Page 22 of Raven (Sinners Revenge MC- Rapid City, SD #6)
Raven
I watched Sydney and the ladies sitting around the table, laughing and enjoying themselves while me and Jigsaw played pool. He looked across the table to me and said, “Phantom and Laura will be here in a few minutes. Do you want me to start getting everyone inside?”
We’d finished eating over an hour ago, and I wanted to give the club’s VP, Phantom, and his ol’ lady time to get here.
He was driving her over so they could be a part of my claiming of Sydney, and I was grateful he was coming.
Laura was close to delivering their first child, so he missed quite a few events over the last few weeks.
Having him, as well as the rest of the brothers, meant a lot to me.
I gave Jigsaw a nod and leaned over to line up my shot. “Have the prospects get everyone moving inside, but tell them not to make it obvious. I don’t want her getting freaked out.”
Jigsaw raised his hand as I hit the cue ball into a striped ball across the table and watched it roll into the pocket. He spoke low to the prospect and when I stood, I saw the young man walk out the front doors. Jigsaw shrugged and took his shot while I stared across the room at Sydney.
She was so happy, and I couldn’t help but smile across at her. The ladies were so welcoming of her, and the more time she spent with them, the happier she seemed to be.
I knew she still hadn’t given Warhol the letter she found from Nitro and I hoped once he told her about Rooster, she would finally relax and start living. A few times today, I wanted to tell her, but she was having suck a good time and the last thing I wanted to do was make her worry.
Roughstock walked up to the table and leaned against the side as he spoke. “Phantom and Laura just pulled up, if you want me to get everything from my office.”
Hitting the cue ball against the eight ball, I watched as the black ball rolled across the green felt and into the corner pocket. Placing the cue onto the table, I stood and looked at Roughstock.
“Yeah, let’s get this done,” I replied, sounding more confident than I felt.
Sydney could balk at the whole proposal and say no. I didn’t think she would, but we’d only been together for a few weeks, and she may think it’s too soon. I would have put a ring on her finger the day I brought her home, but she would have ran and I didn’t want to chase her.
And make no mistake. I would chase her to the ends of the earth. Sydney was mine and I was past tired of waiting.
Phantom walked through the back door with a very pregnant Laura. Loud voices followed them as he helped her walk into the bar. I noticed brothers were putting out their smokes and waving their hands to dissipate the smoke in front of them as Laura waddled in, holding a hand to her rounded stomach.
I pushed away from the table and walked up to them, offering Laura a smile and bumping fists with Phantom. “Thanks for coming, brother.”
“I couldn’t miss you finally putting a cut on someone, could I?” Phantom joked as he placed his hand onto Laura’s back.
“Do you think she knows?” Laura asked, trying to look around the gathering crowd.
I shrugged and saw Roughstock walking out of his office with his hands behind his back. Jigsaw moved through the crowd of brothers and stepped beside him, giving me a knowing nod.
“I guess it’s time,” I said to Phantom.
“Go get her,” he returned.
I felt my heart beating rapidly in my chest as I moved across the room toward the table of ladies where Sydney sat. Cheyenne and Claire gave me a knowing smile as I stepped up beside Sydney. She looked up and smiled at me, asking, “Is everything okay?”
I extended my hand to her and her forehead wrinkled, but she gave me her hand and stood from the chair. Without saying anything to her, I began to walk us into the crowd of brothers, who were growing silent as we got closer to the center of the room.
“Caleb?” Sydney whispered as we stopped, and she noticed all eyes in the club were on her.
The music lowered in volume and the conversations around the room stopped as I turned to face her. She appeared worried, so I took both hands into mine and kissed the back of each, hoping to soothe her worry.
“You know I love you, right?” I asked softly, and she nodded, cutting her eyes to the side.
I saw Jigsaw moving around the gathering so he was closer to me. I’d seen this done a few times, but that didn’t make my nervousness any less.
Sydney nodded at me, and I reached back, feeling the leather cut being placed into my hand.
Holding it up, I began to speak. “I’m laying claim to Sydney Jenkins and declaring her to be my ol’ lady.
She has the full support of the Sinners Revenge behind her, and from this moment forward, she never walks alone again.
I will lay down my life to protect you, and I profess my allegiance and loyalty to you, here, in front of my brothers. ”
Tears flooded her green eyes as I held the cup in front of her, showing the patch, proclaiming her ‘Property of Raven’. “Do you accept?”
