by Rayne, Sara
“He put you in danger.” Captain’s brows drew together. “And what I said don’t count, I thought I was gonna die at the time.”
“I put myself in danger, and I got myself out of it, too. You don’t have to protect me anymore. I’m grown.” She squared her shoulders. “Whether you like it or not, I belong here with Voo—with the MC—with you. Stop pushing me away.”
For a long moment, they squared off, neither speaking.
His blue eyes softened. “Guess I shouldn’t be so surprised. You’re just like me.”
“Despite Mom and Brad’s best efforts, I’m afraid so.” She folded her arms. “I’m not pretending to be something else ever again. Not for them, not for you—not for anyone.”
“You’re gonna do what you want, no matter what I say, huh?”
“Damn right.”
“Eddie’s gonna have a ball tellin’ me ‘I told you so’ tonight.” He stood. “In which case, I guess I’m in your spot.”
She gasped as he gestured for her to sit. “Really?”
“Yep. After all, it ain’t right for me to tell my Best Man who she can bring to the weddin’.” Cap examined her face. “If you still want the job?”
“Of course I do!” Lex threw her arms around her father’s neck.
“I love you, baby girl.”
“I love you, too, Dad.” She kissed his cheek. “Now, stop glarin’ at Voo.”
“Don’t push your luck.” He turned to the redhead. “Fiona? Do a good job.”
Fiona grinned. “You got it.”
“See?” Jagger smiled smugly. “It all worked out.”
“Shut up.” Fiona rolled her eyes. “Family. Can’t live with ‘em, can’t shoot ‘em.”
“I’ve got your ink gun clean.” Crash came around the privacy screen. As she took the tool from him, Fiona’s hand lingered on his. Jagger cleared his throat, and Fiona jumped, moving to sit on the stool next to Lex.
“You ready, sweetie?” When Lex nodded, Fiona had her turn over. With clinical proficiency, Fiona tucked Lex’s shirt under her bra to expose her back then cleaned the skin.
Lex squeezed her eyes shut, fingers clenching. “Okay. Getting nervous.”
“I’m right here, ma petite.” Voo squeezed her hand. “I’ve got Pretty Boy on standby with a baggie full of pain-killer.”
She laughed. “You’re not supposed to talk about getting high in front of my dad.”
“Shit.” Her father slapped his knee. “I smoked two joints after every tat I got.”
“Dad!”
“So did your mom. Bet Brad the Boy Scout doesn’t know that.” Captain grinned. “I’ll go get it for you. What time do you think she’ll be done, Fiona?”
“Give me at least two hours,” the redhead replied.
Cap winked at Lex as he headed out. “Don’t tell your mother.”
The bell over the door chimed as Cap left. “I’m totally telling Mom. Just to see her face.”
Voo laughed. “And Brad’s.”
Gazing at the flames spelling out “Think on Your Sins” across the tile beneath the chair, she couldn’t help but think about the past few days…the past few months.
Lex had seen a man shot and killed in front of her days ago. Had rescued Voodoo and Boone from a psychopath. Her faith in herself had never been stronger. Lex could make it through whatever the future held with Voo by her side.
Until Fiona started to work.
Damn, that hurts.
Through the buzz of the tattoo gun and the haze of pain, Voo grasped her hand.
“You’re doing great, ma petite.”
By the second hour, she was getting sore. Fiona gave her a break to stretch, but it didn’t help much. Voo stayed by her side the entire time.
“Hold still, sweetie, only a few more minutes,” Fiona promised. “This looks damn good.”
“And hurts like hell,” Lex groaned.
“Hang in there, Lex,” Fiona encouraged. “Crash, grab me some ice from the back! She’s almost finished.”
As Crash bustled into the back, Voo caught her gaze. “You’re my old lady now, Lex. Do whatever you want and no one will say shit to you. Not twice, anyway.”
“I love you,” she whispered, squeezing his hand.
“And I, you.” He leaned close, his lips brushing hers. “You got no idea what it does to me to see my name on your flesh.”
“You can show me later. But I’m not bottom.” She gasped. “Ow, ow, ow!”
“And we’re done.” Fiona put the gun down then spread something goopy and deliciously cool across Lex’s tender flesh.
