Page 110 of The Bonds We Break
My phone vibrates, and the message is from Clutch, who has taken the van to pick up the girls. “They’re on their way,” I shout.
And suddenly there’s more action. Saint rushes to hustle the caterer along. Switch finishes setting up the champagne station. We don’t have one of those fancy ice buckets, so we’re using the large flexi tubs from the garage.
Usually, the old ladies take care of this shit. But Tessa couldn’t face coming, knowing Track is reporting to prison in three weeks because of Saint. And it’s weird. Without Tess, some of the older old ladies stayed away too in solidarity. But their husbands are here because we’re a club, and we can’t hold grudges when we rely on each other for our lives.
Without Tess to organize, it was left to me. I, obviously, delegated.
Iris is the first through the door and is swept into Spark’s arms because, of course, my sergeant at arms was waiting just over the threshold for her. Briar’s eyes scan for Saint, and she smiles when she finds him. Then I see my woman. She has this air about her. Can’t describe. Like she’s regal. Nothing fazes her. But there’s a steel to her. Rub her up the wrong way, you see glimpses of it. Always grit and glitter.
Her eyes go wide when she sees the banner hanging from the ceiling wishing her a happy birthday. “What did you do?” she asks.
“The words you are looking for arethank you. Happy birthday, duchess.”
The club erupts into well wishes as I kiss her like I haven’t seen her in three months, rather than the three hours it’s been. Switch hands her a glass of champagne. We’ve found she likes the expensive stuff in small amounts. She’s not much of a drinker, she argued, so if she is going to drink anything, it better be delicious.
“Those are all for you,” I tell her.
“Oh my God. I’ve never had so many presents. Dad always said our money was required for ministry.”
I want to go back and beat the fuck out of him all over again. “Yeah, well, I’m always going to spoil you.”
Rae laughs and goes to the first gift. It’s from the club. Another third folio. This time it’sRomeo and Juliet. Couldn’t find a copy anywhere, so I went back to the store in New York and insisted that the dude in the suit find me a copy. And what do you know, he pulled it out of the bag. Possibly it was my charm, though the sight of my Glock beneath my cut might have helped. Or maybe he just wanted me out of his store as quickly as possible.
She hugs it to her chest as she thanks everyone.
I watch my woman as she makes her way along the table. Vex built her a new website for her business. Spark and Iris got her a purple Ruger EC9 now that she’s more comfortable with guns and I’ve given her some lessons. Saint got her a stack of books she wanted. Clutch and Gwen booked us a weekend away in Harriman State Park. They asked me where I thought she’d like, and I picked it because it’s remote, wooded, and I can finally give her the chase role-play she wants to try. She hugs everyone to thank them.
When she gets to the bike, she turns to look at me, excitement in her eyes. “You said you wanted a bike after our first ride.” I pick her up and place her on it. In her jeans and V-neck T-shirt, she looks as cute as a button. “I’ll teach you, and you need to promise me you won’t give me a heart attack while riding it.”
From her seat, she throws her arms around my neck, and I almost stumble into her. “I love it. Thank you.”
“You going to keep her serviced, Prez?” Bates asks with a chuckle.
Everyone laughs. “Yeah. You bet your ass I’m going to keep her serviced. Forever.”
Rae slaps my arm as she figures out the innuendo.
“What? It’s the truth. I’ll take care of your bike the same way I take care of mine.”
“Forever?” she asks.
“About that.” I dip my hand into the saddle bags and pull out my final gift. Surprisingly, I’m not nervous. In fact, I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life. I let the leather cut fall open—I still get the same high seeing our names on it as I did the day I picked it up—and pass it to her.
“King,” she whispers as the club explodes around us.
I pull the piece of paper from my pocket with the words I need to say on it. “‘Thou hast me, if thou hast me, at the worst; and thou shalt wear me, if thou wear me, better and better.’ And therefore tell me, most fair duchess, will you be my old lady?”
Rae grins and runs her fingers over the patches.Property of Kingon the back.Duchessas her road name. “You quotedHenry V, gave me a bike, and offered me a cut with your name on it. But more than that, you gave me my brother back and a life I want. How could I say no to that?”
I run my knuckle down her cheek. “I promise to keep you safe, hold your heart gently, and fuck you hard when you need it. You’re my life, Rae.”
She throws herself at me. It’s awkward. She’s still on the bike, so I lift her off. Halo dives to keep the bike upright. But I don’t care. Because Rae is in my arms, where she belongs.
I press my lips to her ear. “It might have started out that you were my captive, but now I’m yours.”
“Funny,” she says. “Only one time did I think it would end up like this. I had a vision, the day you revealed to Ryker what you’d done. You were leaning at the bar, and I imagined us married. We were wearing rings. I really didn’t want to believe it.”
“This is real. I promise.”
