by S. Nelson
He walked around the vehicle and opened the passenger door, and soon a woman came into view.
“Is that Adelaide?” The woman was stunning. Her dress was sleeveless and the most beautiful shade of pale yellow I’d ever seen. The material hit just below her knee, and even though it flared out at the cinched waist, there was no hiding her gorgeous form. Her beautiful blonde hair was pulled back in a stylish half updo.
“Yup. Sure is.” Tripp smiled wide at the sight of her, and as soon as she caught his attention she returned the expression, striding over to us within seconds. Once she was near, she wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a big hug.
“Not today, Addy,” Stone shouted across the lot. The look on his face was part serious, part joking. The little I did know about the woman was that she had tended to Tripp after he’d been left for dead just outside the club’s gates. She nursed him back to health and still checked in on him from time to time.
“Oh shush,” she shouted over her shoulder, turning her attention to me when she looked back. “And you must be Reece,” she said, pulling me in for an impromptu hug. She was certainly friendly, I’d give her that.
“Yes, I am.” I smiled, and for once it hadn’t been forced. My nerves had loosened their hold and I reveled in the feeling. “So nice to meet you. Tripp has told me a lot about you.”
“Well, this guy,” she laughed, gripping his upper arm, “and I have a special bond. I hope you don’t mind that, because I know Stone certainly does.”
“No issues whatsoever.” I’d spoken the truth. My newfound jealousies didn’t extend to Adelaide. “I’ll be forever thankful that you saved him.”
“Okay, okay. All this mushy talk is gettin’ to me.” Tripp leaned in and kissed Adelaide’s cheek before walking away. He’d snatched Riley from Stone’s hands, turning his back on his friend so he could fuss over the precious little one.
“He loves that little girl. They all do,” Adelaide revealed. “I just hope she doesn’t mind so much as she gets older.”
Tripp
“I never thought I’d see the day.” I held Riley close while her father fixed his tie.
“What are you talkin’ about?”
“I’m talkin’ about you in a monkey suit. What the hell’s gotten into you?” Riley grabbed my finger and tried to suck on it, but I pulled it away at the last second. “Where’s her sucky thing?”
“Her binky?”
“I don’t know what the hell it’s called.”
“It’s in the truck.” He opened the back door and rooted around for what felt like forever.
“If you don’t hurry up, I’m gonna let her suck on my finger, and you probably know where that’s been.” I laughed at the words that came out of his mouth. I would’ve never done such a thing, but the fact that Stone thought I would, and how distressed he became, made me laugh harder.
Gently placing the binky in Riley’s mouth, he said, “I know where those hands have been. Keep them away from my daughter.”
“Oh relax.” Looking closely at him, I saw he was nervous. “What’s wrong with you? Seriously? Why so uptight?”
“No reason.” He shifted his attention away from me and onto his woman, who was chatting with Reece. “How’s that goin’?” He jerked his head toward the women. “Heard you had some issue with her husband. Not cool fuckin’ around with a married woman, by the way.” His dark eyes chastised me. He obviously didn’t know the full story.
“I’m not fuckin’ around with a married chick. Well, she’s technically married, but she doesn’t wanna be.” Stone stood there staring at me, waiting for the rest of the story. I didn’t want to bring it up, but I didn’t want him thinking badly of Reece either. “He beat and terrorized her for years. She finally got away, but he tracked her across the country. He found her at the club, and thank God we got to him before he dragged her out of there. He probably would’ve killed her this time.” I hadn’t realized how much the entire situation had affected me until I clutched my chest after speaking. The thought that Reece could’ve been ripped from my life gutted me.
“Fuck,” Stone replied. “Sorry, man. I didn’t know that.” He looked back toward Reece and Adelaide. “Is she okay now? And where is her hus . . . that bastard?”
“Ryder and Hawke broke his legs in warning never to come near her again. I would’ve done it, but I probably wouldn’t have been able to stop at just his legs.”
“Speak of the devil,” Stone interrupted as Ryder drew closer.
