Eternal Ride (The Hellions Ride Series)

by Chelsea Camaron

  Watching Morgan, she apparently isn’t aware of my brother’s plans for them. Her jaw drops open in surprise for a split second.

  “Excuse me. I’m not moving in with you.” Her challenging him almost makes me want to laugh.

  “Why the fuck not?” Ice asks as Madyson and Brooke start to laugh behind them.

  “You haven’t even managed to tell me you love me, and we’ve been together for over a year; why in the hell would I move in with you?”

  Oh, hell.

  His entire demeanor changes from one of joking to complete seriousness. He turns to Morgan, cupping her face in both of his hands, forcing her to meet his stare. “I’m a man of actions because they speak louder than words. Sweetheart, you want the words, you need the words, you got them. I told you, once I see something I want, I don’t let it go. Morgan, I love you. I love you yesterday, I love you today, I love you tomorrow, and I will love you for the rest of my days.”

  I feel like I am intruding on something I shouldn’t, yet it’s beautiful in its own way. Watching my brother have this, knowing everything he has been through, my chest fills with more emotion than I ever thought possible.

  With that seemingly settled, we head inside to attend the graduation ceremony. Squeezing Tessie’s hand, I am in awe of the woman beside me and all she has been through. I never thought I could feel this much emotion for one person. I would walk through Hell and back to give this woman every dream she has ever had.

  The ceremony goes on for a while before the students are each called across the stage. Proudly, I watch the once little girl who has grown into one of the strongest young women I know accept her diploma. Life hasn’t been fair or easy for Brooke or Ice, but they have endured.

  After making plans to meet at Ice’s house for a cookout, we go back to the hotel to change clothes.

  “Baby, you okay?” I question. Tessie has been extremely quiet since meeting everyone.

  She eyes me cautiously. “What about here?”

  “Ummm … clue me in a little more as to what you are asking for, and I promise I’ll do my best.” I am not following where she is going with this conversation. She is tense, and I don’t fucking like it one bit.

  Her chest rises and falls more quickly, letting me know she is getting worked up over whatever is on her mind. I move over to her and put my hands on her biceps, just to touch her as I focus on her demeanor.

  “Breathe, baby. Inhale. Tell me what you want. Exhale.”

  “Could we get married here?” she whispers, looking me directly in the eye.

  “You really gotta ask me that? Of course we can.”

  She bites her bottom lip as she looks sideways to Axel jumping on the hotel bed. “Can you get my mom here? I know I’m asking for a lot. If you would rather wait until we’re home, that’s fine. It’s just—”

  “It’s just nothing. You want it, you got it, baby. I’ll have Rex get on a plane with your mom and get her here.” I smile at her before I crash my lips down on hers.

  “Ewwww … .Shooter, girls have cooties, even moms sometimes,” Axel attempts to interrupt, but I don’t stop kissing her. She is making me the happiest man on the planet right now, so no, I am not going to stop kissing her until I am damn good and ready, kid or no kid. “Usually, it works. I’m losing my touch,” Axel mutters to himself before turning his attention elsewhere as his mom laughs uncontrollably in my arms, breaking our kiss.

  God, I love the little fucker.

  Looking down at the woman who owns my heart and soul completely, I can’t believe she really is ready.

  “You sure, baby? Don’t feel pressured into anything.”

  “Seeing Ice and Morgan have their moment earlier, it opened my eyes—actions speak louder than words. I don’t want to spend more time treading water. I want nothing more in this life than to be your wife, so why wait? I want this, you want this, and besides, what’s simpler than a beach wedding?”

  Kissing her breathless again, I can’t help feeling complete every time she is in my arms.

  “Here we go again,” Axel mutters on a sigh.

  Son, if you only knew what I would be doing to your momma if you weren’t in here right now.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  GIRL TALK

  ~Tessie~

  Whew. I am going to do this. I am really going to marry Shooter. He called Rex, and my mom will be here tomorrow morning with him. At sunset, I will commit the rest of my days to the man who literally brought me out of the darkest of times.

