“Shit,” I hiss, wiping his blood down the front of my shirt as I peer into Mack’s lifeless eyes.
“Anthony,” Adrianna cries, causing me to turn around and watch as she points straight ahead. I avert my eyes in the direction she’s pointing and I see an unfamiliar man walking toward the clubhouse. His arms are extended at his sides and his feet shuffle with every step he took, appearing as if there were cinderblocks weighing down his feet.
I race out of the booth and hurry to the car.
“Anthony, Nikki and Mike are in there,” Adrianna shouts.
Fuck. I kept my hand firmly on the shifter and contemplate my next move, my eyes never wavering from the man making his way toward the clubhouse. My first instinct is to drive my truck over the fucking guy who killed one of Jack’s men but I had my wife next to me and this wasn’t some Bonnie and Clyde bullshit.
I narrow my eyes, looking for weapons and notice the vest wrapped tightly around his body.
“Anthony!” She shouts.
I ignored her as I continue to concentrate on the vest. Little red and blue threads wrap around his torso and his back connecting to something on his chest. I shift the car into drive and roll toward the clubhouse to get a closer look when Adrianna grabs my arm.
“Are you listening to me? We need to get Nikki and Mike out of there,” she orders, desperately.
I run my fingers through my hair, glancing at the gun on my lap before lifting my eyes back to my wife’s.
“There’s a gun under your seat. The clip is in the glove box,” I instruct, turning my attention back to the man who stands in front of the door. “You stay behind me and do as I say, you hear me Adrianna? I’m not kidding this time. I tell you to stay put, stay fucking put.”
“And if someone holds a gun to your head?”
“Shoot the motherfucker like you shot Rico,” I say, slamming my foot against the gas as the man pulls open the front door of the Dog Pound and disappears inside.
I turn to face her, watch as she pulls back the safety and stare at the door.
“Hey,” I say, reaching over the console to squeeze her knee. “I love you.”
“I love you too,” she replies, turning her gaze to me.
I lean over the console and kiss her quickly. I didn’t pull away, and neither did she but the kiss ended as we were thrown from the car and the Dog Pound exploded.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
I took my place beside the priest, offered him my hand and to my surprise, when he shook it, I didn’t turn to ash. Maybe there was hope for me.
Blackie walks up behind me, pats me on the shoulder before tipping his chin toward Linc who sits on top of the bar strumming a guitar.
“You knew he could play?”
“No idea,” he replies as Linc lifts his head. His eyes remaining closed as he hums along to the familiar tune. Finding the beat, he begins to sing.
If I could then I would.
I’ll go wherever you will go.
Way up high or down low, I’ll go wherever you will go.
Our attention diverted from Linc to the end of the makeshift aisle where Lacey stood smiling from ear to ear. I return her smile as she starts down the aisle to the sound of Linc’s smooth voice surrounding us. Clutching her bouquet, her gaze locks on the man standing to my left and she continues toward us. Pausing in front of me she presses a kiss to my cheek before reaching for Blackie’s hand. Winking at her, he lifts her hand to his lips and places a quick kiss to her knuckles. Lacey winks at him before she turns and takes her spot across from me. I take in a deep breath as I turn, knowing I was about to lay eyes on the light of my life.
To watch you, to guide you through the darkest of your days.
If a great wave you shall fall and fall upon us.
Then I hope there’s someone out there who can bring me back to you.
Even with a mind that fails me, there are moments in my life that have stuck with me. The day my parents died. The day I received my patch. Both days my kids were born. The day I took the gavel as president of the Satan’s Knights. The day I walked into Dee’s Diner and ordered a slice of cherry pie. They all float around in my head.
But this day, this moment, this one will stick with me even after I’m buried. Seeing her at the end of the aisle, smiling at me with love radiating from the depths of her soul and shining through her eyes. This moment will be engrained in my heart. The moment my bride walks to me and offers me a future.
Pairing her wedding gown with a black leather jacket, she was a vision of white silk and worn leather. The dress beneath the leather was simple, fitted across her chest and flowed freely from under her bust, accentuating the swell of her stomach and trailing behind her with every step she took toward me. She lowers the bouquet of sunflowers and places her hand over her stomach as she takes the final steps.