"Sergeant at Arms?"
Beaming even though she can't see him, Venom nods. "Yes, ma'am."
"Yes!" she shouts. "I knew he'd make the right choice. Does that mean Ky's sitting to your left?"
"I'm here, Lex," Ky says. "The new VP. This may get really fucking confusing with your pops."
"I'm so proud of you guys," she says. "All of you. You've come such a long way, and you deserve this. But, so we're all on the same page, this does not mean I will hold back when I think you're being stupid or fucking things up. It's just not in my DNA to do that."
They all laugh, and Colt sighs. "We'd expect nothing less. I'll see you in a bit, baby."
"Love you."
He hangs up, and Venom sits back in his chair, his hand over his heart. "Wow."
"What?"
"No one's ever said they were proud of me before. It's a weird feeling."
"I can't believe she's proud of me," Ky says. "Considering... you know."
Leaning back, Colt stares at the empty seats around them. "She's kept me around longer than she should have, and I don't know that I'll ever deserve her. But hearing her say she's proud of me feels the same as the two of you. Makes me want to be good at this for her."
"You will be. You have us," Venom says.
"We're so going to rock this," Ky says with a laugh.
They sew their patches on before leaving the Chapel. Their Chapel. This is going to take some getting used to, but Colt looks forward to it. Almost as much as going home to see Lex wearing nothing but his kutte with the President patch on it. Tonight is a good night.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Griffin's Beach
Felicity
Sixteen.Thatwasthelast time Felicity felt out of place in the Deranged Drifters’ clubhouse. She was sixteen, Lex was gone, and she had to tell Ky she was pregnant. But today is a totally different feeling. She doesn't belong here, and she knows it. Not after how she acted, but she had to be here.
Ky was right when he said she'd never forgive herself if she didn't. If Lane is as sick as they've been told, she has to be here. It just feels really strange to know she has more enemies than allies in a room that used to be a second home.
Seeing Summer Bradshaw, Felicity quickly moves to sit in the open seat beside her, knowing the one to her right is reserved for Brock. As far as she knows, the two are still on good terms. She hopes.
"Hey," Summer says, shock on her tanned face. "I didn't think you'd come today."
Her perfectly colored dark hair shines in the sunlight in what Felicity assumes is nothing less than a salon blow out. She looks gorgeous, and she's the perfect picture of old money. She's always put together and poised. Unlike the rest of the moms in the room, she has never looked unkempt or in need of a comb. Which almost makes her hate Summer because she remembers not brushing her teeth for three days after bringing Gavin home.
"Ky told me about Lane. Is it really as bad as he said it is?"
Shrugging, she shakes her head. "I don't know. I haven't seen Lane since that terrible meeting we had a Lily's house. God, I can't believe we did that."
Felicity looks around for Lex but doesn't see her as more people filter out of the clubhouse to the back lot and fill the remaining seats. Pretty much everyone from all three charters, as far as she can tell, have shown up. "I feel like a terrible friend for not checking on her."
"It didn't come across as strange when she retreated, though. I mean, Lane's kind of like me, right? Never really active with the club. At least she hasn't been since I've been here."
"That's true. She almost left when Zane brought her around because she struggled with the club life."
"What made her stay? Her love of Zane?"
A small smirk appears against Felicity's will. "Lex did."