I jump up and say, “Give me a few. Got steaks. Don’t move, we’re eating in bed.”
Within thirty minutes, I’m back with our steaks, grateful that the moms made a few side dishes that I warmed up while grilling. “God, this tastes delicious,” she moans over a bite of steak. Fuck, she keeps that up and we’re gonna be having sex again before I let her sleep! Once she’s fed, I take our trays back into the kitchen. When I make it back to the bedroom, she’s fast asleep curled around her sleep pillow. I look at her for a minute and think about what a lucky son-of-a-bitch I am that she chose me. I can’t imagine my life without her by my side. I once again think about what I’m going to say to her on the day we get married, it needs to be epic! Soul consuming and earth shattering, the way I feel every day of my life.
17
Claree
Morning comes too soon. He woke me up earlier and we made love, soft and sweet, taking our time. My body is beyond sore but in the most delicious way. “Do we need to clean up?”
“No, Axe said one of the new prospects would head up once I texted that we had left and they’ll clean the place, and get the bedding and shit washed.” I guess he means the kitchen and towels, because we didn’t really leave anything else that needed to be washed and cleaned up. Well, maybe the bathroom because I didn’t get on my hands and knees and scrub anything down as I probably should have. But then, my man would’ve had a shit fit. He won’t even let me clean the house anymore, he’s hired the same cleaners his parents use, and they come in three times a week to keep things as tidy as I like them to be. I’m a germaphobe of sorts and can’t stand thinking of the unkept rooms of our home. It would literally keep me up at night if they weren’t done to my satisfaction.
“Talon! No, we need to put those in the washing machine at least. I don’t want them to know how many times we did it,” I state. He grins at me and pulls the sheets off and heads to the laundry room. Once he comes back, he grabs my hand and leads me into the bathroom, where he proceeds to ‘clean’ us both up. Well, after he bent me over and fucked me again, that is.
Before we even make it into town, Talon’s phone dings. He pulls it out and looks at it quickly before tucking it away in his pants. “That was Dad, he was just informing me that we need to go to the clubhouse. Apparently, they’re having some sort of get-together and we’re supposed to pick Steel up there.”
“Talon?”
“Hmm?”
“Thank you for this weekend. I think we really needed it, don’t you?”
He grabs my hand, and kisses my ring finger, right above my engagement ring before saying, “Yeah, I agree. And, I should be thanking you for saying yes.”
“That was a given,” I respond, “did you really think I’d say no?”
“No, but that would make me cocky as fuck to tell ya, so pretend I didn’t say that.”
“No promises,” I wink at him, then lean my head back against the headrest, close my eyes and think about how perfect his proposal was to me. He flips the radio on because he’s never been one for the silence, and we listen to it all the way home.
The rest of the trip flies by, and before I know it, we’re pulling into a very full parking lot. It’s full of bikes and cars of all shapes and sizes. Jeez, looks like everyone is here! He gives me a mock glare before exiting the truck and coming over to my side. Unbuckling me, he pulls me into his arms and slides me down his body. I shiver a little remembering every delicious detail from our time at the cabin. Giving me a smirk, he takes my hand, and we head to the front doors only to see a note telling us to come around to the back. “Wonder what that’s about,” he muses before switching direction. I’m as clueless as he is so I follow along, just grateful that we’re on the same page once again.
Walking through the gate into the back of the clubhouse, I’m stunned speechless. There’s a huge sign that says, ‘Congratulations Talon & Claree’ and when the kids see us, we’re inundated by the noise made from a gazillion of those pop rocket things. “Mama! Daddy!” Steel yells, before he makes a beeline toward where we’re standing. There are streamers flying everywhere from the pop rockets, but he pushes them aside as he runs straight to us.
Glancing around as Talon crouches to scoop Steel up, I see several tents set up and can smell food. Looks like it’s party time. “Did you tell them I said yes?” I ask.
“I haven’t talked to anyone other than a short text with Mom making sure they were gonna help me set up the bedroom so I could ask you that very important question. I guess they knew you’d say yes just as I did.”
