His eyes wandered up and down my body in that way that made me weak in the knees. “I also want you to have my children because it is another way to show you’re claimed. And the thought of a part of me inside you … and then that part of us walking around … I don’t know.” He shook his head and laughed, as if what he was saying was crazy. This was probably the most honest Rem had ever been about his feelings since he was born. I was amazed, to say the least.
“So, if we are going to have children, it is my job to provide for them and you … and protect you. Our family needs a home in a safe place with a big yard and other kids in the neighborhood. Where else would we go but a suburb?”
I sniffed, fighting not to cry. “And you decided all this back in July?”
“Yep,” he said as he reached down into his pocket. “About the same time I bought this.” He took out a small box.
Every girl knows what that box means.
I stood in shock and felt lightheaded as I realized what was happening.
“Oh my God,” I gasped.
Then my tough-as-nails lover smiled and got down on one knee. Even on his knees, I didn’t exactly look down at him. I laughed nervously.
“Isabel, I’m down on one knee to propose.” His gaze turned sad suddenly. “But I’m also here to beg your forgiveness. You know an Ace kneels for no man. But for you, I’m willing to beg. I made these plans for our future, but the moment you needed me most, I turned my back on you.”
I felt myself frown at the thought of how he’d betrayed me. Then I thought of how I betrayed him and the club … and Duncan.
"But, Rem, I was the one to fuck up first. I put everyone in danger—”
“Isabel,” he growled. Even though he remained on one knee, I still heard that dominant tone in his voice. “You were scared and inexperienced. Any person who wasn’t raised with threats on a weekly basis would have done the same thing. But now you know that keeping secrets from the club, and me, leads to dangerous consequences. It is a lesson that every Ace has to learn.”
He squeezed my hand again. “And you are an Ace.”
I couldn’t find the words. I knew what I wanted to say, but I felt overwhelmed. Could I really do this?
My silence brought something to his eyes that I never saw before. I think it was fear. “You don’t have to answer now, but please, Isabel, don’t leave—”
“Shut up.” I whispered. I loved this man so much, and my answer was so simple. I was fooling myself if I ever thought I could be happy without him.
“Yes,” I said.
Chapter Fifty-Three
Isabel
Rem brought me back to the clubhouse after his proposal. I was so happy that I had been completely unprepared for what came next. We walked in to find all of members waiting at the bar. Donny, Sam, Max, Hawk, Jordan and Greyson.
None of the women or prospects were there. I hung my head in shame as Rem tugged me along. “It will be all right,” he said.
I wasn’t so sure. The men who had once greeted me as a friend now looked at me with disdain. The Aces were not the type to forgive easily, and they wouldn’t make an exception for me.
Jordan pulled out a chair from one of the tables. Rem led me to it, and I sat down. He kept a hold of my hand and stepped behind me placing his other on my shoulder. He wasn’t going to let me face this alone. His support gave me the strength to look up. Greyson was standing in front of me, and the others had moved around us forming a circle.
“Isabel. While we understand the position you were put in was difficult, we can’t let your betrayal go unpunished.” Greyson’s face was much like the last time we’d seen each other, cold and resolute.
I simply nodded my head.
“Since you are an old lady, we had to think creatively.”
“What were you thinking?” Rem asked.
“A branding.”
“No fucking way.” Rem stepped out from behind me and stalked toward Greyson.
“It will be small.”
“I don’t care.”
I was confused. Duncan told me that a branding was just a tattoo. “What do you mean?” I said, stopping their fight.
Greyson’s eyes turned to me. “The letter A will be burnt into your skin. It needs to be somewhere visible.”
That kind of branding would hurt, a lot. “But if I do it, I’ll be forgiven?”
“Yes.”
“Let me do it,” Rem said to Greyson.
“No,” I shouted as I stood up. I couldn’t let him take my punishment for me. I needed to earn the respect of the club again, and this was the place to start. I loved Rem for wanting to protect me, for wanting to take the pain away.
