Page 73 of Amy's Santa

I weigh my options. There’s no benefit in cancelling the wedding now. Even sending people home tomorrow could be dangerous and leave me weakened without additional support here. If we’re in Archangel’s sights, I’m fucked whichever way I look at it. My only option is to keep everyone here and put up a united front.

I roll back my head and stare at the ceiling. This is all my fault. Should have been happy with Amy just as my old lady, or insisted we wait to tie the knot until we knew what trouble we were facing. Let Olivia have her way and just sneak off to the courthouse. But there’s nothing to be gained by cancelling.

“I’ll be here all night,” says Mouse. “I’ll keep my ear to the ground, see if there’s anything more I can pick up.

“I’ll stay…” I start to offer.

“Nah,” he shakes his head, making his long hair fly around his face. “It’s your wedding day eve. Yours too, Hawk. Go fuck your old ladies, and get some sleep. Rely on your brothers for once. First sniff of trouble, and I’ll let you know.”

How the fuck will I sleep? How the fuck do I keep this from Amy?

As we leave Mouse’s office, ready to start gathering the top officers together, quietly and discreetly so the women aren’t spooked, Hawk shows he’s on the same wavelength. “Olivia’s going to be able to tell something’s up.”

“I feel you, Brother,” I tell him. “Just say it’s pre-wedding nerves.”

He shoots me a look, I shrug. Our women know us better than that.

Word quietly spreads around so soon the people we need are headed for our meeting room. Once inside, I let them in on what’s going on, and what we fear is coming for us.

After I’ve had my say, it turns out my way of thinking which side is up is agreed on by everyone. The meeting with the prezes and their ranking men was surprisingly quick, and no one wanted to abandon ship and find safer havens. A warmth started to grow inside me as the reason for me being part of the Satan’s Devils MC was demonstrated yet again. Doesn’t matter what chapter we’re from, the patch we all wear on our cuts unites us. God help Archangel if he thinks he can take us on. All he’s got are men brought together by a common desire for mayhem and violence, what I’ve got is a loyal family at my back who’ll stand shoulder to shoulder to protect each other and their way of life.

After our short meeting, Demon has the last word, though I doubt he expected it to ring out so loudly in the sudden lull in conversation. “Some things never fuckin’ change, do they? We’re always helping Tucson out.”

His words break the tension. Truth be known, we help the other clubs just as much as they help us, but there was a time in the past when we had to ask for more than our fair share of support. After Beef initiates a final shout of, ‘Ride Satan’s Devils, Satan’s Devils ride together,’ the meeting breaks up.

I try to find Amy, but I can’t see her around.

“If you’re looking for your old lady, she’s gone to bed.” Hound’s standing beside me. “You should go up too.” As I open my mouth, he says, “Know you’re the prez, but you’ll have enough to deal with tomorrow. There’s nothing to suggest they’ll even be thinking of coming for us tonight, so you need to take the opportunity of having some downtime. We need you fresh and thinking straight in the morning.”

“Should we have gotten the women out?” I ask him, wondering whether there’s something I’ve missed.

“Leave them unprotected? Split our men to protect them?” Hound shakes his head. “We can circle the wagons better here, Wiz.”

For a second, I wish Amy was still living in Phoenix. Was I selfish making her my old lady? Should I have left well alone and not interfered between her and Xander all those months back? No, I can’t think like that because I am a selfish motherfucker. Danger coming for us or not, I want her here.

Hound’s right. I’ve got to at least try to switch off and recharge my batteries. Tomorrow’s going to be one fuck of a day, and not in the way I’d originally hoped. Now I’m just praying we’ll all be alive at the end of it.

I clap my hand on his shoulder. There’s no need for words.

Most of the women have gone by now. The sweet butts are around, doing what they can to keep visiting single men happy, at least they’re smiling while they work, having a large pool to choose from tonight.

Now word about the danger heading for us has spread, as I make my way across the crowded clubhouse, instead of ribaldry about my forthcoming nuptials, men just offer me chin lifts, or words of encouragement. A few clasp my hand and tell me they’ve got my back. I can’t help wondering if any who I bumped shoulders with may not be alive come tomorrow night. Or even, will I instead of being married by a Satanist, end up face to face with Satan?

I enter my suite, the prez’s hat never having felt so heavy on my head up to now.

Not yet in bed, Amy’s standing at the doors looking out at the starlit sky, only a bedside light illuminating the room behind her. She turns as I close the door.

“What’s going on, Drew?”

“We’re getting married tomorrow.”

“It’s more than that. Are we in danger?”

“Amy, you know I can’t tell you that.” I lean my head back against the door. “We don’tknowanything. But we’re taking precautions in case.”

“Is it my fault?” she asks. “Should I never have agreed to have the wedding on the compound? Has bringing everyone here put us at risk?”

“Fuck no.” I decide to tell her a little of the truth. “The compound is the easiest place to defend. Should there be any danger, that is.”

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