“Wow, there’s that cockiness again.” He smirks at me as Steel wraps his arms around his daddy’s neck and lays his head on his shoulder while looking at me. I reach up and grab his hand and squeeze it. My little man’s eyes are droopy, and I have a feeling he’ll be fast asleep in no time.
“Baby, if we were alone I’d show you just how cocky I can be,” he replies on a whisper. Thank God because Steel has taken to copying whatever his daddy says. I think we’ve got another parrot on our hands with him.
“Glad to see you two made it back in one piece, and we didn’t have to hit the road and take y’all for a visit at the emergency room,” Hatch states, coming up to us. My face flames red remembering that event in our history.
“Yeah, Dad, y’know we decided to leave that shit to the professionals.” Hatch starts laughing and I slap Talon’s shoulder, I can’t believe he said that with a straight face.
“Y’all will never live that down, y’know that, right?” he questions. “Next to Smokey passing out and needing stitches when Hannah gave birth, it’s one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen in my life.”
“You would,” I say to him, and DJ walks up to me and high five’s me.
“These men have a warped sense of humor,” she tells me. Like she’s one to talk, everyone still fears hers, especially when it comes to her mentioning bringing out her damn pliers.
“I’ve noticed,” I reply, grinning. “So, Steel looks wiped, did all of y’all wear our boy out or something?”
“Oh God, that reminds me! Hatch, give me your phone!” she exclaims. He hands her his phone with a mock glare on his face. She fiddles with something and says, “You’re gonna wanna sit down when you watch this, trust me.”
I nod before heading to a group of empty chairs. Sitting, I start the video and see Dad and Hatch, along with Steel and Cora, along the river’s edge. I have no clue who is videoing this but decide I’ll hold any questions. Steel’s between his two grandpas, his little life vest on and standing in the smallest pair of waders I’ve ever seen in my life. All of them have poles in the water and I can sort of hear them talking. This goes on for several minutes and then I see Steel’s line jerk tight. His little squeal lets me know there’s a fish on the other end. I watch with a grin on my face as he struggles to reel in his big catch. My giggles start when I notice that somehow, both Dad and Hatch get themselves tangled up trying to help and they both end up in the lake, sputtering and cursing. Steel, on the other hand, calls out to Cora for help and while I watch, they manage to pull in an impressive looking fish. I hear Talon laughing hard behind me and look over my shoulder to see him clutching his stomach, his laughter is so overwhelming that no sound is leaving his lips anymore, but tears are falling from his eyes and down his cheeks. Every time I think he has his shit together, he goes to say something, but ends up in the same situation.
“It was like that all weekend,” Jasper says, walking up to us. “Neither of the adults caught a thing but Steel caught everything that came near his pole!”
“Oh, this is classic,” Talon wheezes out, between his breath-stealing laughter. His laughter is so contagious, that I burst out in laughter with him. We end up partying with our family and end the weekend on a good note. When we get Steel put down to sleep that night, and crawl into ours for the evening, I am wiped, and fall fast asleep wrapped in my man’s arms.
I’ve never been so happy in my life.
&n
bsp; *
Talon
*
Four months later…
*
We’re sitting in church and have just finished going over club finances when Law asks for the table. “So, I’ve been in negotiations with the insurance company of the man that hit Claree months ago. Think we’ve come to a tentative settlement, and I told them I’d bring it to y’all to discuss before I agreed. By the way, he didn’t survive, which is unfortunate for his family. But we nearly lost one of ours, so I’ve kept that at the forefront of my mind every time they try to play the sympathy card. Anyhow, he had a helluva good umbrella policy, Talon. Even allowing for the payback on the medical bills your insurance covered, which is substantial, she’s still looking at over seven hundred thousand dollars.”
My jaw drops. “Jesus, how much did he have?”
“A one-million-dollar umbrella policy. And, because her injuries were so severe, and she was pregnant, I pushed for policy limits. Think you guys can handle that?” he questions, a smirk on his face.
“Thinking it’ll be more than enough to outfit the new house now that it’s done, and maybe buy that property in town for the bakery she wants to open.”
