Page 49

One Year Later

I stare around at the transformed backyard of the clubhouse and run my finger around the collar of my white t-shirt as my eyes become a little glassy.

“Put the onions away, dammit. It’s my wedding, for fuck’s sake,” I grumble.

My brothers laugh as Gavel claps me on the shoulder. “It’s okay to be emotional, son. You’re finally getting to make her yours.”

“She needs to hurry before I go find her and throw her over my shoulder and fuck all the rest of this shit.”

Cyanide laughs. “Poppet will kick your ass if you fuck this up for her.”

“Gavel?” Shae’s quiet voice intrudes.

We turn toward her, and Basilisk sucks in a sharp breath from beside me as we get a good look at her.

Her midnight-colored hair rests in loose curls with pieces falling along her sharp jawline.

The green and honey heterochromia eyes spike with trepidation, still unsure of her place around most of us.

They’re the only piece of her that resembles her sisters.

Otherwise, she looks just like Cyanide. There’s a scar that cuts through her top and bottom lip from an injury she sustained while in that dead fucker’s captivity.

I’ve caught Basilisk staring at it hungrily so many times already.

Birdie and Valkyrie have been careful with Shae. They respect her boundaries, only taking what she’s willing to give them. Her brokenness is strength to them, and it’s proof that she’s a survivor. She has an aversion to touch, just like Bugsy, but allows Basilisk closer than most.

“Yes, little one?” Gavel asks gently.

“Birdie needs you. You too, Cyanide.”

It’s not long after they’re gone that Savior orders us to get into place. I stand under the gazebo, my eyes glued to the doors at the back of the clubhouse as I wait for my woman to walk through them.

Legend stands at my side, tall and proud in his small replica kutte, declaring him my son.

“What do you think, little warrior? You think she’s going to stand me up?”

“Are you silly, Dad? Mama loves you crazy. She’s going to be the most beautiful person here. I bet it.”

I laugh, brushing my hand over his shaggy brown head. “Your mom is always the most beautiful person in the room, son. Never saw anyone more beautiful than her.”

Then I hear it.

The song she plays nearly every day and makes me dance with her to. The one she told me reminded her of our love.

I suck in a sharp breath as she steps out of the door on the arms of my grandfather and her brother.

Her white skirt flows along the ground in layers of that tulle shit. I catch peeks of her bare feet under it with each step she takes toward me. But that’s not what steals my breath.

It’s the motherfucking kutte she’s got on as her top.

Tears spill down my cheeks, and you know what? I’m not even fucking ashamed about it.

This time, it’s not any fucking onions being cut. It’s me being so goddamn in love with this woman that my soul is weeping with it.

I’m this woman’s bitch, and everyone around here fucking knows it.

On the other side of Gavel is my little girl, dressed similarly to her mom.

Today is the day I claim all three of them.

The day I give each of them my last name.

Stepping forward, I hold my hands out, my throat tightening as Gavel and Cyanide place my lady’s palms into mine.

“I think these belong to you,” Gavel says in a low tone.

“They’re mine.”

“Fuckin’ proud of you, kid.”

Gavel steps away as Cyanide clears his throat. “I wouldn’t trust anyone else with them, brother.”

He follows Gavel to their place in the front row of chairs, and I turn my attention to my ladies.

“You both look beautiful.”

“So do you, Daddy,” Lovelyn chirps, causing everyone to laugh.

I squat in front of her and tap my finger against her nose, making her giggle. “Thank you, love bug. Why don’t you go take your place beside your brother?”

Lovelyn brushes her lips against my cheek. “Love you, Daddy.”

“Love you too.” Then I stand in front of my woman. “Hello, little mama.”

“Hello, you big beast.”

“A ghrá mo chroí,” I whisper.

Love of my heart.

Her eyes fill with tears that spill over when she blinks. “You’re going to mess up my makeup,” she whispers.

“And you’ll still be the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in my life.”

Savior clears his throat, and I chuckle. “You ready to do this, little mama?”

“Pretty sure I was born ready.”

