“So here’s the plan.”
Once Angeline and the baby were safe in the nursery and her friend, Terri, had come by with what was left over from her own baby shower, Kane started to feel like everything was coming together. He would not defy Noel. That would prove far too risky. Better to just sit quietly until he was no longer of any value. When that moment came, he would lift Angeline and little Theo up and start over.
In his mind, it seemed so easy. Even in the confines of the clubhouse, Kane had to fight from smiling. One day, Noel would forget that he had ever found him and lazily ask where he was at. By that time, Kane and his new family would be long gone. However, Kane also toyed with the notion that he might slip back one day and slash the smirk from Noel’s smug face. He quickly assessed the notion as stupid. He wouldn’t risk that. Would he?
“Okay,” Noel continued. “Sluts are one thing. They bring in a nice bit of green.”
“And then some, right?” Ben said, causing Kane to laugh with the others. Sure they were whores, like maybe some of them were asking for it, but it still wasn’t right.
As he smiled at Noel, Kane stifled the urge to rip his limbs from his body and just leave him to bleed out. Still better than what he really deserved. When Kane thought of Theo just starting to sit up, his eyes shifting to green—just like Angeline had promised—he kept his rage in place and kept waiting this out. He reminded himself that it was just like the joint. Only no bars. He had to remember there was a light at the end of the fucking…
“No doubt,” Noel said. “But there’s a better racket to be got.” He stared hard at Kane and folded his arms across his chest. “Pain pills, boys.” Kane felt as if he was falling through a hole in the world as Noel marched towards him. When he stood before him, Noel extended his finger and flicked Kane’s nose. “And the K Man here has the hookup,” Noel promised. “Once his old lady is back to work, she’s gonna funnel all kinds of green our way.”
No!
Trying to keep cool even as his blood boiled, Kane left his chair and stared Noel down. He wondered how he could have ever thought that this man was his friend. Better to have gulped down rancid food than to have ever climbed onto his bike.
“You will leave her alone,” Kane threatened. “If you ever touch—”
Noel cut him off with a sharp laugh, and Kane’s skin crawled as Noel’s fingers met his back.
“Kid, I’ve had her cunny. And she’s got the prize to show for it!”
Everyone clapped. And Kane felt like a barrage of sharp nails had landed within his body, ready to draw fresh blood if he made the wrong move. Jeremy said that he had to get out; his brother was right.
His brother was not here.
“I’ll kill you if you touch her again!”
Kane forced Noel to the floor, an unbroken tape shattering around them on impact. When the filmy strands released, Kane started to wind them around Noel’s throat, and he fought off Waldo and Ben as they tried to drag him back.
He was not budging.
“You even think about putting your fucking hands on her, and I’ll—”
“Talk to her boss, kid,” Noel said. “She’s down.”
As he pushed away from him, Kane fell to the floor. Hoisting his body up on his elbows, he still wanted to rip Noel apart but what Noel had just said made him stop, keep still. Somehow he found his voice again. “You’re lying,” Kane challenged. “She would never—”
“Bitch wants to turn a buck just like us,” Noel said. “And when your little lady’s up to it, bet she’ll point us down the right path.”
Even if Angeline could, even if she did in moments of desperation, Kane would not send her back down that road. He had to hide her.
And Theo.
“This is not happening,” Kane swore. “She’s out. I’m… so am I.”
Noel appeared to let the words sink into his brain, and just when Kane thought that he was free, Noel laughed loudly and gripped Kane’s arms.
“Her boss is in,” Noel swore. “And I, for one, am looking forward to seeing our girl giving the junkies their fix.”
In Noel’s eyes, Angeline was a slave, caught in a trap that she had yet to know existed. Noel would pimp her out and force her hands to pass the pills.
“I won’t let you,” Kane swore. “She’s not—”
“But she will.”
Noel grinded Kane into the wall, and Kane thought of nothing but fighting back. His knuckles met Noel’s face, and as soon as he fell to the ground, Kane spit in his face.
“You so fucking sure?” Kane cried.
Waldo and Ben were at his side, and they held him back as Noel found his way back to his feet.
“I’m pretty damn sure that you want to keep my kid close,” Noel said, grabbing Kane’s face and forced his fingers into his skin. “So you are going to fall in line…or else.”
He didn’t’ finish the threat, but as Kane shrugged away from Waldo and Ben, he knew. Jeremy was right. He should have lifted Angeline and Theo into his arms and ran on the night of his birth. That chance was gone. However, there was still time. He only had to get back to her. Climbing onto his bike, Kane thought of how it felt to hold Theo.
And Angeline.
“You can’t run, kid,” Noel screamed. “We’re coming for the girl! Maybe she’ll be smart about it. But if not…”
Kane knew that Noel would hurt her again. Hurt the baby. Now there was no more time, and he had to hide them before it was too late.