HANDS OFF MY BRIDE

by Claire St. Rose

  She backed up, seeing the orderlies coming to wheel her father out. “I’ll meet you by the ambulance, Dad. I’m going to ride with you.” She watched him go, leaning against Vince for support. She couldn’t wrap her mind around how much better her life was with him. Two months ago, she thought she was as happy as could be. Sure, she had issues with a few people spreading rumors, but other than that she’d existed without problems in her solitary world.

  But now, she saw how miserable she’d been, and aside from that, she couldn’t have done this for her father without his help. She barely managed her own finances as it was.

  “Hey, Ms. Powell, why don’t you ride with Mr. Larson? I’d be more than happy to ride with your father and make sure he’s as comfortable as possible on the way,” Kendra offered.

  Ariana started to shake her head, but Vince squeezed her hand. “You should step back. I know you have the experience and credentials to do this, but it’s your father. You should take a step back before your emotions outweigh your reasoning.”

  Reluctantly, she agreed and thanked Kendra, as they all headed to the elevator and rode to the ground floor. Vince carried the file folder with all the signed paperwork, and Kendra had a huge packet of instructions and information regarding her father’s conditions, expected treatments, and medication regimen. Ariana’s heart pounded in her chest, and she found herself incredibly anxious, as if she suddenly couldn’t believe this was real. However, the heat rolling off Vince’s hand as he threaded his fingers in hers was not a dream, and she took a deep breath to try to relieve her misgivings.

  Once they arrived at Vince’s house, Ariana stood out front, waiting for the ambulance, which was apparently a few minutes behind them. She imagined all manner of things going wrong; but, after it arrived, they had her father stashed in the new bed with the new sheets and hooked up to monitors, machines, and the IV in less than half an hour.

  The medics left, and she thanked them, making a mental note to send them some homemade brownies or something. Then, she stood in the doorway to her father’s new room, leaning against the doorframe and watching him as his pain began to ease again and he rested peacefully.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT

  Vince could see the happiness shining from Ariana’s eyes, and for the first time since he had lost Kristi, he actually thought he felt whole. Kendra fussed around, making sure everything was set up to her liking, and she asked Ariana about clothes for the older man. Ariana squirmed, and Vince knew she wasn’t going to go back to her mother and pack a bag.

  He stepped forward and said, “I’ll take care of it. Are flannel pajamas alright?”

  Kendra nodded. “Actually, flannel pajama pants are perfect. And we’ll want boxers because he’s on a catheter. Short sleeves are better. T-shirts. We can add blankets if he gets cold, but the sleeves will get in the way of the tubes and wires.”

  Vince winced, thinking about all the things being pumped into the man’s body and promised himself he would never go out like that. He knew plenty of other ways to go out peacefully without having to live through the deterioration of a terminal disease.

  Finally, he led Ariana away from the room, taking her outside with him so he could smoke. He was desperate because he had been without one for at least two hours. He was too heavy a smoker for that. He smiled ruefully at Ariana. “You know, I feel good about all this, and I’m glad I can do it. However, the one sacrifice I’m making is that I can’t smoke inside anymore.”

  Ariana’s expression registered as melodramatic, her devastation palpable. “I’m sorry, Vince. I didn’t even think about that.”

  He rolled his eyes and cupped her chin gently, as he lowered his lips gently to hers. “It’s not a big deal. It’ll just slow me down when it’s super cold. Besides, you can’t tell me that, as a medical professional, you haven’t thought about asking me to quit.”

  Caught in the act, she blushed and smiled shyly. “I have, but I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable in your own home.”

  Vince shook his head. It wasn’t going to affect his comfort at all. In fact, having people around would probably balance him out again. He’d been a much better person when Kristi was here, even when she ignored him. It was nice just having another life in the house. “I’m happy there are people here,” he told her, staring out at the top of the trees and thinking about the enormous family of Native Americans who lived in the reservation on the other side. “It’s just as much your house as mine.”

  “What are you talking about? I mean, I know my dad’s here, and I’ll be spending time taking care of him, but I’m not going to just up and carry all my things here and redecorate your place.” Ariana scoffed. “I promise I won’t act like the lady of the house.”

  “Why not?” he asked, trying to sound nonchalant—though his insides were quivering at the idea. “With work and school on your plate, you’ll be here more often than you’ll be at your apartment. Your apartment is small, and it’s cozy, but you have a lot more room here. Plus, I’ll give you a closet of your own to pile your dirty clothes in when you don’t want me to see them.” She seemed humiliated that he’d noticed. “I’ve done the same thing plenty of times,” he chuckled. “Seriously, though, I wouldn’t mind having you in my bed at night, and you make this place feel a lot less lonely.”

  Ariana’s expression was full of disbelief, as her wide eyes searched his face for a sign. She probably thought he was joking. For all that they’d built together, Vince had a suspicion that she still saw him as a loner. Most people did. Only a select few, like Pound, knew how codependent he could be. “You mean it, don’t you?” she asked in an awestruck voice.

