Page 23

Months had passed since the darkest days of my life, and though the scars still lingered, I had found my way back to the light. Therapy had helped. Time had helped. But mostly, Austin had helped.

I stood on the grand balcony of the mansion we now called home, the evening breeze sweeping through my hair as I gazed at the sprawling estate Austin had inherited from his grandfather. Never in a million years had I pictured myself in a place like this—wrapped in the love of a man who saw all of me, even the broken parts, and loved me anyway.

Our wedding was only days away, set to take place right here on the estate. The Kings of Chaos, once an outlaw club, had found their footing in something bigger, something more. Their community outreach program had taken off—mentoring troubled kids, offering guidance, and even working with local law enforcement on operations that blurred the line between legal and necessary. Austin had led the charge, transforming the Kings into something powerful, something that mattered. And I had found my place among them.

I never imagined myself working within an MC, but it wasn’t about the club—it was about the people. The kids I helped, the lives I touched. It was fulfilling in a way I hadn’t known I needed.

Warm arms wrapped around me from behind, and I leaned back into Austin’s solid chest.

“You keep staring out there like you’re waiting for something,” he murmured against my neck.

I smiled. “Just… taking it all in.”

“You happy?”

I turned in his arms, looking up into those piercing blue eyes that had always seen straight through me. “So happy,” I whispered.

“Took you long enough to let yourself believe it.”

A lump formed in my throat. He was right. It had taken time—more time than I’d wanted—but I was here now, in his arms, and I wouldn’t waste another second questioning whether I deserved this.

I rose onto my toes and kissed him, slow and deep. His grip tightened on my waist, pulling me closer as if he could fuse us together. We had been through hell, but we had come out the other side stronger.

His hands slid down, gripping my thighs as he lifted me, carrying me inside.

"Let me show you how much I love you," he whispered.

And I let him.

The morning of our wedding dawned crisp and clear. Everything was perfect—the decorations, the venue, the overwhelming feeling of love that surrounded us and a fucking amazing night with my bride. I was so glad she didn’t buy into the don’t-see-the-bride-the-night-before-the-wedding nonsense.

Some of my brothers had showed up early to keep me calm. The joke was on them because I’d never been so sure of anything in my life. Emmy was always supposed to be mine. Hell, she already was, and no piece of paper or words from the church were going to make it feel any different.

Time seemed to drag until it was time for me and Tank, as my best man, to take our places in front of rows of our closest friends.

The second I saw her, the world stopped.

Everything else faded—Tank elbowing me in the ribs with a whispered “try not to pass out,” the rustle of guests shifting in their seats, even the wind catching the edge of the altar flowers. None of it mattered.

Because at the end of the aisle, Emmy stood like a damn vision. And next to her was Luke.

He had one hand wrapped around hers and the other clenched tight at his side. His suit was rumpled in that way only Luke could pull off and still look like someone you didn’t want to mess with. His jaw was locked, but there was something in his eyes—pride, maybe. Or the weight of everything they'd both survived.

They started walking toward me, slow and steady, and my chest got tighter with every step. I hadn’t expected seeing Emmy in her wedding gown on the arm of my oldest and best friend to hit me like this.

Luke wasn’t just giving away his sister—he was giving me a piece of his heart. A piece he'd fought to protect, the same way I would for the rest of my life.

When they reached me, Luke looked me straight in the eye and didn’t say a word for a long second. I got it. We didn’t need words to get his message across. Then he took Emmy’s hand and placed it in mine.

“Don’t fuck it up,” he said, low enough only I could hear.

A grin tugged at the corner of my mouth. Yep, message received . “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

He nodded once, sharp and sure, then leaned in to kiss Emmy’s cheek. She held onto his arm for just a second longer, whispering something to him that made his shoulders loosen before he stepped away to stand beside Tank.

Then it was just me and her.

Emmy.

My girl. My storm. My sanctuary.

She smiled, eyes shining, and slipped her hand fully into mine. My fingers curled around hers instinctively, steadying her—or maybe just anchoring me.

“You’re beautiful,” I whispered.

“You’re not so bad yourself, Prez,” she whispered back, lips twitching into that grin that always undid me.

The officiant began to speak, but all I could focus on was her. The fact that she was standing here. That despite everything we’d faced, she still chose me.

When it was time for the vows, I didn’t need the paper tucked in my jacket. Every word lived in my bones.

“I didn’t think I was meant for this,” I said. “Not love. Not softness. Not forever. But then you came back. Stormed into my life and refused to let me hide behind who I used to be. You made me believe I could be more— we could be more. I’ll spend every day proving you were right. Loving you. Protecting you. Standing beside you, no matter what comes.”

