Chapter 11

Eleven

Lobo

I stretch my arms above my head and yawn, feeling the warm rays of morning sun on my face through the bedroom window. A smile spreads across my lips as memories of last night with Angela come rushing back. For the first time in ages, I feel like a brand new man, reborn and filled with optimism. Finally, I have someone in my life who is just for me, someone to cherish and love.

Rolling over, I reach out to pull Angela close, but my arms find only empty sheets. I sit up and look around, realizing she is nowhere to be seen. Puzzled, I climb out of bed and throw on some clothes before padding barefoot out to the living room.

I'm surprised to find Digger there struggling to maneuver a bulky armchair through the front door, his face red and sweaty from exertion. "Morning," he grunts, finally succeeding in wrestling the chair inside with a triumphant flourish. "Thought I'd start bringing in the furniture. They’ll be finished with the wall today and we can start getting things set up.” He smiles at me.

"Yeah, I can’t fucking wait to stop living out of hotels… speaking of" I mutter, I glance around again. "You haven't seen Angela, have you? Did she go back to the hotel? She was here last night but seems to have disappeared this morning."

Digger chuckles and claps a heavy hand on my shoulder. "Ah, I’ve no clue. Women are mysterious creatures, my friend. Love is very rarely easy."

He looks me in the eye, suddenly serious. "But I'll tell you this much - it's always worth it. When you find that special someone, you gotta fight for her, no matter what. Don't let a good thing slip away."

I nod slowly, contemplating his words. Digger is right. Angela is more than worth fighting for, even if I don't quite understand her yet. I'll do whatever it takes to keep her in my life.

Just then, the front door swings open and Chuchi walks in with a box of fresh donuts and a steaming cup of coffee. "Good morning," she says brightly, smiling at me. I know what that look means. Chuchi and I had an arrangement for a long while and ever since I’ve been chasing after Angela I’ve completely ignored her. Unfortunately for her, I don’t think I’ll be paying her any mind again for the foreseeable future.

“Chuchi have you seen Angela?”

Chuchi's smile falters at my question and she sets the coffee and donuts down on the table with more force than necessary. "Well good morning to you too, Lobo," she replies sarcastically, her voice dripping with thinly veiled irritation. "Nice to see where your priorities lie these days."

I sigh impatiently, not in the mood for her games. "Look, I'm just asking a simple question. Have you seen Angela or not?"

Chuchi crosses her arms and looks away, pouting like a petulant child. "Maybe I have, maybe I haven't. What's it to you anyway? Afraid she finally wised up and ditched your sorry ass?"

Anger flares inside me and I take a step towards her, my fists clenched at my sides. "Don't fuck with me right now, Chuchi. I'm not playing around. Tell me where she is."

Digger quickly steps between us, holding up his hands. "Whoa now, let's all just take a breath here..."

But I ignore him, my eyes locked on Chuchi. "I'm warning you," I growl. "You better start talking or I'll make damn sure you get kicked out of the club permanently. Your days of freeloading off us will be over."

Chuchi's eyes widen and I see a flicker of fear pass over her face before she collects herself. "Fine," she snaps. "Your precious little Angela mentioned something about going down to the fire site before she scurried out of here at the crack of dawn. Happy now?"

I nod curtly and turn to head out the door without another word, my mind already racing. Why would Angela go to the burned down bakery? Especially after I already told her that I didn’t want anyone to see her? What could she possibly be doing there?

As I storm outside to my bike, a sinking feeling starts to twist my gut. Something doesn't feel right. I rev the engine and peel out, determined to get to the bottom of this, to find Angela and make sure she's okay.

Because Digger is right - she's worth fighting for, no matter what secrets she may be keeping from me. I'll tear apart heaven and hell if I have to. I won't lose her now.

I speed down the dirt street on my bike with reckless abandon. The only thing on my mind is getting to the burned out bakery and finding Angela. My heart pounds in my chest as a sense of dread grips me tighter with each passing house.

When I finally screech to a halt outside the charred remains of the building, I'm greeted by the sight of Coca and a few other club girls helping to clean up the debris. They look at me in surprise as I hop off my bike and stride towards them.

"Where is she?" I demand without preamble. "Where's Angela?"

Coca bites her lip, clearly hesitant to answer. "Lobo, she's inside. Is everything okay?"

I don't wait to hear the rest. I push past her and the others, ignoring their protests as I make a beeline for what's left of the building's entrance. I have to duck under some caution tape and step over piles of blackened rubble, but I hardly even notice. All I can think about is finding Angela and making sure she's alright.

"Angela!" I call out, my voice echoing in the hollow shell of the gutted bakery. "Angela, where are you?"

But the only response is silence. An eerie, unsettling silence that sends chills down my spine. I make my way further inside, past scorched counters and melted kitchen equipment, searching every soot-stained corner. Angela is nowhere to be seen.

Panic rises in my throat as my mind spins worst-case scenarios. Did something happen to her? Did she get hurt? Taken? Just as I'm about to completely lose my shit, I spot something white peeking out from beneath a chunk of collapsed ceiling. A piece of paper.

I rush over and yank it free, my hands shaking as I unfold it. It's a note, written in Angela's distinctive loopy scrawl. As my eyes scan the words, I feel like the world drops out from under me.

"Lobo,

I'm so sorry but I have to go. I need to return to my world, to where I belong. Please believe me when I say that what we shared was real. You helped me feel alive again, and I will never, ever forget that, or you. But this is goodbye.

Don't come looking for me. Just know that you changed my life.

Love always,

Angela"

I read it again. And again. The words blur as hot tears sting my eyes and a ragged growl tears from my throat. This can't be happening. Not again. She can't be gone, not after everything. Not when I was ready to give her my whole fucking heart.

But the note crumpled in my clenched fist is an undeniable truth. Angela left me. She went back to her world, whatever the hell that means. Back to a place I can't follow.