Page 37 of Where We Promise

“Harris?” Jamie asked, quirking a brow.

The man dipped his head and gave me a polite nod. “Prez told me I need to stick close to your side, watch over your ol lady.”

That term caught a few of the men’s attention. Whatever they had been doing was abandoned as their sullen and confused expressions seemed to work out what had just been said.

“I understand congratulations is in order.” Harris smiled, but with his thick beard, it was difficult to see. In fact, it was difficult to even place how old he was. If I had to guess, I’d assume roughly twenty years older than me or so, maybe less. His Stone Rider cut had a few veteran patches sewn in, indicating he had been in a few wars, but still was difficult to place his age.

“What’s he talking about?” Leon, one of the Chaos Kings, asked, stalking into the kitchen and giving me an ugly glare. He had long messy hair he rarely combed or tied back. He hid most of it under a beanie and allowed his beard to grow bushy and unkept. His clothing was ragged, full of holes and threadbare.

Jameson pulled me closer to his side.

“Getting married. Spread the word, the entire club is required to be in attendance.”

My heart gave a tiny sputter, which I aptly tried to squash down.

Not real.

Not real.

Leon’s gaze remained on me, as if he wanted to skin me alive. His glower was severe, enough so that Jameson cleared his throat.

“We got a fucking problem?”

Leon flicked a stony glare at me then his president. “She’s carrying a traitor’s baby…why the fuck would you marry that?”

My chest felt like someone had punched a hole inside of it.

“Well, she’s about to become my fucking wife, so you’ll get over your reservations and really fucking quickly. As for the kid…he’s mine too, and will be raised by me...”

Oh my god.

No one had ever stood up for me like that. No one had ever spoke of my son like that.

Exhilaration raged in my heart, burning and soaring like a falling star. I felt like I was living in a fairy tale, transfixed by a curse, on my way to prick my finger and end it all. Nothing could stop me from falling into Jamie’s words, or his actions regardless of how fake they were.

His firm hand tugged mine, forcing us to continue on through the house, and it wasn’t until we found a place to sit, and Jamie pulled me into his lap that the feeling finally burned out.

With his lips at my ear, he whispered, “Sorry…that’s the shit we’re going to have to tell people in public in order for them to buy this.”

I rubbed a hand down my stomach, dipping my face so he’d miss my reaction to his harsh statement. It was so stupid that I had believed him so easily. Being his pretend wife would come with his possessive declarations in public, but in private, he’d remind me that I was the friend he was duty bound to help out.

That was it.

Just a way to control his club.

I remained stoic and stiff throughout his display of leadership with his club. By lunch time, I was ready to leave.

I stood, and when Jameson stood with me, he quickly gripped the back of my neck and pulled me in for a kiss. It was so sudden; it nearly took the air from my lungs. His lips were soft yet yielded nothing but complete and total possession. He pried my lips open with his tongue, demanding entry. A moan slipped free from me as I moved with him and kissed him back. It was as if time slipped through the cracks and fissures of lies we’d agreed on, and wound together a truth.

A promise.

We broke apart, and his eyes clung to mine as if he felt it too.

This wasn’t fake, and whether he agreed to it or not, I’d claim a piece of him by the end of this. Some part of that gave me hope. If I could finally find a way inside his heart, then maybe he’d let me stay there.

Jameson claimed he had to leave to check on a few things and dropped me off at the cabin, promising me that Harris was nearby. For the past month I had sat in the cabin, avoiding both clubs that now seemed to bookend my life. Perhaps I was just getting comfortable with my new role, or the fact that a promise of safety now rested on my finger, but I felt bold.

I chose to seek out Natty and see if she’d be open to me visiting her and dishing about the updates since last night. My car was a modest four door Toyota Camry that was over ten years old. I loved it and was damn proud of it as it was one of my first ever purchases that I had made all on my own, away from the club, and away from my mom. But the door creaked horribly when I pulled it open, and when I cranked the engine, I already knew the sound of a squealing belt would grate against my ears, along with another unidentifiable sound that seemed like my car was trying to slowly die.

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