Page 112 of Rocky Top

Property of Rocky

Bastard Sons MC

He held it out, gaugin’ me for any kind of protest. But I didn’t flinch. Didn’t hesitate.

I slipped my arms in.

That leather hugged my shoulders like a second skin, like fate.

Around us, the crowd roared, howls and whistles, thumps on the back. But I didn’t hear any of it, not really. Not over the thunder in my chest. Not over the look on Rocky’s face as he stepped into me and kissed me hard, like he’d been waiting for this moment his whole damn life.

“You sure?” he murmured against my mouth.

I smiled, teeth flashing. “Been sure since the first time you scared the hell outta me in those woods.”

That made him laugh, deep and low. “You mean when I saved your ass?”

“Tomato, tomahto.”

He kissed me again, slow this time, his hands settling at my waist like he owned me, and hell, maybe he did. Because I sure as hell owned him right back.

The night kept on, full of howls and beer and smoking ribs, but Rocky and I slipped away once the bonfire started to burn low. We headed out behind the clubhouse, where the trees grew thick and the moon still lit the moss in silver.

He pressed me against the trunk of a tree, hands hot on my thighs, mouth ghosting down my neck.

“You’re somethin’ else,” he whispered.

“So are you,” I said, breathless.

He laughed. “No, baby. You’re the sunlight after a storm. I’m just basking in it.”

I wrapped my legs around him, pulled him in close. “You still gonna want me when I start shifting more regular? When I get weird cravings and become a grump like you?”

He growled, low and hot in my ear. “Hell yes. You’re mine, Birdie. I don’t care if you grow ten tails and howl every full moon. You ain’t gettin’ rid of me.”

I buried my fingers in his hair, dragged his mouth back to mine. “Good,” I said, smiling. “’Cause I’m not letting go either.”

We didn’t need a bed. Didn’t need a house. Just the dirt, the stars, and each other. It was cold, but we kept each other warm. Every promise we’d made whispered against bare skin, every vow we hadn’t spoken burned between kisses.

By the time we made it back to the clubhouse, the fire had dwindled, and most of the brothers had passed out or paired off. The new patches gleamed proudly on everyone’s backs.

Knox and Eliza sat on the porch, Willow cradled to Eliza’s breast. She gave me a tired, knowing smile.

“You look happy,” she said as I climbed the steps.

I tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, mycheeks flushing. “I am.”

Knox handed me a mason jar full of sweet tea spiked with bourbon.

I looked out across the yard where the old cuts had burned to ash. Where the Wild Dog had become something new.

We’d buried secrets, fought demons, bled for this life. But tonight?

Tonight we were reborn.

Chapter 28

Birdie

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