Page 157 of Preacher Man

“Are you going to tell them why we got married, and that it probably won’t last forever?” The growl got lost in Preacher’s throat, his brows pinching together. Was it too soon to spank his wife? Too soon he decided after a minute’s deliberation.

“We’re married, that’s all anyone needs to know.”

She seemed satisfied with that and thank fuck, ‘cause he would have revisited that spanking option in a motherfucking heartbeat.

While Ruby showered, Preacher made pancakes.

Domestic motherfucker. Well, he was a husband now. And he liked taking care of her.

******

"We got incoming, Prez," Amos announced rapping knuckles on the doorframe. Jamie, irritated to be interrupted for the tenth fucking time looked up from what he was doing, fingers pausing on the pile of money, glacier’s in his eyes for a second before he reined it in. It would be messy to kill his VP this early in the day. He'd kill him alone for the stupid backward baseball cap he wore like he was auditioning for a boy band. Jamie dragged a hand through his black hair sweeping it out of his eyes.

"You caught a case of amnesia, brother? I said in at the table meeting not even an hour ago I didn't want to be disturbed while I deal with this."

"You did, boss, but I thought you'd want to know your sister just pulled in and ... she's not alone."

Ruby? That was a name he hadn't heard in ... shit, how many months now? if Jamie couldn't recall the last time they'd spoken then it was too long ago. He experienced a blow of guilt about it. He'd promised their dad to keep an eye on Ruby, but she fought him at every turn of him trying to fucking help that he'd just given up.

"Who is with her?" His monthly visit with his dad was due, fucking fun being frisked over his junk before he drank an overpriced piss-poor coffee from a vending machine and listened to Wyatt Steele bitch about how bad he had it in Gen-pop.You do the crime, you do the fucking time, Pops.

Had she changed her mind and wanted to go with him? She'd never once visited with him before, he couldn't see a fast mind change somehow. She wanted nothing to do with their dad, or him, for that matter.

It hadn't always been that way, once upon a time his baby sister adored Jamie and him her, and she was the apple of their dad’s eye, when he remembered he had kids, that was, which might have been one day a month, but Wyatt always asked about Ruby, Jamie just bullshitted him now and said she was doing good, he kept his distance as she wanted but checked in with her now and them, from afar, the last time he checked she was still working at that dive bar over in Armado Springs. He wanted her closer, if truth be told, but she wouldn't have any of it. "You ain't never gonna believe it, Jame." Chuckled Amos, his oldest friend, and VP, resting his ropey arm in the doorway. Jamie arched a brow intrigued. "She's with Preacher."

The hell? Huh. Standing, he stretched out his six five tall spine, pushing the kinks of too many late nights through his bones. "What's she doing with one of those Renegade Souls?"

"No clue, but they were looking mightycozy, like real damn close, boss, she was on the back of his bike."

This he had to see. "Then, by all means, show my sister and her guest through."

******

"You're shitting me!" Preacher looked between the tall building behind him belonging to the Apollo Kingsmen MC and back at his old lady. "This is where your brother is?"

"Yes." He didn't have Ruby's full attention, she was running a hand through her low ponytail, and then straightening her jean leg and then her shirt, like she was nervous to go inside. Preacher's eyes narrowed but he was still on the small fact that she hadn't told him who the fuck her brother was. "Steele.Jesus. JamiefuckingSteele. Why didn't I put that together? Jamie's your brother?"

"Technically half-brother, but yes."

Preacher shoved his bike keys in his pocket before he shrugged out of his RS marked leather jacket, tossing it over the seat of his bike, and he did the same with his cut.

"What are you doing?" She asked

"This is another MC, beautiful. I can't go inside wearing my colors. It's a respect thing." If he'd known where the hell they were coming to he would have been more prepared. It wasn't as though the RS had beef ...now... with the Kingsmen, but any two MC's were never best buddies and flaunting his cut in their clubhouse would not go down well. He saw several fellas in the entryway giving them the eyeball, no doubt their presence had been reported already. Usually, if a member of RS wanted a word with anyone from the Kingsmen a call would be made first to check it was cool to stop by. MC courtesy. If any blowback from this drop in came back on RS with a word to Rider then Preacher would own it, because fuck, he hadn't put two and two together and figured Jamie for the absent brother in Ruby's life.

"A warning next time would be nice." He wasn't mad and flashed her a half grin as he rounded his bike and took hold of her hand before she rubbed the denim off her jeans. "You're nervous, why? Expecting trouble inside?" Maybe not a rival club as The Raging Rebels had been, but if Jamie fucking Steele was causing his lady to be scared in any way then Preacher was prepared to start a bloody battle over it.

"Sorry, I didn't think. We're not close anymore, I didn't consider the MC thing. Is it going to be trouble for you?" Fingers flexed in his. More men stopped in the doorway like they'd become the latest fucking TV show to watch. Assholes didn't have anything better to do then streak their damn eyeballs over his lady. Preacher placed himself in front of her, giving the bikers his back. "No, RS is good with this club. Now tell me, you expecting trouble inside? Ruby? So, I know what we're walking into here, you dig?"

She smiled and rested her free hand on his chest, he felt naked without his cut and her touch was kinda nice in its place.

"No trouble, I promise. Jamie and I just haven't talked in a while is all. I don't know what he'll say. The last time I saw him it didn't go so well."

"Let's go find out before those idiots rubberneck themselves an injury." Hand clasped around hers he took two steps and halted fast, turning disbelieving eyes down on her. "Holy shit, so Wyatt is your father?"

He saw her forehead screw up in a frown. "Yep. I told you I knew the biker life and why I wanted nothing to do with any of you troublemaking assholes."

Preacher barked a laugh and kissed their joined hands. "How did that work out for you, wife?" Ruby smiled and bumped his shoulder.