“About that property,” Axe says, “We went ahead and bought it for you, and Jaxson found a crew that specializes in that kind of renovations. Figured it would be a good business for the club and that way, y’all don’t get nailed by taxes.”
Fuck.
This family.
My family.
Every fucking time I turn around, life gets better and better.
“Go ahead and accept, Law,” I state. “And can you, somehow, extend our condolences? I mean, I hate that it happened to begin with, and I’m grateful as fuck my woman’s still here with me…with all of us, but I’m sure that man’s family is devastated.” I get a nod from him and consider it done, if anyone can be professional about it, it’s Law.
“Any other business to discuss?” Axe questions, glancing around the table.
“When’s the wedding?” Bandit responds. “Figure it’s gotta be soon the way all the old ladies have been running around issuing orders.” I catch myself before I roll my eyes, because my house has become a wedding preparation headquarters from hell. I have frilly shit everywhere and I am about to throw my hands up and take her to the damn justice of the peace, before I lose my sanity.
“Six weeks from now,” I reply. “She wanted to wait until after the baby, but there’s no way in hell we won’t be married for this second one.” Yeah, that was a helluva ‘discussion’ that night and it led to some of the best make-up sex, save what we had at the cabin, of my life. Not that I’m sharing that tidbit with my brothers, since one of them is her dad and one of them is mine. Nope. “We’re having it here, and Nan said she and Gino are catering everything. Claree’s instructor, and one of her college friends, are making the cake, and desserts for us.”
“Guess I better dust off my gun then,” Chief says.
“Not exactly a shotgun wedding, Chief,” my dad replies. “After all, they’re both over the age of consent now.”
“How did the gender reveal sonogram go?” Axe asks me, apparently needing to change the subject.
“We’ve had five of them now and the little imp still hasn’t revealed whether it’s a boy or a girl.”
“Oh, it’s a girl,” Chief says, a smirk on his face. “All of my ancestors have shown me that you will welcome nothing but little girls from now on.”
“Bite your damn tongue, asshole! I’m a boy maker! I don’t have girls, plain and simple as that.” When I say that, the room bursts out into laughter and I get several back slaps with my statement.
“Good luck with that,” Smokey snickers under the cover of his hand.
“We’ve all said that a time or two, and every single one of us has ended up with a girl. I think you’ve got a bit of wishful thinking going on there,” Bandit tells me.
“Whatever. If it’s a girl, I’ll deal with it.” Eventually. Maybe?
“Do I need to get one of the women from the salon to go ahead and shave your head?” Chief asks.
“What the fuck do I need my head shaved for?”
“To save you from pulling it out when your daughter arrives,” he deadpans.
“Or, brings home her first boyfriend,” Axe deadly states. The fuck? If I have a girl there will be no boys! Ever!
“If…and it’s a big if here, it’s a little girl, she’s not dating. Bandit, need you to investigate how soon a woman can join a convent.” Because over my mutilated, dead body, will some punk ass kid come sniffing at my girl’s skirts.
“Where’s the fun in that?” he asks. “We’re all surviving, you will too.”
“Oh really?” I question. “So, Dad, you weren’t threatening to drive to Maine and kill Max? Axe, you weren’t vowing dismemberment on that guy Lily was seeing? And Ralynn is allowed to date, right?” I hear a growl from the other end and see Jaxson’s fists clench at the mention of Ralynn’s name. Interesting.
“Face it, if it’s a girl, she won’t get through any of us,” Chief states.
“Yeah, that’s what you said to me about Claree too,” I remind him.
“Good thing Trinity likes you because otherwise, you’d have been pulp,” he replies.
“And then I’d have kicked your ass,” my dad states.
“Once again, we’ve gone off track. Enough, you assholes! Talon, once Jaxson gets the information, he’ll get it to y’all for the bakery. Congrats on the settlement. If there’s nothing else to discuss, this meeting of the circus is over. Get your clown asses out of Church.” He gets up and stomps away. Glad that this day is over with, I walk out of the door and head where I desire to be the most. Home.
