After digging my cowboy boots out from the back of my closet and doing a little bit of makeup, I was all set to go.
Ryan sent me a quick text:
About to pull in, just come on out and get in the truck, beautiful.
“Are you sure that you’re all right with this?” I asked Teresa as I grabbed my purse from it’s hook next to the front door. I was so nervous to leave the baby for the first time.
“Get gone! That man is waiting for you and I can handle a baby. Besides, Kathleen is here as backup if I need it.” Teresa gestured into the living room where her daughter was sitting on the floor crosslegged watching cartoons.
“Fine!” I hugged her, kissed Mikey on the top of his head and rushed out the door.
Hopping into the front seat of the Bronco, I slid into the middle of the front bench seat. Ax threw his arm around my shoulders, pulling me closer into his side.
“You ready for tonight?”
I kissed his cheek before replying, “Heck yes, I am, Mr. Axston.”
We drove out to the back field of my parents’ place where we used to have all of our bonfires when we were growing up. The flames were already blazing and trucks were starting to park in a circle around just like old times.
“This is perfect.” I muttered while glancing up at my fiancé.
“Wait, there’s one more surprise.” He parked the truck next to my brother’s and helped me slide out of the lifted vehicle.
My brother was standing in the bed his truck, holding a binder and a microphone.
“Come on.” Ryan led me by hand and we climbed into the bed of the Silverado.
Nate handed a vail over to me, helping me put it on my head. “You’re going to need this, sis.” He winked and then cleared his throat before talking into the mic, “Dearly beloved, we have gathered here tonight to marry my best friend and my sister in holy matrimony.”
Ryan beamed at me as I started to get choked up. “Wait!” I gasped. “Mikey, Teresa, Kathleen, Witt! They can’t miss my damn wedding.”
“How could you ever think that we’d miss it?” Witt yelled at me from the hood of the Bronco as he helped Kathleen climb into his lap. Teresa was holding Mikey, rocking him softly standing in-between the two trucks.
I started to look around at all of the people that were gathered around. Friends and family had all shown up. Most of the Unacceptables, including Ryder and Raine, were standing in a semi-circle around the bed of Nate’s truck.
Tears came to my eyes as looked into Ryan’s midnight iris. “This is perfect.” I whispered to Ryan as he took my hands into his.
“Good. Now become my wife, damn it!” He winked before kissing my forehead.
The End.
Bonus Chapter: Bonfire
A Flashback to High School
Ryan
“You know she has a thing for you, right?” Cameron teased from the driver’s seat as we drove past Lewis plantation. I was staring out the window watching Cassidy Lewis climb out of the front seat of her brother, Nate’s truck.
I shot him the coolest look I could muster, even though my cheeks were on fire. “We’re just friends,” I argued. “Anyway, she just started dating some senior jerkoff.”
“Whatever you say, little brother. He’s just a place holder. A speed bump of shorts. Keep your head in the sand for as long as you want, but trust me, she’s totally in to you.”
It wasn’t a secret that I had had a crush on the girl next door for as long as I could remember. It probably started when we were little and I punched Nate in the stomach for knocking Cassidy’s popsicle out of her hand and stomping it into the dirt at a Fourth of July party their parents were throwing.
It didn’t matter how I felt about Cassidy—even though I was head over heels for the damn chick—she was my best friend’s little sister, a complete no-fly-zone in my opinion.
“Do we have everything we need for the fire tonight?” I asked as Cameron turned into the back field to drop off the old Christmas trees we had scrounged up earlier in the day.
“Gonna pick up the kegs in an hour and then we will be all set.” He shot me a quick wink before putting the dusty old truck into park and hopping out.
Having an older brother with a fake ID made life as a freshman in high school that much better. It helped that he wasn’t a douchebag like most older brothers seemed to be. Cameron was a mentor and instigator for most of my friends, treating them all like family and helping the woes of high school be a little bit more bearable. He didn’t let older kids bully us, always would lend a friendly ear with good advice and never failed on getting the beer.
