Hacking the Biker's Code

by Piper Davenport

  We grabbed food and set it out on the large table against the great room wall, then I found Rabbit who was already on his second beer. I chose to stick with water for an hour or two before the tequila shots started making the rounds, then all bets were off. It was Patrón, after all, and I was lookin’ for a little hair of the dog.

  “You sleepin’?” Rabbit asked, jostling me gently.

  We were curled up on one of the sofas watching a few of the guys play pool.

  “I would never,” I lied, biting back a yawn.

  “Come on, baby, let’s get you to bed.” He stood and held a hand out to me.

  I took his assistance and leaned heavily against him as we made our way upstairs, then he put me to bed, curling his body around mine and falling asleep.

  Parker

  The Sunday of our big wedding party arrived, and I’d kicked Rabbit out of the house so that I could meet him at the barn and surprise him in my wedding gown.

  Jasmine and Willow were on their way over to help get me ready, and I was buzzing with excitement as I laid my dress out on my bed.

  I bit my lip. I couldn’t wait to put it on. It was a tulle ballgown embroidered with delicate flowers and wrapped at the waist with a pair of velvet ribbons. It was super low-cut and gave the illusion it was see-through, and it made me feel like a princess.

  “Yoo-hoo!” Jasmine called and I walked out of my bedroom to find her setting her full makeup kit up on my dining room table. “Why is your alarm not set?”

  “I disarmed it because I knew you were coming,” I said, pulling her in for a hug. “Where’s Will?”

  “She’s coming separately. Alfie was having a meltdown because her dress was too long.”

  “Uh-oh.”

  “Willow’s going to hem it real quick, then come over.” She smiled. “First things first, do you have coffee?”

  “Did I know my bestie was going to be here?”

  Jasmine laughed. “I love you the bestest.”

  “I know.” I grinned. “I’m going to grab my robe while you make yourself a cup.”

  “Okay, honey.”

  I brushed my teeth (again), then grabbed my robe and pulled it on, arriving in the kitchen just as Willow walked in.

  “Hi,” she said, hugging me. “I’m so sorry I’m late.”

  “It’s totally fine,” I said. “Everything okay with Alfie’s dress?”

  “Yes. Fine. She just kept tripping over it, and she didn’t think she was graceful enough. She wants to be you when she grows up, after all.”

  I clasped my hands to my chest. “Aw, that’s so sweet. I didn’t realize I was graceful.”

  Willow chuckled. “Well, she thinks you are. So, we hemmed it an inch and now she feels she can walk down the aisle and not fall on her face.”

  My doorbell pealed and I frowned. “Who could that be?”

  “Sloan,” Jasmine said, heading for my door.

  “Wait!” I snapped. “Sloan, who?”

  She snorted and reached for the doorknob.

  “DeMille?” I squeaked.

  Before I could say anything further, my door was open, and Sloan DeMille was walking in with Quin.

  “Hi,” I breathed out.

  Quin pulled me in for a hug. “Figured Sloan could get some pictures of you getting ready.”

  “Does she owe you her first born or something?” I asked, and Quin laughed.

  Sloan smiled. “You look gorgeous.”

  I don’t know why I felt so intimidated, but I suddenly found it difficult to speak. I managed to force out a pathetic, “Thank you,” then Jasmine stepped in.

  “Just wait,” Jasmine said. “She’s going to put everyone to shame once I’m done with her.”

  For the next hour, I was primped and pampered to a level I was not at all comfortable with. Sloan kept shooting and I tried to appear comfortable and Zen as Jasmine worked on my hair and makeup.

  Once it was time to put on my dress, Willow grabbed my hand. “Sorry, ladies, I just need my bestie alone for a minute. We’ll let you know when she’s ready.” She dragged me into my bedroom and closed the door. “You’re ready to meltdown,” she observed, and I felt tears prick my eyes. “Don’t ruin your makeup.”

  I dropped my head back and blinked, taking a few deep breaths to calm my panic. “It’s too much,” I whispered.

  “You’re okay, honey,” Willow crooned.

