Acknowledgments
Thank you to my wonderful readers! One Empire Night is for you.
I also have to thank Andrea for taking an early look at One Empire Night. Jezzie for reviewing it. My crit partners, Cara, Kari, and Virginia who took time out of their own busy writing schedules to read One Empire Night and catch all those pesky little errors I miss. If there’s any left, that’s all me.
Letitia who created a beautiful cover for me with very little notice. Thank you so much!
Thank you to my friend, Jeanette Grey, whose stories about her own adorable tiny human inspired some of Alexa’s antics.
Thanks to my Lost Kings MC ladies who helped me share the cover and posted about the release of One Empire Night. Your support means everything!
Dedication
At some point in life the world's beauty becomes enough.
-Toni Morrison
One
“Are you sure that’s going to fit?” Teller asks, staring at the monster Fraser fir in front of us.
“That’s what she said,” I quip. “Or doesn’t say in your case.”
He gives me a hard shove sideways. “I’m serious, asshole.”
“Would it be easier if we got a ruler and you two just whipped ‘em out?” Charlotte asks in a bored tone.
“Ewwww!” Heidi shrieks. “For the love of God, Charlotte. Why?”
“Nah, I don’t want to make him feel bad about himself so close to Christmas,” I answer.
Teller holds up a hand, stopping Charlotte from whatever comeback she has in mind. “Focus, children.” He lifts his chin at Heidi. “You sure Rock’s okay with this?”
“He wanted to come with us,” Heidi says. This is true, but I also know Rock’s planning to take Hope away for the weekend and we’re running out of time to get this tree up. Having the tree in the living room, mostly decorated when they return will be a nice surprise.
“We’ll finish decorating it with them,” I assure Heidi.
“We can just put up the one at our house. You guys can stay with us for Christmas,” Charlotte offers.
Heidi shifts, uncomfortable I think, with the offer and I understand why. I wrap an arm around her shoulder and pull her to my side. “Next year we’ll be in our own house, beautiful,” I say in a lower voice.
Not that Rock and Hope ever make us feel unwelcome, but sometimes it’s weird we don’t have our own place. Like now, when Marcel keeps questioning whether we have permission to put up a damn tree. But I also remember how unhappy he was last year when Alexa celebrated her first Christmas in Alaska, so I let his badgering slide.
“We can do that,” Heidi hedges. “Hope said she was looking forward to having a tree in the house this year, though.”
“Two trees, coming right up,” Charlotte says, pushing past Teller to shake one of the branches. She points at another full, green fir a few feet away. “Get chopping, boys.”
“Where’s Wrath when you need him?” I grumble. “He’s a damn tree-chopping wizard.”
“Quit your whining,” Teller says, opening the back door of his truck to grab a chainsaw.
Heidi takes Alexa from me. “I’m going to sit in the truck with her.” She leans up and gives me a quick kiss on the cheek. “Please don’t cut off anything important.”
“Be careful, Marcel,” Charlotte calls out as she follows Heidi and Alexa.
When they’re inside the truck, Marcel pulls out his phone to check his texts.
“He done yet?”
“Not even close,” he answers, tucking the phone away. “We’ll take our time going home.”
“You’re not going to the party tonight?”
He blows out a breath. “Charlotte said she didn’t mind, but fuck me, I’d rather not. I told Z if we came, it would be late.”
“Why? It’ll be one big orgy by then.”
“Rock’s there. He’s not gonna let it get out of control.??
? He nods at the first tree. “Stop trying to weasel your way out of some manual labor.”
“What’re you talking about? I’ve been working my ass off since dawn, you dick.”
Teller grins and wields the chainsaw around like a horror-movie villain.
“Overcompensating much?”
He sets the chainsaw on the tailgate, then throws me some safety gear. “Let’s get this done. I have ornaments and stuff from my grandmother’s in the storage unit. We can stop there on the way home and pull them out for Heidi.”