Voodoo’s name was written in old-fashioned curling letters with intricate loops in thick Brimstone Black. Behind the letters, gold, copper, and crimson flames spelled out “Hellspawn”. Lex loved it, almost as much as she loved Voo’s new ink. He had her name scrawled in glowing silver across his wrist.
Voo touched her spine just above the colors. “This is beautiful work, Fiona.”
“Thanks. Only the best for my Horsemen.”
Cap returned as Crash handed Fiona an ice pack. After Fiona wrapped some gauze over the tat, she pressed it against Lex’s swollen flesh.
“Ah. That’s nice.”
Lex climbed to her feet. She gasped. “Oh my God, that hurt. Mistakes were made.”
Cap laughed. “Welcome to the life, kid. You wanted in.”
“Bless my poor, stupid heart.” Lex smiled. “I love you, Dad.”
“Love you, too.” He patted her on the back. “But if he tries to put your drawers on the line, he and I’ll have words.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Perdition’s patio had never looked finer. Lights were strung from the porch to the privacy fence in twinkling spirals. White streamers and red roses cascaded from the hanging lines. A wooden archway twined with ivy sat at the end of a long red carpet, flanked by rows of white folding chairs.
Shep stood under the arch in a tuxedo, tugging at his bow tie. He kept looking at the Bible clutched in his hand, flipping it open to a page he marked with a finger. His mouth moved silently as he read.
Lex adjusted her own tuxedo jacket and gave Cap a thumbs-up. “How you feelin’, old man? Nervous?”
“Shut up, kid.” Cap tugged at his tie. “Next to the day you were born, this is the best day of my life. And it’s just getting started.”
The wedding followed every Horsemen tradition. His groomsmen represented the Four Families: Voodoo for Death, Goat for Pestilence, Cowboy as Shep’s stand-in for Famine since he was officiating the ceremony, and Ryker for War, so Axel could give Eddie away.
The Crossroad Crows played in the back corner. Lex watched as they stood, raising their instruments. The sweet sound of Blue’s violin pierced the air, and Eddie stepped forward on the arm of her eldest son. Axel covered her hand with his own, whispering to her as they walked down the aisle.
Eddie shone from within. The dress’s black satin bodice laced up the back, corset-style. The satin parted just below her hips, spilling yards of swirling tulle around her white knee-high stiletto boots. She wore her hair up, loose tendrils escaping and curling around her shoulders. She beamed brightly at Cap.
Lex snuck a glance at Voo. He pressed his hand against his heart and winked.
Flirt.
“Friends, we’re gathered here today…”
As the ceremony proceeded, Lex looked around at her biker family. Jagger made moon eyes at Blue, Pretty Boy hung on Shep’s every word, Cowboy made silly faces at the baby Daisy held in her arms, Rose elbowed Duke to pay attention, Dani snuck glances at Frost when she thought no one was paying attention, Coyote worked on his leather patch, and her dad was finally getting what he always wanted—to be with Eddie.
And Lex had Voo. She had to admit, it was a room full of happy endings. Things were looking up.
“…I now pronounce you man and wife. Cap, kiss her at your own risk.” Shep winked at the happy couple.
Cap snagged Eddie around the waist and dipped
her to a round of whistles and catcalls. As they kissed, the guests at the end of each aisle lit sparklers, raising them high in the air. Eddie and Cap walked arm in arm beneath the cheery lights, wide smiles on their faces. The photographer was set up in the parking lot by the newly shined club bikes.
By the time they had finished with the pictures, the brothers had rearranged Perdition for the reception, with a long buffet table under the club motto, “Think on Your Sins”. The Crossroad Crows set up on stage.
Lex cheered when Jagger introduced “Mr. and Mrs. Cooper” to the crowd.
After the formal bridal party dances, Lex grabbed a glass of champagne and plopped down on a barstool. The Crows had taken a break, and Voo had gone out with Shep and Jagger to smoke. As she sipped her drink, Blue hopped off the stage and elbowed up to the bar beside Lex.
“Hell of a wedding.” The singer lifted her blonde-and-blue hair off the back of her neck as Pretty Boy fetched her a glass of water.
“Sure is.” Lex grinned.
