Page 54 of Where We Promise

Sewn in white were the words: Property of Jameson King

The insignia of the club was next, and under that was the club name. Chaos Kings.

It was the small title along the shoulders that got my stomach flipping. On each shoulder, there were white stars sewn in, along with patches that read: President’s Wife.

It was the first thing I’d seen since the ring that indicated I’d be marrying him soon. My chest expanded with excitement, hope and longing.

I was out of my seat and in front of him, gripping the leather. His brown eyes tracked my movement, that smirk I loved so much tilting his lips, only in the corner. As if he wouldn’t allow himself to fully give himself over to the way he wanted to smile.

Bracing one hand on his broad chest, I lifted on my toes and pressed my lips to his.

It was quick, and I fell flat on my feet a brief second later, but Jameson’s hand was around my waist, securing my back as he leaned down and molded his mouth to mine. It was hot and firm. I wanted to moan into the kiss, to wrap my hands around his neck and lose myself to the way he made me feel completely undone. He was warm sunshine on a lazy summer day. Heat soaked dirt and fresh grass. He was peace. My peace. The one steady thing I’d clung to for half my life.

Finally, he gently broke the kiss and allowed his gaze to roam over my features. There were words there…something he wanted to say. I knew because it was how he used to look at me in school when Luke would show off, and Jamie would stay quiet. A thousand things he likely wanted to say but never did.

“You guys are too cute.” Laura sighed from the stool next to us.

The room came back into focus, and I felt my face flush.

Jameson cleared his throat and let me go, helping me adjust so that I didn’t fall. “Here, let me help you into it.” I held my arms out and felt the cut come up over my arms and then fall to the sides of my pregnant belly.

I felt safe in his patch, like standing behind a massive boulder as an oncoming wave swept in. He was protecting me from the Chaos Kings and everything Luke had done to ruin me. I wrapped my hand in his and gave him a dopey smile.

“Let’s take your car back, we need to stop in and see the Chaos Kings.”

And just like that my smile faltered. I didn’t want to see them, but I understood why we needed to. He wanted to show off my patch and to prove to them that this was real, and no doubt remind them of the wedding they were required to attend later this week.

The giddy feeling in my stomach flared again as I considered being married to Jameson.

Married.

Legally.

Not real.

I let out a sigh as I followed Jameson, shoving down the reminder of my reality the entire way.

The Chaos Kings were all spread throughout the house, and as usual, it was loud. It was also hot and muggy—in desperate need of a window being cracked. The second we stepped inside, my insides seemed to squirm at the wrongness of it all. The feeling so different from being over with the Stone Riders.

Perhaps it was simply how this club had made me feel, and regardless that I was now wearing the president’s patch, or the fact that we were about to be married, it all just felt wrong.

“Prez is here!” someone shouted, sounding very drunk. There was something that crashed to the floor, and then more men were yelling. Tonight, I noticed there were a few Sweetbutts milling about, some had likely come over from Richland…but a few were maybe from Pyle, a neighboring town that had the only local strip club.

I clung to Jamie’s hand as we walked through the club. Someone handed him a beer, and me a withering glare. Jameson must have caught it because he ignored the offered drink and continued past the man. Harris was playing cards again at the table with one of the members; he smiled up at me, nodding his head in hello. I smiled at him as we made our way past him.

Brick walked up to us with a big smile on his face, a beer in one hand, and a bottle of water in the other. “Here Prez, this is for your old lady.” He handed me the water. I took it hesitantly and ensured the cap was still sealed. Jamie glanced at him, then back at me and thanked Brick.

He was likely gunning for the new VP spot that Luke had vacated, but I didn’t care. Someone had finally offered me a shred of kindness in this stupid club, and I wasn’t going to turn it down.

“Here, you can sit over here.” Brick led the way to a massive armchair, where Jamie sat and brought me into his lap.

I heard snickering, and even a few of the Sweetbutts eyed me, like they would be able to snatch Jameson right from under my swollen, pregnant fingers. I wanted to smirk back and explain that he was free to fuck, free to do whatever he wanted…and maybe he did. Maybe Jameson had already been over here, making his way through all the available pussy.

The thought flitted away just as quickly as it arrived.

That had never been Jameson. Even when I was with Luke, and he did have girls on his arm, he was always very respectful with them in public, and there had only ever been two girls. We all assumed he’d been dating girls from the inner city since he started working there, but it wasn’t like I had ever had the opportunity to ask him.

Jamie’s hand was on my thigh, pulling me closer as he talked to Brick, and a few other people. I watched the room while sipping my water. It wasn’t until I heard a familiar voice slither up my spine that it stiffened.

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