“Thank fuck,” Jasper groaned and made a beeline toward the limo. “I need another drink, this time with air conditioning.”
“Amen, brother.” Emmett clapped him on the back and smiled over his shoulder at his woman, Vanessa.
The reception hall was full when the wedding party finally arrived, and I was surprised to see just how over the top Maisie had gone for her wedding. The place was decorated all high class like, despite the fact that many of the guests wore leather and denim, with a variety of formalwear touches, like bow ties, cummerbunds and coats with tails, but very few tuxedoes or suits, at least from Maisie’s side of the family.
“Now this is more my speed,” Madison said with a wide smile as she dropped my hand as soon as they announced the arrival of the happy couple and the party officially began.
“Catch ya later, Charlie. Unless you want to introduce me to that hot brother of yours?”
I rolled my eyes and waved my brother over. “Yo, Jameson!”
He smiled as he strolled toward me, worn jeans on with a white t-shirt and coattails that had Madison growling with feminine appreciation. “What’s up? Nice suit.”
“Jealous?”
“Nah, I’m comfortable and hot.” Jameson smoothed the lapels of his formal jacket and flashed a teasing grin. “Who’s this spitfire?”
“Jameson, this is Madison, professional smart ass. Madison, this is my brother, Jameson. Have fun. I’m outta here.”
“Thanks, Pretty Boy,” she called after me.
“Anytime, smartass.” The party was in full swing and after the first dance for the couple and then the dance with the parents, the dance floor filled up as a mixture of rock music and hip hop played loud enough to shake the walls.
Maisie took a turn around the floor with every member of the Reckless Bastards from Nevada to Texas, new and old alike, smiling like a happy fool the whole damn time.
“She looks so damn happy I almost feel bad for being glad this wedding shit is just about over.” Jasper stood beside me and handed me a glass of whiskey.
“Thanks. Cheers.” I knew what Jasper meant. This whole event, happy occasion though it was, had me on edge the entire time. “You can’t even tell who’s security and who’s part of the wedding, so you can relax a little.”
“Yeah, but after that dumbass shit Brendan pulled at the bachelor party, anything is fucking possible.”
“Thanks to a damned impressive shot, he’s no longer a problem.” But neither of us was naïve enough to think that meant the problem with The Crusaders or the Black Jacks was over.
Jasper nodded. “You know how it is. One problem eliminated and two more fucking problems crop up. It never ends.” Jasper patted his pockets in search of a cigarette and growled. “The longer you keep the Rhymer chick, the more problems you’ll have.”
I nodded, accepting his words as the warning and reminder they were meant to be. “If they find out.”
“When they find out, Charlie. Because they will. The Jacks made a shit ton of money off her.” He shook his head in disgust as he pulled out his lighter and sparked a joint instead of a cigarette. “You know how many people lined up and paid damn good money to sully Ronan Rhymer’s precious little princess? Plenty.”
I blinked at his words. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what she’d been through, but to hear it laid out like that was disgusting. And terrifying for her. “How do you know?”
Jasper shrugged. “Chatter. Word’s gotten out she escaped. The Jacks are on a rampage looking for her, reaching out to every Rhymer enemy in the area. Reckless Bastards can’t be too far down on that list.”
“Thanks for the heads up.”
Jasper stared at me for a long time and then ducked his head so no one would overhear. “I’m willing to take her off your hands if you want.”
“I’ll let you know.” My life would be a fuck of a lot easier if I just gave Savannah over to Jasper and let the Ashby family handle her. I couldn’t though, and I didn’t know why.
“Suit yourself.” He clapped me on the back and made his way toward the bar where Maureen sat on a stool, laughing it up with the bartender.
The hours went on and the reception kept going because no matter what Virgil and the Ashby’s thought was going to happen, bikers knew how to start a party, but they didn’t know how to end a party.
Cross, Gunnar, Max and Holden sat with Cruz and Stitch, drinking and playing cards at a table near the back.
Vivi and Peaches, on the other hand, shook their booties on the dance floor like they were still twenty-year-old hackers. Mom, Moon, and Aunt Teddy sat with Golden Boy and the doctor chick from Texas, Annabelle, probably talking about chakras or menopause.