Simply Sinful: Lost Angels MC, page 15
I shake my head, “I must really love you.”
****
I’m not sure when I fell asleep, but when I wake it’s to someone calling my name. I wave them off and curl deeper into the blanket that covers me. God why am I so uncomfortable? Again, my name is called out and this time I recognize it, and I bolt awake, the blanket falling away from me and to the floor.
“Cole,” I breathe.
His left eye is swollen completely shut, the scratches vivid against the bruises making their way to dominance, but his right is clear and is searching me, “You’re soft on my eyes, like an angel.”
I start to cry, but I don’t do a thing to stop the tears. One hand goes into his and the other smooths the side of his face, “why on earth would that be the first thing you say to me? Jesus, I want to hit you for how much worry I’ve been in. What happened?”
He looks down at himself as if he hadn’t even bothered to check inventory, “Some dickhead in a white BMW pushed me off the road. Since I was speeding a bit to try and avoid him, when I went into that steep hill I couldn’t stop in time before crashing into the tree line. My bike hit hard, and I went flying but that’s all I can remember. How long have I been here?”
I look up at the clock on the wall, “Almost three days.”
“Well, shit. No wonder you’re all dressed up, I missed the wedding.”
I nod to confirm it. “It’s alright though, OH!” I pick up my phone, there are ten missed calls, and a few nasty texts that greet me. I had forgotten to turn on the sound after the wedding.
“What?”
“I forgot to tell everyone that I got here safe and how you are,” I don’t look up as I type out a reply to Lidia, and my dad. Lidia can make sure Tank and Echo get the message. I can’t believe how many people have contacted me, and I can’t believe I forgot. Lidia, on her wedding night, worried about me, God I’m such a shit friend.
“They’ll forgive you,” he sets a hand on my forearm, and I look over at him, “How’s my bike?”
“I haven’t seen it, but I’m told it’s completely totaled. I’m sorry, Cole.”
“Oh! You’re awake,” a nurse I hadn’t seen before comes in. but then is backing out and gone before we can blink.
“Um, alright,” I say. “What was I saying?”
He flinches. “About the bike and how it’s totaled.”
“Oh, yes,” I squeeze his arm, “I am sorry about that. You still have your truck though, right?”
“Yeah I guess so, and I was planning to leave the Lost Angels anyway. The thing is, I do enjoy riding free like that most days, especially when it’s a nice day. Maybe I’ll work to save up for another.”
“After what just happened to you?!”
“I’m not going to stop doing what I love just because I’ve seen how it can hurt me. I’ll just be safer in the future.”
“You’re a damn mystery, Cole Myers.”
“That’s part of why you love me,” his cheek that isn’t bruised tinges pink.
My fingers graze his skin where it’s started to change, and I smile at him. “A very small part.”
He takes my hand and kisses the inside of my palm, the way he used to do all the time, and my insides go liquid, “I love you too, you know,” I nod because I do. I have even before I knew that I knew.
“Sorry to interrupt,” the doctor says.
My hand falls away and Cole looks at him, “I suspect you’re the doctor.”
I sit in silence as the doctor introduces himself and explains to Cole all that his body has suffered, what his expectations are, and after care once he gets out of the hospital.
“Don’t worry, doctor, I won’t be letting him out of my sight for a long while.”
“I have no doubt about that,” he assures, “I know my wife wouldn’t if I were banged up like this.”
“Wife…” his eyes flicker to me for a second before refocusing on the doctor, “...yes my wife, will take good care of me,” Cole smiles so big his teeth are showing, "so, when will my wife and I get to head home?"
"Now that you're awake things can become pretty straight forward. We'll take a few scans before you are released, and if everything looks alright, we'll set up a few follow ups until we can take that cast off," he points to the arm suspended, "I guess we can take that down now."
"Thanks," Cole says as the doctor slowly lowers it, "so when can we get this ball rolling?"
"I have a few patients to check on right now, but I'll send a nurse in to get things started."
When we're left alone, I predict what he would say. "We're married now? I should end up in the hospital more often."