  “I can’t let Quin pay for Sloan DeMille, Willow. And I don’t know if we can afford—”

  “This is the club’s wedding gift, Parker. Well, more specifically, the old ladies.”

  I met her eyes. “What?”

  “Quin knows Sloan, and we all wanted you to have the best, so we got Sloan...”

  “Oh my god,” I rasped. “It’s too much.”

  “It’s not, honey. We all love you and us girls wanted to go big or go home.” She took my hands. “You are beautiful and worthy of all of this attention, even though I know you hate it. I promise when you see the pictures, it’ll all be worth it.”

  I took another deep breath. “You’re right. I just...”

  “...don’t want to put anyone out,” she finished. “I know, Parker, but today put us out, okay?”

  Before I could answer, my phone buzzed in my hand and I glanced at the screen. “It’s Rabbit.”

  “I’ll give you a minute,” Willow said, and stepped out.

  “Hi.”

  “Hey, baby, you doin’ okay?” he asked.

  “I wasn’t, but then Willow did her thing,” I admitted.

  “Why weren’t you doin’ okay?”

  “It’s just overwhelming, which, I’m assuming, is why you’re calling.”

  “Figured you’d have a good two hours in you before you needed a pep talk,” he admitted.

  I couldn’t help but smile. “How is it possible you know me so well? I don’t even know myself that well.”

  “Soul mate, Pebbles.”

  I sighed. “I love you.”

  “Love you too, baby.”

  “Is Levi with you?”

  “Yeah, baby, he’s already a shot of tequila in.”

  “Would you stop trying to get my brother drunk?”

  “No,” he said. “He’s funny as shit when he’s drunk.”

  I rolled my eyes. This was kind of true. Levi was usually pretty stoic and ultra-professional, the attorney in him always at the forefront of his persona. But when he drank, he loosened up and was actually really funny.

  “Well, please pace yourselves. I want you lucid when we say our vows... again.”

  He chuckled. “I got your back, honey. I’ll see you in an hour.”

  “Don’t hang up yet. Give me one more minute of hearing your voice,” I begged.

  “Want me to talk dirty?”

  I chuckled. “I don’t think that’d be a good idea. I’m already a little primed.”

  “You want me to sing somethin’? I just bought Rocky Road ice cream.”

  “I don’t like Rocky Road,” I said.

  “Yeah, but I Love Rocky Road,” he sang Weird Al’s song to me into the phone, making me laugh.

  “Nice pull, Zane.”

  “Thank you,” he said, and chuckled. “You gonna wear panties today?”

  “Stop,” I hissed.

  “You go bare, baby, and I’ll make it worth your while.”

  “You’ll make it worth my while even if I don’t go bare.”

  “Rabbit!” Doom bellowed in the background.

  “You good, baby?” he asked.

  “Yeah. Thanks, honey. I needed this.”

  “Love you.”

  “Love you, too,” I said, then he was gone.

  I pulled open my bedroom door and my girls filed in to help me get into my dress. Then it was time to get to the club and marry my man... again.

  * * *

  Rabbit

  “Rabbit!” Doom bellowed again, and I slid my phone into my pocket.

  “Keep your pants on,” I said with a si
gh, and headed back into the great room. “What’s so fuckin’ urgent?”

  “Oh, I don’t know, maybe the fact your sister’s here to celebrate with you,” Jette droned sarcastically.

  “Holy shit,” I growled, closing the distance between us and pulling her in for a tight hug. “How the fuck—?”

  “That would be us,” Raquel said, wrapped around her man, Orion, and smiling from behind my sister.

  I squeezed my sister and she kissed my cheek. “I have missed you, Zaney.”

  “Missed you too, JetPack.” I kept my arm around her as I hugged Raquel and fist bumped Orion.

  “Any issues with gettin’ her here?” I asked Orion.

  He shook his head. “Nope.”

  “Thanks, brother.”

  He gave me a chin lift and smiled.

  “Do you have a few minutes to talk?” Jette asked me.

  “Yeah. ’Course.” I took her hand and led her into the bunkroom, closing the door behind us. “What’s up?”