I went to Rem’s side and wrapped my arms around his bicep. “I can do it,” I whispered.
Rem turned his head to look down at me, his eyes concerned. I smiled gently and squeezed his arm, before turning to Greyson. “I’ll do it.”
He nodded. “Hawk already has everything prepared in the warehouse.”
Everyone headed for the door, and Rem wrapped his arm around me as we followed.
My determination was tested as we came through the door and went to the back. The same place where Breaker was tortured. There was no plastic this time. Instead there was a grill with flames burning high. Skinny was stoking it as we came closer.
Hawk approached him and said something quietly. Skinny walked past us, leaving only patched members.
“Arm or back, Isabel?” Greyson asked, the fire lighting half of his face.
“The arm,” I responded. “Right here.” I pointed to my left upper arm right between my shoulder and elbow. It seemed like the obvious choice. Greyson said it had to be visible.
“It’s best that you sit on the floor,” Hawk said. I did as I was told.
“Rem, you should sit behind her. Jordan at the front.”
I looked at Hawk. “I won’t move.”
“Your instincts will make you pull away, and to do this cleanly I need you to stay still,” he explained. Rem kneeled behind me and brought me against his chest by wrapping his arm across my shoulders. He gripped my left forearm to hold it in place. Jordan kneeled in front of me putting my legs between his and holding my right arm.
Rem’s lips were by my ear. “Are you sure about this?”
I swallowed the fear rising in my throat. “Yes.”
Hawk approached the grill, and I closed my eyes. I couldn’t watch it coming or I’d freak out. “Don’t count or anything. Just do it,” I said.
Suddenly, I felt the pain in my arm. I didn’t even hear Hawk’s footsteps come near me. It was poignant and intense. I screamed, louder than I’ve ever screamed before. My bruised vocal cords managed to produce a shriek that echoed off the metal walls of the warehouse. I struggled as Hawk had predicted, but Rem and Jordan held me down.
The searing pain was agony, and it seemed to go on forever.
“It’s done, Isabel.” I heard Rem’s words, but it couldn’t be true. It still hurt. My skin was still burning.
They released my hands, and I immediately reached for my arm.
“No, don’t touch it.” My wrist was held down again. “Skinny has the doctor outside.”
I slumped against Rem, sobbing. I could smell my flesh in the air, and my arm was throbbing, the pain jumping with every heartbeat.
I opened my eyes to see Rem looking down at me. He was cradling me in his arms. “You did it, Isabel. It’s over.”
I closed my eyes thinking, It’s not over. It’s just the beginning.
Chapter Fifty-Four
Isabel
Rem licked and nibbled my ear as I sat in his lap at the clubhouse. It was Duncan’s last night before heading to the state penitentiary, and we were giving him an Aces’ send-off.
All the members and old ladies were here tonight, and I had already had a few shots so I was feeling no pain. We were sitting on one of the couches next to Lydia and Donny. Duncan was across from us with two women on either side of him. Re
It had been a couple weeks, but I still felt a twinge when I moved my arm. The scabs were gone, and the skin was now puckered. The A was about the size of a silver dollar. It was shocking to see it was so small when it had felt a lot bigger in the moment.
After my punishment, I’d had to face the other old ladies. Sophie arranged for a sit down for all of us where I tried to explain my situation. It was awkward to say the least. Sophie and Michelle seemed ready to accept me back, but Lydia was a little suspicious. I thought Lydia would give me her infamous attitude, but I received silence instead. In the weeks since, I had felt the ice melt a little. Sophie let me come back to the salon, and Lydia started talking to me again. I think my bringing them donuts and coffee every morning helped smooth the way. Also, running every errand they could possibly throw out there. I hoped, with more time, Lydia and I would be friends again.
A few days after my branding, Rem told me that they had my uncle in the holding cell and asked me what they should do with him. “I don’t ever want to see him again,” I had said, and Rem simply nodded his head. I didn’t want to know how Rem interpreted my answer, but I didn’t care either. I had suffered too much to care what happened to that man now.
