The Harder They Fall

The Soldiers of Wrath MC, 8

Sam Crescent

Jenika Snow

TTHE HARDER THEY FALL (The Soldiers of Wrath, 8)

Sam Crescent and Jenika Snow

www.SamCrescent.com

www.JenikaSnow.com

Published by Crescent Snow Publishing

Copyright © August 2017 by Sam Crescent and Jenika Snow

Digital Edition

First E-book Publication: August 2017

Editing: Em Petrova

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Contents

The Harder They Fall

The Soldiers of Wrath MC Series

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Epilogue

CSP Reader Group

Weasel never said staying away from Renee, the sister of Vengeance, a fellow Patch of the Soldiers of Wrath MC, would be easy. But he did it because that’s the right thing to do. At least he thought it was.

He didn’t care that the club looked down at her because of some bullshit concerning Vengeance and words that had been said. Weasel didn’t care because he wanted her, and had for a long time.

Now that she was back in town and staying for the unforeseeable future, he didn’t know if he was strong enough to stay away. Especially when he just made a deal with her that would have her moving into his place.

That was a temptation he may never be strong enough to curb … one he didn’t know if he would deny himself.

Renee knew coming to see her brother Vengeance unannounced might not have been the best idea. She’d said horrible things to him, offended the MC by those words, and she also would see Weasel.

The man she’d been secretly in love with.

Not letting her heart fall any harder than it has for Weasel is easier said than done.

Especially when the truth comes out.

Renee needs to figure out if she can handle what’s thrown at her, or if running away is the best option.

The Soldiers of Wrath MC Series

Book 1: Owned by the Bastard

Book 2: Bent, Not Broken

Book 3: Hard As Steel

Book 4: Dead Bastard

Book 5: The Way I like It

Book 6: Lost In You

Book 6.5: All or Nothin’ (featured in lost In You)

Book 7: Wild Ride

Book 8: The Harder They Fall

More info can be found HERE

1

Weasel was so not in the mood for this, and as much as he kept telling this club whore to back off, she was drunk and just wouldn’t take no for an answer.

“Come on, baby. Get hard for me.”

He shook his head and waved her off, but still she stayed.

They were partying at the Soldiers clubhouse, many of the MC members either in the back fucking some club pussy, most getting drunk, or the ones who had old ladies were spending time with them.

“Come on,” she whined.

“I told you I’m not in the mood,” he said and took a swig of his beer, not bothering to look at her.

She went to grab his crotch, but he snatched her hand away, held her wrist in a loose but forceful hold, and stared at her. He was getting pissed that she was not getting the clue. The club whore, whom he didn’t even know her name, was rougher around the edges than most.

“I said no, now back the fuck off.” He let go of her hand.

“Fine, you don’t want me. Maybe you can’t get hard at all.”

He ignored her jab.

Weasel went over to the bar, grabbed the bottle of scotch, and started chugging right from it. He didn’t give a fuck how drunk he was getting. Hell, he wanted to get shitfaced.

Although Weasel didn’t have an old lady. He also didn’t fuck random women just for the sake of it. He had grown up to be this hardcore biker, the son of a felon who taught him to man up and shut the fuck up, and who also used him as a punching bag on occasion. It had hardened Weasel, made him the man he was today.

Ryker James Stewart.

That was who he used to be. Now he was just Weasel, and that was how he wanted shit to stay.

The truth was he wasn’t a good man, and it was that reason why he knew he couldn’t and would never have a good woman at his side.

“You okay, man?” Vengeance was the newest biker to get an old lady and find love. But although his brothers had found love, they were still hardcore motherfuckers.

“I’m good.” He lied right through his damn teeth. He wasn’t good. He was lonely, miserable, and being a jackoff. Pretending things were okay with him was what he was good at.

Vengeance stared at him, this hard, unreadable expression on his face. He turned and grabbed a bottle of liquor, drinking straight from the tip.

“Nah, you’re not cool. You look like someone kicked you in the balls then spit in your cereal.” Vengeance grabbed another shot and tossed that one back. They stared at each other, neither speaking. “I bet this is female problems.”

“Fuck off.” Weasel took a drink of alcohol.

Vengeance grunted. “You want to talk about it?” he asked Weasel.

Weasel stared at him. “Do I look like the type of asshole who talks about shit?”

“Nope, but you know I like to bug the shit out of you.”

Weasel ran a hand over his face and knew he needed to shave but didn’t give a fuck at the moment.

“Listen,” Vengeance said and faced Weasel again. “I won’t tell you what you should or shouldn’t do, but I will say this.” He paused for a moment. “If you want something so much that it consumes you, then you go for it.” Vengeance clapped him on the back, grinning. “Even if it seems impossible, or like it doesn’t make sense, you need to fight for what you want.”

Easy enough to say for a man who has everything.

* * *

This is a mistake, a big mistake.

Renee exhaled and rested her head back on the shitty seat of the bus she was on. The stench of used, dirty leather filled her nose. The sound of someone coughing in the back filled her ears.

But none of that could clear out the thick thoughts in her head.

Going to The Soldiers of Wrath clubhouse wasn’t what she was worried about. It was about seeing her brother Vengeance a man she loved more than life itself, and a man who had protected her from any threat he saw.

But she was nervous about seeing him because he didn’t know she was coming, and because she’d pushed him away after dating a grade-A douche she thought she loved. It had been a year since she’d seen Vengeance, and because she’d pushed him away for some asshole, she didn’t know if he’d welcome her with open arms.

The one phone call they had not that long ago didn’t really count. His happiness could have been because he’d found the woman he loved and nothing more.

Rubbing her hand over her face, she exhaled, feeling drained.

She looked out the window, but it was dark as hell outside. She could say she didn’t care about him being in an MC, but truth was she knew nothing about it.

She rested her head back on the seat again, focusing ahead of her. The bag she’d packed was sitting beside her in the empty seat.

After another hour of being on this Godforsaken bus, the sign that she was entering town came into view. The bus pulled to the curb, opened the door, and she got out.

The bus pulled away, and she was left there with a big cloud of exhaust covering her and the weight of the world hanging over her.

2

Weasel stood outside of the clubhouse and lit up a cigarette, staring up at the night sky. When had his life become so fucking morbid that he found a sense of peace staring up into nothingness? He missed being the guy who could stick his dick into any woman’s pussy, ass, or mouth.

He’d even done that to a couple of women a long time ago, and they had begged him for it. Then afterward they wanted a kiss. Fucking disgusting but that was the world he lived in, and for so long that was what he’d relished.

He’d been part of the Soldiers long enough that he couldn’t imagine being anything else. Not that he wanted to be anything else. Riding on his bike, working with the Soldiers, it was in his blood.

He couldn’t be in a suit working a nine-to-five job. That was never who he wanted to be, and he certainly couldn’t fucking conform to what society wanted.

Yet he was lonely, and he was jealous of the guys who had found love, that one woman who wouldn’t spread their fucking thighs for anyone else. Was that all he wanted? Some woman who hadn’t been fucked by another brother?

Damn, he was becoming a pussy in his old age. It had to be. His birthday was approaching, and he’d be turning forty, and when he looked back, he had fuck all. The club went without saying. He had no kids, no woman, nothing else.

A lot of the guys left the clubhouse, going to their old ladies or their girlfriends. He’d seen a couple of the Prospect’s wouldn’t even bring their women to the club. Were they afraid of losing them to the other brothers? They did often compete; it was in their blood. Some guys just found it funny to get any woman to sit on their dick.

Of course Prospects didn’t usually do a lot, nor did they fight. What Prospects didn’t realize was it actually made members take longer to decide to patch them in. To be part of the Soldiers was to be part of the brotherhood. If you weren’t prepared to fight a brother for your own woman, when would you fight?

Taking a deep draw on his cigarette, he smirked up at the big motherfucking moon. There was a time he’d have never seen a moon, purely because he would be fucking some woman and have her screaming his name.

That seemed like years ago.

Dude, it was that long.

The sound of heels on the pavement had him turning, and he was stunned to see Vengeance’s sister Renee. She stood at the gates, arms folded, looking up at the clubhouse. She looked fucking cold. The shirt she wore doing little to hide the fact she wasn’t wearing a bra.

Yeah, it had been a long time since he last saw this woman. Without a doubt he knew that she wasn’t invited here.

Vengeance and Renee had a big blowout. Names were called, threats were made, and she had run out, telling him and the club that they were all scum. Of course she had gone and followed a man and hadn’t even bothered to get back in touch.

“Look at what the cat dragged in,” Weasel said, waiting as Renee walked toward him.

“Hey,” she said, resting her hands on her hips. “How are you?”

“Well, I’m shocked to see such a pristine angel here, you know, slumming it with the scum of the earth.”

Renee paused, and he watched as she rubbed her head. “I, ugh, I came to see Vengeance.”

“Last time I checked, he’s busy.” He took another long drag on his cigarette and then blew it out.

“How are you doing, Weasel?”

“I’m doing good. What are you doing here?”

“I came to see Vengeance. I wanted to apologize.”

“You mean that asshole who fed you lies about the club and turned you against us has left you?” he asked.

Yeah, he was a miserable bastard, and being especially asshole-ish to her. And as much as he knew it wasn’t his place to be talking to her in this way, he had his own shit to deal with.

And that had to do with the fact he had a major hard-on for Renee. He had for a long fucking time.

* * *

Renee saw the anger in Weasel’s eyes, and she couldn’t blame him. She had made so many mistakes over the years, and leaving with a man who was a judgmental asshole was top of the list. It was embarrassing. While she had been out working her ass off, he’d been fucking woman after woman. She had walked into their apartment to find him in the middle of an orgy, and worse, he wanted her to join in.

That had been the last straw. She’d gotten a flight home the next day, and instead of coming home, she’d been working in the city, far away from any Soldier’s reach. Out of the blue Vengeance had called her, told her he’d met someone, and then she had been spent so long wondering if she should ignore the call or make amends.

Vengeance was her only family. They only had one another, and she had fucked that up.

She didn’t know what to say as Weasel stared at her, smoking and looking like he didn’t have a care in the world.

“I shouldn’t have come here, should I?”

“Tell me what happened with fuck face,” Weasel said, not answering her question.

“Jake?” He nodded. She blew out a breath. “He cheated on me again and again. I kept on working. We went traveling, and he decided to be a bum and sit on his ass all day while I worked. All of his talk about starting out, of exploring, it was all bullshit. I was just an easy ride, in more ways than I ever want to remember.” It still left a bitter taste in her mouth how she chose a dick over her own brother. She looked Weasel in the eye, refusing to back down. “Is that what you wanted to hear? How stupid I was because I decided to spread my legs for the first guy that would show me any attention?” She laughed. “For the first time that it had nothing to do with the MC. Yeah, I was a fucking asshole.” Even as tears filled her eyes, she refused to let them fall. She wouldn’t give that bastard another chance to hurt her.

Weasel tutted and then pulled her into his arms. He stroked her hair as her first tear started to fall. She hadn’t cried, not in a long time. She didn’t cry when she caught Jake with someone else.

The last time she had cried had been when she was on the plane realizing what she had said to her big brother, and to the club she had once adored, knowing there was no way back, not really.

3

Renee stepped away just as some guys excited the clubhouse, women on their arms, their voices loud.

“Thanks for being decent, Weasel.” She knew he didn’t have to be kind to her. Yeah, he’d shown her an asshole side, but then again she knew enough about him and how the club operated that building that wall and pushing people away was what they did and how they stayed safe.

Hell, she’d pushed her brother away.

She made her way to the entrance, her heart thundering, her breath coming in fast, short intervals. She didn’t know how Vengeance would react, or if he’d even open his arms to her and accept her back into his life.

She’d been shitty for pushing him away, and she didn’t want to lose him because she’d been a bitch that didn’t know family came first.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open and was assaulted with the smell of cigarette smoke, alcohol, and sweat. The music was ear-splitting, the room was foggy from the smoke, and she could see people grinding up on each other.

She went over to the bar, not knowing where her brother was but needing to see him and make this right.

“Hi, you know where I can find Vengeance?” she shouted to be heard over the music.

He had his back to her and the patch said Prospect. She knew enough from Vengeance that this was a “trial-run” member, someone who had to show their worth to the club before they were a full-fledged member.

He turned around. “What?” he shouted back and eyed her up and down. “Where the hell did you come from? You don’t look like you want deep dicking.”

Renee pulled the edges of her cardigan closer together and glared. “Can you tell me where Vengeance is?”

He tipped his chin toward the back hallway. “He’s probably with his old lady in one of the back rooms.”

She made her way back to where the Prospect gestured, moved around gyrating couples, and tried to figure out which room he was in. A few of the doors were open and she could see he wasn’t in the spaces but two doors were closed.

The sound of moaning came from one and she pushed back her gag relax at the knowledge it might be her brother. But before she could knock on the door and interrupt whoever was in there, another door swung open behind her and a woman’s voice filtered out.

“You’re being so bad, Vengeance.”

Renee turned and saw this gorgeous woman with a scar on one eye come out. She was smiling, and the love on her face was clear.

That had to be Constance, the woman that Vengeance had fallen in love with. She’d never actually seen the woman, but she had heard about her from her brother.

Renee knew how much Vengeance cared about her, and the emotion on the other woman’s face was clear as day.

Once she pushed the door open she immediately saw her brother. Her heart was thundering, her palms sweating, and everything in her had stilled.

“Vengeance,” she said softly, her heart in her throat, her nerves threatening to make her freeze right in her spot.

He turned and faced her, surprise and confusion on his face. “Renee?”

Vengeance stayed by the window, his cut on and the patch in the center of his back like a warning beaming in the night. The Soldiers of Wrath MC were known as being brutal in everything they did. She heard as much when Vengeance first started with the club.

As the moments ticked by, her emotions started to become even more intense. She knew she couldn’t have been able to keep them in check even if she wanted to.

“I’m so sorry,” she finally said, knowing that she shouldn’t beat around the bush, that she just needed to get it out and say what was on her mind. The weight of seeing her brother, of the shit with the ex, of just being here, it all weighed down on her. “I’m sorry about not listening to you, about turning my back on you and thinking I knew what was best. I didn’t. You were right the whole time.” She felt like crying, like just saying fuck everything else and let her brother see that she’d broken down.

Before she knew what Vengeance was doing, he was in front of her and embracing her in a bear hug.

“We’re family, and that means no matter what we stick together. I don’t care if we hadn’t talked for years. You’re my sister, and I’d do anything for you.”

“I just hate that time passed where we didn’t talk.”

He rubbed her back and she felt him nod. “Me too, but you’re here now and that’s all that matters.” He pulled back and smiled down at her. She had to crane her neck back just to look into his face. Her five-foot-seven height had nothing on his over six-foot tall posture.

He wasn’t just her brother. He’d always been her protector and always would be. She knew that.

“I promise everything will be fine.” He pulled her in for another hug, and she breathed out.

Her thoughts were consumed on the future, on what she wanted, how she felt. But she had her family back and right now that was all that mattered.

4

“Told you that guy was a fucking dick,” Vengeance said over coffee the next morning.

Renee smiled. They weren’t at the clubhouse, and he’d actually invited her to his new place, which she totally loved. “I know, and I was such an idiot. Every word I said, I regretted the moment I said them, but my pride and all that shit…” She stopped as Constance placed a mountain of pancakes in front of her. “Wow, thank you.”

“I want you to feel welcome here. Vengeance has spoken a lot about you, and I know it means a lot to him to have you here.”

She grimaced. “He said a lot about me, huh?”

“He told me that you two parted ways on bad terms but that is now all in the past, right?” Constance took a seat with them. The scar on her face had come from some asshole named Craig who had stolen her, and when he’d tried to have sex with her, he’d gotten angry and slashed her face. Vengeance had told her a lot last night, when they’d stayed up late catching up. It had been really nice.

Constance was such a nice woman, and strong too. She was the kind of woman Renee always imagined her brother would be with. “I was a first-class bitch to my brother. I said stuff about the club that I don’t think Demon’s going to be too happy about.”

“It’ll be fine.” Constance waved her hand.

Vengeance stared at his woman, and the love was clear to see in his eyes. When he turned toward Renee, he raised a brow. She knew without him saying anything that it wouldn’t all be fine. She had disrespected the club. As far as Demon and the other brothers were concerned, she was done. She’d have to earn back their respect, and that may never happen.

To most she was just a bitch or at worst a whore. Maybe not even a traitor. The club had most likely turned their back on her, and rightly so. She deserved it.

She nodded and tried to force down some of the pancakes that Constance had cooked. They weren’t bad at all. In fact she thought they were delicious. The biggest problem was knowing what she was going to have to face.

Weasel had been nice to her last night, which was good. Out of all of the brothers, apart from her own, it was Weasel she had missed. His face had been the one to plague her.

Idiot.