* * *
As dusk fell, the fire started to blaze. It was the best kind of Friday night—truck speakers blaring, beer flowing, girls dancing in cut-off shorts and cowboy boots.
Sitting on the tailgate of Nate’s truck, I watched Cassidy laughing with a few of her friends on the other side of the fire.
“This is living,” Nate remarked while scooping out the foam from the top of his plastic cup.
“You got that one right, man.”
“When’s Cameron shipping out?” Nate glanced over at me with a knowing glare. He knew that it was hard as hell for me to admit but I was ready to kick Cameron’s ass for joining the Marines. I hated that he was leaving. It felt like he was abandoning all of us.
“Middle of next month.” I didn’t stop blatantly staring over at Cassidy, I wanted to look anywhere other than the sympathetic eyes of my best friend.
“Who are we going to get to buy us beer from now on?” I knew Nate was trying to make light of the situation, but there was no amount of joking that would be able to deflect from the weight laying heavy in my chest.
Before I could make a smartass remark, Cassidy’s new boyfriend walked up and pulled her to the side. I sat up straighter, wishing that I could eavesdrop on their conversion. Jealous wasn’t the right word for how I was feeling but it was something nagging. I didn’t know the guy, all I knew was his name was Parker and he was the biggest jock at our school. I hated him on principle alone. He got the hold her, kiss her, make her laugh—all of the things I wished that I was able to do. But Cassidy wasn’t smiling, her faced twisted and contorted until her cheeks were red and her thumbs were battling tears pouring down her face.
“What the fuck?” I jumped down from the tailgate, Nate following as we rushed over to his sister.
Right as I was about to tackle the guy to the ground, Cameron flew up into his face and cold clocked him in the jaw.
“What the hell are you doing making a chick cry?” Cameron was an inch away from him, yelling at the top of his lungs.
Cassidy leapt into my arms as she sobbed into the crook of my shoulder.
“What’s going on, sweetheart?” I asked in a low voice into her ear.
Through sniffles, she answered, “He cheated on me with Becky Anderson.”
I saw red.
I passed Cassidy off to her brother, grabbed Parker by the shirt and threw him into the side of his truck faster than I could even process what I was actually doing. I had never been in a fight before, Cameron usually intervened before anything could get that far, but I didn’t care. I punched and kicked as Parker futilely tried to defend himself.
Cameron and Nate let me do it.
Cassidy didn’t protest.
I didn’t stop until my knuckles were bloody and Parker was a swollen, bleeding, sobbing pile of shit at my feet.
“Are you seriously crying?” Cameron pulled Parker to his feet. “You’re lucky we didn’t join in. Cheating on one of the sweetest girls in school? You’re a fucking scumbag. Get the fuck off my property.”
Parker tried to apologize, but we didn’t let him. Cameron shoved him into the driver’s seat of his truck as fast as he could and slammed the door shut.
“Are you all right?” I asked Cassidy as she stared down at my swelling fists.
“Not that I am one to condone violence or anything, but thank you. That did make me feel a little bet
ter.” She kissed my cheek.
The tingles at fluttered and crashed throughout my entire body made all of the pain in my throbbing hands worth it.
“We’ll always protect you, Cass.” I didn’t know what else to say, but it was the truth.
“How about we get you cleaned up and get some ice on those knuckles.” Cassidy put her hand on my shoulder and I started to follow her over to a cooler filled with ice.
“Thanks.” I muttered as I tried not to wince from the cold stinging my open cuts.
“Ryan Axston, my hero.” Cassidy shot me a little wink and I felt like I had died and gone to heaven.
Uncut
An Unacceptables MC Standalone Romance
“We don’t know who we are until we’re connected to someone else. We’re just better human beings when with the person we’re supposed to be with.” – Tara from Sons of Anarchy
Prologue
Buck
“Buck, I have to talk to you.” Ax walked into the barn with his head hanging.
