Chapter Eighteen
Cole walked out of the clubhouse. He lit a cigarette and stared up at the moon. He wondered if Angel could see it, too. He’d thought about her constantly these past three months. It was mid-July now, and he supposed it was hotter than hell in Arizona. Melissa had been home from the hospital since the week after he left. She was doing well. Natalie had kept him informed.
He flipped his phone open, and his thumb moved over the numbers. He put it to his ear and waited while it rang. Finally, she picked up.
“Hello?”
“Natalie? It’s Cole.”
“Oh.”
Not the greeting he usually received from her. He could tell immediately by her tone that something was wrong. She was being cold toward him, and that wasn’t her way. “What’s wrong?”
“I can’t really talk now. Let me call you back, okay?”
He wasn’t letting her off that easy. “Are the kids okay? Angel?”
“Yes. They’re fine. I’ll call you back once everyone’s in bed.”
“Yeah. Okay.” He hung up and took a hit off his cigarette. Something was wrong. He couldn’t stop wondering what it could be. She’d said they were all okay. He’d been sending money regularly, so he didn’t think it was money. He’d told her to tell him if there was anything they needed. She knew all she had to do was call and he’d find a way to get it for them, no matter what it was.
He waited an hour, then two, before she finally called back. He flipped his phone open and put it to his ear. “Yeah.”
“Cole? It’s Natalie.”
“Thanks for calling me back. What’s going on?”
“Angel’s been very upset.”
“Why? What happened? Is it Melissa?”
“No. Melissa’s fine. She’s doing great, actually.”
“What then?”
“Angel got a call.”
“A call?”
“From your wife, Cole.”
“What?”
“Yes. She called here and talked to Angel. Told her to leave her husband alone.”
“My God. I’m sorry.” He was going to kill her. “She must have gotten the number out of my cell phone.”
“That’s not all.”
“What?” He was almost afraid to ask.
“She told Angel that the two of you are expecting a baby.”
“Oh my God,” he whispered, his eyes sliding closed.
“Yes. Angel was quite upset by that.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“Is it true, Cole?”
He clenched the phone in his hand. He didn’t want to say the words. “Yes. It’s true.”
“Oh, Cole.”
“She told me she thinks she got pregnant around New Year’s. Long before Angel ever came to see me.” There was silence on the other end. “I’m sorry, Natalie. I didn’t want this. I meant to come back here and divorce her quickly. But when she told me about the baby…I couldn’t bring myself to do it.”
“Of course. I understand.”
“I don’t think you do. Mandy…she’s not like Angel. She’s selfish and immature. This baby is going to need me, Natalie, more than Angel’s kids. At least they have a loving, decent mother to care for them. And they have you, and—”
“Yes, well…I should go.”
“Natalie, wait! Please.”
“Cole, if you could make sure she doesn’t call here again, I’d appreciate it.”
He could feel her shutting him out—thinking he’d turned out to be nothing more than another lying, cheating, married man. “Yes, I’ll make sure. I’m sorry. Please believe me. This isn’t what I wanted.”
“Goodbye, Cole.”
She disconnected.
Cole shoved the phone in his pocket, got on his bike and fired it up. He had some business to take care of with his wife.
Crash walked out of the clubhouse. “Cole, wait.”
Cole cut the bike back off. “What is it?”
Mack wants to see you for a minute.
Cole got off his bike and walked back inside with Crash. He found Mack sitting in the chapel waiting for him. He walked in and closed the door. “You wanted to see me?”
Mack nodded. “Sit.”
Cole walked over and sat next to him. “Wyatt’s having trouble with the Hyena’s again. I want you to go up there and see what’s going on. I’m thinking about finally patching them over. Look around. Let me know if you think it’s a good move or not.”
Cole looked at him. “When do you want me to leave?”
“Tomorrow.”
Cole nodded. “Yeah. Okay.”