by Wilder, L.
“I’m making it just fine.” I slipped my hand around her waist, pulling her to my side. “What about you?”
“I’m better than I ever thought I could be.” She rested her hand on my shoulder. “I have you.”
“And I have you.” I kissed her on the temple. “That’s all I’ve ever needed.”
“I really do love you, Flynn.”
“That’s good, ’cause you’re kind of stuck with me.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Before I could say anything more, Darby and Susana came running up with a couple of sticks and a bag of marshmallows. Darby handed Lauren the bag of marshmallows as she announced, “We’re gonna make s’mores!”
“Only if I get to make one.”
And just like that, our moment was gone. But I had no doubt there would be more. Many, many more.
Epilogue
Flynn
Six Months Later
“Are you ready to go?”
“Yeah, I’m all set.”
The brothers were doing a fundraising run for Stop The Traffick, an organization that raised money to help stop sex-trafficking. While Lauren and I weren’t actually riding along, we were helping Pappy with the charity dinner down at the bar. Lauren was excited about contributing to a cause that was so important to her and wanted to get there early. I hated to put her off, but I hoped it would be worth it. “Before we go, I have something I want to show you.”
“Okay, what is it?” I took her by the hand and led her out of the house and down the front porch steps. When we started walking down the drive, she looked over to me and asked, “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.”
She continued to follow me further down the hill until we reached the fence. Neither of us spoke as we let the memories of our childhood come rushing back. After several moments, Lauren looked over to me and sighed. “I’ve always loved this spot.”
“Me, too.” We’d been living together for just over five months, but in all that time, we’d never once walked down to the place where we’d first met. I turned to face her as I continued, “I can still remember the first day you came up to this fence. You were so damn beautiful. I didn’t have a clue what to say to you.”
“As I remember it, you handled yourself pretty well.”
“I tried, but I’m pretty sure I made a fool of myself.”
“I certainly don’t remember it that way.” A warm smile crossed her face as she said, “I remember you being very sweet and dapper.”
“I was far from dapper, but appreciate you remembering it that way.”
“It’s true.” She gave my hand a soft squeeze. “I told you what a heavy crush I had on you back then. There had to be a reason why.”
“There was definitely chemistry from the start.” I reached over and ran my knuckles across her cheek. “I fell in love with you out here by this fence, and I’ve been loving you ever since. That’s why I wanted to bring you out here to ask you an important question.”
Choosing the right person to marry was one of the most important decisions anyone could make in their life. It wasn’t just about finding someone to grow old with, it was so much more than that. It was about finding a best friend who’ll stand side by side even when it’s easier to walk away. It’s finding someone to love and cherish during the good times and the bad. It’s about choosing a person worthy of fighting for—someone to never stop fighting for. I’d found that with Lauren. I’d known that for years, and it was time to make it official. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the small black box, then knelt down on one knee. Lauren’s eyes were wide as I opened it and said, “I’ve spent half my life being your friend. Now, it’s time for something more. Will you marry me?”
“Yes, Flynn.” With the brightest smile I’d ever seen, she leaned down and wrapped her arms around me, hugging me tightly as she said, “I will marry you.”
I stood, then slipped the ring on her finger. She looked down at her hand and was admiring it when I said, “You just made me a very happy man.”
“You made me just as happy.”
She reached up and wrapped her arms around me, hugging me again. I was so consumed with emotion, I couldn’t speak. I just wanted to stand there and hold her close. We were both lost in our embrace when the low rumble of motorcycle engines stirring to life drew our attention over to the clubhouse. A small sigh slipped through Lauren’s lips, and she turned and watched as the brothers started rolling through the gate and out onto the street. When the parade of bikes stopped at the end of my drive, she quickly turned to me and asked, “What’s going on?”
“You’re going on the run.”
“What?” Her brows furrowed. “But I was going to help you at the bar.”
“I can handle things there.” I motioned my head towards the brothers. “This cause is important to you. You should be with them.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.” I leaned down and gave her a quick kiss. “They’re waiting.”
“Wait.” Her eyes skirted down to her hand as she leaned over to me and whispered, “Does Dad know?”
“He does. So does Cass and the kids.”
“Really?”
“I know how important they are to you, Lauren. It wouldn’t be right for me not to include them.”
Lauren turned her attention back to the brothers, and a bright smile crossed her face when Cotton held up her helmet and asked, “Are you coming or what?”
“I’m coming!”
Lauren eased up on her tiptoes and kissed me once more, then rushed down the fence line and out into the road. I stood there watching as she got on the back of her father’s bike. As soon as she put on her helmet, she looked back at me and waved. While I wished I could’ve gone with them, I didn’t have a choice. There was too much that needed to be done down at the bar but seeing her look so happy on her father’s bike made it all worthwhile. I gave her a quick wave in return, and moments later, Cotton pulled away from the drive, and the entire pack disappeared down the road.