“I’m the devil? I think someone sold their soul for an Armani suit.” Ryder chuckled. “Why you all dressed up?”
“Will everyone get off my back already,” Stone sneered, shoving his hands in his pockets in another bout of nervousness. It was extremely odd to see our VP acting in such a way. It almost made me think something else was up with him. But he wouldn’t tell me even if I asked, so I let it go.
Cutter and Trigger joined us, coming out of the clubhouse and smelling like booze. Nothing too crazy, though.
A black sedan pulled up in front of the gates, the prospects inspecting the vehicle before allowing it to pass. As soon as the car came to stop, a priest stepped out and smiled at Stone. Adelaide appeared suddenly, stealing her daughter from my arms.
“Time to get things started,” I heard Stone shout as we all walked toward the back of the compound.
The ceremony was quick. Marek and Sully had been chosen as Riley’s godparents, and I had to admit that Stone and Addy had definitely chosen wisely. I saw the longing in Sully’s eyes when she held the little girl, and I only hoped they could have one of their own someday. Marek stood rigid beside her, although he relaxed some when she reached for his hand. I could sense they were still dealing with the strain of what’d happened, but there was a light back in Marek’s eyes that had been missing over more time than I cared to acknowledge.
We were an hour into the party when Stone stood, clearing his throat to gain everyone’s attention. Once all eyes were on him, including Adelaide’s, he finally spoke.
“Addy and I want to thank everyone for coming today to help us celebrate. And if Riley could talk, she’d say thank you too.” Everyone smiled, glancing at the baby girl before turning their gazes back to Stone. “You’re all aware of the difficulty Addy and I went through while she was pregnant with Riley, and it was by the grace of God that she was able to give me a healthy child. Now I’m not a religious guy at all.” He looked over at the priest. “Sorry, Father Houston, but it’s true.” The collared man simply nodded. “But I’d never prayed as much as I did during those months.”
A solemn look briefly passed over everyone present. We’d all been praying for not only Adelaide’s life but for the life of their daughter. She’d been dealt a tough hand, having been told she had ovarian cancer and that she was pregnant. Thankfully everything turned out great, and Adelaide was in remission.
“After everything we’ve been through, baby, I don’t want another day to go by without the world knowing how much I love you.” Stone moved toward Adelaide, gently taking Riley from her arms and passing their daughter to Sully. Then he helped his woman to her feet and did something I never thought I’d see—he lowered himself to one knee and took her hand in his. Wide-eyed and astonished, Adelaide’s lower lip started to tremble. “I even asked your dad for permission, so that tells you how serious I am.” She laughed and looked across the table at an older man sitting next to Trigger. He looked back at her with such love there was no mistaking that he was her father.
“Baby . . . ever since I met you I’ve become a better man. I’ll admit there’ve been hurdles along the way, and I’m not sayin’ I won’t trip and fall on my face from time to time, but knowing you’re there to help me up and make me see the error of my ways means more to me than I can ever say.” We all laughed because we knew Stone had a temper which landed him in hot water with Adelaide sometimes. But he always came around, and my God did he love that woman.
He licked his lips an
d blew out a nervous breath. It was then that I understood his previous anxiety and the reason why he’d decided to don a suit. He wanted to put forth the effort Adelaide deserved. “Adelaide Reins . . . will you marry me?”
“Of course I will,” Adelaide proclaimed, tears streaming down her beautiful cheeks. She pulled him to his feet and threw her arms around his neck. Everyone clapped in celebration. Stone kept it clean, even though I knew damn well all he wanted to do was make a spectacle and kiss the hell out of her. But her father was present, and I knew even though his relationship with him had been rocky, he respected him enough not to openly defile the man’s daughter in front of him.
Tripp
I stayed as close to Reece as I could, with the exception of when I had to piss or grab another drink. I knew she was still a bit nervous, although she’d relaxed some over the past couple hours. Adelaide and Sully had engaged her in conversation, doing their best to make her feel welcome. Kena and Braylen had even sat down next to her in an attempt to get to know her.
