled. Every time they made love Lash told her his true feelings. He opened up to her in ways she never thought possible.
“I love you, too.”