Page 190 of Making Choices

As they descend into a dispute over who’s carrying whose ring, Everett slides my right arm through his. I pretend not to notice his jerky movements or the way he leans some of his weight on me. Instead, I concentrate on the fact that he came.

With Sander at home recovering, Dad gone in the wind, and Hades and Zeke locked up, I’m bereft of my usual supports. Toker stands at the head of the makeshift aisle with Slash, Hunter, and, surprisingly, Isaiah. Cub is filming the ceremony. Angelis and my uncles are standing in the front row of mismatched chairs. It seems like every seat in the compound has been gathered together to create an aisle for me to walk.

I could be waiting at the head of the aisle alone.

Instead, I’m surrounded by people I love.

“You’re doin’ the right thing,” Everett tells me as Cub presses play on the sound system, and Nadia, then Wyatt and Nate make their way between the chairs toward Slash. “Not just for Venom’s freedom, but for you. Slash is the better man for you. He’s steadfast and he’ll never leave.”

“Zeke didn’t leave me.”

“Yeah, he did. Three times, so far.”

I know my brother isn’t trying to be cruel, yet his frank words still sting.

When we reach the top of the altar, I allow Everett to kiss my cheek before he passes my hand to Slash. “I love you, Anna.”

His sentiment sounds more like a goodbye than true affection.

“Love you, too.”

Everett inclines his head, then he pins Slash with a narrow-eyed look. “Look after her.”

“Always.”

My brother moves away without offering either of us another word.

As Nadia moves in behind me, I find myself standing in front of Slash without a clue what to say. Very rarely have I been speechless with him, yet in the icy depths of his eyes his love for me shines clearly. It strips my breath from me, turns every thought in my head into dust, and rattles me to my core.

How am I supposed to keep my heart out of this union?

It feels impossible when he looks at me like this.

Yet, I know I must if I have any hope of preserving Slash and Zeke’s lifelong friendship.

I will not come between them.

“You look beautiful.”

“Thank you.” Behind me, Nadia snickers. “What I mean is you look beautiful, too.”

This time when my best friend giggles everyone else in hearing range joins her. I run my gaze over the blond man peering down at me with hungry eyes, and I decide that I haven’t misspoken. From the top of his head to the soles of his feet, Carter Hudson is beautiful.

As that thought pops into my head, I’m hit with a sense of déjà vu.

A flash of me and Slash on the dance floor, grinding on each other like lovers hits me.

What the hell?

When I attempt to shake free of the precognition, my attention is caught by the new patch on the left side of his cut. Eyebrows raised, I enquire, “President?”

“Yeah,” Slash murmurs in a velvety tone that makes me shiver. “It was decided that the man marryin’ the club’s princess should be a rank worthy of her.”

“That wasn’t necessary… any woman would be lucky to have you.” When Slash’s eyes light up, I look away. What I said is the truth, but this probably wasn’t the place for it—not if I want to keep things platonic. Taking in the SAA patch that now sits on Toker’s lapel and the brand-new “Watchman” patch sewn onto Isaiah’s cut below his new road name, Meeyal, I realise that I’ve missed more than Slash’s promotion, and this knowledge helps me change the subject to something safer. “Looks like the patching in has already been held?”

“This afternoon,” Toker tells me. He lifts his fists and shows me his grazed knuckles. “We had a little fun beforehand.” As I check Slash, Hunter, and Meeyal’s hands, I discover that they’ve all been fighting. “Did you find my dad?”

It would explain how Slash got his hands on the patch he’s wearing.

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