I finally lowered my leg, stiff from being wrapped around Gabriel’s body. He met my eyes and grinned sheepishly, his cheeks still a little flushed.
“What?” I asked, unnerved by his stare.
Gabriel brushed his thumb across my bottom lip. “I’ve just always had this fantasy...”
My breath hitched in my chest. Again? I thought incredulously.
Then, surprisingly, “Will you wash my hair for me?” he asked.
I choked on my laughter. “Really?”
The color in Gabriel’s face deepened. “I mean, it’s just a comfort thing. My mom used to—”
“Say no more,” I said, bending over to retrieve the shampoo.
I rolled my eyes, feigning annoyance as I began lathering him up. My fingers moved easily through his short, smooth hair. “Tilt your head back.”
Gabriel closed his eyes, angling his head so the suds wouldn’t wash down his face.
I let myself smile privately to myself as I massaged his scalp, indulging in a little fantasy. Maybe, things could always be like this. Two people taking care of each other.
It wasn’t so bad.
Chapter 18
Aspen stood on the dressing room pedestal, staring into the three-sided mirror. Her reflections stretched on into eternity.
“What do you think about this?” she asked, placing her hands on her hips. She turned around to gauge my reaction.
Carmen stepped forward to arrange the billowy skirt around Aspen’s feet. “It’s...nice.”
“It’s yuppie,” I said flatly.
Aspen’s shoulders drooped. “I know.” She stared helplessly at the rack of dresses the saleslady had picked out.
I followed her gaze, feeling the emptiness on her face in the pit of my stomach. They were all nice dresses, sure, and they looked great on Aspen’s petite frame. The one she wore made her look like Snow White on her wedding day, but it just wasn’t the dress.
Carmen began paging through the dresses on the rack, rustling the taffeta and tulle skirts. “We need something more...more...”
“Edgy,” I offered. “Something that actually belongs on the arm of a tattooed biker.”
“Bingo.”
Just as Aspen began struggling with the zipper, there was a soft knock on the dressing room door.
“Come in!” the three of us said in unison, anticipating the saleslady with another armful of fluffy, white dresses.
But instead, it was Anna’s face that peered through the door. “Can I come in?”
Aspen raised her eyebrows at me, but I was too surprised to speak.
“We said, ‘Come in’,” Carmen said after a few awkward seconds.
Anna cleared her throat and stepped inside. Just before she closed the door, I caught a glimpse of Agent Fields, the man who’d met the Skull Kings at Pete Daddy’s. This time, he was in an official-looking white shirt and tie, staring at the ceiling and trying hard not to look like he was there to shop.
“Logan said we’d find you here,” Anna said. Her face was clean for the first time I’d seen it. I was used to seeing her with makeup, even in the mornings, when she’d rise from bed with a ring of last night’s mascara around her eyes.
“Yeah. This was first bridal shop we found,” I said. “Are you and Adrian coming to the wedding?”
Anna shook her head. “The two of us are actually going away for a while.”
“What? Why?”
Her eyes flicked to Aspen and Carmen over my shoulder. “Do you want to have a cigarette with me?” she asked suddenly.
“Sure,” I said, understanding.
We walked back into the showroom. Anna waved her pack of cigarettes at Agent Fields and motioned toward the exit.
“Make it quick,” he muttered as we passed by.
Outside, we settled down on a cold cement bench by one of the shop windows facing the street. We could see the sign of the wedding chapel from here. Beyond that were the towers of Paris, New York, New York, and the pyramid top of Luxor.
“Who needs the world when we have Vegas?” Anna remarked as she lit her smoke. “I’ll be sad to leave.”
“Are they putting you in witness protection?” I asked.
“Yup.” Anna exhaled loudly. “How about you? Are they making you testify?”
“No. They just took a statement. I’m just going to be one of about a million counts of felony human trafficking against him.”
Anna chuckled. “Nice.”