While Arianna made sure to stay away from Reece, I saw her staring at me from time to time. I never acknowledged her presence, which I knew irritated the fuck out of her, but I didn’t give a shit. Reece had caught one of Arianna’s glances and stiffened beside me. I relieved her tension with a soul-scorching kiss, almost forgetting we weren’t in private. It wasn’t until Hawke yelled for me to let her breathe that I pulled away from her delectable lips.
“Wanna join us?” Sully asked Reece, shuffling past us in a hurry.
“Where you goin’?” I asked before Reece could.
“Bathroom. If that’s okay with you,” Adelaide snickered, half sloshed herself, no doubt celebrating her engagement. Good thing Stone was driving them home.
“Want me to join you?” I asked my woman, laughing at her reaction.
“You can’t go in the bathroom with us.”
“Who says?”
“We say,” Adelaide and Sully replied in unison. They pulled Reece away from me, and I hated to admit that I already missed her.
Fuck! I have it bad.
I couldn’t draw my eyes away from her, staring after her like a lovesick puppy. Thoughts of her beneath me consumed me, and I counted the seconds until I could make the images in my head a reality.
I knew someone had sat down next to me, but I took a sip of my drink and ignored whoever it was, having a feeling I knew exactly who dared to approach me.
“You know she can’t satisfy you the way I can.”
Anger instantly boiled in my veins at the sound of her voice. I didn’t respond, not until she shifted closer and put her hand on my thigh, too close to my dick. I seized her wrist and tossed her hand away as if she’d burned me.
“Don’t fuckin’ touch me, Arianna. I mean it. Do it again and I’ll have you thrown out of here.” I was doing my best not to cause a scene, but she tested my patience for sure. “Where’s Breck?”
“I don’t know. I think he’s passed out somewhere. Besides, he can’t keep up with me. He’s not like you, baby,” she slurred, daring to touch me again. I jumped up from the table and backed away, glaring at her before turning toward the clubhouse. No way was that bitch staying here without Breck present. I strolled inside and walked across the common room, finding the guy in question passed out cold on the couch.
“Goddammit!” I swore, punching the back of the couch. He didn’t even move. As luck would have it, one of the prospects came out of the kitchen carrying two trays of food. “Hey, prospect. Call a cab.”
“For who?” He was young and new. Too new to realize he didn’t ask the questions, only did what we told him to.
“Just. Do. It.” I turned on my heel but not before Arianna stumbled into the common room, no doubt having followed me inside. This was all I needed. Reece would be walking through there any second and I didn’t want her to have to deal with my past mistake yet again.
“There you are,” Arianna cooed, batting her heavily coated, fake lashes at me. “Wanna take me in one of the back rooms? Or we can do it right here if you want.” She didn’t bother waiting for my refusal before she hiked up her skirt and leaned against the bar. She wasn’t wearing anything underneath.
“Pull your skirt down,” I barked. “No one wants to see that shit.” I was pissed, even more so when Arianna pushed off the bar and stalked toward me, her skirt still hiked up to her waist and exposing herself.
“You still want me. You know you do. Stop wasting your time with that skank.” I found it funny that she referred to Reece as a skank when it was she who fucked anyone willing, often for money. Thank God the few times I’d been with her I’d been smart enough to use a condom.
I’d been so enraged that she’d put me into this position, I hadn’t noticed Reece had walked into the room, halting her steps once she saw the scene in front of her.
Arianna hanging on my arm with her skirt around her waist.
Reece
To say I was livid would have been an understatement. The sight of that bitch hanging all over Tripp, and with her skirt bunched up showing everyone her goodies, made my blood boil. Heat shot through me and my skin flushed red. My fists clenched at my sides and while tears formed, they were from anger. Not sadness or hurt. Okay, part of me was hurt, but mostly it was from anger.
Although rage best described what I felt right then.
