by Addison Jane
We were lucky school had finally finished for the year, but there was still the issue with her mom. Carly could only be held off for so long, but the cut on her neck was still reasonably fresh, and Leo was apprehensive about how we might have to approach the situation.
I knew he was scared that Carly was going to somehow try and take Meyah away.
I was, too.
Even though I felt like the idea of it happening was pretty unbelievable now that Meyah was eighteen and free to make her own choices without her mom being able to dominate them. There was still a part of me, though, which wondered whether if Carly were cornered and thought Meyah was in real danger, what kind of ways she might manipulate her into doing what Carly wanted her to.
It played on my mind.
I didn’t think Carly was as innocent as she played off.
She had a past, there was no doubt in my mind.
I nudged Romeo forward letting him lead since even though he said I asked him to do this, it was his idea. He grumbled under his breath and rolled his shoulders. “I heard you need to learn how to throw a punch.”
When I thought she would instantly object, I watched as she pulled her bottom lip in between her teeth and tapped her pencil against her leg. “You got any other tricks you can teach me?” she asked, surprising me.
“You want to know how to fight back?” Romeo asked, suddenly a lot more interested. “I can teach you how to bring a man to his knees in more ways than you can imagine.”
I rolled my eyes at his cocky, ‘I’m the fucking man’ speech.
Turns out during my brother’s time in hell learning how to deal drugs and shit, he picked up a few skills along the way. It made sense looking at how broad and stocky he was. He had always been a little bigger than me, but never this big.
“Okay,” Meyah agreed, standing from the sofa while closing her pad and tucking it under her arm. I’d only caught a few of her drawings. The ones I’d seen were amazing and detailed. Romeo wasn’t the first to think about asking her to design a tattoo. “I’m in.”
I lifted my arm slightly as she came forward and like a puzzle piece, she slotted right in underneath, her shoulder sliding perfectly beneath my arm. She unconsciously lifted her head, seeking my lips, my head falling to grant her wish.
Things were easy between Meyah and me. The two of us were becoming so in touch with the other, so damn in sync. But I guess it wasn’t like we were new to each other’s movements. We’d spent over a year doing this dance where we moved seamlessly around each other trying to avoid talking or touching or interacting. We’d almost perfected it, but at the same time, learned more about the other than I guess even we’d realized.
“Well?” she asked, looking at us. “Let’s go.”
I knew Meyah was eager to learn, and after hearing her say the other night how weak she felt, how she felt like she wasn’t able to fight for herself, and the way it seemed like she thought I would see her as less than that, it all blew my mind.
I guess even though I wanted her to be strong and independent, I was also a man, and I couldn’t argue the point that it felt good for your woman to need you for some things.
At first, yes, I wanted to protect Meyah, but the more I saw her bloom and blossom into this beautiful, intelligent, and strong woman, the more I wanted her to find her stride. It was sexy as hell to see her stand up and argue her point or take a stand and be empowered. That alone was sexier than I ever could have imagined.
Beside me is where she belonged… not behind me.
“Why didn’t you ever walk away?” I asked as we bounced on our toes dancing around the ring. I’d wanted to ask the question for a while now, especially after my run-in with the sheriff. He was older, less toned, no way a match against Romeo’s size and form.
He was surprised by my question and paused for a moment before picking up his movements again. “The first couple of times I tried. He had me hunted down, no exaggeration… seventeen years old, and I’m running through this forest being chased by men with guns and night vision goggles.” Romeo shuddered visibly, one of the first shows of what I felt like was real emotion come from him. “As I got older, smarter, bigger than him, he just found different ways to control me.”
Clapping his hand pads together, he held up the right then the left. “Gonna punch one then two, then you’re gonna bring your hands to your face to protect it. Yeah?”
I nodded, following his direction.
One, two, protect.
One, two, protect.
“I’m not proud of my life choices you know,” Romeo admitted out of nowhere, throwing me off for a second. I found my rhythm and started again.
