Sage and Celia cock their heads as they hold up their shot glasses. I voice what they’re thinking, “Bullshit. But you don’t have to worry, I might be rocking this thing but I’ll keep it on.”
Emma sticks her tongue out at Hannah, and gets a longer one in return. The three of us are close as hell, the oldest Cocker cousins, with Ben a month behind me. We’re three of the seventeen descendants of six notorious brothers in Atlanta. And Hannah and Emma used to be roommates until I whisked Hannah off to Florida. Then everything changed, as meeting the love of your life will do.
I should know.
“What’ll we toast to?” Sage asks, red hair warmed by the taupe bridesmaid dress she’s wearing. I chose this color because all four of them look great in it, no matter their skin color.
“To my sisters,” I smile, meeting each of their eyes. “I don’t have any siblings by blood but…with you girls I have everything I need.”
After a collective bunch of “Awwww!” we clink our glasses and bring them to our lips, eyeing each other to see if we’re really sucking these bad boys down or sipping. I mutter, “And to hot sex and true love.”
They laugh and we throw ‘em back, wincing as the hot sting courses down our throats in one nasty gulp.
Sage coughs, the youngest of us and not much of a drinker. Ceels hits her back to help her, but Sage waves her away and croaks, “I’m fine. Totally got this!”
The door opens and all heads turn to see my mother sneaking in, shutting the door quickly and cocking an eyebrow at the empty shot glasses in our five hands. “My timing is off. Give me one.”
I pour it, grin, and hand it over. Mom sips and touches Emma’s arm, while looking between her and Hannah, “Three beautiful bridesmaids, one gorgeous Maid of Honor, and…” she turns me, “And the stunning spawn of Satan.”
“Mom!” I laugh with her.
She reaches for the skirt of my gown and lifts it, giving me a dreamy-eyed expression. I’ve never seen her moon over anything but that’s what she’s doing to me, and it feels pretty damn great. “Sofia Sol,” she whispers, “You’re breathtaking.”
“Thank you,” I smile, stepping in for a hug. She kisses my hair. “You look beautiful, too, Mom. But I always think that about you.”
She pulls away to scan my face, wondering if I’m joking. “Do you?”
“Every time I ever see you I think, my mom is a queen.”
Emotion twists her forehead and she blinks a few times, “Can we go back to yelling at each other?”
“Yes, please!”
“Oh good!” she laughs, tipping her glass back and dropping it with an empty thump on the table by my window. Wiping her eyes she announces, “To change the subject, Nancy and Melodi are fighting over the food. Mel put out her jambalaya in front of your grandmother’s chili and just as quickly, it was moved, chili up front.”
To Celia and Sage, who don’t know the Cocker family at all, never having been to one of our famous family BBQs in Atlanta, I explain, “Grandma Nance makes the best chili in Georgia if not the whole South.”
My cousin Emma says, “And while she acts humble and always says something like, it’s probably burned this time, it’s always perfect.”
Hannah rolls her pale green eyes, “You are going to die when you taste it.”
Sage puffs up a little, “Wait until you’ve tried Mel’s jambalaya! There’s never any left.”
“Never any chili left over, either,” Hannah says, “Uncle Jason, or our cousin Gabriel, one or both of them always run off with it and leave the party with their stomachs distended.”
“Tonk, Fuse, and Honey Badger once got in an actual fight over the last spoonful!”
Mom throws up her hands. “Alright, they’re both delicious. God, you’re as bad as they are downstairs.”
Sage and Hannah quickly apologize to each other, and I just shake my head, “Ciphers and Cockers, let the egos begin!”
Chapter 39
LUKE
Dad walks into his bedroom where I’m getting ready with Atlas, Tyler, Tonk Jr., and Sean. He stops like he’s been punched. “Holy fuck, look at how good you guys clean up in those penguin suits!”
“I can’t figure what to do with this bow tie,” I mutter, wrestling with it, since none of us knows how.
Dad opens the door wider and says, “Might have someone who can help you with that.”
Our old President ambles in, wearing a brown suit, his grey hair and beard down past his shoulder blades and collarbone.