Knowing I’d only have a few hours before they made it to the bar, I headed over to give Pappy a hand with the grilling. When I pulled up into the parking lot, I saw that he already had both smokers rolling. I wasn’t surprised. He and Jackson were both excited about the charity dinner. While he didn’t know the full story about what had happened to her, he could tell by the way she spoke that the fundraiser meant a lot to her and wanted it to be perfect for everyone. I wanted to do the same, so I wasted no time getting out of my truck and heading over to them. “How’s it going?”
“I was about to ask you the same.” He turned his attention away from the smoker as he asked, “Did you do it?”
“Yes, sir, I did.”
When he saw the smile on my face, he threw his arms up and shouted, “She said yes!”
“Were you expecting a different answer?”
“Not a chance.” His smile faded and emotion filled his eyes as he said, “Lauren’s a smart girl. She knows how lucky she is to land a good fella like you.”
“I’m the lucky one.”
“You both seem pretty damn lucky to me.” Pappy had smudges of charcoal on his face and clothes, and there was sweat trickling across his brow, but he was smiling like the Cheshire cat as he announced, “We’re gonna have us one hell of a charity dinner tonight.”
“Certainly smells that way. Anything you need me to do?”
“You and Jackson can start setting up the tables.” He glanced down at his watch as he said, “The flowers should be here any minute.”
“Flowers?” I asked sounding skeptical. “For a bunch of bikers?”
“For Lauren and the ol’ ladies.”
I nodded. “Nice touch.”
“I thought so.” He motioned his head away from the grill as he ordered, “Now, go get those tables set up.”
“On it.”
Knowing we didn’t have enough tables in the bar, Pappy and I had rented sev
eral from a local catering service. We’d also ordered dining ware and tablecloths, so there was quite a bit to get set up. Thankfully, Jackson was a big help, and it didn’t take long to get everything ready. I thought everything was looking pretty good until the florist showed up. She went around and placed the small bouquets of flowers on each table, and it couldn’t have looked more perfect. Pappy and I were admiring our efforts when the band showed up. Jackson showed them to the stage while Pappy and I finished preparing the food. We were both in the kitchen when I heard the thunderous rumble of motorcycles pulling into the parking lot. We were expecting about fifty to a hundred bikers, but when I stepped outside to greet everyone, there was almost twice that amount, and they were still rolling in. There was no missing the panic in Pappy’s voice as he muttered, “Oh, shit.”
“I had no idea this many were coming.” I leaned over to him as I asked, “Did you?”
“Didn’t have a clue, but we’ll make it work.”
Pappy and I were standing there trying to figure out how we were going to feed everyone when Cotton and Lauren got off his bike and came over to us. Lauren looked like she was about to bust at the seams as she said, “We picked up a few stragglers along the way.”
“I see that.”
“Don’t worry.” I’d never been more relieved when Cotton told us, “I’ve already made some calls, and there’s more food and booze on the way.”
“Great.”
Before anything more could be said, we were overtaken by bikers. They all filed into the bar and started listening to the band as they waited to be served their food and drinks. Thankfully, Fury’s brothers all stepped up to the plate and did their part to help. Even though the place was crazy crowded and insanely chaotic with the loud music and added people, everyone seemed to be having a great time—especially Lauren.
After everyone ate dinner, the band really kicked it up, and she and the girls spent the entire night dancing and drinking with the other clubs’ ol’ ladies. When things finally started to die down, Lauren rushed over to me and shrieked, “Did you hear? We earned over ten thousand dollars tonight. Isn’t this incredible?”
“Yeah, baby. It really is.” She reached up and gave me a tight squeeze. I kissed her on the temple as I hugged her back and said, “None of this would’ve ever happened if it hadn’t been for you. You did good.”
“I couldn’t have done it without you.”
Lauren was still hugging me when Cotton and Cass came over to us and said, “I hear congratulations are in order.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“You know I’m expecting you to take good care of our girl.”
I reached down and took Lauren’s hand in mine. “I’m planning on it, sir.”
“You know, it’s official now.” Cass smiled. “Flynn is one of us.”
“Flynn has always been one of us.” Cotton placed his hand on my shoulder as he said, “He just didn’t know it.”
His words meant a great deal to me. More than anyone would ever know. When he and Cass left to join the others, I slipped my arm around Lauren’s waist, pulling her closer as I leaned down and whispered, “Love ya, babe.”
“And I love you.”
Life is made of moments—small glimpses of time that change us in ways we can’t imagine. Over the years, I’d had more moments than I could count. Some were good. Some bad. But none were quite as unexpected as the day Lauren came into my life. We’d started off as friends, but without either of us realizing what was happening, our friendship turned into something more. Falling for the president’s daughter was never my plan, but it ended up being the best thing that ever happened to me. With Lauren, I had it all—a best friend, a future wife, and a family who’d always have our back. A man couldn’t ask for more than that.
