“Go to Mama,” I tell him. Ian’s dog training guy told me to familiarize him with her scent early on, so I did. We’ve spent the past week learning how to find Mama by her scent. Just yesterday he managed to complete the entire session without any issues. Next week we’ll have to up the ante.
“Go to Mama,” I repeat. This time he seems to understand, and he takes the few steps to sit at her side, tail wagging against the comforter, and waits for praise. I watch as she tentatively shows him her hand and goes about waiting for his acceptance. Once granted, she rubs him behind his ears, under his chin, and along his spine.
“I can’t believe you did all of this for me.” Her green eyes shine in the fading daylight, illuminating her pale skin and dark brown hair. She’s gorgeous, even more so than when I first fell in love with her.
“Believe it, babe. I told you we would have our always, and this is it,” I whisper and lean over to kiss her.
“I’m never leaving this bed,” she whispers back and presses her lips to mine. We’re lost in slow, sated kisses for so long I almost forget what we’re doing until she says, “Hey, don’t you owe me a ring?”
Yeah, I do.
I really fucking do.
The End
Vow (a Bayonet Scars novella, No. 4.5)
HE REFUSES TO GIVE IN. SHE REFUSES TO GIVE IT UP.
Alexandra Mancuso knows all about regrets. She talked to the wrong person and started a war that’s ravaged her newly adopted motorcycle club family and threatens to cost Alex her life. Now, she’s cautious with the commitments she makes.
Ryan Stone, road captain for the Forsaken Motorcycle Club regrets nothing—except putting Cub in danger one time too many. The Forsaken Motorcycle Club has a plan to end the war with the Mancuso crime family and they need everyone’s head in the game. But Ryan can’t focus on the club when he’s so distracted by a certain reckless brunette. She gives him everything except for what he really wants.
Today, he refuses to take no for an answer and maybe, just maybe, this time Alex won’t be able to stand her ground.
True love always defies the odds.
Dedication
For my readers—you insisted Ryan wasn’t romantic enough. Here you go.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 1
Alex
For what feels like the hundredth time, I raise the semiauto and point it at the tree line, doing my best to focus on the black-and-white target. With my right index finger, I pull the trigger, squeezing my eyes shut in the process. The blowback from the gun scares me, making me freeze. I hate guns. I hate the violence of it all. But this is the life I was born into, and it’s the life I choose. I have to get used to them eventually.
Slowly, I open one eye and check out the target. It’s brand new—I just painted and mounted it this afternoon—and should now have a bullet hole. If I made my shot. Which from the looks of it, I didn’t. Damn it.
I try not to get too frustrated with my total ineptitude at self-defense. It’s not easy, though. Mom has tried to teach me how to defend myself, but that’s not working out so well. Apparently I can’t block a punch to save my life, which pisses Ryan off to no end. Not that it takes much to piss him off. He’s always been a bit of a testy sort, and that’s only magnified by his concern for my safety. I hate that he worries, so when he’s gone on a run, I come out here and get in some target practice.
Again, I raise the gun, focus on the target, and pull the trigger. My eyes involuntarily shut, and I freeze up once more. I can never keep my eyes open once I pull the trigger. It’s been months now that we’ve been coming out here and working on my shot, and it’s done no good.
Tears of frustration well in my eyes. I hate this. I just want to be able to defend myself so my entire family—my new family—doesn’t have to worry about me so much. It’s been nearly a year since the club saved me in New York and brought me out here. Nearly a year, and the club’s been attacked, members have died, their old ladies have been targeted, and it’s not going to stop any time soon.