by Jenika Snow
The only people laughing in the room were Joker and Demon, and he didn’t have the energy to wipe the smirks off their faces.
He may have cracked a few ribs. Fuck, he was hurting all over.
Finally, Weasel looked toward Vengeance and waited.
“I’d offer to clean up the mess if I was either of you,” Demon said, taking a seat in one of the spare chairs. “When Renee called and said you were killing each other, I thought for a second she was lying.”
“He touched my sister when he should have been honest from the beginning. I wasn’t going to let that shit go. The fact he’s still breathing is a fucking miracle.”
Weasel didn’t say anything. His jaw was hurting and was probably swollen as hell. It had been a long time since he’d been in a fight like this, and his body was showing it.
“Are you two done with this fight? Or do we need to referee another one?” Joker asked.
He looked toward Vengeance, and for several seconds he didn’t say anything. What was there to say? Still, Vengeance was his club brother. He would die for the fucker no matter what.
“I know I’m not the guy you want for her, and I get it, I do. You can tell me she deserves someone better, someone not part of the club. She went away because someone who wasn’t part of the club got into her life, and you lived without her.” Weasel ran his fingers through his hair, and he was sure there was blood matted against his scalp. “The truth is, the only person good enough for Renee is the guy that will love, protect, and cherish her no matter what. Hate me all you want to, Vengeance, but I can promise you, no one else is ever going to feel that shit the way I do.”
Weasel stared at his club brother and bared his soul. He loved that woman in the kitchen. When she left, he’d done everything he could to hide how fucking hurt he was that she didn’t stay, that he couldn’t win her back.
The moment he saw her again, he vowed that he wouldn’t let her leave. He’d give her a reason to stay.
He didn’t want his decision to claim Renee to hit the club. Nor did he want to cause a fight between himself and Vengeance. All he wanted was the right to have his woman by his side. He was tired of all the same shit and wanted her as his old lady. The last thing he wanted was for them both to be sneaking around.
She deserved better than that.
Chapter 23
Several days later
Renee had let Vengeance cool off, given him a couple days to calm down before she came to talk to him. But the time had come. She couldn’t allow them to just stay on silent terms again. She couldn’t stop communications with him over this misunderstanding.
Renee knocked on the door twice before she heard Constance calling out for her to enter. Once inside she headed toward the living room where she saw Constance sitting on the couch, her legs propped up, a book in her lap. She smiled at Renee and although she hadn’t asked where Vengeance was, Constance gestured out toward the back.
“He still licking his wounds?”
Constance rolled her eyes and gave one sharp nod. “He’ll get over it. It’s only been a couple days and you know how these guys are. His ego is bruised.”
Yeah, Renee knew how stubborn they were. She lifted her hand in a wave toward Constance and headed toward the back yard.
She pushed the door open and stepped out onto the deck and let the door close quietly behind her. Vengeance was sitting in a patio chair, his legs kicked up so they rested on the banister, the acres of property they owned spreading out before him. He had a beer in his hand and rested it on his knee.
He didn’t turn around, but the she didn’t doubt he knew she stood right behind him. After a few seconds, she moved closer and sat in the seat beside him. She stared out at the scenery, the land beautiful, the sun starting to set.
“You’re still upset?” she asked but didn’t look at him. She could see out of the corner of her eye that he brought his beer bottle up and took a long drink from it. Finally she did look at him.
“I’m fine,” he said without looking at her. She could see a muscle under his jaw ticking and couldn’t help the exasperated sigh that left her.
“You do know that you’re acting ridiculous, right?” He looked at her then, his eyes the same color as hers, his focus stern, almost a little bit disappointed. She hated that she hadn’t told him right away, but she was an adult, could make her own decisions, and he should respect that.
“Tell me how I’m supposed to act, Renee?”
She shrugged and looked out at the property again. “I don’t know, Vengeance, maybe happy for me?” She looked at him then. “I wanted to tell you sooner, planned on it too, but then things got in the way that stopped me. We didn’t go about this trying to hide it from you. It just kind of happened.”
He nodded once but his jaw was still tight. For long seconds neither said anything. She opened her mouth, about to say something, but he started speaking.
“You know the thing that I’m most upset about is the fact that you didn’t tell me right away, that you didn’t think I’d understand.”
She exhaled roughly and shook her head. “Vengeance, the way you reacted is exactly how I thought it would all go down. Can you blame me for being afraid to say anything? You attacked Weasel, the man I love. He didn’t force me to do anything. I’m a grown ass woman and I love him.”
Vengeance didn’t say anything for long moments, but neither did she. Finally, he exhaled and ran a hand through his hair. “I know.” He looked at her then. “I guess I am just used to taking care of you, and knowing that you’re making decisions on who you want to be with and what you are doing with your life is hard for me.”
She moved her chair closer to him. “I swear no one set out to betray you. Weasel and I just happened, but now that it has I am happy about it. I am excited for what the future holds.” Renee reached out and took his hand in hers. It was so much bigger than hers, scarred and calloused, with tattoos running along his golden flesh.
