But I got Bea. I saw how she could be so compelled by the darkness and mysteries of Priest, and I felt sorry for her that nothing would ever come of her unrequited affections.
Zeus and Lion were both absent, on a trip to Vancouver to check in, of all people, with Honey Yves’ uncle who might have a tip on the Berserkers outfit. It sucked not to have Harleigh Rose and Zeus there, the two who had adopted me as soon as King had even batted an eye my way, but at least Zeus had more than made up for it by giving King and me our engagement present before he left; King’s new cut replete with the patch “Road Captain” and the full Fallen colours on the back, and a leather jacket for me too, only this one said “Property of Garro.”
“She’ll come out on top. It’s H.R., if anyone can take on an entire MC, it’s my sister. Trust me,” King murmured in my ear, using his nose to push the hair back so he could nibble on my lobe. “Sorry it’s weighin’ on you, babe. Gotta know, it’s doin’ the same to me.”
“No one’s fault. I just miss her, you know? And I’m worried about her. The Berserkers aren’t like The Fallen. I’ve only ever heard bad things. Even Wrath hates them.”
“Not many clubs like The Fallen, Cress. It’ll be good, babe. Now, can you try to relax and enjoy the party? I’m thinkin’ it’s time for tequila, so you’ll be amenable when I drag you to my back room and have my way with you.”
Heat instantly sparked between my legs and send desire curling up my spine. I wrapped my arms around his neck to press closer. “You don’t need tequila to seduce me.”
“Nah, don’t reckon I do,” he agreed before taking my mouth.
A flash of tossed black hair caught my eye, dragging my gaze to the woman who’d just passed me, ass swaying in tiny cutoffs that displayed the bottom half of her butt cheeks. She was pretty even from behind, but something about her resonated with me like a bad note poorly struck. She looked, for a moment, like Paula. The crazy ass biker bitch I’d had a cat fight with in the clubhouse at my first biker party here four years ago. It still burned that she’d been the one to take King’s virginity, and I knew I must’ve been seeing things because after that night, she’d been banished from the club forever.
But the thought of seeing her felt like a straight shot of poison to my veins, and I shivered as I tried to purge her from my mind while King’s attention was distracted by Lab-Rat who was making a cocktail of rum, tequila, Fireball, and cough syrup.
There was a loud clearing of a throat, and then someone started pounding on the bar. It was Nova, who, once he got everyone’s attention, preened like a peacock and climbed on top of the wooden bar with his beer held aloft.
“We’re here tonight to celebrate the King, our newborn Fallen brother, and his beautiful Queenie, who in my humble opinion is way too good for that guy’s ugly mug.” Everyone laughed drunkenly, even King whose laughter was only stopped by my kiss. “Not a man who believes in love and fairy-tale crap, but I am a man who believes in the love’a those two. Never seen anythin’ like it, outside’a Lou and Z, and I doubt I will again. ’Bout time you put a fuckin’ ring on her finger ’fore she ran off with Boner.” The biker in question hooted, jumped up on the pool table, and cupped his crotch to an audience of laughter. “Nah, but really, it’s gotta be said, and I can’t believe I’m the one doin’ it, but here goes. To King and Cress, the future King and Queen of The Fallen MC.”
The roar of cheers rattled the windows and shook the floor as everyone shouted, jeered, and stomped their feet for us.
King stood, keeping me in his arms, hands under my ass even as he addressed the club. “Seein’ as you all were part’a me wooin’ Cress by fixin’ up that dump that used to be Shamble Wood Cottage, thank you, brothers, for helpin’ me convince this woman to take a chance on a guy she never would’a thought she’d want to keep.”
“Guy?” Boner called out. “You were a fuckin’ boy back then!”
A blush fired my cheeks as everyone laughed, including King.
“What can I say? Saw her, wanted her, took her and that was the end of that,” King declared arrogantly and then chuckled into my scowling face. “Just lucky she agreed to be wife.”
“Here, fuckin’ here!” Bat called. “Now, fuckin’ kiss her so we can get back to drinkin’.”