“Yes,” she blurted out with a watery smile.
I made a circle motion with my finger, and she turned to face the table of ladies who were standing on chairs to watch. Pushing the cut up her arms, I made sure it was on her before I reached back again. A small box was placed in my hand, and I lowered to one knee as Sydney turned back to face me.
She looked confused for a moment when she saw me on one knee, holding the black box open as I spoke.
Her eyes grew wide and her hand flew to cover her mouth as I spoke.
“Sydney, I knew you were the one for me before either of us was willing to admit it. I love you more than I could ever imagine, and it would be my honor if I could be your husband. Sydney, will you marry me?”
“Yes,” she responded as tears fell down her cheeks.
I stood and pushed the ring onto her finger as cheers and applause filled the room. Grabbing the front of her cut, I pulled her closer to me and slammed my mouth against hers, feeling the love flowing between us. Pulling back, I smiled at her and let the brothers begin their congratulations.
The ol’ ladies would have their turn, but this was about the Sinners Revenge accepting Sydney as my ol ‘lady. I bumped fists and got pats on the back as the brothers took turns hugging Sydney or offering a fist to bump.
Phantom and Laura walked up and I introduced them to Sydney. “Darlin’, this is Phantom and his ol’ lady, Laura. He’s the club’s VP.”
Laura extended her hand to Phantom, and he shook her hand with a smile. “Welcome to the Sinners.”
Sydney looked at Laura and asked, “When are you due?”
“Three weeks,” Laura responded and began to rub her belly.
I looked at the table of waiting ol’ ladies and waved them over so they could all congratulate Sydney and visit with Laura. They ran across the room, pulling Sydney into a hug as Willow exclaimed, “You have no idea how hard it was to keep this secret from you.”
Sydney hugged her, and I stepped back, giving the ladies a chance to fawn over Sydney while I walked over to Roughstock.
“Congratulations, brother,” he said, and I bumped his fists with mine.
We watched Sydney and the ladies rattle on about something and I couldn’t help but chuckle, looking at how out of place Phantom was with the ladies. But Laura was engaged in conversation, and he was right by her side, keeping an eye on her and their baby.
Warhol stepped up to Roughstock and me and I decided to tell them about what Sydney discovered. Turning to face them, I lowered my voice and explained. “Sydney needs to see Warhol, and I think you should be there too.”
“What’s going on?” Warhol asked as Roughstock gave me his full attention.
“She found something in Nitro’s saddle bags yesterday before Bruce picked them up, and I told her to wait until tonight to give it to you.”
“What did she find?” Roughstock asked.
“It’s a sealed envelope with Warhol’s name on the front.”
“Huh,” Warhol responded then shrugged. “It wasn’t uncommon for Nitro to want me to investigate something, so I’m sure that’s what it is.”
I wasn’t sure, but I’d let them know, which was my obligation.
I turned back to face the crowd as the music grew in volume and voices began to fill the air.
I’d decided this morning, when Warhol told me about Rooster, that doing both things after the claiming would be the best idea.
I didn’t want anything derailing my commitment to Sydney.
Sydney started looking around the crowd and when she saw me, her smile grew. I clapped Roughstock on the shoulder and stepped away, wanting a few minutes alone with my ol’ lady. Walking through the crowd, a few of the ladies saw me approaching and smirked as they returned to their table.
Phantom and Laura had already taken a seat at the table, and Laura was busy talking to Claire as Phantom looked on.
“Hey, beautiful,” I remarked to Sydney, and she pushed up, pressing her lips against mine.
“I can’t believe you planned all this,” she responded as I took her hand and guided her towards the back door of the Sin Den.
I needed a minute alone with Sydney and as we started walking down the hallway, Comet remarked, “Remember, there’s cameras back there. I don’t want to see your white ass.”
Giving him the middle finger, I kept Sydney moving until we were outside and the noise had settled down.
Stepping down to the parking lot, I looked at her as I spun her into my arms. Wrapping my arms around her waist, I pulled her as close to me as I could get her before kissing her until we were fighting for breath.
Pulling back, I pressed my forehead to hers, and simply said, “I love you so damn much.”
She placed her arms around my shoulders and replied, “I love you too.”
“And you’re sure you want to marry me?” I asked, needing to hear her say yes again.
“There’s nothing in the world I want more than to be your wife and your ol’ lady.”