Page 2 of Karma (Deranged Drifters MC #23)

Chapter Two

Griffin’s Beach Marnie

R unning a hand down her white sundress, Marnie sighs and looks in the mirror. The wedding came together rather quickly, and even though Venom wanted her to take her time to have everything she wanted, Marnie just wanted to marry him. Be his wife. That’s all she really wants.

“Having second thoughts?” Lex asks from the doorway of Venom’s apartment in the clubhouse.

Looking up, she locks eyes with the curly blonde and sighs. “No, just wishing things were a little different.”

“Different how?”

“When I’d think about my wedding, I always thought my dad would be walking me down the aisle. Or, you know, be here.”

The disdain for her father in the Griffin’s Beach clubhouse isn’t a secret to Marnie, and Lex’s expression reminds her of that fact. “Not to talk badly about your dad—”

“Go ahead.”

She smirks and nods. “Your dad’s an asshat. He’s so far up his own ass that he has to see the light whenever he brushes his teeth at this point. Dude needs to learn to keep his big, fat yapper shut.”

“I love William, and I know he’s worth more than my father is, especially after how he’s been acting the past couple of years. But not even showing up to my wedding? I never thought I’d be this disappointed in my dad. He’s trying to be hurtful.”

Until Venom’s mother showed up in the clubhouse unannounced, whooping and hollering his real name, not many people knew Venom was really William Maddox. He’d kept it close and only shared it with people he trusted. A group Marnie felt privileged to be included in.

“I understand,” Lex says. “Fathers have a special way of disappointing their daughters. Trust me, if anyone knows what you’re going through, it’s me.”

“Thank you, Lex. And thank you for standing up at the altar with me. I know you’d be better fit for best man duty, but I don’t really know too many women around here well enough to ask them. And I’d like to think of us as friends.”

Winking, she smirks. “We’re just lucky I’m walking down with Colt instead of Undertaker. He’d probably rip off Colt’s head for walking with Jamie. That man is a bit… possessive.”

Something in the way Lex says it tells Marnie that they both know more than the rest. When Jamie Pittman was certain her relationship with Undertaker was over, she stayed with Marnie.

And while drunk one night, Jamie told Marnie about the rules Undertaker has for her. Rules that would not fly with Marnie.

As much as she loves Venom, there’s no way Marnie could deal with giving up basically all control of her own life and handing it over to him. But if it works for the two of them, who is she to judge?

Even though Marnie and Jamie commiserated their failed relationships together, Marnie knows she owes Lex.

The blonde wanted to beat her ass in Summerville because of her treatment of Venom, but she was instrumental in Venom coming around and accepting Marnie’s apology.

If Lex had told Venom to turn and run the other way, she’s not certain they’d be here right now.

“Baby?” Everlee asks as she walks into the room. “Oh, you look beautiful.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

“And you’re not pregnant, right?”

“Mom…”

Holding her hands up, she shakes her dark hair. “No judgement. I know how much you love him, and I’m looking forward to grandbabies—”

“I’m not pregnant!” she exclaims. “I just didn’t want to wait to be his wife. There’s already been so much time wasted between us because I was worried about what Dad would think. I don’t want to waste any more time not being married to him.”

“I’d like to say your father will come around, but he’s one of the most stubborn people I’ve ever met in my life.”

“Tell me about it,” Lex mutters and smiles. “Coming to get her to walk down to her prince charming?”

Marnie frowns. “You’re walking me?”

“I’m not letting you walk to the love of your life alone.

Your father may be the world’s biggest idiot, but I am not.

And I can see the good in that man. More than that, I see how much he loves you.

That’s all I’ve ever wanted for you. And great sex,” she adds.

“Based on your glowing skin and hair, I’d say he’s doing a great job of that. ”

Lex snorts, and Marnie groans. “Mom… really?”

“I really like you,” Lex says with a giggle. “And you kicked Snake out again, didn’t you?”

“Such a fucking moron,” she mutters and rolls her eyes. “Enough about him. Let’s go. Your man’s getting antsy waiting for you.”

Walking out, Lex stands behind Jamie as the music starts. Jamie goes first wearing a simple black dress and white roses. Before Lex takes her cue, she turns and winks.

“It feels like a dream,” Marnie says and takes her mom’s hand. “I wish Dad was here, but I feel like I’ve finally found my place in life. And that place is right beside Venom.”

“Then let’s not wait any longer,” she says, kissing her daughter’s temple.

She steps onto the fabric aisle and sees Venom gasp when he catches sight of her.

He’d wanted to wear a suit for her, but she told him it was a biker wedding.

Without a ballgown, he’d look ridiculous in a penguin suit.

He looks absolutely delicious in his designer jeans and button-up shirt beneath his kutte.

“Everyone, sit,” Dean “Gunner” Owens says. “We’re all gathered here today to join Marnie Banks and William Maddox together in marriage.

It was his idea to use his real name rather than his road name for this, and Marnie fights back the tears as she holds his hand. She still can’t believe this is real, and her lip trembles as he gazes at her with such love and adoration.

“The two of them have decided to write their own vows, which I’m not upset about. It takes the pressure off of me. Why don’t you start, Ven—William?” Gunner says.

“Marnie,” Venom says and rubs his thumb along the top of her hand, “I vow to always be faithful and loyal. From the first moment I met you, you challenged me. Never hesitating to bite back at the crazy man in the club who never quite fit in, and I knew it was only a matter of time before I fell in love.”