That was what she was, an idiot. Turning her back on her only family because a guy had told her to. It made her sick to her stomach and she would never forgive herself, not in a million years, even if that were an exaggeration.

“I’m getting the sense you two need to talk, and I need to clean up. I look like a monster.” Constance got out of her seat, pressed a kiss to Vengeance’s cheek, and rushed around to give her a squeeze. “It’s so nice to put a face to the name.”

“She is really nice,” Renee said when they were alone.

“Constance is the best thing that has ever happened to me.” A second of silence passed. “So you left his ass in Europe, and what then?” Vengeance asked.

“As soon as I could I came back to the States, and then I’ve been working, doing odd jobs. I’ve wanted to call you for the longest time, and every time I tried, I just couldn’t bring myself to actually do it. I know. I suck, right?”

“Weasel kept asking me to call you. He seemed to think that you were in some kind of trouble or might like to hear from me.”

“I wasn’t in any trouble. Just working, trying to keep afloat.” She took a deep. “I’m really sorry about everything.”

Even though they had hugged and were talking, something was missing. There was a tension between them, and she couldn’t help the tears that filled her eyes, and she quickly looked away. She put her fork down. There was no way she going to be able to stomach any more pancakes. She couldn’t even swallow past her tears. “I messed up so much.” She sniffled, and Vengeance moved.

He wrapped his arms around her, and she sank against him. “I’m so sorry, so, so sorry.” She kept repeating the same words, hoping that he’d believe her.

“I know you are, honey. And I’m so fucking sorry, too. You and I, we can work on this, and in the meantime, I’ll help you find a job here. I won’t toss you out, and I won’t treat you like shit. We’re family. Always.”

“Thank you.” She pressed a kiss to his cheek. There was a knock on the front door, and she pulled away.

“I think I know who that is.”

She watched as he went to the door, averting her gaze long enough to lift her glass of water to her lips. She heard the deep timbre of the man she’d always wanted.

Weasel.

“I thought I’d stop by for breakfast,” Weasel said.

“Since when?”

“Since now.” Weasel walked into the house and took a seat at the table. “Where’s Constance?”

“In the shower.”

“When they were at the club we’d hear them fucking all night long.”

Renee wrinkled her nose. “Seriously, that’s my brother.”

“Seriously, Demon had to put a ban on them.” Weasel started laughing. “Everyone was hoping … Ouch!” Vengeance slapped Weasel up the back of the head.

“Show some damn respect. That’s my old lady you’re talking about.”

“Okay.” Weasel grabbed a pancake and shoved it in his mouth. “How are things between you two,” he said through a mouthful of food.

Leave it to Weasel to make things entirely weird, and she had missed him so much for it.

5

After breakfast she’d gone out job hunting. First thing on her list was actually getting employed, then finding a place of her own. She’d try living in town, being close to her brother and continuing to work on their relationship. They had a lot more to correct before it was back to the way it was.

Renee stared at Weasel, wondering what his angle was.

Or maybe he’s just being nice.

He’d insisted on coming with her to town to look for a job. Renee couldn’t help it, but it was a nice feeling having somebody else with her. She pushed her feelings for Weasel behind her, knowing they wouldn’t do any good because they’d never go anywhere.

He lived a hardened biker life, and most likely saw her as nothing more than Vengeance’s little sister.

But at this point in her life that was good enough. She had other shit to work out personally before she tried to even consider anything romantic with Weasel, or anyone for that matter.

She’d applied to three different jobs already, and although they weren’t prestigious positions and mainly secretarial work, she would be glad to get anything at this point.

Leaving everything behind and starting over was hard, but with her relationship with her brother on the mend and the feeling that things would finally be okay, Renee knew that this was the start of her future.

She glanced at Weasel, seeing his focus already on her. There was something about the rough biker that always made her heart pound faster, harder.

He had several days’ worth of scruff lining his cheeks and jaw, and his dark hair was on the longer side, but the disheveled look suited him well. He was so attractive, rougher on the edges, and made the blood rush through her veins. His body was big, muscular, and perfectly honed.

He was masculine to her feminine. He made her feel like a woman just sitting next to him. No man had ever done that before, made her feel this way before.

“Vengeance tell you about the problems we had, or my personal issues and why I’m back here?”

Weasel shrugged. “Don’t be offended that he told me. We’re family and he didn’t have anybody else to talk to. He took you guys not speaking or seeing each other pretty hard.”

She looked down at her hands, which were clasped together in her lap. Yeah, their relationship has been rocky for a while.

They both made their relationship strained, but they had their future to make it right. And now that Constance was in his life, Renee could see how much Vengeance changed and how happy he was.

“Yeah, we both made some pretty big mistakes, but hopefully things can start looking up now.” She looked at Weasel again, the biker’s face stoic, emotionless. But she could see in his dark eyes that he held compassion, that maybe he even knew the struggle of family, bonds, and relationships.

“So you finally got rid of that dickwad, huh?”

She couldn’t help but chuckle. Leave it to Weasel to say it like it was. “Yeah, something like that.”

“You’re better off without someone who treats you like shit, Renee.” He stared right into her eyes and she felt like he meant every single word he said. “You deserve somebody who’s going to treat you the way you deserve to be treated, and who will get on their hands and knees and worship the ground you walk on.” He looked away then, his jaw tight, his eyes hard-set. He almost looked upset that he had said the words.

She was so overcome with emotion that she thought she might cry in that instant. But she straightened and knew that from now on she needed to show strength.

Like she had said before, this was the first day of the rest of her life and she wasn’t going to screw it up.

* * *

Weasel stared at Renee, his emotions for her strong and growing by the minute.

He always cared about her, hell, he would even go as far as saying he loved her, if only to himself, that was. But he stayed away, kept his emotions in check because of who her brother was, and the fact she didn’t like the club.

Well, she liked the club well enough, she just didn’t agree with some of the practices the MC did. He couldn’t blame her though, because club life was not for everyone. But when you’re in, you’re in and there was no turning back.

He stared at her profile, her long dark hair lightly blowing in the breeze. This urge to reach out and push the strands away from her face ran in him strong. But that would be crossing a line and he wasn’t that much of a bastard.

But she was the only woman he’d ever had any kind of attachment to. He had to believe that meant more than just getting her in his bed.

Weasel didn’t want to just fuck her—he wanted her by his side, wanted to make her smile, wanted to make her laugh. She had a rough go with the ex, according to Vengeance, and part of Weasel wanted to hunt the asshole down and beat his teeth in.

Not caring at the moment, he reached out and took her hand and his. She looked over at him, her eyes wide, the confusion and surprise clear on her face. He gave her hand a squeeze, letting her know without saying anything that he was here for her.

He just hoped she understood that because he wasn’t going to just walk away.

He couldn’t.

6

Renee found herself in a diner at six o’clock feeling like the entire world was against her. She grabbed the menu and started to read through it. No one had given her a call back, and in a small town, that was like the kiss of death. She dropped the menu and then placed her head on top of her crossed arms.

Everything she had done today was useless. All of it was a pain in the ass, and that just made her want to cry. She had always been able to get a job. Coming back was about getting her life back on track, but if no one would hire her, she was doomed.

Weasel sat down beside her after using the restroom and was silent as she had her little tantrum inside her head.

“Can anyone join this issue you’ve got going on, or are you going to have a pity party all to yourself?”

She sat back and glared at him. “No one called back.”

“So? They had a busy day?”

“Or I’ve been blacklisted.”

“Babe, you’re not the only one looking for a job, and with all due respect, you left town. To some people that could present a problem.”

“Why?”

“They want someone who is going to stick around. Not just get up and leave.”

“I was asked that, and I told them I was here to stay.” She felt so fed up with everyone and everything.

“And they probably didn’t believe you. It’s going to take a lot more than you just saying that to make them believe it. You left with a quite a reputation behind you.” Weasel stopped as a woman approached and filled their coffees.

“Thank you,” Renee said.

The waitress said nothing and left.

“I really am a loser,” she said on an exhale.

“People know what you did. How you treated Vengeance. The Soldiers, we contribute to the town and keep it alive. They don’t want to be seen as giving you an easy time.”

“Of course not.” She should have known. Loyalty to the Soldiers of Wrath was for life, and she had abused that trust.

“You know with this newfound freedom, you could do something with a hobby to pass the time.”

“Newfound freedom?”

“You’ve not got a job to go to.”

“That’s not freedom. That’s being unemployed, and in order to do a hobby, you need money. To have money, I need a job, and now you’re making me sound like a bitch, and I don’t want to.” She groaned and once again dropped her head onto her arms. “I’m a loser.”

“You’re not a loser.”

She stared up at him with what she hoped was a pitiful look on her face. “Look at me, Weasel. I probably can’t afford this cup of coffee.”

“Lucky for you, I can, and I’ll even feed you as well.” He shoved the menu at her. “Look, and then we can talk about what you can do.”

She took the menu from him and began to look over it. Giant juicy burgers would offer two things—it would feed her and also give her comfort. She was chasing comfort right now. The waitress came back over, and she placed her order. While Weasel was giving his, she took a sip of the bitter coffee. She wouldn’t complain. She really wanted a nice cup of coffee.

Weasel sat back, and he stared at her. He kept on staring at her, and she looked around to see if someone else was watching her.

“You’re freaking me out,” she said.

“I want to try something with you.”

“O-okay?” She frowned. Weasel was the only club brother she had ever had a crush on throughout her life. He’d been the one that she had compared all other men to. In fact, it was after seeing Weasel with a woman, literally fucking another woman, that had sent her to Jake, and thus, sent her out of town. But she’d never tell anyone that.

She had been so jealous of that woman. But she couldn’t fault Weasel for being with a woman. Hell, Renee had never told him how she felt, never even acted like she liked him as a person. Not really. It had been years ago, and Renee had always kept Weasel at arms’ length.

“I have a house, and I don’t always spend my time at the clubhouse. I could use a housekeeper, someone I trust. I will pay you to keep my house clean, and if my memory serves me correctly, you’re one hell of a cook. You do those and your room and board are covered, and I’ll pay you a weekly salary.”

“You want me to cook and clean for you?”

“That’s the offer.”

Renee sat back and stared at him. “Are you joking right now?”

“I never joke about money, and that is what we’re talking about.”

“I’m doing everything an old lady will be doing?”

“No, you’re not,” Weasel said. He took a sip of his coffee, and she watched as his neck moved as he swallowed. Why did that seem really erotic?

“What does an old lady do that I’m not going to do then?” she asked.

“Fuck me.”

Her pussy went slick at the thought of Weasel between her thighs, thrusting his cock deep inside her. She pressed her thighs together and leaned forward, needing to distract herself. “I forgot how crass you could be.”

“I’m not crass. Just saying like it is. An old lady takes care of the house and her man. I’m asking you to take care of my house and put some food on my table. I’ll even let you eat with me,” he said with a wink. “Of course, if you want to fuck me, that will be up to you.”

Damn it. She was so tempted to take him up on that offer. To rid her mind of the constant fantasies that he had given her over the years. It wasn’t even his fault. It was all hers.

“I can move out of Vengeance’s place?”

“He cramping your style already?” he asked.

“No. I don’t want to cramp his and Constance’s. I’ve already given him a great deal of unhappiness. I don’t want to do it again.”

“I can see that. So, what’s your answer?” Weasel asked.

The waitress came back with their food. The moment she was gone, Renee agreed. She would do anything to earn a living, even work for the man she had wanted all her life but could never have.

7

Weasel knew he was playing with fire by offering the job to Renee. The truth was his heart was breaking that she felt so out of luck and split into two. Having her around the house would be hard as hell given the fact he wanted her desperately.

But he could control himself; at least that was what he told himself. It might be a totally different story when his control was snapping.

It had been a week since he offered her the position. She was moving in today, and fuck if he didn’t anticipate it. Vengeance had seemed surprised that she was leaving so soon, and even more shocked that she was moving into Weasel’s place.

Weasel had been able to keep his amusement in check when Renee stammered out to her brother that she was only there as the help.

No, she wasn’t just the help. She would be his. It would just be a matter of time.

He walked over to the window and saw Vengeance pulling into the driveway. Weasel’s house was small, only two bedrooms, but it was plenty big for Renee and him.

Over time the club would get the stick out of their ass and welcome Renee back, especially with Vengeance patching things up with her. Yeah, she screwed up by offending the club, but no matter what, she was still family and family was thicker than anything else.

He stepped out of the house and onto the porch just as Vengeance pulled his SUV to a stop in front of the stairs. Renee got out of the back seat, the two bags that held her possessions in hand. She looked so damn good his dick threatened to give a mighty jerk and become a stiff rod between his legs.

Constance was the next to get out of the passenger seat, her smile wide as she looked at him. Constance was good for Vengeance, really damn good. The Patch had changed since being with his old lady, and it was for the better. He was still hardened biker, but the empathy he felt, the love that his woman gave him, made him a better man.

And Weasel wanted that someday.

He looked at Renee after that thought, knowing that yeah, he did want that, but only with one woman.

He only wanted that with Renee.

Weasel took three steps off the porch and went up to meet them. He took the bags out of Renee’s hands, grinned at her, and willed his cock to stay down. It was painful as hell, though, because the fucker was itching to get hard.

But he was good at controlling himself, at least he had been. Renee living under the same roof as him might change that.

“You guys staying for a drink?” Weasel asked.

“Nah. We’ve got some errands to run.” Vengeance came around the front of the car and wrapped his arm around Constance, pulling her in tightly. “I’m taking my woman furniture shopping.”

It would’ve been funny as hell to see a big ass biker talking about buying furniture, but Vengeance looked so damn happy that Weasel could only grin in return.

After they bullshitted for about five minutes Vengeance and Constance left, leaving Renee standing right beside him.

Weasel glanced over at Renee and wondered if she was nervous. Without thinking, because all he wanted to do was be there for her, he placed his hand on the center of her back and rubbed up and down. She was tense under his touch, but after a few seconds she relaxed and glanced over at him.

“You doing okay?” he asked her, knowing she felt out of place. That would change, though.

She turned and faced him. “I’m fine. I just don’t want to feel like this is a handout. You know what I mean?”

He grinned. “Sweetheart, just wait until you see the wreck my house is in. If you still think it’s a handout, then we can talk.” He started laughing and they both headed inside.

Hell, she might run screaming in the other direction when she saw the state his place was in. Truth was he wasn’t a good housekeeper, and when he was at his home he wanted to relax and not worry about picking shit up.

He pushed open the door and let her walk in first. He couldn’t help but grin at the way her body tensed. Yeah, right about now she was probably realizing this wasn’t a handout at all.

“Holy shit, Weasel.” She glanced around and stared at him with wide eyes. “You weren’t kidding about the wreck.”

He chuckled and walked in, shutting the door behind them.

Weasel set her bags down and watched as she walked around. “And I don’t have food in the house, nothing probably edible anymore, so your duties will also be going to the store.” She turned and faced him, this stoic expression on her face.

“Nothing edible?” She wrinkled her nose. “I’m not surprised.” She started laughing then.

“Let me show you to the room you’ll have.” The house was small as fuck, and the sweet scent of her seemed to fill it immediately. He showed her the room, watched as she stepped in, and right about now he felt stupid as fuck.

His house was so fucking gross, and he’d brought the woman he wanted here. Shit, he’d never brought a female here, so he felt out of place.

She turned and faced him, and her smile had him relaxing. “Well, looks like I have my work cut out for me.”

It was going to be fucking hell keeping his hands off her.

8

“You’re a total pig,” Renee said. “There’s no way I can sleep in this room.”

“Then why are you smiling?” Weasel asked. His large, muscular arms were folded over his even more impressive chest, but she ignored that about him. He was part of her brother’s close friends, and that would be crossing lines. There was no way someone like Weasel wouldn’t break her heart, and it was the simple reason why she would never risk it.

“Because I know this is not just some excuse to make me feel better. You actually need me, and I prefer to work for my living. You’re a slob.” She frowned. “It’s strange. I never thought that about you. Your room at the clubhouse was always clean.”

“This place has become a dumping ground for far too long. It was just easier to drop and dump than actually do anything with it.” Weasel stretched. “Don’t worry, I got rid of the rats and mice.”

She jumped, screamed, and then stood on a chair. “Mice?”

He burst out laughing. “You’re still so easy to tease.”

“You’re an asshole, Weasel. Just so you know, Vengeance told me to call him if you were too much of an asshole.”

“Oh come on,” he said, offering a hand. “That was funny. There’s no mice or rats. I promise. There’s a lot of spiders, mind you, and I do kill them as I see them.”

She shivered and made a grossed-out sound. “I’m pleased I stopped off at the store and got these.” She tore into the package of the rubber gloves and quickly pulled them on. Next, she had on an apron and then tied her hair into a hat, securing it onto her head. Turning toward him, she watched as he burst out laughing.