I know Duncan’s decision to make a plea deal was weighing heavily on Rem and the rest of the club. Duncan was the newest member and was thought of as the kid brother. Now he was going to spend three years of his young life behind bars. Of course, I felt strange around him, too, what with being the cause of his incarceration. I couldn’t decide how to apologize. What could I say? Sorry I was such a stupid pansy-ass that I caused you to go to jail?
I caught Rem’s fingers as they started heading further up my thigh. “Let’s go upstairs,” he whispered. Before I could nod my head, someone tapped Rem on the shoulder.
“Can I talk to her?” Jordan asked, nodding to me. It was still weird that they spoke to him first, but I was getting used to it.
“Make it quick,” Rem grumbled.
Jordan held out an iPhone to me. “Here is your new phone. It has your same number, and I put all your music and photos on it, too.”
I jumped a little in Rem’s lap. I’d missed having my phone. “Why are you giving me a new one and not my old one?”
“Club business,” Jordan replied.
Whatever. I was just happy to be on the grid again.
Jordan went to walk away but suddenly stopped and backed up. “Oh, and I should mention that Skinny has been talking to Katie.”
I blinked. “Katie? My best friend Katie?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“Well, she kept sending you messages on Facebook about coming to visit so I thought it would be good to provide a distraction.”
I stayed silent for moment, thinking that Jordan was messing with me. When his face showed no sign of sarcasm, I said, “So you had Skinny message her?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Were they crazy?
“Skinny,” I screamed and tried to get off Rem’s lap, but he held me in place.
“Calm down, babe.”
“What’s up?” Skinny said.
I looked up at him. “Am I to understand that you have been catfishing my best friend?”
Skinny looked at Jordan for help, but the man just shrugged.
The kid blushed. “It’s not technically catfishing if I’m using my real picture,” he said.
“But she does think you like her romantically?”
“Well … yeah,” he replied with a flippant tone.
“Oh my God.” I struggled to get up again so I could slap the prospect, but Rem stood up and carried me away. He headed toward the stairs.
“Rem! You are not going to do anything?” I screamed when we got to our room. “He is going to hurt my best friend.”
Rem pulled me to him and kissed me, one of those panty-wetting kisses that left my head all fuzzy. After I melted against him, he pulled back and smiled. “I promise we will deal with Katie tomorrow. Right now, I have a surprise for you.”
“What?” I said, completely confused. Why would I get a surprise tonight?
Suddenly there was a soft knock on the door.
"Come on in," Rem said to the door. Duncan stepped into the room and closed the door quickly. I looked down. Suddenly faced with Duncan in a closed space I felt nervous. I should start my apology, but it seemed stuck in my throat. I turned to Rem instead.
"Rem, what is going on?" I asked.
He looked back at me with a cocky little smirk. "Well, babe, I made a promise to Duncan. He is going to join us."
"What?" I stepped back and fell on to the bed.
"Don't panic. He'll only get to taste you," Rem said, coming down to sit next me.
"Taste?"
"I'm going to let him eat you out," he stated, no hint of sarcasm in his voice or face.
I scoffed. "And I don't get a say in this?"
"No. You're my woman, and you'll do as I say." He tugged my head back by my hair and kissed me roughly, palming my already sensitive nipples. He knew I couldn't resist his dominance. I could say no if I really wanted to, but I knew Rem would never hurt me and neither would Duncan.
Rem released my lips to nuzzle my ear. "Don't you want to give Duncan some good memories to take with him?"
Wait. Did Duncan want some sort of repayment in the form of sex? Not that it wouldn’t be enjoyable, but this wasn’t how I’d wanted to make things up to him. And I didn’t want him to see me as that type of person either.
I watched as Duncan approached me and reached out a hand to cup my chin. "Please, Izzy. You have no idea how much I want this."
