Page 28 of Lore (Serpents of Chaos MC #3)

ATIANA

The next morning is a new day. We’re safe now. I don’t have to worry about Trent hurting me or him trying to take Dove. But when I tell Lore I’m heading out to the shops, he sends four men to watch me.

Four.

Either something is up, or he’s just feeling overprotective.

Walking into the supermarket with Danger, Blade, and the twins is an experience in itself. We walk in a line, and Bones leans his arm on my shoulder.

All eyes are on us.

It’s a small town, and everyone must know who the Serpents of Chaos MC members are, but it doesn’t stop them from being unable to look away.

We’re basically a spectacle.

It’s clear that all the women in town want to fuck them, and the men in town want to be them.

“I hope one day a woman comes along and gives you all a challenge,” I mutter under my breath, making them laugh.

Seriously, all they’d have to do is crook a damn finger, and I’m sure any of them would come running.

One woman in active wear almost walks into a stack of toilet paper.

“Can’t take you guys anywhere. Next time, leave your cuts at home.”

“What, you think that’s the only thing that makes us hot?” Bones asks, flashing me a charming grin. “Trust me, I get more women out of my clothes than in them.”

I roll my eyes. “I’m not touching that one. How does your head fit through a door, Bones?”

Danger laughs, pointing to a candy aisle. “I’m going in there.”

“Need something to suck on?” I snigger.

Great, they are dragging me down into hell with them.

I get everything I need to make some chorizo pasta for about twenty people, and then we get out of there. The men pay and carry the bags, so I really can’t complain about having to take them with me.

After that, we stop to visit Rune and Curse at King Cobra Ink.

I love the shop from the second I arrive.

It sits on the corner of a busy street filled with cafés and boutiques, and inside it’s decorated mostly in black and white, with a dash of red.

The walls are filled with designs, and there’s a pretty woman at the reception with ebony skin and long dark hair that reaches her waist. She’s covered in ink.

Her red lips curve into a smile. “You guys here for ink or just to cause some trouble?”

“Definitely trouble.” Bones winks at her.

Skull stands guard at the door while Danger and Blade stick by me.

Rune comes out from the back and smiles widely when he sees us.

Ah, Rune.

Perfectly tousled dark hair.

Even darker eyes.

Inked from the neck down.

A lip ring in the center of his lower lip and two black hoops in each ear.

And dimples. Did I mention the dimples?

“Daddy Lore finally let you out to play, Butterfly?” he asks in his deep, husky tone.

“I’ve been told to report any inappropriate comments,” Blade warns with amusement dancing in his eyes. “No looking for longer than three seconds, either.”

The woman’s brown eyes widen. “You’re the one who tamed Lore? We should call you the snake charmer.”

“She could charm any snake,” Bones agrees, and Blade pulls out his phone slowly, with a smirk.

“I’m Destiny,” the woman introduces herself.

“Atiana,” I say, shaking her hand. “Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise. It will be nice to have another woman around here.” She beams, turning her eyes to Blade. She gives him a slow once-over. He’s wearing his glasses, a white T-shirt with his cut, and some light denim jeans with biker boots. Hottie , she mouths.

I hide my grin.

“Curse is with a client right now, but let me show you around,” Rune says, taking my wrist and pulling me into the back.

He opens a door that leads to an empty room.

“This would be your space. You can do whatever you want with it. My chair is over there,” he points down the hall.

“Curse and I share that space. It’s huge, and we put up a divider if the client wants privacy.

Normally, they’re happy to sit in the main room and talk shit, though.

Destiny does admin and piercings. You can work your own hours.

We’re flexible, especially since you have the two kids. ”

“It sounds amazing,” I reply, smiling to myself. “When can I start?”

“We’re ready whenever you are. We are fully booked out most days. Another artist here would be amazing. Sometimes we have to close the shop when club business comes up.”

Curse sticks his head in the room and winks at me. He has the same dark olive skin, dark eyes, and hair as his brother, but his is cut short. His nose ring and tattoos scream bad boy. Both of them are so tall that I have to look up and up. “You on board?”

“Hell yes, I am.”

He tilts his head to the side, studying me. “You might want to wait a week or so to start. The timing will be better for you.”

“Okay. Yeah, that works.”

He smiles, flashing straight white teeth, and disappears.

Rune watches him leave. “Sometimes what he says doesn’t make sense, but listen to it anyway.”

Okaaay then.

We head back to the clubhouse, where Lore is teaching Rider how to do a proper push-up with Dove sitting on his back. She’s holding onto his long hair and laughing, her head thrown back in pure joy.

Rider is trying to copy his dad, but his body is still mostly staying flat on the grass with his little hands moving up and down. I pull out my phone and take a video, capturing the moment.

When they see me, three pairs of eyes light up.

And that’s when I know that I’ve won in life.

* * *

The party at the clubhouse tonight is crazy.

Everyone is here. There’s music playing.

Haze just finished his set, and now everyone is on the dance floor having a great time.

The kids stayed for the start of the night, while it remained family-friendly at least, before going up to bed.

Ora is watching over them with Zade. I told her I’m happy to call it a night and go to bed with them myself, but she said I should stay tonight and have some kid-free time with Lore.