18
Claree
Wedding Day
When I woke up this morning, I had butterflies in my stomach thinking about our wedding. I would have loved to be thin again, but Talon was so insistent on me being his wife, before I gave birth, that I finally gave in. It seems as though time flew by and before I know it, I’m standing next to him at the end of the gorgeous aisle that Jaxson and Capone built in the back of the clubhouse. I wanted to be married in a place that was special to the both of us, and that’s here, where we were practically raised. Our home away from home. Axe looks at us and quietly asks, “Are you two ready?”
Before I can stop myself, I say, “Hold on, I wanna say something, okay?” He nods, while Talon looks at me with wide eyes. I shake my head a little, then turn around to face our families, holding onto his hand.
Looking over at my parents, I say, “I know this isn’t conventional, but our whole relationship has been anything but, so why change now? Mom, Dad, the day you guys took me and Shelby in, was the day you gave me hope. For a future, a good one, and not only was it with you, but with everyone else who’s sitting here. I’m the luckiest woman in the world because I’ve had the best parents anyone could want, and more aunts and uncles than I have a right to who’ve played a role in making me the woman I am today. Each of you is a part of me, of us…and without your unwavering support, we wouldn’t have made it to this point.” Then, turning to DJ and Hatch, I continue, “And the fact that you two took in Talon, and his brother, Jasper, and loved and raised them as if they’d been under your roof since birth is something I’ve always loved and admired about you. Thank you for raising a man who treats me like a queen, whose first, and last, thoughts, are of me, and what he can do for me and our son. You did that and I’m grateful beyond words for the man you raised.” Now, addressing them all, I say, “When I got hurt and was out of it, y’all took care of my men. You made sure that Steel was okay, and that Talon ate and slept. When I got home, you, his brothers, took up his slack so he could be home with me, not trying to split himself into pieces to cover his work, and make sure I was taken care of. Without y’all and your women, people who I’m privileged to call family, we wouldn’t have come this far. So, as much as I’m marrying Talon today, I�
��m marrying y’all as well. Our union honors you as much as it does us. As a family, we’ve overcome much and I see a great, shining future ahead.” Turning back around, I look at Axe and say, “Okay, I’m ready now.”
I hear sniffles from the women, and choked up coughs, and clearing of throats, from the men. “No one could have honored us more than you just did, Claree,” Braxton says. If I didn’t know him better, I’d swear there were unshed tears in his eyes. “Talon and Claree have chosen to not say the traditional vows, but instead they’ve written their own to each other. Talon, you may go first.”
“Right,” he looks up at the sky, then back down at me, “baby girl, your words got to me there for a minute, so now I have to figure out the best way to express to you what you mean to me. This is hard, because no words have been written in the English dictionary to describe the way you make me feel. My heart skips a beat whenever you enter a room, I’ve never smiled as much as I have since the day you entered my life. I didn’t know love so pure and one that held no strings was real. You love me for me, the man I’ve become, and even loved me when I was young and dumb. The day you were hurt I learned a few things about us. One is that there’s no way there is a me, without you. Two, our love is true, no matter how far apart we drifted, I always knew you’d be there. I took advantage of that once, but it will never happen again. We both learned through that, that you can’t take life, and love for granted. I love you more than anything in this world, and I’m honored that you chose me for your husband.”
Gah, his words have tears rolling down my face. He leans in and wipes them away, but they keep coming. Clearing my own throat, I say, “I loved the boy you were and the man you are now. Standing before me is everything I never dreamed I could have and I’m so lucky that we found one another. You’re my old man, my lover, my best friend. Talon, you’re so deep in my heart and soul that I don’t know where I end, and you begin. This ride we’re on has had its twists and turns but, baby, as long as we’re by each other’s side, there’s nothing and no one that can change how I feel about you. I’m the honored one, that you chose me to be your old lady, wife, and the mother of your children. I promise with every cell of my being that I’ll always kiss you goodnight, never go to bed angry, and be the best helpmate I can be.”
Talon & Claree Page 16