“Scratch!” I grin, strolling over to give him a bear hug. “Came all the way from Montana for me, huh?”
He slaps my back, drawl thick as always, “Nah, I want to see Sofia wearing white.”
“She went with off-white,” I grin at him.
“Probably better that way. What the hell are ya doin’ with this? Think it’s shoelaces? Give me that!” He deftly twists and tucks it a few times until he stands back and surveys his work. “I still got it.”
My brother, equally glad to see the old man, is probably happy that something has broken the tension. I made him my best man, because it had to be him, but we haven’t gotten back to where we were. Probably never will. Who knows. I’m civil to him but that’s it. For the Ciphers. For our history. For our blood.
“Scratch,” he asks, “How’d you learn how to do that?”
“I wasn’t always this surly. Lookin’ good, kid. Give me that thing.” He ties Atlas’ bow and I glance to see Dad beaming with pride at his two sons being taken care of by the man he fought countless missions with, and who he missed like crazy when Scratch retired with Mona up north where it was more quiet, more space.
After Tonk Jr. gets his tied, too, I introduce Sean who looks like he’s not sure if he should disappear. We give him a quick explanation of who Scratch is, and he nods with respect.
Scratch crooks his finger. “C’mere Sean, you’re just as useless as they are.” As he ties the bow, a silent inspection occurs. “I hear you’re comin’ along in the training. Pretty good with your fists.”
“I’m alright. It’s the martial arts stuff that’ll take more time.”
“Time is all we got.”
“Yes, sir.”
“You like livin’ with the Ciphers?”
Sean’s blue eyes darken, somber and direct, with zero sentimentality. “Never want to leave, if I’m honest.”
“I like honest,” Scratch mutters, eyes narrowed. “It’s good to see new blood comin’ in.” He slaps Sean’s arm, job done, and turns to Tyler. “What the fuck, I never taught you?”
Ty grins and bends his head back, “Little help, Gramps?”
“Gramps! Shut your trap. I’m as virile as you are on your best day. Don’t think all those pups you got give you any street cred.”
“How’s Inez hanging in there with all those normies, downstairs? Drunk yet?”
Scratch laughs, fiddling with the knot. “You give that woman so much grief I’m surprised she loves you.”
Jett explodes into the room. “I heard Scratch was here! There you are, you old fart!”
They hug and Scratch rumbles, “Grey eyed sonofabitch! How ya been?”
“My daughter’s shacked up right under my nose and my roof, that’s how I’ve been!”
“Gotta admit, I don’t envy you, but you deserve hell for all the hell you give the world!”
They laugh and Scratch checks out Jett’s tux. “Where’s your tie?”
“I’m going open.”
“Bullshit! Put on a damn tie. This is a once in a lifetime event!”
Grumbling, Jett yanks out a strap of black silk from his pocket. “This thing is stupid.”
“It’s stupid because you don’t know how, ya mean? Come here,” Scratch mutters, grabbing it and going to work.
It’s a rare sight, and I glance to Dad, see him nod to me that he thinks it’s pretty cool, too. If we were the picture-taking kind, this would be one. But we don’t like evidence, so we never developed the ha
bit of cataloguing life moments.
They’re to be enjoyed as they happen, then you just make more—that’s what Mona used to say.
Jaxson Cocker, Jett’s older brother pokes his head in the room and says, “Hey Jett, Luke, we need you down there. About to start.”
My mind is on his son Ben as I nod, “Coming,” and stroll to the mirror to smooth down my long hair. I’m wearing it free since Soph loves it this way. “Nice knot, Scratch,” I murmur, tugging on it and stretching my neck. “Not too tight.”
“Of course it’s perfect,” he chuckles. “Now let’s see you make an honest woman of our wild child, huh?”
The group files out, but Dad grabs my arm to hold me back a sec. Everyone sees it, and nobody says a word. Tonk Jr. is last to go, and Dad grabs his arm real quick. “Got the rings?”
He shrugs, “Lost ‘em.”
“You liar!”
“Then don’t go asking stupid questions,” he chuckles as he closes the door.
