Satisfied, her dad nodded. Her ma served us some water and made small talk while he retrieved the paperwork. Then, folder in her hands, we headed back to my brothers in the truck, waiting behind the gate.
I waited 'til we were out by the gate, where the high floodlights didn't reach, before I grabbed her and pressed her to my lips.
“You're supposed to be sick,” she laughed, giving me that smile that made me want to fuck her through the pavement.
“Yeah, whatever, babe. You know I love you. I'm gonna get my shit checked out, and then it's gonna be a whirlwind moving you in. I'm not living one more night without you in my bed.”
“Oh, Skin,” she whimpered, all she could manage before she pushed her hot little lips against mine.
Oh was right. I'd be hearing her make that noise over and over, clenching on my cock. Whatever the fuck happened to me or the club, I'd be reminding her she was mine for the rest of my life.
One Month Later
It was a frosty day, a couple weeks past Halloween. I'd closed up the cabin a couple days ago for winter, the place we'd been sharing for the last month, while I got all our shit together.
My head hadn't fucked me over too bad. A few days rest and a follow-up said it hadn't done permanent damage, and I hit everything hard as hell as soon as they let me off bed rest.
I let Meg off at work that morning. She was back at her dad's company, taking it more seriously than before, talking about following me into accounting or some shit. I didn't give a damn what she did, as long as she was happy and wearing my brand.
I couldn't wait for evening. It was finally moving day. We'd be hauling our junk into the new place we'd picked out, this cozy apartment just outside the city, overlooking the mountains.
Today was the first day of the rest of my life with this woman. Just had to get through church first.
I met up with Sixty and Crawl at the bar. We filed into the big meeting room, with all the brothers waiting.
Dust twirled the gavel in his hand, staring through the wall like usual. Or, at least, that's what he wanted everybody to believe. I knew he was looking at the club relics on the wall, all the photos and things that belonged to the guys who were gone, perched forever beneath our big black DEADLY PISTOLS MC flag.
Bit by bit, the Prez was fixing up the club into something his old man would've been proud of. Shit, today I could say the same about myself, knowing my dad's eyes would've popped if he could see me with the woman I'd claimed.
And it was all fireworks from here. I'd have a ring on her finger before New Year's, and then we'd be working hard and long on our family.
My dick jerked when I thought about all the fucking we'd do to make our baby. Sweet, merciful Christ.
If I didn't strap her to the bed 'til she was knocked up, I'd lose my damned mind.
“Okay, boys, let's keep this short and sweet because some of you got other business.” He looked at me knowingly. “We've got girls to interview next week for the new skin shop in Knoxville. The place has got its pink lights and a liquor license, and it's all set to go. We just need some girls before we can open the floodgates to some serious money.”
Joker grunted. “Fuck, Prez, you know that ain't the real reason we'll be bringing in bank. Do we really need to spend so much time interviewing some chicks?”
“Damned right we do. The Deads are a few men short, but God knows the bastards aren't beneath using anybody as spies, even women. Hell, if we hadn't stopped 'em, they'd have sold Skin's old lady to some twisted fucker looking for a bitch to hide under his bed.”
My eyes darkened. I looked at the Prez and nodded, trying not to imagine the hellish fate that would've been on the line for my woman if I hadn't come along.
I'd saved her. And she'd done the same to me. That woman didn't owe me anything except her heart, and now that I had it, I was gonna keep it 'til we were both ashes.
“Let me put it out there now – who wants to screen the girls?”
Half a dozen hands with shit-eating grins behind them shot up like lightning. Everybody's except for me, Joker, and the Prez.
“Damn, Prez, just say the word. I'll have a fucking classified up on the web by nightfall if it gets us hiring * sooner.” Firefly grinned wide enough to chew the world up, his big biceps flexing as he slapped the table.
He'd been outta commission riding for a week or two with his torn up shoulder. But the bullet hadn't set him back much. I'd seen him in the bar last week, another hot blonde on his lap, sucking the horny bastard off while he sucked down the closest bottle of Jim.
“The sooner things are looking legit, the better.” Dust said, moving his eyes across us, and stopping on me again. “Skin, you've got all the financials together for our order up north, right?”