Page 54 of Angel

Steel drummed his fingertips on the table. He looked to his SAA and then his Enforcer. “Can we do it? Do we have enough information to plan a siege?”

“I believe so. We’ll come up with a war plan and get back to you,” was Bulldog’s response.

Steel was silent for several minutes as he thought. Then he turned his seat so he was facing the entire table. “I know many of you believe that I did not back Bulldog when it came to the Heaven Haven Community. Some of you expressed concerns as well, but it was my call to wait. In doing so, one of us left. I don’t know if what Scar did was inevitable. There are days when I hate myself for my hesitation, not believing his desertion was a justified cause.”

He looked around the table slowly. “We’re military. We follow orders and we fall in line. That line used to stop a lot higher up. Now, it stops with me. I carry it all, the good and the bad. I did not believe we were ready to take on the community. We did not have the intel or the numbers to take on such a large, unknown place and be guaranteed we would all return alive.

“At the end of the day, that is my goal. To return all of you home safely. To offer you the sanctuary and the peace we deserve after our time serving our country.” He turned to Bulldog. “If you can bring me a war plan that meets my satisfaction, I’ll approve it.”

Steel looked down the table at Cage and Angel. “King will live long enough to regret his life choices and then I will kill him myself.”

The matter of Cheryl was brought up too. She’d plotted to have Cage kidnapped and had successfully drugged him by proxy. If it was true, and she was pregnant, there was also the possibility that the father was sitting around their table. She’d only left their employ five months before.

“Regardless of their reasons for being there, no one is to harm anyone who isn’t a patched member. We will sort out the others later.”

“And the baby?” Angel swallowed hard around the word.

Steel’s expression softened. “If she is pregnant and the timing matches up that she was under our employ when she conceived, we will deal with it then. Regardless, I will not see an innocent child harmed or damned because of the poor actions of his mother.”

The following day, the club readied themselves for their club run. This ride, however, was a somber one, as they were headed up the mountain to light the lanterns. Will was driving one of the club SUVs with all the lanterns in the trunk as well as Bree’s wheelchair.

Much like the last funeral processional they’d been in only the year before, many of the members did not wear helmets out of respect for the dead. Carlos was escorting them himself in his cruiser and was also bringing along Zoe and Kyle.

All of the members, prospects, club kids, and ol’ ladies had on their cuts as well as a black armband.

In the front of the procession was Cage on his hog and Angel with Bree on the back of her trike. Bear, as Road Captain, and Tessa followed. The rest followed two by two; Steel and Jenna, Lucky and Harper, Bulldog and Abby, Ghost and Lila, Keys and Sissy, Grumpy, Pumpkin and Ollie, Ranger, Bones, Pirate and Scotty, and Starbucks. Sara drove another SUV with Melanie and the three babies, Georgie, Conner, and Maggie, while Mitch drove another with Jumper, Jasmine, and Aerial, and Demo since neither Jumper nor Demo were cleared to drive yet.

Though Cassie had wanted to go to support her friend as well as Angel and Cage, she had not been able to. Bulldog’s mom stayed behind to be with her.

As Carlos pulled out of the drive, two motorcycles were waiting for them up on the road. No one had invited them or even told them about their plans for the day, yet the two riders in black were waiting and fell in line behind the three SUVs.

When they got to the scenic viewpoint with an overlook drop-off down to the valley and Mount Grove below, everyone parked and dismounted. The lanterns were given out, one per person, with the exception of Scotty and the babies. Cage and Angel decided to share a lantern and had given Bree the choice of also sharing or having her own. Bree had wanted her own.

Steel took a moment to lead the group in a small prayer. “Lord of all, we thank You for Your work in creation, for nourishing life in the womb, for Your love even in death. Thank You for the life of this child, whom You gave to us and have taken to Yourself. Thank You for the arms of Your love, embracing all of us. Watch over us all as we continue forth without little Astéri. She is in Your loving care and awaiting her parents to join her at Your Heavenly Gates. Amen.”

A low murmured “Amen” followed.

Cage led Angel and Bree over to the fence line. He held Bree’s lantern so she could light it while Angel lit theirs.

A single tear rolled down Angel’s cheek. “I only knew about you for two days, but I will love you for the rest of my life. Goodbye, pretty baby. Watch over us and know you’ll never be forgotten.”

Together Cage and Angel lifted their hands and released their lantern. Bree’s lantern was next after she said a quick, “Goodbye, little sister.”

More lanterns soon followed. As the club watched the white lights rise, someone started singing Amazing Grace. Soon, they all joined in. Cage knelt down, put an arm around Bree’s shoulders and his other around Angel’s waist.

After the last lantern disappeared, the group started to get themselves ready for departure.

Cage stood and leaned into Angel. He pressed a kiss to her cheek. “We can stay as long as you want.”

Angel shook her head. She couldn’t explain it, but there was a sense of peace in her soul now. “It’s okay. I’m ready.”

She turned and walked back to her trike. To her surprise, Scar was standing next to it. Unlike the others, she hadn’t seen him since his return two weeks ago. He looked…haggard. The long, jagged scar down his face seemed more prominent. His bright sapphire eyes bore into hers with the shared knowledge of the pain of loss.

He turned and headed back towards his own hog.

Angel saw a small box sitting on her seat. She picked it up with a shaky hand. Inside was a glass memory plaque with a little rattle and a pink bow. The words Angel Baby were artfully scratched into the glass.

Angel looked up, intent on thanking Scar for the sweet gift, but all she saw was the red of his and Ivy’s taillights as they rode away.

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