I laugh and wrap an arm around him. “Kind of. But…”
“What?”
“It’s something your mom said to me, actually.”
“My mom?” He sounds incredulous.
“Uh huh. She said you guys are like a family, and family looks out for each other. I experienced that tonight. You guys stuck up for me when you didn’t have to, you risked losing your friendship with that other club and you risked yourselves for my sake.” I look up into his face. “I never knew things could be like that. I’ve had to watch out for myself since I was eighteen years old.”
“Baby, we’ll always look out for you. And I’ll always look out for you. You’re mine now, and that means more than just words. Wait here.”
He stands and walks out of the room, then a few minutes later he’s back, crouching in front of me and holding out a small white box.
“This was my grandmother’s. For whatever reason, my mom and dad never wanted it. They had their own. But I haven’t had time to go buy you something. I want you to be my old lady, Meadow. Let’s get married.”
I open the lid of the box, and what I see has me gasping. It’s a beautiful ring. Antique jewelry was always my favorite, way more than anything new. It has a single diamond in the center, surrounded by emeralds and rubies, and amazingly, when I try it on it fits perfectly. Like it was made just for me.
“Yes,” I murmur, then look up and meet his eyes properly. “Yes, let’s get married!”
He gathers me into his arms, then frowns. “I think I should remove this,” he says, pulling on the collar, but I shake my head.
“Leave it. I like belonging to you. I like knowing that you’re protecting me and keeping me safe. That collar reminds me that I’m yours. It’s our thing.” I lift myself up, wrapping my legs around his waist, knowing that he can take my weight with ease. “I love you.”
“I love you too, baby. And I always will.”
Chapter Sixteen
Chain
Epilogue – Two Months Later
“Last ride.” I click the chin strap on her helmet and step back as she sticks her tongue out.
“You mean last ride on my own.”
“You know what I mean.”
She rolls her eyes and I hear the chuckles from Killian and Troy behind me, sitting on my front porch drinking and generally being a pain in my ass.
As I watch Meadow ride down the street on her new custom Softail, painted with black and orange fire stripes, I want to go after her. I fucking hate when she’s out of my sight, but she begged me for a solo ride one last time before her privileges are revoked due to her current condition.
She’s still a bit of a nomad, independent, and I don’t want to squash that part of her with my overbearing possessiveness, but there’s only so much I can take.
I blow out a long breath when she disappears around the first corner and I set the timer on my watch. I gave her one hour, and if she’s a minute late, it will be a red ass for my pain in the ass princess.
When I turn to head back to the porch, the pink and blue balloons still make the house look like it’s going to float away. My mom, Tara and some of the other old ladies and girls at the club went way the fuck overboard with our little pregnancy reveal party.
I just wanted to have people over, barbecue, get a little lit and tell everyone there’s a little Chain or Meadow on the way.
Once the women got their claws into the idea, I had no chance at reining that shit in.
“You gonna cry?” Troy brings a fist to his eye and twists it on a mocking pout.
Everyone knows by now it makes me fucking nuts when she rides alone, and leave it to my brotherhood to be supportive.
Killian laughs but I point my finger as his sorry ass stepping up onto the porch. “You have no fucking room to talk. You don’t let Daisy out of your fucking sight. Girl is practically a prisoner.”
He looks at Troy, who shrugs, and Killian snaps. “You’ve got no room to talk. That fucking collar on her neck…”
“Whatever.” I flip them both off and make my way inside where my mom is doing the dishes. Everyone else has left and the house is a disaster.
“Mom.” I step into the kitchen. “I’ll clean this up. You did enough with everything else.”
“Oh pish posh.” She flaps a towel at me. “I’ll do this every day from now on. I never thought I’d get a grandbaby, and I’m so happy I could piss myself.”
I shake my head. She’s wearing her old leather patched vest and skinny jeans, and she’s still hot for a mom. She loved my dad like crazy, and she’s devoted herself to me, the club—and now Meadow. I can’t imagine how fucking spoiled this baby is going to be.