I stared down at my leg, a burnt gold next to Anna’s pale one. What happens now? I wanted to say. For once, the two of us were safe, but we wouldn’t get a chance to enjoy it together. Anna and I hadn’t ever had a normal friendship. Likely, we never would.
“So did you come to say goodbye?” I finally said.
“I guess so. I don’t know. It feels wrong to say goodbye.”
“I know.”
Anna took another drag and stared pensively at the passing traffic. “You know how people are like best friends in prison, and then when they get out, they act like they don’t know each other?”
I laughed. “Why? Is that what we’re like?”
“I mean, kind of. I can’t exactly keep ties to my old life once I enter the program. I’ll have to start completely fresh.”
I nodded. It seemed fitting. Anna had undergone a change. Her face was clean, and she was well-fed. She was practically a different person already.
“But who knows?” Anna continued. “It’s a small world. We could be like ships passing in the night.” She stubbed out her cigarette and tossed it into the street. “Or whatever.”
“So then it’s more like, ‘See you around’,” I said.
“Yeah.”
We sat in silence for what felt like a long time, both of us waiting for the conversation to end somehow. We watched the light at the intersection change three times and listened to horns blare as a car waited too long to make a left turn. Finally, it appeared that Anna had one more thing left to say.
“There’s something you should know,” she said, her voice dropping ominously.
“What?”
Her eyes darted around, looking for True Northers hiding in the shadows. “It’s about the drugs I stole.”
My stomach twisted. I got the strange sense that this was what Anna had been waiting to tell me all along. I tried to remember what she had told me about the drugs from that SUV haul. Then, I realized that she’d never told me anything at all.
“You sold it?” I whispered.
Anna’s eyes turned dark. “No. The gang caught up to us before we could. But I was the first one to get away, and I took the shipment with me.”
“The whole thing?”
“I had to disappear before they caught up to me, and I couldn’t do that with a van full of bricks.” She smiled. “So I hid it.”
“Where?”
“Someplace safe.” She kicked up one of her sneakered feet in a show of exuberance. “And once I enter witness protection and the heat settles down, I’m going to go back and get it.”
Anna’s hopeful eyes were shining and wide, reflecting back my look of alarm. She saw gold out there, buried in the desert or wherever she’d stashed it. And who knew? Maybe it was. Maybe Anna had the chops and the street smarts to spin that powder into millions. She’d be set for life, so long as nothing went wrong.
I knew there was no talking her out of it. The best I could do was wish her luck. “Does your brother know this?”
Anna snorted. “No. He’d skin me before I went near that stuff. He wants me to get a nice job in a supermarket. But you can’t ball on minimum wage, you know?”
“Yeah,” I agreed. But inside, I hoped that Adrian would stay close to her. As for me, I couldn’t stick around worrying about Anna anymore. I had to move on.
“Don’t tell anyone, okay?” Anna said as we stood up. She held her pinkie out to me. “Promise.”
I hooked pinkies with her. “Promise.”
We smiled at each other.
/> “Then, see you later,” Anna said.
“See you later.” But I knew that what I really meant was, Goodbye.
It was jarring to walk back into the plushness of the bridal shop after sitting in Anna’s nicotine cloud. She prodded her FBI keeper in the arm and told him she was ready to leave. I found Aspen and Carmen hovering near the exit with their purses on their shoulders, looking defeated.
“Oh, before I forget,” Anna said suddenly, coming back to me. “I heard you guys talking in the dressing room before I came in. There’s this funky little thrift shop just off the Strip where I used to find some cool stuff.” She shrugged. “It might have what your friend is looking for.”
I sneaked a glance over at Aspen, who seemed to be making one last desperate round around the store, just in case she missed something.
I sighed. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt to check it out.”
Chapter 19
The wedding chapel was a small, stuffy place. The pews were painted white and draped with silk roses. The lobby doubled as a Las Vegas souvenir gift shop. Eddie and Noah hovered by one of the display counters, admiring the glass pipes as they waited for Aspen to finish getting ready.