  Arriving at Ice’s house, I am overwhelmed at the size. Never would I have pictured the club President of the Regulators MC to reside in a gated community. His house would swallow ours completely, with room to spare. What are those guys in cuts doing to make this kind of money?

  “Things aren’t always what they seem, baby. He makes sure his girl stays safe,” Shooter states, reading my mind. Knowing first-hand the dangers of a rival club—or hell, even a so-called affiliate—no one can be too safe in this lifestyle.

  “Well, in a place like this, I would think she is safe, as long as she doesn’t get lost.”

  Shooter laughs at me, causing my heart rate to pick up. Every part of me is connected to this man.

  “Come on, baby. Don’t be intimidated. Ice and his crew are good guys.” He is looking at me intently, worried for me. Honestly, I don’t like crowds. I am far from comfortable around bikers that aren’t Hellions. With Shooter by my side, I can face anything, though, including a strange club.

  “I’m okay.” I smile over at him.

  “We don’t have to be here. We have a big day of our own coming up. I can call Ice and explain.”

  “I’m good, honey. I want to hang out with your friends.”

  With a quick kiss, he gets out of the vehicle, opening the door for Axel before making his way around to my door. As I climb out, he squeezes my hand reassuringly. This man always has my back.

  Making our way through the house, we get to the backyard where the party is in full swing. Bikers abound, beer drinking brothers stand with their old ladies at their sides, and their kids run around like they are at the park.

  When I see a cut that doesn’t match the patches of the Regulators, my heart skips a beat. I still struggle with what happened to me. Seeing colors I am not used to puts me on edge, waiting for a Desert Ghost to show up.

  Seeing the cut of the Savage Outlaws, I blow out a breath. On his side is a signature knife Shooter has told me all about. When I look up to the face of the man, I see it is indeed Bowie, with who I assume is his ol’ lady Shay at his side. I thought I saw him briefly with Lock at the graduation ceremony, but it was so crowded I couldn’t take everyone in. Having served in the Army with Shooter and Ice, I have seen pictures of him with the team from their missions in different parts of the world. He doesn’t look exactly the same, but the features are similar enough to discern who is who.

  After a quick chin lift in greeting, Shooter guides us over to where Ice is standing with Morgan tucked into his side. They again do their man hug, back slap thing that I will never understand before we step back to chat.

  “Can I go play horseshoes with everyone, Momma?” Axel asks.

  “Sure thing, buddy. Stay where you can see us, though.” I send him off to be a kid. Letting go is hard to do.

  “Have you set a date yet?” Morgan asks me in what I think is her attempt at casual conversation.

  Proudly, Shooter pipes up, “Tomorrow at sunset.”

  “Look at you. Smug bastard,” Ice replies at Shooter’s puffing of his chest when he made our announcement.

  “I’m hoping you and all the boys will be there,” Shooter adds, still smiling.

  “Always, brother.”

  “Oh. My. God,” Morgan emphasizes.

  “Sweetheart, that shit is for the bedroom, not with our friends,” Ice chimes in playfully.

  Suddenly, Morgan grabs me by the wrist, taking me with her towards the house. “We have to find something for me and the g
irls to wear.”

  “Brooke is ruining you!” Ice calls out as his woman keeps dragging me.

  When I give Shooter a look, pleading with him to save me, he only shrugs his shoulders and mouths, ‘sorry’.

  Once inside what I assume to be Brooke’s room, I can’t help laughing as Morgan looks in the teen’s closet.

  “Dammit. All her clothes will get me in trouble. Wait, maybe I want to be in trouble,” she mutters to herself. She stops and brings her finger up to tap on her jaw as she contemplates whether she wants to be ‘punished’ or not.

  “Anticipation makes it hotter,” I add, letting her know my mind is just as dirty and so is my man.

  We both fall into a fit of giggles. It is an odd thing for me. Since Shooter has come into my life, I laugh, I relax, and I breathe.

  “Does it ever dull out?” she suddenly asks me seriously.

  “What do you mean?”

