I stand and shake Priest’s hand. “Thank you. This means a lot.”
Reaching over, I grab Rock’s outstretched hand and yank him closer—well as much as anyone can move him, like his name, he’s heavy as a fuckin’ rock. I glance down at the vest and Rock’s patch again. I can’t help the feeling that washes over me. Like this is some sort of going away present.
Priest walks out with Hustler, and Steer while the rest of us hang back.
“Were you worried about asking me?” Wrath asks. I swear if he was capable of emotion, I’ve hurt his feelings.
“Well… you do like to be hard on the old ladies.”
Teller snorts. “Understatement.”
Without looking at him, Wrath reaches out and shoves Teller sideways.
I shrug. “You haven’t been able to spend a lot of time around her to know if you trust her. That’s all.” I glance at the still-open chapel doors. “I didn’t ask Priest. He asked me. I couldn’t exactly say no.”
“Ah, gotcha.” Wrath nods. “That’s good, Z. Real good.” He pulls me in for a smothering, brotherly hug. “I’m so proud of you, little brother.” He wallops me on the back hard enough to dislodge my spine.
“Easy, you big beast.” I thump him a few times in return.
He shrugs after letting me go. “Trin says Lilly’s good around here. Keeps her cool. Doesn’t let the girls rattle her.”
“Thanks, brother.”
“Z, seriously, my cock is all Lilly’s, just say the word.” Rooster drapes his arm over my shoulders and grins like an idiot.
Teller points at Rooster. “Make him change his patch now, Prez. That joke’s going to wear thin quickly.”
“That joke will never get old,” Jigsaw announces. “We’re going to torment future old ladies with it for years.”
“Christ,” I mutter.
The two of them take off into the rest of the clubhouse, leaving me with Murphy, Teller, Wrath and Rock. Murphy comes up next to me and bumps me with his elbow. “I know it’s not as flashy as a cock, but she’s got my clover too.”
I wrap my arm around his neck and squeeze him closer. “Thanks, little brother.”
“Speaking of people to torment,” Wrath says.
“Were we?” Rock asks.
“What’s with the support club?” Wrath continues, ignoring Rock. “And who exactly do you have in mind for it?”
Murphy tips his head back, studying the ceiling.
“Don’t you dare say it,” Wrath says. “They’re fucking babies. Is the one even out of high school yet?”
“Yes,” Murphy says.
“Who are we talking about?” Teller asks.
“Griff and Remy.” Murphy holds his hands up in the air. “I had nothing to do with it.”
Rock walks over and quietly closes the doors while I explain what happened.
“Priest cornered me last night and I had to think quick. But it might not be a bad idea if we think they can handle it.”
“If they even want to,” Teller says. “Only thing they seem to care about is making money and fucking.”
Murphy lets out an ear-splitting whistle. “Look who’s suddenly so judgmental.”
“I’m fairly certain those were your only priorities for the last ten or fifteen years,” I add.
“How soon we forget,” Rock mutters.
Teller blinks and stares at all of us before cracking up. “Shit. What’s happening to me?”
“Old age.” Wrath taps the side of Teller’s head. “Sneaks up on ya.”
We don’t go too much more in depth about the support club. It’s something we can deal with another day.
Rock slings his arm around my neck. “You’re going to hate me for saying this, but—”
“What?”
“Wrath always has my back, but he’d rather gut a motherfucker then work out things in a diplomatic way.”
“Got that right.” Wrath grins not insulted one bit.
“And you always helped me at home.” Rock closes his eyes. “I’m painfully aware of how much you handled for me, brother, believe me. But this is different.” He glances at the doors again.
“It’s nice to share the pain of Priest’s visit with someone?”
He steps back and knocks his fists together in front of his chest. “Sway was always more interested in butting heads than working together.”
“Sway never got over being run out of upstate,” Wrath rumbles.
Teller shrugs. “Fuck him. That was his call.”
Wrath wraps a meaty arm around Rock and me and pulls us against him. “This is what true brotherhood is supposed to be. Z looks good, we all look good. Rock looks good, we all benefit.”
Rock shrugs free of Wrath’s embrace. “I know you don’t appreciate it at the moment, but I thought you needed to hear it.”
It actually does improve my mood over the whole situation. “No, I appreciate it.”
“Now.” Rock slaps Teller’s back. “Think I can have my treasurer back?”
Teller turns and smirks. “I’m touched you miss me so much.”
“I don’t miss you at all if it helps,” Wrath says.
“I think Hustler has a better handle on things,” I say.
“Except his mouth,” Murphy says.
I glance at Wrath and then Teller. “I’m used to dealing with that.”
Lucky bastards will all get to go home soon. Even Murphy.
I can’t help wondering if I’m already home and just don’t want to accept it yet.
Chapter Forty-Eight
Lilly
Knowing Chance is safe at my brother’s leaves me free to enjoy the party. I make it to the clubhouse in time to help Angie with some finishing touches and then run down the hallway to our room to change.
Tonight, I brought two dresses since I couldn’t make up my mind. I choose the one that
’s a little more daring. Less over-the-top than last night’s but still sexy enough to stand by Z’s side.
“What are you doing to me, woman?” Z’s astonished voice pulls me away from the mirror.
“Too much?”
“Fuck no.”
He walks a circle around me, checking out the tight, crimson dress. The top and long sleeves are sheer lace, giving it the illusion that it covers more than it actually does. The plunging neckline required some boob tape to make it stay and I probably shouldn’t move around too much or, god forbid, sit down tonight.
Z whistles and his rough fingers trace a pattern over my bare back where the dress is held together by thin gold straps. “I have something to go with it.”
“Is it shoes? Because I’m not sure I like the ones I picked out.”
He huffs out a laugh, breath fanning over my skin. “No, Siren.”
Taking my hand, he leads me into the bedroom and picks up a black leather vest off the bed.
I’ve seen the other girls wearing theirs enough times to know what it is.
“Oh my God.” I blink and meet his eyes. “Is that what I think it is? I thought you couldn’t…”
He turns the vest, showing off the side. “Priest offered his patch. Not many old ladies get that. He understood this is a unique situation.”
“Wow.”
I reach out and touch the crown on the other side. “That’s Rock’s though, isn’t it?”
“Yup. He and I talked about it a while back.” Z shrugs. “And apparently he and Priest talked. I had no idea they were doing this for me. For you.”
“I…” I don’t know what to say. I’ve gotten to understand what these patches mean to the brothers. They don’t give them out lightly. Tears cloud my vision. “After what happened…what I did, I figured your brothers would never forgive me.”
“Hey.” Z sets the vest down and takes my hands. “Rock told everyone how impressed he was with the way you handled yourself while I was in jail, Lilly. The past is the past.”
I nod and dab at my eyes.
“I think Wrath was insulted I didn’t ask. And Rooster said he’s ready to give you his cock anytime.”