“Shit..” I curse under my breath.
Every single stray man surrounding the club was carrying an assault rifle strapped to their shoulders. They weren’t looking out for their bikes tonight. They were on duty to stand command like an army stands for a nation. I looked up to the back of my father’s head, fear pulling me closer to his footsteps.
There was no denying it; we were on full-lockdown.
“Evening, Prez” One of the men greeted from the shadows.
I recognized that voice.
“Zoro.” My father nodded, slowing down his tread as we stopped at the entrance. “How are we doing on our numbers.”
Zoro, Road Captain of the Reaper’s, swept his fingers through his jet-black hair before stepping off the wall to come into the light. His rugged expression was just as I remembered––smug with sheer dumb luck that he’d been born with such a good face. He had a jawline for days with a five-o-clock shadow. Every time he stepped into the club, the club whores could practically catch a whiff his cologne on spot. He carried a lot of cash, a lot of attitude, and a hell of a tongue. Nothing was sacred to him. The man knew how to sweet talk his way between a woman’s legs even if she were a signature Saint Mary.
Which is why I made it clear I wasn’t interested the second he had his eyes on me.
“Looking good, Prez.” He takes his belt in both hands, giving a nod my way. “Good to see you too, Ashley.”
I snorted before drawing my attention back to my father.
“Whatever this is, I’m not looking forward to it.”
The aggravation was making me squeeze my fists so tight that I could practically feel the sting of my nails digging into my flesh. I was growing sick of this secretive game playing between the Reapers and the Bears. They call it war, but I dubbed it a new name, “Playing Charades with Ashley”.
I gathered my wits and clenched them in my fist before walking ahead of my father to join the twins. We lumbered inside the club until we walked towards the doors that held church. When I walked through the doors I noticed how almost every seat in the room was full.
Even though this was a private meeting, usually only with the head officers of the club, I couldn’t help but feel as if I was being watched by everyone. Now, more than ever, it was evident that each step I made from this conflict was going to be watched by either my father and everyone within the Reapers MC.
Zane and Kade refused to look at me in the meantime as I settled into my seat. My eyes were left to wander between men filling up the room, each of their faces grimmer than the man beside them. I tried not to stare for too long in my attempt to understand the reason for this sudden summoning into church. Their eyes followed my father’s footsteps up to his seat and there he was, taking the gavel in his hand. He was ready to start the meeting. Was I?
The gavel hit the wood hard and every man shut his mouth fast. There was a steep pause in the air before it was briefly ended by my father’s thunder of a voice. “Welcome, everyone.”
The men nodded, responding to him in humble acknowledgement. Without warning, my father's eyes turn away from his men and find me. Confused, I was left petrified in my seat until Kade gently nudged my side.
“Go to him” He mutters softly.
I look to him and register what he says before gathering myself back up from my seat with a shallow creak from my chair. As I walked up to where he’s seated, the eyes returned to me and dug into the shoulder blades of my back. It made every muscle in my body tense up the way a lamb would react to a pack of wolves. However, I was no lamb and I forced my body to believe it. And after all, these were no pack of wolves – this was my family.
Once I was alongside my father, I looked up to the men before him.
Zane and Kade were exactly where I left them in their seats. Beside them was Dixon and Zoro, two faces I rarely saw together in the same room. They have had disagreements in the past based on their taste in women but that was beside the point. They weren’t the only men watching us at the head of the table. Even Roach of all people had made it into church – I’m wondering why in the hell he’s even in here. Beside him there was Ericson, Owen, Sean, and Levi from the squad as well as my uncles Cracker and Tex who sat second closest to my father. The one person sitting beside him was someone I hadn’t expected to see so early in the night.
Blackjack.
“Gentlemen, there’s no denying that what happened today took us all by surprise.” My Dad starts, watching his men by the whites of their eyes. “Grizzly came to our gates with his pack of Bears, waiting for our girl––my daughter––to be handed over like some sacrificial ram.”
The men had sunk into a pit of silence, waiting for him to continue.
“Did they honestly think it’d be that easy?” Fist shook his head and the humor in his voice returned. The Reapers chuckled together in unison––all except for Blackjack.
“No, it wasn’t,” My father continues, “…but that didn’t stop them from challenging us yet again.”
A tightness formed in the pit of my stomach and I looked away from the men for a moment to observe my father deliver his words. “Ashley, you were lucky enough not to have been branded at the day of your marriage.” Being branded was a years old MC tradition. I’m surprised that this is even coming up right now because when I married Harry it was a civil union. Why is he bringing a branding up?
“Naturally.” I respond without hesitation.
“However, this leaves you with only one option.”
“And that is?” I press him.
“The brand means more than some damn marriage certificate you and Harry signed” He emphasizes.
“I understand that Dad but what are you getting at?”
“We can’t lose you again, Ash… I won’t lose you again.” He insists, voice growing louder.
My voice stops in its tracks, waiting for him to elaborate. When he doesn’t, I was forced to take it upon myself to understand him even if I didn’t want to.
