“Where’s Timber?”, I question Smoke, delaying their interrogation until later.
“He’s gone home. JJ is not fucking happy about his face.”
Rolling my eyes at my cousin’s dramatic answer, I shrug. “She’ll get over it. Seems to be an occupational hazard for him at the moment. Maybe, he needs to work on not looking so punchable.”
Snorting laughter meets my joke, alleviating some of the tension in the room. Making my way to the bar, I walk around the serving side and straight into Benji’s arms. My twin hugs me to him with extra fierceness. “How is he?”
“Not good. I made some headway with him, but it’s going to be a long road. I doubt he’s going to let me talk him into going to therapy. It’s going to fall to all of us to keep him on an even keel.”
Benji holds me away from him, staring down at me with knowing eyes. “How are you?”
My eyes fill with tears that I angrily wipe away. “Furious. I’m madder than a cut snake. If it wasn’t what he wanted, I’d kill him myself. What he’s done is unforgiveable.”
Our crowd of spectators start muttering their desire for retribution so I turn and shush them. “Nobody goes after Beast.”
The atmosphere fills with angry disbelief. I hold up a hand to silence them. “If anyone takes him out, it’s going to be Mik. I know I’m not a brother, but I’m telling you all—my father is already dead to all of us. He should die for real after what he’s done, but, we can’t give him a nice and easy way out. Today, he told me and Benji that he’s got dementia. That’s what’s set most of this into motion.”
“Shit.” Uncle Lenny pushes to the front of the bar. Leaning his elbows against the hard wood, he peppers me with questions. “When did he find out? How long has he fucking known? Is he getting treatment?”
“Who gives a shit?” Benji points a finger in his face. “He might be your brother but he’s a fucking loser. He can curl up and die in a gutter for all I care.”
Tossing the rag he was using to dry glasses down on the bar, my twin stomps off. Smoke and the other men in the bar show their support for his declaration with stomping feet and yelling. It heartens me to see how much support Mik has.
“Shut the fuck up,” my man yells. I can’t see him through the bodies that are grouped between us. “What Lainey just said is how it’s going to be. Nobody touches Beast. He doesn’t get the easy way out. He’s a dead issue. Forget about him. We have bigger problems to deal with.”
Holding my breath, I wait for the next bomb to drop. Time drags and I wonder why he hasn’t continued. Two of the wide backs that are blocking my view move to the side and Mik appears in front of me. He holds out a hand. I take hold of it and let him lead me to the other side of the bar. Pulling me in front of him, he rests his chin on the top of my head. Strong arms circle my waist, holding me close. The intensity of his white knuckled grip spikes my worry. Anxiety invades my veins and I brace myself for more bad news.
“Kid just spoke to me. The search for Wendy’s kid is over. His friend at the hospital lab has cross-referenced the blood they had on file for Brendan with Wendy’s.” My body stiffens and my heart pounds in my ears. I know the Shamrocks are looking for my stepmother’s missing child. I just don’t understand what Brendan’s blood has to do with it. Mik tightens his hold on me. “It’s a match. The girl we’ve been watching is a regular blood donor and she matched Wendy, too.”
Just like Mik’s did earlier, my knees buckle under the weight of the knowledge that’s been dumped on my head. My man holds me up so I don’t fall. “That’s not all. While I’ve been gone, Timber’s been fielding messages from the other Clubs. Mavericks of Mayhem have declared war on every Club in the greater Brisbane area. They’ve all had silver bullets left at their Presidents’ home’s. He’s ridden out to my house and found them taped to my front door.”
I put my hands on my ears to block out the noise of the outrage that overtakes the room. Silver bullets are the worst thing a Club can send to another. It signals that the upcoming war is a fight to the death. There will be no white-flags raised, no patch overs. The Mavericks want to annihilate, so they own the turf of the Clubs they’ve taken out.
“QUIET,” Mik shouts. It takes a minute for silence to return to the bar and when it does it sends a shiver through me. Every person that faces us is someone I love. They are family; whether by blood, the Club, or simply time. Some of them are going to die. That’s an unavoidable fact. “The Mavericks are pieces-of-shit. We all know that. They’re disorganised and second-fucking-rate. This move means they have backup. Since every other MC in the area has received the same threat, we can hazard a fucking guess who’s backing them.”