“That has got to be the most unflattering attire ever,” he said.

“What were you expecting? A maid’s uniform. Something they wear in porn movies.”

“Now that would be nice. I might just go out and buy you something.”

She ignored him and made her way toward the window. Opening it wide, she then grabbed two large trash bags. Picking up random stuff that was lying around and throwing it away.

For thirty minutes, she worked to clean down the surfaces and then the floors. Out of the corner of her eye she watched as Weasel stood with his arms folded. “Don’t look at me with those cute little judgey eyes. You wanted to work, and this is the task you need to do. I’m just curious and want to watch you work.”

Renee wrinkled her nose as she lifted up a thong. There was a thick layer of dust around it. “Is this yours?”

Weasel burst out laughing. “That was probably one of the guys from the club bringing a trophy to show me and left that dirty shit here.”

“Nasty.”

“You keep saying so.”

Shaking her head, she filled several bags with crap and stored them at the door. “How long have you had this place?”

“A couple of years. I’ve bought stuff and just left it, and not really done a lot with the place.”

She was surprised to see the mattress on the bed still had a protective wrap over it. That gave her hope that she would be sleeping in a nice clean bed. “How many women have you brought back here?”

“None. This is my domain and no pussy, besides yours has been allowed here.”

“That seems … completely wrong.”

“Why?”

“This is your house. Wouldn’t it make sense to bring them back here?”

“Nope. None at all. You see, this is my castle, and only people I like make it back here.”

“And you’ve not liked any of the women you’ve slept with.” She needed to think about him with other women, otherwise she was at risk of getting too close, and she didn’t want to get close to him, nor did she want to have any feelings for him.

“I’m sure you’re aware that there are people out there you don’t have to be attracted to in order to fuck.”

She nodded. “You’re right.”

“Why are you interested in the women I’ve been in?” he asked, taking a step into the now clean room. Well, she wouldn’t go so far to say it was clean. He could walk without fear of killing himself.

“I’m not.”

“Yes, you are.” He stood right in front of her. “Don’t worry, princess. No one is going to invade your space if that is what you’re worried about.”

“This is your house. You can bring anyone back here that you want.” She forced a smile even as jealousy began to work its way up her spine. She wasn’t happy, far from it, in fact. Just the thought of another woman being able to touch him was enough to make her sick to her stomach. “I better get back to work.” He didn’t move out of her way, and so she moved around him.

Grabbing the trash bags, she took them straight outside and left them in separate piles. Finally, looking at the kitchen, she once again shuddered. Bottles and empty takeout trays were everywhere. She would do her room first and then this room. The house was just a mess but at least he didn’t have a problem with her throwing shit away. She would have quit if he had any issue with her cleaning.

“I’ve got to head out. Are you going to be okay handling this on your own?” Weasel asked.

“Yeah, I think if anyone tried to rob the place, they’d turn around and leave. Nothing worth stealing.”

Weasel burst out laughing. “You’re a hoot. I know we’re going to be the best of friends.”

She had her bucket filled with water and several clothes. Making her way back to her room, she stared to wipe down the years of dust and grime. She didn’t know how anyone could have lived like this, and Weasel was a clean guy.

This place was a mess. After another two hours of scrubbing every single surface so that it sparkled, and changing the water several times, she stopped on the landing outside of her room. Down the hall was Weasel’s room. She had to know if he lived like this.

Moving toward his door, she reached out, touching the handle.

This was so wrong and she felt like she was invading his privacy. Pushing those thoughts to the back of her mind, she turned the handle and opened the door. The scent of lavender greeted her, and his room was … spotless. His bed didn’t have a single wrinkle, and every surface was clean.

She frowned. Why was the rest of his house a dump?

9

Weasel and some of the other guys had been away for a couple of days on a run. They’d made a gun and ammunition purchase, dropped off the extra to a fellow charter, and now he was heading back to his place.

The road in front of him passed by in a blur, the sun beat down, and the wind whipped by his face. This was freedom; the open road the way to live. Weasel wouldn’t have wanted to live any other way, and being tied down to a “normal” job, not being able to live the life he wanted, would be hell on earth.

The entire time he’d been away from Renee she was all he thought about. It was crazy to think that in the short time since she’d been back in town, he’d fallen even harder for her. He hadn’t thought that was possible.

Even though he hadn’t needed to tell Renee that he was going, or call her when he’d been on the road, he still would have done just that. Truth was for his own peace of mind he wanted to make sure she was okay.

If he was also completely honest, he could admit that he would’ve let her stay at his house without any strings attached. She didn’t need to clean or cook for him. He wanted to help her out because he loved her. But he knew she was too proud to take an offer like that, so putting some stipulations on her moving in was the only way she would’ve agreed.

But he stayed away—if only for these few days—hoping to curb his desire for Renee, maybe thinking she needed the time from him as well. He didn’t want to smother her, didn’t want to be an asshole who had no self-control when it concerned the woman he wanted.

He didn’t want to see himself falling harder for her when she stayed back.

Weasel turned onto his street, his motorcycle noisy as he headed toward his house. He pulled his bike into the driveway, cut the engine, and climbed off. Once standing he stretched, working out the kinks from the couple hours of riding. His back was killing him. He stared at the house for long seconds, wondering if Renee was inside.

She didn’t have a car yet, but you knew who she was saving up for one and to get a place of her own. That very thought that she wouldn’t be in this house, wouldn’t be close to him anymore ate at him.

But Weasel knew that unless he grew some balls and actually told her how he felt he had no right to feel anything.

He grabbed the saddlebags off the bike and headed toward the front door. As soon as he opened it, the scent of lemons and flowers slammed into him. It was girly as fuck, but he couldn’t deny that it smelled nice. It reminded him of Renee, of her femininity and the slight innocence that she tried to keep hidden.

He finally realized the state of his house. He slowly shut the door behind him, looking from the living room into the kitchen and back again. The house was clean as fuck. There were no clothes on the floor, no beer cans scattered around the coffee table. The wood mantel on his fireplace was even polished.

He set the saddlebags down on the ground and headed into the kitchen. Hell, in here it smelled like steak, like red-fucking-meat. His mouth watered, and damn if he almost didn’t get an erection at the incredible smell. He walked over to the pan on the stove, lifted the lid, and saw vegetables frying. Opening the oven, he saw steaks and baked potatoes.

And on the counter cooling was a fucking apple pie. Weasel gripped onto the edge of the counter, this wave washing through him. He heard Renee laughing behind him and he turned around.

She stood there with folded dishtowels in her hand, the smile on her face wide.

“You okay?” she asked with a teasing twinkle in her eyes.

Weasel couldn’t even find his voice to answer.

A clean house.

Dinner cooking.

A damn apple pie cooling on the counter.

And Renee the center of it all.

This was fucking heaven.

“I think I’ve fucking died and gone to heaven.” She started laughing harder and walked in, put the dishtowels away, and turned to stare at him.

She looked so fucking good in that moment, with even a bit of flour on her cheek. Without thinking he reached out and smoothed him thumb along her skin, rubbing the flour away.

“Shit, I’m sorry,” he said, dropping his hand to his side and looking back at the pie. “I haven’t had a home-cooked meal in…” He thought about it. “Hell, aside from the BBQs at the club, no one has ever cooked for me like this.”

“Well, seeing as this is part of the job.” She grinned and he could see that she was teasing. “I figured I might as well make your first meal living with me a good one.”

He was the one to chuckle now.

“Take a seat and I’ll serve you.”

Weasel walked over to the table and sat down. He watched as Renee put the dishtowels away and then grabbed a plate and started filling it up with food for him. His stomach gave a loud grumble at that moment and he heard her chuckle. It was nice having her around, her presence this balm in his soul.

He knew one thing for sure. He couldn’t let her go, not without admitting how he felt first.

10

After seeing how clean Weasel’s room was, she had been tempted to throw all the trash inside there. Instead, she had dumped it all, and whatever could be kept, she had sent to charity. Everything personal like CDs, and DVDs, she’d placed on a shelf in the sitting room.

Even she was impressed with how good the house was but then she’d always been able to clean. Renee hated mess and had driven her brother crazy with how much she loved to clean.

Once Vengeance had complained that she used too much bleach and that it was burning his nostrils. She had ignored him until he finally snapped and threw out all her bleach. She’d been using six bottles a week and had decided to make a cutback.

“You like it then?” she asked, putting a large plate in front of him. She left, grabbing a steak and a potato for herself.

The apple pie was her weakness. She loved baking, and apple pie was a recipe she had perfected. Had Vengeance got someone else to make him apple pie? She didn’t know why that hurt but then again, she didn’t have the right to comment.

“Did you have a safe trip?” she asked.

“I did. I’m alive. If there’s no new holes, then it went fucking well.” He took a bite out of his steak and sat back. “I forgot how good you could cook. That is so fucking juicy.” He took another bite and she watched as his eyes closed. The rapture was clear on his face.

She ate her own food.

“The house looks fantastic. I thought for a second that I had gone into the wrong house.”

She laughed. “You’re a pig, Weasel. I will grant you, there were no rats but the spiders were enough to make my skin crawl.” She chewed on her steak and stared at him.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Nothing.”

“Don’t start. You’ve got that look that says you’re thinking something and you’re worried about telling me. Just spit it out.”

She licked the sauce off her lips, and when she glanced back at Weasel he was staring at them. “Your room.”

His gaze moved back to hers. “What about it?”

“Your entire house was completely trashed and yet your room was perfect.”

“You went into my room?” he asked.

“Why was it clean?” She didn’t like the way her body responded at his close proximity. The few days he’d been away, she had missed him. Cleaning his place didn’t help much either. She spent most of her time going through all his stuff. The pictures, the trinkets filled with memories—it had all brought back everything that she had been missing, and she hated it.

This distance between her, her brother, and the club had been down to herself. There was no one else to blame.

There had been a picture in Weasel’s drawer in his office. She had left the image shut away but it had brought back so much feeling. The picture had been taken at one of the final bonfire parties before she met Jake. Everything had been perfect. She and Vengeance were happy. She was going to college and working at the local diner.

The picture had been taken by Weasel in a selfie-style pose of the three of them. His arm had been around her shoulders, and he’d pulled her close, pressing his lips against her cheek.

She remembered the moment clearly, as it had been a turning point for her. Weasel inspired so many feelings, so much yearning, and she knew without a doubt that there was no hope for either of them. Weasel never looked at her like a man did a woman.

However, when she had licked her lip, there had been a fire in his gaze, almost as if he wanted to touch where her tongue had. No, it had to have been a mistake. She was imagining things again.

Pushing her thoughts to one side, she stared at Weasel.

“I don’t like sleeping in a dirty room.”

“But the rest of the house?”

“It didn’t matter, Renee. The club didn’t visit here. This was a dumping ground, and I didn’t care about it. It was an … impulse buy. That’s all this was. You did an amazing job as well. I won’t dump shit around the house anymore.”

Something was going on here, and she didn’t know what it was. “I like your house, and I’ve even gotten started on the garden. I mowed the front lawn yesterday, and I’ve been working through the back. Did you know there are random beer bottles thrown everywhere?” she asked.

“Yeah, I do. I told you, this was a dumping ground.” He shrugged. “How are things with you and Vengeance?”

“They’re … good. All things considered. I’m so pleased I came back home.” She finished her food and put her knife and fork down. “I also missed you while I was away.” There, she had said it, admitted it.

Weasel stared at her. “Do you have any idea how many times I wanted you to come home? The long nights that I worried that something had happened to you.”

“I’m sorry.”

He put the knife and fork down. “You were my family too, Renee. I didn’t want you to leave. You know that. I asked you, and I called you. Does Vengeance know about that?”

She shook her head. She had ignored all the calls, the texts, and then the voicemail messages. Weasel wouldn’t give up. No matter how many times Jake told her to ditch her phone and buy a new one, she couldn’t bring herself to do it. Hearing Weasel’s voice had gotten her through, and she felt like the biggest fool around. Instead of coming home, she had kept on going, hating her life, and then when she wanted to come home, she couldn’t. She had waited to hear from Vengeance before coming back.

“I’m sorry, Weasel.”

He stood up and left the table. She felt his hurt and wished she could do something to change that.

11

Weasel had to leave, had to get away from Renee and the feelings she evoked in him. He loved her, but didn’t know if he would ever be ready to actually tell her the words.

He was a fucking coward.

When she’d been gone with that asshole he tried to get ahold of her, tried to connect with her and bring her back. But she ignored him at every turn and he had no choice but to let her live her life. He’d had to move on with his.

Weasel pulled his bike into the parking lot in front of the MC, cut the engine, and for a second just sat there. He saw some of the Patches and Prospects milling around outside, some of them working on bikes, a few of them all but fucking a club whore against the side of the club.

This was his life, what he’d known for longer than he could even remember. But he did want something else, felt like he was missing something in his life.

He never thought he would want an old lady, somebody to stand by his side no matter what. He had his brothers from the club, knew they’d always have his back, but that didn’t mean it filled the void he felt. Weasel tried to pretend like he’d always been fine, like he didn’t care about what he was missing or what he could have.

But ever since meeting Renee, she was all he thought about, all he wanted in his life.

But because she was back, living in his house, it was harder to stay away, harder to try to pretend like he didn’t want her in the way he did.

Weasel knew he couldn’t fake this forever, knew that the strain and need he felt inside of himself would come out sooner rather than later.

He didn’t want to ruin things with her, didn’t want to push her away or make her feel uncomfortable, but he also couldn’t live with this emotion that ate at him.

Weasel set his skullcap on the handle and climbed off the bike. He walked past the club members and Prospects groping and grinding on the side of the clubhouse, made his way inside, and ignored all the action going on around him. Drinking, smoking, even some Prospects doing drugs. All littered the interior of the club.

He headed downstairs to where the weight room was. It was a crude setup, almost barbaric in nature and nothing like you’d find in a gym. But for what the guys needed to do, it worked out just fine.

When he finally reached the bottom, he took off his cut and headed over to the dented-in rusted lockers that were set up on the side of the wall. He took off his jeans and grabbed a pair of track shorts from the locker. After those were on and his shit kickers were off and sneakers covered his feet, he walked over to the punching bag. He just needed to get some aggression out, try to numb his emotions.

For the next half hour, he hit the punching bag over and over again, his knuckles aching, his body covered in sweat. But he didn’t stop, couldn’t. All he kept thinking about was Renee, how he wanted to go back to the house, strip her clothes off, and show her how he wanted to take care of her.

And fucking hell, he’d take care of her real good.

He had no order in his life, no control if he was being honest. He restrained himself in everything he did, but that was his only control, that was him hiding what he wanted, how he really felt.

He stepped away from the bag, panting, his chest rising and falling, his body covered in sweat. He was focused on the lightly swinging red and duct-taped, patched-up bag. Weasel should just go to Renee, stop jacking around with his emotions and finally tell her how he felt.

The worst she could do was say she didn’t want him, to tell him that there was nothing that would ever happen between them.

And he’d deal with that, respect what she wanted. But he’d never stop loving her, never stop wanting her.

With his mind made up, Weasel grabbed his clothes, headed upstairs to take a quick shower and grow some balls to finally tell her how he felt. He didn’t know how Vengeance would react to it all, even if she did turn him down. He was going after Vengeance’s baby sister, and tarnished past between them or not, that was family.

He’d tell Renee exactly how he felt, what he wanted to do to her, have with her. But he’d also let her know he couldn’t walk away. He loved her, dammit, and he needed her as his.

Once he was showered and dressed again, he left the clubhouse and headed to his place. He parked his bike. His heart thundering with what he planned on saying. Without overthinking it he headed inside, followed the sound of Renee in the kitchen, and stopped there a second just watching her.

Fuck, she looked so gorgeous.

She was humming to herself, maybe not even aware he was here. But she’d soon find out more than she probably wanted to. She’d find out exactly how loved and wanted she was. Renee would see that a hardened biker like him could treat her like a fucking queen.

If there was one thing that Weasel knew, it was that he couldn’t ignore what he felt anymore. It was eating him up inside, and fuck if he could live with that.

12

Ignoring Weasel had been one of the hardest things Renee had ever done. She had loved him for so long. She’d developed a crush on him when she was younger but knew that there was no way in hell anything would happen. It couldn’t. They were worlds apart, and she knew that. There was no way either of them could be together. Vengeance would pitch a fit, and Weasel had all those club whores that loved him.

But the way he looked at her right now, standing in the doorway, made her feel something … deeper.

“Vengeance called,” she said, not knowing what to say, the words falling out of her like they meant something more. She finished doing the few dishes that were there, needing to keep busy, and grabbed a cloth to dry her hands. “He said the club has a meeting tomorrow. You’ve got to be there. You weren’t answering your cell phone.”

She tucked some hair behind her ear. Only a small table separated them.

