White Lies (Blood Brothers MC Book 1) (6 page)

And he remembered the accusation as Noel paused.

I don’t believe it. You didn’t touch her. But if you did…

“Welcome home, Kane.”

Noel took him into his arms and pulled him into a great bear hug. Kane returned Noel’s embrace as the club clapped.

“Oh yeah,” Ben said. “He’s back.”

The boys started to crack open more beers as Noel led Kane through another stream of tape. Before they were on the other side, Kane saw Jeremy in the doorway, sadly shaking his head.

And then he disappeared.

“So sit,” Noel said.

Kane did as he was told and waited. He watched Noel light a joint and pass it in his direction.

“A hit?”

Tempted, Kane declined. The beer was still rushing through his brain, and he wanted to keep his head as clear as possible to make sense of everything.

“More for me then,” Noel said.

He inhaled again before he stamped out the roach, probably saving it for later. When this was all cleared up, Kane would indulge.

But first…

“So you’re okay?” Noel asked. “I mean…”

He stretched back in his chair and tapped his fingers to his chin.

“No visible scars.” Noel said. “Good thing, right?”

Kane nodded.

“How’d you get back so quick?” Noel asked with a small crack in his voice.

“Um… Jem. You know. My brother picked me up.”

Noel appeared to consider the statement, and Kane was afraid that he had done something wrong. Noel wasn’t his father; he had never hit him. But with the higher ups serving their own time, he was the man in charge.

“You know I would have been there if I could’ve,” Noel said. “But I couldn’t take—”

“I get it,” Kane said. “You got a job to do.”

Noel smiled.

“Yes,” he said. “And I’m glad you’re back, Kane. I’m gonna need your help.”

As Noel stepped forward, he sat on the edge of his desk and grabbed Kane’s shoulder.

“We’re taking things up a notch,” Noel said. “And I want you as my right hand.”

Kane was stunned as Noel fell to his knees.

“I can count on you, right?”

He could. Always. But there was one thing…

“Yeah, Noel,” Kane said. “Like forever. But there’s… there’s just one…”

Noel brought a stray chair close to Kane’s side and sat.

“Speak your mind, Kid,”

Kane took a deep breath. The light at the end of the tunnel would be the truth. He just had to hear Noel say it.

“Look, man,” Kane started, “This is gonna sound crazy. But I gotta ask…”

Losing his voice, Kane saw Noel waiting, almost eager, for the end to just come. Kane shared that need, and he blurted his fears out.

“Were you with Angeline?”

Noel’s face darkened, and he started to nod his head. Kane’s heart caught in his throat at the possibility that the worst was true, and he lurched forward.

“You put your hands on her?” Kane demanded as he grabbed Noel’s collar. “How could you—?”

“Kane. Stop.”

Noel held him back with sad eyes. Kane’s blood continued to boil, but he fell into line and waited.

“What do you think you know?” Noel asked.

Kane was quick to relay Jeremy’s version of events. At the end of the story, Noel returned to his chair and plucked the roach from the ashtray.

“Look, Kid,” Noel started. “I just went by to check on her. What you would have wanted, no?”

He wanted Angeline safe. But was she?

“And she went crazy on me,” Noel said. “I mean, I knew it was wrong, but she is a sweet thing.”

Kane erupted.

“You fucking—”

He brought Noel to the floor and held him between his thighs. Forming a fist, he started to pound Noel’s face. The thought of anyone touching his Angel was too much to bear, and his blows were poised over Noel’s jaw when his intended victim raised his hands.

“I didn’t do anything that she didn’t want,” Noel said. “She didn’t fight me. And…”

Noel found his way to his knees and hung his head. Kane was on his feet, still ready to kill, as Noel spoke.

“And I’m sorry, Kid,” Noel said. “But it was like she needed it.”

Kane slumped against the far wall, strands of film falling across his mouth. He couldn’t move as Noel crawled towards him with a strange smile.

“Kid, she didn’t say no. So how true can she be?”

If Jeremy’s words weren’t enough, Noel’s were. Maybe he had it wrong. Maybe Angeline hadn’t missed him. Didn’t need him.

The thought imprisoned him all over again.

“Kid?”

Noel smiled as he tapped his jaw.

“You’re out,” Noel said. “You’re home. And I got plans for the club.”

Noel was up, standing tall, and he stared down at Kane with knowing eyes.

