Page 47 of Bristol

I nod. “You got it, Prez.”

He turns back around in his chair and with that I walk through the bar, the loud sound of music getting quieter the further toward the living room I get. Bristol is sitting in the oversized chair next to Raven and Kendra. I somehow never pinned her and Raven getting along so well, but I guess now I can see it. They’re a lot alike in the way they carry themselves and Bristol also has that infectious happiness about her, it’s just usually reserved for me. I think she’s still trying to find herself and is learning to be who she is both in public and in private. The happiness on her face as she laughs with the women makes my heart ache, in the best way.

I’m positive that if this is love, I’ve never been in it before. Maybe I’ve only thought that what I felt before was love. This is all-consuming. My whole chest swells and I swear to god my heart is going grow so large that it’ll spill over through the gaps in my ribcage and burst through my skin, pouring out onto the floor in a flooded mess.

Her eyes find mine and she smiles at me, the whole world stopping around us while we hold each other’s stare through the crowd. She looks so comfortable in the midst of the women sitting around her. It’s as if she was always meant to be here. To be mine. To be a part of this life I lead.

I leave her there, in her element, and search the room for Reaper. It takes a minute, but I finally find him in the members-only area with a few of the guys from Lucifer’s Hounds.

“Well would you look at this shit!” Cass says, smiling.

“Ah look what the fuckin’ cat done dragged in!”

He hugs me and pats my back. “It’s good to see you, man. It’s been a while!”

“It has. What the hell have you been up to?”

“Oh, you know. Same shit. I am getting married in a few weeks, though.”

“Shut the fuck up. To your bartender?”

He chuckles. “Yep. That woman’s the best goddamned thing that’s ever happened to me. I’d be a fool to let her go. Gotta secure the goods while I can.”

“You better lock it down before she comes to her senses and leaves your big ass.”

Cass is president of Lucifer’s Hounds MC out of Baton Rouge. He’s a few inches shorter than me, but about twice as wide and his arms are the size of my damn head. I swear the man lives in a gym. I met him when I first came around when he had a little problem over in Louisiana with a rival club that we were on standby to help out with if need be. He ended up getting it taken care of without our assistance, but we would’ve stepped in had he needed the help. Since then, our clubs have been close and so have we. We check in every now and then and attend events at the clubhouses regularly. Mostly.

I’ve been so consumed with Bristol lately I haven’t done much of anything club related aside from look for this fucking ring of pedophiles, one in particular.

“What’s up, bro? Linc, Lucifer’s Hounds Baton Rouge.” Linc says, shaking my hand.

“Congratulations, man! Sebastian, Tattered Saints Gulfport,” I shake his hand, making our introductions. He was a prospect the last time I saw him.

“Thanks.”

“When’d you patch in?”

“About six months ago. The day before my girl gave me the best gift in the world. A daughter.”

“Holy shit! Congratulations again! That’s fucking awesome.”

Linc smiles proudly and swipes through his phone, showing me a picture of his family.

“They’re beautiful, man.”

“Thank you. So what the hell have you been getting yourself into? Reaper’s been telling me you’re captain save-a-hoe.”

Reaper’s stifled laugh from across the room makes me laugh. Asshole. I give him a ‘go-to-hell’ side eye and continue ignoring him.

“That was all Mo with the saving shit. I’m no hero, that’s for damn sure.”

“I heard a little bit about what happened to her. If you need anything, don’t hesitate.”

“Thank you.”

The party continues through the wee hours of the morning, slowly dying off as people head home or crash in one of the spare rooms. The guys from Louisiana are staying in the bunkhouse and they’ve all gone to sleep by the time I make it into the living room in search of my girl. She’s curled up in that same oversized chair, barely holding her eyes open.

“Come on, baby. Let’s get out of here.”

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