Page 77 of Angel

Cage hadn’t been back there himself to see Cheryl—he had no reason to—but he knew per Pumpkin that she was behaving. She was taking Steel’s warning to be placed in a coma very seriously and, so far, was not doing anything to make Steel follow through on his threat. Pumpkin went to visit her often and generally took Bones or Grumpy with him. Bones had told Cage that he never spoke to Cheryl to ask her how she was feeling or if she needed anything. His questions were always about the baby to ask how he was feeling and if he needed anything.

Cage knew he wasn’t the only brother worried that Pumpkin might grow attached to Cheryl or become sympathetic to her plight. Per Grumpy, though, Pumpkin acted like Cheryl was nothing more than a talking incubator.

Tessa continued to monitor Cheryl. Cage wasn’t sure if she had been told of Cheryl’s fate but doubted it. That was club business.

Gracie and Monica had started their training at the bar as servers and bartenders. One other local, a man named Brent, had also been hired on full-time. Ranger and Ghost were still hoping to find one more person to help on busy nights, even if they only worked part-time.

Carter’s mom, Yelizaveta, had been hired as the clubhouse housekeeper. She had a heavy Russian accent and her English was broken. Though she had been in the United States since she’d married Carter’s father when she was eighteen, she had not had the opportunity to socialize much and improve her English. Steel had told everyone to be patient with her. Carter would also be spending time on club property after school, as his dad worked evening shifts.

Angel had expressed to Cage that she got the feeling the dad did not approve of having a neurodivergent son. Additionally, Yelizaveta had asked to be called ‘Elizabeth’ when her husband was around. If that wasn’t a red flag, Cage didn’t know what one was.

Cage didn’t know Billy, Carter’s father, well but had seen him around on job sites. The man worked for a septic company and they occasionally were at the same construction projects. Once Cage had realized the relation between Billy the Sewer Guy and Yelizaveta the club’s new housekeeper, he had to agree with Angel’s assessment. Billy just had that ‘asshole vibe’ about him.

The club had also hired a young college graduate named Francine. She and Sissy were friends and Sissy had given her recommendation to Lucky to hire Francine, who liked to be called ‘Frankie’. Steel was all for hiring Frankie, but not as a housekeeper. Frankie was the club’s new full-time nanny. During the day, she helped take care of babies Conner, Caleb, Maggie, and Georgie as their parents needed. She was also to help out watching Scotty and Lila after school.

Cage saw the young woman juggle two babies and a crying toddler like a professional without breaking a sweat. Upon witnessing this, Cage had gone to the kitchen to get her a cookie because, damn, did she deserve it after that.

Frankie had also moved into Zoe’s old modular trailer. The patched members didn’t know the full story, but Steel had mentioned an abusive boyfriend.

Both Yelizaveta and Frankie were to be treated with the upmost respect and Steel had forbidden any of the patched members or prospects from pursuing them.

The era of the Honeys was officially over.

Cage’s phone vibrated in his pocket. A little smile appeared on his lips as he saw it was from Aaron. He would forever regret not having made a harder effort to get his son in his life earlier.

Aaron: Can Ollie, Bree, & I walk to the diner after practice? We’re in a milkshake mood.

Though Aaron was the only one who had a reason to stay after school, Ollie and Bree had been staying too to watch his practice and to also not make Steel, Jenna, Angel, or Cage have to drive to the school twice. Bree’s accessible SUV had a back row bench seat in addition to Bree’s chair space. Even though they could squeeze Scotty, Ollie, and Aaron in the back, plus Bree, a driver, and a passenger, it did not make sense for Harper and/or Pirate to be responsible for transporting all of the teens to and from school just because they worked there. Instead, Harper continued to transport Scotty on her own based on her work schedule needs. The remaining parents were working on a rotating driving schedule to pick up the other three with Bree’s Traverse.

Once the custody battle was finalized, Aaron would be applying for his permit. It would take time, but once he was able to drive Ollie and Bree, it would free up the parents greatly. Bree was another year and three months away from being able to apply for her own permit and Ollie had expressed no desire to drive. Though Steel had put his foot down and said Ollie was going to learn anyway, there was no rush for Ollie.

The diner was about a mile from the high school. Cage would not want Bree to push herself there alone, but he had no issue with her going with Aaron and Ollie. Only the other day, Cage had caught a giggling Ollie sitting on Bree’s lap while Aaron pushed them from the football field.

“Do you mind if the kids go for milkshakes after practice?” Cage asked Angel. While Angel technically would be remaining in ‘stepmom’ category legally, Cage wanted them to be equal parents for both kids. He did not want to make any decisions without Angel’s input, and vice versa, if possible.

With all luck, he wouldn’t have to share Aaron with Veronica anytime soon.

Angel paused. She had a streak of blood down her cheek and added another along her forehead as she used a dirty hand to wipe the sweat off of her. The pliers she was using to deprive Moore of his fingernails were still gripped in her clutch. “Do you want to meet them there for dinner?”

Thinking that sounded good, Cage nodded. “I’ll tell them to work on their homework there and we’ll meet them at six-thirty.”

“See if Steel and Jenna want to join too. Jenna might already have dinner plans and want Ollie home.”

Cage replied to Aaron first and then sent another message to Steel and Jenna in the group message he, Angel, and the other couple were sharing now that their kids were inseparable. Aaron and Ollie weren’t dating. They’d both expressed that numerous times, but there was no denying that spark that they had when around each other. The fact that the two of them made such an effort to ensure Bree was never left out also made Cage less suspicious of their supposedly platonic friendship.

Angel took the opportunity to take a drink of water now that her concentration was broken. “We still have four hours before we have to meet them.”

Cage raised a suggestive eyebrow. “Angel, Sweet Angel, my dearest, sweetest Angel, I will fuck you any time, any place…with the exception of when you’re covered in another man’s blood.”

She smiled wickedly at him. “You really need to build a shower down here.”

“The fuck you are showering where others can see you,” he responded darkly. He pointed to the bucket of cold water one of the prospects had brought down for them. “But I’ll gladly pour that over your head and then fuck you up against the wall.”

Angel glanced at their audience. “Let me get these last two fingernails out first and then you’ve got yourself a deal.”

Cage’s cock twitched as he watched Angel’s sexy ass in those tight ass jeans walk away from him. He was very grateful he remembered to restock his wallet’s condom supply.

The football field bleachers were not wheelchair accessible. Plus, it was hot in the sun. Therefore, Coach Wallace made Bree and Ollie a deal. They could sit under the team’s popup tent for some shade to watch their practice if they helped hand out Gatorade and water bottles to the players as needed. Bree was aware that Coach Wallace would have allowed them under the tent regardless, but she didn’t mind playing along with the coach’s ‘deal’ to feel useful.

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