“I never accused you of being proud of them,” I pointed out, puffing lightly, trying to keep track of the pattern we were doing in my head.
His eyes watched me intensely, but not like he was angry, more like he wasn’t staring straight at me, like he was staring through me watching something play over in his head. “Every time I thought I would leave, he’d threaten Phee, or Hamlet, or…” he paused, shaking his head. “After a while, it just became my life. I had respect. I was on my own, and nobody could be hurt because of me. It just was what it was.”
Sweat was lining my hairline now, and I was trying to focus on my punches and my breathing so no one would figure out just how unfit I was.
“Stop,” he ordered, and I froze, pressing my lips together nervously as he examined my stance. “Your first punch needs to be a jab, like… one to the throat.”
I grinned. “You have no idea how many times I’ve imagined throat punching someone. How satisfying that would be.”
He chuckled as he came around my body and stood beside me imitating my body. “Okay, so we’re gonna throat punch, then your two is going to be the power shot to the face.” He showed me the move, the short jab with the left and then the power shot. “You need to move your body with the power shot, twist your hips, ankle lifting up. You need as much force coming through as possible.”
I copied his movements a few times before he nodded sharply, satisfied with my movements.
I smiled, I couldn’t fucking help it.
Romeo was different—standoffish, kind of damn scary—but his praise made me feel powerful. Like he was giving me the skills I needed to protect myself, and I was taking them in.
We changed things up a little bit, my body ached, but I was so eager to learn. I already felt more powerful, like I could fight back if I needed to, and there was no more feeling sorry for myself.
“I just wanna say,” he started as we were coming to the end, and at this point, I was following him around the ring. He had no pads on him and was trying to get me to hit him. “I’m sorry that you got dragged into my mess.”
I shook my head. “It’s not your fault your foster dad is a psycho.”
That made him smile. “I can see why my brother loves you.”
My entire body melted, and I grinned up at him totally giving up on the boxing session. “Likewise, Romeo. Likewise.”
“You look beautiful,” I gushed, standing in the doorway to Blizzard and Rose’s bedroom.
They’d decided to have the wedding at their home instead of the clubhouse because of the four oak trees that grew just to the right side of the house. They were hundreds of years old and were really amazing pieces of nature. Planted, two on either side of a large grassy area, they seemed to reach out to each other, their long twisting limbs covered in different shades of green mosses and leaves. They formed a natural canopy, the most beautiful and private space.
We’d sent Ham, Levi, and Skins up yesterday to scale the massive beasts to hang lanterns and fairy lights, while we set out white chairs and an ivy covered archway at the end. I hadn’t seen anything like it. There were no words to explain how the whole space stole your breath away and made you feel at peace at the same time.
We were glad that Blizzard and Rose had chosen here to call home. It was only moments from the club where the reception—an
d by reception, they mean full-blown party—would be but offered something a little more than just a backyard biker wedding.
The older members were all beginning to settle down, have families, and get married. One by one they were moving out of the clubhouse and making room for the younger boys to move in and start their journey. It didn’t make them any less badass, or any less a part of the brotherhood because they didn’t live in the clubhouse. I’m not sure anything ever would. But it meant that this crazy, screwed up family was getting bigger all the time.
“I look like a whale wrapped in lace.” Hadley laughed. “But thanks, beautiful. Come here.” She waved me over, and I rushed forward slipping into her open arms. I couldn’t help but giggle as I instantly felt the little alien in her belly jab and poke against my stomach.
“Little man is getting far too big,” I teased, pulling back and crouching down rubbing at the foreign bump protruding until it slowly withdrew.
Chelsea rushed over, Jack on her hip, his eyes bright and alert, obviously stunned by the activity and emotion filling the room. “On that note, let’s get this girl married before her water breaks,” Chelsea joked, but I heard the seriousness in her tone. Honestly, Hadley was only a few weeks out from her due date, and with how big she’d gotten in just the past month, it would not surprise me if that little boy showed his face early.