The ceremony is short and sweet. I’m too impatient for anything else. The moment Savior declares us husband and wife, I kiss my motherfucking wife.

Then I bury my face in her neck and just fucking soak her in.

Birdie was on to something when she said she was born ready.

I’ve always held the belief that you mostly make your own fate. But this woman . . .

Goddamn, was I born to love her.

I’m jumping around the makeshift dance floor with Lovelyn to “Walk The Moon”, having the time of my life, when I feel the tap on my shoulder.

I freeze in place as I stare into the face of my ex-best friend.

I wait for her appearance to trigger me, but all I feel is happiness.

We’ve been talking so much over the last year, working through everything that happened as much as we could long distance.

Inviting her to the wedding wasn’t the easiest thing to do, but my therapist helped me work through the negative feelings I had about it.

We’ll never have the friendship we had in the past, and we’ve both accepted that.

“Diamond,” I say with a smile, holding my arms out for a hug.

“I just go by Naomi now,” she says softly, returning my hold. “You look beautiful.”

“Thank you. So do you. You look really good.” I peer at the handsome man at her side and then back to her. “And happy.”

Naomi reaches out for her date’s hand and smiles at me. “I am. Birdie, this is Camden. Cam, this is Birdie.”

He holds his hand out for me, and I spy the hint of ink that peeks from under the collar of his t-shirt. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Same.”

A hand tugs at my skirt, and I glance down to my daughter. With a laugh, I pull her in front of me. “This is our daughter, Lovelyn. Her brother, Legend, is over there with his dad.”

Diamond peers over and then back at me with a sad smile. “The twins?”

The kids were the one part of our past that we didn’t talk about much. She knew we had them and what their names were, but that was the extent of it.

I wasn’t ready.

“Yeah.” Her sadness hurts my heart, so I reach out for her hand. “Hey, no being sad on my happy day. All of us, including you, are happy. It’s time to move on, okay? Now, go dance with your handsome man while I go grab mine.” I squeeze her hand one last time. “It really is good to see you.”

She sniffles and nods. “It is.”

With another chapter to our past closed, I go find my husband.

I give Pretty Boy the nod to let him know I’m ready for the song to be played.

“Come dance with me,” I say, holding my hand out to Pope.

The strains of Andy Grammer’s “Spaceship” comes over the speakers, and I sway with Pope as I sing the words to him.

He starts to speak, but I place a finger over his lips. “Just listen to the lyrics.”

When it gets to the part where he sings about the kid going to be calling him ‘dad’, I grab Pope’s hand and place it on my stomach with a smile and wait for it to register with him.

His eyes widen, and he jerks us to a stop. I laugh when I see him finally get it.

“Seriously?” he chokes out.

“Seriously.”

My laugh is watery as he drops to his knees right there in the middle of the floor and places his face close to my stomach. Then he presses the gentlest kiss against it before leaning his head back and looks up at me with tear-filled eyes.

“I’m going to be a dad again, and this time, I get to be there for it all.”

I cup his cheek, my diamond ring glinting in the lights hung around the space. “Yeah, baby, you do.”

“You’re my goddamn world, Birdie.”

God, this man.

I lower to my knees just as the twins run over to us.

Lovelyn snuggles up to her dad while Legend wraps his little arm around my neck.

“Are you all ready to be a big brother and sister?” Pope asks them.

Lovelyn’s excited screams draw the attention of our family, and I feel their happy eyes on us.

“I get someone else to protect, Mama?” Legend asks quietly.

I cup his cheek in my palm. “You get someone else to be a kid with, G-Man. Just enjoy being a kid, okay?”

“Yeah, okay. I think I’d like that.”

Pope raises us all to our feet and steps behind me, cupping his hands over my stomach. “I’m going to be a fucking dad again!”

The backyard fills with the excited roars from our family, and I stare around at them with happiness.

This . . .

This is what love looks like.

It’s bright, it’s beautiful, and it’s full of so much color.

It’s family.

It’s friends.

It’s the people you choose to make the best memories with.

Love is the bonds you’re born with and it’s the bonds you build.

Love is something you choose every day.

And this place . . .

These people . . .

I choose them.