  “I looked over your notes,” she said.

  I’d asked her to look into what Booker had found, but hadn’t heard back. Probably because she knew she’d be here and could deliver the information in person.

  “What’d you find?”

  “I think this Beast person is in Colorado.”

  “What? Seriously?”

  She nodded. “They’re fuckin’ with the Howlers, too, so I took the information Booker sent and went down a different route. They’ve covered their tracks, but not quite good enough. I followed the soap scum and found there are three IP addresses that pop up more often than not before they’re hidden again. All three are in Colorado. Just not sure where yet.”

  I crossed my arms and frowned. “Which puts you in more danger. Don’t like that.”

  “I’m covered,” she said, waving her hand dismissively. “Only three people know who I really am. And I’m not there because this asshole is looking for me. It’s all good.”

  I leaned toward her. “Three?”

  “Orion, Raquel, me.”

  I relaxed. “Right.”

  She smiled. “I’m good, Zane. Covered completely.”

  “I can’t help but worry. You know that. You’re so far away and the FBI aren’t typically known for giving up.”

  Jette was being hunted by the FBI, not because she was in trouble, but because she was a material witness in a case that would get her dead if she was found.

  “You’d be worried even if I was next to you,” she pointed out.

  I dragged my hands down my face. “This is probably true.”

  “I’m onto something,” she continued. “I’ll keep you posted on what I come up with. But for now, I just want to get drunk and celebrate the fact Parker finally figured out how awesome you are.”

  I grinned, pulling her in for a hug and kissing her head. “Love you, sis.”

  “Love you, too. Come on. Time to party.”

  I laughed and we headed back out to join our family.

  * * *

  Parker

  My parents arrived ten minutes before we were scheduled to leave, and my mom promptly burst into tears. “Don’t, Mama,” I begged. “If you start, I won’t be able to stop.”

  She pulled me in for a hug. “Well, then make sure you don’t look at your dad.”

  I avoided eye contact with my dad while Sloan took copious amounts of pictures, but he wasn’t far away from me, hugging me a hundred times before we even stepped out the door to head to the barn.

  “Okay, Powers’,” Jasmine bossed. “Time to get this show on the road.”

  My dad had rented a limo, so we all piled inside, although, Sloan and Quin followed in a separate car because Sloan had limited time. Pulling up to the barn, everyone jumped out before me, and once Jasmine made sure Rabbit was nowhere near the front door or the monitors that showed the exterior cameras, I was free to leave the car.

  Stevie came rushing out with my bouquet, then grinned. “You look beautiful.”

  “Thanks, Stevie. And thank you for all your help in getting things set up.”

  “It was totally my pleasure.”

  “Ready?” Willow asked.

  I nodded, leaning against my dad who hadn’t left my side. He crooked his arm and I slid my hand into it.

  “Really proud of you, baby girl.”

  I could see the wetness in his eyes, and I shook my head. “Stop, Daddy.”

  He forced a smile and nodded, leading me into the barn.

  I couldn’t stop a quiet gasp as we walked inside. Stevie, and her helpers, had transformed the space. Strands and strands of twinkle lights had been wrapped around the beams, even the ones in the highest points of the room, creating a soft, romantic light.

  More twinkle lights had been woven in tulle and flowers across the second-floor banister and railing and chairs had been set up on each side of an aisle of rose petals.

  “You both look gorgeous,” I whispered to Alfie and Kinsey who smiled big, their gorgeous matching dresses making them look so grown up. They were white with a scoop-neck illusion sweetheart bodice embellished with lace applique and a super cute cut-out keyhole in back. Their tulle skirts went to their shoes which were white satin Mary-Janes and they had flower crowns on their little heads. My heart was filled to the brim and I had to take several deep breaths to keep myself from crying.

  Dad patted my hand and I smiled up at him. “Thanks, Daddy,” I whispered.

  The girls made their way down the aisle, dropping more rose petals as they walked, then I saw Rabbit move into view, facing me and I pressed my lips into a thin line as he stared at me, his eyes glistening as they raked over me.

  “Fuckin’ beautiful,” he mouthed.

