Page 40 of Wild Weekend
“I can’t be without you, Stella.”
His hands clasp mine, and I hold my breath. “If this is some kind of trick…”
He squeezes my hands. “No. I love you. I don’t care about your past. That doesn’t define who you are. We’ve all made bad choices, and everyone deserves a second chance.”
My eyes fill with tears. “But your sister?”
He winces, the pain evident in his face. “She made bad choices too. I did too. I should have come back to be with her, and I didn’t.”
“That’s not your fault. You couldn’t have known.”
“We’ve all got things we regret in life, Stella. But one thing I don’t regret is meeting you. I don’t care what you were before. You’re kind and beautiful, and my feelings about you haven’t changed.”
He pulls the ring out of his pocket. “This is still yours, if you want it.”
I stare at the ring. It’s too much to hope for. “Are you sure?”
He smiles, and my heart relaxes. It’s the first warm look he’s given me since I confessed. “I’ve never been surer in my life.”
I hold out my finger, and he slides the ring back on.
“Just promise me you’ll stop running away. We’re a unit now, a family, and we’ll deal with anything that comes our way together.”
He pulls me into his arms, and I lean against his solid chest.
A long breath escapes me, and for the first time since I can remember I feel truly relaxed. There are no more secrets, no more uncertainty, and no more loneliness.
For the first time, I’m a part of something and I truly belong.
EPILOGUE
WILL
Two weeks later…
The hired car pulls into the HQ parking lot. The familiar smell of hops hangs in the air and I breathe it in deeply, happy to be home.
I insisted on coming here first to check that the bikes had been delivered, and I couldn’t wait to introduce Stella to her new extended family.
She looks nervous as I take her hand. “Don’t worry. Everyone will love you.”
We took our time on the road trip back, stropping in roadside motels and making love every night and in the mornings too.
We waited until Stella finished her last shift before leaving. I’ve been working on the road and enjoying myfiancé, sharing stories about our pasts and getting to know each other in new ways.
We’ve come back on the first Sunday of the month, which is when we all get together for a meal. The restaurant closes, and it’s just the MC members, their old ladies and kids.
The smell of cooked meat hits me as we step through the door, as does the cacophony of noisy kids.
I grip Stella’s hand tighter. She really has no idea what she’s getting into. It’s a big introduction to club life.
In the restaurant, the tables have been pushed together to form one long banquet table. The women are in the kitchen preparing the meal, and the men stand around drinking beers and chatting. A kid runs past, followed by a toddler trying to keep up and giggling.
All eyes turn to Stella, and the room goes quiet.
“This is Stella.”
The room explodes at once, and the women come out of the kitchen. She’s embraced by everyone and her belly is cooed over. I get some raised eyebrow looks over her belly.