  “I don’t usually say things I don’t mean, and I’m not exactly spontaneous about serious situations. I would consider cohabitation rather serious, wouldn’t you? I mean, if you move in with someone, you’re making a commitment to stare at the toothpaste stuck to their bathroom sink every morning and to suffer the scent of their bad cooking or the incredibly intoxicating smell of their shower gel.”

  CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE

  Ariana laughed, long and loud. “You are utterly ridiculous!” she told him, throwing her arms around his neck, lifting up on her toes, and pressing a firm kiss to his lips. She hadn’t even considered that possibility with everything else she’d had to think about. It made sense, but she wouldn’t have pictured Vince as the type to propose it, no matter how genuine and squishy he could be inside.

  Admittedly, the thought was a bit frightening. She’d lived alone for so long now that she didn’t know if she knew how to share a space with someone. Since she’d never been in a relationship like this, she certainly wasn’t sure about sharing a bed on a permanent basis. However, there were so many more reasons to try it—the most important which was the fact that she was madly, completely, and horribly in love with Vince. Having her father two rooms over was only a bonus, and the money she would save on renewing her lease, even if she paid all of the utility bills here, would give her a small savings account, which she could eventually use to pay Vince back for all of this.

  “I think I’d really like to try it,” she said at long last. “I love you, Vince.”

  He kissed her forehead and put out his cigarette. “I love you, too.” He backed up, and Ariana frowned. She waited, as he sighed and said, “I have to get out of here. I have to make sure the rest of the boys show up, and I need to get one of my shipping trucks out and clean for the delivery. There’s also some paperwork to take care of before I go.” He motioned toward the house. “Feel free to help yourself to anything, and if you feel comfortable leaving your father in Kendra’s capable hands, I’d like for you to at least bring a few of your most important things over so you can stick around for a while.”

  Ariana struggled with the idea of him leaving, especially right now. He’d been honest with her about the trip, at least, to the degree she asked, and she couldn’t deny him his livelihood or his family. After all, he’d been with the club so long that they did
fill the void of not having any other family, and she knew what it was like to feel alone. She wouldn’t take him from his comfort zone. If she was going to step into his life in such a permanent role, she had to be willing to accept every aspect of him.

  She nodded, looking away. “Just promise me you’ll do everything you can to be safe.”

  “Of course I will. Hell, I have added incentive. I’ve got you, waiting here in my bed, and a man in the other bedroom who calls me son. It’s been forever since I had a father figure. I’m not going to throw that away now.” He pulled her to him and held her pressed against his chest. She could feel his heartbeat against her breast, and she was momentarily overcome with the desire to strip him naked and tie him to the bed, ravaging him for the next seventy-two hours.

  She quelled the urge quickly and put her hands on his shoulders. “I’ll see you again when?”

  He took a deep breath. “If everything goes as planned, we’re out tonight and back tomorrow night. It’ll be late, but I’ll wake you up when I get here.”

  She sort of liked his assumption that she’d be there, in his bed, waiting for him. It was exactly what she intended to do, perhaps in a lacy outfit that showed a lot of skin.

  Ariana saw him off, watching as he rode away from the house—until he and his bike disappeared around a curve in the road. Then, she went back inside to check on her father and Kendra, the former of whom was sound asleep and the latter of which smiled up at her from the book she was quietly reading in the corner of the room. Satisfied, she escaped, deciding to make that run to her apartment to grab her toiletries and a suitcase full of clothes and uniforms.

  CHAPTER SIXTY

  Vince had never felt resentment toward the Iron Claws, but today, he wished he could just tell them to go suck on a dead dog’s nose. Everything in his personal life was, for once, lining up perfectly, and while the man he’d just taken in was dying, he was much better off and had said he thought of Vince as a son.

  The words had floored him, and now, Vince only wanted to make him proud and give his daughter the happy life she deserved. Instead, he was running from federal agents and a gang of angry Mexicans, racing against time to remove all the evidence of their dealings in counterfeit cash. They’d worked things out with the Kingsmen, but they were still waiting for their gun delivery, and Vince wasn’t keen on being involved in another gunfight, especially one the size of a battle in the American Revolution.

  He’d never leave the Claws, but there had to be a way to build a more peaceful atmosphere around their club. Once they were safe from arrest and prepared for an oncoming war, Vince was going to see if they could create a treaty or at least a truce with the Demons and set up a better system of protection and shipment of their goods. They needed a safety net, something they didn’t have right now, so they could all have a little more peace of mind in the rest of their daily lives.

  He turned into the clubhouse parking lot, smiling at the idea of coming home and jumping straight into Ariana’s arms—and her warm, wet center—the moment he walked through the door. He had forgotten what it was like to arrive to a warm body. Even before she’d taken herself out of the land of the living, Kristi had turned him out of the bed most of the time after one of these runs. He knew there was a chance that something like that could happen with Ariana, but it was remote, and he counted on her not being so cold and crass.

