“You.”
I cinch the hem of the nightgown up slowly, revealing her pussy. Slipping two fingers between her legs, I see the early growth of some light-colored hair. Angel is a natural blond—something I hope to convince her return to. For now, to the outside world, she’ll remain Serafina Scala, but to me she’s all Angel. My Angel.
The deeper I sink my fingers, the harder she rides my hand. She’s so slick and tight. Angel moans and throws her head back, spreading her legs wider.
“Lick me, Eagle. Please.”
Not needing to ask twice, I dip down and take a quick taste of heaven as I smile at her. “I want you to come all over my face.”
When we were younger, I set boundaries. Though sixteen is the age of consent in Louisiana, I respected her too much to take advantage of her youth. We got crazy, but I never crossed the sex line. I wanted her to wait and make sure I was the one. I’m five years older than her. It was hard as fuck to keep my hands to myself sometimes, especially at nighttime when we were curled around each other in bed. Those memories are precious to me, but this . . . I bury my face. She thrusts her hips forward and I graze her clit, watching her body light up.
I spread her folds with both hands, marveling at her perfection. “You have a beautiful pussy.”
She chuckles and lets out a long exhale and then twirls my hair around her fingers. “Do I need to hold you in place, Caleb?”
Is she complaining?
I run my tongue up her length and then down again, rough and hard. I circle my thumb inside her and her legs jerk. I do it again. Shit. I can’t wait to be inside her. But I’m a man of my word. I nip her clit and then suck it into my mouth. She falls apart, writhing and crying out. I don’t let up until an orgasm rips through her.
As I sit back on my heels, she raises her head, a lazy smile on her face. “I can’t believe I’ve waited this long to love you, Eagle. I just can’t.”
I slide my boxers off and she stares at my cock. She crooks her finger at me. “Lie beside me, Eagle. I want to touch you.”
I do as she asks, propping my head on my hand. I could stare at her all night. “Where’d you leave your wings?” Something I always used to tease her about.
She leans in and kisses my lips tenderly. “I lost those the day we met.”
Then much to my surprise, she moves downward, her soft hands following the contours of my body, until she reaches my cock. The minute her fingertips make contact, I groan. I’m wound tighter than I’ve ever been, tired of having a constant erection. It’s been that way since the night at the cabin.
Though her touches are shy and inexperienced, the joy she brings me, the sheer pleasure of knowing we have a second chance to live—to be together—is everything I’ve ever hoped for. There’s no other woman in the world for me.
I stretch out, making it easier for her to explore my body. She licks the head of my cock, swallowing my precum with the same enthusiasm as she would a sip of Dom Pérignon. It still blows my mind that I’m the only man she’s ever touched this way. The only one who’s ever made love to her—been inside that sweet pussy. A desperate sense of protectiveness spirals through me. She’s mine.
I climb to my knees and encourage her to do the same. With us kneeling in front of each other this way, naked and equally vulnerable, I gaze into her brown eyes. Drunk on love, I caress her cheek. She shivers in response.
“I’ve waited six years for this,” I say. “Prayed and begged God every night to end my miserable existence. I don’t know why you returned to Holly Beach, Angel. I’m not even sure who to thank.” I stare heavenward for a second. “But whatever the reason, know I will never let you go again. I can’t.”
She rests a tiny hand on my chest. “Living alone all these years has taught me one thing,” she starts, tears welling in her eyes. “You’re the only person I’ve ever wanted—ever believed in. My past is just a jumbled mix of bad memories and a broken heart. But you, Caleb, . . . I love you. Always.”
Handling her like the most precious possession, I ease her back on the fur, spreading her legs with my knee, covering her mouth with mine. Tonight, I’ll make love to my future wife for the first time. Tomorrow, we’ll be married in front of my brothers, making it official. I slide inside her, my emotions running wild. By the fourth stroke I want to explode.
“You’re a fucking miracle, Angel.” I cup her face between my hands as I thrust deeper, not wanting to look away from her beautiful face. “I love you.”
She sighs and clings to me, giving me all the power I need to regain control and make this moment last.
