Page 101 of Wrath

“What are you saying?” I ask curiously.

“I’m saying that there is no way we are startin’ our future carryin’ that name.” He shakes his head

“So what, we’re just gonna make one up?” I giggle.

“He’s takin’ ours.” My dad shocks me when he speaks up.

“Troj told me about a guy from the Colorado charter who did the same thing when he married Jimmer Carson’s daughter. Ours might not be the proudest name to carry, but I know he won’t let it down.” Raze explains as he squeezes Aaron’s shoulder.

“You don’t have to do this.” I look at my new husband as fresh tears threaten to spill out and ruin all of Laura's hard work.

“I wanna do this. You spent a long time of your life pretendin’ to be someone else. Now ya get to be who you always should have been. Eden Ashford.”

“That really means a lot,” I tell him, trying my best not to cry.

“You better hold them tears in. I made your daddy a promise to never make you cry, and you know how he can be.” Aaron glances over at my father, who shakes his head and rolls his eyes. “Come on, Mrs Ashford, we gotta party to get to.” He makes me gasp when he lifts me off my feet, carrying me down the aisle, and up the stairs to the clubhouse.

“Hey, where’s Jenika?” Rocco asks as he slides past us with more stock for the bar.

“Did she not say goodbye? She took a late-night bus back to Washington, I convinced her to patch things up with her folks.” I can’t help feeling proud of myself for making a difference. I’m gonna be busy with my upcoming costume designs, but I’ve been thinking about getting involved and doing some kind of volunteer work with victims of sexual abuse. It felt good to help.

“She caught a bus by herself?” Rocco’s shock almost takes over his disappointment.

“I know, I’m so proud of her. I guess knowing that the man who took her couldn’t hurt her anymore gave her some confidence.” I know exactly how she feels, knowing that I don’t have to look over my shoulder anymore is a relief I can’t explain. I just wish more could have been done for the girls he murdered. They will remain Jane Does, their families will never get to grieve them. I really hope Cliff Adams is burning in Hell.

“I guess being with family is what's best for her.” Rocco shrugs.

“She’s promised to stay in touch, I could always pass on your number.” I offer, knowing that Rocco took an interest in her while she was here. Jenika is a pretty girl, and once she started coming out of herself it became clear how intelligent she was. I still didn’t get to hear her sing though.

“Sure.” He shrugs his shoulder as if it’s no big deal, but makes fast work of writing down his number on a beer mat for me.

I’m introduced to a lot of people over the next couple of hours, the person who interests me the most has to be Jessie. He’s the president of the club’s Colorado charter and around the same age as Aaron. From what I’ve observed he seems familiar with my dad. Jessie and the other member of his charter that he came with, have spent most of the day talking to him. It makes me wonder if he’s one of the men who have been trained by my father to kill.

When Aaron introduces me to him we talk a little about Anita, and I ask him if he ever thinks Grimm will come clean to his mother about who he is.

“Right now, he’s just gettin’ his head around everythin’.” Jessie looks across to the corner where Anita is sitting talking with his old lady. “He’s grateful for what you're doin’ here. She’s been sendin’ letters to the fake address he uses and she seems real happy. She speaks highly of you.”

“Where did she tell him she is?”

“She’s told him that she’s stayin’ with friends.” Jessie smiles as he watches her enjoying his wife's company.

“She’s welcome to stay as long as she needs to. She ain’t no trouble. In fact, the place has never been cleaner,” Aaron assures him.

“Grimm appreciat?—”

“She wouldn’t care.” The words blurt out of my mouth and both my husband and Jessie look confused. “Tell Grimm, that if he’s worried about her thinking differently of him, he doesn’t have to. She loves him so much. She won’t care that he’s a Soul, just look at how accepting she is of everyone here.” I hope my message gets back to little Richie Carter and he comes to visit his mom sometime soon, it would make her so happy.

The clinking of a glass interrupts us, silencing the room and everyone forms a circle around my brother, ready to hear what he has to say.

“I know, I know, you’ve all had enough of speeches, and I promise this won’t go on as long as the best man’s did.” Raze looks to Ruckus and lifts up his eyebrows. “Before we get back to the party, and these girls take over my clubhouse with their dancing, I wanna talk about someone who’s here.” Aaron squeezes my hand as if he knows what's coming.

“A lot of you won’t have met my father, Vex, and that’s because he’s spent the best part of fifteen years livin’ in the ass-end of nowhere in a cabin in the mountains.” I look across the room at my father and see him looking just as surprised as I am. “He’s gonna hate me for sayin’ this, especially on a day like today, but some things have to be said, and you’ll soon understand why.” Raze clears his voice before he continues. “My father’s a great man, he’s a foundin’ member of this club, and he made himself a nomad and hid out in that cabin because he was ashamed of himself.” The silence in the room turns to shock and my father suddenly looks real angry. “For years, my father has plagued himself with guilt over somethin’ that happened. Somethin’ that he could never have predicted, or controlled. He focussed everythin’ on the one person he taught, who turned out bad. Today, I wanna take the opportunity to remind him of the men he made good.” Raze nods his head and, one by one, members who traveled miles from other charters to be here, all step forward. Including Jessie and his friend. “Jessie’s father used to be president of our Utah charter. He was a founder too, and when he died, Jessie had a whole lot of anger for the world. My father taught him how to control that anger and use it when it’s needed and deserved. Jessie’s our club president, now.” Jessie moves forward to shake my dad’s hand and I notice how his eyes well up with tears.

“Brax.” Raze looks at the guy who came with Jessie and nods his head. “One of the best enforcers this club has, he’s been doin’ some trainin’ of his own lately, passin’ on the knowledge that Vex taught him. He’s found a life and family among this club, and a way to channel that aggression that all enforcers know we’ll never be free of.” Brax slaps his palm into my brother’s before moving over to stand beside my dad too. “We got Cobra from Utah, here. Warwick from Idaho. Sid. Loran. All these men didn’t just come here today to party, they came here to take the opportunity to say thank you.” Raze focuses all his attention on our father. “Iwanna thank you. For the values you taught meand all those hard lessons it was vital that I learned. I never thought I’d say it, but standin’ here today, I’m proud of myself, and the man I’ve become. I’m proud to be runnin’ this club and turnin’ it into what our foundin’ members wanted it to be. And I’m proud to be your son.” A tear spills over Dad’s cheek when Raze smiles at him. “I want ya along for the ride, old man.” Raze slams a Long Beach patch on the table in front of my father and it puts a lump in my throat. This is my brother, telling him how much he means to him. This Raze him asking him to stay.

“Ya don’t need an old man like me, I can’t ride no more.” Dad shakes his head and tries to hide the fact his eyes are brimming.

“Ya may not be able to ride, but you can advise us, ya can still raise your hand to vote, and you can sure as hell still put this away.” He lifts up our dad’s empty glass and makes everyone in the room laugh. “Stay…Look around ya, look at all the good you’ve done,” Raze tells him, and when Jessie and Brax both nod their head in agreement, Dad heaves out a tired breath and lifts up his glass.

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