She hands her flowers to Lex, who looks around suspiciously. Wiping her eyes with her free hand, she smiles and takes his other hand. Chuckling, she remembers how Sutton Cannon told her not to antagonize the crazy man.

“My favorite memory of us is the night I ran to the store to have what I thought was a runaway bride hollering at me.”

He recounts the first time they were together outside of the clubhouse.

Her best friend, who is eight-and-a-half months pregnant and living in Florida now, frantically searched for someone to find a guy named Venom when Marnie’s ex and his new girlfriend showed up to the wedding.

Venom didn’t hesitate, and he showed up looking delicious.

“Your ex regretted his decision, but I knew I loved you that night. Even if you still fought me every time I called you love .”

The part he fails to recall, at least aloud, was the way he’d taken her into the dressing room and given her the first orgasm of many between them. He’d fallen to his knees and promised to do whatever he had to for as long as he did to please her.

If they were there with a smaller group that didn’t include her mother, Marnie would share how much she loves and appreciates how unselfish he is when it comes to loving her. He never fails to make her come, and she has never felt freer than when they’re together.

“He’s a fucking prick!” a familiar voice shouts from the back.

Turning to look down the aisle, Marnie’s surprised to see Venom’s ex-girlfriend, Cinder Hicks. The one who was last seen bloody and beaten by Lex after she attacked Venom.

“Oh, for the love of God,” Lex mutters and hands both bouquets to Everlee in the front row.

“I will not be run off again!” Cinder shouts, her black hair needing a touch up. She has at least an inch of light roots showing. “That should be me up there with him, not that whore!”

“Excuse me?” Everlee says and stands, turning to look at the woman.

Melanie, Jace’s girl, and Felicity Short follow behind Lex as they push Cinder into the clubhouse and away from the crowd. Heidi Shepherd climbs over her husband to join in, and Marnie feels oddly protected.

“I’m so sorry,” Venom says.

“Hey, I can’t blame you for dating a crazy woman when we were apart. I do kind of worry, though, that Heidi may murder her,” Marnie says. “She’s still not over the fact that Cinder and Shep had a… thing.”

“I wish I was a badass like Lex and them,” Jamie says. “Did you see how her expression changed from dutiful bridesmaid to Imma beat a bitch in a second? How does she do that?”

The couple chuckles as Jamie leans over and tries to see into the clubhouse. She’s a larger woman who stands out from the sea of petite women, but she’s absolutely gorgeous. And the biggest sweetheart. Almost too sweet for this life.

“Should we keep going?” Gunner asks.

“We’re back!” Felicity shouts while Lex fixes her hair as she quickly walks back down the aisle.

Leaning over Venom, Colt locks eyes with his wife. “Where is she?”

“Just… hanging tight until we’re done,” she responds with a beaming smile. “Then Heidi’s going to finally get out some of that bottled-up rage she’s been holding in. Might help Shep, actually, when she’s done.”

“Okay, well, on that note…” Gunner says and laughs. “Marnie, I think we’re onto you. Please share your vows with William.”

She pulls their joined hands up and rests them against her chest as she smiles at the man she loves more than anything in this world.

“William, I vow to be your protector the same way you are to me and everyone else. I will do whatever I can to stop anything from ever hurting you. My vow is to be the safe place you’ve never had before, and I promise to make up for all of the pain you’ve ever experienced in your life by countering it with amazing experiences and more love than you can handle. ”

When he smiles, his eyes shine with tears, and it warms her heart to promise him something he hadn’t known he wanted until they got back together.

“I will be yours until the day I die, and even beyond that. No one in this world has ever loved me the way you do, and I swear to do everything I can to make you feel the love I feel with you. It’s powerful and amazing to the point that it’s overwhelming sometimes.

I used to fear it, but I’m not scared anymore. I love you.”

A reflection of the sun off of something metal behind her catches her eye, and she turns to see Venom’s mother standing at the end of the aisle with a gun aimed right at her son.

“No!” Marnie screams and pushes Venom backwards into Colt as the loudest bang she swears she’s ever heard fills the air.

A searing hot pain shoots through her abdomen, and she falls to the ground, confused.

“Get her!” Colt shouts as everyone moves around her as she looks up into the blinding sun.

Venom and Lex fuss over her as boots and heels clomp by. “What happened?” she whispers.

“You were shot, baby,” Lex says. “I have to put pressure on it, okay? The ambulance is on its way, but this is probably gonna hurt.”

Nodding, Marnie looks up at Venom who cups her head as tears stream down his face. The pain as Lex presses against her stomach makes her wince, and a sob escapes his lips.

Fuck, that does hurt.

“Marnie, why—”

“I promised to protect you,” she says, her eyelids feeling heavy.

This is such a weird feeling. Eyelids being heavy. Like they’re muscles you can work out or something to gain strength. Ha.

“You should’ve let me take the bullet, love,” Venom says, his voice cracking. “You don’t deserve this.”

“Neither do you,” she mutters, unable to keep her eyes open any longer.

“No, no, no,” Lex shouts. “Keep those pretty green eyes open, Marnie. Don’t you dare close them!”

Forcing them open, her mother comes into view above Venom, her phone to her ear. She’s talking to Snake.

“Tell Dad he missed a hell of an exciting wedding,” she says with a chuckle before her eyes close again, sending her into blissful oblivion.