Page 39 of Embracing the Consequences

Johnny laid back down and rolled toward Kara. He slid an arm under her head and the other between her legs, grabbing ahold of her ass and pulling her against his body. Once she was wrapped around him, and he around her, he took a deep breath and snuggled into her neck. “Your brother called. He wants to set up a truce between the clubs.”

Kara breathed a sigh of relief and melted into his body. “Will the Knights go for that?” she asked softly, knowing it wasn’t just up to him.

“I think so. We’ve already laid it all on the table for them; they just need to vote on it,” Johnny explained. “Marcos wants the clubs to meet.”

Kara nodded against his chest. “Where?”

“I don’t know. I need to find somewhere neutral.”

“Slade’s?” Kara suggested.

Johnny shook his head. “She won’t allow the Psychos there after Rachet…and it’s not big enough.”

Kara sighed and rubbed a hand down Johnny’s back. Her nails lightly grazed his skin and a slight shiver went down his spine. He fucking loved how her touch could drive him up the wall. “You’ll figure it out, baby,” she murmured, her voice soft, half asleep.

He pressed a kiss to her forehead and ran his own hand down her bare back. He couldn’t remember the last time she had wornclothing to bed. If she did, it was quickly discarded by one of them.

Since the new bed had been delivered, Kevin and Derrick hadn’t slept in their own rooms. That was fine with Johnny. He didn’t mind sharing with them—his brothers—they had shared everything for decades now. It was a comfort to roll over and know his brother was there and had his back.

Johnny drifted off to sleep with his girl in his arms and his brothers on his mind.

In the end, Johnny decided to host the Devil’s Psychos at his home. He needed someplace neutral and large enough to hold everyone. It might not have been completely neutral ground, but it wasn’t like he hosted his own club at his house often either.

“Thanks, man,” Marcos greeted when he rolled up with half his club.

His two best friends Stone and Dagger were by his side along with two old-timers that Johnny only knew by face, not by name.

Johnny nodded as he shook Marcos’s hand. “What better way to show trust than to invite you into my home?”

“This is your place?” Dagger asked, his eyes roaming over the large house.

Johnny nodded and crossed his arms, Derrick and Kevin at his back. “We built it together,” he answered.

“Holy shit, man,” Dagger huffed and moved down the driveway. “Can I check out the back?” he asked.

Johnny chuckled and shared a look with Marcos. “He’s special,” Marcos replied.

Stone laughed. “He’s got a thing for architecture.” He shrugged.

Soon enough, everyone from both clubs had rolled up, lining the driveway with dozens of bikes. Johnny had opened up the backyard bar shed that was just off the pool and had even brought over a couple bartenders from the clubhouse.

Music played through the backyard speakers, a fire roared in the firepit, and dozens of bikers shuffled around his backyard, talking in groups. The grill was cranking, and a chef from the clubhouse restaurant was there, utilizing Johnny’s grill and kitchen to feed dinner to everyone.

Johnny hoped his wining and dining would pay off. He hoped that everything he had laid out to his own club would pay off. It already sounded like the Psychos were on board, but he could tell some were still leery of an outright truce, and Johnny knew damn well that the Ravager Knights did NOT trust the Devil’s Psychos. At least most of them. Even with all the drinks poured throughout the evening, he could still see tensions were high, but there were small pockets where the two clubs interacted.

It all changed when Kara came home as dinner was being served. The men were just sitting down at the tables scattered around the backyard when Kara walked out back. She was still dressed in her work clothes—a formfitting dress in a deep green color—having come from a weekend meeting with Winters.

She smiled as she looked around the yard. When her eyes met his, her smile grew brighter, if possible, and she headed toward him at the head of one of the tables. Rockstar and Devil sat on his right side, Marcos on his left. Stone and Dagger sat next to Marcos in a showing of trust and strength.

“Hey, Princess,” Johnny greeted as she rounded the table. She greeted Derrick with a quick peck to the lips, then Kevin, who held her against him longer before she slid onto Johnny’slap with a smile. He gave her a lingering kiss that had Marcos clearing his throat.

“Hey, brother,” Kara murmured and kissed Johnny again. She held out her hand to Marcos, and they did a complicated handshake consisting of lots of slapping and sliding of palms, all while Kara was engrossed in kissing Johnny.

“Really?” Marcos asked, sounding incredulous.

There was a smattering of laughter around the yard.

Kara pulled away, breathless, and turned to her brother with a flushed face and a smile. “Hi, big brother,” she greeted him properly.

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