Mack walked over to the pool table, leaned down in Wolf’s ear and in a hushed voice said, “I need you to do something for me.”
Wolf turned around after taking his shot and leaned back against the edge of the pool table, setting the end of his cue on the ground, clenching it loosely in both fists at shoulder height. “Sure boss. What do ya need?”
“See that sweet piece at the end of the bar talking to Crystal?” Mack nodded toward Angel.
Wolf turned to look. It was the one he’d tried to hit on a few minutes ago. After she’d walked away, Red Dog had set him straight on who she belonged to. “Yeah?”
“I need you to hit up on that.”
“She’s Cole’s, isn’t she?”
“I know who she came with. I need to see how deep he’s in with her.”
Wolf stared back at him. “Fuck. He’s gonna lose his mind.”
“Just do it,” Mack snapped and walked away.
Wolf sighed. “This isn’t gonna end well.”
***
Angel and Crystal were laughing when she felt someone come up behind her and slip their hands on her hips. Assuming it was Cole, she smiled and turned to look over her shoulder at him.
She found herself staring into a pair of dark brown eyes. It was the man from the pool table. The one Crystal had called Wolf. He was about the same height as Cole, but he was dark headed with a goatee.
The smile faded from her face, and she tried to pull away.
He tightened his hold. “Not so fast, sweetheart.”
“Let me go,” Angel demanded.
He pulled her back against him and bent his head down along the side of her neck. “You sure smell good, baby.”
“Please stop,” Angel pleaded, trying to twist away.
“Wolf, she’s with Cole.” Crystal tried to intervene.
“Stay out of this,” he snapped back at her.
Angel could hear the hush that fell over the crowd around them, and then she saw it part as Cole pushed his way through to her.
“Shit,” she heard Wolf whisper.
Cole yanked Wolf by the collar, pulling him off her. “You lookin’ for a fight?” he growled.
Wolf backed up a step. “No, man. Is she with you?”
Cole nodded. “You knew she was when you came over here.”
Angel looked from one man to the other. She gasped when Cole spun her around and yanked her shirt up.
“You see what that says, asshole?”
Wolf’s eyes fell to the tattoo on the small of Angel’s back. She was mortified with everyone in the bar watching.
“Outside, now!” Cole demanded, his voice a tight thread of sound.
The crowd stepped back, and the two men headed out the door. The crowd followed, pouring through the exit and into the parking lot.
“Come on,” Crystal grabbed Angel’s hand and dragged her outside.
The crowd had formed a circle around the two men, and Angel couldn’t see over them. Crystal pulled her toward a picnic table that was outside by the door. They climbed up and stood on top and were able to see what was happening.
Cole and the other man circled each other. Cole charged him, knocking him back onto the pavement. He began pounding his face with punches. Wolf was able to get a swing at the side of Cole’s head and knock him off. They both scrambled to their feet. Cole came back with a right and left punch. Wolf answered back with an uppercut to Cole’s gut.
Angel looked away. She couldn’t bear it. The crowd was now egging them on. The fight continued for another couple of minutes as they pounded on each other, both taking their licks. Finally, she noticed Mack signal to a couple of the guys to break it up. By then, both of the men were bloody. Cole wasn’t ready to quit, and Crash and Green had to pull him off Wolf.
“You Goddamn son-of-a-bitch!” Cole yelled at him. Crash and Green were able to back him up and separate them.
“Cool down,” Crash said.
Cole shrugged them off and walked over to the picnic table. Crystal climbed down when she saw him coming, leaving Angel alone. Cole stood there staring up at her. Angel looked down at him. His mouth was bleeding from the corner, and the side of his face was already starting to bruise and swell.
He reached up to lift her down. His knuckles were cut and bleeding.
She stepped toward him, and their eyes locked.
His hands closed around her waist, and she put her hands on his shoulders. He lifted her down, letting her body slowly slide down his, never breaking eye contact.
“You okay?” he asked.
She nodded.
“You enjoy the show?” he asked sarcastically.
She shook her head. “No, I—”