I walked into the chapel, looking for Liam, and found him standing behind a skinny, teenaged boy with a shaved head and septum piercing. I was surprised when the boy sat down at the keyboard and started warming up, playing the first few chords of the “Wedding March” over and over.
I grabbed Liam’s arm and pulled him away. “How are you feeling?” I asked.
He glanced nervously at the empty pews. In a few minutes, they’d be full of Skull Kings. “I’m just anxious to get this started.” Then, he smiled.
I adjusted the leather cut so it sat evenly on his shoulders. He was wearing it on top of a black pinstriped shirt. He’d considered putting on a tie, but everyone else talked him out of it. I took a step back to really look at him.
This is my brother on his wedding day, I thought to myself, committing the image to memory. He was so handsome. He always had been, but now he looked happy to boot.
“What?” Liam asked, touching his chin. “Do I have something on my face?”
“No,” I said with a laugh. “You look great.” I was suddenly overcome with a strange feeling. I wrapped my arms around Liam’s waist and hid my face in his shoulder, afraid I’d start crying. I could feel his surprise when he stiffened up. It had been a long time since we’d hugged like this. “I’m proud of you, big bro. Sorry I was such a shithead growing up.”
“You’re still a shithead,” Liam said, with warmth in his voice. He hugged me back. “You know, it’s not like you’re losing me to anybody. If anything, your family is about to grow.”
“I know.”
I let him hold me for just a while longer. Things had changed so quickly, so it was nice to have a final, familiar moment with a brother. I’d spent a long time away from home, and it was time to go back. I still wasn’t ready, but I knew that with Liam and Aspen, Carmen and Logan, and the rest of the Skull Kings, I’d be all right in the end.
I saw the minister entering the chapel in the corner of my eye just as I pulled away. Liam and I both turned to greet him.
My mouth parted in shock as I searched for the name to go with his face. “Tim Hawk?” I finally sputtered.
Tim Hawk from TA Enterprises stopped in his tracks. He wore a cheesy, black robe and held a white leatherette Bible in his hand, but otherwise he was the same exact person.
“You’re officiating?” I said incredulously.
“Internet-ordained. I’m a man of many talents,” he said, chuckling nervously. He snapped his fingers. “Oh, by the way. Gabe’s in the lobby. He was looking for you.” Then, he began moving again, cutting between us to take his place at the podium in the front of the room. “Bride’s ready to go. Wedding will be starting in five minutes.”
Liam and I exchanged one last smile before he went to stand at the altar. The Skull Kings were already filing in, filling the room up with the smell of leather as they squeezed into the pews. I walked out the double-doors into the lobby and searched past the murmuring faces for Gabriel.
“Lisbeth!” I heard him call.
I turned around. He’d found me first, appearing from seemingly out of nowhere. He embraced me before I even had a chance to say hello. It seemed almost like an eternity had passed since we’d seen each other last. But it had been just last night. The memory of it left me breathless, even after Gabriel finally released me.
“How was dress shopping?” he asked, holding my hands.
“It was hell,” I said. I saw his eyes slide over my body and felt shy all of a sudden. Just as Aspen made her purchase at the thrift shop, I’d glimpsed a slip of blue silk in the racks and decided last minute to buy it, wanting to look nice for the wedding. The dress was delicate and soft, unlike anything I owned. I’d been afraid of how beautiful I looked the first time I saw myself in the mirror wearing it.
But Gabriel only beamed as he held me at arm’s length admiringly. “You look great.”
“Thanks.” I blushed and tried to wave away his compliment. “The reception’s at Lip Service,” I continued, hearing the irony in my own voice. With the last minute preparations, it had been impossible to find an actual banquet hall. “It’s going to be one hell of a party.”
“Sounds great,” Gabriel said distractedly.
“Is everything okay?” I asked, my voice even quieter than before.
Gabriel turned to me, sadness in his eyes. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. I felt confused as I returned his gaze, wondering what could be wrong.