I paused, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Always.”

Then she looked at me with that same spark I saw the first day she walked back into my life, except now it was laced with something deeper. Something permanent.

Her voice was soft, but every word hit me straight in the chest.

“I used to think love came with conditions,” she said, her fingers tightening around mine. “Rules. Expectations. A list of things I had to satisfy to deserve it.”

She took a breath, her eyes never leaving mine.

“But then I fell for a man who never asked me to be anyone but exactly who I am. Who held me when I was broken. Who didn’t try to fix me but stood by me while I put myself back together.”

Tears welled in her eyes. Mine, too.

“I vow to keep choosing you—even when it’s hard, even when the world tries to tear us apart. I vow to be your strength when you need it and your peace when the chaos creeps in. I vow to love every part of you, even the parts you still think you need to hide from the world.”

Her voice cracked slightly as she whispered, “I’m yours, Austin King. Heart, soul, scars, and all.”

Jesus. I’d never been more wrecked in my life. The officiant said something—I barely heard it.

“You may kiss the bride.”

I didn’t wait. I pulled her in and kissed her like it was our first and last breath all rolled into one. Her hands gripped the lapels of my jacket, and somewhere behind us someone whistled—probably Tank—but I didn’t care.

She was mine. Mrs. Emmy King. Queen of the Kings of Chaos and of my heart. And I’d spend every damn day making sure she never doubted it.

As I was waiting for her to change so we could leave for our honeymoon and I could finally get her all to myself, my phone rang. I almost ignored it. But when the unknown number flashed across the screen, something in my gut told me to answer.

I stepped away from the controlled commotion of the wedding aftermath and pressed the phone to my ear.

“Did you think it was over?” The Ghost’s voice sent ice through my veins. “Did you think getting your little fairytale ending meant I was done with you?”

My grip tightened on the phone. “You’re running out of moves.”

The Ghost chuckled. “You’re still playing checkers, but I’ve been playing chess from the start. Tell me, Austin, how much do you really know about your father?”

The line went dead.

I stood frozen, the phone still pressed to my ear, though there was nothing to hear. My mind spun, a thousand thoughts colliding at once. My father. He’d been gone for years, buried along with all the lies he took to his grave—or so I thought. But the way The Ghost said it… like there was more. Like there were pieces I hadn’t even realized were missing, threads I hadn’t known to pull.

A bitter taste rose in the back of my throat. I’d spent my life trying to undo the damage my old man left behind. Trying to fix the club, fix the legacy he poisoned with greed and back room deals. But this wasn’t just about club business anymore. It was personal. Deep-rooted. Generational. And whatever vendetta The Ghost was carrying, it didn’t start with me—it started with him. With the man who raised me. Or rather the man who happened to share my blood.

My grip on the phone tightened until the plastic creaked.

There was still more to this puzzle. More secrets buried in the past. More sins I hadn’t been told. The bigger question may be, why hadn’t Jax been able to find out more about the man? Was that a big clue in and of itself?

And The Ghost wasn’t finished with me yet.

Luke

I sat on the back porch of Prez’s guest house, staring out into the night. How the hell did I get here? Emmy said I have a new life now—a second chance. But some wounds didn’t heal with time. The nightmares still came. So did the flashes of pain, of helplessness, of Raven’s screams.

My body stiffened at the thought of her. I hadn’t seen her since Mexico. Riot had taken her home where she would be safe. Where she could heal.

But what about me?

I exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand down my face. I had to get my head straight. Had to move forward. Yet, no matter how much distance lay between us, I couldn’t stop thinking about her.

Raven.

I had a feeling our story wasn’t over.

What’s up Next

Raven’s Ride

Raven was taken by monsters—by a ghost. I dragged her out of hell, but it followed us both home. She’s back on her ranch, hiding behind sarcasm, silence, and horses that don’t ask questions.

She says she’s fine.

She’s not.

I see it in her eyes, the same darkness that’s living inside me.

But she’s not broken. She’s surviving.

And I’ll be damned if I let her do it alone.

I’ve done a lot of things for the club. For the patch on my back.

But for Raven? I’d do anything to make her loose the lost look in her eyes.

When The Ghost resurfaces, everything changes. The past we thought was buried claws its way back, and suddenly, protecting her means confronting the one man who knows exactly how to rip us apart.

She thinks she’s too damaged to love.

I’ll prove her wrong—one kiss, one confession, one promise at a time.

Raw. Wrecked. Redeemable. Raven’s Ride is a slow-burn, full-throttle MC romance packed with explosive heat, emotional depth, and a twist that changes everything.