Raine took the seat next to me. She had the most adorable little pregnant belly. Crickett made her way behind the other side of the bar and asked, “Want a beer or something, sweetheart?”
“Mom, you know I can’t drink in my condition.” Raine giggled as she rubbed her baby bump.
Crickett threw a coaster at her. “Scarlett, what’ll it be?”
“Just a water please.”
She poured three glasses of ice water and two shots of bourbon. “Trust me, after the day you’ve probably had, you need at least one of these. I sure as hell know I’m going to need at least one to hear the story.”
Raine put her hand on my shoulder. “You don’t have to tell us anything if you don’t want to. Those men will keep their lips sealed. Ryder doesn’t tell me a damn thing that has to do with other members’ old ladies.”
“Bear said I was his old lady?” I grabbed the shot, throwing it back quickly.
Crickett followed my lead before asking, “Are you not?”
I fiddled with the straw in my water cup. “I don’t really know if I can be. I’m still married to a man that tried to kill me.”
In unison, both Raine and Crickett gasped, and before I knew what was happening, I was telling them the entire story, even describing the fireball of clothing I dumped out the apartment window.
“You really said her cunt was a gaping hallway?” Raine’s jaw was still on the floor.
I shrugged. “Something like that.”
Crickett poured us two more shots. She clanked her glass to mine. “Good for you, sweetie! More women need to stand up for themselves like you did.”
* * *
Bear and I spent the next few days pretending like we were on some sort of vacation. Raine and I even went shopping for all new clothes and makeup. It was nice to pretend like nothing was wrong for a while.
Crickett let us stay with her, and we had family dinner every night. It was nice to be part of a real family again.
Sunday night rolled around and I realized it my brother’s usual call time. “Bear, can I borrow your cell?” I asked as I lay wrapped in his arms on Crickett’s couch. She had just left to do the closing paperwork for the bar.
“Of course, darlin’.” He handed it to me.
I stared down at the screen. “I’m going to call Iraq. That’s okay, right?”
He kissed my cheek. “Call Mars for all I care.”
Still in Bear’s arms, I dialed the long-ass number my brother had while he was overseas.
“Morgan.” Just that one simple word sent my heart racing. It had been too long since I’d heard my brother’s voice.
“It’s Scar.” My voice cracked as I fought back tears.
“Scar! Thank God! I’ve been trying to reach you for days. I even put in a call to the Red Cross.”
“I left Jasper. I had to kind of flee, but I am fine and safe. I found some of Dad’s old motorcycle buddies and they have been helping me out.”
It sounded like Liam choked a little as he said, “Excuse me, you’re in the protection of a motorcycle gang?”
“Just trust me when I say that I’m safe.” I tried to keep my voice as calm as I could.
“I guess I’m going to have to. I don’t know what I would do if anything bad happened to you, Scar.”
“You’re never going to have to find out,” Bear chimed in before he kissed my forehead.
The biggest smile took over my entire face. “Did you hear that, Liam?”
“Yeah. Look, I have to go, but can I call this number when I get some more time?”
Bear nodded and I replied, “Yes, you can. I love you, little brother.”
“Scarlett, I love you. Please stay safe.”
The call ended and I beamed up at Bear. “Everything is really going to be okay, isn’t it?”
“I have even better news for you, darlin’.”
I cocked my head to the side, waiting for Bear to elaborate.
“Jasper is no longer any threat to you or any of us.”
I narrowed my gaze. “What do you mean, what did you do?”
He kissed the top of my head. “That’s really all I can tell you, but he will never breathe the same air as you again.”
I knew I needed to take what he said at face value. I knew I couldn’t ask any more questions, but that was going to be extremely hard for me to do.
Bear pulled me into his arms, carrying me up to the bedroom like he had done every night since I’d been staying with him. “We didn’t have him killed, darlin’. I can see that pretty mind of yours jumping to the worst-case scenario. He’s been put away for life.”
“How is that possible? It’s only been a few days.”
“I told you, I can’t say. Jaxon is a mastermind. Just trust in his abilities like we all do and don’t ask any more questions. If I can fill you in on anything else, I will.”
Bear
I set Scarlett down on the quilt-covered bed. She looked so small, sitting in the dimly lit room trying to wrap her head around what I had just told her.
“I know that I need to just trust you. It’s just hard to believe that there is nothing to worry about any longer.” She leaned back on her elbows, watching as I peeled my cut off.
I threw the leather onto the top of the dress next to me. “Darlin’, he’s never going to be a free man again. He is never going to be able to come near you. You’ll have divorce papers waiting for you when we head back to Atlanta in the morning. Isn’t all that enough?” I sank down onto the soft mattress next to her.
She leaned her head on my shoulder, drawing circles on my knee. “Yeah. It’s more than enough. Thanks for not killing him.”
“What?” I chuckled.
“I’m glad that he is going to have rot in a prison cell and doesn’t get off as easily as dying.” Her words were level and cold.
“You really are something else, darlin’.” I kissed down her neck.
The slightest moan escaped her parted lips as I ran my thumb over her soft cupid’s bow.