“Okay!” I beamed, taking her hand in mine and giving it a squeeze I took a deep breath and turned to face her, feeling emotion clog my throat. “I just need to tell you how happy I am that we’re going to be family soon.”
Her eyes instantly welled. “Baby girl, we already are,” she sniffled.
“No! No, nope, no way,” Sugar called, rushing across the room with a tissue in her hand. “You better not let any tears escape. Your makeup is perfect!”
“Oh shit,” I cursed, pulling my hands away and fanning them at Hadley’s eyes as she looked up to the ceiling and tried to stem the flow of tears.
“Jesus Christ,” Eagle groaned from the doorway. “What time did you say we were allowed to start drinking?”
Hadley spun around hitting him with narrowed eyes and quickly shuffling toward him. “Listen here, buddy,” she started, and I snorted out a laugh knowing he should have kept his mouth shut. Eagle didn’t back down, though. He met her head on with a challenging smirk. “I am pregnant, my hormones are all over the place, I need to pee for the tenth time in an hour, and I’m about to marry the man of my dreams. So if you’ll excuse me, can you please help me waddle down the damn stairs, so I can do that before I pee my—”
I was already giggling but seeing the playful look on Eagle’s face switch off like a light and turn to a deep frown, I was already moving forward before I knew what was happening.
“Hadley?” I asked.
Eagle and I both rushed toward her.
“My water…” she whispered, taking the arm that Eagle offered her. “It just broke.”
The excited air around us turned still and nervous, everyone was too stunned to say anything. We’d joked playfully forever about this baby boy showing his face on Leo and Hadley’s wedding day. It was kind of like a running joke within the clubhouse, a jab at Leo not wanting to wait any longer for them to marry, and making Hadley walk down the aisle while she’s twice her normal size. Not that she objected much.
The both of them were so eager to tie the knot that they were getting married today without Leo’s family here because his little brother was sent on another mission, and his mom was too old to travel on her own.
Hadley’s mom and little brother had made it, but her stepdad couldn’t get away from work, so they were leaving straight after the ceremony to head back down to Florida.
“Holy fucking shit,” Eagle muttered, probably regretting now agreeing to walk Hadley down the aisle. “Okay, let’s just stay calm.”
“Joking,” she yelled, followed by an insane maniacal laugh like she was so damn proud about making us all go into cardiac arrest. “My water is perfectly fine. Although, a little bit of pee might have leaked out.”
I had to sit down, my heart ready to leap out of my chest.
Holy shit.
“That wasn’t funny, Hadley,” I yelled, trying to slow my breathing.
Eagle was as unimpressed. “I just had this image flash through my mind of me having to catch a baby as it flew out of your vagina,” he said quietly as if he’d just seen a horror movie play over in his mind.
Skylar was the only one not silent, her laughter brightening the whole room as she walked toward her man and tucked herself into his side.
“I’m not fucking joking, woman.”
“I know you’re not, and that’s why it’s so hilarious.” Skylar giggled. “Send him into battle, and he’s already loading his guns. Threaten to squeeze a baby out your pussy, and suddenly he’s scarred for life.”
“That’s it, I’m fucking done.” Eagle made a beeline for the door, but Hadley was quick to rush after him.
“We’ll stop.” She laughed, grabbing his arm and pulling him back. “Okay, is everyone ready? Are we really gonna do this?”
I grinned, grabbing my small but beautiful bouquet and hooking my arm through Hadley’s.
“Damn right we are.”
I can’t help but laugh as Macy pranced down the aisle, sprinkling her bright red rose petals not only between the chairs but tossing them across the people on either side. We practiced it like four times yesterday, walk, leave a trail behind her, give Daddy a cuddle.
