“Of course,” says Blade, sliding his rough fingers through my hair until he can grip it near the nape of my neck and turn my head to face him. “Unless you don’t fucking want to, but be prepared for your Daddy to put our cocks on spikes in the courtyard. And you’re stuck with us anyway.”
“Hell yeah,” adds Ripper. “We don’t do shit halfway, you know that. We’re here for the fucking long game.”
Crap, I didn’t think these guys could still make me cry, but this is a good cry. A great one.
“I love you guys. All of you.”
40
FAITH
“I can’t believeI’m fucking doing this,” grumbles Dad as he takes up position in front of the Screaming Eagles MC logo on the wall in the common room. “My own goddamn daughter.”
Alpha, Ripper and Blade look at each other and grin. At this point, we’re pretty sure he’s just hamming it up, because we’ve been going at it for a couple of months now, and I think even he’s adjusted to the fact that I’ve managed to hook up with not just one or two, but three of his members.
It helps that I’m not the first one in the club to do something like this. I glance over at Alessa and Emily, who are attending just like the rest of the members. They made the same jump as me, and I have no idea what it is about this club, but it seems to keep happening. It was just my turn, is all.
Mom chose not to come when we invited her. I think she can’t see past me going back to club life when she worked so hard to get me out of it, and I think I understand that. It doesn’t mean we’re not friends, or mother and daughter, but it would mean exposing a lot of things to her new husband that she isn’t ready for. We talked on the phone, and she’s going to meet us for lunch one day, somewhere neutral.
“You ready?” Ripper seems suspiciously excited. Like there’s more going on, but if there is, I have no idea what it is. “You look fucking fantastic in that dress.”
“Thank you.” I appreciate it being noticed. It’s not anything like a traditional wedding dress. It’s tight and black, and it shows a lot of leg, but I got a little Screaming Eagles MC logo brooch to put on it and Alessa put me in touch with a hair dresser that put my hair up in a fancy updo that I’m half dreading and half looking forward to the guys yanking out after the ceremony.
Will we be consummating this in the messiest way possible? I hope so.
Together, we walk up and stand in front of Dad, me in front with the guys fanned out behind me. I wasn’t really nervous about this until just now, when suddenly everything seems so incredibly real. It must show, because Alpha’s hand sneaks around my waist and pulls me close to him, so I have his massive back behind me to feel safe against. Then I nod at Dad. Miriam, who’s standing next to Dad, puts her arm on his in reassurance.
If I didn’t know better, I’d think he was as nervous as me.
Nicky is my maid of honor, if I can call it that. And if I’m excited, I swear she’s ten times as much. “God, you look so perfect. I can’t wait, I can’t wait,” rolls out of her before I can even ask if she’s ready. I guess that’s a yes. “You’re going to love this,” she adds.
“What’s up with you guys?” I whisper, but get nothing in return.
“Alright, let’s get this fucking over with,” Dad roars, not giving me time to grill them further. “Step up!”
We do.
“We’re gathered here…again. What the fuck is it with this club and sharing girls anyway? Jesus Christ. And I’m supposed to give away my own daughter to you fucks?”
“Honey,” says Miriam quietly and pats him.
“Prez,” Alpha says. “We’re going to be fucking good to her. She’s going to be the safest woman in the whole damn city, and we’re going to treat her like she fucking deserves.”
Blade and Ripper nod at that. “Fuck yeah.”
“I know you will,” says Dad, his voice deathly quiet. “Because if you don’t, I will fucking peel your hides from your flesh, salt the wounds, spritz them with fucking lemon juice and then hang you up to dry until there’s nothing left of you but fucking jerky, and I’ll feed it to street dogs. You fuckers feel me?”
I blink at Dad. Not exactly the wedding vow I was looking for, but who am I kidding? Biker life isn’t normie life, no matter how you look at it.
“Prez,” Ripper says. “We got this. We fucking swear it.”
Blade nods while Dad shakes his head in resignation.
“I know you fucking will.” Dad glares at them, and then turns a much softer look to me. “Faith.”
My eyes snap to him at my name.
“This is your last chance. Do you want all of these guys as yours? Do you promise that if they give you the least fucking bit of trouble to kick their asses, and come to me if that’s not enough? Do you promise to give them the respect they deserve, but only when they fucking deserve it? And to try to keep it down sometimes so I don’t have to wear those God damned headphones in my own fucking home?”