by Erin Osborne
“I love you so much!” Harley squeals as she pulls my face down to hers and lays a kiss on me that leaves me wanting and breathless.
“I love you too. Now, let’s cut this cake so we can get out of her and I can strip you bare,” I say, pulling her along with me while she laughs and it’s music to my ears.
Camera flashes go off around us as we cut the cake and feed one another a piece. I was trying to be nice and not get it all over her face. Harley had no such reservations. My face is now covered in icing and cake that she smashed there and wiped around to cover as much of me as she could. Paybacks a bitch though. I lean in for a kiss and press my cheek to hers instead, covering the side of her face and hair in the same icing and cake. The girls all scream while the guys laugh and clap. It’s the look on her face that means the most though. Harley’s smile lights up her entire face and reaches her eyes. She’s truly happy and I’m the one making her that way. I’ll keep that look on her face for the rest of our lives no matter what it takes.
“You ready?” she asks, letting me know that she’s ready to head home as I am.
“I’ve been ready for a long-time angel,” I answer taking one last kiss before we gather Sally and Quinn to head home for the rest of the night. “Today the rest of our lives begin and I’m ready for wherever the journey takes us.”
“Me too sexy,” Harley says, leading the way as I walk next to her. We’ll spend our lives side by side, never one following behind the other. This is our story and it’s finally beginning after years and years of waiting.
Epilogue
Shadow
TODAY IS THE DAY THAT I’VE WAITED FOR. I’m finally patched into the WKMC. After an epic mistake on my part causing Riley to get kidnapped, I had to prospect for a longer period of time. I’ve paid for the mistake and I’ll never make one like that again. So, they’ve decided that today is the day. Gage called me in while they were having church earlier and I got my colors. I honestly wasn’t expecting it, but I couldn’t be prouder than I am right now.
As soon as I walked out of that room, I called Renee to let her know that the missed dates and having to cut out early on her and Dylan is finally over. We’ve been going through some shit because she knows I won’t leave the club and has never asked me to. I’m trying to figure out how to be a part of the club and with her and her young son Dylan at the same time. It doesn’t seem like I’m doing a very good job, but I’m trying the best I can. The guys just recently found out how serious I am about her and have been trying to give me some time with her, but it’s still an adjustment.
For so long I’ve been about nothing more than the club and doing what I’ve had to for them. I’ve had the shit jobs that no one wanted to do and had to go whenever one of the guys called me in. A few times it was for ridiculous shit, but I had to do it and I did. There wasn’t one single time that I complained or bitched about being pulled away from my girl. In fact, she was the one let down and upset with me. Renee doesn’t deserve the shit I’ve done to her, but it’s all over with now.
“Hey baby! I just wanted to let you know that I got patched in today. Call me when you get this. Or better yet, come to the clubhouse and help me celebrate,” I say, leaving a voicemail as I walk between Gage and Steel to the common room.
Mike and Wayne line beers and shots up on the bar as we all step up and Gage holds his shot above his head. “To Shadow, our newest brother. It’s goin’ to suck losin’ one of the best prospects this club has ever seen. Congrats Shadow!”
We all down our shot as the guys clap me on my back and make way for the club girls and strippers that are going to be at the party in my honor tonight. They all give me a kiss on my cheek and make their way to find a guy that’s not attached to anyone. Riley’s a hardass about none of them touching a guy that is even dating someone. She’s thrown girls out for less and they’re all learning their place so they can stay. Unfortunately, one of the new girls doesn’t seem to think she has to follow those rules.
As I’m sitting at the bar talking to Trojan and Tech, a set of arms wrap around me and I instantly know that it’s not Renee. She’s got a light floral scent and the hair on my arms stand up on end whenever she touches me. It’s been like that since we first met when Darcy was in the hospital. Whoever is attached to these arms is making me gag with the amount of perfume wafting from her. And I can see a faint trace of what looks like track marks lining her arms. Turning my head, I see a skinny bottle blonde who’s wearing enough make-up to cover the faces of at least three of the girls here. Nothing that I’m attracted to or would be caught touching.
“Can I help you?” I ask harshly, turning my back to the girl standing behind me.
“Yeah. You can turn around so I can congratulate you properly,” she says, forward as hell as she tries to reach around me once again.
“Listen bitch, I don’t know who you think you are, but the rule is attached brothers are off limits. I’m very taken so you can go find someone else to fuck with,” I say, taking a long pull of my beer so she gets the picture that I’m more interested in drinking than even talking to her.
“The name is Nessa and you’ll do good to remember it since I’ll be the one swallowing your cock all night long,” she says, once again trying to wrap her arms around me so I give her my full attention.
“Shadow,” I hear the faint voice of Renee from behind me.
Turning so fast I knock the bitch behind me down, I look at Renee. The pain and shock written all over her face is hurting me. I know that there’s no coming back from what she just heard the club girl say. Just like I can tell that she didn’t hear what I said to her before that.
