Page 67 of Outlaws’ Runaway

“Oh, that looks nice. Can you make it stay like that?”

We both look into the mirror before she nods. “Yeah, I can make that work.”

“I'm glad I've got you here. At least you've been through this.” We went shopping with Bonnie for something to wear yesterday, and getting their input on making me a sexy biker chick for a… dare I say formal occasion, was invaluable. I'd hardly know where to start.

“I do my best. Honestly, I didn't imagine anyone else would end up in here like this. Bikers aren't known for sharing, exactly. But as close as they get, to me it seems natural, you know? At least now. I wasn't convinced any more of the boys would, but here you are. So now there'll be at least two of us who can commiserate when our guys get to be too much.” We're still laughing when Bonnie walks in, followed by Anne, her adoptive daughter.

“Oh, you're going to look so pretty!” Anne exclaims as she takes in what Jessica is doing to my hair. Then she blushes. “I mean, you're pretty anyway! I just wanted to?—”

“It's fine,” I stop her before she trips over herself apologizing. “Thank you.”

Bonnie helps with makeup, which she's really good at. I guess years of experience helps, and then I can get dressed. Jessica showed me pictures of the dress she wore, and it was really pretty and dramatic, but I wanted something simpler, so we've gone biker chick all the way. Pink crop top, a short leather jacket with silver studs, tight jeans and leather motorcycle boots with heels. Maybe not super practical, but sexy. Something I think the guys will love. A studded leather belt that matches the jacket andhangs kind of crooked, decorative rather than functional, and a silver tiara woven into my hair with a pink veil that matches my top and falls to my shoulders in the back. I feel every inch the biker princess.

Bonnie grins widely. “You're gonna knock them fucking dead.”

Turns out they survive the reveal as I come walking down the aisle in the clubhouse church, on Jessica's arm, but from the way Poe puts his hand to his heart and Crank's eyes gleam, I think I did pretty well. Even Savage looks taken aback. Pretty much the whole club is gathered in the church, but all I see is them.

Not that they're looking shabby either. Leather cuts and boots shiny and oiled, hair and beards tamed and only their best jeans and new belts on. For bikers, they're pretty dressed up. The moment I'm close enough, they pull me close, and then I'm surrounded by the three best bikers in the world.

Hellfire, whose leather is nicely oiled up too for the occasion, clears his throat, and the church quiets.

“First time, I thought my boys had gone crazy, somehow letting one pretty girl snare all three of them.” He looks meaningfully at Jessica, who giggles. “The second time, I'm starting to wonder if I'm the fucking crazy one, but it's obvious that whatever Paige has got going on, it's got three more of my brothers reeled in like fish on a fucking hook. She's pretty, she's smart, and when they get going, I swear I can hear it all the way from my house, so yeah, I fucking get it. I'm a little less sure about what they have to offer such a pretty lady, but I'm sure she's got her reasons.” He glances sidelong at Savage, Crank and Poe, and I do my best to keep a straight face. Savage rolls his eyes.

“So,” he says, looking right at me, “since you seem determined to stick around—and I'm warning you now, it's a rough life around here—then it's only fair that we make it official.” Hellfire hands a black leather bundle over to Savage. “By wearing this, Paige, you are carrying the name of the Outlaw Sons and are expected to show loyalty to both the club and your men, just as by claiming you, they will be responsible for you so long as you bear their patches. Do you understand?”

I don't even hesitate. As much as I'm sure I could make a life somewhere without them, I don't want to. In the short time we've been together, they've become such a part of me that I can't possibly imagine the alternative. I don't care about living rough. I don't care that most women would choose a whole different life. A simpler life. I want this one. “I'm sure.”

He nods like he expected nothing else. “Boys, I'm gonna give you this warning only once. You're claiming Paige as yours, but that's as much a fucking responsibility as it is a privilege. I expect you to protect her, to respect her and to fucking love her. If I ever hear a fucking whisper about anything else, you're going out on your asses. In boxes, if necessary. You have a woman who's decided she loves all three of you, and I expect you to honor that. Show her that the Outlaw Sons is a club of principles, even if they're our own. And that includes all of you. Is that fucking clear?”

“Clear,” Savage says with deadly seriousness.

“Fuck yeah,” Crank agrees.

“Of course.” Poe sounds like he doesn't even understand why there'd be a question.

Savage holds up the bundle, which unfolds into a leather jacket, but it's way too small for one of the guys. He turns it around so I can see the back, and suddenly there's a swell in my chest that's threatening to get me tearing up, and I don't want my mascara to run. There's the Outlaw Sons logo in the middle. The top rocker says, “Property of,” and the bottom one says, “Savage, Crank and Poe.”

He turns it around so I can get into it. Poe helps me slip out of the little one I'm wearing, and then I let Savage put the new one on me. It's bigger, practical, actually meant for riding in, and while it doesn't match my outfit in quite the same sexy way, it's perfect. It's mine. And it shows that I'm theirs.

I look up, right into Savage's dark greens and then we're kissing like it's the last day on Earth and we need to make up for eternity. Cheers go up, but they barely register, just white noise in the background, because every little atom that is me, is invested in kissing Savage—at least until I come up for air, and he's replaced by Poe.

And then it's us that will kiss until the end of time, until my toes curl so hard that they'll never straighten again, until I'm just a limp puddle in his arms, every bone in my body gone.

He passes me to Crank, and last is definitely not least. His soft lips press against me, his tongue plays with mine, his strong arms hold me up and I just float there, kissed into oblivion. Time loses all meaning, and it's not until he puts me back down gently that I realize the whole club is standing up, applauding, hooting, and if we weren't inside, I'd even imagine they'd be shooting into the air.

I swallow down the huge lump in my throat, because I promised myself I wouldn't cry, but I'm so happy right now, I can hardlystand it. I grip Crank’s arm until I'm sure it has to hurt, but he just puts his hand comfortingly over mine while Poe slips his arm around my waist. I lean into them, unable to stop smiling.

I'm officially an old lady.

39

PAIGE

Jessica putsdown a box of ammo on her tray, newly opened, and looks ready to go through all of it. At the next spot over, I'm not quite as ambitious, but Bonnie gave me enough to keep me busy for a bit. And over on the other side, Bonnie's is very, very firmly taking Anne through her points of gun safety, one after another, not even letting her pick up the .22 in front of her until she has repeated everything back to her verbatim.

The shooting date with all three of us—plus Anne, it turned out—that Bonnie suggested is finally a reality. Fresh targets are up, and we're making them pay, one bullet at a time.

Well, Jessica is. She's obviously a lot more practiced at this than I am. I’m happy to lightly tickle their edges most of the time.

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