  “You look like the cat that got the milk, Larson,” Pound teased, as he put down the kickstand on his bike. “What’s going on in that head of yours? Or, should I ask, those pants?”

  Rather than snapping at his best friend as had been his MO for a while now, Vince gave Pound a crooked smile. “Why don’t you shut up and mind your own business, you big lug? Do you know what I think? I think it’s been too long since you got laid.”

  “You got that right!” Pound slapped him on the back. “But I’m not the one with the shit-eating grin on his face right now. I take it the doc gave you a second chance?”

  Lighting up, Vince nodded. “I guess you could say that. I mean, she agreed to move in with me, and her father’s set up with a private nurse in my spare room. I think I bought myself a small reprieve.”

  “You dog, you!” Pound stared at him, looking both stunned and approving. “Listen, bro, I know I’ve said some shit about the woman, but as much as I think she might be a problem for the club, I think she’s really good for you, and that means she won’t do anything to hurt the rest of us, either.” Throwing an arm over Vince’s shoulder, he joked, “Did the alcohol poisoning scramble your brain or something? Where did all this lovey-dovey bullshit come from?”

  Vince gave him a sharp look. “I’m not like a lot of our family, Pound. I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart to fill. If you’re just going to razz me about it for the next two days, I’ll just replace you on the run with one of our prospects.”

  “Nah, I just had to get one in there, Larson.” He stopped walking and turned to look down at Vince with one of the few serious expressions he ever gave. “I’m happy for you, bro. I hope it all turns out in the end.”

  So did Vince, and to make sure that was the case, he had to get the evidence that could send his entire club away for the rest of their natural born lives out of town. The Demons had backed off since losing the firefight, and Vince had the impression they were regrouping for a very large hit now that their little underhanded cry to the feds hadn’t gone as planned. That meant he shouldn’t have a Devil on his shoulder during the ride.

  He also had intel that the feds were working on a warrant for his shipping company, and that meant red tape and paperwork since he hadn’t solely been implicated in the anonymous tip. That would take several more days, and none of them were stupid enough to risk a tampering charge by following them now. This trip should be free and clear of trouble, just as he’d told Ariana.

  Gathering his crew, they rode over to his office on the south side of Olympia, and he fudged some paperwork based on a delivery of farming equipment out to Idaho, just across the state border. It would be signed as delivered while they unloaded their property into the barn that waited empty for them. Then, they’d be on their way home, possibly sooner than later.

  There was a lot of waiting around since Vince still didn’t feel comfortable leaving town until night fell; but, once twilight hit, they headed to the storage facility, emptied it into the back of the shipping truck, and headed out.

  CHAPTER SIXTY-ONE

  Ariana found herself humming and singing with the radio, as she headed toward the station house. She’d slept beautifully in Vince’s bed after putting just a few things in his closet and pushing his socks over in the draw just a few inches to make space for some of her socks and underwear. This morning, she’d run to the department store and grabbed her father two shirts, two pairs of flannel pants, and a package of diabetic socks that were meant to increase circulation. She knew Vince would hold to his word and take care of an entire wardrobe, but she wanted to do something right away and give him something herself.

  When she’d gone into his bedroom, she’d been surprised to see him somewhat alert and eating a bit of runny oatmeal that Kendra had made. She was feeding him patiently, as she read to him from one of the books Vince had gotten. Taking Ariana aside, Kendra muttered, “I have a sneaking suspicion that they were overdosing him on his meds so he couldn’t ask for anything or talk about mistreatment. I took an extra blood sample to test for the levels of drugs in his system. That can be solid proof against the hospital for more than negligence.”

  For a few minutes, Ariana had fumed, and she’d crawled under a cold shower to cool down her rage. Then, she’d realized that this was good news. Her father may not be as sick as they thought and could have weeks or even months instead of days. In the meantime, she was going to talk to a lawyer.

  Vince had called as she’d dressed, just to let her know that everything had worked out so far. They were planning on heading back a little early because they wanted to try to hit
Snoqualmie Pass before the predicted storm came through. Ariana wasn’t the least bit upset about that; it meant Vince would be home sooner.

  Rather than wait around and twiddle her thumbs on her day off or study for a final she knew she was going to ace tomorrow, she needed to do something to keep busy. So, she decided to see if she could catch Sal at work and have a little talk with him.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked, as she walked into the huge double kitchen that served both paramedics and firefighters. “I thought you were off today.”

  She shrugged. “I’m not here to work, and I thought I remembered you were covering for Candace today. I wanted to talk for a few minutes.”

  He tilted his head and assessed her with narrow eyes, but he nodded amicably. “Sure. Why don’t we go sit on the balcony? It’s pretty quiet up there today. I spent some time up there earlier, just thinking for a few minutes.” They started walking, and he continued, “My son’s doing a lot better. His tutor’s helping tremendously with his learning disability, and his grades have improved an entire letter in a little under a month. If he can conquer this thing, he’ll be at the top of his class. I was out here, considering my blessings and trying to find that gratitude in myself. Sometimes, it’s not easy with the hours we work, you know.”