A light breeze picked up and she felt at home, like things would be okay if she gave it time.
“I still need you. I’ll always need you in my life.” She gave his hand a squeeze. “You’re my big brother, family, and nothing will ever change that.” She urged him to look her in the eyes and when he finally did, she smiled. “I need you to be happy for me. I need you to accept that although I made mistakes in the past with our relationship, that I still need your support.”
He gave her hand a squeeze in return. “You always have my support. It’s just hard to think that my baby sister is with a biker. A Soldiers of Wrath Patch no less.” He exhaled and shook his head, but there was a slight smile on his face. “I can’t promise that I’ll get over it instantly, but you have my support.” He let go of her hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her in closer. “If you’re happy, I’m happy for you.”
She rested her head on his chest and smiled, listening to the beat of his heart. This felt like back when they were younger, when she felt scared and alone and confused. He always gave her moral support, always gave her that shoulder to cry on.
“No more secrets, okay?”
She nodded. “Okay.” Renee felt lighter, more hopeful about the future.
Chapter 24
Weasel drove into the compound and paused, staring up at the clubhouse. He hadn’t been here for a couple of days, wanting to give Vengeance time to cool off. Also, he had Renee, and the last thing he wanted to do was to leave her when things had gone downhill. She had felt bad about sneaking around, not that he had a problem with it, though. Vengeance had a mean right hook, and his face was still bruised even several days after fighting with him.
He’d hoped that Vengeance would have called him but as it was, nothing had happened. Renee had gone to see him today instead, and she asked for him to try to patch things up, which was why he was here.
After climbing off his bike, he leaned against the wall and pulled out a smoke. He lit it up.
“Hey, baby, do you want some
company?” One of the club sluts ran a hand down his chest, going for his dick.
He grabbed her arm and pushed her away. “Go entertain someone else. I got myself an old lady.” Damn, that sounded pretty fucking good.
Weasel looked up at the sky, taking a deep draw on his cigarette. It was late, and all he wanted to do was be with Renee.
“You pushed her away fast enough,” Vengeance said.
He turned to see Vengeance in the doorway of the club. “I’ve got a woman at home. I don’t need some skank touching me.”
“You take my sister that serious?” Vengeance asked.
“If I didn’t, do you think I’d risk being killed by my club brother?” He threw the cigarette onto the ground and stubbed it out. Weasel moved so that he stood beside Vengeance, both of them leaning against the wall.
“How long have you been in love with her?”
Weasel released a sigh. “Before she left I had feelings for her. I tried to hide them. Fuck, I even pretended that I felt nothing for her. But in the back of my head I was thinking about her.”
“That’s why you wanted me to call her.”
“It was a long time, and I cared, Vengeance. She’s your sister, and I know you love her.”
“You love her as well.”
“Always. The women won’t be getting anything from me. The only person I want is Renee. I promise that I will protect her, love her.” Weasel stopped talking.
“I’ve always felt protective of her. She’s my baby sister, and I love her. I overreacted the other day, and I want to apologize. Constance has been berating me. She told me if I was so desperate to apologize I should just pick the phone up and stop being a pain in the ass. I’m sorry.”
Weasel chuckled. “That is one hell of an apology coming from you.”
“It’s all you’re going to get. All I ask is that you keep the personal relationship stuff on the down low for a little while. I’m not ready to see my sister making out with you.”
“I love her, Vengeance. I’ll protect her.”
“I know. You’ve said that.”
They both rested against the wall, and Weasel looked up at the night’s sky. “I’m sorry too. I should have told you and not let things get out of hand.”
“It’s in the past now, brother.”
The silence stretched out, and Wesel knew he needed to be honest. “I want to marry her,” Weasel said.
“Wow, you really don’t like a guy getting used to his sister dating, do you?”
“I want you to know that I’m going to marry her. I’m going to be the father of her babies.” Weasel turned to his friend. “I didn’t want to hide it from you. You don’t want to hear about it right now, but you’re going to have to get a crash course in all of it. I’m not going to back down. I want everything with her. The whole picket fence, kids, and everything.” He found himself smiling as he said it.
“You’re going to make me puke. Come on, let’s go and have a drink. I think I can handle whatever plans you have so long as I have a nice big drink to help me get intoxicated.”
The club cheered as they walked in. Demon came forward and slapped them both on the back. “I thought we’d have to dig a couple of graves today. You fuckers sure know how to trash a place.”
Vengeance snorted. “Did you know Renee gave me a damn invoice today?”
“An invoice?”
“Yep, for all of the furniture I trashed. I went through the list, and she put a V for Vengeance next to some items, and a W for Weasel against others. She had actually labeled shit. Got to love my sister. She knows how to document the shit out of stuff.”
Everyone started laughing.
