Page 42 of Angel

“Depends on what everything is,” Steel told her honestly. “If this turns out just to be some twisted game, I’ll suspend you without pay for six months for wasting my time.”

Evette gaped at him. She looked between Lucky and Bulldog, again as if seeking help. Both Bulldog and Cage were guilty of having taken advantage of the Honeys’ presence in their lifestyle. Lucky had maybe once or twice in the five years before he’d met Harper. All three men had not touched a Honey since meeting their women. Or, at least, Cage hadn’t since he’d acknowledged his feelings for Angel.

“Look, I can’t lose this job, but I needed the money.”

Steel’s look was not sympathetic. “Go on.”

“Cheryl called me,” Evette told him without meeting his gaze. Cheryl was a former Honey who had come onto Bulldog in front of Abby in the town’s bakery. When she went on a screaming public rant, Bulldog had fired her on the spot. As an officer he could, whereas neither Cage nor Angel could. That had been last March, if Cage remembered correctly. He hadn’t been present at the time, but Pirate and Bones had told them all about it later on.

It had recently been discovered that Cheryl had been ‘working’ for the Black Pythons as one of their patch whores. ‘Working’ was a loose word for what she was doing, since it was doubtful she was getting paid.

While the Via Daemonia had Honeys, they were employees first and foremost. They clocked in and out, had daily tasks to perform, had the option of health insurance, and even got paid time off and sick leave. The fact that they slept with the club members was an unspoken job. They were not paid to and they always had the right to refuse.

It was rare for a MC to treat their patch bunnies or whores so well. It was another reason the VDMC had decided to call them ‘Honeys’ instead. Cage himself had not been there for that meeting, only the founding seven had, but he could appreciate the differentiation they were trying to set.

“When did Cheryl call you?” Lucky asked for clarification.

“Last week.” Evette’s voice was now low and there was a bit of shame in it. “She said that she was in trouble. She sounded really bad,” Evette added as if that was the reason she’d agreed to whatever she’d done. “She said she needed my help.”

When Evette paused, Bulldog growled, “With what?”

“The Black Pythons want to get their hands on a Via Daemonia,” Evette told him quickly. She flinched. “She said that Venom, their VP, had only given her sanctuary with the Pythons after she’d told him she still had an in with the Via Daemonia. About two months ago, Venom made her make good on her promise.” Hastily, Evette added, “She swears she never meant to actually do it, but he hurt her. Said that she either got him a Via Daemonia or she was out on the streets.” A sniffle escaped her as she said, “She’s pregnant. She can’t go onto the streets.”

Steel looked over his shoulder. He and Lucky exchanged a look and then Lucky nodded. He left the room. Steel turned back to Evette. “Continue.”

“Cheryl said that she and another girl the Pythons frequently fuck came to Mount Grove about two months ago. Cheryl knew she’d be recognized so she had the other girl approach one of the club members.” Evette swallowed and glanced nervously at Cage. “She knew which ones were the easiest to get alone with a girl.”

Cage stiffened. He hadn’t been that easy in over a year.

“The girl got Cage alone. According to Cheryl, Cage was nearly outside with her when he suddenly changed his mind. He put the girl in an Uber and then went back inside the bar.”

Cage knew exactly which night they were referring to. It was the night he’d decided he needed to pursue Angel. To be open and honest about his feelings for her. Mind, he’d had a lot to drink that night and recalled being unsteady on his feet.

However, what he did not recall was going back into the bar.

Angel stiffened against his front. She’d been there that night too. “He went back inside?” she clarified to Evette.

Cage glanced down at Angel. Why was she confused whether he’d been in or outside of the bar? As far as he knew, she hadn’t even noticed him that night. It was one of the reasons he’d been drinking so heavily.

Lucky slipped silently back inside the room and once again took his position behind Steel’s desk.

Evette nodded but didn’t look up. “She said the girl had a hard time getting him alone but Venom had given them some roofies. She slipped them into his drink.”

Everyone turned to stare at Cage. Cage himself would have too if that was possible. He’d been roofied? He knew his memories of that night were fuzzy, but he did not think it had been anything more than a drunken stupor.

“What happened? Why did the plan fail?” Steel asked Evette, drawing everyone’s attention away from Cage.

He was grateful. He did not like their eyes on him. Especially Angel’s. Her gaze hadn’t been accusing but assessing. He didn’t like it. Like she was trying to see him through a pair of foggy glasses.

“Even drugged, Cage wouldn’t go with her. She said that the girl wasn’t even sure he was drugged because he wasn’t acting drugged. He just wanted to go back inside. She said the girl said he met up with the rest of his club members, but she saw him walk away with a woman wearing a cut and figured it was one of the ol’ ladies. When they returned to Venom without a Via Daemonia, though, things got…bad. Cheryl said that she was beaten so badly she thought she had lost her baby.”

“Did she?”

Evette shook her head. “No, thank God. She’s still pregnant.” She shuddered. “The other girl, though… Cheryl said that Venom took her away and Cheryl never saw her or Venom again.”

“Did Cheryl tell you her name?”

Evette shook her head.

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