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“Fuck me, we don’t need another headstrong old lady,” Ezra complained, shaking his head.
“They’re all badass in their own way,” Lowrider replied.
“Pres wants everyone’s attention,” Ace bellowed as we looked up.
Drake stood near the clubhouse doors, and people turned to face him. All the brothers, the old ladies and kids were present and crowded in the rec room. Blaze, Slate and Hunter were behind the bar serving but came around to flank Jett. Ace, Gunner, Apache, Axel, Fish, and Texas took positions next to Drake.
“Had a shit few weeks, but we also had sheer beauty. Nineteen months ago, Alexander Cutter walked into our clubhouse looking for a place to call home. Sure, we wanted the skills he’d bring to the garage,” Drake paused, and chuckles met him, “but we also considered what Cutter might bring to our club.
“To be a brother in Rage, we’ve a few basic requirements. Loyalty, knowing what it is and what it means. Honour, to live your life the way it should be lived. Strength, not just in body, but in force of character and beliefs. Protection, to protect your brothers, the old ladies and those weaker than us. Respect for the life we live, the way we live it, and those around us who earn it. Family, understanding the meaning of what real family is, blood, club or extended.
“You know these values; you get a chance at prospect. Even so, knowing these doesn’t automatically make you one. Going balls to the wall for our beliefs and keeping true to your own convictions is a fuckin’ hard thing to do. It’s why we turn down so many applications to the club. Recognising Alexander Cutter had those qualities meant we called him prospect and named him Jett. Jett, stand up front,” Drake ordered. He glanced at Ace, who stepped forward to speak.
“It takes a man, a Rage man, to survive and thrive these past difficult few months. Didn’t make it easy on yourself or anyone else, brother,” Ace chided, and laughter rose. Jett looked sheepish. “I never doubted you had it in you, brother, but I feared that you could and would fail to recognise beauty when it walked into your life. Took Manny a few lessons to knock sense into you.” More cheering as Jett mock glared at Manny and Drake continued.
“These last few weeks, I saw a prospect become a brother, a man grow into a hero, a loner develop into a lover, brother, father, and husband. Watched a prospect go balls to the wall to protect his claim and blood. His club, his family, his woman, his child. Never been prouder of you, son, as I am today, standing here looking at what you earned. Knew you’d be unique, special enough for Rage, and I wasn’t wrong.
“Got a lot of love for you, Jett, a fuck load. So much feeling for you I could burst. As of today, Jett, know we, the inner circle, voted, and you are no longer welcome as a prospect here.” Drake paused, and my heart thudded crazily. Oh my god, what was happening? Jett met Drake’s eyes square on. Ace stepped up and, to my bewilderment, sliced the prospect from Jett’s cut; I gave a muted cry as Ace moved away.
“Today, Jett, you became a brother, a full brother in Rage MC. Welcome, Jett!” Drake roared and slammed his arms around Jett, lifting him off the floor.
Jett threw back his head and howled with happiness. Drake put him down and handed Jett a new patch. Jett turned to the watching crowd, held it above his head, and yelled again. I ran forward, and Jett swung me up and kissed me soundly. Proudly, Jett showed me his patch as everybody crowded around to offer congrats.
A wolf whistle cut through the celebration, and everyone stared at Drake, standing with Phoenix. Phoe had her arms behind her back, grinning madly. Jett, smiling, turned to look at her.
“He had his say,” Phoe grumbled, “so mine’s quick. Not every old lady has to marry her old man. It’s nice when they do.” Phoe glared at me, and guilt welled that Phoe hadn’t been able to see us get married. “When a brother finds his soul mate, we get to welcome her into the sisterhood.” Phoe brought her arms out from behind, and I saw she was carrying a leather cut. It had the Rage patch on the front with the words ‘Rage MC.’ When Phoe turned it around, it had a large Rage patch in the middle of the back. Around it was a script with, ‘Sin, Jett’s Old Lady.’
I squealed, and Phoe walked forward so I could shrug it on.
Jett grabbed me for another breath-stealing kiss and tugged me closer. He ran his hands over my cut and whistled approvingly.
“Everyone out,” Drake hollered ten minutes later as people finally stopped offering their congratulations. Manny halted by my side, but Drake dragged Jett out by his arm. I heard laughter from outside and glanced at Manny, wondering why I couldn’t leave.
“Remember never to cross Phoe again,” Manny teased as he handed me a bouquet of roses. I frowned at my hands and stared at him. Manny took my arm and linked it through his. As we stepped outside and Manny led me to the back of the clubhouse, I gazed bemusedly at the streamers and ribbons decorating the place. They were in pinks, lilacs, and pale blues. As we walked around the corner, I gasped.
“What’s going on?” I asked. Looking up at the grassed area, I saw a gazebo covered in flowers and bows. In the middle of it stood Axel. I’d only met the colossal mountain of a man a few days ago.
Axel had been absent on family business and had just returned. To his left was Jett, standing with Drake and Ace. A little behind them and to the right was Mac playing a set of drums, Hunter on bass guitar, Texas on keyboards, and Slick was singing ‘Sweet child o’ mine.’ My mouth opened in shock. As I looked around, the rest of Rage, their old ladies, and families, stood at the front.
I clapped eyes on my shop staff and Reid, who appeared on my other side and took my other arm. Mr Kenna was there with his cold case club and my old lady’s book reading club. All of Hawthorne’s were there, including Dana and Leila. I saw Detectives Ramirez and Ben and some of Phoe’s office staff, who were customers at the Reading Nook. Phoe approached me with a grin, and Amelia was dressed in a frilly bridesmaid dress.
“Phoe?” I asked, having a good sense of what was now happening.
“You don’t run away to get married. Next brother that thinks he can, be warned!” Phoe said loudly into a lull in the singing. I laughed along with everyone else, and Slick broke into the chorus. Phoe took her place in front of me with Amelia, who suddenly discovered she could throw flower petals down. My daughter cheerfully threw handfuls everywhere until she clapped her eyes on her daddy.
Amelia wrenched free from Phoe’s hand with a muted shriek and launched herself down the aisle to her father. Jett swung her up, laughing. Amelia had been quiet for a week after the kidnapping, but she’d blossomed under the attention she received. Not just from Jett, Reid, and me, but Rage and the children of Rage. Amelia clapped her hands to Jett’s face. And then I was there in front of Axel.
“Which badass brother gives this woman away?” Axel boomed.
“I do,” Reid said loudly to laughter.
“Which badass biker gives this woman away?” Axel thundered, looking at Manny.
I giggled as Manny replied, “I do.”
“Woman, you’re being given to our brother Jett by two badasses. You got an issue with that?”
By the expression on Axel’s face, I better not have problems.