So here I am, at the bar in my favorite pair of high-waisted jeans, drinking a spicy margarita with Xanthe and Lu.

“What happened the other night with that guy?” Lu asks Xanthe, taking a sip from her drink.

“The one who sent me the tequila shot?” Xanthe asks, lip twitching. “I sent it back. I’m not twenty anymore. If they want to send me something, they should send me an entrée, not a shot.”

Suddenly, a closed fist comes down on the bar next to us. Ghost. He obviously heard Xanthe’s last comment. He turns around and disappears into the crowd.

“When are you going to put that man out of his misery?” I ask her, and she sighs, looking down into her drink.

“It’s complicated.”

“It always is,” I reply, turning to the stage when I see Prez up there with War. The music volume turns down.

“Serpents, we have you all here tonight for a good-fucking-reason. Lore, get your ass up here.”

My eyes widen as Lore stalks up onto the stage with his usual swagger, his smile even wider than usual. He looks like a sexy lumberjack with his red flannel underneath his cut, his hair tied up in his usual bun, and his dark beard perfectly framing his face.

His piercing violet eyes land on me. “Butterfly, get up here!”

Oh boy.

I have no fucking idea what is going on right now.

With the crowd cheering, I step up onto the stage, where Lore dips me back and kisses me hungrily in front of the whole club, and it goes on for longer than is polite.

It’s a possessive kiss.

A claiming one.

I’m his.

And he wants everyone here to know that.

“Lore, save it for the bedroom.” War smirks, and Lore lets go of me with a wink.

“I know it’s a surprise for everyone here when I say that Lore has decided to take an old lady,” Prez calls out, and the men all cheer, agreeing with him. “And tonight, we’re going to make it official.”

“You sure you want him?” Suit calls out, and the men laugh.

I instantly feel my cheeks heat.

Why didn’t Lore warn me about any of this?

Prez hands Lore a small leather cut. He lifts it so everyone can see. It reads ‘Property of Lore’ underneath the Serpents of Chaos MC emblem. He spins it around so I can see ‘Butterfly’ written on the front with a little patch of a green butterfly.

He helps me slide it over my tank top. “Butterfly, you’re the only woman I’ve ever loved. My heart has been yours before I even knew I had one. You’ve always been mine , but this makes it official. I love you.”

“I love you too,” I reply, happy tears pooling in my eyes.

“Serpents, show her how we welcome her,” Prez calls out, and Lore turns me around to face the crowd.

I’m surprised and confused when all the men start to line up in front of me. Skull is in the front, staring up at me with those intense blue eyes of his. I’d love to know what he’s thinking right now. He steps forward and takes my hand in his, kissing my knuckles. “Protect you with my life.”

“Thank you, Skull,” I manage to get out, my voice catching.

Lore’s fingers tighten around my waist, and he presses a kiss behind my ear.

Bones steps up next, cups my face in his hands, and plants a kiss against my forehead. “Die for you. Kick Lore’s ass for you. Drink all your girly drinks with you. Lay in the sun with you.”

“Bones,” Lore growls, but Bones ignores him.

“Anytime.”

“Thank you, Bones.”

Haze comes up next and kisses my hand. “Thank you for locking down this crazy bastard. We almost killed him before you got here. Protect you with my life.”

“Thank you, Haze.”

Suit steps up next, for once not in his sexy business shirt. Instead, he’s wearing a V-neck T-shirt with his leather cut. “You ever want to trade up, you know where to find me.”

Lore growls.

“My gift to you, beautiful Atiana, is that you are officially free. All your ex-husband’s assets are now yours, as his widow. I also changed Dove’s and Rider’s surname to Ashford.”

Lore gave Dove his name too.

“Thank you, Suit. I appreciate you so much.”

He winks and then moves away so Ghost can step forward. He bows down in front of me, blade in his hand. He doesn’t say anything, but his actions speak louder than any words. “Thank you, Ghost.”

He’s grown on me.

A little.

They all step up one by one, pledging their loyalty to me.

The emotions that hit me are intense. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so protected or loved in my life.

Last but not least, Rune steps up. He kisses the tip of my nose. “Protect you with my life, Butterfly.”

Lore bristles at the use of his nickname for me. “Only I call her that, asshole.”

“Let me know if you want a property of Lore tattoo.” He winks and then disappears into the crowd.

Then, in front of everyone, Lore gets down on one knee and pulls out a black velvet box. Inside is the most stunning pear-shaped diamond ring. Back when we were together, I told him this was my dream ring.

Seven years later, and he’s never forgotten.

“Will you marry me, Butterfly? I will love you always, protect you, and be faithful to you. I’ll worship you. Just say yes.”

“Yes!” I almost yell, and he slides the ring on my finger. It fits perfectly. This time, I can’t stop the tears, and I don’t bother trying.

“Now, you will be an Ashford too.” He grins and kisses me. “I fucking love you. And when you want to give me another baby, I’m ready when you are.”

I gasp, but he uses it to taste me with his tongue.

Who would have thought that I would have everything I ever dreamed of and more? And that Lore would be the one to give it to me?

He throws me over his shoulder and takes me toward the staircase to head up to our room where he fucks me from behind in nothing but my new property patch.

After all of these years, Lore is finally mine .

And I fucking love every second of it.