Turning, I press my face against the pulse in Mik’s neck. Violent shaking takes hold of me. Why? What does he have to gain from this move? The evil man just can’t let sleeping dogs lie. Mik confirms my suspicion with his next announcement. “Seems to me that only one person stands to gain from this. Kid’s checking with his sources but it’s clear to me that Thomas Taylor is creating a war in outlaw motorcycle circles so he can take us out. Divide and conquer is his game plan as far as I can see. We need to find a way to pull everyone together. Let’s beat him at his own game.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
MIK
Shaking Lainey awake, I place a hot cup of coffee on the bedside table. She rolls over and opens one eye. “What time is it?”
“Five in the morning.”
Groaning, she stretches then sits up. Sipping her coffee, she eyes me with a shrewd gaze. “Have you been up all night?”
Running my fingers through my hair, I rest my hands on top of my head and yawn. “Yeah. And, I won’t be getting to bed anytime soon. We’ve organised a meeting with the other Club’s. Gonna try and create an alliance so we can fight fire with fire. Fuck the Mavericks. Fuck Thomas. None of us are going to roll over and give him what he wants.”
The fear I saw in her in the bar returns. I wish I could tell her that it’s going to be okay. I can’t. My lies might lessen her fear. They might make her feel better; but, I’d be doing her a big fucking disservice because my lies would leave her open to more hurt. Every Shamrock knows that not all of us are going to survive what’s coming—I need to prepare her for that.
“Angel, I’ve gotta ride out in a minute, but I wanted to talk first.”
Shutters fall over her expression, blanking out the fear. I watch as she steels herself then looks at me with no emotion. “Talk away.”
Kneeling on one knee in front of her, I pull the engagement ring that she refused to take from me months ago out of the inner pocket of my cut. Lainey puts down her coffee and presses both hands over her mouth. Her eyes light up, this time with excitement and not evasion like they did last time I asked this question. I haven’t rehearsed anything so I go with what’s in my head. “Lainey O’Brien. I love you to fucking death. You’re my woman. My soul mate. My angel. If I didn’t have you, I’d have nothing. I want to have children with you. I want to spend my life loving you until we’re old and grey. You already wear my mark. It’s not enough anymore; I want you to have my name as well. Will you marry me?”
Scrambling off the bed, she kneels in front of me. Her answer comes without hesitation. “Yes. Of course. I love you.”
Taking hold of her left hand, I slide the jewel that’s been missing from her finger for far too long back into place. With a hand on either side of her face, I press my lips against hers and seal the moment with a kiss. Lainey lets me deepen it straightaway, opening her mouth so our tongues can meet. Together, we stand without separating. I push her onto her back on the bed. Covering her unclothed body with mine, my hands explore the smooth peaks and valleys of her form while we kiss.
My cock hardens, pressing against my zipper, signalling his desire to join the party. I stand, throwing my cut onto the chair in the corner, then using my toes to remove my boots while I undo my jeans. Lainey sits up. She pushes my hands away, taking hold of the hem of my T-shirt a
nd lifting it up. She can’t get it over my head sitting as she is so I take over and pull it off. While I do that, my woman works my pants down my hips, freeing my cock and taking him into her hot mouth.
“Fuck yeah,” I groan, laying my hands on the back her head and guiding her up and down my erection. “Fucking love your mouth.”
I revel in the warm, wet heat of her mouth for a few minutes, then pull my dick free. As much as I enjoy her blowjobs, I’m impatient to be inside her. I strip my jeans the rest of the way off. Lainey lays on her back, looking up at me with love-filled eyes when I crawl over her. Running my hand down her side, I smile when her skin breaks out in goose bumps. Her nipples peak, inviting me to suck them into my mouth. Which I do, one at a time, alternating between them until she’s arching her back and moaning. Lainey’s always been responsive to my touch—it makes my fucking day every time I get her off.
My cock throbs, making himself known again. I nudge her legs apart with one of my knees, then press myself against her wet cunt. If I manage to get into heaven when I die, I’m pretty sure this is where I’m gonna end up—pumping my hard cock into her delectable body for eternity. Sounds fucking perfect to me.
