Chief's Angel (Biker Rockstar Series Book Three) (17 page)

He laughs, “Noted.”

“Did you get any sleep?”

“Nah, you fell asleep so I just sat watchin’ you.”

“You need sleep too,” I whisper, stroking his face.

“I’ll survive.”

“You’re dressed?”

He stiffens; only slightly but I’m close enough to notice. “I‘m riding out today.”

“Oh,”
I sit up in bed, “can I come?”

“No, not today.”

I tilt my head. “Where are you going?”

“It’s just business.”

Not really sure if I want the answer to my next question, I ask anyway. “Caden…are you doing something illegal?”

“I can’t tell you what we’re doin’; just know you can’t come.”

I give him a glare, “Is it always going to be like this? You telling me I can’t know anything and sneaking off?”

I know I’ve hit a nerve when I see Caden’s jaw clench. “It’s fuckin’ business Angel, I can’t tell you.”

“Are you going to hurt someone?”

“I said I can’t tell you.”

“You are!” I cry. I don’t know what I expected after our talk earlier but it sure wasn’t for him to head out on another job.

“Look, we have a job to do, it is gritty. You can’t be there… and I can’t see you for a few days afterwards either
.”

“What?” I whisper.

“I
am
the club, you know that; hell you told me you accepted that! It’s not just some casual get together; I can’t just say ‘oh I can’t make it today boys’.”

“I know that!” I snap.

“What crawled up your ass? Fuck you’re moody when you’re hung-over.”

I stand, gripping my jacket.

“Don’t go stormin’ out on me.”

I spin around. “Then tell me what you are doing?”

“Alright!” He yells, gripping my arm and yanking me down onto the bed.

I cross my arms and start to tap my foot impatiently. “Well?”

“We are going to do a job, I can’t give you details. The man we are ‘visiting’ has been ratting us out to the cops for over six months now. Word is he’s been feeding info to Dragon’s gang too. He is dangerous, and may get us all put away if we don’t stop him. Worse, Dragon will get something on us, and war will start.”

“So you are going to kill him?” I whisper.

He shakes his head at me. “I can’t say yes or no to that.”

“Oh
God,” I moan, gripping my head.

“I will be fine. We’ll go do our thing, it’ll get sorted and you don’t have to know about it.”

“Caden, what if you get hurt?”

“Don’t you worry your pretty little head
Angel. I’ll be fine.”

“I don’t…”

“We’ve been over this. If you can’t handle this life, why are you here?”

I know what I said; I know I promised to accept him for who he is and I know that the club is a massive part of that. I’m just not sure I can resign myself to a life of worrying whether or not he’s going to be arrested, if he’s going to walk through the door with a bullet in him or, worse still, come home at all. “Last night…you said how much it damaged you shooting that woman and now you are going to risk it all again.”

His face goes hard. “I would never be that careless again.”

“But what if something goes wrong?”

“It won’t.”

I shake my head, “Caden you scare me.”

He pulls me to him and kisses my forehead by way of reassurance. I know I’m being a nag, going on at him all the time; I just need to know that when he walks out of the door this morning that it won’t be the last time I see him.

“I should go,” I say, standing. “Jaxson has probably been wondering where I am.”

“Angel…”

I turn to him. “Stay safe Caden, please. That’s all I ask. I won’t bother you with any more questions because, truthfully, I don’t want to know.”

He grips my face. “Tell me you will be here when I get back?”

I sigh, “I couldn’t walk away even if I wanted to.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

“Ouch,” Jaxson says, touching my lip.

“Yeah, it is ouch.”

“You look like hell Mands, is everything okay?”

“Caden is away for a few days ‘visiting’ someone with the club.”

Jaxson’s mouth drops. “Oh…”

“Yeah.
Oh.”

“And you aren’t happy with that?”

I grab a bottle of water from the fridge and unscrew the cap. “How can I be? It’s dangerous. Look, whatever they need to do with their biker world is up to them, but he could get hurt.”

“I am sure he will be fine.”

“It worries me,” I sigh, tipping my head back and talking a gulp of water, swallowing a few painkillers.

“I’m sure he knows what he’s doing.”

“I know. I should really get to a Doctor and make sure Max didn’t massacre my face.”

“He looks like he did a good job,” Jaxson says, inspecting it closely.

I grab my compact from my purse and take a look. “Yeah, he did. I don’t know whether to be impressed or scared that he was so precise. Still, better get it checked out just in case.”

“Do you want me to come with?”

“Sure, we can do lunch after?”

He grins, “Sounds like a plan.”

We shower, dress and make our way to the local Medical Center. After a long wait, the Doctor goes over my lip and gives me some pills to make sure I don’t get an infection. That done, Jaxson and I make our way over to a nearby café and sit down for lunch. I scan the menu after ordering an iced tea. Jaxson does the same.

“What are you going to have to eat?” He asks.

“I might just have a BLT.”

“Sounds good to me too,” he says, flipping the menu closed.

We place our order with a passing waitress and I turn back to the table to quiz Jax. “So tell me Jax, how are things with you?”

“It’s crazy, we live together but we still have to ask that question.”

“I’ve been a bad friend, I know.” I groan.

“No you haven’t,” he laughs, leaning backwards so the waitress can put our drinks on the table. 

“I have so, but seriously? What has been happening?”

Jax picks up his drink and after taking a sip, smiles shyly from behind the glass. “I am seeing someone.”

I slam my hand down on the table. “What?! Since when?”