“Why do you still have stuff stored there?”
“I didn’t know if Heidi would want it after she got settled. I should probably clear it out and store the shit at my place now.”
“I got time this week if you want to do it by the end of the month.”
“Thanks.” He stops and sizes up the tree in front of us. “First things first. Let’s get my niece her first Christmas tree.”
Two
“Are you sure you don’t mind we had to take the truck tonight?” Hope asks.
I glance at her, my gaze traveling over the woven material covering her legs. “The tights you’re wearing make up for it.”
“It’s such a nice night.” She lightly touches her fingertips against her window. “Cold but clear and so pretty.”
This time I reach over and rest my hand on her knee, giving her a gentle squeeze. “Miss it?”
“A little.”
“I don’t think you want to show up to this thing all windblown.”
“True.” She huffs. “I don’t want to go at all. If it wasn’t for Mara, I wouldn’t.”
“This is the last event she had to organize for the Bar Association, right?”
She laughs. “She’s thrilled her term is almost finished. I don’t think she expected volunteering for a position on the executive board to be so much work. But it helped her do some networking for Damon’s next campaign.”
“What’s Damon planning to run for now?”
“The vacant Senate seat.”
I paid more attention to state politics than you’d think and knew the seat had been vacant since the last senator was arrested for corruption. Damon’s too honorable to be bribed—not that I’d try that angle with a friend of Hope’s anyway—but the idea of knowing yet another person in New York State government is appealing. In fact, I’m more interested in attending this holiday party for the Empire County Bar Association than the party my club is throwing at Crystal Ball later tonight.
“We’ll have to be sure to make a donation to his campaign.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Hope swivel her head to stare at me. “I don’t think he needs our money.”
“Maybe the club will make a donation.”
“Planning to act as a legislative liaison between motorcyclists and our elected officials, are you?”
I run the hand resting on her leg up her thigh, pushing her skirt higher. “Feeling sassy tonight, Baby Doll?”
Her breath hitches, but she stops my exploration by pressing her hands against her skirt. “I don’t have any extra tights with me.”
Actually, I have a whole bag packed for her in the back of my SUV. Hope doesn’t know that after our evening out, I’m taking her to a hotel for our own personal holiday celebration.
A gift to myself for pasting on my presidential smile and enduring a whole lot of socializing tonight, instead of staying home with my woman the way I’d prefer.
“Turn here,” she says pointing to the narrow, one-way street where the Bar Association’s office is located. “I assume you don’t want anyone parking your car.”
“Fuck no.”
She chuckles as I pull into the last spot available on the street.
“Wait for me.” I step into the crisp night and hurry to her side. Before we left, she’d draped her coat over the back seat. I grab it before opening her door.
Then almost lose my mind when she twists in her seat, angling her leg down to touch the running board.
“What’s wrong?” she asks, concern heightening the pitch of her voice.
Meeting her confused green eyes, I groan. She’s already nervous about tonight, I don’t need her getting the wrong idea. “You’re sexy as fuck in that little red dress, lacy tights and tiny boots. I’m starting to think we should go home instead.”
I offer my hand and she steps the rest of the way out of the truck.
“Oh.” Under the glow of the nearby street lamp she runs her hands over her hips, down her stomach, to her thighs, fixing the skirt of her dress. “You think it’s too sexy? I wasn’t sure what would work for both events.”
“Baby Doll,” I say, holding her coat out for her to slip into, “I’d make you wear a burlap sack every time you leave the house if I thought you wouldn’t slice my balls off.”
Her husky laughter works me up even more. She reaches for my cheek, her soft, warm fingers resting there for a second. “Lucky for you I don’t have a ball-slicing bone in my body.”
“Yeah? So where do we stand on the burlap sack?”
More laughter that really makes me consider taking her directly to the hotel. Instead, I offer my arm and she slips hers through, gripping my bicep. “You okay to walk?”
