And Back Again

Chapter 16

"Angel," EZ grumbled from the front of the unit. "I gotta go. Something came up with Pop," he added vaguely.

"He alright?" Angel asked, his head popping up quickly at the mention of their father.

EZ nodded, "Yeah. It looks like you guys got this. Right?"

"We're good," Gabe said, glancing out of the freezer.

Texting Zara back, EZ hurried to Felipe's shop wondering what the hell she could need to talk to him about. Angel clearly wasn't involved, EZ could tell, but that only made him more anxious.

"What are you doing here?" Felipe asked as EZ came in through the back of the shop. "Did something happen?"

"I'm meeting Zara," he explained. "She said she needs to talk."

"What about Angel?"

EZ shrugged a little. "I don't think he knows."

"That's not good," Felipe grumbled.

"I texted her but she said we'd talk when she got here," EZ told his father.

They waited, the tension growing, until Zara arrived at the shop. She had stopped home to drop off the dog and took time to read what Bastian had given her. She was horrified and physically ill as she stormed into the shop. Zara flipped the sign to closed and looked at Felipe.

"Do you mind if I have a minute with Ezekiel?"

"What's going on, Zara?" Felipe asked her gently. "Whatever it is we can help."

"Oh, I'm not the one who needs help," Zara snapped. She slapped the folder down on the counter and turned her vengeful eyes onto EZ. "I can't believe you."

"What?" EZ asked, grabbing the folder. As soon as he flipped it open, EZ's eyes bulged wider as he skimmed each page. "Zara," he huffed.

"You made a deal," she hissed. "You lied to Angel. You used him and worst of all you put him at fucking risk!"

"No," he said sternly. "No that was part of the deal, nothing touches Angel or the MC."

"Legally, sure, but if someone found out, someone other than me, it would be really bad," she glared at him. "What did you think you were going to do?"

"Get my goddamn life back," EZ snapped. "I save my money, bide my time and when I get enough points to get out from this deal I'm gone."

"You leave? You're just going to leave Angel? No explanation? Not even some bullshit lie?"

EZ shrugged, "Club life isn't for me."

"Oh no, you're way too good at club life," she told him. "This is insane." Zara turned to Felipe. "Tell him how stupid this was, tell him he has to fix this."

"This was the only way EZ could get his life back," Felipe said.

"You knew?" She gasped as Felipe nodded. "How could you do this? How could you do this to Angel? He's your son."

"Who gave this to you?" EZ interrupted to give his father a break from the guilt.

"It doesn't matter," she snapped.

"It does," EZ said darkly. "Who knows?"

"Bastian," she huffed. "He wanted to work with the Mayans but he said you're a liability. He knows what would happen if he went to Bishop so he told me instead hoping Angel could fix this but EZ, this will kill him."

"No," EZ snapped. "Zara you can't tell Angel. Please."

Her eyes bulged as she looked at him, shocked by the idea. "Are you kidding me? You want me to keep this a secret? No fucking way. You should tell him your goddamn self, first of all, but you won't because you're a fucking coward and secondly Angel needs to know so he can protect himself and the club. Who gives a fuck what Agent Jimenez promises, you think you can trust him?!"