His muscles seemed harder, as if he’d been working out.

A distant memory came forward of another time.

She had been about fifteen, and underneath the clubhouse was a gym for some of the members to blow off steam. Weasel had been there, and she’d stood inside the door, leaning against the wall, watching as he attacked a punching bag. It had been well worn and falling apart, but that hadn’t stopped him from attacking it.

His back had been covered in his sweat, and the veins in his arms seemed to bulge much like they did now.

She smiled, recalling what he’d said to her.

“Sometimes you need to hit something just to make you feel better.”

After she had left, there had been one too many times that she’d hit something.

“I see you’re still killing the punching bag,” she said.

“Sometimes you need to hit something.”

That was all he said.

“I know you hit that because of me.” She wouldn’t look away. This time she forced herself to stare right into his eyes as she talked. “When I left, I knew it was the biggest mistake I had ever made. I regretted it all the time. Hated every single second of it but I thought I was in love. I thought I was doing the right thing, Weasel.”

“How could you be doing the right thing if every second you fucking hated it? I called you, Renee. I called you every single day for over a year. I begged you to come back.”

Tears filled her eyes as she remembered all of those messages. Sometimes when he called she’d be sat staring at his name on her cell phone, tempted to accept him. Instead, she’d waited for it to go to voicemail and then listen to him.

“I was afraid,” she said.

“What were you afraid of?”

“Being laughed at. Being told that there was no way I could come back. The things I said to Vengeance, to you, to the club. Only when I was away and able to really see what I’d done and said, I was an awful person. Don’t you see that?”

“We all do bad things.”

She dropped her arms and sighed. “That’s not a good enough excuse in my book to say and do the stuff I did. Vengeance is my brother, and you were my best friend.”

“Fuck being your friend.” Weasel stepped toward her, rounding the table so that he stood right in front of her, nearly toe to toe. “You think I give a fuck about being your friend?”

She frowned. “I don’t understand.”

“I was your friend, Renee. I watched you grow and saw what a beautiful woman you’ve become, and then I watched as you started to withdraw. I know that was my fault. I saw you, and I didn’t do fuck all to stop it.”

“What are you saying?”

“I wanted you. You were younger than me. I didn’t want to take the chance of a great life away from you. The club is not for everyone. I saw some of the old ladies succumb to drink and drugs because they couldn’t handle it. They had to be put down because they couldn’t handle the life. When you’re part of it, there’s no turning back. There’s no ratting us out. It’s us or them. You’re a smart girl, and even though your brother is part of the club. I didn’t want any of this for you.”

Tears fell down her cheeks as he stroked her cheek.

“I didn’t want me for you. But then I saw you with that fucking prick in town. I’ve never known jealousy before but with you, I could fucking taste it. I lost count of the number of times I nearly killed that motherfucker. I saw what he was doing, polluting your mind against the club. Vengeance didn’t know what to do. There were so many times I could have stopped it because you and me both know one thing, don’t we?”

Again, she was confused.

The look in his eyes, the tenderness, it was all too much. Could she hope that he at least cared? That it hadn’t just been here with these feelings all along?

He sighed. “You really don’t have a fucking clue to how I feel, do you?”

“What are you saying, Weasel? Forgive me for being a little slow on this but just say what you’re talking about.” Her entire body was tense, and she didn’t know what to say or do, what to hope.

“How about I show you?”

Before she had chance to complain, he held onto her face, tilted her head back, and slammed his lips down on hers. At first she froze, not sure what to do.

Weasel was kissing her.

The man she had wanted all her life was finally kissing her. It was a dream come true, and she didn’t have a clue what to do. She wanted to jump for joy and to scream how happy she was.

Then she grabbed his arms as he pulled back.

“You’re not kissing me back,” he said, licking his lips.

“You kissed me.”

“I know.”

“Kiss me again.” She cupped the back of his head, and he slammed his lips down on hers. Nothing else mattered to her anymore. It was just her and Weasel. Vengeance would have a fit if he found out, but she’d worry about that another time.

Right now, she just wanted his lips, his kiss, and maybe one day, his love.

13

Renee gasped out against his lips and then opened for him. He stroked her tongue with his, claimed her as if she was his property and he owned every part of her. But he did own every part of her. He always had.

Before she knew what was happening Weasel had her lifted in his arms. She had no choice but to wrap her legs around him, tangle her arms around his neck, and hold on as he mouth-fucked her … and that was exactly what he did.

“So fucking good, Renee. I knew you’d taste like this, feel like this.” He walked them toward the wall, and she felt the stiff outline of his cock against her pussy. God, she was wet, and it was all because of this man, because of the emotions she had for Weasel.

She’d loved him for longer than she cared to admit, but the fear of the unknown and the fact she didn’t know if she could ever have a life with him, made her step back. It made her move on with her life and make a horrible decision.

But he wanted her now, was taking her, claiming her, and she wouldn’t stop this.

They crashed against the wall, the kissing continuing, growing stronger, more brutal in its passion.

He broke away from her and they stared at each other for a moment. Weasel had his arms wrapped around her tightly, his hand cupping her ass keeping her close to him. Renee could feel the length of him, the heat of his dick, seep right through the material of her pants.

“I should go slow, be gentle.” He lowered his gaze to her lips. “But when it comes to you I can’t help myself.” He stared at her lips for long seconds before lifting his gaze to her eyes.

Her breath hitched. His expression was fierce, his body big and strong. He made her feel like a woman.

“Knowing you were with that motherfucker makes me want to kill someone, Renee.”

“I’ve wanted you for a long time but was afraid of what would happen, of what would not happen.”

“Fuck, baby,” he said softly. This was a situation she never thought she’d be in with Weasel.

“What about everything that has happened, and my brother?”

He shook his head. “I only want to think about you and me.” He moved his face closer to hers and then said in a low, husky voice, “I have wanted you for a long time but told myself that you and I being together wasn’t ever going to happen.” He rested his forehead on hers, closed his eyes, and breathed out.

God, this is really happening.

“I want to hear you say you want this, that you want me.”

Her heart beat fast and hard. She wanted Weasel, had for longer than she had ever admitted to anyone, maybe even herself, and she wasn’t nearly finished now that she was actually having him.

“I want you. Now.” Renee pulled him closer so she could be the one to claim his mouth. She stroked her tongue along his, moaning out at the flavor of him. He groaned, grabbed a chunk of her hair, and yanked her head back. She gasped at the intensity.

“She like it this rough baby, this untamed?”

She could only nod.

He grabbed her bottom lip with his teeth, tugged and pulled at the sensitive flesh, and then smoothed the sting away with a lick of his tongue. Renee moaned. The sound he made was so wild, so unhinged. He was unlike anything she’d ever experienced before.

“I could devour you right now and it wouldn’t be enough.” Weasel sucked and licked at her pulse point right below her ear and ground his cock into her pussy at the same time. “Tell me you want me.”

“I want you—need you.” She breathed out and closed her eyes.

He made this gruff noise against her throat, tightened the one hand that was still cupping her ass, and said, “You can’t say shit like that and expect me to keep my control, baby. I’m already about to fucking lose it, come right in my damn pants.”

She breathed out, his voice like sandpaper along her body. She was wet, needy.

He slid his hand over her throat to hold her against the wall. It was a gentle yet fierce hold, one that had just enough pressure to make her know that he was in control.

Renee wanted to give herself to him and not worry about anything else.

“Yes, Weasel. I’ve wanted you for so long. I’ve wanted this.” The words tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop them.

“Christ, baby,” he breathed out harshly against her lips.

“Tell me this is really happening, Weasel.”

“Oh, it’s sure as fuck happening, baby.”

14

Kissing her neck, Weasel didn’t hold back as he kissed her neck. He didn’t stop—couldn’t. Sinking his teeth into her flesh, he heard her gasp, seconds later her head fell back against his shoulder as she tried to move closer to him. She didn’t fight when he ran his hand down her body, cupping first her tit and then down toward her pussy. He loosened the button of her jeans and slid the zipper down. He shoved his fingers inside of her pants and found her slit.

“You’re so wet, baby,” he said.

“Please, Weasel. I need you.”

For the past three years he had been struggling to breathe. Every moment he tried to move on, to forget about this woman had been a total failure. There was no one else he ever wanted. She was it. The woman he could never have. Or so he’d thought.

Vengeance would kill him the moment he found out. Right now, he couldn’t think about that. Didn’t want to think of the risks he was taking, not just to himself but also to the club. Steel had done the same thing with his old lady.

Putting all of that out of his mind, he focused on the woman in his arms. She was panting his name, begging for more. He couldn’t deny her. Couldn’t deny what they both needed?

“Do you want me to fuck you?” he asked.

“Yes. I want it. I want you. Don’t stop. Please, don’t stop.” Sliding his fingers across her clit, he felt her shudder, heard her moaning. He spun her around so she had her back to him now. Pressing his cock against her ass, he sucked on her pulse, needing her more than anything.

“The moment I do this, you become mine,” he said. “My dick in your pussy, everyone else ceases to exist for you.”

“They already do, Weasel. I want you. You want me. We can’t keep fighting.”

He slid his fingers down to her opening and plunged two fingers inside. She cried out, pushing herself onto his fingers. Wanting him, needing him. He felt her cunt tighten around him even as another wave of her cream washed over his digits. She was so fucking responsive.

“We’re not going to fight.” He released her, turned her around again, and pressed his slick fingers into his mouth. “Get undressed.”

She didn’t hesitate. Her clothes ended up as a pile on the floor. Weasel did the same, removing his leather cut, his shirt, and then his jeans. He all but kicked his boots off. They both stood naked. He wrapped his fingers around his length. The tip already leaking copious amounts of pre-cum. He ran his hand down the entire length, coating himself.

When Renee licked her lips, Weasel struggled to contain his groan. “On your knees,” he said.

She sank to her knees, and he stepped forward. Sinking his hands into her hair, he wrapped the length around his fist.

“Open.”

Renee opened her mouth, and he slid the tip of his cock inside. She closed her lips around him along with her eyes. Sinking inside her mouth, he took a second to bask at the feel of her lips finally around him. This was better than anything he’d ever imagined. So many times he’d fantasized about having her mouth wrapped around his dick. The reality was by far better than any fantasy.

Pumping his hips, he went a little deeper. He didn’t want to scare her and took his time, letting her get accustomed to his length, his width. He wasn’t a tiny man, and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt her. Renee belonged to him.

“Your mouth feels so good,” he said. Using his control on her head, he guided her movements, making her take more of him, going just a little deeper, a little harder until he hit the back of her throat. “I don’t want to finish in your mouth.”

She released his cock, and he pulled her up, pressing her against the wall. He cupped her face and slammed his lips down on hers. Plunging his tongue into her mouth, he deepened the kiss, wanting more than anything to brand her.

“Are you going to fuck me, Weasel? Or are you going to make me beg for it?” she asked when he broke away from the kiss.

“Oh, baby, I’m going to make you beg for it. You can guarantee I’m going to make you crawl on your hands and knees to get what you want, but right now, I’m going to fuck you. I’m going to fuck you so damn hard you can’t even remember anyone else.” He let go of her face, grabbed her thighs, and lifted her up.

She circled her legs around his waist, holding on. He reached between them, grabbing his cock and aligning it to her entrance. There was no way that there was going to be a condom between them. He wanted to feel her tight cunt wrapped around his dick with no barriers between them. To feel every single pulse as she came when screaming his name. His name echoing off the walls.

He was determined to do that.

Pausing at her entrance, Weasel stared into her eyes. The moment he did this. There really was no turning back. She would belong to him in every single sense of the word. He’d fight Vengeance for her, and his club. He would do whatever it took to make sure she belonged to him.

Neither of them spoke.

The only sounds were of their heavy panting. His cock was desperate and so was he.

He pressed forward so that only an inch of his cock was inside her. That was all it took. Gripping her hips, he slammed to the hilt within her. Renee arched her back, thrusting onto his cock and yelled his name.

It was done.

He was inside her, and she now belonged to him. The feel of her pussy was everything he’d been waiting for. They were destined to be together. He’d known it but never acted on it.

That had been his biggest mistake, and it was one he wasn’t going to repeat.

There was no turning back.

Their fates had been sealed.

15

Renee felt the stretch and burn from the size of Weasel’s dick.

“It’s so fucking good, baby. You feel so damn good … so mine.” They’d found themselves in the bedroom, her being surrounded by Weasel’s woodsy smelling sheets. He placed a hand on each of her thighs and continued to push deep into her, fucking her, trying to get them both off.

And then it was like something in him snapped. He started to fuck her in long, hard strokes. Over and over he plowed into her, the sounds of their sex, of their moans, filling the room. They were both sweating, and wetness from his chest dripped onto her body, making her even more aroused.

She grabbed onto his biceps and dug her nails into his flesh.

“God, I’m going to fuck you so good and hard.” Weasel flipped her onto her belly, and gave her ass a hard slap, making a high-pitched sound leave her. He pushed her legs apart, and she felt the chilled air move along her heated pussy lips.

Renee looked over her shoulder to see Weasel stroking his cock, his movements fast, frantic. He used his other hand to slip his finger through her slit and gather her pussy juice. She’d come sooner than later.

And then she felt him slide that slickened digit over her asshole. She tensed, the heat moving through her swiftly.

She braced herself for what was to come but also anticipated it. He thrust back into her pussy in a long hard stroke, having her cry out in pleasure.

Wesel pumped into her fast and hard, fucking her into oblivion.

“You what I’m doing to you?” His voice was gruff as he asked her the question.

“God, yes,” she whispered.

“Beg me for more.”

“I want more,” she said without hesitation, needing it like she needed to breathe. He pulled out of her pussy before she could protest. He was smoothing a finger through her folds again, gathering her wetness. He moved those digits to her anus and rubbed the arousal she’d made for him along the tightened hole.

And then he thrust the fingers into her anus until her inner muscle clenched around them.

“Yes,” he said on a harsh whisper.

He removed his fingers from her ass, grabbed her cheeks, and spread her bottom wide. He could see her … all of her. She turned her head to watch him. Before she knew what was happening Weasel let saliva drip from the tip of his tongue to her anus, making her wet, soaked for him.

Oh God. So hot.

“Tell me you want me to fuck you in the ass. Ask me for it.” He used his finger to spread the spit around her tight hole. “Ask for it.”

“Fuck me in the ass.” Renee didn’t even care how that sounded, how she’d never actually had someone back there before.

He moved away from her before she knew what was happening, and a second later he was back on the bed behind her, smearing lube on her asshole. He slipped his finger inside of her ass again until he was deep in her body, making her nice and wet for him. The groan that came from him was long and deep.

After several seconds, he removed the digit and replaced it with the thick crown of his cock at her back hole.

Renee was so nervous but also so ready.

“Are you ready for me?”

“God, yes, Weasel.”

He started pushing into her. “I’ll be good to you, Renee baby. I’ll be gentle and so fucking good.” He pushed through the tight ring of muscle of her ass and when he was fully in her, they both let out this hoarse sound. She was so stretched, so full.

“I know you will, Weasel. You’re always good to me.”

“So. Fucking. Good.” For long minutes, all he did was push into her and pull out slowly, letting her get adjusted. Then he started picking up his speed and fucked her with long, powerful strokes. His balls slapped her pussy, the sound erotic, dirty … good.

“I own you.” He gripped a chunk of her hair with his other hand and pulled her head back. With her throat arched, bared, she felt vulnerable but in a good way.

“That’s it. Let go for me, baby.” He tightened his hold on her hair. She cried out as he thrust harder and faster. “Yeah, that’s so fucking it.” And then he groaned deeply and pulled out of her. She felt the hot jets of his cum cover her ass and lower back. It felt like it burned her, but God was it so good.

He relaxed atop her for only a second before he was lying beside her, panting. She collapsed, closed her eyes, and just let the post-euphoric haze wash over her. She opened her eyes to see Weasel watching her.

“That’s how it is to be owned, baby.” He rolled onto his side and pulled her closer to him. “That’s what it’s like to be mine.”

Yes. Yes, it was.

16

Four days later

“What’s wrong with you?” Vengeance asked.

Renee looked up from her plate and stared at her brother. Constance was just getting another couple of bottles of beer. This dinner had been the last thing she wanted to do but couldn’t find a way out of it. Vengeance was her brother, and she had a lot to make up for. The last thing she wanted to do was insult him. “Nothing’s wrong, why?”

“You just seem, I don’t know, a little worried.”

“Not worried.” She ran her fork through the food, her appetite suddenly deserting her. The past four days had been amazing. She loved every single second of it, especially being with Weasel. Being with him was dirty, raw, and highly fucking sexy. A moment hadn’t gone by when she hadn’t craved his brand of sex.

