Page 44 of Angel

“Angel, what’s wrong?” he asked as he approached. He tried to put his hand on her, but she pushed him back as another heave racked her body.

She was only able to gasp out, “Tessa.”

Knowing he was completely helpless to assist her medically, Cage pulled his phone out of his back pocket. But he wouldn’t be deterred from helping to comfort her. As he put his ringing phone up to his ear, he pressed himself against Angel’s back and held her hair out of her way.

SEVEN WEEKS AGO

Leaning across the tall, round table, his lips locked on the blonde’s in front of him, Cage came to the realization that he was completely bored. She was a good kisser, not too much pressure or slobber. Her skimpy dress was killer on her toned body. Cage couldn’t remember her name to save his life.

When he’d entered Demon’s that night, he had not planned on sharing a few drinks with his current lip lock companion. His goal had been another lady but, to be honest, he was tired of chasing her. For nearly a year, Cage had been giving her his full, undivided attention—and he felt like she was the one who didn’t know his name.

He was man enough to admit that his ego had taken a hit.

Cage wasn’t even sure what his feelings for Angel were. While he’d never been in love before, he’d seen it recently. A lot. Even before the club, his own parents were a prime example. His Greek father had married his French mother when they were nineteen and twenty years old. Twelve kids later, they finally had Cage and were still as in love as they’d been on the day they had said “I do”.

He knew he felt something for Angel, but he wasn’t sure it was love. At least, not yet. He thought it could be, but it was still too new and raw to use that word. He was definitely in like with her though.

And she couldn’t even take the time to greet him by name. He’d been at her fucking house, spending time with her daughter, and all he got was a fucking chin lift on her way by.

His club brothers invited him out drinking and Cage had jumped at the opportunity. When he’d learned Angel was coming too, he’d gotten excited. Maybe tonight he’d finally get her to loosen up and tell him what the fuck had happened a year ago when she’d kicked him out of Bree’s hospital room.

Instead, he’d overheard Bones tell Angel that Cage was coming too and Angel’s reply of, “Great. Anyone want to bet how long it’ll take before he has some slut pinned up against the wall?”

A man’s ego could only take but so much. He’d planned on coming to Demon’s to get drunk and forget about Angel and her comment. A few drinks in and some blonde with a nice rack and an ass you could bounce a quarter off of came up to him. He wasn’t drunk, but he’d certainly had enough to drink where decisions should not be made.

Which was how he ended up sucking face with this unnamed blonde. Maybe Angel was right. Maybe he was just some womanizing loser.

Mind, she’d never actually said those words to him, but the implication was there.

Cage pulled away from the blonde. “Want to head to my place?” He pulled out his phone to call for a ride because he was in no condition to drive. The prospects were busy behind the counter of the bar and Cage wasn’t so cheap that he needed one of them to drive him back to the clubhouse. Ranger and Ghost would probably have his balls if he tried.

They hated when the club members pulled the prospects for selfish reasons when the bar was this busy. “Call a fucking Uber!” they usually demanded.

The blonde agreed and gathered up her purse. They were walking towards the door when a collective holler of joy rose up through the bar. Cage looked over his shoulder in time to see Pumpkin pick Angel up in the air and hug her in celebration.

“Two hundred bucks to me!” Angel shouted with her fist in the air.

For a moment, Cage thought that perhaps Angel had won the bet from her comment regarding Cage. Then he saw the dart board and realized that some fucking moron had challenged Angel to a contest.

“Moron,” Cage muttered to himself, too intoxicated to think up another word. What idiot would challenge Angel, a former sharpshooter, to a dart throwing contest? Even drunk, she could beat everyone here.

The blonde must have realized he wasn’t following her anymore because she was suddenly draped over his right arm. Her boobs pressed into him and Cage felt…nothing. Oh, his body reacted as any male’s would in his situation, but there was no drive, no feeling, behind it. He honestly wasn’t sure he’d even be able to have sex with her if he tried. It would be as entertaining as fucking a Fleshlight.

“You ready, baby?”

Cage knew right then that he couldn’t do it. Going back to his clubhouse apartment and fucking this unknown woman was not in him. There was only one woman whom he wanted to be with…and she was currently partying hard with their club brothers like Cage didn’t exist.

“Come on,” Cage told the blonde. He was enough of a gentleman to at least get her home safely. “You can take my rideshare. I’m going to stay here.”

Her face fell. “What?” She stepped back from him, completely appalled.

“I can’t go,” he said, though he owed her no explanation. “I need to stay here.” He walked her outside just as the blue car pulled into the parking lot.

She still seemed shocked and aghast that he would turn her down. She stumbled in her high-heeled fancy shoes, which were completely unpractical. Angel would never wear something so ridiculous.

As the blue car pulled away, Cage stood out in the hot July air for a long time. He was too drunk to drive but sober enough to know what he wanted. He needed to put it all on the table. It wasn’t Angel’s fault that she didn’t know how he felt when he’d never told her.

He headed back inside the bar. His club brothers and Angel had claimed two of the tall tables in the back corner by the dart boards and pool table. Bones and Grumpy were racking up for a new game. Pumpkin, Demo, and Angel were lounging against the wall, mostly finished pints in their hands. Ghost and Ranger were taking turns between hanging out with their brothers and managing the bar. With the crowd, both were remaining sober. Since they’d lost Scar as a bouncer, Ghost and Ranger had taken the position.

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