Repent (The Disciples 3)

“Because Meg Myers remade it.” Doug waves his hand, ignoring her last part as he takes back the champagne bottle.

I exhale as the limo pulls into a large parking lot. “Eve, did Edge say anything to Blade?” She’s texting away, a big smile on her face, which means she’s texting with Blade.

“Nope, but we’re gonna find out soon enough because we are here.” She scoots up to the end of the seat and looks out the window. The pink neon lights from outside enter the limo.

“Shit. This is happening.” My eyes are wide as I turn to Doug. He hands me the bottle. I take a quick guzzle, then look around.

“That’s a lot of Harleys,” Robert says from the front. It dawns on me that he has no idea he’s been driving around the wives of the most-feared and powerful 1 percent motorcycle club in the West.

“You ever hear of the Disciples?” Doug laughs as I elbow him.

Robert pulls the limo to the front of the white chapel and stops.

“What the hell?” I look out the window, and there must be a hundred or more Disciples partying in the parking lot. “Wait. Did you know everyone was coming?” I grab Eve’s hand before she can get out.

She looks back at me and says, “Head up, shoulders back.” The very same words I said to her years ago when she was being thrown into the lion’s den. I sit back as I let go of her hand.

Robert opens the door to the limo as Eve’s long, tan legs pour out. Blade walks over to get her, looking like he’s a movie star rather than a biker. If he wasn’t wearing his cut, you’d think he was going to walk the red carpet.

“I missed you,” he growls, pulling her into his arms as his eyes caress her face. For a second, I think I might be sick with jealousy.

Blade always looks at Eve as if he worships her. Sometimes it hurts to see them so happy. I used to feel guilty about it; now I acknowledge it. Eve and Jason have worked hard to get where they are and maybe that’s what I need to think about. Not everything comes easily. If it did, everyone would have it.

“This is surreal.” I blink at Charlie whose stomach looks as if it dropped in the last hour.

“Are you okay?” Shit, the last thing we need is Charlie going into labor. David would kill me. I lean over and help her scoot forward.

“I’m fine, just pregnant.” She sighs and her golden eyes meet mine. “I meant what I said earlier. Go get him, Dolly. He loves you… love him back.”

Before I can open my mouth to tell her that love is not my problem, David leans into the limo, his eyes instantly finding Charlie’s. She beams at him and her face softens.

I look down at my hands, then over at Doug so they can share a moment that some people never get. David reaches for her and gives me a quick glance. His silver eyes focus on me and he winks.

Doug and I remain in the back seat. And like a lunatic, I reach over and slam the limo’s door. For a desperate moment, I think about locking it.

Doug sighs and pinches the tip of his nose. “Baby Doll, what are you doing? We have to go.”

“I need a second. What if he doesn’t want me? What if he’s only doing this because…” I reach for his hand. Doug takes a breath and faces me.

“No one, and I mean no one can make that stubborn ass do anything he doesn’t want to do. Now I know you are feeling all kinds of shit…” His eyes stray out the dark window at someone and I roll my eyes.

“Doug. I’m fucking nervous. Focus.” I snap my fingers in his face.

He turns and smiles kissing the top of my head. “You got this.” He swings open the door, but before he steps out, he says, “Edge and Dolly, you can’t have one without the other.”

He gets out and starts laughing at something Robert says.

My heart is pounding. This is it. It’s not what I imagined, but this is fucking it. I straighten my shoulders, take a breath, and reach out for Doug’s hand. But instead of Doug’s long thin fingers, I grab hold of a tan, weathered hand with tattoos all the way down three fingers. I blink at this hand and the Disciples brand on the back that at one time was black and now is a faded green.

Holy shit… it’s my dad’s.EDGE

Thirty-one years old“She’s here.” Axel walks up to me. It’s times like this that I’m grateful I hired a photographer. The guy threw in his son’s videography services for free. I almost motion for the photographer to come over and take Axel’s picture if only to fuck with him.