“Renee, it’s not what you think. I just told her that I was taken and that I wanted nothin’ to do with her,” I explain, standing up just as the dumb bitch stands in front of me trying to stake a claim.
“He’s right, it’s not what you think. I don’t give a fuck who you are, but this is my cock for the night. You can find a different one. Probably not here, but somewhere,” she says, raising my anger to a level that I’ve never had it go concerning a female before.
“It’s all good. You can have him every single night. Shadow don’t ever call me again. Lose the number,” Renee says, turning on her heel running out of here like her pants are on fire.
Renee
I was busy with my two-year-old son, Dylan, when Shadow called. As soon as I listened to the message saying that he was finally patched in, I was so excited for him. Not only has he accomplished something he’s been wanting since the first time he met Gage and Trojan, but he had to put in extra time to atone for a mistake he made. It’s been eating him up alive that Riley was kidnapped because he didn’t stay vigilant enough to protect her.
Now that he’s patched in, it means that whatever time we spend together won’t be interrupted as much. There’s been so many dates, movie nights with Dylan, and just talking on the phone that’s been cut short because he gets a call and has to leave. I don’t blame him; I knew from the beginning that this was all a part of his life. Still, I chose to let him in to my son’s life thinking that he’d be in it for the long haul. Trust me, I don’t let anyone meet Dylan. It takes someone special to get through my front door, but Shadow was worth it.
My sister, Melissa, is in town and she convinced me to go to the clubhouse and celebrate with the man that’s slowly working his way into my heart. After Dylan’s dad shattered me, there were so many walls I built to protect myself and Shadow is smashing them to pieces with the way he treats not only me, but my son as well. So, after Melissa said she’d babysit, I got ready and made my way to the clubhouse. I’ve only ever been there to help patch someone up a time or two and to check on Quinn when she was rescued. Tonight, is something completely different and I don’t know if I’m dressed appropriately. I’m wearing a tight-fitting pair of jeans with holes in all the right places, a black tank top, and my high-heeled boots. My long dirty-blonde hair is left down, flowing in soft curls and I’ve go
t the bare minimum make-up on.
“Are you sure I look okay?” I ask Melissa for the tenth time in a few minutes.
“Yes! Now get your butt out of here so Dylan and I can have movie night,” she says, practically shoving me out the door to my own house.
The ride to the clubhouse takes a few minutes and my nerves ratchet up the closer I get to it. I wish Shadow would answer his phone and meet me outside, but it just rings and goes to voicemail. So, I pull up my big girl panties and make my way inside after parking close to the gate surrounding the property. I spot him immediately sitting at the bar next to Trojan. There’s a girl hanging off him, but he’s got his back to her. As I get closer, I can hear the girl telling him that he better know her name since she’ll be swallowing his cock all night long.
I can’t stop the shocked gasp that’s barely audible over the loud base of the music blaring throughout the room. Tears fill my eyes and I don’t even try to stop them from slipping over the edge and running down my cheeks. Shadow turns around and sees me standing there. I can’t determine the look on his face, but I know that he’s not the guy for me. If he’s going to let someone else touch him, then I can’t be with him. Cheating is a hard no for me and after my past, I’ve made a vow to myself that I won’t be with anyone like that. They don’t get a chance to explain or make me out to the be the bad person in the situation. I’ve heard every excuse known to mankind at one time or another and I won’t let Shadow do it to me now. Dylan won’t be around someone that thinks it’s okay to treat a woman that way.
“It’s all good. You can have him every single night. Shadow don’t ever call me again. Lose the number,” I hear myself say before I turn and run from the clubhouse.
Shadow is calling out to me, trying to get me to stop and talk to him. My feet pound over the rocks of the parking lot until I get to my car. Because he’s been drinking for a little bit, he can’t catch up to me before I slam my door shut, start the engine, and leave. I don’t look in the rearview mirror as I leave; I can’t see him standing there. Shadow has played me for a fool and I won’t listen to what he has to say.
Once I walk through the door of my home, the control I’ve kept on the ride slips and the tears flow uncontrollably down my face. Melissa takes one look at me and frowns as I shake my head and make my way to the bedroom. Dylan is still awake and I won’t ever let him see me cry or be upset. He doesn’t need to be around me upset so he gets upset and I won’t put him through it. So, I take my time and let the tears flow before washing my face and changing out of my clothes into pajamas. I shut my phone off and leave it in the room because Shadow’s been calling non-stop since I ran out on him. I’ll have to change my number so he can’t call me anymore.
“Are you okay?” Melissa asks as she meets me in the kitchen so I can get a drink before joining them on the couch.
“I’ll be fine,” I respond, letting her know without words that the subject isn’t up for debate.
“We’re talking about this later on,” she says before heading back to the couch.