  “I don’t know. Forget it,” she backtracks.

  “We ol’ ladies have to stick together. I know we don’t know each other well, but I would like to change that,” I state honestly. I don’t have many friends. If I am real with myself, I don’t have friends outside of the Hellions. Not that it is a problem, but Morgan seems nice enough.

  “How long have you been with a biker? The sex with Ice is ah-maz-ing; I just wonder if it dulls out.”

  “Hell no, it never dulls out.”

  “How long have you and Shooter been together? Casey, my best friend, she says the sex is hot because bikers are hot. She has been with regular guys, and she says it’s not the same.” She looks at me nervously. “I’ve only ever been with Ice. Don’t get me wrong, he seems happy with umm … what we do, ya know, but does it ever waver? The last year has been the best of my life, but I feel like I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop sometimes.”

  “Shooter and I have this long history together.” For some reason, something in me changes with Morgan, and I share with her something I don’t talk about much these days. “He saved me. I was being attacked.” I shift on my feet uncomfortably. How will she take my story? “I was violated. It could have been worse, but Shooter, he saved me. He is my rock. I don’t have a ton of experience, but what I have with Shooter is off-the-charts amazing.” I giggle nervously as she looks at me somberly.

  “How did you overcome that?”

  “Time, patience, love, understanding, and Shooter. He saved me from myself.”

  Tears fill her eyes. “My sister … she was… umm … kidnapped. Things happened. She is doing better, but I worry that she will never feel normal again.”

  “You want me to be honest with you?” She nods her head. “What is normal? You were a virgin until Ice. You have great sex, and the man obviously loves you, but you still have sexual insecurities. She will have those same insecurities, only she will question whether her body is still normal. Again, though, I ask, what is normal? Everyone handles trauma differently. When the right man comes along, he will make her feel whole again.”

  She reaches out and squeezes my hand in comfort. Watching her, I can’t decide who needs it more, me or her, so I wrap my arms around her and hug her tight.

  “Mercy, she hasn’t always been a friend to me. In her own time, though, she will give your sister exactly what she needs.”

  “Thank you,” Morgan whispers before we part.

  Looking back at the closet, she smiles over to me. “Wanna go shopping tomorrow morning? Or do you have hair and make-up appointments?”

  “No appointments. I would love to go shopping since I don’t even have a dress.”

  “WHAT?” she shrieks at me. “No dress! This is a travesty we must address.”

  We laugh together before finalizing our plans for the next morning.

  After going back to the party, Morgan pretty much spends her time either at my side or Ice’s. We have a lot in common as we both adjust to life as ol’ ladies to our badass bikers.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  PINCH ME

  ~Tessie~

  “Are you ready now?” Morgan asks excitedly.

  We only went to three shops this morning before we found an absolutely perfect one shoulder, empire waist, off-white sun dress. The layers of fabric below my breasts flow freely around and behind me slightly. The one shoulder strap is done to look like roses with one big flower where the strap joins to the top of the dress. My not so large breasts are scooped up by the built in bra, giving me a hint of cleavage I don’t normally have. The dress is not over-the-top; it is simple elegance, much like me.

  The hotel receptionist made a few calls for us and set up a nice spot on the beach for our vows to take place. She also found a local minister to perform the ceremony on such short notice.

  Rex is actually being thoughtful and agreed to rent a car at the airport so none of us had to slow our preparations to pick him and my mom up from the airport. I hope the trip isn’t too much on her body.

  “I think so,” I reply, smiling at Morgan.

  “Is it everything you’ve dreamt of?” she asks, pulling me into a coffee shop.

  We order—well, really, she orders—two Cuban espressos as she swears everyone in South Beach is addicted to the ever so small shots of caffeine goodness, while I think on her question. Is this everything I have dreamt of?

  “Well, is this your dream come true? If not, what do we need to give you that?”

  “Morgan, are you a dreamer? Do you have your wedding planned out along with your version of Prince Charming?” I question, wondering if I am the only woman ever to not dream of her wedding day.

