Page 122 of Beautifully Reckless

Maybe it’s from being around someone who put everything on the line for a stranger. Because every passing minute I spend with him, I feel pieces of the old Abbey resurfacing.

“Woohoo, you got fucking married!” JD hoots, practically jumping on Ringo’s back as music floats from speakers somewhere nearby, and the club brothers snatch my man away.

“You know,” Jols bumps her shoulder to mine. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you two meant every word of those vows.”

I roll my eyes rather dramatically before we both burst out laughing.

The Doxies gather around, hugging me and offering congratulations, all except Wendy. She stays well away, standing off to the side, watching on with a scowl twisting her face.

“Congratulations Mrs Musgrove.” JD pops into view, startling me, and I laugh at the playful glint in his eye.

Right now, I can see the resemblance to his little brother, Brody.

Leaning close, I keep my voice low. “Like I had a choice.”

“Notone second of what I just witnessed looked forced.” He grins. “If you didn’t want him to know how much you like him, maybe don’t look at him like he hung the bloody moon.”

“I didnotlook at him like that,” I protest, hands flying to my hips and noticing that now, my fingers no longer dig into my hip bones, but sit out a little further, grazing the curve of my baby bump.

“I agree with Abbey,” Jols backs me up. “It was more like she wasfucking himwith her eyes.”

I gasp and JD throws his head back laughing like it’s the funniest thing he’s ever heard, so I slap her shoulder.

“Jols! I was not!”

“You weren’t what?” Ringo’s deep gravelly voice has me stiffening as he steps close, and I immediately shake my head in a panic.

“Nothing. We should eat. Are you hungry?” I grab his arm in an attempt to drag him away, but he doesn’t budge.

“She was eye-fucking you through that whole ceremony, man.” JD’s shit-eating-grin has my eyes practically bulging out of the sockets.

“It may have looked like that,” I scramble for a comeback, “but I was actually picturing Harry Styles.”

That sends JD and Jols over the edge, collapsing into each other with full body laughter, tears glazing their eyes.

Risking a glance at Ringo, I find him smirking down at me with a single brow raised.

“I’ll tell you what, Angel. If it’ll make you feel better, when I spread those pretty thighs later and finally sink inside you, I’ll let you call me Harry.”

“What?!” I gasp, right as Jols and JD go crashing to the ground in absolute hysterics.

It’s hard to ignore them and the attention they are drawing, but I force myself to focus on what Ringo just said.

“You heard me, wifey.” He flashes me the most sinister smirk I’ve ever seen him wear as he leans closer. “We have to consummate the marriage.”

My heart is racing, and my lips part to protest, but Ringo moves faster than my thoughts.

One moment I’m standing, and the next I’m in his arms, being carried away from the crowd and around the edge of the large pond.

“Now, according to Australian law, consummation isn’t actually required.” His gaze flicks to me as he walks, and I clutch to the front of his shirt as he moves us further away from the crowd. “But, since the lawI followis that of the Southern Sadists… Well, let’s just say, I’m making it a thing.”

“You can’t do that.” I giggle, and he raises a challenging brow at me.

“Can’t I?”

Now nearly behind the house, surrounded by trees, Ringo lowers my feet to the ground and nudges me back against a large trunk.

My heart stutters… is he planning on consummating here? Now?

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