“Where does that leave us?” I asked, coming up behind her.
Reaper looked from me to Jess and said, “It means you can’t claim her as your Ol’lady, Savage. Not until I talk with her uncle and he agrees.”
Jess’s shoulders slumped as she turned to me, wrapping her arms around my waist. Holding her close, I nodded.
The club rules were clear.
I knew that.
“Jess,” Reaper whispered. “Feel like giving your big brother a hug?”
Jess smiled, released me and hugged Reaper as all my brothers jumped to their feet and cheered, whistling and clapping. I wanted to join in and be happy for them but I couldn’t.
Reaper may have just found a long-lost sister but I was losing the only woman I would ever love. Reaper called for a break when he received a text, letting all of us know that the kids were all coming home today, which only made everyone happier. If it wasn’t for the package and learning the truth about Jess, I would have been celebrating with my brothers too.
As much as I was eager to see my niece, Hailey, I couldn’t smile. My world was swiftly falling apart. My sister and now my mother were dead and I could possibly lose the only woman I loved.
What was there for me to celebrate?
Sitting at the church table I said nothing as Jessica and a few others headed off to the airport. In a way I was happy she was going. I needed time to think. Not that there was much to think about. She was the niece of the President of a rival club. She was also the sister to Reaper, my club President. Jess was club royalty. There was nothing I could do about that. The rules were clear when it came to this. I needed permission from both Presidents to claim her as my own. Before, I wasn’t too worried about Reaper but now I wasn’t sure. Jessica was his biological sister. His only family left besides Bullseye and Layla. Both of those two were off doing whatever it was they did. I was only the club Sergeant of Arms. Though being an officer was in my favor, my past actions were against me.
“You want to talk about it?”
“No,” I muttered, as Massacre sat next to me.
“You know your woman isn’t going to let anyone tell her what to do right?”
“She’s not my woman.”
“Not if you keep sulking like that. Shit man. Grow a fucking pair. That woman loves you. You love her. Are you really going to sit there and tell me that you will not fight for her?”
“You know the rules.”
“Fuck the rules!” Massacre groaned. “Rules are made to be broken. I say it’s better to ask for forgiveness than ask for permission.”
I chuckled. Of course, Massacre would think that. The man never asked permission for anything. He did what he wanted and let the chips fall where they lay.
“I say take your woman, find a justice of the peace, do the deed and take the beat down like a man. Once you're married, they can’t do shit to you.”
“Yes, they can. Reaper can take my patch and her brother could demand retribution.”
“You really think Reaper would do that?”
I looked at the man, cocked my head and stared at him.
When he sighed, I knew he knew I was right.
Reaper may be many things but forgiving a direct order, he couldn’t let go. Then again, I was an officer. He could take my officer patch but I’d still be a brother. Taking the club patch was only for serious offenses and typically when that was done, the brother was killed. I didn’t see Reaper going that far.
Well, I hope he didn’t.
I wasn’t ready to die, yet.
“What kind of retribution are we talking about here?”
“A club beat down, lashed, who knows. I’m not familiar with the Sons of Hell bylaws.”
“Fuck it. I say marry your girl. Fuck the rules.”