Preacher (The Untouchables MC 5)

“There are a lot of people in this room who expect me to say that Preacher is a ne’er do well. An unrepentant sinner. A man who believed in God but not the laws of man. Maybe not even in the Bible. And if you asked me a couple of years ago, I would have said that it was true.”

I exhaled. I was not going to get roasted. I was about to get something much, much worse.

I was going to be praised.

By Cain, of all people.

“But the truth is, Preacher has always known his own mind and followed his own heart. He sees the good in people whether it is hard to see” —we all looked at Shane, who was equally spiffed up and sitting with his very pretty wife— “or easy,” he said, nodding to my bride. “He is tried and true, loyal to a fault, and a deeply moral man, especially if you ignore the obvious lack of respect for authority.” Cain sounded slightly disgruntled at that last bit, which made sense. He was the authority, after all. “He is also the best brother I could ask for, always there for those he loves, and willing to ride a thousand miles on the spot to help a friend in need. He’ll give you the shirt off his back, even if it is soaked in tequila,” he joked. Everyone laughed. But not me. I was fighting to keep from bawling like a goddamn baby.

Fuck. My eyes are tearing up again. Damn you, Cain.

“So while he may be rough around the edges, so are diamonds when they first get dug out of the earth.”

Well, fuck. An actual tear rolled down my cheek. I left it there.

“Now, Cynthia, I have only just met you, but I can tell you are an amazing, and amazingly young, woman.” My tears dried up at his emphasis on young. Here we go, I thought. “So young. But beyond wise for your tender years.”

I rolled my eyes at that and Cain cracked a smile.

“The people in this community love and respect you. We may have just met, but you are part of another family now. A big, loud family that rides on two wheels. You are an Untouchable now, and probably an honorary member of a bunch of other clubs, as well.”

He nodded at someone in the crowd. I didn’t turn around, but I knew it was Devlin. I was ready to fucking cry again, it was so fucking sweet, goddammit.

“Now, with respect to tradition, I need to make sure you absolutely want to marry this old man when there are four willing groomsmen behind you.”

I cursed and glanced over my shoulder at a grinning Drake, Vice, Hunter, and Nick.

I knew what was coming. I knew they were going to kiss her. Or at least, they were going to try.

Like hell, they will touch my woman!

Cain asked if I would love and honor Cynthia. I said ‘I do’, then went back to worrying about how to stop the kissing. I perked up a bit as my bride said her ‘I do’ loud and clear.

“I now pronounce you man and wife,” he said, then winked. “You may kiss the bride,” he said, “if you are faster than those four!”

I cursed and grabbed for Cynthia, but it was too late. Hunter and Cain had my arms pulled behind my back. I saw Nick pull my startled bride into his arms and tilt her back, kissing her thoroughly.

I roared as Mac jumped out of the crowd and took over for Hunter while he laid a long, slow kiss on my woman. Thankfully, he didn’t try to slip her the tongue. I cursed a blue streak all the same. Drake gave me a saucy look and then pressed a quick, hard kiss on her lips.

When it was Vice’s turn, my stunned-looking bride held her hand up.

“What is going on?”

“It’s payback for past misdeeds. Plus, you are too pretty not to kiss,” Nick said in his easy drawl. He winked at me. “Consider it your last hurrah as a single woman.”

“But I am not single!” she said, stomping her cute little foot. But then she smiled. “Does he deserve it?”

They all nodded. Mac cleared his throat.

“He deserves it.”

Cynthia shrugged and puckered up, letting Vice give her a quick kiss. I had to say it was a lot more brotherly than Nick’s kiss had been. I shook them off and scooped up my bride, carrying her down the aisle and out of the church. I pulled her into a corner away from the crowds as they headed to the garden across the street for the reception.

“Did you enjoy that?” I growled.

“No.” But her eyes twinkled at me.

“Would you like it if I kissed another woman? Or four?”

“No,” she said fiercely. I relaxed a little bit. They hadn’t mauled her. She was mine. It was time to kiss the bride.