Page 32 of Panther’s Magpie (Mountain River MC #1)

MAGGIE

One week later

Today is the day.

I mean, I already know I’m Calloway’s old lady. He made the announcement to the club, and everyone congratulated me. So it shouldn’t feel so momentous, but it does. It feels like today is the start of something new.

Is this how weddings feel like for the bride?

“Look at you looking all beautiful,” Rain teases me as she helps me with my makeup.

Aspen fluffs my hair. “I have always been jealous of your luscious brown hair. My hair is so thin, but you have this thick, gorgeous hair that I can do so much with.”

“You guys are going to make me blush. Stop,” I tell them.

“You won’t be able to see it. I have your cheeks covered.” Rain winks at me.

“I can’t believe you are basically marrying my brother,” Aspen says after a moment.

My heart aches in my chest. “I’m happy that you are here with me for this. I know we should want to go back to Cali and finish school, but being here feels right. Does it feel that way for you?”

She comes around the chair to face me. “I always wanted to be here with Calloway. California never felt like home to me.”

“Me either,” I admit.

“Well, I know you are going to enroll in school here, but don’t expect the same from me. I only went to that god-awful place because you wanted to,” she teases.

“It was a good college,” I murmur.

“I’m sure it was, but school isn’t for me. You know this.”

She’s not wrong. She struggled to keep up with her studies. She was more into the party aspect of college.

“So what are you going to do instead? I guess you could find some parties to enjoy.”

I meant it as a joke, but I see the way Aspen winces.

I hate that she doesn’t enjoy life like she used to. What she went through changed her. I only hope she finds some of the light she once had. Seeing the darkness overcome her hurts my soul.

“I’ll figure something out,” she finally says, going back to my hair.

I look to Rain and see the same worry etched onto her face.

“I’m all done. What about you, Aspen?” Rain asks.

She does something to my hair before responding to Rain. “All done. What do you think?”

They spin me by my shoulders so I can see the mirror.

I look different. Not a bad different. I’m wearing a tight black dress that shows off all my best assets. It’s feminine and pretty but also makes me feel a little more badass. Like I really am an old lady.

Even my makeup is a little more dramatic than I usually wear.

I love it.

“Thank you both so much. I appreciate all your help.”

They envelop me in a group hug.

“It’s what family is for.” Rain says.

“Sisters for life,” Aspen echoes before adding, “Maybe don’t tell me all the deets of your sex life, though.”

We all laugh as someone knocks on the door.

“Come in,” I call out.

Meek peeks his head in. “Your old man is out here pacing. You think you are going to come out soon or should I get him a shot of whiskey?”

Calloway.

“I’m ready. Let’s go, girls.”

They follow me out of the small bathroom and down the hall. I can hear them chatting behind me, but it all fades out as I see him waiting for me.

The moment I step into the main room, his eyes find mine. His soften in a way that they only ever do with me. It’s as if they are screaming “I love you” without saying a single word.

It’s like that with us, though. I don’t need a bunch of flowery promises or words to calm my soul. One look from him, and I know what he is saying. It brings me peace in a way no words could ever accomplish.

He’s mine, and I am his.

He walks over to me, taking me into his arms before kissing me. It’s much too passionate with having a crowd cheering us on, but I don’t care. I let him devour my lipstick, smiling when he finally pulls back and frowns.

“Your lipstick didn’t smear,” he whispers.

“Smudge proof. Rain’s idea.”

“Remind me to ban her from the clubhouse. I wanted to see that color stained on my dick.”

I shrug. “I could always put some more on later. The kind you’ll like.”

He growls. “Fuck.” Then he turns me to the room.

“Thank you all for being here tonight. We are here to celebrate my old lady, Magpie. I have had a chance to talk to every one of you about her before we made it official, and without hesitation, each of you expressed what an asset she would be to our club. More than that, she is the other half of my soul. Thank you for accepting her into the fold without question and protecting her with everything you have.”

He steps away from me for a moment, walking up to Eagle. He takes a jacket from him before turning around and coming back to me. He lets it unfold as I read the back.

Panther’s Old Lady.

My heart soars. He’s marked me as his property in a way, but I don’t mind it. I like knowing that he wants the world to know I’m his.

I turn, letting him put the jacket on me. When I turn back to him, he is pulling his shirt up.

“I have marked you as mine, but I wanted you to mark me as yours as well.”

My hand covers my mouth as he pulls away a white bandage showing his new tattoo. On his chest is a beautiful magpie bird with my initials underneath it.

Tears fill my eyes as I stare up at him.

“You’ve always been mine, Maggie. Even if we didn’t realize it. You said you believe in fate. I do too. Everyone, meet my old lady, Maggie ‘Magpie’ Ellis.”

Everyone yells out and whistles as Calloway kisses me once more. I pull back from him, smiling up at him.

“I want your last name,” I admit to him.

He smirks. “Then tomorrow we will go down to the courthouse and make it official.”

“Just like that?” I ask, surprised.

“It’s a paper, Magpie. You already own my heart.” He presses my hand over his heart, where the tattoo is. “My last name is nothing compared to that.”

“You’re wrong. It’s everything. It shows more than the club that I’m yours. It shows the world.”

He growls, kissing me deeply.

I think he likes the idea as much as I do.

PANTHER

We have been socializing all night. I’m not sure how much more I can take of it, but I’m hanging in there for Maggie. She’s enjoying this so much.

I don’t even know what the group we are with is talking about because all I can focus on is her.

She’s my everything.

My phone rings in my pocket. Pulling it out, I frown when I see Talon’s name.