At first, I felt shock, then slowly my shock went to full on rage. My blood was boiling, here I stand, before my father – before my brothers – before my club and yet again, I am being treated like I can’t make decisions for myself.
“No…” I whisper. With a shake of my head, I backed away from his seat.
“Ash.” He coaxes, holding his hand out to me.
“No! I refuse to let this happen to me, like I’m some…fair maiden from the 1700’s! I’m not something you can just marry off! I’m a person!”
“We have no choice, Ashley!” Cracker stands up from his seat.
My feet halt to a stop and I snapped in that instant.
“The hell you don’t!” I spat, throwing my hands up in frustration. “This has nothing to do with you all. You’re talking about marrying me off without my consent, about….about branding me like one of the cattle we have! This is not going to happen.”
“Ashley, calm the hell down.” My father utters lowly.
“Calm the hell down” I repeat back to him, shaking my head, the tears already building at the corners of my eyes. “I will not calm down. I know I’ve made a lot of bad choices. I’ve done some messed up things, I let you down, I let…” I immediately look over to Blackjack, seeing the emotion washing over his face. I shake my head and turn back to my father, “I’ve already suffered enough with one marriage. I refuse to let this one buy my freedom!”
“Quiet yourself down, girl!” He roared all at once, his voice shaking through the entire room.
Everyone grew quiet and my skin was ripped away from its warmth. A cold like tension fell upon us and I was left to look down to the floor with my arms wrapped around me, speechless. This… All of this was so mind numbing that I couldn’t even begin to speak again.
“Now...” He clears his throat, finding his way to take control of the room. “All of you have been selected as options for my baby girl. Specifically, Zane and Kade.”
I blinked in disbelief as I saw Kade and Zane both si
t up in their seats at my father’s attention.
“The two of you have been adopted into my family and have sworn to protect your sister at all costs. To save time and Ashley’s wits, will either of you step up to claim her as yours.” Zane looked to his brother as they both exchanged thoughts passively to one another. I couldn’t believe they were considering it. After some time, they finally met Fist’s gaze and Kade opened his mouth to speak––
“I’m not marrying either of them.” I interrupt suddenly.
My father broke his icy gaze to stare me down in contemplation.
“And why the hell not.” He demands.
I bit the inside of my cheek hard, forcing myself to look him in the eye.
“They’re my brothers” I deadpan.
“Oh, that is horseshit!” Fist barks back.
“Would you just listen to me!”
“Why should I!” He throws his hands up in the air furiously, “Your brothers have absolutely no blood relationship to you. They’ve sworn their faith, loyalty, and their absolute integrity to bring this family it’s pride! You’ve been raised no different and, yet you got married to some sonofabitch with a mouth and left the safety of home!”
“Dad…” I quip, unable to keep the tears from running down my cheeks.
“So, help me, Ash… I will hold you down and have that tattoo artist brand you TODAY”
I could only shake my head, trying to hold my thoughts together. Everything was spiraling out of control and it was beyond anything I was prepared for. Control was but a word that was one phrase away from slipping out of my fingers. Just how did he expect me to hand myself over to marriage so easily. How did any of them expect for me to put trust in them after what I’ve been through.
“Dear, God…” I mutter to myself, praying for the moment to cease. “There has to be another way...”
“There isn’t.” My uncle Tex insists. “They want proof of your brand otherwise the jig is up, darling. If they call us out as liars, they can just as easily force you out.”
“It’s for your own good.” Dad lamented to me. “We do this today.”
“I just...” I quip before my voice cracks.
“Can I just stop you guys right here?” Dixon interrupts us both.
My father turns his attention back to him, crossing his arms against his chest.
“What is it now, smart ass?”
Dixon held his hands up, innocent as ever.
“I have been out for a while, but I’d like to mention that I’m currently spoken for. If my little lady even knew what this thing was about, she’d be out for your hide, Prez.”
Cracker couldn’t help but chuckle at the spark of good news. Hearing that from Dixon made Dad shake his head while muttering something to himself.
“Get yourself back home, boy.” Cracker comes around to pat Dixon on the back before sending him off to the doors.
“Will do. I’ll let the Missus’ know you boys say hello.” Dixon gives us all a nod before turning his head back to me. “I’m sorry you’re going through this, Ash. Any one of these men would be lucky to have you but you need to decide on what’s truly best for you. Only you’d know.”
He was right. At this point, it was too late to turn back. Dixon had left us with the same opened can of worms and the thought of this arrangement going by so fast without a finger of control was making me sick to my stomach. The lot of them had me blindsided without even a day to process my options. The one alternative that I would never accept was returning to Harry and his goons. I wouldn’t even dare to mention Zane or Kade meeting me down the aisle (regardless of all the crazy shit we’ve been through). Eric, Owen, and the rest of the brothers were people that I barely even knew, and it didn’t seem right getting hitched to another man I didn’t know. I’d rather kill Roach than ever consider branding his name on my skin, so help me God.
Zoro, was known for being a complete freak in bed and I didn’t like the idea of waking up to him. From all the rumors his women mentioned about him, there wasn’t one that made me warm up to his character in the slightest. Even now as I glanced at him for a second, I could just barely pick up the little flick his tongue made at me.
