“I’m going to get a drink.”
Gripping her chin between my thumb and finger, I tilt her face up more. “Have fun. Stay where I can see you."
“Why?” Her eyebrows pinch. “Is it dangerous?”
“For you? No. But if one of my brothers so much as looks at you wrong, we’re going to have a problem.”
“Possessive much?” She smiles.
“Only for you.”
I thought I was born without a jealous bone in my body. I’ve never been possessive when it comes to women. Once they left my bed, I couldn’t give two shits about who they fucked or spent time with. But the thought of anyone so much as looking at Emery wrong makes my skin itch. I’m tempted to take her to the couch and fuck her right here in front of my brothers just so they understand who she belongs to, but I’m not quite sure if she’s up for that yet.
Willa leads Emery away, explaining what’s in a lemon drop. Aimee and Luna are already behind the bar, mixing drinks. Luna’s is without alcohol since she’s pregnant. The prospect working behind the bar keeps his distance, fetching beers while they finish up.
“All right, you’re coming with me.” Chaos grabs my shoulder, leading me toward the other side of the room. “Since you skipped the bachelor party, Venom is intent on pumping you full of booze to celebrate.”
“I’ve had thirty years of a bachelor party. Pretty sure that was enough.”
I was drinking before I learned to drive. I was fucking not that long after. I’ve done it all, seen it all, and for the first time in my life, I feel done with it.
Chaos chuckles, not arguing because I know he can relate. “Don’t I know it, brother.”
26
Emery
One drink is allit takes to have me swaying on my feet. By the second, I’m clinging to the bar, and the room is a little fuzzy. But I feel… good.
I feel free.
And it’s not just the alcohol, which is now swimming freely through my veins. It’s being here in this place. A place I should probably fear because of the guns and leather, but instead, I feel safe.
Luna and Reagan are seated at the bar, while Tempe, Aimee, and I stay perched beside them. There’s a bubble of empty space around us that no one dares cross. If they even come close, Ghost has his eyes on them.
He and Legacy are at a table nearby, giving us our space to talk, but making sure that even in their clubhouse, someone is watching over us. They laugh and sip their beers while Hayes jokes with some of the other guys across the bar. There’s a camaraderie. A brotherhood.
And I’m free to enjoy myself without worrying about what might happen. I never drank around my uncle and his friends because I couldn’t trust my uncle to protect me. But even with Hayes across the room, I know he’s paying attention. If anything happened, I have no doubt his friends would step in.
I take another sip, savoring the lemony deliciousness that coats my tongue. It was strong at first, but now it goes down like water. I lift my glass, and Tempe smiles, tapping her glass against it.
“I’ve made a decision,” I say, holding up my drink. “Lemon drops are the best drink ever invented.”
“I second that.” Tempe lifts her glass, downing the final swig.
Her wavy brown hair is curlier tonight, bouncing around her shoulders as she spins to set her glass on the bar.
“We need snacks,” Luna decides, narrowing her eyes at the door that leads to the kitchen.
“I’ll go with you.” Reagan slides off her barstool, and Legacy immediately walks over to see if she needs anything.
For a group of lethal bikers, feared across Vegas, they’re absolutely weak when it comes to their women.
Aimee follows Luna and Reagan to the kitchen, but Willa takes a detour toward Chaos, leaving me and Tempe at the bar.
Still, no one dares step into the empty bubble. I sense they know better than to approach the president’s wife.
Tempe sips a water, relaxed with the madness raging around us. Music blares. People fuck on random surfaces. It’s a mess of booze and laughter.