Voo, Shep, and Jagger walked in from the back. Voo had something fisted in his hand and a mischievous look on his intoxicated face. Whatever he was about to do, Jag and Shep were egging him on hard.
As Lex watched, Voo stepped up to the bar and pinned the scrap of lace in his hand to the long string of panties winding around it. The bikers around them broke into a round of wolf-whistles while Lex blushed furiously.
Blue raised a brow. “Take it those are your drawers?”
Lex covered her face with her hands as Cap’s voice rang out over the raucous crowd. “Oh, hell no!”
Blue slapped her knee, laughing.
“Are they fighting? I can’t look.” Lex peeked between her fingers. Cap was throwing an ever-loving fit, all up in Voo’s face. The Creole looked back at him unfazed, his arms crossed over his wide chest. Around them, Jagger, Axel, Ryker, Shep, and Pretty Boy weren’t even attempting to hide their humor. Eddie eventually stepped in, drawing Lex’s father into a dance despite his protests he was “fixin’ to kick some Creole ass”.
“It’s over now.” Blue elbowed her in the ribs. “Take it your dad is havin’ a hard time adjusting to your new relationship?”
Lex blew out a breath. “He’ll come around.”
“He will. Family’s a funny thing. No matter how mad they make you, or how much they embarrass you, you still love ‘em. My older brother’s the over-protective sort, too. Doesn’t matter that I’m a grown-ass woman, he still sees the little girl he used to make pancakes for when she was sad.”
Lex finished her champagne. “Yeah. Sometimes I think when my dad looks at me, he sees a little girl in pigtails tellin’ him she’s gonna marry a biker someday.”
Blue grinned. “Then I guess he should’ve expected this all along.”
The Crossroad Crows started up again. Jagger took the mic on stage as the band readied their instruments. “I don’t think I have to remind everyone of how rough things have been for the club recently. It heartens me to see us here, together, celebrating. This song is dedicated to the future of the Four Horsemen MC.”
They began playing “Hard Times Come Again No More”. Jagger’s clean, Irish tenor echoed off the rafters, and Blue’s bell-like soprano made for a haunting accompaniment.
“May I have this dance, ma petite?” Voo took her hand, and Lex followed him to the dance floor. She wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her chin on his chest. They swayed to the music beside the stage. “You must admit, I’m a better dancer than Boone.”
Lex giggled. “You’re never gonna let it go, are you?”
“What can I say? I’m the possessive sort.” Voo’s arms tightened around her waist, and his mouth covered hers in a searing kiss.
She forgot about the dance floor, the crowd, the band—everything but his lips moving hungrily over hers.
She didn’t see Apollo burst in from backstage. He clocked Stix, the drummer, in the back of the head with his gun, then he pointed the gun at Voo and Lex and fired rapidly. Bullets whizzed past Lex’s face, stirring her hair.
Voo shoved her to the ground, covering her with his body. He stiffened with a curse, and something hot and wet dripped onto her bare shoulder. She tried to move, but he held her still.
“Stay down,” he rasped in her ear.
Climbing to his feet, he charged the stage like he was bullet proof. Lex crouched on the floor, safe behind the shield of his wide shoulders. Jagger tackled Apollo from behind, and they grappled. He knocked the Irishman back as Voo leaped on stage.
“I’ve been waiting for this day for ten years,” Apollo sneered, gun pointed at Voo’s head.
“The day you die?” Voo stopped, a lazy smile curving his lips. A chorus of metallic clicks echoed through the crowd as bikers cocked their guns. The entire wedding party and most of the guest list was packing. “Me, too.”
“They won’t get to me in time to save you.”
“I will.” Blue pushed the barrel of a 9mm Glock against Apollo’s temple. She’d pulled it from her violin case.
He froze.
“You interrupted my song, asshole.” Her eyes narrowed. “Not very polite.”
Jagger grabbed Apollo’s arms, roughly jerking them behind his back, and secured them with zip ties. Then he slapped the loan shark in the back of the head. “You’re the dumbest motherfucker I’ve ever met. And believe me, I’ve met a lot of dumb motherfuckers.”
“Thanks, Irish. You’re more useful than you look.” Voo grinned.
Lex climbed to her feet, catching the asshole’s eye as she approached the stage. She yelled, “Hey, Apollo—how about those bikers with big, bad guns?”
