Page 3 of The Vows We Keep

And that’s when our club’s relationship with King changes forever. Because when he unravels that cut with the road name Duchess on it, officially asking her to become his old lady and be his property for the rest of their lives, I know deep down he’ll never really put the club first again.

It will be Rae.

The club begins to cheer. I force a smile on my face.

King grabs a piece of paper. “Thou hast me, if thou hast me, at the worst; and thou shalt wear me, if thou wear me, better and better.” He looks down at the words and continues in that weird-ass Shakespeare language that gives Rae a lady boner. “And therefore, tell me, most fair Duchess, will you be my old lady?”

It’s good that they’re happy; guess I just don’t like change.

Makes me remember things best forgotten.

“You quotedHenry V, gave me a bike, and gave me a cut with your name on it. But more than that, you gave me my brother back and a life I want. How could I say no to that?” Rae says.

I get jostled by Bates, who throws his arm over my shoulder in excitement. He’s probably the closest thing I have to a best friend.

“I promise to keep you safe, hold your heart gently, and fuck you hard when you need it. You’re my life, Rae,” King says.

She throws herself at him and almost topples the bike. The bike with all my fucking artwork on it that no one gives a shit about. I dive for it, but Halo gets there first and catches it.

I miss the rest of what’s said.

When everyone crowds King, I feign enthusiasm. I’m fucking tired yet revved. I’m all out of patience for other people.

I claim a spot at the bar and order a beer and double Jack. I chug both down, listening to snippets of conversations.

I hear Vex tell Clutch how he just hacked a Righteous Brotherhood member’s social media profile.

Switch advises Bates on a shoulder injury he picked up working out the previous weekend.

I hear Iris confide to Briar that the party is overwhelming her, that there are too many people.

Briar tells her she should go grab Spark and tell him she needs five minutes with him in his room.

My room is a mess. I should tidy it.

My room was always a mess as a kid.

I remember when Lacey, my sister, used to—

I cut that thought off.

Thinking of her never leads to anything good.

I grab another beer with a double Jack chaser.

Then another.

People sit next to me. Sometimes my life feels like everyone else is on fast-forward, blurring by me while I just sit here. Like I’m in the very eye of the storm. Other times, I feel like I move and think twenty times faster than the rest of the world, likeI’mthe blur. One thing I know for sure: I’m never quite at the same speed as anyone else.

The party is bullshit.

King actually taking a woman he held as a fucking hostage to be his old lady is bullshit.

I tap my fingers on the top of the bar. I need some action.

Movement.

A fight.