Chapter Twenty-nine
Serafina
I can’t believe how late I slept. Stretching, I check the bedside clock a second time just to make sure I didn’t misread it. Eleven o’clock. We made love all night, not falling asleep until close to sunrise. My body is sore in unmentionable places, but I feel more alive than I ever have. I can’t stop the perma-grin on my face. I feel safe and loved for the first time in six years.
And dear God, I’m getting married today. Married! Can it be true? Did all my sins get washed away because the brothers believed my story? Can Eagle really forgive me for everything so quickly? The memorial wall in the meeting room is forever etched in my mind. The faces of those dead men. I’m the reason they died. I’m the reason the Iron Norsemen waged war on the Dead Dogs.
I scan the bedroom. The curtains are closed, but I can see it’s another overcast day. Only slivers of pale sunlight bleed into Eagle’s bedroom. He’s gone, hopefully downstairs waiting for me or just across the street at the shop.
I roll out of bed and search his bottom dresser drawer for a T-shirt and shorts. That’s where he always kept them before. I find a red pair of boxers and a Black Sabbath shirt older than me. After washing my face and brushing my teeth in the bathroom, I tie my hair in a messy bun and consider my reflection in the mirror.
How will the old ladies react to my sudden return from the grave? I anticipate some resentment. I expect there to be a lot of questions to answer. Eagle will no doubt instruct them to keep their thoughts to themselves. But once the brothers are out of sight, the old ladies follow their own code of conduct. There’s a hierarchy, a demand for unwavering loyalty, and a price to pay if you go against them. I’ve seen what happens to a woman marked as an outcast. Covering my face with both hands, I pray with all of my heart that Belle will convince the women to give me a chance.
I head to the kitchen for a cup of coffee and find a fresh pot brewed. There’s a bouquet of white roses lying on the countertop by a large mug, a house key, and a note from Eagle.
Gone to Cameron to get our marriage license from the constable. Your backpack is by the front door. Give Belle a call once you’re ready to go. She’s waiting at the clubhouse. I love you, Angel.
There’s also a list of phone numbers: the clubhouse, shops, several of the old ladies, and the officers of the Iron Norsemen. After pouring myself a cup of java, I arrange the flowers in a vase I found in the cabinets underneath the sink, and then head to the shower.
Belle arrives five minutes after I call her.
“Good morning, sunshine,” she says, as she steps into the house. “How did things go last night?” She sits down at the dining room table.
I join her, heat rising in my cheeks. “Perfect.”
“Yeah?” She smiles and covers my hand with hers. “Judging by Eagle’s shit-eating grin this morning, I’d say he felt the same way.”
“How much do you know about the last six years, Belle?” What has Eagle told her?
“Don’t worry, sweetie. Nothing for you to be ashamed of. I know you saved yourself for Eagle.”
“I’m the cause of a lot of pain and suffering, Belle. Poor Crocket and Panther. And what about the others? No matter how hard I try to focus on the good, their faces keep popping up in my thoughts.”
“Those men died fighting for what they believed in most. Trust me, Angel. As much as I miss them, once they patched i
n to the Iron Norsemen, they understood the cost of becoming a brother. The oath they take includes dying for the club.”
“Yeah,” I say. “For a true cause.”
“Don’t fall apart now,” she advises. “You’ve come too far to regret it. You were a sixteen-year-old girl, sweetie. No one will say a word to you. And if they do, they’ll have to deal with me first and then the brothers. Eagle and Tonsils made it abundantly clear to everyone—we’re to treat you like you never left.” She leans over and gives me a squeeze. “Lord knows, I don’t ever want to go back to that cemetery to place flowers by your plaque again.”
“Y-you visited me?”
She nods. “A couple times a month. Eagle visited faithfully, too.”
My brain races with all kinds of images, including the memory of visiting myself. I don’t want to remember any of it. But how could I ever forget? Even on my wedding day . . . “If I can’t forget, how can anyone else be expected to?”