Weasel could make love just as good as he could fuck, and nothing was closed off to him, nothing. If he wanted her ass, he took it. He even claimed her mouth, her pussy, even her tits. Weasel was inside her head, and her body was owned completely by him. “I’m perfectly fine.”

Constance came back, and Vengeance took the bottle of beer she handed him, drinking down a large swallow.

“You keep staring at me, Vengeance, and it’s freaking me out.”

“You’re hiding something.”

She rolled her eyes. “You got me, brother. I’m on my period, and I’m in pain. There, how does that feel?”

Instantly he recoiled and went pale. She wasn’t on her monthly cycle but ever since he’d sat her down when she was younger and explained in great detail what a woman’s period was, he’d begged her to never talk about it again. She’d been thirteen when that happened, and Vengeance was the only person she trusted, the only person that could have explained anything to her. Their parents sure as hell hadn’t been there for them.

“Moving right along. This weekend there’s going to be a big party. Everyone is coming, even Zeke and his woman and kids. Everyone is going to be there, and I want you to come along,” he said.

She played with the food again and frowned. “Are you sure about that?”

“I’m totally sure.”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to be anywhere like that right now. You said yourself. I’m not in a good space with them. Especially after everything I said and did.”

Vengeance reached out and placed a hand on hers. “Renee, you can’t expect them to forgive you overnight, but it’s not an entirely bad thing you did. It’s not like you ratted them out or anything. I forgive you, and so will they.”

Tears filled her eyes, and she smiled at her brother. “I don’t want to make things awkward.”

Vengeance got up from the table and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. “It won’t be.” He kissed her temple. “Now stop worrying.”

She smiled and kissed his cheek.

“What did I miss?” Weasel asked, coming into the room and startling her for a second, making her tense. Thankfully, Vengeance didn’t say anything to her sudden stillness as he stood up.

“What the fuck are you doing here?”

“It just so happens I’m famished, and I knew food was going to be good here,” Weasel said, winking at Constance who rolled her eyes. “I’m also here to take Renee home.”

“I picked her up. I can take her home.”

“Not going to happen. I’m here now.” Weasel smiled at her, and she glared at him.

Every time he was near, she struggled to get her body in check. It was like he really did own every single part of her.

“I’m just going to use the bathroom,” she said, getting up.

She needed a break, at least two seconds to clear her head.

Vengeance would kill Weasel if he ever found out about them. Wouldn’t he? Maybe he wouldn’t be upset. Maybe he’d be happy she was with someone who made her smile?

Entering the bathroom, she stared at her reflection, seeing the flush on her chest.

It wasn’t long before the bathroom door was open, and there was Weasel.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“Coming to check and see that you’re okay,” he seemed to say under his breath.

“Why are you here?”

“I wanted to come and spend some time with you.”

“I can’t think while you’re here. We both agreed that Vengeance can’t know, at least not right now.” She frowned. “Where is he?”

“On a call with Demon, and Constance had to go and check on something.” He reached out, tucking a curl behind her ear. “I missed you.”

“This is crazy. You’re insane. If he finds out you’re here…”

“He won’t, Renee.” He stepped forward and sank his fingers into her hair. All protests ceased as the scent of him invaded her. He smelled like leather, beer, and biker grease. It was the scent that always reminded her of him. “I didn’t want anyone else bringing you home.”

With his free hand, he rested it on her hip, and she couldn’t help the little gasp at his touch. Her shirt had ridden up, and his fingers touched her exposed stomach.

“I was at home thinking about you, Renee.” He teased underneath her shirt, stroking her skin. Slowly, his fingers eased down her jeans, cupping her pussy. “And I was staring at my bed, and I couldn’t help but think about how your pretty ass rode my cock last night.”

She closed her eyes, recalling how much she had wanted it. He’d been fucking her pussy, but she wanted him in her ass. Shoving him to the bed, she reversed cowgirled him. Only instead of her pussy, she’d pushed her ass over his cock, and he’d sunk so deep inside her.

He plunged a finger into her pussy, and she cried out. Weasel covered her mouth with his hand. “Don’t make a sound, Renee. We don’t want Vengeance to hear us.”

She shouldn’t be turned on by the thought of getting caught but she was. She wanted him.

“So tide me over until I get home. Let me lick your pussy, make you feel good. I want to make you come, and then we’ll finish dinner. You’re going to be thinking about us, and about what I’m going to do to you when we get home. First, I’m going to fuck your mouth, and then I’m going to take your pussy, before I fill that pretty ass of yours with my spunk, then watch as it comes out.”

It sounded so sinful, so wicked, and she wanted it.

This was going to be the longest couple of hours of her life.

17

For long seconds, they just stared at each other. Her cheeks were red, her pupils dilated. Weasel could see the way her pulse beat wildly right below her ear, knew she was turned on, primed just for him.

He wanted her. Now.

Fuck the repercussions if Vengeance found out this way, if he knew that shit was going down between them. He’d have to find out sooner rather than later anyway. Weasel wasn’t going to walk away from Renee, and the sooner she realized that—accepted it—the better off things would go.

She opened her mouth, maybe to say something about this not being the right time, that Vengeance and Constance might be here, but he stopped her with a kiss. He placed his mouth on hers, speared his tongue between her lips, and swallowed her moan.

He cupped her ass, curved his fingers along the taut, plump flesh, and groaned himself. She was so fucking perfect.

He broke away, both of them panting, sucking in great lungfuls of air, trying to stay sane. Weasel stared into her eyes, wanting to give her the world. “As much as I want to fuck you right now, to make you scream from orgasm,” he said and lifted her onto the bathroom counter in the next second, “I’ll be the bigger man and refrain from my own pleasure until we’re home.” Truth was, giving her pleasure would in turn be his as well. Making her come would be nearly as good as getting off himself.

She made this small noise in the back of her throat.

“Right now, like I promised, I’m going to have my mouth all over your pussy, my tongue thrust deep inside of you.” He kissed her again, stroked his tongue along her lips, mouth-fucking her like he wanted to do between her thighs.

He couldn’t hold in the guttural sound that left him.

“Weasel, they might hear,” she breathed out, her voice aroused, soft.

“Let them hear,” he said honestly.

“God,” she gasped softly, her focus on the door, clearly worried, but her arousal stronger, her need higher.

“I want you to come with my tongue thrust deep in your cunt, baby, with my lips lapping at the juices that flow out.” She made the sweetest sound for him, one of primal need that only he could give her.

Her legs were parted slightly, her jeans in the way. He helped her off the counter only long enough to help her pull her pants and panties off. He helped her back on the bathroom counter a second later.

Not wasting another moment, because they really didn’t have a lot of time before Vengeance, or even Constance wondered where the hell they’d gone off to, Weasel was on his haunches in front of Renee.

“Legs on my shoulders, baby.” She did as he said instantly. He placed his hands on her inner thighs, pushing her legs open even farther. He got a sweet glimpse of the pink, wet and swollen flesh between her legs.

It was all for him. Only him.

Without wasting another second, Weasel placed his mouth right over her pussy, her saccharine flavor washing over his tongue. The smell and flavor of her was so damn addicting, so intoxicating.

Weasel plunged his tongue in and out of her but couldn’t hold himself back from moving up and sucking her clit into his mouth. Fuck, she tasted so good, felt so good against him, her hands in his hair, her breathy moans telling him how good she felt.

She clutched at his hair, pulling the strands hard enough it hurt, hard enough to make his cock jerk in awareness. Fuck, he was hard, stiff like steel, made to be plunged into her tight little pussy.

His cock throbbed, his balls were drawn up tightly to his body, and it was damn hard keeping that fucker in his pants. Weasel didn’t know how long he could last. As it was, he could have come from licking and sucking at her alone.

He devoured her then, licked at her clit, ran his tongue down her cleft, getting drunker by the second. Weasel was frenzied for her, wanting desperately to get Renee off like he needed to take his next breath.

“So fucking good, Renee baby,” he murmured against her flesh. He loved the way she tugged on his hair harder.

He held her legs open and curled his fingers into her flesh.

“Yes,” she whispered.

He looked up but didn’t stop from plunging his tongue in and out of her. I need her to come for me.

“I’m so close.”

That was exactly what he wanted to hear.

“That’s it, baby. Give it to me.” He sucked, licked at her harder. When he felt her tense, knowing she was climaxing, he renewed his efforts. She moaned, the sound soft. Weasel didn’t stop eating her out until she sagged for him.

Weasel stood, not wiping the juices from his mouth, wanting her to taste herself on him. He reached out and brought her close, slammed his lips on hers, and made her drunk from the flavor like he was.

His cock was throbbing, needing to be plunged in her tight, wet heat.

He pulled back but stared into her eyes. “You’re mine, and I want the whole fucking world to know.”

She tried to catch her breath, and it pleased him that he’d worked her up so fucking well.

“I want that too,” she said with honesty in her voice.

He helped her off the counter, grabbed her pants and panties off the ground, and watched as she put them on. It was hot as fuck seeing her long legs being slipped into her pants, the denim moving up her creamy skin.

His mouth tasted like her, sweet and addicting, and he wanted more. So much more.

He helped her get presentable again and let her leave the bathroom first. He followed out a few seconds later, not even caring if anyone saw. She headed out into the living room, and through the window they could see Vengeance and Constance outside. Weasel glanced at Renee and got lost in everything that was this woman.

This woman would always bring him to his knees, and he’d always fight for her.

No matter what.

18

Renee stared around the kitchen. She had several batches of brownies wrapped and ready to go to the party.

“What’s wrong?” Weasel asked, coming up behind her. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close.

For the briefest moment, she allowed herself to take comfort in his touch and to just bask in being near him.

“Nothing.”

“That look on your face says something else, baby. Tell me what’s wrong?”

She sighed and bit her lip. “This party that the Soldiers are having … I don’t want to go.” She turned in his arms, staring into his eyes. “I’m not ready.”

“You can’t hide forever.”

“I know that but … this just seems so … quick. Then there’s us, and I’m not ready for that fallout yet.”

He cupped her face and forced her to look up at him. “Hey, don’t worry about us. We’ll tell Vengeance when you’re good and ready and not a moment before.”

“I don’t want to lose you or anyone else.”

“You won’t. I can promise you that. I’m here for you, and I’ll even be there if the club thinks for a second that they can say anything bad about you.”

“But I deserve it and know how protective they are over their members and reputation. I offended them,” she said and then groaned. “Ugh, just ignore me. I’m just trying to figure everything out and it’s not working. I’m torn in two over this. I want to tell the world that I’m with you, and then I’m scared because I’ve already caused a huge damn problem in the first place.” She slumped into the nearest chair, sinking her fingers into her hair.

“Stop taking all the blame. Vengeance said some shitty stuff, too. He’s to blame for this all going down as well.”

This feeling. It was threatening to swallow her whole, and she hated that. She hated being vulnerable.

“Last time I checked, Renee, you weren’t a coward.”

She dropped her hands and glared at him. “You know that is so not helping.”

“It’s not meant to help. I’m trying to make you see that you’re made of fighting stuff. You’re no quitter, and you’re behaving like one.” He spun the chair around even though she sat in it. “That’s not going to happen. Not on my watch. Brownies are a damn good start. Put on your big girl pants, and let’s go and have some fun.”

It seemed like they were there in no time, this suffocating feeling threatening to strangle her. Especially when the Grit Chapter had also arrived. She saw Bridget and Beast along with Vicky and Payne.

“Well, well, well, look at what crap has come to party,” Weasel said, teasing.

He moved away from her and she watched as he shook Grim’s, followed by Reaper’s, hands. They were twins and the rumors about them were kind of scary, kind of fucked up in what they liked doing in and out of the bedroom.

Keeping the brownies to her chest, she made her way toward the kitchen. There she saw several of the clubwomen talking, including Deanna, Amy, Eloise, and also Constance.

She knew everyone and yet felt completely isolated from them all. Waiting near a wall until all the women but Constance had left, she entered the kitchen.

“I wondered when you were going to come out of hiding.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to interrupt.”

“Vengeance and I don’t keep any secrets from each other. You’re hurting and I do get that.”

“I’m not really comfortable being back. I had no idea that the Grit chapter would be here,” she said, pointing behind her.

“Yeah, it’s been a good year for both clubs, and with weddings and babies and everything. It just seemed like a really good idea to party.”

“The Soldiers have never needed a reason to party. They just love doing it. That will never change,” Renee said, laughing softly. “I’m going to go and grab a beer.”

There was no way she was going to keep on going without something to drink. She went to the cooler and grabbed herself a bottle.

“Well, hell,” Joker said, reaching in to grab a bottle of beer. “Hello, stranger.”

“Hello to you too.” She tucked some hair behind her ears and forced a smile. “Congratulations on the wife and the kids and everything. Out of everyone, I didn’t think for a second that you’d be the one settled down.”

“The kids are indeed a surprise, as I’m sure you know. Settling down, it was always on the cards with Amy.” Joker took a long swallow of his beer.

“Yeah. She’s sweet as well.”

“When are you going to grow some lady balls and stop acting like a victim,” he said.

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me.” Joker shrugged. “You think you’re the first person near this club to make a mistake? You didn’t screw us over, nor did you rat. Sure, you said a few hurtful things but I’m over it. I’m sure everyone else here is as well. Vengeance wanted you back, and we all did.” He gently pushed her in a friendly way and left.

“There you are,” Weasel said, coming up behind her. “Sorry about leaving you like that. I rarely get a chance to see the Grit guys anymore.”

“It’s fine. I’m fine. I’ve got a beer, and everything is great.”

“Then let’s go and dance.”

“What about Vengeance?” she asked, quickly looking around for any sign of him.

“He’s not here yet, and there’s nothing wrong with having a little dance.”

Weasel grabbed her arm and pulled her in close. They both held a bottle of beer, but that didn’t seem to stop him from holding her. His touch made her a little nervous but so damn aroused she couldn’t even think straight.

“You really need to relax.”

“I will.”

“When?” he asked, giving her a wink. “You’ve got to stop doing this to yourself. This is not a playground. No one is glaring at you or pointing a finger saying you should be bullied. You are fine. We’re fine, and you’re going to dance with me if you like it or not.” He rested a hand on her hip, and she took a breath. Slowly relaxing into his arms.

“See, that’s not so bad, is it?”

“I guess not,” she said, her voice thick, heavy with desire. She loved his touch more than anything else. Weasel had a great deal of power over her, whether he knew it or not. She had loved him for as long as she could remember. Never did she think it was possible to actually be able to have him, but now that she had, she didn’t want to give him up.

19

Renee didn’t know how many beers she had consumed, but she already felt a buzz, her body heat had increased, and beads of sweat trickled between her breasts. Weasel still held her closely, his hand right above her ass, his touch possessive, heated.

If she had thought she could have kept her relationship with him a secret, she was a fool. Especially since they were at the clubhouse and all eyes were on them, the feeling of those gazes making the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.

“I feel like everybody is watching us,” she said against his neck, the scent of his cologne, leather, and all male aroma making her even more aroused.

“That’s because everyone is watching us,” he said on a low growl, the vibrations traveling right to the center of her body. “But let them see it. Let them watch. I want them to know you’re mine. I wanted them to know that since the moment you gave yourself over to me.”

This chill raced over her body despite the fact she was overheated. She was buzzed enough, aroused even, to suggest going to one of the back rooms. But that’s not what tonight was about.

She pulled away and looked into his face. His eyes were half-mast, his pupils dilated. He leaned in close, right by her ear, his warm breath tickling the shell.

“I could take you right now and it wouldn’t be enough.” He ran his tongue along the shell of her ear, causing her heart to skip a beat. “I could pull you into one of the back rooms, devour you until I was drunk from the flavor and it still wouldn’t be enough.”

She wanted him right then and there, but tonight was not the night for that. She wanted to make things good with the club, and if they were going to know she was with Weasel, she didn’t want it to be in a lewd, crude manner. They had plenty of time for that, hopefully even tonight.

She smiled up at him and ran her finger along his lip. “Let me go to the bathroom and maybe we can talk about how we can officially tell people about us, if you want?” There was no point in trying to deny or hide it. Not when they had just been grinding for the last twenty minutes.

“Don’t be too long, baby.”

She walked away before he could pull her back in, before she could hope he yanked her back to his hard body. She ran her fingers along her temple, feeling beads of sweat from their passionate dance. The room slightly spun, not because she was totally wasted, but because she had a good buzz, her body was heated, and also because she felt like she was high on the arousal.

When she got to the bathroom and shut the door behind her, she leaned against it and exhaled. Her heart was beating hard and fast. She stared at her reflection and could see this glow on her face. If they didn’t know her and Weasel were together already, they’d find out soon enough.

Or maybe they just thought she was sharing his bed, a one-time thing, just a fling for both of them?

She used the facility and washed her hands, letting the cold water move along her fingers and palms. Renee stared at her reflection again, her eyes big, her hair slightly mussed. After splashing some water on her face to cool herself down, she grabbed the towel and dried off, feeling happiness fill her.