I pointed to our chapel room where we could have a little privacy. “What’s up, kid?” I asked as we both took seats.
“Cass is pregnant. I’m going to be a father.” Watching as my VP pulled his cut off and started to hack away at the patches, my heart sunk a bit. Throwing them into the middle of the table, relief washed over Ryan.
With a shaking hand, I tried to reassure my young brother. “We have to call a vote, but if you want to patch out, I understand and support your decision. You have to do what is right for you and your family.”
“She said she’ll marry me. I have to do this for her. She deserves for me to choose her and put her first.” His voice shook as the words filled the room.
“You’re making the right decision. Cass is worth it, and we will always be your family. You’ll be under our protection for the rest of your life. You will always have a home here.”
It didn’t take long for me to make the calls needed and to fill the table. With a heavy heart I slammed the gavel to call our impromptu meeting to order. “Brothers, we have something to address that I want you all to take to heart. Please hear Ryan out and take his situation into consideration when making your choice tonight.”
They all looked from me to Ax as they mumbled curiosity as to why I had gather them. “This is a proud moment for me.” I added before turning the flooring over to my VP.
Ax stood to my left, leaving his seat empty as he addressed his brothers. He’d made a hard choice, but it was the right one for his new family and I respected the shit out of him for it. In all my time at the head of the table, we had never had someone boldly stand up for his family like Ryan had just done. It took balls and I needed to be as supportive as I could be. I’d known he was going to do great things with his life since the first day he put his cut on, I just always thought it would be a life as an outlaw. People do have a way of surprising you.
Ax put his hand on my shoulder. “Thank you, brother,” he whispered before clearing his throat. “This decision was not made lightly, but I must ask you all to vote me out of the charter. I need to leave the Unacceptables as I can no longer effectively do my duty and fulfill my responsibilities to this club to the full extent this organization deserves and requires. Buck will also be talking to you all about who will take my place.”
After setting the patches he’d just cut from his leather in the middle of our table, he walked from member to member, hugging each of them. His head hung low as he silently exited the chapel room in our bar, leaving me to call the vote.
I lit a cigarette, taking a few seconds in anticipation of one of the hardest votes I was ever going to have to call as a president. “In light of the recent attack, Ax has asked to be voted out of our club. Cassidy is pregnant, and Ryan has decided it is the best decision for him and his growing family. All in favor of letting Ryan Axston step away from the charter in good standing?”
Each member slowly agreed, most with reluctance, as I went from man to man sitting at the table. Slamming my gavel, I yelled, “Aye!”
Grabbing the vice president square from its resting place on the skull and bones on our table, I handed it to Riley MacLean. “Mac, come take your new seat and be my vice president.”
Standing, I wrapped my new VP in my arms before holding out Ax’s old seat. All of the members drummed their fists on the table in celebration for Mac’s new position.
“I’ll go get Ax,” Mac said before opening the door.
Ryan came in and sat in the back of the room, water welling in his eyes. “Thank you, guys.”
“There is one issue we need to discuss while Ax is still here with us—who the fuck hit our club the other night.”
A shooting could not go without retaliation. The threat of an unknown enemy was real and looming.
“It felt too impulsive for it to be the Sinners,” Ax muttered.
“Agreed,” Buck grunted, slamming his fist onto the table.
“I’ve put the word out with our other charters and have reached out to all my sources. Nothing yet. But, we will get to the bottom of this sooner than later.” I hated admitting it, but there were no leads, no information on who would have been fucking stupid enough to do a drive-by at the barn.
Chapter 1
Almost a year later
Ryan
Standing in the steam-filled shower, I sank to the floor, letting the scalding water loosen my tired back and neck. With how many times I had jumped out of airplanes and choppers, ridden through the night on my bike, fought for my life, and nearly been blown the fuck up, my body ached daily, a constant reminder of the warrior I used to be.
