Cole walked out of the clubhouse. He lit a cigarette and stared up at the moon. He wondered if Angel could see it, too. He’d thought about her constantly these past three months. It was mid-July now, and he supposed it was hotter than hell in Arizona. Melissa had been home from the hospital since the week after he left. She was doing well. Natalie had kept him informed.

He flipped his phone open, and his thumb moved over the numbers. He put it to his ear and waited while it rang. Finally, she picked up.

“Hello?”

“Natalie? It’s Cole.”

“Oh.”

Not the greeting he usually received from her. He could tell immediately by her tone that something was wrong. She was being cold toward him, and that wasn’t her way. “What’s wrong?”

“I can’t really talk now. Let me call you back, okay?”

He wasn’t letting her off that easy. “Are the kids okay? Angel?”

“Yes. They’re fine. I’ll call you back once everyone’s in bed.”

“Yeah. Okay.” He hung up and took a hit off his cigarette. Something was wrong. He couldn’t stop wondering what it could be. She’d said they were all okay. He’d been sending money regularly, so he didn’t think it was money. He’d told her to tell him if there was anything they needed. She knew all she had to do was call and he’d find a way to get it for them, no matter what it was.

He waited an hour, then two, before she finally called back. He flipped his phone open and put it to his ear. “Yeah.”

“Cole? It’s Natalie.”

“Thanks for calling me back. What’s going on?”

“Angel’s been very upset.”

“Why? What happened? Is it Melissa?”

“No. Melissa’s fine. She’s doing great, actually.”

“What then?”

“Angel got a call.”

“A call?”

“From your wife, Cole.”

“What?”

“Yes. She called here and talked to Angel. Told her to leave her husband alone.”

“My God. I’m sorry.” He was going to kill her. “She must have gotten the number out of my cell phone.”

“That’s not all.”

“What?” He was almost afraid to ask.

“She told Angel that the two of you are expecting a baby.”

“Oh my God,” he whispered, his eyes sliding closed.

“Yes. Angel was quite upset by that.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“Is it true, Cole?”

He clenched the phone in his hand. He didn’t want to say the words. “Yes. It’s true.”

“Oh, Cole.”

“She told me she thinks she got pregnant around New Year’s. Long before Angel ever came to see me.” There was silence on the other end. “I’m sorry, Natalie. I didn’t want this. I meant to come back here and divorce her quickly. But when she told me about the baby…I couldn’t bring myself to do it.”

“Of course. I understand.”

“I don’t think you do. Mandy…she’s not like Angel. She’s selfish and immature. This baby is going to need me, Natalie, more than Angel’s kids. At least they have a loving, decent mother to care for them. And they have you, and—”

“Yes, well…I should go.”

“Natalie, wait! Please.”

“Cole, if you could make sure she doesn’t call here again, I’d appreciate it.”

He could feel her shutting him out—thinking he’d turned out to be nothing more than another lying, cheating, married man. “Yes, I’ll make sure. I’m sorry. Please believe me. This isn’t what I wanted.”

“Goodbye, Cole.”

She disconnected.

Cole shoved the phone in his pocket, got on his bike and fired it up. He had some business to take care of with his wife.

Crash walked out of the clubhouse. “Cole, wait.”

Cole cut the bike back off. “What is it?”

Mack wants to see you for a minute.

Cole got off his bike and walked back inside with Crash. He found Mack sitting in the chapel waiting for him. He walked in and closed the door. “You wanted to see me?”

Mack nodded. “Sit.”

Cole walked over and sat next to him. “Wyatt’s having trouble with the Hyena’s again. I want you to go up there and see what’s going on. I’m thinking about finally patching them over. Look around. Let me know if you think it’s a good move or not.”

Cole looked at him. “When do you want me to leave?”

“Tomorrow.”

Cole nodded. “Yeah. Okay.”

Mack noticed Cole staring off into space. “You okay, Brother?”

Cole got up to leave.

“Tell Crash about it. I want him to go with you.” Mack made the last minute change after seeing the distracted look on Cole’s face.

Cole looked over at him and nodded. He walked out the door and over to the bar to talk to Crash. He sat down on the barstool next to him. “Mack wants us to pay a visit to the Dead Souls tomorrow.

“Wyatt’s?” Crash asked.

“Yeah.” Cole lit a cigarette.

“What for?”

“See what the deal is with the Hyena’s and see if we think the Souls are ready to patch.”

Crash nodded. He noticed something bothering Cole, and he didn’t think it had anything to do with this little trip tomorrow. He motioned Crystal over, who was tending bar, and nodded toward Cole. “Another shot glass, darlin’.”

She set one in front of Cole.

Crash picked up the bottle of whiskey next to his own shot glass and filled Cole’s. “Something bothering you, Brother?”

Cole looked over at him. “Mandy called Angel. Told her about the baby.”

“Holy shit.”

He downed his shot. “Yeah. I tried to tell Natalie that Mandy got pregnant back around New Year’s. Long before Angel showed up here.”

“She didn’t buy it.”

He stared down at his empty shot glass, gently twisting it between his thumb and forefinger. “I don’t know.”

Crystal overheard. “Cole?”

He looked up at her.