I didn’t misconstrue the scene in front of me. I knew damn well Tripp didn’t want to have anything to do with Arianna. I saw it in his rigid posture, in the way his eyes flared with his own fury that she dared to come near him after he’d warned her earlier. It was then I saw Breck passed out on the couch, explaining why that bitch made her bold move on my man.
I’d finally found my sliver of happiness and there was no way in hell I was gonna let some low-class whore snatch that away from me. I was done brushing off her attacks, done second-guessing my relationship, done giving in to the small bouts of paranoia that maybe what Arianna spewed was true. That Tripp would eventually tire of me and go back to her.
It was time I stepped up and claimed what was mine. Oh yeah, my possessive side came bursting out, and I embraced the hell out of it.
Slowly walking toward the two of them, Tripp shoved her aside as I approached. “Get the hell away from him,” I seethed, trying to convince myself not to tackle her and beat the hell out of her once and for all. For as much as I wanted to teach her drunk ass a lesson, this wasn’t the time or place. I didn’t want to make a scene, nor did I want the women behind me to think badly of me.
“Or what?” She tried to put her hands back on Tripp, even though he took a few more steps away from her. Before I could answer or even reach her, a blur of blonde hair pushed past me and headed straight for Arianna. Grabbing her by the back of her hair, Adelaide pulled her toward the door, Arianna stumbling behind her the entire way, trying to catch her footing.
“Get off me, you crazy bitch!” she yelled, trying to dislodge herself from Adelaide’s hold. But it was useless; she was simply no match.
Adelaide was stronger than she looked. I laughed out loud as she finally tossed Arianna out on her ass, screaming, “Don’t ever show your ugly face around here again or you’ll regret it!” before she slammed the door on her. Turning toward us, she threw up her hands and said, “Anyone else need disposing of?”
We all burst out laughing at what she’d done. She saw the look on my face and decided to step in on my behalf, and I’d be forever grateful to her for doing so. She winked at me and said, “I got your back, sweetheart.”
When Tripp drew me into his side, he kissed me before saying, “I told you they were cool chicks.”
“They certainly are,” I agreed.
All of a sudden a serious look shrouded his face. “Do you want me to fire her? I know you said you didn’t want to see anyone lose their job, but I think she’s only gonna get worse. Especially after tonight.”
That time I didn’t have to think too long before answering. “I think i
t’s time. After the shit she pulled tonight, she’s gone too far.”
“Okay, consider it done. Now how about we get outta here so I can ravage you properly.” The seductive tremor in his voice instantly made me wet, the ache that had been present the entire day kicking into overdrive.
“How can I say no to that?”
“You can’t.” He reached for my hand and pulled me toward the exit. Once outside, we walked right into another commotion. At first I thought Arianna still hadn’t left, causing one last scene before she was finally booted off the property.
But as we approached, I saw a few of the men crowding the gates, a car on the other side with a woman blaring on the horn. It was obvious she wanted to come inside, but for who I had no idea.
Not until she laid eyes on Tripp.
I would have liked to say that the rest of the evening passed without incident, but I would’ve been lying.
Tripp
Mindlessly walking toward the gates, I tried to dispel the image in front of me, but no amount of blinking or wishing would make her disappear.
“Tripp,” Rachel shouted. “Tripp, tell them to let me in.”
My only response was to shake my head, releasing Reece’s hand as I prepared myself for one helluva scene. I had to make sure she was real. That she was really there. Only then would I summon up the anger necessary to tell her to go to hell.
“How the fuck did you find me?” Out of all the questions rattling around inside my confused brain, that was the one that chose to escape. Peering at her through the bars, gripping the metal tightly while I pushed angered breaths from my mouth, I shouted again, “How did you find me?”
“I . . . I remember you telling me about this place.” Even in the dim light of the lot I could see her pupils were dilated. She had an issue with drugs back when we were together, but I always chose to look the other way because it hadn’t affected me. Well, not until I found her fucking some guy, her lapse in judgement surely a side effect of the drugs. Or maybe it was simply because she’d been a selfish bitch. Yeah, let’s go with that second one.