Sitting at the bar, Weasel smiled. There had been many times he’d caught her putting lists together. There was one of the fridge that he saw a couple of weeks ago, that ran down the chores she elected to do for certain days. The kitchen got a deep clean every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, along with the regular cleaning every single day. She was so thorough.
Vengeance put a glass of whiskey down in front of him. “I guess this means we’re going to be related soon in the whole legal sense.”
“I guess it does, if she’ll have me, that is.” Weasel paused. “Crap, I don’t think I could handle you being my brother-in-law.” He snorted.
At least they were past throwing punches for now.
“Quiet down, everyone. I think it’s only fair to say that another one of us bites the dust. Weasel has claimed an old lady. Another woman is going to join the fold, and seeing as it’s Renee, we all know trouble will brew,” Vengeance said. He raised his glass. “Even though I don’t think anyone would be good enough for my sister, I’m pleased that she’s found you, Weasel. Even with all your faults, you’re a good man, and I know without a doubt you’ll make her happy.”
Weasel burst out laughing. For an acceptance speech, it was going to be the best he got.
Chapter 25
They sat around the bonfire, the flames big, strong, licking at the wood. It was kind of surreal to be sitting around with the Soldiers of Wrath MC, being part of the family.
Renee was on Weasel’s lap, the whole club laughing and welcoming them. She glanced over at Vengeance, her brother holding Constance close. She was happy for them, glad that he found somebody he could love and take care of.
And when Weasel wrapped his arms around her, Renee sank against him. He was hard and strong ... all man. He smelled like leather and wilderness, with an undertone of masculinity and motor oil. The combination was intoxicating, made her remember all the emotions she felt when she was younger, all the things she wanted with him.
“Are you having a good time?” he asked, his warm breath and lips brushing against her ear. She turned to face him and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him even closer.
“Always. When I’m with you, that is,” she admitted honestly, because she was tired of hiding how she felt, tired of pretending she didn’t have to be honest with her emotions. Renee realized in the short time that lying to herself didn’t hurt anybody but her in the end.
Everyone else might be able to move past it but when all was said and done, she was the one left with the heavy weight of not being honest.
He pulled her and even closer, and she loved that he didn’t care about showing his affection to her in front of others, especially his motorcycle club brothers. She loved this man and wanted nothing more than to spend her life with him.
She didn’t know what the future held, but it didn’t matter, because right now she was happy exactly where she was supposed to be. As long as she was with Weasel everything would be okay. She knew that without a doubt.
Weasel held Renee close to him, the feel of her nude body against his warm and comforting. They left the barbecue hours ago, and he’d taken her home and made love to her, did it real slow, real nice.
He didn’t have to be a dirty fucker all the time, although they both liked it that way. There were times he just wanted to relish in the feeling of her, and the knowledge that she was his.
Since they’d made things official he moved her into his room, told her he didn’t want her cleaning for him to pay her way. She was his equal, his woman. His old lady wasn’t going to be cleaning up his shit to stay at his house.
This was where they both lived.
“I love you, Renee,” he said right against her hair, knowing she was asleep but needing to tell her. He’d roar it out to the damn world if that was what she wanted.
Before he knew Renee would be his, that he even had a chance of having her in his life, Weasel didn’t think he’d ever have an old lady. He’d seen his brothers fall for women and all he could think about was those poor bastards would never be free again.
But dammit, had life changed for him.
He curled his finger around her hip and slid down to span her belly. He wondered what she would think about marrying him, carrying his children. He might’ve told Vengeance he was going to marry her, but he hadn’t even a
sked Renee yet.
She shifted in his arms and he watched as she slowly opened her eyes. She had this sleepy expression on her face, and he couldn’t help but lean down and kiss her lips.
And because he couldn’t think about living without her, didn’t want to waste another minute, he just asked her the one question that would change his life.
“Marry me, baby. Be mine forever.” He said the words against her lips and pulled back slightly to stare into her face. She looked wide-awake now, and he wondered what she thought.
The silence stretched on for a few moments, and he wondered if he’d ruined this, should have just kept his mouth shut.
“Yes,” she said slowly, sleepily. There was no hesitation, no confusion in her words or in the way she looked at him.
He pulled her on top of his chest and just held her, just wanting to know that this was real.
Damn, how did an asshole like him get so lucky?
Chapter 26
“Do you have any idea how you want your wedding to go?” Amy asked.
Renee shook her head. “I don’t know. I guess I want everyone to be there. All the club guys and of course you girls as well.”
“You won’t keep us away,” Deanna said. “You could demand the guys wear a tux. It has been too long since I saw my man in one.”
“Demon wore a tux?”
“Hell, yeah. If I get my way, he can wear them all day long.”
“I personally like my man in leather,” Eloise said. “We’re all married to bikers. I didn’t promise forever with a suit-wearing man. I love my guy in his leather cut.”
Renee giggled at the dreamy look in Eloise eyes.
“There is a big question, though,” Daniella said, speaking up. “What about the club whores? Do you want them present?”