With my fingers, I pulled at her clothing, tossing them along with mine into a pile on the floor.
“Bear?”
“Yeah, sweetheart?” I traced her thin collar bone with my tongue.
“Am I your old lady?” Her question struck me.
I shifted on top of her to make direct eye contact. “Yes, if you want to be. I feel like you are.”
“I feel like I am too.” She leaned up and kissed me gently.
“Good. Scarlett, I am about to tell you something that I have never told any other woman. I know it is fast. I know you might not feel the same way or say it back and that is all right, but I love you. I think I have since the moment I first took a seat in that hospital room with you. I truly, madly, and deeply love you.”
Scarlett’s face softened as a knowing smile consumed her features. “I love you, too. I am honored to be your old lady.”
Chapter 10
Bonus Chapter
Scarlett
After getting home from Vilas, life started to get to a sort of normalcy.
Like Bear has promised, divorce papers had been waiting. They were signed and processed. It was all too surreal that I was no longer tied to my dirtbag of an ex. I finally got a new license, bank account, credit cards. It was crazy to think how much of my life had been tied to Jasper. Divorces were messy, even when one of the parties was unable to protest from behind the metal bars of a prison cell.
The apartment was being sublet. I sold everything that I could as far as furniture and belongings that reminded me of my former life and the rest was donated to charity. I truly was getting a fresh start in life and I could not have been happier.
Sitting in the kitchen a few weeks later, watching Bear cook bacon with his apron on, I read a headline that made my stomach flip and my heart race: Local Lawyer Found Guilty of Double Homicide. I feverishly read the article that told about the tragic, brutal murders of two men a few years prior. The men were assumed to be affiliated
with illegal activity that had put one of Jasper’s clients away. I was shocked that the forensic evidence was what put him away.
I read a sentence out loud, “The overwhelming amount of concrete evidence was the undoing of the defense in this case. Finger prints, hair samples and matching shoe prints are just the tip of the iceberg of what the prosecutors nailed Keen with.”
I waited for Bear to react, say something, turn around, anything – even a freaking grunt would have sufficed – but he just kept humming away, frying a few eggs in a pan.
“I can’t believe that is all worked out like this.” I mumbled to myself.
Bear put a full plate of bacon down in front of me, smiling. “I told you that we would take care of him. Now eat your breakfast.”
With a kiss on my forehead, Bear took his seat across from me.
I folded up the paper, and started to cut up my fried eggs. We sat in silence, eating our delicious breakfast, for a few minutes.
Bear’s phone vibrated across the wood table. He took the call quickly.
“Yeah?” he answered. “Justus, I have been waiting for this call. I’ll be at the shop soon.”
After hanging up, Bear turned to me. “How about we finally take your bike out for a spin?”
I bounced a little in my seat. “Ahhhh! I would love too! I miss riding a lot.”
Bear shoved away from the table. “I’m going to get dressed. I have to do a quick tune up on my buddy’s bike and then the three of us will go for a ride this afternoon. How does that sound?”
I hopped up, kissing Bear on the cheek as I struggled to wrap my arms around his wide frame. “Fucking amazing!”
* * *
I drove Bear’s truck to Wheeler’s overly excited to finally be able to ride my motorcycle again.
Right as I pulled into the lot, Bear walked over and opened the drive’s door for me.
“Hey, darlin’.” He grabbed my hand and walked me over to a who looked to be in his early thirties with tons of tattoos and a kind smile.
“Justus, this is the girl I was telling you about, Scarlett.”
Justus shook my hand, saying, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Scarlett. I have heard many good things about you.” He turned to a young woman that was standing a little behind him. “This is Elsa, my wife.” She was stunning with gorgeous curves and beautiful blond hair.
She waved hello to me as we were introduced.
“Y’all ready to hit the open road?” Bear asked.
I squeezed his hand a little. “I am so excited.” My Royal Enfield Thunderbird was waiting for me just a few paces away.
Bear started to walk over to my bike, about to get on. I grabbed his hand. “Can’t you take your own?”
His eyes got a little wide. “Ugh, I guess.” He held my helmet out for me, digging the keys out of his pocket. “It’s not often that our old ladies drive their own bikes, sweetheart. I’m sorry for assuming.”
I took a deep breath. “I just want to drive her. I know that you getting on the back is not going to happen.” I laughed a little thinking of how goofy Bear’s giant ass would look on the back of my bike behind little ol’ me.
He scooped me up in his arms, kissing me quickly. “I am going to get so much shit for this but fuck it. I’ll ride bitch only this once.”
Bear set me down on the front seat of my bike, climbing on behind me.
“I think you got that a little wrong there, Bear.” I heard Jaxon call from inside one of the garage bays.
“Shut your pie hole, dickwad. At least I have an old lady that can drive a bike.” Bear’s words made my lips erupt into a smile.
“Bear, I fucking love you!” I turned and yelled as he put his helmet on.
He wrapped his arms around my small waist before kissing the back of my neck. “If this isn’t love, I don’t know what is.”
