Cole took her by the hand and pulled her behind him. He led her over to the bonfire. He walked up and clasped the back of one of the other guys standing in the group. “Hey, Birdman. How’s it hangin’?”
The man turned to look at him. “Cole! How ya doin’, man?”
“Good. Good. You still ridin’ that old shovelhead?”
“Spend more time broke down on the side of the road than riding,” he joked.
They all laughed.
Cole looked over at the man next to Birdman.
Birdman jumped in, “You remember AJ? He’s been away a couple years. Just got out about six months ago.”
Cole nodded. “No shit? Where at?”
The guy in the bandana took a hit off a beer. “Folsom.”
Cole nodded. “What’d they get ya for?”
“Possession. Dealing. Weapons. Bunch of shit.”
“Bet your not itchin’ to go back, huh?”
“Ya got that right, Brother.” He laughed.
Cole laughed back.
Angel squeezed his hand.
Cole looked back at Birdman. “I got a new ride. Real sweet.”
“Yeah? What’re you ridin’ now?” Birdman passed him a joint.
“A ‘58 pan-head.” Cole took a hit off it and passed it back.
“No shit? Where at?” Birdman perked up.
“Parked around the side.” Cole nodded his head back toward the clubhouse. “You should take a look.”
“Let’s go,” Birdman agreed.
“Come on, bro. You gotta see the paint job,” Cole said to AJ.
AJ fell in with them.
Cole’s brothers followed behind them.
When they reached the picnic table where Mack was now sitting, Cole turned to her and ordered, “Wait here, darlin’.”
Then he gave Mack a look.
***
Angel watched as Cole and the group moved on around the side of the building into the darkness.
Mack pulled her down on the seat next to him. He motioned with his head, and several more guys followed Cole. Mack turned to her. “You sure about this?”
She nodded.
He studied her eyes a moment, and then stood up, leaving her sitting with three other brothers.
Angel watched him walk over to the porch and say something to Wyatt, whom she remembered. Wyatt turned and said something to one of his guys. That guy motioned to another and suddenly the stereo was turned up to the volume where you could barely hear conversation. Then Wyatt and Mack both headed around the building.
It was a long time before Cole came back. When he finally did, he was with Mack and a couple of the others. They sat down at the table. Someone got them all a beer. Cole put his arm around her and pulled her close, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “You okay?”
“Yeah.”
“You were right,” he confirmed, looking into her eyes.
She nodded, afraid to ask what they’d done to him.
Cole looked away, taking a hit off his beer.
“Chuck came by earlier,” she informed him.
He slowly lowered the bottle, looking back at her. He nodded. “He’s next on the agenda.”
Wyatt came back around the corner with some of his guys. He looked over at the table and jerked his head toward the building.
Cole and Mack both got up and followed him up the porch steps and inside. The volume on the stereo was suddenly turned back down.
They were inside for a long time.
Angel was getting really tired. She drank the last of her beer and set the bottle down on the table, yawning.
“Want another beer, darlin’?” Crash asked her.
Caught yawning, she smiled at him and shook her head. “No thanks.”
“Okay, babe. I’m gonna get me one. Be right back.” He grabbed her empty and got up, leaving her there with several of his other brothers.
Angel put her hand to her neck, massaging it and rolling her shoulders, her eyes traveling around the grounds. She froze as she spotted Chuck standing across the yard, watching her. Hugging the flannel shirt tighter around her, she tried not to tremble.
He smiled an evil grin at her.
Tearing her gaze from him, she glanced up at the porch and saw that Cole was now standing there, staring at her. His eyes slid from her to where Chuck was standing. She watched as the look on his face hardened, and he stepped off the porch heading toward Chuck. Angel noticed a couple of his brothers following at a distance.
***