Chapter Seventeen
Cole pulled in the clubhouse parking lot at sunset. He had ridden all through the night, stopping only once he was back across the California state line. He’d pulled into a rest area and slept on a picnic table for an hour or two. When he’d woken up, he’d rolled to a sitting position on top of the table, his feet on the bench. He’d lit a cigarette, and stared at the horizon. Then he’d walked back to his bike, pulled his cut out of his saddlebag, and put it back on—where it belonged—thinking what a fool he’d been to try to be anything but what he was. The club was all he knew, and he was good at it.
Being back on home turf felt right. He dismounted.
Green and Cajun came over and slapped him on the back, welcoming him home. It had been almost two months since he’d left.
He walked inside.
Crash was at the bar with Mack. They both rose off their barstools and gave him bear hugs.
“Glad to have you back, son,” Mack said.
“Glad to be back,” Cole replied.
“How’s your little girl?” Crash asked.
“Doing well. She should be released to go home soon.”
“Hey, if there’s anything we can do, anything you need or…” Crash offered.
“Thanks, man.” Cole nodded.
“Thought you were staying until she got out?” Mack asked.
Cole shook his head. “I needed to get back.”
Mack could tell something had happened. He let it go, sensing that Cole wasn’t ready to talk about it. “We’ll catch up later, okay?”
Cole nodded. “Yeah. Okay.” He watched Mack walk out the door. He turned back to Crash, who was holding out a beer to him. “Thanks,” he said, taking it.
“Your wife’s been driving us all crazy.”
Cole shook his head and blew out a breath. “Yeah, me, too. Been callin’ me night and day with her bitchin’.” He lit a cigarette, inhaling deeply.
Crash took a hit off his beer. “Well, she’s been a real pain in my ass.”
Cole exhaled, squinting at him through the smoke. “What do ya mean?”
“Constantly around. Asking me questions. Guess she thinks I know something she doesn’t.”
“Questions?”
“Yeah. You might as well know she’s been hittin’ up everybody in the club for info on Angel.”
“Christ.”
“How’s she doin’, by the way?”
Cole shrugged. “Things were goin’ real good.”
“Yeah?”
“Until she found out I was married.”
Crash nodded and smiled. “Yeah, that’s a mood killer, all right.”
Cole shook his head and smiled back at him. “Smartass.”
“You been by your house yet? Seen Mandy?”
Cole took a sip of his beer. “Nope.”
Crash drank his beer, studying Cole.
Cole looked over at him. “I need to talk to you. Come on.”
Crash followed Cole up to his room.
They walked in, and Cole closed the door. He moved into the room, leaned back against the desk, stared at Crash a moment, and then asked, “Did you know Mack sent Angel away?”
“What are you talking about?” Crash asked, confused.
“Three years ago.”
“Hell, no. I thought she left.”
Cole shook his head. “He ran her off.”
“No shit?”
Cole took a hit off his cigarette. “Yeah.”
“And now that you’ve seen her again?”
Cole shook his head. “I don’t know. She still has me tied in knots, just like she did before.”
“I couldn’t believe my eyes when she showed up here,” Crash admitted.
“Yeah, me, too.”
“She sure was gorgeous. I didn’t even recognize her.”
“Me, either. Until she pulled off those sunglasses.”
***
Mandy walked into the clubhouse. She’d seen Cole’s bike out front and knew he was back. He could have at least called her and let her know. Just wait till she got her hands on him.
She looked around not seeing him in the main room, so she headed upstairs to his room. She smiled, thinking maybe they could have a little private reunion. When she got to the door and was reaching for the knob, she heard voices coming from inside. She hesitated, listening.
***
“So, now what? Are you going to see her again?” Crash asked.
Cole nodded. “Yeah. I just have to divorce Mandy first. I talked to an attorney before I left.”
Crash laughed. “What attorney are you using? Not the one I used, I hope. I got screwed. Royally.”
They both laughed.
“Yeah. That you did, Brother,” Cole agreed.
***