  I smiled, and the music that would play as my dad delivered me to my man started.

  And it just happened to be the fuckin’ theme song from Titanic.

  The room filled with laughter, at least from the guests who knew me, and I couldn’t stop a quiet giggle as Dad led me to Rabbit.

  Once the music stopped, I made eye-contact with every one of my friends and gave them a silent promise of retribution, which just made them all laugh harder.

  “Right,” Doom said. “We’ve already done the deed, so, blah blah, you may kiss your bride.”

  Rabbit grinned, pulling me in for a near R-rated kiss, then Doom released everyone to party while Rabbit and I went with Sloan to take pictures.

  She kept the whole session quick, then we joined our family and partied the night away.

  Parker

  Wednesday night was a late one for me, so I was a little delayed in getting home. Shadow had been my sentry and he followed me home, only leaving me once I was safely in the building. I grabbed the mail from our box and made my way upstairs to the duplex. Letting myself in, I disarmed the alarm and locked the door. “Rabbit?” I called distractedly as I went through the mail.

  “Yeah, baby?” He walked out of the hallway with joggers on, his chest bare and I licked my lips.

  “Wasn’t sure if you were home.” I slid my hands up his chest and kissed him. “How was church?”

  Church was the weekly club meeting for officers only. Although, once a month, it was an all-hands patched member gathering, which was why Rabbit had been there tonight.

  “It was good,” he said. “How was the shop?”

  “Busy,” I said. “I’m going to need to hire more help. Stevie and I are a little overloaded. Lila wanted to have lunch again, but I just couldn’t take the time off.”

  “So, hire more help.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Easier said than done, honey. People don’t seem to want to work anymore, so hiring more help isn’t the problem. Having them actually show up is.”

  “Shadow and Otter are already trained.”

  “But Shadow and Otter are patched members, honey. They have stuff they have to do.”

  “We got a couple of recruits who’d be willin’.”

  “Really?” I raised an eyebrow.


  “Yeah. Not all of them want to work at the bars, and a lot of ’em aren’t qualified to work at the shops, so this would be good.”

  “How does that work with club fees and stuff? Do I need to be part of that?”

  “You pay them, they’ll take care of their shit. You’re just their employer.”

  “Hmm. That might not be a bad idea. Can we revisit this conversation tomorrow? I’m beat.”

  “Yeah. I grabbed Chinese. You hungry?”

  “Starved.”

  “I’ll heat it up.”

  “Thanks, honey.”

  While Rabbit heated dinner, I sorted our mail, opening a very official looking letter and letting out a quiet squeal.

  “You okay?” Rabbit asked.

  “Just got my license with my married name,” I said, waving it in the air. “I’m officially Parker McCormick.”

  He grinned, pouring me a glass of wine. “No going back now, baby.”

  I closed the distance between us and wrapped my arms around his waist. “Same goes for you.”

  “I was in a long time ago, Pebbles, my tattoo proves it.”

  Two years ago, Rabbit had my name tattooed below his left hip with a tiny cartoon of Pebbles, right in the delicious V muscle. I’d thought he was insane, mostly because he was sore for a while, but also because we weren’t a solid couple. He said we would be and refused to have it removed. It was right before the bombing, and selfishly, I was glad it hadn’t been burned away.

  I smiled. “Yeah. Or it proves you’re crazy.”

  “Crazy for you,” he said, leaning down to kiss me.

  “That, too,” I agreed, and took the glass of wine from him, but the second I tipped the glass to my lips, my stomach roiled. “Ugh, this has gone bad.”

  He frowned, taking the glass from me and sniffing. “Smells okay to me.” He took a sip and shrugged, handing it back to me. “It’s good, baby.”

  I shook my head. “I’ll skip wine tonight.”

  “Okay,” he said, and dumped it.

  We ate in relative silence, then he took me to bed and proved how much he loved me in the form of three orgasms.

  * * *

  Two weeks later, I was working in the front of the shop when two Dogs’ recruits walked in. Dice and Bucky were barely out of their teens and eager to please the powers that be.

  “Hi guys,” I said.