“I don’t know,” she says honestly. “I’ve never experienced anything like this before. I know how I felt last night seeing you for the first time. I’m sure the other old ladies will feel the same. Anything negative is overshadowed by the simple joy of knowing you’re here now.”
I have to hold onto Mama Belle’s words for dear life and live by what she’s saying. Throw out the past and embrace the now. Live in the moment. I know the pain of erasing a life I hardly had a chance to live. I wouldn’t wish that living hell on anyone.
“The old ladies are waiting at the clubhouse for us. I know your wedding day was rushed and there’s no time to make all the plans you’d like to, but you’d be surprised what a dozen determined women can pull together on such short notice.” She gets up. “And if you’d like me to dye your hair back to its natural color, I have the necessary ingredients for it.”
“Is it safe to?” I finger a strand of my dark hair, wondering what it would feel like to be a blond again. “What if someone recognizes me?”
“Angel . . .” She gives me a sad smile. “If Eagle hadn’t told me who you are, I would never have recognized you.”
“I know.” The stranger I see in the mirror still takes some getting used to. “I’d love to be blond again. And I can’t wait to see the old ladies.”
I grab my backpack and then lock the front door. Several brothers are patrolling the area and nod when we walk by. If there’s no clear and present danger to me and the club, why are there active guards everywhere? Just a precaution, I tell myself as Belle drags me to the clubhouse.
Eagle
My cousin is the constable in Cameron, so getting a marriage license with no notice took all of fifteen minutes and a promise to have lunch with him soon. I ride back to Holly Beach with Tonsils and Cannon, wondering what my girl is doing. Does she remember the significance of being with an MC member? Marrying the president? Will she be able to handle a close relationship with the other old ladies? Their families? Being out of the life for too long makes people change.
Regardless of who she is now, I love her.
Tonsils takes the lead all of a sudden and gestures for me to follow him down Main Street. There’s a couple restaurants, souvenir shops, and a few apartment buildings. He pulls into the lot of a café. There’s thirty bikes parked nearby.
Cannon pulls up beside me and smiles.
“We need to get back to the clubhouse,” I say, pretty sure I know what’s going on.
“Not until we have a couple drinks in honor of your last afternoon of freedom,” Tonsils says.
“I’ve been single for six years, Tonsils. I don’t want a bachelor party. And what about security? No one is supposed to know about Angel.”
“The only people inside are ones who know the truth,” Cannon assures me as he takes me by the arm and starts dragging me toward the door. “There’s no strippers, either.”
There’s no point in refusing. Part of a brother’s responsibility is celebrating when one of our members gets married. As soon as we step inside, a waitress shoves a bottle of Jack Daniels in my hands and everyone screams my name.
I take a long swallow of whiskey, wipe my mouth with the back of my hand, and then search the room for familiar faces. Aunt Birdie is seated at the bar and waves at me. All of my brothers gather around me with shots in their hands.
“To the bride and groom,” Snake says.
A dozen glasses tap together, drained of whatever substance made them glow nuclear-waste green, and are refilled by a shot girl wearing a sexy cowgirl outfit.
Tonsils hooks his arm around my neck. “Do you know how long I’ve waited for you to find the right ball and chain, bro?”
“The only ball and chain,” I correct him, knowing how fortunate I am to get a second chance with Angel. I swallow a large quantity of whiskey and then smile. “I need a best man.”
Tonsils places his hand over his heart. “I’m deeply touched.”
“Nothing to wet your jeans over.”
“Do you have a ring?” he asks.
I reach inside my vest and pull out a little black box. “The same one I bought six years ago.”
Tonsils opens the lid. “That’s a lot of ice.”
“She deserves it.” The generous diamond is set in eighteen-karat gold. “No one will miss that ring on her finger.”
“Want me to hold on to it?”
I nod. “Sure.” We shake hands. “Thanks for helping me get through the last six years with my head still attached.”
“Which one?”
I’d rather forget the dozens of faces of the women I fucked while in a drunken stupor. None of them meant anything. Except for Serafina. I shake my head, still reeling from the impact of the truth. Since the night I met her, I couldn’t figure out why I was so drawn to her. But now I do. It will just take some time to adjust. To understand why Angel did what she did and why I didn’t sense her desperation before she ran away.