Inch by inch, I push inside of my woman. The initial entry is always my favourite part. Feeling the walls of her pussy spreading around my cock to accommodate my girth is better than coming. Knowing that she feels every bit of my cock inside her, filling her completely, drives me out of my mind. Once I’m all the way in, I pump my hips with deliberate movements.
“God, Mik.”
Lowering my head, I bite along her left shoulder, then up to her jaw. Planting a kiss on her lips, I smile against her mouth then drive into her harder. “Not God, Angel. Just a man who loves his woman.”
Lainey is breathless when she tries to answer me. “I. Love. You.”
Listening to her breath hitching in her throat with each calculated thrust, I concentrate on tilting my hips of the perfect angle so my cock rubs against the spot inside of her that drives her wild. As I work her into a frenzy, Lainey’s hands come down on my shoulders. I freeze for a second, unused to her touching me when we’re making love anymore.
“Don’t stop,” Dragging her fingernails up my upper back, she wraps her legs around my ass and holds me inside her tight cunt. “Fuck me now. That’s enough with the sweet.”
I don’t need to be told twice. Pulling my cock out, I flip her onto her stomach. With a hand on each hip, I lift until her perfect pussy is lined up with my dick, and slam back into her. With a guttural roar, I bury my fingers into her hair and pull until her back is arched. Slamming my pelvis against her ass, I revel in the sound of flesh hitting flesh and the screams that each thrust pulls from her. My balls tighten and start to throb with pleasure. I’m about to come so I reach around Lainey’s hip and press my thumb against her clit. I’ve been working this bundle of nerves over for so long that I know exactly where to touch to get her to climax in record time.
With my hand in her hair, tugging with the precise amount of pressure that she enjoys, my thumb rubs her clit. Not a minute passes before she’s clenching my cock with her drenched cunt. Lainey pushes back against me, matching me stroke for stroke, then screams like someone’s murdering her when her orgasm hits. Feeling her pussy convulsing around me is enough to send me over the edge. Frantic pumps that lack any type of rhythm take me over the edge. I fill her with every last drop, then roll onto my side on the mattress and gather her in my arms.
Chests pressed together, hearts racing in unison, we try to get our breath back. Tilting her head, my angel presses a kiss on my lips. I lay there, ignoring the fact that chaos and destruction is circling us at this very instant, and simply enjoy the feeling of my woman in my arms.
War is bearing down on us, bringing death and pain with it. We both realize that. We also know that any respite that can be found during this time is going to be a blessing. Closing my eyes, I breathe in Lainey’s scent and let it wash over my senses. Pressing my lips against her temple, I vow that the woman I love; the woman I can taste on my lips, feel in my arms, and smell on my skin is not going to be a casualty of what’s coming.
I’ll die before I let anyone take her away from me.
EPILOGUE
MADDI
Two Months Later
“Gosh, you look beautiful,” JJ’s eyes fill with tears when she compliments me.
Running my gaze over her tiny form dressed in the green bridesmaid dress that I picked out for her, I echo her sentiment. “You’re gorgeous. That colour is the exact shade of your eyes. It makes them pop.”
She puts a hand on her flat belly and arches one elegant eyebrow. “Do you think I’ve got my figure back? Lucas says I have, but I still feel like I have some weight to lose.”
Rolling my eyes at her, I move in front of the full-length mirror that covers the wall near the door. Twisting sideways, I turn a critical eye to my own figure in my white, strapless, mermaid style dress. Rubbing my stomach, I answer her, “You’re gorgeous but you’re also an idiot. You do not need to lose any more weight. Now, I’m not so lucky. I think I made a mistake choosing such a tight dress when I’m starting to show already.”
JJ walks up and hugs me. She’s that much shorter than me that her head rests on my boobs. “Don’t be silly. Your dress is perfect.”
With a huge smile, my crazy friend squats until she’s at the height of my tummy. “We didn’t know you’d be gracing us with your presence when we picked out your mummy’s wedding dress, did we?
Grabbing my short veil, I ignore the nutter who’s talking to my stomach like the tiny bean-sized baby in there can hear her. I pin the lace in my hair, then step back from the mirror. “I think I’m ready.”
“When are you going to tell Mad Dog?” Lacey asks. She smooths down the front of her hot-pink dress and fluffs her hair.