She smiled at herself in the mirror and then turned and opened the bathroom door. She was focused on her hands when she stepped outside and ran right into somebody.

The air left her and she stumbled backward, reaching for the doorframe to balance herself. When she glanced up she saw a younger man standing in front of her, the leather vest he wore stating he was a Prospect of the club.

He swerved a little bit, his eyes glassy and bloodshot, the stench of booze coming from him like a slap to the face. He looked her up and down, and although she’d never seen him before she had a feeling he knew who she was.

As if he read her mind his top lip curled up in a sneer. He took a step closer but she held her ground, not sure what he planned but not about to take his shit.

Being Vengeance’s sister had made her strong. It had taught her not to put up with other people’s crap.

“You’re that fucking bitch that had the falling out with the club.”

Renee wouldn’t have called it a falling out, but even so she wasn’t sure what it was of his concern since she’d never seen him before. Maybe he heard something in the past, rumors that made him think he knew her or knew the situation?

She tried to move past him because she was not about to get into an altercation with a drunken idiot, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her backward. The movement was so sudden that she slammed into the wall, her head cracking back and pain shooting up her spine.

A small sound of shock and pain left her, and she instinctively lifted her hand and held the back of her head.

“The fact you think you can come here, that you’re welcome is fucking hilarious.”

He was right in front of her, his warm, humid breath wafting on her face. But before she could say or do anything, his body was suddenly away from hers and tossed across the room. She blinked a few times and stared at Weasel, his body big, imposing, and the anger radiating off him like rays from the sun.

She didn’t know what was about to happen but it couldn’t be good.

20

Weasel just couldn’t stop hitting the fucker. He wasn’t even a full Patch, but a fucking Prospect, and that fucker had touched what was his.

“Stop! Weasel, stop!” He heard Renee beg, but all he could see was the violent thug putting his hands on his woman, and that shit pissed him off more than anything else. Pulling his fist back, he slammed it over and over again into the man’s disgusting face until finally someone tore him off.

“What is the fucking meaning of this?” Demon asked.

His Prez looked ready to kill but Weasel didn’t care. His hand was covered in blood and when he looked toward Renee, he saw that Vengeance was there. Fuck. This shit wasn’t supposed to go down like this. He felt sick to his stomach, and it was driving him crazy.

“He thought he could put his hands on Renee.”

Demon looked toward Renee.

“He was hurting her. Last time I checked, we don’t let shit like that happen. Not to our own women, not to anyone.” He was yelling now. The adrenaline rushing through his body made it hard for him to focus. He wanted to kill. The blood on his hands wasn’t enough. He needed more.

Fuck, this was supposed to be fun, a party, and when he looked toward Renee, she was terrified.

“He’s out cold,” Demon said.

“He’s dead?” Renee asked, her voice high-pitched.

“No, but I want to know what the fuck went on here.”

“He-he-he grabbed me and shoved me back. He didn’t want me here.”

“I’m taking you home,” Weasel said, intent on reaching out for her. He stopped when she recoiled. “Renee, what the fuck?”

“I’m sorry. It’s fine. I’m just a little shaken.”

He didn’t like that. The fact she recoiled from him left him a little sick to his stomach.

She went to step toward him, and Vengeance held her back. “No, you’re not leaving just yet.”

“Please, I really just want to go home. I didn’t want anything like this to happen, so please, don’t make a big deal.”

“Renee, he shouldn’t have fucking touched you,” Demon said. “I’ll get to the bottom of this.”

“He was just being honest. I don’t have a right to be here.”

“No, that shit isn’t right,” Weasel said.

“Weasel’s right.” Demon spoke up. “This is your family. This is your home. I’ll make sure this fucker pays, and pays dearly for ever coming near you.”

She nodded, but Weasel saw the tears in her eyes. Her gaze fell on him. “I’d like to go home now.”

With Vengeance following close behind them, Weasel grabbed his bike and pulled it around to the front.

“You take care of her, okay?” Vengeance asked.

“With my life. I’ll protect her.”

“Good. I love you, baby girl.” Vengeance held her close, hugging her tight.

They were going to tell Vengeance the truth but that asshole inside the clubhouse had stopped all that, and Weasel was pissed off that he was going to have to wait.

Renee climbed onto the back of the bike, and he watched as she tucked some hair behind her ears and wiped away the tears. “I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

“It’s not your fault, babe. It’s never your fault.” He headed back home and took her hand, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. “You have nothing to be ashamed of,” he said over the roar of the engine.

“He just seemed to come out of nowhere and the hatred … I’ve never seen that before. I’ve never seen him but he knew who I was.”

“We’ve got a lot of hangers on, and he was a brand-new Prospect.”

“Did you ever hate me that much?”

“No, I didn’t. I could never hate you.”

She was crying, and it wasn’t doing anything good for his anger. The fact he got stopped from killing that fucker pissed him off, and with each tear spilled, it just made him even angrier.

When he got home, he parked the bike and helped her off the back of it. He lifted her up into his arms and held her close. He wouldn’t be stopped, not when he carried her inside and into the living room.

“He ruined our announcement,” she said. “Vengeance was in a good mood as well. He may not have killed you.”

He burst out laughing. “Your brother is going to try to kill me no matter what time we tell him.”

“Will they kill that guy?” she asked.

Weasel hesitated in answering. He didn’t want to upset her any more than she was.

“Please, just tell me the truth.”

He pulled her into his arms, kissing the top of her head. “They’ll see what the fuck is going on with him, and he’ll be punished severely. Demon will see it as disrespect to the club. Vengeance will see it as a hit on him because you’re his sister. Hell, they might kill him for that alone. If he’s not dead when I see him, I’ll fucking kill him.”

“I don’t want it to go that far.”

“I don’t want you worrying about that at all. That shit is over, it is done. You’re back home with your family, and you’re going to start behaving like you deserve to be here, because I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He dropped another kiss to her head. “You’re mine, Renee. That’s by my side, as my old lady, and no one is going to say otherwise. Not even your brother when he finds out the truth.”

She sighed and settled against him as they sat on the couch.

“I never want you to pull away from me again. I’ll never hurt you. I guarantee it.”

“It’s not that. Everything was happening so fast. I didn’t know what to do.” She glanced up at him. “Hold me and don’t let go.”

“Never.” He kissed the top of her head a third time, so thankful she wasn’t hurt.

21

For the last few days Renee had been worrying about what would happen with that man. True, he’d tried to hurt her, said horrible things to her. But she didn’t want anybody dead because of it. She’d tried to talk to Vengeance about it but he had been closed shut, telling her it was club business and she didn’t need to worry about it. It had been the same thing Weasel had said to her.

She stared down at her coffee, the cream swirling and mixing with the darkness, creating a caramel color. Her thoughts were lost and she didn’t hear the door opening and closing until heavy footsteps sounded.

Renee turned and saw Vengeance standing there. He walked over and sat across from her at the table. For long seconds he didn’t say anything, but it was a comfortable kind of silence, the kind she embraced even.

“How are you doing?”

She looked down at her coffee and shrugged. “Fine, I guess.” He didn’t respond and when she lifted her head and looked at him, he was smiling. “What are you smiling about?”

“Let’s go for a run,” he said instead before she had time to respond. “Like we used to. Remember when we used to hit the pavement and run for hours?”

Yeah, she remembered. They had done it to “escape.” Their childhoods hadn’t been the greatest, but they always had each other. Running had been a way for them to get their energy out, the frustration and anger at all the crap life had thrown at them.

“Right now?” It had been years since she’d done this, but she was actually looking forward to it.

“Yeah, why not?” He was still grinning as he held his hand out for her to take.

Renee found herself smiling as well, slipping her hand in his and letting him pull her up out of the chair.

Well, looked like they were going for a run.

* * *

Sweat ran down the valley between Renee’s breasts, along her spine, and she was gasping for air. They finally made it back to Weasel’s place and her throat was so dry it was like she’d swallowed sand.

It had been years that she’d run like this with her brother and when she looked over at him, she could see that he barely broke a sweat. He grinned at her and clapped her on the back, and together they made their way inside.

When they entered the house, she could hear somebody rustling around in the kitchen. They made their way toward the sound and saw Weasel opening the fridge and grabbing a beer out of it. He glanced over his shoulder at them, turned back toward the fridge, and grabbed two more beers out.

She headed over to the sink and filled up a glass of water, drinking the entire thing before she even moved away from the faucet. When she turned around she saw Vengeance and Weasel staring at her, both of them wearing grins.

She rolled her eyes when they started laughing at her.

So what, she was out of shape. She hadn’t run like that in a long time. But it felt good, freeing. She was making a promise to herself to run more frequently, not just for the exercise but also because it helped to clear her mind.

Renee looked between Vengeance and Weasel, and all she wanted to do was tell her brother how much she cared for the other biker. She found herself taking a step closer, the words on the tip of her tongue, the need to be honest with him and to tell him that being with Weasel made her feel alive.

“Vengeance...” she found herself saying, her mind foggy with the need to be honest. Her brother had been the only solid thing in her life before Weasel came along. He’d been there for her, protected her, made sure she was always safe and looked after above anybody else.

And keeping this from him was eating at her.

“What’s up?” Vengeance was staring at her, clearly not knowing what she was going to say because he seemed so easy-going.

Would he be upset about this? Would he hurt Weasel because he was so angry about the situation? Or maybe he’d accept their relationship with open arms?

She looked over at Weasel and saw he say up straighter, the expression on his face telling her that he knew exactly what she was about to say. But she couldn’t lie anymore, not to the one person she loved more than anything else, the one person who was her only family. She couldn’t lie anymore and saying what was going on right now was the best option.

At least she hoped so.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she glanced back at Vengeance. Just say it; just tell him what’s going on. Don’t be afraid. This is your brother, the one person who loves you no matter what.

“What’s going on?” Vengeance looked concerned now, his focus trained right on her.

Say it. Don’t be weak.

“I love Weasel and we’re together.” There, she’d said it. But the silence stretched on, the air becoming thicker, electrically charged.

God, had this been the right idea?

22

“I really thought it would be a good idea to just tell him,” Renee said.

Weasel winced as she pressed an antiseptic wipe against the cut on his forehead. He glanced across the room to where Constance was also tending to Vengeance’s cuts and bruises.

“Wow, you guys really know how to fucking trash the place,” Demon said.

He didn’t even know when the club Prez had arrived. He’d been too busy dealing with blows coming at his face. The moment Renee had told her brother that they were together everything had turned to hell.

“You’re paying for that shit,” Weasel said, spitting out a little blood into a bowl that Renee had given him.

“I’m not paying for shit. I’m going to kill your fucking ass. Renee, get away from him.”

She didn’t stop tending his wounds, but she glared at Vengeance. “You were supposed to be happy about this, not try to kill him.”

“Guess what? I’m not that highly evolved. He touched you and he shouldn’t have. He should have come to me first and talked about it.”

“Fuck you, asshole,” Weasel said, glaring.

“Wow, we walked into some family drama all right,” Joker said.

From what he’d heard, Renee had panicked after they started fighting and called the club for help.

He was pissed about having the club witness their fight but it wasn’t like it was anything new.

Weasel winced as she placed the wipe against his cut. Alcohol free? Yeah, right, they were stinging as if she’d poured fucking whiskey over the damn things. His face was swelling up, and out of one eye, he couldn’t see.

“I can’t believe you couldn’t talk this out,” Constance said. “Look at you. You’re a mess.”

“I was protecting my sister,” Vengeance said.

Constance glanced at him. “If you ask me, she doesn’t want protecting. She’s happy.”

“Thank you. At least someone gets it,” Renee said. “I didn’t tell you so that you’d start hitting each other. I told you because I didn’t want to sneak behind your back, or for you to find out from someone else. I’m not going to hide my feelings for him, Vengeance.” She sighed when she looked down at the wipe that was covered in blood. “Look at all this mess.” She glanced around the room.

Furniture was broken, and it looked like a tornado had come through. He’d thrown Vengeance across a table, and under the excess weight, the thing had given completely out and now lay in bits on the floor.

His house was trashed.

Renee put her hands on her hips and glared. “No one else but me is going to be cleaning this up. Ugh, I don’t even know why I bother. I’m so pissed at you both right now.”

Weasel glared at her. “Why the fuck are you pissed at me? I didn’t throw the first punch.”

“No, you didn’t, but you also fought back.” She glared at him, grabbed the bowl of dirty water, and stormed off. “If you would have just surrendered and backed off, he would have done the same.”

The only people laughing in the room were Joker and Demon, and he didn’t have the energy to wipe the smirks off their faces.

He may have cracked a few ribs. Fuck, he was hurting all over.

Finally, Weasel looked toward Vengeance and waited.

“I’d offer to clean up the mess if I was either of you,” Demon said, taking a seat in one of the spare chairs. “When Renee called and said you were killing each other, I thought for a second she was lying.”

“He touched my sister when he should have been honest from the beginning. I wasn’t going to let that shit go. The fact he’s still breathing is a fucking miracle.”

Weasel didn’t say anything. His jaw was hurting and was probably swollen as hell. It had been a long time since he’d been in a fight like this, and his body was showing it.

“Are you two done with this fight? Or do we need to referee another one?” Joker asked.

He looked toward Vengeance, and for several seconds he didn’t say anything. What was there to say? Still, Vengeance was his club brother. He would die for the fucker no matter what.

“I know I’m not the guy you want for her, and I get it, I do. You can tell me she deserves someone better, someone not part of the club. She went away because someone who wasn’t part of the club got into her life, and you lived without her.” Weasel ran his fingers through his hair, and he was sure there was blood matted against his scalp. “The truth is, the only person good enough for Renee is the guy that will love, protect, and cherish her no matter what. Hate me all you want to, Vengeance, but I can promise you, no one else is ever going to feel that shit the way I do.”

Weasel stared at his club brother and bared his soul. He loved that woman in the kitchen. When she left, he’d done everything he could to hide how fucking hurt he was that she didn’t stay, that he couldn’t win her back.

The moment he saw her again, he vowed that he wouldn’t let her leave. He’d give her a reason to stay.

He didn’t want his decision to claim Renee to hit the club. Nor did he want to cause a fight between himself and Vengeance. All he wanted was the right to have his woman by his side. He was tired of all the same shit and wanted her as his old lady. The last thing he wanted was for them both to be sneaking around.

She deserved better than that.

23

Several days later

Renee had let Vengeance cool off, given him a couple days to calm down before she came to talk to him. But the time had come. She couldn’t allow them to just stay on silent terms again. She couldn’t stop communications with him over this misunderstanding.

Renee knocked on the door twice before she heard Constance calling out for her to enter. Once inside she headed toward the living room where she saw Constance sitting on the couch, her legs propped up, a book in her lap. She smiled at Renee and although she hadn’t asked where Vengeance was, Constance gestured out toward the back.

“He still licking his wounds?”

Constance rolled her eyes and gave one sharp nod. “He’ll get over it. It’s only been a couple days and you know how these guys are. His ego is bruised.”

Yeah, Renee knew how stubborn they were. She lifted her hand in a wave toward Constance and headed toward the back yard.

She pushed the door open and stepped out onto the deck and let the door close quietly behind her. Vengeance was sitting in a patio chair, his legs kicked up so they rested on the banister, the acres of property they owned spreading out before him. He had a beer in his hand and rested it on his knee.

He didn’t turn around, but the she didn’t doubt he knew she stood right behind him. After a few seconds, she moved closer and sat in the seat beside him. She stared out at the scenery, the land beautiful, the sun starting to set.

“You’re still upset?” she asked but didn’t look at him. She could see out of the corner of her eye that he brought his beer bottle up and took a long drink from it. Finally she did look at him.

“I’m fine,” he said without looking at her. She could see a muscle under his jaw ticking and couldn’t help the exasperated sigh that left her.

“You do know that you’re acting ridiculous, right?” He looked at her then, his eyes the same color as hers, his focus stern, almost a little bit disappointed. She hated that she hadn’t told him right away, but she was an adult, could make her own decisions, and he should respect that.

“Tell me how I’m supposed to act, Renee?”

She shrugged and looked out at the property again. “I don’t know, Vengeance, maybe happy for me?” She looked at him then. “I wanted to tell you sooner, planned on it too, but then things got in the way that stopped me. We didn’t go about this trying to hide it from you. It just kind of happened.”

He nodded once but his jaw was still tight. For long seconds neither said anything. She opened her mouth, about to say something, but he started speaking.

“You know the thing that I’m most upset about is the fact that you didn’t tell me right away, that you didn’t think I’d understand.”

She exhaled roughly and shook her head. “Vengeance, the way you reacted is exactly how I thought it would all go down. Can you blame me for being afraid to say anything? You attacked Weasel, the man I love. He didn’t force me to do anything. I’m a grown ass woman and I love him.”