“Fucking bitch,” he spat.
Voo slugged him in the mouth. “Say it again. You’ve always had too many teeth for my liking.”
Blood dripped down his chin as he fell into a sullen silence.
“You okay, baby girl?” Cap caught Lex’s arms before she could climb on stage.
“I’m fine, Dad.” She squeezed his hand, meeting his eye. “Voo took a bullet for me.”
“I saw.” He swallowed.
She let Cap help her up on the stage, and they stood behind Voo. Axel and Ryker climbed up behind them. Lex stared at Apollo. “Why the hell would you come here?”
Voo turned, his eyes searching her over. She held up a hand to indicate she was okay, and he grabbed it, pulling her close. He narrowed his eyes at Apollo. “I’m guessin’ Beauregard’s Dixie Mafia boys were waiting for him at the border. They’re some nasty fuckers. He’s probably bettin’ on us being a more merciful death.”
Lex stepped forward, holding Apollo’s gaze. “You bet wrong. Again.”
“Get him out of here.” Voo wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
“Our pleasure.” Axel and Ryker took Apollo from Jagger, jostling him down into the crowd.
“Good luck with the hick bikers,” Lex called.
Voo sniggered.
“You’re such a badass.” Jagger turned to Blue with a smile. “Not every woman brings a Glock to a family wedding.”
“You sure?” She nodded towards the armed crowd.
“Old ladies are a different breed. They don’t count.”
“If you say so.” Blue tucked the weapon back in her violin case. “My family stacks ammo under the cake table. Wonder what breed we are.”
Voo clapped Jagger on the shoulder. “Good luck with that, mate.”
“Fuck off, mon ami,” the musician tossed back.
Blood dripped from the white cuff of Voo’s shirt. Lex circled his wrist. “You got shot. Are you alright? You should sit down.”
“Nothing a couple of Duke’s stitches won’t fix. It grazed my shoulder.” He gingerly ducked out of his jacket and peeled the fabric from the wound. “See? It's nothing.”
“Ouch,” she hissed. “I think it messed up your tattoo.”
A jagged bleeding line ran right through the broken heart made of ocean waves.
Voo chuckled. “Looks like it’s
time for me to let some wounds heal.”
“I’m sick of almost losing you.” Lex pressed her lips to his, hooking her arms around his neck.
“Never happen.” He kissed her again then pulled them both to their feet.
“What will they do with him?” Lex hugged Voodoo closer as she watched her stepbrothers haul Apollo from the room.
“Hard to say.” Voo squinted. “We’ll have to vote on it.”
Most of the crowd had filed inside the bar, but Dani hung back, standing on her tiptoes to see Lex. They made their way through the over-turned chairs and trampled crepe paper, collecting her on their way to Duke and his medical bag.
“Don’t worry, sweetie. Duke’s great at stitches.” Rose put her arm around Lex.
Lex nodded. “Voo, do you need anything?”
“I’m straight.” As Duke slid the needle smoothly through his skin, Voo didn’t even flinch. “My hide’s tougher than it looks. Why don’t you check on Miss Eddie?”
Lex and Dani backtracked, looking for the new bride in the throng of people. When they didn’t make any headway, they sat on one of the tables to keep an eye out.
Cap walked through the doors of Perdition with Eddie on his arm. For a woman whose nuptials had been interrupted by a psychopath, she looked amazingly put together. Her mascara wasn’t even smudged.
Lex and Dani exchanged a glance.
Dani grinned. “I know, right? Hashtag: life goals.”
“For real, though.”
“Speaking of life goals, look at you all smiling after we got shot at. I think you fit into the old lady lifestyle fine.” Dani nudged her shoulder.
“Me, too.” The last few months had taught Lex a lot about herself. Who she was, what she was made of…where she came from. She caught her dad’s eye from across the room. “Guess you could say it’s in my blood.”
Eddie pressed a kiss to Cap’s cheek and pulled away, headed for Lex and Dani. Cap elbowed his way through the throng of adrenaline-pumped brothers to Voodoo. Lex watched her man grow still and turn to face her father.
Cap punched Voodoo in his good arm. “What you did back there, grabbing Lex, putting yourself between her and harm…thank you.”