"Knock it off," I glare at him, "don't even tease about that. It's the only way they allowed me to stay."
It takes ten hours for Cole to be cleared to leave. He doesn't argue when I tell him he'll be coming home with me. I tell myself it’s only until he’s healed up, but I wonder if I know even then the lie I am telling.
"We have just one thing we need to do first," he gives me that smile, and then shines the same smile up at the nurse that's helpless to his charm.
Six months later
"Cole! Come on, we're going to be late!" I yell at him from across the apartment.
"Woman, give me a damn minute! I'm selling another Tinkerment!"
I roll my eyes, if I had known that name would stick, I would have thought of a more personal name. "As if that's an unusual occurrence!"
Ever since he’s been able to move around freely, even with the cast on he's been building. Now that the cast is off, his little hobby has turned into a small business. Who would have thought there was a market for creations made of wood? He loves building multi-functional pieces. Like last week he made a chair that morphed into a full-size bench, don't ask me how, but it sold the next day after I uploaded it to a site I made for him. He's still looking for a job, but eventually he'll realize just as I have, what he's doing now is what he was born to do.
I squeak in surprise as arms come around me and a nose nuzzles my neck, "I'm not sure I can allow you out of the apartment dressed like that," he murmurs in my ear.
Jabbing him in the stomach with my elbow I protest, "Allow me? I'm pretty sure we know who's in charge here. Plus, jeans and a t-shirt are hardly provocative," I wiggle against the erection straining against his jeans.
He gasps, griping me harder to him, "You're not playing fair, and when the fabric grips," he moves a hand to cup my ass, "like this, it's more than provocative, it's downright distracting!" he nibbles on my earlobe causing me to shiver.
Somehow, I reel myself in to untangle myself, "No, I know what you're trying to do. We're already going to be late."
He doesn't look the least bit sorry. His smile widens and he takes a step towards me. I hold up a hand, "I swear to God, Cole, I'll scream."
"Oh, sweetheart I'll have you screaming alright," then he launches himself at me.
Half an hour later we're in the car ready to leave. The scoundrel, but I can't find it in me to be angry.
Sara and Vince are having a cookout, and we were invited. We haven't been back since Cole had the accident. It will be good to see everyone while we’re there. Lidia has adjusted well to married life. Brook and the guy that walked her down the aisle at the wedding are seeing one another. Sara and Vince are still not getting much sleep, but I think that’s a normal thing for parents. Cole didn’t want to quit the Lost Angels over the phone, so it will be a good time to do it while we are there, and to finally get his truck.
When we arrive, we are ambushed with hugs and handshakes, and everyone is genuinely happy to see us. Since my father has yet to show up, it makes me feel marginally better that we are late, I start to walk towards Lidia but am stopped by Vince.
“Hey, how’s it going?”
“It’s been good, busy getting adjusted to a routine again but good.”
“Sara told me what you found out about Adrian. Do you think he will get jail time for running Cole off the road?” Vince asks.
When Adrian showed up on my doorstep thinking that Cole would no longer be between us, he was outraged at seeing Cole there, on my couch. It was easy to piece everything together after that. He hasn’t come right out to admit it, but I know he’s the one that did it. The make and model of his car is exact. Cole hadn’t been in Chicago long enough to make any other enemies, not ones that would have a reason to want to hurt him. “You know unless there is hard evidence, I doubt it, it’s infuriating, but sometimes the bad guys get away.”
“Shit, don’t I know it. There’s too much injustice going on in the world.”
“How is work?”
“We’ve finally started to clean up around town. When I found out Cole lived in such a rough neighborhood, I decided to get more involved. That building is condemned now, but we’ve found everyone a new home. There are plenty of homes in Chilawakee that were vacant, so they are now government funded. It took some elbow grease from the members of the club and a shit ton of paperwork than I want to see again in my life, but in the end it’s worth it. Oh that reminds me, I had Chancy’s truck towed to my house. So he can pick it up there.”
“Wow, Vince, that is amazing! And thank you.”
