Page 7 of Angel

She did not want to have to explain to anyone what had happened. She did not want to see the pity in the ol’ ladies’ eyes when they learned she had lost her baby. If only she’d kept her mouth closed. Why had she even told them? Wasn’t there some unwritten rule that a woman wasn’t supposed to tell others about a pregnancy until the second trimester? Yet, Angel hadn’t even lasted a full day. It wasn’t like she could tell the baby’s father. She’d never been a blabbermouth before, but Angel also knew she’d need help. It had been a long time since she’d been up close and personal with a pregnancy.

Tessa finally took Angel’s silence as a hint and told her she’d be back to check on her. Angel’s suspicion that she was going to call Bear as soon as she left the room was confirmed by Tessa reaching into her back pocket for her phone before she closed the door behind herself.

Bear would know soon enough. Steel would too. How much longer did Angel have before the ol’ ladies found out? Would her club brothers find out or would she be able to keep her secret with only Bear and Steel knowing the truth?

She shouldn’t care. A part of her didn’t. She’d been numb to others’ opinions of her since before she’d started puberty. She wasn’t girly enough. She wasn’t pretty enough. She wasn’t clean enough. Angel had heard it all.

As she closed her eyes, once more fighting against tears, Angel knew that deep down she didn’t care if her club brothers found out. She only cared if a specific club brother found out.

Eventually, Angel had to suck it up and go home. Her abdomen felt like she’d been kicked repeatedly and the thick pad between her legs made her feel like she was waddling instead of walking. It was early enough that hopefully Bree was still asleep and knew nothing of Angel’s midnight trip to the hospital. Since she didn’t know about the pregnancy, Angel wondered if she should even tell her. She’d promised Bree that there would be no secrets between the two of them unless it was club business. But the question of the baby’s paternity would no doubt be asked—and Angel didn’t have an answer for her daughter.

She hoped that the universe wasn’t so against her that Cage would be awake. Maybe she could slip past him sleeping on the couch and he’d never know?—

But, of course, the universe was not so kind.

Cage threw the front door open and was to Tessa’s hatchback the second they pulled into Angel’s driveway. Since he lived in the clubhouse, the only vehicles in her driveway were her Harley-Davidson trike and her modified Chevrolet Traverse that Cage had bought for her and Bree as an adoption present. Angel had argued profusely but, in the end, had taken the cage. It was the only way to transport Bree around and Angel had to begrudgingly admit that she hadn’t had the money for both the trike and the Traverse. Cage’s present had been a godsend, even though she felt beholden to him every time she drove it.

Cage’s expression was that of fury and worry. He rushed around Tessa’s Subaru to Angel’s door and wrenched it open. He looked like a pissed off Greek god. Adonis in the flesh. She’d heard women compare him to a young Brad Pitt, but Angel had always compared him to myth. Untouchable. Forbidden. Too desirable for his own good.

He was a lady’s man—and she was no lady.

“What the fuck is going on?” Cage demanded. His dirty blonde hair looked ruffled and unkempt, very un-Cage-like. His blue eyes deepened with his emotions.

Angel put one hand to his chest and pushed him back. He went willingly, though he was not happy about it. It took all of her waning energy to stand without wincing.

“Thank you for watching Bree,” she said shortly. “You can go home now.”

She could practically taste Cage’s fury. If he was a Greek god, she was pretty sure he’d be lighting her aflame in that moment.

“What. The. Fuck.” His words were short and clipped. “Angel, you tell me right now why Tessa had to run you out of here in the middle of the night. Hey, Tessa,” he added more gently as Tessa walked around the front of the cage to meet them.

“Cage,” she greeted with a sweet smile. Tessa looked to Angel. “Do you want me to stay?”

Angel shook her head. Tessa had done enough and, frankly, Angel just wanted to be alone. But first she had to deal with the blonde brute in front of her.

Tessa gave both of them a wave and then walked across the lawn towards her house. Angel could see Bear’s large silhouette in the door.

She turned her attention back to Cage. She was still standing in the Subaru’s open door. “Excuse me.”

Cage threw his arm out, placing it on the roof. Angel was five-eight and muscled. Cage was six-foot-one and more muscled. Any other night, Angel would have put him on his ass for even attempting to block her way. But she was too emotionally and physically tired. She could if she had to but she didn’t want to.

“Talk to me, Angel.” His voice was lower, coaxing now. She hated how he said her road name like an endearment.

Angel felt her heart start to beat faster at his closeness. His scent had always reminded her of the beach, coconuts, and clean oceans. It was soothing and, if she closed her eyes, she could picture the beautiful tropical view.

But Angel refused to be swept away by his concern, his kindness, or his scent. What was happening was none of his business.

“Go home, Cage,” she said more sternly.

The hurt that crossed his face almost made her confess everything. The desire of having him to come home to, to let him comfort her in her grief, nearly consumed her. But she wasn’t the girl for him. He’d end up breaking her heart.

Beyond that, she couldn’t do that to Bree. Teenage crush aside, Bree deserved a father she could rely on. Cage would let her down. It was only a matter of time. Angel wouldn’t bring him into their lives knowing that he would eventually get bored with monogamy and the family lifestyle.

It wasn’t in him.

Cage stood frozen for a moment, just staring down at her. Angel wondered what he was seeing. Did he pick up on her heartbreak? Could he sense her grief?

Whatever it was that he saw was enough to make him step back without any further complaint.

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