Page 83 of Beautifully Reckless

For a long fucking moment, there’s a heavy silence before Smitty clears his throat.

“We have fucking rules for a reason. To protect everyone in our club. And now, because of yourlittle piece of arse, my whole club is in fucking jeopardy. If I keep backing her as an outsider, our brothers will doubt my fucking ability to do my job!”

His words make me pause, and I run them through my head a few times before responding.

“What the fuck are you saying?”

“You’ve got two options, man.” He clears his throat like he’s gearing up to drop bad news. “Toss her aside… or make her yours.”

My brows hitch.

What the fuck!

“Ihaveclaimed her,” I point out, and Smitty scoffs.

“You said some fucking words to keep your brothers from copping a fucking feel.”

“I said the fucking words to make her my old lady. That makes her part of the club.”

“Not enough anymore.” His words send my heart crashing into my gut. “If you want our men to rally and lay down their fucking lives for her… If you want to repair the fucking damage done to our club’s reputation, then something has to fucking give.”

Another crash of what sounds like a glass echoes through the speaker as Smitty’s already short tethered temper makes another appearance.

“Because right now, we look fucking weak. Like a loose end they don’t fucking need. And all because we’re too busy playing vigilante for some nobody, who just led the pigs straight to their front fucking doors.”

The phone crackles like it’s being moved, and when Smitty speaks again, I can tell his lips are practically pressed to the phone.

“As President, I can overrule her old lady status if she’s dragging our club down.”

My eyes flick to JD’s, his wide with panic as he shrugs.

“Is that what you’re doing?” I growl, my fists balled tight on the benchtop, ready to destroy something.

“I will… unless you seal the deal in the one way Ican’tfucking undo.”

Ifrown hard, my mind fucking reeling at what he’s implying, but JD chimes in before I get another word out.

“Uh, Prez… can you spell it out for us? We’re not quite following what you’re saying.”

“For fuck’s sake,” Smitty snarls. “Either marry her. Or bounce her. I want your answer now.”

15

Moving quietly through the house, I feel like an intruder as I head towards the sound of chatter, the smell of delicious food coaxing me from the comfort of Ringo’s room. By the time I’m one step from rounding the corner into the main living area, I’m tempted to turn tail and retreat back upstairs.

Not because anyone is talking about me, but because of how familiar they all are with each other, reminding me that I’m an outsider.

“What do you think?” Ringo’s mother’s voice floats to me before his deep tenor follows.

“Delicious, Ma.”

Ma.

I’ve never known anyone who calls their mum that.

Is Ringofrom a different background? Australia is a young country, so it’s more than possible his parents weren’t born here.

And where is his dad? Is he dead? Alive and just not in the picture?

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