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“I didn’t know you could scream like a little girl getting asked to her first dance,” I tease.
Priest laughs loud and proud. “Nothing you can say is going to take away from this moment, jackass. This feels good.”
“If all it took to make you this happy was to beat the shit out of you, I would have done it myself.”
“It’s appreciation for being able to do what I thought was impossible five months ago,” he explains. I get that. He was in rough shape and in a funk. I was getting worried, and I wasn’t the only one. Ghost stepped up and had a heart-to-heart, and the next day, Priest headed into the gym. He had to work out the anger first, then it was self-doubt, and the list went on. But we’re in the right place now, and that’s all that matters.
The rest of the guys stepped up. Priest was never alone long enough to brood. Everyone took the time to remind him of all he’s accomplished. One of these men isn’t even a brother of the Pride, but is Steady’s biological brother. He reminded Priest of the part he plays in the youth center. Priest was a big brother to many of these boys and volunteered his time at least once a week, most of the time more than that. Priest has given young men hope to move beyond their past and find a new path.
It didn’t hurt that these boys would drop by Camille and Steady’s place or the club to have time with Priest. It reaffirmed Priest’s purpose, and now he’s ready to move on from that night.
“You seem happy, man. Is that all because of Charlotte?” Priest asks.
I glance from the driver’s side and grin. “It’s the love of a good woman, brother. You should try it.”
He snickers and does an eye roll. “I get a lot of lovin’ from some very bad girls,” he replies with a chuckle.
“Yeah, I’m sure you do. But this is different. One woman to love on you like you deserve. One woman who would give it all up just to be with you. And you loving her back to the point where you’d rather die than have her do without. That’s what Charlotte and I are all about.”
He nods. “It’s good you have that. I see that with Camille and Steady. Guard, War, Risk, Saint, Roscoe, Orion, Demon, you’re all lucky to have found the one.”
“Don’t forget Ghost. He walked through fire to get back the life he should always have had. Abigail is everything he needs.”
After a long pause, he says, “I don’t think that’s in the cards for me.”
“It doesn’t happen, until it does. And when it does, there’s no going back to life without her.” I know that’s how I feel. Maybe the other guys describe it differently, but in the end, it means the same.
“I won’t hold my breath,” he jokes.
I can’t wait to have the last laugh and watch him turn himself inside out for the woman he can’t let go of.
TWENTY
Bachelorettes on the Loose
PRIEST
Being dragged out by my brothers isn’t the worst thing that could happen to me, so why am I sitting in the corner of the bar racking my brain trying to think of a plausible excuse to leave? Most of the core Pride are here at Joe’s Pub, laughing, some drinking, and their women dancing.
The place is packed, the dance floor full of women swinging their hips in time with the music. They have a feature band. This month, it’s one of Demon’s latest finds. He runs a record label as well as being an artist himself, as well as being a key member of the brotherhood. The band Diesel Fumes and Demon have been collaborating on an album for months, and the release date is set for early next week. They’ll be the opening act for the Smoking Guns, Maddie’s band, on a month-long tour. War and Amelia will be with Maddie all the way through. Demon will meet them in different cities throughout the tour. He’s even talking about leaving Dean with his parents and taking Sofia with him on the weekends.
That’s the beauty of the Pride. Guard will make it work to ensure all the brothers are following their dreams. Ghost and Guard are more alike than I thought. I swear they can read each other’s minds. I find their connection fascinating. What’s worse is that both of them are usually able to read mine. That, I’m not so crazy about.
Most of the time, I don’t want to deal with the shit in my head. I have my demons. I’m dealing with the noise in my head, pushing past the crap that my parents rattled off my entire life. As I scan the room, I see Camille, my beautiful sister, with her girly crew, smiling and joking, I’m in awe of all she’s accomplished. She put herself through school with no help from me or our family. She battled poverty, thanks to my parents and brother. And I was in my own fucking little peon world thinking that I was the only one who mattered, living my boo-hoo life, making excuses instead of being the brother I should have been and having her back. I failed her, yet, when she could have stepped away from me, she pulled me in closer, loving me despite my shortcomings.
I’ve given everything I have to the Pride. I choose to be a better man, and they’ve let me grow with them. Steady, Camille’s husband, was wary at first, not that I blame him, but he took me in and has been a great friend when I needed him the most. The biggest surprise was Wildcard. I thought for sure he’d have a hate on for me, especially when my brother John stuck him with a knife and punctured his lung. John turned down the dark road, and I was on the same path. When I figured out what our family was doing to Camille, I was disgusted, including with myself for being so self-absorbed that I didn’t see it.
Christ, I was a fucking mess. Then Steady’s brother hooked me up with the youth center, and now I see that telling my story is helping other kids to find their way. It’s cathartic. Almost like a cleansing of the soul to start fresh. So here I am, finally getting it together, then a blast from the past rocks my world again.
Even from the dead, John causes havoc. He almost got me killed. I owe a lot to these men, my brothers. So why am I so determined to find an excuse to head home, to a dusty room in the compound, alone?
I could get myself a biker bunny for the night. That’ll pass the time and give me a way to expel this uneasy energy. Problem with that is, they always want more. I’m not ready for that, and even though I make it clear from the start that I’m not interested in long term, they hang on, waiting for another ride.
I hear my name being called and jerk my head up from the glass I’ve been staring into for the last twenty minutes. “Only you can be this miserable in a bar filled with gorgeous women and family having a great time,” Wildcard says to me. “This is Charlotte’s bachelorette. Can’t you pretend to be even a little enthused?”
“If it’s a bachelorette, why are any of us here? Isn’t this supposed to be a girl thing? In case you didn’t notice, I got a dick, brother,” I counter with a smirk.
“It’s a Satan’s Pride celebration. Demon is knocking out another winner, Maddie’s doing one last special appearance before she pops out a brother or sister for Amelia, and Charlotte is loving her Pride family. Come join us instead of being the creepy old man in the corner.” Wildcard punches me in the shoulder.