She glances down at her black ankle boots. “It’s a short heel. I’ll be fine as long as there’s no ice.”
Her grip tightens as we navigate the uneven sidewalk. Outside the building a number of people have congregated on the sidewalk to talk and smoke. Someone calls out her name.
“Hi, Ross!” she answers, hurrying toward her friend.
He gives me a quick glance before wrapping her up in a short embrace. “How’ve you been?” He pulls back, eyeing her from head to toe. “Damn, you look good, girl.”
“Thank you.” She chuckles nervously and takes my hand again. “Have you seen Mara yet?”
“Inside, running around like a mad woman.”
“She’s thrilled her term is almost up.”
“True. She’s done such a good job.” He lowers his voice. “I have inside information Angie wants to ask her to run again,” he answers.
Since I don’t have anything to add to their conversation, I let my attention wander to the small crowd. It’s how I’m the first one to spot Adam and his friend approaching. He notices me and lifts his chin. “Hey, Rock.” He shakes my hand, then gives Hope a quick hug, barely acknowledging Ross.
“Hope, you haven’t met Trooper Tom, have you?” Adam asks, introducing his boyfriend.
Hope raises an eyebrow. “Trooper Tom? Is that because you’re a trooper for putting up with this guy?” she teases.
I actually recognize Tom as a State Trooper and stifle a laugh.
Adam finishes the introductions—and explanation for Hope. Tom shakes my hand slowly and gives me a curious once-over. He recognizes me too. Not a surprise since it had been the NYS Troopers who arrested me two summers ago. Could’ve even been his barracks, although I don’t remember him as one of the officers who questioned me.
Hope seems blissfully unaware of the situation and I want to keep it that way. “Should we go inside to find Mara?” I suggest.
“Sure. Nice to meet you, Tom,” Hope says.
Ross tags along with us. “Flying solo tonight?” I ask as we climb a short, steep set of stairs into the building.
“Yup. Planning to make the rounds and head out to a much different kind of party.”
Hope chuckles. “So are we.”
Ross waggles his eyebrows and Hope shakes her head. “Perv.” She touches my arm. “We have the club’s Christmas party at Crystal Ball later.”
His gaze swings back to me. “Two very different events indeed.”
“Yeah,” I agree.
“When are you going to have some male strippers in that joint, Rock? You’d probably make a fortune.”
“Actually, Z’s been working on a couple different special events for off-nights.”
“Nice. Keep me updated.”
&nb
sp; Hope blinks up at me. “Really?”
Her question amuses me. “Why you wanna see some male strippers?”
Next to us, Ross snorts. “I don’t see Miss Innocent going to one of those.”
A pretty flush stains Hope’s cheeks and she shakes her head. “Why would I need to—” she runs her hand over my chest “—when I have my very own beefcake at home?”
Ross flicks his gaze at me and smirks. “I see your point.” He lifts his chin at Hope. “I’m going to circulate. You good?”
“I’m fine. Do you know where Mara is?”
He surveys the crowded room. “A night without the kiddo? I’m guessing Damon used his tie to gag her and they’re busy fucking in a closet right about now.”
“Ugh, you’re awful.” Hope gives him a playful shove. “Go hustle the crowd.”
Rock’s rumbling laughter vibrates against my back and his warm hand strays to the curve of my ass. “What’s so funny?”
“Nothing at all.” He leans down, whispering against my ear, “Want to go find our own closet?”
“Here? In a building full of lawyers? I’m dry as a desert.” This is a lie. I’ve been turned on from the second Rock stepped out of our room in his gray suit, complete with red tie. On the other hand, that familiar, uneasy flutter stirs in my belly and I hate having Rock here to witness all my awkwardness around my colleagues. Especially since he’s always so at ease no matter where he goes.
Believe it or not, I’m actually looking forward to the party at Crystal Ball later. Who knew I’d ever feel more comfortable around a club full bikers and half-naked dancers than in my own world?