My mind tripped back to the last night Cass and I had been at the barn. The threat of losing her that night assaulted my every thought, consumed every minute of my day. That guilt would never subside, and I didn’t want it to. It was my motivation, my drive, my purpose, to never let my wife know terror like she had in my arms that night ever again.
Turning off the water, I heard the baby wailing through the monitor that rested on the gray granite counter in the bathroom. I jumped out of the shower as fast as I could and turned the volume down. With only a towel cinched around my waist, I tiptoed out of our bedroom. I glanced over at my wife sleeping peacefully in our bed and a small smirk played on my lips as she snored quietly, curled up in the plush white comforter.
“Shhhhhhh, little man,” I cooed as I picked Mikey up, gently rocking the crying baby.
Our morning routine was something I cherished greatly. The few minutes I had alone with him at daybreak, fixing his bottle while coffee brewed and Tank chomped on his breakfast in the dark wood-covered kitchen—simple yet perfect.
As Mikey suckled on his bottle, I filled a mug with black coffee and watched as my large, goof-ball of a Doberman Pinscher paced by the back door, wanting to be let out into the yard. The cool morning air rushed in as I opened the French door for my pup. He sprinted forward, chasing after a pudgy squirrel as it bee-lined for the wooden fence in the back.
I’d never pictured I would have this life—a family, a wife, a kid, a house in the ’burbs, my own business—it was all so normal. Quite frankly, I hadn’t thought I would make it to see my thirty-first birthday, but there I stood only a week away from that milestone. I had been sure as shit that I would be taken out by a sniper while in Afghanistan or gunned down by a rival one-percenter looking for misguided vengeance, but that was an ending to a story from another life.
The day I found out Cassidy was pregnant, my life took on a whole new meaning, a more important one. There was nothing the military or my club could give me that would mean one tenth of what Mikey and Cass meant, and there was no turning back.
After burping Mikey and getting Tank to come inside, I hoofed it up the wood stairs to finish out a perfect morning before I had to head to the office.
Letting the black towel fall to the floor, I crawled into the warm bed, wrapping my arms tightly around Cassidy’s soft, tiny frame.
; She breathed in slowly as she pressed her body more into mine. “Good morning, babe,” she murmured.
I let my lips brush over her shoulder. “Good mornin’, beautiful.”
“Mikey?” she asked while rubbing her tired eyes as she yawned.
“Already fed and back in his crib,” I assured her.
Rolling over in my arms, Cassidy kissed me softly. “Awe, you’re such a good daddy. Thank you.”
“He deserves a good father.” It was true, and I was going try my damnedest to live up to what my family deserved.
Running my fingers slowly over the delicate curve of Cassidy’s hip, I let my nails dig in. It was her trigger, and her breath hitched in response to the subtle cue.
Right as I was about to fulfill her growing need, my cellphone started blaring on the nightstand.
“Ugh! What fucking timing,” I complained.
Her head fell onto my shoulder with a forced sigh. “Answer it. You know you have to. I’ll be in the shower.”
Before I could protest, she was handing me the ringing phone and waggling her hips as she made her into our bathroom.
Looking down, I saw Buck’s name. Cass was right—I did have to answer.
“Yeah?” I grunted, annoyance dripping in my tone.
His gruff voice boomed into the receiver. “Meet at the warehouse in about an hour? I have something that I need to run by you.”
“I’ll be there. Just got to get Mikey ready for the day,” I lied, buying myself a little more time with Cassidy.
“See you soon, brother.” Brother—that was something he would always be to me. Even though I was no longer sitting to his left at the table, Buck would forever be an important part of my family.
Sulking into the bathroom, Cass shot me a look riddled with disappointment. “Let me guess, you have to go?”
The Unacceptables Series Box Set Two: Books Five through Nine with Exclusive Bonus Chapters Page 12