“Straight after the wedding. Benji’s going to hand him a card with the news in it. I want to surprise him and I think that’ll do it.”
JJ’s shoulders shake when she laughs. “At least, you’re not just giving him a stick you peed on. That’s what I did to Lucas.”
Lacey shudders, then quips. “I’m glad it’s you and not me. Pushing something the size of a watermelon out of my hoo-ha isn’t something I’m interested in.”
“Pfft.” JJ shakes her head, indignation colouring her cheeks. “I survived giving birth to a Blake. If I can do that, then you two have nothing to worry about.” She pulls a face, then pouts. “And, I don’t even have an engagement ring on my finger. I’m getting ripped off here.”
Biting down on my bottom lip, I try my hardest not to smile. I know something the silly woman doesn’t. One giant man whose name might rhyme with “Limber” has something very important weighing down the top pocket of his cut today.
“Time to go,” Joel knocks on the door. We ignore him. There’s no hurry since we don’t have far to go to get to the ceremony. The war that was declared has so far been a fizzle. The Mavericks haven’t made a move. Mik’s solidified an alliance with all the other Club’s in the area so that we’re ready when—if—they decide to attack. Nobody’s taking any chances so we’re getting married at the Compound where we’ve all been on lock-down for two, long, boring months.
“Move your asses.” This time it’s Benji who knocks.
Checking my outfit one last time, I meet my own eyes in the reflection. They’re filled with contentment. I’m ready to make this official. I want this more than anything. The baby that’s come along to surprise us is just the icing on the cake considering I didn’t think I could have children. The doctors said it would take a miracle for me to get pregnant without medical assistance—I guess they don’t know everything, after all.
“Let’s do this.” I nod at the woman staring back at me in the mirror.
Opening the door, I break into laughter when I find all of my brothers congregated around it. I decided that rather than picking only one of them, I’d have all of them walk down the
aisle—or through the bar as is the case today—with me. Lacey and JJ follow me into the hallway. JJ passes me a bouquet of my favourite roses, then walks to the door that leads into the bar.
I nudge Benji, who’s trying to eat Lacey’s face off. “Ew. Would you two stop for five minutes?”
“Not a chance, Mads. She’s too hot for me to keep my hands to myself.” Lacey giggles, turning a colour that almost matches her dress and scooting away from her lecherous boyfriend to the relative safety of the exit.
Ignoring him, I crinkle my nose. “How are we doing this?”
“We decided that after the girls have gone, Matty and Lachie are going to walk in front of you. You’ll have me and Joel on either side.”
My nose tingles, and I get that heavy feeling behind my eyes that heralds tears. Blinking quickly so none of them leak and ruin my makeup, I kiss my brother on the cheek. “Sounds perfect.”
“Ready?” Matty asks. I nod. He walks over to the girls and sticks his head through the door. “Press play.”
Music starts. “Amazed” by Lonestar starts playing and this time there’s nothing I can do to stop the tears. I can’t believe he picked this song. He hates it, even though, I love it. Wiping under my eyes with careful fingers, everything becomes real when I see first Lacey, then JJ disappear through the doorway. Matty turns and motions Lachie forward. My youngest brother grabs my free hand and squeezes it before joining Matty. They walk out of view as well.
“Come on, lil sis,” Benji bends his arm and gestures me to slip mine through it. I’m a wobbly mess, so much so, that I let Benji’s “lil sis” jibe slide.
“My turn.” Joel comes to stand next to me. It takes him a second but he bends his arm like Benji’s on my other side. I link arms with my brothers, clutching my bouquet in front of me. We walk toward the doorway. As we emerge, my breath is taken away by the transformation in the bar. I don’t know how they’ve done it, but they’ve cleared out everything that remotely resembles a biker club. In its place, are blue and gold streamers hanging from the roof. Roses are set in vases at deliberate intervals creating a makeshift aisle for me to walk through the sea of people on either side. Following the aisle to the top of the room, happy tears fall when I see Mik. He’s wearing black jeans, a blue dress shirt in the shade of my favourite colour with his Black Shamrocks MC cut over the top. On his feet are his black bike boots—the ones I’ve joked many times that he sleeps in. Timber stands next to him, dressed the same, except his shirt matches JJ’s dress. Behind Timber sits Viking, ramrod straight with a beaming smile on his face.
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