“What’s up, bro?” Tonsils gives me a sideways look.
“Digesting it all.”
“Don’t question fate.” He offers me a Budweiser longneck.
I give a dark laugh. “This is just the beginning, Tonsils. The Dead Dogs will pay.”
He grips my arm, any trace of humor gone from his face. “Give the order. I’ll kill that sonofabitch myself.”
“I know.” Tonsils would do anything I ask, but Angel’s brother is mine. My rage is hard to contain. Bear robbed me of six years of happiness with the woman I love. Stripped his only sister of dignity, abused her, nearly sold her into marriage. “I’ll deal with Bear when the time is right. Trust me.”
Chapter Thirty
Serafina
The clubhouse has been transformed into a chapel. There’s white and blue streamers hanging from the ceiling, bouquets of flowers on tables that have been moved into the main room, candles in crystal holders, and a wedding arch draped in sheer material and covered with white roses. I can’t believe how lovely everything looks. I gaze at Belle.
“Surprised?” she asks.
“Amazed,” I say, close to crying again. “How? When did you have time to do this?”
She doesn’t answer, but takes my hand and guides me down the main hallway where the bedrooms are. We end up at the last door. “Open it,” she says.
As soon as I do, I’m stunned by the dozen women waiting inside. I’m immediately tugged into their arms, hugged and kissed.
“Welcome home, Angel,” Charlie’s old lady, Lori, says. “Look how beautiful you are!”
“So happy to see you again,” Mercedes spanks my ass and squeezes me tight. “Want a margarita?”
I’m ushered to a leather recliner and handed a glass. There’s a table filled with treats and a stack of gifts. I take a sip from the straw, needing a strong drink to help settle my nerves.
“We have another big surprise for you,” Belle informs me as she opens the closet door. “Not sure if it’s your style, but we think you’ll look wonderful in it.” She takes out a garment bag and slowly u
nzips it.
There’s a wedding gown inside.
“A maxi peasant dress that reminds us all of you,” Belle says.
She brings the dress to me and I run my fingers over the soft rayon fabric. Its cut for off the shoulders, has a fitted waist, and is long and flowy. I’m speechless. “You remembered my favorite color?” Teal with little silver beads sewn along the long sleeves and hemline. “Thank you so much.” I hug it to my chest.
“And these?” Layla opens a shoe box and shows me a pair of strappy silver heels. “Size seven, right?”
I swipe the tears from my eyes, afraid I’m going to wake up from this happy dream. “Yes. Everything is perfect. Honestly, ladies, I would have married Eagle in a pair of cutoffs and a tank top if I had to.”
They all laugh.
“Of course the prez might prefer you nekkid,” Mercedes teases.
I shake my head. “I prefer the dress, please.”
Lori is in charge of the wedding gifts and I open the first one—a lovely crystal photo frame. There’s flatware, intricately etched champagne flutes, lingerie, the largest box of Godiva chocolates I’ve ever seen, and a gold chain choker from Belle to wear with my dress.
It’s hard to imagine that I survived without the old ladies—living outside the insulated world of the Iron Norsemen. My life has always been a whirlwind, full of ups and downs, chaotic and cruel, but today, surrounded by these confident women, I’m starting to believe it might be possible to forget the ugly past. And on my wedding day, my mind wanders often to my mother and brother, wishing things could be different.
Belle is the perfect substitute. She has the mommy gene—but as I watch her prepare the hair products, I can’t help but wish my own mother was here with us. Yes, she chose drugs over me. Yeah, she abandoned me and left me with two sadistic brothers. All things that make her sins irredeemable in Eagle’s eyes. But not in mine.
My actions caused more harm. My mistakes cost lives.
Candace opens the box of chocolates and offers me first choice. I smile and choose a creamy hazelnut bonbon. It instantly melts in my mouth and I reach for a second piece. My cell phone rings. I check the caller ID and roll my eyes.
One Taste of Angel Page 17