The End
More Coming Soon
A short excerpt from Maverick after Acknowledgements
Be sure to check out Wilder’s new MC series on Amazon:
Ties That Bind: Ruthless Sinners Book 1
Holding On: Ruthless Sinners Book 2
Secrets We Keep: Ruthless Sinners Book 3
Widow’s Undoing: Ruthless Sinners Book 4
Don’t forget to sign Up for L. Wilder’s newsletter: https://lwilderbooks.us18.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=a2c4c211615b2d7b3dd46289a&id=7f8e916141
Acknowledgments
I am blessed to have so many wonderful people who are willing to give their time and effort to making my books the best they can be. Without them, I wouldn’t be able to breathe life into my characters and share their stories with you. To the people I’ve listed below and so many others, I want to say thank you for taking this journey with me. Your support means the world to me, and I truly mean it when I say I appreciate everything you do. I love you all!
PA: Natalie Weston
Editing/Proofing: Lisa Cullinan-Editor, Rose Holub-Proofer, Marie Peyton-Proofer
Promoting: Amy Jones, Veronica Ines Garcia, Neringa Neringiukas, Whynter M. Raven
BETAS/Early Readers: Amanda Quiles, Tawnya Rae, Tanya Skaggs, and Jessey Elliott
Street Team: All the wonderful members of Wilder’s Women (You rock!)
Best Friend and biggest supporter: My mother (Love you to the moon and back.)
Excerpt from Maverick: Satan’s Fury MC Book 1
Prologue
Maverick
My mother used to say that everything happens for a reason. It didn’t matter how insignificant or how heart-wrenchingly tragic, she’d say it was just meant to be. She truly believed that if a person was patient enough… looked hard enough… for long enough, they’d be able to find their silver lining. Her faith never faltered. Facing difficult times with strength and determination, my loving mother would wait… no matter how long it took. It might have taken her months or even years, but my mother would always be able to find that light shining at the end of the long, dark tunnel.
I say bullshit. There is no fucking silver lining. Shit happens. Hard times are just a part of life, like the air we breathe. We have to learn to deal with the hand we are dealt and move the hell on. Yet, every damn time something fucked up happens in my life, I find myself thinking of my mother. If she were still alive, I wonder what she’d have to say about everything that’s happened in my life over the last year. Would she be able to find my silver lining? Because I sure as hell can’t.
Chapter 1
Maverick
“Don’t rush into this, Maverick. I know what you’re like. Give it some time, brother,” Cotton told me. I could see the concern in his penetrating eyes, and it meant a lot to me that he was trying to help. He was a good man… a good President. The brothers of Satan’s Fury looked up to him-admired him. We all knew that the club was his life, and he was all about the brotherhood. As our President, he had no problem sacrificing everything for the club- even laying down his own life, time and time again, if it meant protecting his family. I respected him for that, and was honored to be a part of it. “I know what’s really going on here. You can blame this on whatever you want, but the truth is glaring you right in the face.”
“He’s my son! What kind of man would I be if I put him in danger? I can’t risk it, Cotton,” I told him, as I looked down at my broken arm that was now wrapped up in a sling. I was a fucking mess. Bruises and cuts covered my body from head to toe. They’d done a pretty good job of working me over, and I still couldn’t figure out why they didn’t just kill me when they had the chance. “Think about it. What if he was with me when those motherfuckers jumped me? It’s up to me to protect him, and I couldn’t live with myself if something happened to him. I already ruined his mother’s life, and I’ll be damned if I ruin his.”
“That’s bullshit, and you know it. Hailey brought that shit on herself. You can’t keep carrying all of the blame,” Cotton snapped.
“It was my fault! All if it! I wasn’t there when she needed me. I should have stuck with her, made sure she got the help she needed. Now she’s dead, and I
have to own that. John Warren is all I have left of her. I can’t let anything happen to him.”
“Nothing’s going to happen to him, Maverick,” he assured me, but we both knew he couldn’t guarantee that. “None of that even matters… it’s all in the past. Right now, you have to face your demons, either fight them or learn to live with them.”
I knew he was right. My mind had been a cluster fuck since the day I brought John Warren home with me. When I looked at him, I could tell that he had my blood running through his veins. He was such a good-looking kid- healthy and strong. I was thankful that his mother’s drug use hadn’t hurt him. Yet, there was a question lingering deep inside of me. I couldn’t put my finger on it. Why did this strange pull keep going off in my head? I loved this kid from the start, but my mind was bombarded with doubts- some of which I couldn’t even name. I had to believe that I was doing this for him. I’d fucked up so much already, I couldn’t be responsible for ruining another life. Me… the club… whatever the reason, John Warren didn’t belong here with me. He deserved more.
“I can’t take that chance. I can’t make the same mistakes again, Cotton.” My throat tightened, making it difficult to even say the words. I truly believed that taking him to Lily was the right thing to do. He deserved a mother, and I knew she loved him as her own. But the selfish side of me wished things could be different. Still, I knew I had to protect him at all costs. That was the most important thing now.
“Maverick…” Cotton tried again.
“I need you to back me up on this,” I argued. “It’s the right thing for John Warren… and for me.”