I take a few minutes to calm myself back down. Once I have my emotions under control, I walk in and sit on the couch next to Dylan. He’s covered up in a blanket that he immediately shares with me. So, I cuddle the one guy in my life that’s never let me down and pretend to watch the movie that he’s so engrossed in. This is how my life will go from now on. Too bad I had no clue what was about to happen. Maybe I wouldn’t have been so quick to push everyone from here away.
The End
Playlist
There Goes My Everything – Kane Brown
The Ones That Like Me – Brantley Gilbert
We’re Gonna Ride Again – Brantley Gilbert
The Devil Don’t Sleep – Brantley Gilbert
Boots Of Spanish Leather – Amos Lee
Never My Love – Audra Mae
Bullet In A Bonfire – Brantley Gilbert
Picking Up The Pieces – Jef Scott
Take It Outside – Brantley Gilbert
Body Like A Back Road – Sam Hunt
Someday Never Comes – CCR
In Case You Didn’t Know – Brett Young
That Don’t Sound Like You – Lee Brice
Mercy – Brett Young
Memory Won’t Let Me – Brett Young
Better Off Gone – Logan Mize
Whiskey And You – Aaron Lewis
I Lost It All – Aaron Lewis
I Love You But I Don’t Know What To Say – Katey Sagal
A Thousand Years – Christina Perri
Acknowledgements
First and Foremost, I have to thank all of the amazing readers that took a chance on a new author a few years ago. Your messages, posts, comments, and questions have made this amazing journey worth everything. Thank you for all of your continued support and belief in me!! I can’t wait to meet some of you as I start attending signings.
Jenni: You have become my rock and someone to bounce ideas off of when I get stuck. You’re one of my best friends and new travelling partner to and from signings. Thank you for becoming my editor and going through the words I write as they get put on paper. I love you and still adopt you as my other mom.
Kim: Thank you for being there from the very beginning!! You give me another outlet to bounce ideas off of and have found mistakes when I can’t see them. You’re one of my best friends and I can’t imagine continuing this journey without you being a part of it. You’ve done what you could to help get the books I write out there and I can’t thank you enough!! Thank you for everything. I love you to pieces!!
Kayce: You are my best friend and partner in crime. We’re co-authors and you bring me off the ledge when I want to give up. It was amazing to finally meet you this year and spend time with a woman that’s strong enough to help me when I need it and put up with me when we’re trying to write a book together. Thank you for always being by my side!! Love you lady!!
Liberty: Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule, and life, to help answer questions and talk me through things I don’t know. You’ve given me support and been there when I needed someone at my side. Thank you for everything!!
My kids and family: Thank you for putting up with me spending time writing and getting things ready to go when I get close to putting a book out. You encourage me, support me however you can, and help me do whatever I need help with! I love you to the moon and back!!
Reggie and Tionna: It’s amazing to work with you both and an honor to have your work grace the cover of one of my books. It was an honor to meet you both this past year and I can’t wait to work with you both some more!! Thank you for everything!!
Shelly: Thank you for the amazing work you do and the time you put into making such amazing covers!! Even when I’m being difficult and can’t make up my mind about what I want!!
About the Author
I am the oldest of two children who were raised in Upstate New York. My mom taught us that hard work and determination is what’s needed to accomplish what you want to in life. She’s a strong woman that tried to teach us all she could while supporting us in our decisions.
Now, I’m a mom to three amazing children with two sons and a daughter of my own. We still live in Upstate New York, though I’d rather live somewhere warm in the winter. I am trying to follow in the steps of my mom and grandma in teaching my kids respect, working hard for what you want, and in my love of reading. That I get from my grandma. She was always reading something and started my interest at a young age.
Currently, I’m a stay at home mom who loves to write and put my stories out there. Some of what you read in my books are real life situations I have found myself in, while others have happened to people I’m close to. Especially Reagan’s condition that I live with every day with my oldest son. He continues to amaze me, and you can follow his journey as Reagan grows and learns to overcome things she can’t do. If I have one person relate to some part of my story, then I feel like I’m doing my job.
If I�
��m not reading, writing, or spending time with my family, you can find me watching NASCAR or hanging out with friends. I’m the shyest person on the face of the Earth, but I love to hear from readers and meet new people. I love listening to someone’s story and seeing what makes them who they are.
Here are some links to follow me:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ErinOsborneAuthor/
The Clubhouse: https://www.facebook.com/groups/501387566724702/
Website: http://erinosborne1013.wixsite.com/authorerinosborne
Other Books
Wild Kings MC
Skylar’s Saviors
Bailey’s Saving Grace
Tank’s Salvation
Melody’s Temptation
Blade’s Awakening
Irish’s Destiny
Rage’s Redemption
Wild Kings MC: Dander Falls
Darcy’s Downfall
Riley’s Rescue
Alpha Demons MC
Tempted By Demons’
Old Ladies Club
Old Ladies Club Book 1: Wild Kings MC
Old Ladies Club Book 2: Soul Shifterz MC
Old Ladies Club Book 3: Rebel Guardians MC