Vengeance didn’t say anything for long moments, but neither did she. Finally, he exhaled and ran a hand through his hair. “I know.” He looked at her then. “I guess I am just used to taking care of you, and knowing that you’re making decisions on who you want to be with and what you are doing with your life is hard for me.”

She moved her chair closer to him. “I swear no one set out to betray you. Weasel and I just happened, but now that it has I am happy about it. I am excited for what the future holds.” Renee reached out and took his hand in hers. It was so much bigger than hers, scarred and calloused, with tattoos running along his golden flesh.

A light breeze picked up and she felt at home, like things would be okay if she gave it time.

“I still need you. I’ll always need you in my life.” She gave his hand a squeeze. “You’re my big brother, family, and nothing will ever change that.” She urged him to look her in the eyes and when he finally did, she smiled. “I need you to be happy for me. I need you to accept that although I made mistakes in the past with our relationship, that I still need your support.”

He gave her hand a squeeze in return. “You always have my support. It’s just hard to think that my baby sister is with a biker. A Soldiers of Wrath Patch no less.” He exhaled and shook his head, but there was a slight smile on his face. “I can’t promise that I’ll get over it instantly, but you have my support.” He let go of her hand and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her in closer. “If you’re happy, I’m happy for you.”

She rested her head on his chest and smiled, listening to the beat of his heart. This felt like back when they were younger, when she felt scared and alone and confused. He always gave her moral support, always gave her that shoulder to cry on.

“No more secrets, okay?”

She nodded. “Okay.” Renee felt lighter, more hopeful about the future.

24

Weasel drove into the compound and paused, staring up at the clubhouse. He hadn’t been here for a couple of days, wanting to give Vengeance time to cool off. Also, he had Renee, and the last thing he wanted to do was to leave her when things had gone downhill. She had felt bad about sneaking around, not that he had a problem with it, though. Vengeance had a mean right hook, and his face was still bruised even several days after fighting with him.

He’d hoped that Vengeance would have called him but as it was, nothing had happened. Renee had gone to see him today instead, and she asked for him to try to patch things up, which was why he was here.

After climbing off his bike, he leaned against the wall and pulled out a smoke. He lit it up.

“Hey, baby, do you want some company?” One of the club sluts ran a hand down his chest, going for his dick.

He grabbed her arm and pushed her away. “Go entertain someone else. I got myself an old lady.” Damn, that sounded pretty fucking good.

Weasel looked up at the sky, taking a deep draw on his cigarette. It was late, and all he wanted to do was be with Renee.

“You pushed her away fast enough,” Vengeance said.

He turned to see Vengeance in the doorway of the club. “I’ve got a woman at home. I don’t need some skank touching me.”

“You take my sister that serious?” Vengeance asked.

“If I didn’t, do you think I’d risk being killed by my club brother?” He threw the cigarette onto the ground and stubbed it out. Weasel moved so that he stood beside Vengeance, both of them leaning against the wall.

“How long have you been in love with her?”

Weasel released a sigh. “Before she left I had feelings for her. I tried to hide them. Fuck, I even pretended that I felt nothing for her. But in the back of my head I was thinking about her.”

“That’s why you wanted me to call her.”

“It was a long time, and I cared, Vengeance. She’s your sister, and I know you love her.”

“You love her as well.”

“Always. The women won’t be getting anything from me. The only person I want is Renee. I promise that I will protect her, love her.” Weasel stopped talking.

“I’ve always felt protective of her. She’s my baby sister, and I love her. I overreacted the other day, and I want to apologize. Constance has been berating me. She told me if I was so desperate to apologize I should just pick the phone up and stop being a pain in the ass. I’m sorry.”

Weasel chuckled. “That is one hell of an apology coming from you.”

“It’s all you’re going to get. All I ask is that you keep the personal relationship stuff on the down low for a little while. I’m not ready to see my sister making out with you.”

“I love her, Vengeance. I’ll protect her.”

“I know. You’ve said that.”

They both rested against the wall, and Weasel looked up at the night’s sky. “I’m sorry too. I should have told you and not let things get out of hand.”

“It’s in the past now, brother.”

The silence stretched out, and Weasel knew he needed to be honest. “I want to marry her,” Weasel said.

“Wow, you really don’t like a guy getting used to his sister dating, do you?”

“I want you to know that I’m going to marry her. I’m going to be the father of her babies.” Weasel turned to his friend. “I didn’t want to hide it from you. You don’t want to hear about it right now, but you’re going to have to get a crash course in all of it. I’m not going to back down. I want everything with her. The whole picket fence, kids, and everything.” He found himself smiling as he said it.

“You’re going to make me puke. Come on, let’s go and have a drink. I think I can handle whatever plans you have so long as I have a nice big drink to help me get intoxicated.”

The club cheered as they walked in. Demon came forward and slapped them both on the back. “I thought we’d have to dig a couple of graves today. You fuckers sure know how to trash a place.”

Vengeance snorted. “Did you know Renee gave me a damn invoice today?”

“An invoice?”

“Yep, for all of the furniture I trashed. I went through the list, and she put a V for Vengeance next to some items, and a W for Weasel against others. She had actually labeled shit. Got to love my sister. She knows how to document the shit out of stuff.”

Everyone started laughing.

Sitting at the bar, Weasel smiled. There had been many times he’d caught her putting lists together. There was one of the fridge that he saw a couple of weeks ago, that ran down the chores she elected to do for certain days. The kitchen got a deep clean every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, along with the regular cleaning every single day. She was so thorough.

Vengeance put a glass of whiskey down in front of him. “I guess this means we’re going to be related soon in the whole legal sense.”

“I guess it does, if she’ll have me, that is.” Weasel paused. “Crap, I don’t think I could handle you being my brother-in-law.” He snorted.

At least they were past throwing punches for now.

“Quiet down, everyone. I think it’s only fair to say that another one of us bites the dust. Weasel has claimed an old lady. Another woman is going to join the fold, and seeing as it’s Renee, we all know trouble will brew,” Vengeance said. He raised his glass. “Even though I don’t think anyone would be good enough for my sister, I’m pleased that she’s found you, Weasel. Even with all your faults, you’re a good man, and I know without a doubt you’ll make her happy.”

Weasel burst out laughing. For an acceptance speech, it was going to be the best he got.

25

They sat around the bonfire, the flames big, strong, licking at the wood. It was kind of surreal to be sitting around with the Soldiers of Wrath MC, being part of the family.

Renee was on Weasel’s lap, the whole club laughing and welcoming them. She glanced over at Vengeance, her brother holding Constance close. She was happy for them, glad that he found somebody he could love and take care of.

And when Weasel wrapped his arms around her, Renee sank against him. He was hard and strong ... all man. He smelled like leather and wilderness, with an undertone of masculinity and motor oil. The combination was intoxicating, made her remember all the emotions she felt when she was younger, all the things she wanted with him.

“Are you having a good time?” he asked, his warm breath and lips brushing against her ear. She turned to face him and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him even closer.

“Always. When I’m with you, that is,” she admitted honestly, because she was tired of hiding how she felt, tired of pretending she didn’t have to be honest with her emotions. Renee realized in the short time that lying to herself didn’t hurt anybody but her in the end.

Everyone else might be able to move past it but when all was said and done, she was the one left with the heavy weight of not being honest.

He pulled her and even closer, and she loved that he didn’t care about showing his affection to her in front of others, especially his motorcycle club brothers. She loved this man and wanted nothing more than to spend her life with him.

She didn’t know what the future held, but it didn’t matter, because right now she was happy exactly where she was supposed to be. As long as she was with Weasel everything would be okay. She knew that without a doubt.

* * *

Weasel held Renee close to him, the feel of her nude body against his warm and comforting. They left the barbecue hours ago, and he’d taken her home and made love to her, did it real slow, real nice.

He didn’t have to be a dirty fucker all the time, although they both liked it that way. There were times he just wanted to relish in the feeling of her, and the knowledge that she was his.

Since they’d made things official he moved her into his room, told her he didn’t want her cleaning for him to pay her way. She was his equal, his woman. His old lady wasn’t going to be cleaning up his shit to stay at his house.

This was where they both lived.

“I love you, Renee,” he said right against her hair, knowing she was asleep but needing to tell her. He’d roar it out to the damn world if that was what she wanted.

Before he knew Renee would be his, that he even had a chance of having her in his life, Weasel didn’t think he’d ever have an old lady. He’d seen his brothers fall for women and all he could think about was those poor bastards would never be free again.

But dammit, had life changed for him.

He curled his finger around her hip and slid down to span her belly. He wondered what she would think about marrying him, carrying his children. He might’ve told Vengeance he was going to marry her, but he hadn’t even asked Renee yet.

She shifted in his arms and he watched as she slowly opened her eyes. She had this sleepy expression on her face, and he couldn’t help but lean down and kiss her lips.

And because he couldn’t think about living without her, didn’t want to waste another minute, he just asked her the one question that would change his life.

“Marry me, baby. Be mine forever.” He said the words against her lips and pulled back slightly to stare into her face. She looked wide-awake now, and he wondered what she thought.

The silence stretched on for a few moments, and he wondered if he’d ruined this, should have just kept his mouth shut.

“Yes,” she said slowly, sleepily. There was no hesitation, no confusion in her words or in the way she looked at him.

He pulled her on top of his chest and just held her, just wanting to know that this was real.

Damn, how did an asshole like him get so lucky?

26

“Do you have any idea how you want your wedding to go?” Amy asked.

Renee shook her head. “I don’t know. I guess I want everyone to be there. All the club guys and of course you girls as well.”

“You won’t keep us away,” Deanna said. “You could demand the guys wear a tux. It has been too long since I saw my man in one.”

“Demon wore a tux?”

“Hell, yeah. If I get my way, he can wear them all day long.”

“I personally like my man in leather,” Eloise said. “We’re all married to bikers. I didn’t promise forever with a suit-wearing man. I love my guy in his leather cut.”

Renee giggled at the dreamy look in Eloise eyes.

“There is a big question, though,” Daniella said, speaking up. “What about the club whores? Do you want them present?”

Wrinkling her nose, she saw the other old ladies weren’t too fond of the idea.

“Our men don’t mind them not being there but the ones without any old ladies, or even some with, want them there for the company,” Amy said. “Joker doesn’t go to them.”

“You’re confident of that?” Renee asked.

“Yes. I trust Joker with my life. I know he’d do anything for me, and he’s even risked his life more times than I can count. He will never, ever do anything that would make me hate him.”

“If you’re having doubts, don’t you think you should deal with them now before you head down the aisle?” Constance asked.

Renee shrugged. “If it will happen, it will. There’s not a lot I can do to change that, not really.”

“That’s negative,” Deanna said. “If you’re feeling like that then I don’t think you should go through with it.” Deanna poured herself another glass of wine.

“You think I should tell him no?” Renee asked.

Deanna took a seat beside her and grabbed her hand, giving it a squeeze. “What I think really doesn’t matter. I love Demon. I know he fucked club whores before he met me. He even had one when I was here, but that was before we got together. I know he’s faithful to me, and I am to him. Marriage is hard, honey. It takes two, and if you have doubts now, do you really think they’re just going to disappear?”

“I thought this was supposed to be a celebration, and now I’m just really depressed right now,” Elena said.

“I think she should consider her options,” Deanna said.

Silence fell around the room, and the happiness that Renee experienced moments ago had diminished. She loved Weasel more than anything. He had been the guy she developed her first crush on, and she believed him to be the love of her life.

Sitting back, she sipped at her wine and thought about a life with him. He was surrounded by girls who looked younger with perfect bodies and an enthusiasm to please that hadn’t yet been jaded.

“Look,” Amy said, sitting up. She had been lying down. “We married bikers, club brothers. Women throw themselves at them all the time. Right now, they’re surrounded by women and temptation. The question is, does it bother you, and do you think he can be faithful? Also, do you care?”

“Of course I care. I don’t want him to be screwing some random bitch and then coming back to me stinking like her.” Renee stood up. “I need some air.”

She left the room, heading out to the back yard. Weasel was at the club, and she trusted him. She had every faith in him and yet there was a niggling doubt in the back of her mind that if she gave herself to him, then he was going to break her heart, and there was nothing she could do about that.

If he cheated on her, that was it. She didn’t want to be with a man that hurt her like that.

“Hey,” Constance said, coming outside to her. “Are you okay?”

Tears filled her eyes, and she shook her head. “No. I’m not okay. Not even close. I didn’t have any doubts, and then talking and stuff … now I’m a nervous wreck. What if I’m making the biggest mistake of my life?”

“You think no other woman feels the way you do? It’s a big commitment. It’s not as big as it used to be. There’s divorce if it goes badly.”

She turned toward her sister-in-law with a glare. “You’re not helping.”

“Sitting out here and crying about it isn’t helping either.” Constance sat down on the steps. “I love being outside. You know for a long time I used to sit beside my parents and my dead fiancé’s graveside.”

“You were engaged before Vengeance?” she asked.

“Yes, I was. We actually met at a graveyard. Kind of creepy now that you think about it. All that death around us, and we were still able to come together. He took me by surprise.”

“Do you miss the other guy? The deceased one?” Renee cringed at her lack of tact. She didn’t know what was happening to her lately.

Her emotions were all over the place.

“No. We would have made each other miserable. I’m so thankful that I didn’t get the chance to marry him. I love your brother, I love the club.” Constance stood up and moved toward her. “You know the only person you can talk to about your feelings right now is Weasel. Don’t push him away or try to deal with this on your own. Don’t be that stupid girl that thinks she can do everything alone. You’re not her. You don’t have to be her.” Constance hugged her tightly.

“Do you think I’m being stupid?” Renee asked.

Constance thought about it. “He’s a biker. I love Vengeance, and when you know someone, and you love them so much that you couldn’t imagine life without them, you learn a part of them. I know he’d never cheat on me, mainly because I’d beat him to death with a shovel. Talk to Weasel, tell him your worries, your concerns, and get over that hurdle before you walk down the aisle. It’ll make you feel a hell of a lot better. Believe me.”

27

Renee sat on the steps of the front porch, the glass of wine in her hand half-full. She’d filled it up completely to the top, but since then had been sipping on it, enjoying the berry composition of the drink while she stared out at the scenery.

She was waiting for Weasel to get home because she had to talk to him, had to get this emotion of worry and uncertainty of the future off her chest.

Weasel’s house was spaced out to where they had some privacy, but she could still see a few neighbors in the distance. They probably thought something was wrong with her for just sitting here staring, but her mind was full and her thoughts were racing.

She took a long drink from the wine glass and held the liquid in her mouth, just savoring the flavor. Weasel was due home any minute, and she wanted to talk to him about her worries, to try to made sense of them. She wanted to see if he thought the same way, if he had anything he wanted to get off his chest too.

It wasn’t the girls’ fault, and they hadn’t put anything in her head. Deep down she’d wondered about all this anyway, about if he wanted to see other women, if he wanted to be with them. God, just thinking about that made her sick. Weasel was it for her, would only ever be the man she wanted.

Getting involved with the biker wasn’t as easy and cut and dry as maybe a “normal” relationship would’ve been. They were alpha man, hardened to the core. They were like no other men out there. And because of that the female population also wanted them. They also had desires, more primal needs that were raw, roughened.

She trusted Weasel, had loved him for longer than she wanted to even admit. And although he asked her to marry him, said he loved her as well, was he really ready to settle down with her?

Would he really want an old lady attached to his hip?

She didn’t want to drag anybody down, and she certainly didn’t want to get involved in another relationship disaster.

She heard a rumble of his motorcycle before she saw him turn the corner and head down the street toward the house. Renee took another long drink from the wine, knowing that she needed to bring this up before things moved forward.

Although she trusted him with her life, trusted him with fidelity, telling him her worries was part of being in a relationship. She didn’t want to keep anything from him, didn’t want her emotions to be bottled up because she was afraid of saying anything.

And hell, maybe he had the same worries about her?

He pulled his motorcycle into the driveway and cut the engine. He removed his helmet and climbed off his bike, his focus trained on her. She saw the emotion on his face, his expression showing his love.

She smiled, feeling her heart beat faster the closer he got. Before she could even stand up, he had her pulled into his arms. Thank goodness she’d set the wine glass down beforehand.

She heard him inhale by her hair and knew he was taking in her scent.

“I missed you, baby.” He pulled back and cupped her cheeks before leaning down and kissing her on the mouth. His lips were firm, strong, and she melted into him.

“I missed you too,” she said against his mouth. He pulled away and smiled down at her. She wanted to ask him how he felt about all of this, if he was sure that was what he wanted to do.

Renee wanted to make sure that he’d have no regrets. Marriage was a big commitment, and as much as she wanted to do it with everything inside of her, she also wanted to make sure he felt the same way.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, maybe seeing by the expression on her face that she had something on her mind.