Epilogue
Bear
It had been a little over three years since I found Scarlett left for dead on the side of the road. It had been just about the same amount of time since I got the nerve to ask Scarlett to be my old lady, and there I was rocking our newborn son in my arms as she slept peacefully in the hospital bed right next to me. We were in the same hospital where it had all begun, starting the next chapter of our life.
I never imagined my life would take a turn like this that night when I started CPR on a complete stranger, but I wouldn’t have changed any of it for the entire world.
“Ask me a question,” I heard her soft voice call over to me from the bed.
“How did I get this lucky?” I asked before kissing my son’s soft hair.
“Because Gunner Beringar had to be born.”
“How’d my sister talk an outlaw into being with her crazy ass?” I turned to see Liam’s tall frame in the doorway. He was wearing his uniform, probably having come straight from the airport.
“What the heck are you doing here?” Scarlett shrilled as she nearly leapt out of bed.
“You shouldn’t have used Bear’s phone to call me way back when—we’ve been talking behind your back for years now.”
It wasn’t the first time Liam had come home since Scarlett and I had been together, but it was the first time we had been able to pull off a surprise visit so flawlessly.
Scarlett, Liam, and I were all crying. The only one in the room that was keeping his cool was the baby. Go figure.
“Can I hold my nephew?” Liam cradled my son in his arms as I crawled into bed with my girl.
“I don’t know what could make this any better,” Scarlett said, speaking too soon.
Right as I was about to answer her, Raine, Ryder, and their baby boy, Abel, tiptoed into the room. “Got room for a few more visitors?”
Raine bounced over to us, throwing her arms around both of our necks.
“Bear!” Scarlett cried. “Please tell me this is the end of the surprises.”
I kissed the top of her head. “This is the last of the surprises I have up my sleeve for now, but I cannot promise that I will ever stop trying to surprise you, making you happy, or carrying you up the stairs for the rest of our lives.”
The End.
Bonus Letter
Scarlett,
You’re the reason why I believe in fate. You’re the reason my heart swells and beats with overwhelming love and desire. I know that I am not the sappiest guy in the world and I probably don’t tell you this type of stuff enough, so here it goes…that night when I found you—my life began. I was a calloused outlaw with only one purpose in life—being my club’s president. That night you weren’t the only broken one on the side of the highway. In more ways than I could ever tell you, you brought me back to life that night, kickstarting my heart into a rhythm I didn’t think was possible. I was an empty shell, grieving the loss of the best friend that I had ever known. Thank you for showing me that there is healing, love and redemption out there for even guys like me. I don’t know how you do it, but every day I fall in love with you more and all over again. Thank you for saving me. Thank you for loving me just the way I am – flawed, rough around the edges, and scarred. You are the best old lady I could have ever asked for and I will never know what I did to deserve the love of a woman as amazing as you.
With all my love,
Bear
Bonus Chapter
Bear and Abel Meet
Bear
“God fucking damn it all to freaking hell!” I cussed under my breath, kicking the front tire of my bike that I couldn’t get to run to save my life.
I couldn’t figure out what the problem was. It wasn’t like I was the world’s best mechanic—not by a long shot—but I could hold my own.
“Need some help?” an unfamiliar voice called to me from behind.
Spinning on the stool I was slouched down on, I saw a grizzly looking man in a Vilas cut sucking on the white stick of Fun Dip with blue staining his lips.
Getting up, I wiped my hands off on an old shirt I was using as a rag to shake the man’s hand. “Bear,�
�� I introduced myself.
“Abel. It’s good to meet you. Heard a lot of good things.” He nodded over to my bike. “What seems to be the problem?”
I shrugged. “Fuck if I know. She died on me this morning with no warning.”
“Mind if I take a look?” he asked, rubbing the back of his neck.
“Knock yourself out.” I stepped back and let him take my seat. “What brings you down to Atlanta?”
He started to nose around while answering, “Came down to do a shipment run. Gotta make sure the cargo gets back up to our safe house without obstruction. We’ve been having a mild pest control issue up our way and figured it was time to take matters into my own hands.”
That’s when it clicked—he was the Abel. Needless to say, he was a bit of a legend throughout all of the charters of our organization, born into the life and a complete badass. I felt like I was in the presence of royalty.
I hadn’t been a patched member for long but I loved every second of wearing the skull and bones on my back, beaming with pride every time my leather was on. Knowing that Abel knew who I was took me aback. I felt like a no-buddy in the organization.
“Yeah, the rumors have been flying around these parts for a while now. Anything I can do?” I didn’t want to sound too eager, but I was itching to get into the thick of it and really show my worth to my club.
“As a matter of fact, we could use another guy. The more the merrier when it comes to protecting what is ours.”
“Done. When do we leave?”
“Tonight. Clear it with Cedric and we’d be happy to have you.”
“All right. Sounds good.” It was weird but I was nervous to ask my president anything. It wasn’t like I was scared of him, I just didn’t feel like Cedric trusted me completely yet.
The Unacceptables Series Box Set Two: Books Five through Nine with Exclusive Bonus Chapters Page 6