I felt a pang in my chest. “You are coming to the reception, right?”
“Of course I am,” he said quickly.
“Then, what is it?”
“It’s my brother,” Gabriel admitted. “He’s going to prison. Him, and every one of the Laughlin Kings who were working for True North. It’s just got me down, that’s all.”
“Why?” I asked, surprised.
He sighed. “They didn’t want to be rats. They’d rather get locked up than work with the Feds.”
I touched his shoulder. “Gabriel...”
What could I say? Jameson had been a troublemaker from the very start, it seemed, and if he wanted to go share a prison sentence with the True North boss, well...that was his choice.
“Let him go,” I finally said, squeezing his shoulder. “At least he won’t plague you anymore.”
Gabriel touched my hand and nodded. “Yeah. I know.” But he didn’t sound convinced.
I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him toward me. He pressed his cheek against mine before turning his face in. Our lips met, and the bustle of the lobby faded away for one merciful moment as we shared a kiss.
He whispered something that I didn’t quite catch when we finally broke apart.
“What did you say?” I asked, my eyelids still half-closed.
“Come with me.”
I opened my eyes all the way. Gabriel’s expression was earnest but guarded.
“After the reception, I’m getting on my bike and hitting the road. Some of the guys back home are calling me to take Jameson’s place, but I just can’t.” He shrugged, emphasizing his cut. “I’ll always be a nomad.” His fingers laced through mine. “So, come with me.”
My heartbeat picked up. I cast a quick glance into the chapel, at Liam. He kept twitching and glancing at his watch, his mind impatient to wed Aspen. Just moments ago, I’d hugged him, steeling myself for my inevitable return to Canyon City, even though I wasn’t ready.
But was I ready hit the road again, with Gabriel of all people?
“I don’t know,” I said, biting my lip.
Gabriel leaned in close, his face filling up my entire gaze. “What do you want, Lisbeth?”
I breathed in slowly, but my insides were in a flutter. I’d always loved wandering, but it was a lonely lifestyle. The thought of having a constant companion
at my side while doing the thing I loved was like a dream. An impossible dream I didn’t deserve. But when Gabriel squeezed my hands, I knew it wasn’t a dream anymore. He was real. And he was offering me the world.
“I want to go,” I said even before I realized my decision. I smiled at my own words. “I want to have an adventure.”
“Then say yes,” Gabriel said. He put his hand on my cheek, then smoothed it down my hair to my neck. His thumb brushed across my collarbone. The light touch was followed by his lips, the kiss like a promise of better things to come.
“Yes,” I whispered.
He pulled me against him, planting his chin on my head. I felt his heart beating through his shirt, quick and hard. I didn’t regret my decision at all.
After several heartbeats, he pried me off of him and offered me his arm. “Shall we?”
We were the last two people to enter the chapel. I led him to a middle row, and we took our seats. My entire body shivered with excitement until he held my hand. The moment our palms touched, we became one solid thing.
Then, before we could say another word, a chord burst through the air. Everybody around us rose to their feet.
Carmen, the maid of honor, strolled down the aisle first, wearing a casual black dress and holding a spray of tiny rosebuds. Then came Aspen.
A few gasps rang out when she entered the chapel. She wore a slinky, V-neck gown made of creamy satin, the silhouette reminiscent of old Hollywood. I’d helped her pick it out, and I was proud as I watched her pass by my row, a perfect biker princess.
I caught the look on Liam’s face when she joined him at his side. It was the happiest I’d ever seen him, and at that moment, I knew that I’d made the right decision. He didn’t need me. He had a family now, his King brothers and Aspen. He was getting the happily ever after he deserved.
And I was, too.
Gabriel squeezed my hand. I squeezed it back.
Author’s Note
Thank you for purchasing this story. If you have enjoyed it, or if you haven’t, please consider leaving a review! Your opinion helps keep the online marketplace fair and honest, and also helps me provide better writing for my readers to enjoy.
Wild Child: A Skull Kings MC Novella Page 10