“Nothing,” she said and pulled away, but now was the time to speak with him. “Actually, I wanted to talk to you about getting married and some other things. I want to be open and honest and I don’t want to keep anything hidden.”

“Okay,” he said, the concern on his face clear.

It was now or never, no waiting until the time was right, no wondering for the rest of her life if she kept her mouth shut. They needed to talk about this and she needed to do it now. She loved Weasel and there was nothing more in the world she wanted than to be by his side for the rest of her life.

But if she didn’t bring this up now she’d always wonder. And all that would do was drive a wedge between them.

28

Weasel knew her concern. She couldn’t hide it from him, nor could she hide the fact that Deanna had come back to the clubhouse and apologized. Now he had to deal with the fallout and what it meant for his woman.

Being part of an MC, he’d gone crazy for a time. Screwing women as if they were going out of fashion. He’d partied hard and fucked even harder. Women were easy when it came to the club life. They wanted one thing and one thing only, to please the bikers that were there.

He got his fair share of pussy and didn’t care about anyone or anything. It was all so easy for him, and he relished it. He loved it.

Then one day he realized he was so fucking empty he was lost. Of course, the emptiness began, and it gradually grew until when he looked in the mirror, he no longer recognized himself.

The women became blurs, all coming together as one. It didn’t matter who they were, and he lost interest. He found himself coming away from the free sex and more into the club. The business and his brothers, that was where the club was at.

He’d watched several of his club brothers fall in love. At first, he didn’t care. It was just another woman within the club. After a while he started to watch the old ladies with their men, and he knew straight away that he was missing out.

Over the past few years he’d wanted what his brothers had. Going home at night to an old lady, to a family. A woman who stood by your side no matter what. He wanted that so much.

Being with Renee, he knew he was never going to hurt her.

He’d lost her once, and he wasn’t going to do anything that would risk their relationship again. He loved her more than anything else. Nothing would have ever made him throw in his patch, but if that was what Renee needed from him, he’d do it.

Renee took a seat at the table, and he grabbed a beer from the fridge. Opening the bottle, he took a long sip, and then sat at the table, staring at her. He waited for her to tell him what the problem was. She needed to be open with him.

He smiled at her. “I’m all ears, babe.”

She smiled. “You know I was debating what to say. I don’t know the right words, or how to describe it.”

“Tell me what you’re thinking about.”

“I don’t want you to get angry.”

“I won’t. I don’t imagine this is easy for you at all.” He glanced down at her finger where his ring lay. “I’m not going to say anything. This has to be all on you.”

Tears were in her eyes, and he saw she was struggling with this. “I don’t …”

“Ask me, Renee. That’s all you’ve got to do. Ask me, and I’ll be open, honest, with you.”

“I’ve been having second thoughts about us getting married.” The tears spilled down her cheeks, and it made him hurt to see her this way.

He leaned forward and put his hand over hers.

“It’s crazy because when I’m with you like now, I know my thoughts are crazy. I love you so much, Weasel. But what if I’m not enough. What if you find some younger woman who can do things that I don’t do?”

He didn’t laugh. Weasel didn’t do anything. He grabbed her hand and held her as she voiced her fears. Each one broke his heart, but he got it.

A biker didn’t have the best reputation, and she had seen the lifestyle more than once. In most situations, men were not faithful to their women.

Weasel had been shocked by how long his brothers had been faithful to their women, but he got it now.

When you’re with the right woman, you wouldn’t dream of doing anything to risk that. Also, there was no one else.

He didn’t look at other women, nor did he seek other women out. All he wanted was Renee. She was the only woman he craved more than anything else.

“I’m being stupid.”

“You’re not being anything other than careful, baby.” He stroked over the engagement ring he’d gotten her. “You know when you left, I thought a part of myself was dead. I fucked and didn’t give a shit. None of it filled the hole that you had left. You’re right, I’m a biker, and a younger model could come along, but I know in my heart that I love you. You’re the only woman I want.” He reached out and wiped some of her tears away. “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met. I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you. Nothing at all.” He moved, picking her up, and placing her on his lap.

“I feel crazy right now.”

“You’re always going to be a little crazy. It runs in your blood.” This made her laugh. “You mean so much more to me than anyone else in the world. I love you, baby. If you want to wait to marry me, then we can wait. I won’t rush or force you into anything.”

“I want to marry you,” she said. “I do.”

“I just want to point out that this can go both ways.”

She frowned. “What do you mean?”

“You can find some other man who thinks he can please you better than me. What will I do then?”

She burst out laughing. “No one can compare to you.” She cupped his face and pressed her lips against his. “No one can please me as you do, Weasel.”

“Exactly my thoughts concerning you, Renee. So what makes you think that anyone else could ever mean anything to me? You’re my girl, and I’m your guy.” He pressed his hand against her heart and took hers, placing it over his. “We’ve always belonged together, you and I. That is never going to change. Never. You want to take your time. I can wait to marry you. I don’t want to, but you need to know that when it comes to you, I’ll do anything for you. I’ll wait weeks, months, and years to be with you.”

She licked her lips and then shook her head. “I don’t want to wait too long.”

He stroked her cheek. “You can set the date and we can deal with everything. I want you to always come to me whenever you have doubts, worries, whatever it is.”

“Even if it’s stupid?”

“Especially when it’s stupid.” He gripped the back of her head and tugged her down to kiss her lips, silencing her the only way he knew how.

29

The wedding: three months later

Renee couldn’t believe the day had finally come, that she was actually about to marry Weasel, the man she’d wanted for longer than she cared to admit. It almost seemed as though she were dreaming, as though the world had stopped and she was in this otherworld.

She’d planned the wedding with the help of the other old ladies, and in only three months they’d whipped this celebration up. But with no one on her and Vengeance’s side to come, that made the guest list pretty easy.

This was a biker wedding, after all, so that was the only family she needed here.

Here she stood, in one of the back rooms at the clubhouse, the dress she wore gorgeous and delicate. It had lace and crystal, and in a biker wedding probably looked out of place, but she couldn’t wait for Weasel to see her in it.

She smoothed her hands down the gown and couldn’t help the smile that covered her face. This was actually happening, and she was about to marry the man she loved more than anything else in this world.

There was a knock on the door and then it was pushed open. Deanna, Amy, Elena, Eloise, Daniella, Hannah, and Constance all came in, their bridesmaids dresses deep blue, all slightly different but matching enough it was clear they were part of the bridal party.

“Oh wow.”

“Gorgeous.”

“Weasel’s going to shit his pants.”

The girls each gave their praise as they came toward her. They touched her hair, her dress, smiled at her, told her how beautiful she looked. She felt loved in that moment, part of a family, a sisterly bond.

“How are you feeling?” Constance asked and Renee turned and stared at herself in the mirror. The other girls were primping and prepping across the room.

“I’m pretty nervous,” she said honestly.

“That’s normal. Weasel will see you and he’ll cry. We have a bet between us.” Constance laughed.

Renee moved the long fall of her hair over one shoulder and stared at the tiny pearl earrings Constance had given her to use as her something borrowed. Each woman had given her something that was important to her, and it touched Renee deep in the heart.

Everything on her right now looked delicate, fragile, maybe not the girl she’d been at one time or the woman she’d grown to be, but she felt like herself right now.

But I also kind of feel like I’m not myself, like this isn’t my life.

Constance attached the veil to the back of her hair with a crystal barrette, and as everything really sunk in, she breathed out and forced herself not to cry.

Renee closed her eyes for a moment and just breathed. “I need to get past my nerves. I know this should be normal, but I feel like I’m coming undone at the seams.”

“That’s normal. You’ll do beautifully. And yeah, everyone will be watching you, but that’s only because this is your day.”

“Ready?” Amy came up and asked Renee.

She exhaled and nodded. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

Ten minutes later and the girls were all standing up at the podium with the groomsmen on the other side, and Weasel standing in the center waiting for her. God, he looked good in a suit.

There were over one hundred and fifty guests in attendance, all of them friends of the Soldiers of Wrath MC. A part of Renee was sad she didn’t have her own side here, but she had Vengeance, and that was all that mattered.

Seeing all these bikers wanting to share in this celebration had her crying for real now. She didn’t know the majority of them, but that didn’t matter. The Soldiers were one huge family.

“Are you ready?”

Renee turned and looked up at Vengeance. She had her arm in the crook of his, and as she stared at her brother, the man who had always been there for her, shown her how to survive, taken care of her, she knew everything was exactly right in the world.

This was the first day of the rest of her life, and she was more than ready. She’d been waiting for this since she realized Weasel was all she wanted, all she needed.

“I’m ready.”

And she was. Renee was ready to be an integral part of this life. She was ready to make this her reality.

30

Weasel wrapped his arms around Renee, holding her close. He didn’t want to ever let her go, and for them both to stay in this moment for the rest of their lives. Breathing in her scent, he closed his eyes, ignoring everything around them until it fell away.

Renee was now his bride, and he was determined to love her for the rest of his life. Vengeance had stopped by to see him and wanted to give him the warning talk. The talk that he imagined most brothers gave to the men who were marrying their sister.

“If you ever hurt her in any way, brother or not, I will hunt you down and make you wish for death long before I let you have it.”

It was a warning, and one he respected Vengeance for taking.

“I can’t believe we’re here, dancing … married,” she said.

He pulled away and smiled down at her. “Did you think I’d run?”

She giggled. “No, but I was tempted to,” she teased.

This wedding had been a hard one to put together, simply because of the worries he knew she felt.

Most men would begin to feel insecure about everything, concerned about settling down with only one woman. But Weasel didn’t think about any of that. He looked forward to this, and spending the rest of his life with the woman he loved. This life was hard, and he noticed that every time she experienced any doubts, it was around the time of a club party, when the whores came out to entertain the boys that wanted them. He was never going to stray.

The love of his life was in his arms, where she was supposed to stay.

“I couldn’t have run,” she said. “I know I’ve been a nightmare throughout this entire process, I really have, but, today was the best day of my life.”

“You know you could have a man worrying about his manhood,” he said.

She laughed. “You have no problem with your manhood, and you know it.”

Spinning her around, he held her tightly to him. “Maybe you need to show me how much you love it.”

Renee reached down and grasped his ass, giving it a squeeze. “Don’t tempt me.”

“Now that is fighting talk,” he said.

“I’m not talking, Weasel. You are. This is how I’m going to hold your ass later when you’re fucking me.” She kissed his neck, licking over his pulse. His cock hardened, and as he spun her around again, she moved her hands back to his waist. “What are you going to do to me later?”

“Oh, baby, I’m going to fuck you so hard, you’re not going to be able to walk straight for a couple of days.”

“That sounds like a really good promise.”

“It is, baby, It’s a really big promise.”

The song ended, but instead of lingering with the guests he took her hand and led her to the room he’d used while at the club.

“This is being really rude,” she said, but she sounded breathless.

He opened the door, pulled her inside, and closed it, pressing her against the wood. Taking hold of her hands, he pressed them above her head, staring into her eyes as he did so.

“What’s going on, Weasel?” she asked.

For several seconds he didn’t speak. He couldn’t—there were no words for him to use. “Now is your chance,” he said.

She frowned. “I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about.”

“I know that part of the reason you were feeling a little crazy over our wedding is because of the club. This is going to be the last time that I ask. I just want there to be you and me.” He pointed outside. “They don’t matter to me. Only you matter and I want you to answer this for me. Do you want me to leave the club?”

“We’ve gone through this.”

“I know, but I want you to think about it. This will be the last time I ask. I promise. You need to trust me. To realize that for me, there is only one woman that I love that I want to be with, and that woman is you. I don’t want to be with anyone else. Only you.” He saw the tears in her eyes and he continued. “All this time, it has only been you. I’m not going to stray. Every night I’m going to come home, because I know you’ll be waiting for me. With your mad obsession for cleaning and pairing socks together. Folding everything so it’s neat. The way you wipe every single counter in the kitchen even though you didn’t use them. I want you to take the carton of milk off me and fill a glass. Those are things that drive me crazy but also make me love you even more. They’re what makes you, you.”

Those tears were now running down her face, and he wiped them away.

“This isn’t fair,” she said.

He laughed. “This wasn’t something I planned, Renee. This was something that I had to tell you because this is how you make me feel.” He pushed her hair out of the way and pressed his lips against hers. “Forever. That’s what I see for us. What’s it going to be?”

She stared at him for several moments and to him it felt like a lifetime.

“You’re not leaving the club, and I’ve got no problem with you.” She pulled her hands out of his tight grip, wrapping them around his neck. “I love you, Weasel. I trust you. The club has been your life for so long that it’s a part of you. Take that away, and you’re not the man I married. So I’ll be a little jealous, a little crazy from time to time.” She shrugged. “It’ll keep life interesting.” She ran her hand down his body, going down to his rock-hard dick. “And maybe I’ll fuck you just a little bit harder.”

He couldn’t take another moment. He turned her to the bed, pressed her down, and sank to his knees on the floor.

“Weasel, what are you doing?”

“I’ve got to taste you. We can go out and mingle but first, I need to taste you.” He moved her dress out of the way, pushing up to around her waist. All the time she was giggling as if it was the funniest thing she had heard all day.

Ignoring her laughter, he spread her thighs and tongued her beautiful pussy. Sliding two fingers inside her pussy, he felt how wet she was.

She cried out his name, and he continued to play with her, wanting her so badly but knowing he’d have to wait.

They had an entire lifetime together. All he wanted right now was a taste of her. Using his tongue and fingers, he brought her to orgasm that had her screaming his name. He licked her pretty pussy, swallowing down her cream. Only when she asked him to stop did he. Her entire body shook from the onslaught of pleasure.

She cupped his face, kissing him back. “I don’t want to go back down there.”

“We’ve got guests,” he said, using her own words against her.

“I don’t give a fuck. They’re family, and knowing them the way I do, we’re not even missed.”

She pulled him down to the bed and attacked his pants. He tore at her dress, and within a matter of minutes, he was inside her.

They both gasped as he filled her pussy.

“This is what I want for the rest of my life, Renee. No woman could ever compare to you.”

The smile on her lips let him know that his words meant everything to her.

Epilogue

One year later

Renee’s heart was beating so fast, and she swore the little stick she had in her hand would slide and crash to the floor for how sweaty her palms were. She couldn’t think straight, couldn’t even breathe. She sat down on the edge of the toilet and exhaled harshly, trying to think of how she was going to tell Weasel.

Hell, she needed to figure out how she was going to come to terms with this herself.

She lifted her hand and stared at the pregnancy test again, looking at the two pink lines that were reflected back.

Pregnant.

Although she and Weasel had been married for the last year, this was not a planned pregnancy. And as scared as she was, and not sure how the future would play out or how Weasel would react, Renee couldn’t lie and say she wasn’t excited.

A baby.

She couldn’t even wrap her mind around it all, couldn’t even see herself as a mother. Although truth was she never thought she would have children simply because of the way her life was going. But that all changed, turned right around when she and Weasel became serious. And now they were married, about to have a baby, and she needed to figure out how to tell him.

Just then she heard the front door open and close. Her heart stopped momentarily before beating hard and fast. She heard Weasel call out to her and she found herself standing and exiting the bathroom.

She hadn’t realized she still held the test until she stood in the kitchen doorway, staring at Weasel’s back as he grabbed a drink out of the fridge. But when he turned around, his gaze immediately shooting down to what she held, she felt everything in her go tight.

Everything got quiet, the air thickening.

“Renee, baby?” He took a step closer to her, set his can of pop on the table, and lifted his gaze to her face. “Renee?” he said again when she didn’t respond.

“I...” That was the only thing she could get out. So instead she lifted her hand and showed him the pregnancy test, letting him see the two pink lines for himself. He stared at that little stick for long seconds but didn’t say anything.

The air heated and she wished she could gauge his reaction. But he kept a stoic expression.

And then she saw the happiness light up over his face. His grin spread out wide, and he pulled her in for an embrace. He kept murmuring how happy he was, how much he looked forward to being a father. And then shocking the hell out of her, he dropped to his haunches and placed his forehead right against her belly.

Renee was stunned speechless, couldn’t even think as she looked down at Weasel and saw him talking to their child. Tears welled up in her eyes at the love he instantly showed her, at the acceptance over this pregnancy revelation. She didn’t know how this conversation would go, but she certainly hadn’t envisioned it going this way.

He stood and gave her another hug, cupped the back of her head, and kissed the side of her face.

“I love you,” he said in a husky, deep voice. She felt wetness on her cheeks, the tears happy, welcome.

“I love you too,” she said, not able to stop the grin from spreading across her face. She had never thought that she could be any more whole than she was when she was with Weasel, but the child growing inside of her, the fact that they’d be a family, put all of that to shame.

This was her life, and she would not change it for anything in the world.

The End

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