Alone now, Dad’s eyes light up with pride. “Look at you in this tux.”
“Crazy, huh?”
“Suits you better than this suits me!” He motions to his.
“You look great.”
“Bullshit. I’m in costume, but hey, it’s just for one night.” His smile fades and he drags a hand through his gray-streaked hair. “Before you left I told you to find a woman like my Meg. I wanted to say before we go down that, I was wrong about that. What you’ve found is yours. It suits. I just wanted you to know…you impress me. You’re not just my son anymore, Luke. You’re your own man, and…” He shrugs, locking eyes with me. “Well, that’s it. I just wanted you to know that.”
I stare at him, and pull him in for a masculine hug. “I’ve always wanted to make you proud, Dad.”
We separate and shake it off, heading for the door. I open it for him, “You want me to get this for you, you big pussy?”
He guffaws, bending back with a huge roar. Then he pushes me away from the door, waving over his shoulder, “I see Sofia’s rubbing off. But I’m still bigger than you. Never forget it!”
Laughing, “I won’t,” I follow him out.
Chapter 40
LUKE
With my heart slamming in my chest, I take my spot in front of Max, Sofia’s cousin, ordained as a Minister for this purpose since most of the Cockers aren’t all that religious, but they love family.
Sweeping a slow glance over my view of both of our families, I nod to some I don’t know, wink at ones I do. They’re seated under strings of twinkle lights that Nancy Cocker demanded we hang in our backyard. Place looks fucking fantastic. We even got new mesh walls for our screened-in porch out here. Special occasions call for special renovations, my mom said. The agreeing vote was unanimous.
Everyone’s in separate conversations that quiet as Atlas appears with Celia on his arm at the end of a long black carpet. They make their way over scattered red rose petals, Ceels with her cheeks pink from happiness, and my brother looking damn good, even if he is a dick.
Tonk Jr. is next, my sister on his arm. Sage beams at me, not even seeing the crowd until Mom whispers, “You look beautiful!” She grins at her and stands a little taller, long red hair draped over her shoulders.
Tyler walks Hannah down, her blonde hair up, heels high, so that with her tall height she’s at his six-one inches, if not past that.
Emma slips her arm through Sean’s, says something in his ear that makes him grin, and they walk just as slowly as the others.
I never understood the rituals until now. The time they’re taking builds up suspense for me to see the one I’m dedicating my life to. My heart is pounding and I’ve gotta fight the urge to go get her myself.
The music changes. We hired a band, and the keyboardist takes over, expertly playing Here Comes The Bride. Everybody stands except for Sofia’s great-grandmother. May Cocker is in the center aisle seat, front row, on two floral cushions I’m guessing she brings everywhere. She cranes her neck, white hair curled, her hands folded as she waits with everyone.
I stop breathing, swallow hard, hoping Soph didn’t run off and change her mind. Some days I’m convinced none of this is real, that I’ll wake up. This is one of those times.
But the screen door opens, Luna stands back, holding it. Sofia Sol appears on Jett’s arm, in a dress so made for her body my mouth slackens. I’ve never seen her hair curled, never seen her in heels, and the blush in her cheeks is for me.
How can one man be so lucky?
She loops her other arm through Luna’s and people react with surprise, enjoying the break from tradition with murmurs of appreciation, nods of approval.
We wouldn’t be Ciphers if we didn’t do things our way.
Her parents walk their only child down the aisle to me, and Soph’s grey eyes sparkle under the softened light. She grins, then bites her lip as they slowly make their way past our families. Her rockstar cousin, Gabriel, whistles through his teeth and she laughs a glance to him, shushing him with a wink like she loves it.
As she passes her grandparents, Michael and Nancy Cocker tip their heads with love to her. Her grin is different for them, filled with pride and respect. She sees May Cocker and melts, waving, “Hi Grams!”
Blue eyes, sharp and happy, crinkle up. “You look beautiful, honey!”
I step toward them, eager to get her to myself. Removing Sofia’s hand from his arm, Jett places it in mine, as Luna steps back, with tears hovering in her eyes.