“So how about you let this go and get your head back in the game?”

She was supposed to wait. He had done everything, lost five years, for her. Was it too much for her to return the favor? But according to Noel, to Jeremy, she was not to be trusted, and Kane almost hated her for the lie.

“Okay,” Kane said in a low voice. “Whatever.”

“Angeline? Eat.”

Terri Ludgate was about to pop.

Somehow, some way, Angeline held onto her nurses’ license. Lillian Palmer’s OB practice was the last place that Angeline had expected to find herself, but it brought a good wage with a fair boss.

And a friend.

“Why not eat for three, Terri?”

The pregnant lady tilted her head around the joke before reaching across the table for Angeline’s plate. Snatching an untouched fry, Terri brought it to her lips with a laugh.

“Under protest,” Terri said. “You are getting too skinny.”

Angeline smiled even as she knew that she was barely eating. He father had also taken note. She couldn’t tell anyone why she was going without.

“I can fix that,” Angeline said.

She took her sandwich in both hands, chewing and choking down the turkey and gouda doused in lettuce and mayo. It tasted like cardboard, but Angeline swallowed a small bite as she pushed her plate aside.

“Will power!” Terri said. “I envy you, Angeline.”

Terri didn’t know the half of it
.
Only some. Angeline liked it that way.

“So,” Angeline said. “What’s the name?”

Terri blushed and bit into her burger.

“You know I don’t want to know ahead,” Terri said.

“Of course. It’s more fun that way.”

Terri dabbed her lips with a napkin and smiled.

“So fun,” Terri said. “We’re doing the nursery in yellow. So it’s good either way.”

But Angeline couldn’t help but lean towards layettes in blue.

“So… if…”

Terri starred to protest as Angeline threw her hands into the air.

“Just wondering,” she said. “If it’s a boy, if it’s a girl. Terri…”

Angeline took hold of her hands and smiled.

“You should have a plan either way.”

Terri laughed as she lowered her eyes.

“Okay, okay,” she said. “I have ideas.”

Angeline sat back and waited.

“So let me hear it.”

Terri brought another mouthful of fries to her lips before she answered.

“Okay,” Terri said. “A girl? June.”

The month when she had met her husband. It was simple and obvious. But it was sweet. If she had the chance, Angeline might have named her imagined child May. Girl or boy. She found Kane at the start of spring. It would have felt right.

“June,” Angeline echoed. “I like it. A boy?”

Terri blushed.

“Eli Jr.,” she said.

Made sense. If she had brought Kane’s son into the world, she would have wanted that boy to have his name. Now that wasn’t happening.

So…

“Love it,” Angeline said. “The best.”

The waiter returned with an offer of brandy in their coffee.

“Yes please,” Angeline said.

Terri waved him off as she rested her elbow to the table.

“So you never told me,” Terri started. “What happened with his boss or whatever?”

That was how Kane saw him, and Angeline followed suit when he darkened her door. It quite literally turned it black. Noel’s words meant that Kane was gone. And Angeline was numb when he took her. Showering like mad failed to erase his touch. And it didn’t bring Kane back.

“It doesn’t matter,” Angeline said.

Terri laughed.

“Doesn’t matter?” Terri asked. “Okay.”

She twirled her blonde hair around her fingers and smiled.

“Even now that he’s back?” Terri asked.

Back? That didn’t…

Angeline looked at her friend with wide eyes.

“Why would you say that?” she demanded.

“I…. Just…”

“He’s never coming back,” Angeline said. “And screw you for saying anything else.”

The color left Terri’s face. Angeline expected an apology.

But there was something else.

“I mean… I mean you do
know
. Right?”

She knew that he was gone. That it was her fault. And she’d have to live with that. Whatever Terri thought she knew…

“Terri, what the hell are you talking about?” Angeline asked.

Reaching into her purse, Terri brought up the most recent news feed. Scanning through the fluffy bunny photos and the terror of heads sliced overseas, Angeline settled her gaze on a small item in the corner.

“Let me help,” Terri said.

Bringing the picture into focus, there it was. One Kane Peters was released, and the words below his picture were followed by a litany of how drugs and gangs were so very dangerous. Angeline scanned he words carefully, but her eyes settled on Kane’s image. Mug shot or not, it was still Kane, and she fixed her eyes on the digital print.