  She looks at me shyly before dropping her head. She doesn’t answer, which makes me more curious.

  “I’ll be honest with you. Until Shooter, I never thought I would get married. I certainly didn’t believe in Prince Charming. I guess you should know since he will be here today. Shooter is not Axel’s dad, and Rex is the complete opposite of prince anything.”

  “Rex, the Hellion? As in, Shooter’s brother?” she questions with a surprised gasp.

  “Yeah, Rex, Catawba Hellion VP. So more than Shooter’s brother; he’s Shooter’s Vice Pres.”

  “Do I even want to know?”

  “I’m not a barfly, if that’s what you’re thinking. I was once Rex’s barfly, I guess you could say. It’s a long and complicated history he and I share. Axel is the best thing to come out of it for both of us. We’re still working on the new dynamic of our relationship, but Rex is there for his son. Being with Rex for years without really being with him warped my ideals of marriage and relationships. For a long time, I was waiting for him to wake up and want any kind of future with me. I was willing to accept anything from him. Then Shooter and I kept getting thrown together. Literally, he was tossed into my life by chance circumstance when my car broke down.”

  “Damsel in distress … the stuff fairy tales are made of.” She smiles sweetly at me.

  “Our story is far from a fairy tale, but he is my knight. Maybe not in shining armor, but he is my knight that rides in on his horse of steel to save the day; how about that?” We both laugh.

  “Well, how do you feel about it? Is there anything else you want or need?”

  “Honestly, I have my man and my son, so I just need my momma, and everything will be complete.”

  “Simple. I like that about you, Tessie.”

  We finish our coffees then head back to the hotel. Shooter and Axel are in our room when we walk in.

  “Hey, baby,” he greets before coming over and kissing me breathless.

  “Hey, handsome.” Will I ever get tired of kissing this man? Doubtful.

  “Fred flew in with your mom and Rex,” the man who makes my world spin says with a smile. “My parents are driving but left early enough that, although tired, they will get here about an hour before the ceremony.”

  “If we have to wait for them, we can. I’m sorry I didn’t think of all that when I asked for this.”

  “Baby, I don’t give a shit who is here,
as long as when we lay down tonight it’s as husband and wife.”

  “I love you, Andy.”

  “I love you, too.” He kisses me again right as there is a knock at the door.

  “Thank goodness someone is here to save us from all their kissing. Morgan, I hope you aren’t like this, too,” Axel says to my new friend as he bounces past us.

  “Party is here, so open the door, fuckers,” Rex shouts from the other side of the door.

  Axel immediately opens the door and runs to hug my mom. Rex enters our room, leaning down to give me a half hug before greeting Shooter in their half hug, man back slap thing. When his eyes land on Morgan, I can’t help laughing.

  “Hey, girl. What’s your name? You know what, we don’t need names. I’ll call you Angel, because you’re sure to be calling me God later tonight.”

  “If you want to keep your balls, I wouldn’t call her anything but Ice’s ol’ lady,” Shooter replies, laughing as Morgan turns red and backs up to the wall.

  Obviously, she has never encountered anyone like Drexel ‘Rex’ Crews.

  “Does that shit really work?” Morgan fires back at him once she has a moment to let his words sink in.

  Yes, this one has just the fire and attitude needed to be with a biker. I smile at her.

  “Worked on her,” Rex tosses his thumb over at me.

  “Not really. It’s me she’s marrying, fucker,” Shooter chimes in.

  “You’re the better man, brother.” Rex looks at me seriously. “She deserves nothing but the best.”

  Tears pool in my eyes. I don’t have the same feelings for Rex that I once did. That ship has truly sailed. However, there is a piece of me that will belong to him because he gave me Axel. There really is a heart inside that man. He just doesn’t know how to show it or doesn’t want to. I haven’t figured out which it is yet.

  “Rex,” I whisper.

  “Tessie, I did you wrong. I’m man enough to own that shit. I’m also man enough to stand at this fucker’s side when he claims you for eternity. You’ll possibly always be the best thing that I ever had, but he was made for you.”