“Did you say Mandy got pregnant at the first of the year?”

“Yeah. Why?”

“It’s July, going on August.”

“Yeah?”

“So, she’d be six going on seven months pregnant. My sister’s about that far along, and she’s already big as a house.”

Cole and Crash looked at each other.

“You sayin’ she’s making it up?” Cole asked. She had a small baby bump under her clothes, but to be honest, he’d not seen her naked since he’d come back from Arizona. He hadn’t wanted to. He’d been sleeping in the guest room and hadn’t had sex with her. He couldn’t bring himself to touch her.

“Look, I don’t know, Cole. I always liked Angel. Mandy? Not so much. But that’s your business. Have you been to the doctor with her?”

Cole shook his head. To tell the truth he hadn’t been interested in going with her, and come to think of it, she’d never asked him to go. He’d yet to see any type of doctor bill come in the mail. Usually, even if all you did was pay a co-pay, he still knew that doctors sent an itemized bill showing the charges that were covered.

He pushed off the barstool and headed for the door.

“Hey, where ya goin’, Brother?” Crash called after him.

Cole replied with out turning around. “To find out what the fuck is going on.”

***

Cole walked in the back door, slamming it. He called out for Mandy, walking from room to room. He noticed her purse sitting on the dining room table, and then he heard the shower running. He started to head for the bathroom, but paused at her purse.

Sticking out, next to her makeup bag, was a small round case. He’d recognize the package anywhere. Birth-control pills. He pulled it out and opened it. The first thing he noticed was that about a week’s worth of pills was missing.

He looked at the prescription label stuck to the inside cover. It clearly said her name. He searched the label for the fill date. The date listed was just a week ago. So these were new.

He carried them with him as he walked to the bathroom. He opened the door and stepped in. The glass shower stall was covered in steam, but he could see the outline of her body. He yanked the glass door open.

Mandy screamed, jumping back. “Cole. You scared the hell out of me.”

His eyes roved over her slim form. Her stomach was as flat as ever.

She saw her mistake and quickly turned away from him. “Cole! Please, I’ll be out in a minute.”

“There’s no baby, is there?” he demanded.

“Of course there’s a baby. I’m just small and carrying it low, the doctor said.”

“Don’t lie to me.” He held the pills up. “I just found your pills.”

She stared at him.

He shook his head in disgust. “You lying bitch!”

She turned the water off. “You’re being ridiculous. It’s not what you think.”

“I heard you called Angel.”

“Oh. So, this is about her, isn’t it? That bitch from Arizona!”

Cole reached in and grabbed her by the neck. She gasped, clutching at his hand. Bringing her face to within an inch of his, he gritted through his teeth, “You ever call her again and I swear to God, I’ll kill you myself.” He shook her. “Do you understand?”

Mandy nodded.

Cole shoved her back against the shower wall and stormed out. He could hear her pleading with him as he walked out.

“Cole, please! I love you. I’m sorry.”

 

***

 

A week later, Cole found Mandy sitting at the dining room table, smoking a cigarette.

She looked at him with a hostile expression. “What’s so important?”

He held up some folded paperwork. “You need to sign these.”

“What are they?”

“Divorce papers.”

“Like hell. I’m not signing those.”

Cole stared at her. “I’m getting a divorce, one way or another. Why drag it out? I don’t want you anymore.”

“Why should I make it easy on you?” she smirked.

He stared at her and shook his head. “I’d hate to see something bad happen to you, Mandy.” That got her attention. Who the hell did she think she was dealing with?

She tapped her cigarette nervously in the ashtray as he walked around the table to her.

Cole tossed the paperwork on the table and leaned down resting on his knuckles, his face just inches from hers. “Do you really think it’s a good idea to piss me off?”

“You can’t make me sign those,” she said nervously.

“What’s it gonna take to get you to sign them?”

“What do you mean?”

He blew out a breath, losing patience. “How much?”

“You mean money?”

She’d never been the sharpest knife in the drawer. “Yeah. Money.”

She thought a moment.

Cole could see the wheels turning. He was sure she’d try to take him for all she thought she could get.

“Ten grand. And the house.”

“I don’t own the house, Mandy. It’s a rental. You’d know that, if you had half a brain.”

“You think I’m stupid? Well, I’m not stupid enough to sign those papers you want so badly!” she smirked back at him.

Cole smiled and shook his head. Did she really think he’d walk in here without an ace up his sleeve? He pulled out a fat envelope and tossed it on the table. He nodded to it. “Two grand. It’s yours if you sign right now.”

She looked at the envelope, debating.

Cole smiled. Who was she kidding? He knew she was desperate for money. And he knew why. He leaned down and whispered in her face. “I found out your other dirty, little secret, wife. While I was in Arizona and you were here, supposedly pregnant, you ran up quite a coke debt with Skeeter. A debt that totals over a grand, babe.”

“That’s…that’s a lie,” she denied weakly.

“Is it? What’s he gonna do to you when I’m not around to protect you from him?” He watched the fear wash over her face. “I’m not paying it off for you, Mandy. So, what are you gonna do?”

She looked down at the papers, and he saw the realization hit her that she had no choice.

He held the pen out to her.

She looked up at him, slowly took it out of his hand, and signed.