Page 38 of Kneeling to Candy

Candy stretches like a cat, sleepy from the long trip. “Hmm?”

My woman is still tired. I reach over Candy and unbuckle her seatbelt, pulling her gently from the vehicle. She leans against my shoulder as I help escort her inside headquarters. However, as soon as we’ve crossed the threshold into the warm, great room, Candy attempts to pull away from me.

Not a chance. Eight hours of distance is long enough. I snag her hand before she can disappear on me. Those handcuffs I have in my suite are sounding more tempting, anything to keep her tethered to my side.

She looks at where I hold her hand tight in mine before raising a sharp eyebrow at me.

As menacing as she’s trying to come across as, I know better. She’s mad, but not enough to cause a scene as we’re greeted by a lot of cheerful voices from the rest of the crew.

With her hand in mine, I stay close to her side as we give hugs and make chit chat with the rest of the members. This is one of the best parts about returning home after a case—the envelopment of the family coming together.

Maybe it’s my affection-deprived inner child, but having this family means a great deal to me. The feeling of acceptance is nearly as warm as the fire blazing in the fireplace, and as comforting as the smell of Stella’s, or more appropriately, Mama Bear Holland’s cooking wafting out from the kitchen.

Simone is squished in a Holland sandwich between Jo and their parents. They look like the poster models for the perfect Nordic family, with their sandy-blond heads bent together. They rock as a family unit, happy to be reunited. Atlas towers behind Jo, looking like Hulk’s Colombian cousin. He holds a mini-him twin boy in each of his arms with their giant Cane Corsos at his sides. Punk gets sucked into the Holland family hug, resting his cheek on top of Jo’s head. Chase impatiently waits to reclaim his wife from the family sandwich. Ziggy is necking Jared, crushing his husband in his arms like he can’t bear to be separated from him. And I squeeze the hand of the pink-haired goddess next to me, happy to have my person by my side.

It doesn’t matter if Candy’s upset with me for unknown reasons, she’s still my goddess. My everything. And I want the world to know it.

Maybe if I claim her in front of the family, the marriage deal will stick.

Here’s hoping.

As I clear my throat, ready to announce to the family Candy is my old lady, I’m interrupted when an excited voice cries out, “Candy!”

A halo of rainbow waves bounces toward us. Opal pulls Candy in for a hug. And surprisingly, Candy hugs Opal back. They’ve come a long way since their early days in the club.

“Welcome back,” Opal says cheerily, releasing her with a bright smile. “We’ve missed you guys.”

“Missed you, too,” Candy says with a sincere smile on her cupid lips.

Ebony, one of the other MC women who’s as tough as she is beautiful, pops the bubble of her gum. “Stop hogging her, Opal. The rest of us want to say hi, too.”

Opal laughs and moves aside for Ebony to snake her arms around my woman, her long raven hair curtaining them from my view. After a few long seconds, Ebony releases Candy and Red—another MC woman—swoops in to hug my woman, too. Although Candy is not as short as some women in the club at her five-seven height, Red’s lanky form still dwarfs hers when Red bends to hug her.

I’m ready to reclaim my woman from her friends when the VP approaches me.

“Atlas wants to debrief the Sacramento case before discussing the next mission,” Gauge says.

Stepping away from Candy when I know she’s upset about something, something I feel may have to deal with me, goes against my instincts to stay put beside her.

However, the sooner I get debriefed, the sooner I get back to my woman.

Groaning internally, I nod at the VP, letting him know I’ll be right behind him. He retreats to the conference room, with the rest of the team trailing behind him.

With a growing unease, I interrupt Candy and her friends. “I need to go debrief with Prez. I’ll come find you when I’m done.”

“No worries,” Candy says dismissively. “Opal invited me over to her and Gauge’s new place to check it out.”

The way she brushes me off doesn’t sit right with me. Candy only behaves this way toward others when they’ve upset her. My earlier speculation about her being disappointed with me seems more plausible.

Fucking great.

Opal’s smile grows twice its normal size. “For real? You’re coming over?”

Candy shrugs a shoulder. “Sure. Why not?”

Opal squeals with elation. “I can’t wait to show you the colors I painted in all the rooms.”

“Let me guess. All the colors of the rainbow?” Candy offers with a hint of sarcasm, knowing the bubbly woman is fascinated with all things rainbow.

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