When she got to the end of the aisle, I thought she might get one thing right at least as she ran toward Uncle Leo, who was looking awfully handsome in his suit with his club cut proudly displayed over his pristine white collared shirt. I tried to keep my eyes on my uncle, but he just so happened to have chosen Ham to stand beside him, since Eagle had the job of making sure Hadley got down the aisle to him. And Lord was he looking fine. I caught his eye for a second, and he winked causing my cheeks to instantly flush.
Uncle Leo crouched down, opening his arms for Macy to leap into them and hug him, but she stopped short and held up her hand. He raised an eyebrow and Ham snorted holding in his laughter.
“High five, Daddy,” she exclaimed, getting frustrated when he just stared at her. With a wide grin, he finally slapped his hand to hers, and she turned around to face everyone with a heavy sigh. “Finally!”
Laughter filled the backyard, and Hadley nudged me in the back urging me to walk on ahead now that the princess had her moment. I swallowed the nervous lump in my throat. I don’t know why it was there, these people were family, there was no need to feel shy. With a deep breath, I managed to take that first step, followed by the second. Each step got easier. Hell, with the way I was shaking, you’d think this was my wedding.
By the time I got halfway, I was feeling pretty good. Looking out at the friends and family surrounding us, but when I finally risked looking up again, and my eyes met Ham’s, I knew instantly that was why my stomach was swirling and turning itself inside out. His eyes glued to me with that same intense stare that always made me feel naked. There was nothing I could hide when he saw through me like that. He saw my heart, my soul, my fears, and my dreams, and that was what made Ham so dangerous.
I couldn’t hide from him.
I managed to make it to the end of the aisle without making an idiot of myself and wrapped my arms around Uncle Leo’s waist. He kissed the top of my head, and I smiled at the way I could feel his body shaking. He was nervous. You’d think doing this for the second time would make it easier, but the reality was, he’d put his entire heart into his first marriage. He loved Aunt Kim more than I thought another person could.
And she was taken from him.
Stolen away in one moment in time.
One moment in time which left a hole in his heart that would never be repaired.
Now he was about to do it again. He was going into this with a piece of his heart already missing, and he was risking it being broken all
over again if something happened and he lost Hadley.
It was hard to comprehend how you’d want to put yourself through that pain again—willingly. But when I saw Hadley and Leo together, I could see the love in their eyes, the need to be with each other. They were willing to risk the greatest pain if it meant they could feel love for just a moment. Because to them, that one moment in heaven was worth an eternity in hell.
That was dedication.
That was love.
I couldn’t help grinning over at Meyah, as us boys started to pack up the wedding chairs to take back to the hire place in town. She looked perfect in her pastel pink dress. It was soft and flowy and fell to mid-thigh, the color and cut making her legs look long and tanned. It had been a struggle to stand through the entire wedding trying to think of anything but how fucking sexy she looked, so Leo wouldn’t have to hang wedding photos in his house which included me having a raging fucking boner like a teenage boy.
Her face lit up as she stood between Leo and Hadley while the girls all gushed and took a million photos on their cell phones. Most of the outside family had already gone. Meyah’s mom taking Macy with her so that the newly married couple could enjoy their night together.
I had my own plans of stealing Meyah away to have to myself for a little while during the party. She admitted she’d never really had a drink before, so I wanted to make sure when she did, that it was with me so I could look after her if it went straight to her head.
Romeo and I carried a stack of chairs each round to the front of the house.
“Wait up!” Meyah called from behind me. “I can help!”
I looked over my shoulder and laughed as she jogged up beside Romeo. “Help him, he’s the one huffing and puffing. You need to get your ass in the gym, little brother,” I taunted.
He rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Don’t listen to his bullshit, Meyah. I was always the stronger one. Hamlet just doesn’t like to admit he’s not as perfect as he comes across,” Romeo threw back, raising his eyebrows and daring me to argue. I just laughed, though. Turning back to watch where I was walking when I heard Meyah ask Romeo for the dirt on what I was like as a kid.
