He stepped out of her arms, hating to leave her. He opened the wardrobe. “Elizabeth’s idea. I figure you pick which one you love, and I’ll be downstairs. I don’t want to jinx us.”
“Rix?”
“Yeah, baby.”
“I love you.”
“I love you too. I’ll be at the altar.” He winked at her. “Don’t keep me waiting long.”
Elizabeth was outside the door with a smile on her lips. “Hello, handsome. So who has the best ideas in the world?”
“You do.” He pulled the older woman into a hug. “Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it. I won’t. I’ll go and help our bride-to-be.”
All of the club was waiting outside. Night was right beside him at the altar. “Do you think she’s going to run?” Night asked. “Isn’t that what all people fear at stuff like this?”
“I don’t know.”
“You know this is really romantic of you, don’t you? No one is going to be able to take you seriously after this,” Night said.
“If anyone has an issue with my authority, bring them to me. I’ll make sure, with my fists, they realize who they are dealing with.” He checked the time. He’d been waiting thirty minutes.
What if Anna-Beth had changed her mind?
Fuck, this wasn’t going how he’d hoped.
Running fingers through his hair, he tried not to panic.
Rock music suddenly played and he turned to find his woman. She’d picked a thin-strapped white dress. The bodice clung to her until it got to her hips, then it flared out. She looked stunning, beautiful, and he watched as Elizabeth walked her down the aisle. The dogs, they followed as well.
The boys adored the older woman, and they even had a leather cut made for her. She and her casseroles were welcome there any time, in fact, they would even have a room for her. The dogs and Elizabeth had been laid claim to by the club. She would be part of them.
Anna-Beth looked stunning and the smile on her face took his breath away.
“You take care of her,” Elizabeth said.
“You know I will.”
Holding his woman’s hand, he turned toward the priest. This was what he wanted. He didn’t even realize he was looking for love, but it had found him.
He didn’t believe in the houses or curses. No, he believed in love and that was what he could trust with all of his heart.EpilogueThree months later
“I don’t want you doing any heavy lifting,” Rix said, taking the box she’d been holding and handing it over to Night.
“I told you, I’m fine. Women have been carrying stuff through everything. Wars, and you know, lots of kids.” She frowned. “Don’t laugh. They do.”
“I know they do, but those women are not my wife.” He put a hand to her stomach. “We’re moving Elizabeth. I said you could come. Sit with her while we empty her house.”
Elizabeth was moving into the clubhouse with them.
Releasing a sigh and seeing even his men won’t allow her to help, she found Elizabeth sitting in the middle of the street, staring down it.
“Seriously, you’re watching the houses?” Anna-Beth asked.
“I told you, I believe in them. You and Rix have your reasons, but you’re together. The moment you got married, the realtor called to say you had a potential buyer. Tell me that doesn’t make you curious.”
“I’m not. I can see why you are so invested in this.”
Elizabeth sipped at her iced tea.
Rolling her eyes, she rested her hand on her swollen stomach. So far, their little baby had been way too shy to show them whether it was a boy or girl. She didn’t mind. Either one would work for her.
Humming to herself, she couldn’t resist watching the two old houses.
She and Rix had sold them on the same day. She didn’t even know that Rix had put his house on the market. It turned out he hadn’t been able to sell either. It was a little spooky. Rix had sold his house to a young woman, twenty years old. A scared little thing.
“Who did you say your guy was?” Elizabeth asked.
“He’s in security.” She couldn’t recall the man’s name and he hadn’t exactly been very forthcoming with it either. In fact, Rix hadn’t liked her being alone with the man. He had his suspicions about the guy being a hitman, but that couldn’t be possible. Those kinds of things only happened in the movies.
“Look, look,” Elizabeth said.
Following the woman’s gaze, she saw the young woman who had bought the house from Rix leave, just as the guy she’d sold her house to did.
They both paused.
Talked.
“Are you to ladies turning into stalkers?” Rix asked.
“Please, I’m no stalker but I’m highly invested in how this one plays out. Do we think he’s a hitman then?” Elizabeth asked. “Also, be a dear, tell one of the boys to get me some popcorn.”