“Shut up Vince, I haven't seen my best friend in forever,” Lidia says as she takes my arm and leads me away. I send Vince a smile before he shrugs and turns towards the group surrounding Cole.
She stops on the back patio and takes a seat, gesturing I take the one next to her, “Tell me everything! How has everything been going?”
Talking with my hands I start describing the few projects I’ve been working on at my new job. The company is a ton smaller than the other ones I had worked at, but surprisingly there is so much more freedom. I’ve loved it so far. When I start describing the arch of one of the buildings I am fast falling in love with, Lidia interrupts me with a finger pointed at my hands.
“What the fuck is that?” Her nose crinkles up, her brows are scrunching over her eyes before all her features go lax and her eyes grow wide, then she repeats herself, but louder. “What the fuck is that!” Her hand wraps around my wrist and she fingers the ring on my left ring finger. Her eyes are huge as they take me in, and I don’t have to look around to know we have gained the attention of everyone in the backyard.
“It’s what you think it is…”
“But it has a band...like you’ve already been married…”
“Nothing gets by you,” I can’t hold back my smile anymore.
“Bitch,” she says as she throws my hand from her. “You didn’t even call me!”
“I literally had no time.”
“Explain, right now, or we’re no longer friends.”
I start to laugh, but when her face doesn’t change, I sober. I sigh exasperated. “Alright, alright, don’t get your panties in a twist.”
“Then fucking untwist them.”
“Yes, please untwist her panties and mine too. I’m so hurt right now. I had no idea,” Sara says as she helps Camilla walk towards us.
“I think we all need a drink to get through this story,” Brook hands me her drink, I take a tentative sip and to my surprise it’s water with fruit…I thank her and start my story.
“What do you mean? I know we have to go down to the pharmacy to get your prescriptions filled before we go, but after that there’s nothing that I remember the doctor saying to get,” I pull out the checklist as I follow the nurse that pushes Cole in his wheelchair down the hall. As I read down the list, I start to shake my head. “Yeah there’s nothing else, Cole, what…” then my head comes up and there in the little chapel stands a priest, flowers that still hold ‘get well’ balloons line the pews, some are being handed to me. The stems wrapped in paper towels, I’m so stunned I take them without a fight.
When I look down at Cole, he holds a ring that I would know anywhere. It’s my mother’s. "Got your Dad's blessing," he says with a smile. Tears prick my eyes, and I let out a sob as he struggles down to the floor to get on one knee.
“No, don’t do that, get back…” but he’s determined and after a little help from the nurse and myself he’s at my feet.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen to us. In fact, when I think about it, I want to strap you to the nearest solid object, not even in a kinky way, so our chances are increased tenfold. I wish I could read the stars, or convince the fates to tell me their secrets, the only thing I know for sure is that I love you, and I am all in. I will be until I am dead and gone, ten feet under the dirt. No matter how difficult it gets, no matter how things in this life try and tear us apart, I’ll be yours. Will you be mine? Will you do forever with me? Will you marry me?”
I sigh bringing myself out of the moment, tears still pricking my eyes as I think of how vulnerable he looked, how romantic he was, “He completely surprised me, and I couldn’t think of a reason to say no. So after saying yes, a yes to all his questions and helping him back in that chair we rolled up to the priest and said our I do’s. We had wasted enough time being apart.”
A collective of awes come from the ladies, and Lidia is actually brushing a few tears of her own away from her eyes. “You should have told me,” she insists.
“I know, but the relationship didn’t change after the event so sometimes I was convinced it was a dream.”
“Honey, I know that a wedding ring gets some getting used to, it’s a daily reminder that you haven’t been. I think it’s my turn to be mad at you for a while,” she sits back in her chair and pouts.
“Ignore her,” Sara says. “Congratulations! I’m so glad you and Cole are finally official, because honestly you were driving everyone bonkers with being on the fence the whole time you were here in town.”
“So true,” Brook pipes in.
“I know! I can be stubborn.”
Sara brings up her fingers and there is not even an inch between her thumb and index. “Just a little,” we all laugh, even Lidia though she does it with her arms still crossed over her chest.
