And Back Again

Chapter 18

Monday evening, after spending a full 48 hours with Angel and Pup, Zara was beginning to feel like herself again. Bouncing out of the bathroom after a shower, she found Angel just ending a call as he lay stretched out in bed in his underwear.

"Hi," she said timidly.

"That was Bastian," he grumbled. "He wanted to set a meeting with Bish and the club but he wants to see me first. Alone."

Zara looked at him in the mirror. "Uh. Why?"

"Dunno. He said we'd talk tomorrow," Angel was very clearly displeased. "It's gotta be something with EZ."

Just nodding, Zara didn't speak while she towelled dry and began to moisturize. Finally, she broke the silence. "Are you okay?"

"I don't even know," he laughed ruefully. "Everything feels so fucked up."

"It's not," she told him. "It's a new normal, I guess," Zara shrugged.

"You going to work tomorrow?"

Zara nodded. "Yeah I am. We should have lunch after your meetings with Bastian."

"Yeah, maybe," he huffed. "Bishop's probably gonna be on my ass, I been gone a lot."

"I get it," she pulled a large t-shirt over her head. "Dinner?"

Angel shrugged, "Don't know, Z."

"Cuddles?"

Smiling, Angel opened his arms as she climbed into bed. "Always got time for cuddles," he said with a goofy smile. "You're the only one I got, Z," he said mournfully.

"No, I'm not," she said supportively. "I'm the best you got," she laughed a little, "But you have a lot more people in your corner, it's not just me."

"Like Bastian?" He mocked. "And Gabe?"

"Don't forget Leary," Zara laughed. "Gabe isn't bad but Leary is," she shook her head. "I don't want to be unkind."

"He's fucked up," Angel laughed.

"Can I ask you something?" She said seriously.

"Ah shit," he complained. "What?"

"Is it weird that I'm looking at our marriage as, uh, for lack of a better word, kind of a commitment to the club too?"

"No," he said staunchly. "I love it. It is, you commit to me, you commit to the club," he told her. "That's how it is."

"I mean, I'm marrying you, but they're your family and most importantly they keep you safe. They have your back. How could I not support that?"

"They have your back too," he assured her.

"Good," she laughed a little. "I never would have thought this would be my life," she whispered. "Ever."

"I don't think as kids we wanna be outlaws when we grow up," he chuckled a little. "If we have a kid, I want to be a good dad, Z, I don't wanna do what my old man dad."

"You really want to have a baby, don't you?" She asked as he laid his head on her lap.

Angel nodded. "I do, shit," he groaned, "Z, I really do."

"Okay," she pulled him up and kissed him, "I'll keep that in mind. We should get some sleep. We're both going to have terrible days tomorrow, I can feel it."

"With the way our shits been going I think you're right," he complained. "Night, corazon."

Kissing him one last time, Zara rolled over and closed her eyes for a night of much needed sleep.