“What’s wrong?” I answer, pulling away from Maggie.

She gives me a weird look.

“You have a guest at the gate. One that you need to deal with quietly,” he says into the phone.

I frown. “Who is it?”

“Asher.”

My blood runs cold as I look over to see Aspen across the room with Rain. She’s not the bubbly troublemaker she once was. You think I would be glad she’s not causing trouble, but I’m not. She is a shell of herself.

I don’t want to know what seeing Asher will do to her.

“I’ll be there in a second. Send out the text. I want the main guys in church,” I tell him.

“Done.”

I hang up, going back to Maggie. Leaning down, I kiss her temple as Meek and Eagle look at their phones. They meet my eyes.

“I’m sorry, babe. I need to handle something real quick. Is that okay?” I ask, knowing there is no real option here.

“Of course.” She kisses me. “I’ll go hang out with Aspen.”

I nod, loving how accepting she is. She really does make the perfect old lady.

Leaving the clubhouse, I walk down the path to the gate.

“What do you want?” I spit at Asher as soon as I’m close enough.

“I need to know she’s okay. That’s all I want, then I’ll leave.”

The guy looks like he hasn’t slept in weeks. His eyes are bloodshot, and he is swaying slightly on his feet.

“Are you drunk?” I ask.

He shakes his head. “I know you don’t owe me anything, but the nightmares are haunting me. I only need to look at her and see if she’s okay. If I see her okay with my own eyes, I will leave you alone.”

“Why do you even care?” I frown at him.

“I did everything I could to save her. I need to know she is saved.” He looks at me like it’s obvious.

I think he is a little delirious.

“No cops without a warrant. Sorry, bro.” I turn to go.

“Wait.”

I pause, turning back to him. Slowly he gets onto his knees. I don’t like how quick he is to grovel.

“Please. Not knowing is killing me.”

I clear my throat. “We put it to a vote around here. Talon, let him in. Do you want me to find someone to cover you?”

He shakes his head. “Vote as my proxy. I trust your judgment.”

I nod, walking around the back side of the clubhouse.

I know I shouldn’t give Asher my back, but it’s a test. If he is going to hurt me, it will be now.

He doesn’t, though. He follows silently behind me as I take him to the back door.

I lead him through into church, where all of my men, sans Talon, are waiting. Dove was even able to make it.

“Why is he here?” Eagle asks as I close the door behind Asher.

“Sit there,” I tell him, indicating Talon’s seat.

He does as I ask, slumping.

“He would like to see Aspen to ensure her safety,” I tell the group.

“Fuck no. Aspen doesn’t need him,” Eagle scoffs. “I can’t believe you let him in here knowing he bleeds blue.”

“Not anymore,” Asher says. “I was fired two months ago. They wanted to pull me because I was getting in too deep, but I refused to leave without Aspen.”

“Why should we believe you?” I ask him.

He shrugs. “You don’t have to believe me. I only want to lay eyes on Aspen. Hear from her own mouth that she is safe. I won’t bother her again.”

“What happened to her?” Meek asks.

“None of your fucking business. If she wants you to know, then she will tell you,” he growls at him.

It surprises me. Telling us everything he knows would be his best bet at getting a look at the clubhouse, which is what I assumed he would be trying for.

“Tell us and you can see her,” I tell him.

He shakes his head. “Aspen deserves her privacy, especially after what she went through. If that’s the stipulation, then I will lose a million more nights of sleep. Whatever I need to in order to protect her.”

Meek is typing on his computer as Asher talks. I’m impressed with the vehemence in his tone. He might actually care about my sister.

Suddenly, Meek looks over to me.

“They fired him and marked him as ineligible for rehire. They also released all of his records. It’s all here. They burned him.”

I look over to Asher. “Is your sister safe?”

He shrugs. “I don’t know. I’m doing what I can to get her out of here. She doesn’t want to move, though. It’s a shit show.”

I glance at Eagle. He frowns as if he knows what I’m thinking.

It’s a terrible idea. It could backfire.

Maggie trusted him, though, and he came through with my sister. He murdered someone for me. With me, really.

My gut has never led me astray.

“What if we could protect her?” I ask.

He looks up at me suddenly. “What would that cost me?”

“What is it worth?” I quirk an eyebrow.

“My life,” he admits. “You can kill me right now if you promise to keep her and Aspen safe.”

I chuckle. “Aspen will always be kept safe. She’s my sister, which is why I understand why Ashley would mean so much to you.”

I look around the table and meet each guys’ eyes. They don’t know what I’m about to do, but each one says they trust me.

For once, I feel like I belong in this position.

“All in favor of Asher prospecting for the Mountain Men MC.”

There’s not a sound in the room at my words. Everyone looks shocked. Even Asher.

“Aye,” I say, showing my support of the idea.

Eagle reluctantly nods. “Aye.”

One by one, the men all say the word, supporting my decision.

“Talon gave me proxy, so it’s a unanimous vote.

Asher, you will cut all ties with the Ragged Anarchy and the police right away.

You will go home and pack your things and then let your sister know that you belong to us now.

She can move here with you, or she can stay in her home and we will assign a brother to watch out for her.

She will be safe,” I tell him. “Starting right now, you are our bitch. What we say, you do. You put in your dues and show us loyalty above all else. You do that, then we will patch you in and welcome you to the family. If you betray us…”

I let the threat linger.

He nods. “I accept.”

This might be the craziest idea I’ve ever had, but fuck if it doesn’t feel right.

Asher is one of us now, or he will be if he can keep his shit together.