I was certainly flattered, but I still shook my head as I looked up at him. “Duncan, I want to make things up to you but not like this.”
His brow furrowed in confusion. “Make things up to me?”
“I know it’s my fault you are going to jail.”
“Wait,” Duncan said. “I was angry, but I know the Snakes used you.” He backed away and looked at Rem. “I don’t want her to do this just because she feels guilty.”
“Both of you, stop,” Rem said, before looking right at me. “Isabel, Duncan saved my life.” He was right. Rem could be dead or serving his own sentence right now if it weren’t for Duncan. “When I asked him what I could do for him before he went inside, he asked for this. He doesn’t want to punish you, he simply wants to taste you.”
I looked back at Duncan. “Is that true?”
“Every word,” he said.
Now that I knew he wasn’t angry with me, the arrangement didn’t sound too bad. I closed my eyes. "All right."
I heard Duncan inhale and reach for my shoulders, but Rem held out a hand. "Brother, I make the rules here. You can only touch her below the waist, and she will not be touching you. And your dick stays in your pants as long as you are touching her. Got it?"
"Yeah," Duncan said, looking down at me with a dark gaze that I hadn’t seen from him before.
"Any questions?"
"Can she say my name?" Duncan requested.
"Shit." Rem looked a little pissed by the question but nodded his head. "All right, babe. Let me undress you."
I let Rem tug me to my feet where he quickly divested me of my new cut and shirt, careful to avoid my right arm. The cut declared I was his property. Part of me still found it offensive, but I loved it at the same time because not only did it protect me, it also gave me ownership over Rem.
He laid my cut on the foot of the bed and then took care of my jeans and tee.
My arms instantly wrapped around myself to block Duncan’s view.
“Please don’t,” Duncan said.
Rem leaned over to whisper in my ear. “Don’t be scared to show him your body. You think I’m the only one who sees how sexy you are? If I hadn’t claimed you, Duncan would have.”
I looked at Duncan as Rem unhooked my bra and pulled the straps down. My nipples hardened once exposed, and I slowly let my arms fall to my sides. Duncan’s mouth fell open for a moment then shut tight as a hard look came into his eyes. There was no judgment, only raw desire.
I felt my entire body blush as Rem skimmed my panties down my legs. Duncan seemed tense, as if he was holding himself back from grabbing at me.
Rem sat down on the bed and pulled me roughly into his lap, my naked skin rubbing against his cut and jeans. He cupped my face and kissed me. His tongue entered my mouth in that slow delicious way that made heat spread through my veins and my legs pop open.
I felt the wetness between my legs as he kept up his assault. When he pulled away, I was panting for him.
He looked at Duncan. Then he picked me up and set me back down so I had my back to his chest, letting my ass sink in between his legs. Then he cupped my knees and spread my legs. I was warm, and my pussy tingled as it was openly exposed. I knew my cunt must have glistened in the light.
Rem hooked my knees over his thighs, freeing his hands to cup my breasts. He pinched them roughly. I braced on hands on his upper thighs and arched my back into his touch. I turned my head to beg for another kiss, and he gave it to me before I could speak. We fed off each other, letting our tongues and lips dance against each other.
There was a grunt from the side of the room, and Rem pulled away. He leaned his forehead against mine and said, “Are you ready to let Duncan taste your sweetness?”
I couldn’t speak, so I just nodded.
I watched as Duncan knelt in front of us. His hands came up and touched my thighs, slowly sliding them toward my center. It felt strange at first, letting another man touch me. I had to keep myself from shying away. His fingers were close to touching my nether lips. My hands squeezed into Rem, suddenly nervous.
“It’s okay, baby,” he whispered to me.
Then Duncan brushed his thumb over my clit. I jumped and whimpered. It felt good, but I was so sensitive from Rem’s teasing. Next thing I knew, his head ducked down and his tongue repeated the same motion. I whimpered again. I liked it, but I still felt strange and nervous.
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