Page 87 of Angel

“I have no doubt that that is part of your honor code. The exception being when a woman hurts other women and children.” Aaron spoke as if he was reading from the VDMC handbook.

Cage was silent for a long moment. “There are some things that we can’t tell you. Some things that only patched members can know.” He looked between Aaron and Bree. “I can’t tell you your mom’s fate. All I can say is that she’ll never be able to hurt you or anyone else again.”

Aaron clearly wasn’t satisfied by this answer. “Can I see her…before…you know?”

Angel took pity on Cage and stepped forward. “We can’t guarantee anything, sweetheart, but we can try. If that’s what you want.”

Aaron licked his lips, his uncertainty obvious. “I don’t want her to die,” he repeated.

Cage and Angel exchanged another look and then nodded. “We’ll pass along your request,” was the last thing Cage said before changing the subject.

Four days after the prospects had delivered three free meals to the various pig farms in the area, Scar showed up with Veronica Banks. All of the kids were—thankfully—at school. Bulldog sent Yelizaveta to his house after asking if she wouldn’t mind helping Frankie with the babies for a little bit. While Yelizaveta was hired to clean, she made it known that she was willing to assist with childcare too.

Ivy was sitting at the bar when Scar dragged a kicking and screaming Veronica into the clubhouse. She looked down at her watch. “You’re losing your touch. I had you here a day ago.”

Scar completely ignored her.

Aaron’s birth mother looked nothing like the prim and proper Christian woman who had shown up at the courthouse with her head held high. Angel wondered if Scar had dragged her behind his sled through a mud field.

She turned to Cage and whispered in his ear, “And you complain about my constant need for a shower.”

Cage smiled down at her. “‘Complain’ is such a harsh word. My only complaint is when I can’t join you.”

Angel met his smile before she kissed him.

Steel approached Veronica. Scar had gagged her, but her arms and legs were free of bindings. A quick swipe of Scar’s blade and the gag fell from her mouth.

“Who are you?” she demanded. “You have no right to take me! I will call the police.”

Carlos walked through the door then. His sheriff’s badge gleamed in the overhead lighting.

“Oh, thank the Lord.” Veronica got to her feet, her hands going to her hair as if she could wipe out the filth and make herself presentable. “Officer, I want this man arrested.” She pointed to Scar. “He kidnapped me in the middle of a church service!”

Carlos glanced at Scar. “A church service? Really? Do I even want to know?”

Scar’s only response was to put away his knife.

“Are you staying or going?” Steel asked Carlos.

Veronica’s eyes glanced between them, simultaneously picking up on the fact that Steel was in charge and both men were ignoring her. When she spotted Cage by the bar, Angel leaning against him, her eyes went comically wide and her face paled.

“Vinny, what the hell is going on?” she demanded to know.

Everyone ignored her.

“I’ll stay,” Carlos answered Steel as if Veronica hadn’t interrupted their conversation. “Kinda curious to see how this turns out.”

Most of the members were at work, but Cage and Angel had called out of their jobs in anticipation of Scar arriving any day. Angel had to side with Ivy on this one; she’d been expecting Scar to have shown up the day before. Four days seemed like a long time for someone as capable as Scar to collect one woman. Even if he had taken her from the middle of a crowded church service.

Tapping behind her brought her attention to Keys. He was standing on the other side of the bar with his laptop. Noticing her eyes on him, he looked up and shrugged. “I wanted to see if I could catch the kidnapping in progress. I mean, how do you take someone from a church? Even churches have security cameras nowadays. Someone had to have seen him.”

Angel rolled her eyes and turned back around.

Steel approached Veronica. He crooked his finger at her, wordlessly beckoning her to follow him. Then he turned and walked towards the doorway that led to the apartments.

Veronica looked around the room, but no one stepped forward to help her. Slowly, very cautiously, she followed after Steel. The man hadn’t bothered to introduce himself, but his cut clearly stated his name and title.

After giving her a little bit of space, Cage and Angel followed. They were holding hands like they were taking a stroll through the park. Behind them walked Bulldog, Ivy, and Carlos. Angel did not see Scar enter the hallway and wondered if he was still going to be in the main room when they returned.

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