“Since last night.
We have hung out as friends a few times but he finally asked me out.”

“Oh, my,
God, give me details.”

Jaxson’s smile gets wider; he must really like this guy! “His name is Jamie.”

“Oh, sexy name! What else? Give me more, I need details,” I tease.

“Well he is blonde, with big brown eyes and a killer body. He‘s a photographer for one of the big modeling agencies; he’s even offered to take pictures for me.”

“Intriguing… go on.”

“We have decided to date, so we will see how it goes. I would love for you to meet him.”

“Pizza and movies tonight?” I suggest as the waitress returns with our food.

He grins, “That would be awesome; I'll let him know.”

We laugh and talk for the duration of our lunch. When I get back home, I literally pass out with exhaustion and don’t wake until late afternoon. I get out of bed and groan, my body is stiff and sore. I get into the shower and wash my hair, trying to make myself feel a little more human. When I get out into the lounge, Jaxson is on the couch having a serious kissing session with another man. I clear my throat.

“Oh Mands!
Sorry!” Jaxson laughs.

“No problems.”

I look over at the attractive man sitting beside Jaxson. He is very handsome, and together he and Jaxson certainly make a striking pair.

“Mandy, this is Jamie.”

I smile and reach out to offer my hand. Jamie takes it and a warm smile spreads across his face.

“Nice to meet you, Jamie,” I smile.

“You too,” he says in a smooth, velvety voice.

“So, what are we watching tonight?” I say, walking into the kitchen and digging about for some pizza vouchers.

“I say The Notebook,” Jaxson suggests.

“Aw Jax, you know that makes me cry,” I moan.

“I
love
that movie!” Jamie laughs.

“Ok, The Notebook it is,” I pout, dialing for a pizza. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

An hour later we are all curled up with pizza watching the film.

“I can’t believe you made me watch this,” I groan.

Jaxson laughs, “It never gets old. I mean come on; Noah is hot!”

“Hey!” Jamie grins, shoving Jaxson.

“You have to agree Jamie,” I say, biting my pizza, “he is smokin’.”

“Yeah, I can’t deny that.”

“You should see her piece of ass,” Jaxson laughs, winking at me.

“Hey now, don’t call him that.”

“Oh?” Jamie says, intrigued.

“Caden is beyond smo
kin’ the man has the body of a God.”

“I think I should meet this man of yours,” Jamie says, grinning at me. “If Jaxson says he’s hot then it must be true; we all know he has good taste!” He shoots a wink over at Jax and we all laugh.

“Hey, he is mine to perve on,” I protest.

“We can look; it’s the law you know?” Jaxson looks to Jamie, who nods in agreement.  “Good-looking men like that have to be ogled; it’s just how it works!”

I laugh and roll my eyes, snuggling further down into the pillow. An hour later there is a knock at the door.

“Who would that be?” I mumble, getting to my feet.

I walk over and open the door, to see a smiling Caden.

“What are you doing here?” I cry, wrapping my arms around his neck.

“I’m not going. I told them I had to look out for you after last night,”

I’m surprised to say the least. “And they let you?”

“Just this once.”

“You know I think t
hat is the sweetest thing you have ever done.”

“Now, don’t go callin’ me sweet. I’ve got a reputation to protect.” he grumbles.

“Come on in; we’re just watching a movie and eating pizza.”

“We?”

“Jaxson and his, err, boyfriend.”

Caden gives me a look.
“Right.”

“Come in, please?”

He walks in behind me and the two men turn to look. Jamie lets out a low whistle and Jaxson laughs.

“I told you he is fine.”

“Settle down now boys! If you are gonna perve on me and whistle like I am your next piece of meat, I might have to knock you out,” Caden says, shaking Jaxson’s hand with a grin.

“Don’t excite them.” I say, walking into the kitchen to put our dirty plates away.

Caden walks up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist.

“I have something for you,” he whispers.

“Oh?”

“Come into the bedroom.”

I turn and slap his shoulder. “Caden! We have company!”

He chuckles, “It’s not that!”

I turn around and he presses me against the bench, I can feel his rigid erection.

“Oh, really?”
I grin.

“Well, that
is
an added bonus. Come on,”

He leads me off and I give Jaxson a grin, to which he gives me an exaggerated waggle of his eyebrows. I laugh and lead Caden to my room, when we get in; he shuts the door behind him and turns to me. He looks a little nervous.

“What did you do?” I ask, walking over to my bed and sitting on the edge.

He ruffles through his pockets and pulls out a box, then walks over.

“I got you something.”

He hands it to me and I stare down at it. I can see it is a ring box; my eyes widen and my heart flutters.

“It isn’t what you think, just open it.”

I open the box, to reveal a single gold band. Engraved on it, is “Chief’s Angel.” I smile and tears well in my eyes. The writing is beautiful, a delicate scroll that fits perfectly on the beautiful but simple golden band.

“Oh…Caden…”

“It isn’t an engagement ring, because that isn’t how I work. It is a ring that symbolizes us, and what we are. You are my
Angel, you have been from the day you walked into my shop. This ring is my way of showing you how much you mean to me, it is my way of saying I
could
love you.”

I freeze.

I can hardly see him because of the tears in my eyes but I feel him move closer towards me. Lifting my chin so that my eyes meet his, he places his thumbs gently on my face and wipes away my tears. Dropping his lips to mine, he gives me the softest of feather light kisses. My eyes immediately fill again and I feel a huge lump in my throat. I swallow and swipe my tears away. “I love it.”