Jett clears his throat, saying loudly enough for everyone to hear, “You’re a man worthy of our daughter, Luke, and I’ll be happy to call you my son.”
Luna shakes her head like she can’t believe she’s emotional in front of all these people. “When you were gone, Sofia mowed the lawn. We can’t have that happen again, you get me?”
“Loud and clear. Don’t worry…” My gaze slips away from her parents and lands on my beautiful, badass bride. “I’m sticking around.”
They step back, take their seats next to Grams, and I pull Soph closer, clasping her hands and staring at the woman I can’t believe is mine. She’s got her heart in her eyes, but then her face changes, “Oh!” and she turns toward her great-grandmother. “Grams! You haven’t officially met my future husband, Luke. What do you think of him?”
Under my breath I chuckle, “Little late now.”
Soph cocks an eyebrow at me. “Grams has to approve.” Of her cousins Hannah and Emma she asks for confirmation with a single look. They nod, stifled amusement in their eyes.
As everyone is silent, centenarian May Cocker tilts her head, shamelessly raking an inspection down then back up my body. She points at me, wriggling her finger. “He’s a wild one, Sofia.” Folding her hands again, she winks, “You’re a lucky girl.”
Sofia grins, “He’s hot as fuck, right?”
For the first time ever the Ciphers are shocked.
Maybe even appalled.
Here these bikers are on their best behavior for this upper-class—many of them famous—family who came all the way out from Atlanta, Georgia. And Sofia went and swore at her great-grandma who looks like her face should be on a box of cookies, she’s so cute.
But for some reason the Cocker Family flies into total hysterics.
Grams shakes her head, grinning as she shouts, “Language!” joined in by at least eight of them.
Even ex-Congressman Michael Cocker is grinning next to his laughing wife.
What. The. Hell.
Sofia Sol smirks at me, “You’re approved.”
We face Max who’s wiping his eyes from laughing so hard.
I mutter under my breath, “You going to explain that to me later?”
“Nope.”
“You know I like challenges.”
She whispers, “Yep!”
Chapter 41
LUKE
“Luke Jett Scratch Martinez, I Sofia Sol Cocker, vow to be yours and only yours until I…bite the dust,” she smiled. “I vow to keep you enter
tained, challenged.” She gave me a wink. “I vow to keep you on your toes even when I’m an old lady. I will continue to fight by your side, cover your ass, and let you lead the way out there, but now I’ll do it as your wife. I vow to respect you as a man, love you as a man.” She squeezed my hands. “I vow that even when I’m mad at you, I’ll take my issues to you, nobody else. Because together, like you just vowed to me, we will be the team within the team, and everything stems from us, right here.” She touched over her heart, then over mine, and pressed there like she did in Sedona when things began to change for us. “You’re my hero, Luke.”
There’s not much I remember about the actual ceremony. But that hero-statement and all of those vows, they burned into me.
No matter how many people I have helped on the road, this love I feel for her, from her, feels like the best thing I’ve ever done.
The kiss…can’t forget that, either. Both sides of our families stood up and cheered as I dipped Sofia Sol, lifted her up, and spun her around without coming up for air. Her red nails dove into my hair and fisted it, hot as fuck.
That kiss that sealed the deal was filled with love, red hot passion, joy…plus the promise of a future I never thought I’d have. And when I set her down, she shouted, “Miracles do happen!” which made everybody laugh.
Great way to start a party.
Even better way to start a life.
Chapter 42
SOFIA SOL
The rumble of my Triumph feels different as I ride with Luke, Celia, Sean and Atlas to El Paso, Texas, where we heard about a crisis that’s on the verge of turning worse.
I tighten my fists on the bars, but slow down despite my will power. My husband glances over as I break formation. Weird for me to since nobody’s on the road but us at this hour, a little after four o’clock in the morning on a Tuesday.
“Something wrong with your bike?” he calls over the roar.
“Dunno!” I wince as things go funky. “Stop a second.”
Cocky Rebel : Sofia Sol Cocker (Cocker Brothers, The Cocky Series Book 13) Page 19