Stripped Back (Reaper MC #1)

C H A P T E R T H R E E

Ink POV

It had been 2 days since I saw Angel. I knew she would be working tonight after Sage had told me she roster her on Tuesdays Thursdays and Fridays to start.
Work at the club tattoo shop had dragged and I was even more wound up then before.

Fuck she did things to me I couldn't understand.

I was tied in all kinds of knots.

Questions raked my brain

Where had she been for 5 years?

Was she happy? I didn't deserve an answer to that. I know knew I broke her heart that day.
Was she married?
Did she finally have a family?
The thoughts ate at me that she might have moved on.

But I missed her. Every day. And it was my own fault. I had told her to leave. I couldn't blame her if she wouldn't forgive me.

Everyday I thought of her and how much it hurt to push her away. The things I said I wish I could take back.
I tried screwing around and that clearly was not helping anyone.

She could've been killed so I pushed her away. To keep her safe.

I thought it was the best thing at the time. But that wasn't thinking of her, that was my own selfishness
Only to destroy the one thing that made me happy.
And to lose her for 5 years.

I wondered if she found happiness. She wasn't married as far as I could tell. She hasn't worn a ring. So maybe I could win her back.

"Going for Lunch Boss?" Ace called looking up from his client, wiping down the sleeve hed been working on most of the day.

"Yeah" I replied throwing my cut over my winter jacket. The air had gotten cooler coming into late fall.
In a few months we'd have snow.

It was like a fairytale everytime it snowed here. I know because Angel loved it She had told me so many times, and every time it snowed I remembered her smiles. Christmas was her favourite time of year and the snow made everything magical she said. Even though it made riding basically impossible. I did have a truck and it wasn't so bad. The Denali had all the fancy features Riot insisted I buy it fuck knows why it basically sat there most of the time.
Like ass warmers were a necessity, they were nice but not that id ever tell him that.

But none of it would mean anything if I couldnt see Angel smile at the snow again.

As I walked down bustling main straight heading towards the cafe on the corner a soft familar laugh pulled me from my thoughts. Looking up I saw Kelly walking out of the ice cream parlour with Angel. Kelly was a long time friend of both of us. A nurse at the local hosptial with her twin brother in the police academy just outside town.
Mike was a good guy, we tried getting him in the MC a few year back but he wasnt having it.

Smiling and laughing she turned holding out her hand. Following behind her was her mini doppleganger. A little girl maybe 3 or 4 years old smiling as she held a small cone of ice cream. Wild brown girls waved in the wind only held back but a thin baby blue headband
As she skipped up to Angel she giggled licking the ice cream.

They looked so happy. Kelly said something causing the little girl to giggle even more as Angel scooped her up onto her hip as the went to cross the road.

But as soon as they went to look to cross Angels eyes landed directly on me. Rooted into my spot of the footpath I was frozen staring at them. As if time stood still and my feet locked to the pavement.
Panic flashed on her eyes and the blood drained from her face.

As quickly as she saw me Angel turned to walk back down the footpath at break neck pace.

"Angel?" Kelly called suddenly having to run to catch up. Her eyes connecting with mine and realizing what had happened she sprinted after her.