“There are so many people here,” I say as I take a look around the yard. When I do, I notice that the guys that had been around Cole had disbursed and were now in smaller groups. There is someone however that’s talking to Cole. A bright red dress with a black belt, perfectly fitting her name. She’s much closer than she needs to be, she’s touching the edges of his leather jacket as she whispers in his ear. Something tightens in my stomach, and I don’t like the feeling of jealousy snaking itself inside of me, but it’s there. The only thing different is that despite feeling all the same feelings I wasn’t allowing myself the easy way out, “I’ll be right back,” I say to all of the girls, as I find my feet.
When I wrap my arms around Cole’s middle I partially bump her out of the way, and it makes my smile a little wider when she takes a second to rebalance herself, “Poppy, I thought that was you.”
“Emmaline, how nice to see you,” her smile like cheap wallpaper on her face. One tear and it would certainly fall away, oh it’s far too tempting.
“Doesn’t my husband look great?” I pat his stomach, “I mean after that accident I was worried he’d have some permanent damage, but everything is in perfect working order, if you know what I mean,” my smile grows wider as hers falters as soon as it sinks in that he is truly out of her grasp. The chaos within me is finally finding balance. I know now that no matter what we are faced with I can overcome my faults. It feels good to know I’m capable of so much more. I won’t risk losing him again. Despite what he said in his proposal, I know that running from him after I made my promise would be inflicting a wound I couldn’t heal.
“Oh, it seems congratulations are in order.”
“Thanks, we couldn’t be happier she said yes,” Cole says as he bends down and gives me a solid kiss. I had meant for it to be a quick kiss, but his little groan in the back of his throat has me tangling my fingers in his hair, his hands soon travel down, and suddenly we are in the moment, forgetting altogether that there is even a world outside of us.
There’s a clearing of a voice, but it isn’t feminine. “Would you please stop eating my daughter like that.”
We jump apart like we are damn teenagers getting caught with our bedroom door locked. He looks at each of us in turn, arms folded over his chest. Cole is the first to break the silent stare off.
“Ric, I need to talk to you about the club,” he doesn’t even unfold his arms as he jerks his chin to indicate for him to continue. Cole clears his throat, and my fingers curl in his. “I’m quitting. I live in Chicago now with Em, you know as well as I do it's safer," they both look down at me as he says the word safe, and I can feel my brows pinching together. They look away and back to each other as Cole says, "and I can’t dedicate my time as I used to.”
Dad starts to shake his head. “Nope, you’re not quitting.”
“But…”
“There are no buts, you’re my son-in-law, like it or not you’re apart of us. I won’t expect you to come to church, or even do assignments, but every year when we take our trip, I damn well expect you to be on your bike and ready to ride with my daughter. I have a feeling I’ll see less of her now.”
Cole pulls me closer to him, “I think we can agree to that. I should be able to afford a new bike soon.”
“Good,” he pats Cole on the shoulder but before he can walk away, Cole stops him with a statement.
“I think it’s time you told me.”
Dad seems to know exactly what he’s talking about and sighs, taking a few steps back, “I did say I would, but I don’t like the idea of you hunting down someone that doesn’t give a damn.”
“I think that’s my decision to make.”
Dad starts to nod. “You have me there. His name is Niles Davidson, he’s the prez of the Scavengers. You’d know him as Ironclad,” I flinch and when my dad looks at me and shakes his head once, I know too what Cole would do if I told him about meeting his father. Though now I know why those eyes had been so familiar. They were the same ones that I looked into every night. My dad continues quickly after, the exchange not even noticed by Cole, “I know you have a good idea of what we plan to do when it comes to his club and the Snake Eyes, they are bringing down the community of good people around here, and we can no longer stand for that, but only when the time is right. So if you find yourself visiting his area to drop in don’t mention us. I can’t put the club, not to mention, Lidia or Em, in danger. I won’t allow them to be in danger because of your curiosity, got it?” he looks at Cole until I feel myself shiver from the intensity.