With a grimace, I held myself close as my arms tightened around me whole.
“How can you expect me to just pick someone?”
My father throws his hands up, exasperated. “Kiddo, just pick one of the twins. You’ve known them longest and they’ll be damned if they don’t take care of you.”
“I’m not picking either of them” I fought back before facing them. “Zane, Kade, you know you mean the world to me. Which is why you deserve to marry yourselves off to girls you actually like.”
“Shucks, Ash, don’t get all sappy on us already.” Kade pipes up.
I rolled my eyes.
“I’m serious! Don’t be like me and marry someone so easily. Do it for love. Both of you!”
“Ashley…” Zane mutters, wincing at my mention.
“I’m getting too old for this shit either way. If Harry wants to get me, he’ll have to fight me tooth and nail to pry me out of here.” I counter, locking eyes with my father.
“It’s not that easy, darling.” He scratches the back of his neck. “We need time to bade them off. If they take you––”
“Enough.” Blackjack finally speaks, the rest of us going silent.
The breath in my lungs went still as I watched him rise from his seat, the chair screeching underneath him as he did. My Dad draws his attention from me to the man that was now walking his way up to the head of the table. The closer he came to us, the more I could feel myself shrink up in disbelief.
As Blackjack approached my father, he gave him a look of acknowledgement that he needed to take the room. Dad took a moment to observe him by the feat of his expression.
“Brothers,” He starts, “You’ve taken me in as your own when I had nowhere to go. You’ve been here for me every day that I’ve needed you, and not just when I’ve needed you – but when Dex has too. You are truly family to me, and to my boy.”
The room goes silent, every one of us watching Blackjack.
“Ashley.” Blackjack lifts his eyes up to meet mine.
My breath hitches up to the back of my throat as I force myself to nod.
“To this day, I want it to be known that I have every claim on you and swear that I will do everything in as well as beyond my power to protect you till the day I die. Do you understand?”
At this point, I could only nod. Was this truly happening? I looked to my father – the man who I’d expected to scream and shout, telling Blackjack no. Instead…well instead the unexpected happened,
“Perfect.” Fist mutters under his breath before pinching the bridge of his nose, “Now get the fuck out of here and don’t come back until she’s got your name on her skin.”
Chapter 11
Blackjack
There sure as hell wasn’t any sense in it. Not a damn ounce of sense in me. One moment, I’ve made my resolve to stay the hell away from her before I fucked up anymore of her life than necessary. Now, I’ve sworn myself to be involved in every part of that life until the day I die. Before I knew it, I had my hand around her wrist and we were both walking out of church’s doors as if the devil was chasing us down. When we stopped outside the front doors that went to the clubhouse, I looked around the area trying to remember just where I parked my ride. Despite all the focus I could gather, my attention retraced back to her and the way she was breathing hard with her hands clutching her knees.
“Jesus…” I mutter while my eyes searched the perimeter.
A glint of light winked back at me and sure enough, I found my Harley tucked behind Dixon’s obnoxious red truck.
“You okay?” She manages.
Ashley shouldn’t have asked me that. I didn’t think ahead about this and we didn’t have much time to begin with. The two of us really needed to get a move on.
“I’ll be fine.” I assure her and hook her
arm to mine. “We have to go.”
I pulled her down the steps with me quickly before we strode over to my bike.
“Go where?” Her voice drops, demanding to know.
“You heard your father, Ash.” My voice drops with hers, all my humor gone. “If the Bears don’t see a brand on your skin with my name on it, they can just take you. Simple as that.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me, Blackjack.” She objects and stops in her tracks, sliding her arm out from mine. I stopped with her and exhaled thickly into my hand before dragging my fingers through my hair. There was too much to do and we couldn’t just stop with every bump in the road of understanding.
“I’m not, Ashley. I’m surprised the fuckers didn’t get through the gates by force.”
“Those fuckers can’t pull through a heist with a hostage.” She steps forward, giving my chest a firm poke. “Do you honestly think they’re going to get what they want just because they’re just shy of measuring up to par with my father?”
“I think it’s absolutely reckless if we underestimate them either way.” I give her a hard look.
“Blackjack, this is ridiculous!” She threw her hands up. “Why are we forcing ourselves into this?”
“If you thought it was so ridiculous, why didn’t you stay in church and argue with us about it?” I challenge hotly. Because she didn’t want to. She won’t admit that, but it’s plain as day. Ashley and I have been drawn together since she was a teenager.
“Excuse me?” She narrows her eyes, heat dragging in her voice.
“You heard me. Why didn’t you stay in church?” I ask her once again. “Why come out here with me.”
“I needed to get out.” She replies quickly.
“You could’ve gotten out with anyone else.” I countered, gesturing back to the clubhouse doors. “Why didn’t you?”
“Because I fucking trust you. Okay?”
I opened my mouth to say something, only to close it back down. She took me by surprise and I didn’t know how to respond to that. Any of it.
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