Zero Hour (Lost Kings MC 11.5)

Soon.

Like right now. Because having Lilly bent over in front of me while she stretches across the front seat to grab her tiny plastic bag seriously tests my restraint. It’s a battle with my inner horndog not to fit my hands over her perfectly curved hips, yank her pants down and slam into her.

I’m hard just picturing it.

She backs out of the car, bumping right into my groin, and pure instinct makes me put my hands on her hips. “Sorry,” she says, straightening up.

My hands stay where they are. I close the car door and this time press her front to the car, fitting myself against her back. Lifting her thick, heavy hair up, I push it over one shoulder. My lips find her neck and my hips grind against her ass—just enough to tease her.

“Z, what are you doing?” She can barely get the words out.

“Preview of what’s going down later.”

“Oh, really?” she says in her teasing way. “I thought weddings were great for meeting chicks.”

Slowly, I inch back and turn her to face me. “You’re the only chick I want. And we’ve already met. Several times.”

She snorts, and I fit my fingers under her chin, lifting her head so she meets my eyes. “I’m not feeding you bullshit, Lilly.”

Doesn’t she get it by now?

“What if I wasn’t in the wedding party?”

“Then you would’ve been my plus one.”

She drops a little bit of her prickly wall, and leans into me, brushing a soft kiss on my cheek. Before she pulls away, I lift my hands to either side of her head, holding her still so I can kiss her deeper, really taking my time to remind her of all the ways our bodies fit perfectly together.

A soft moan flows out of her mouth and into mine and her hands go to my waistband, yanking me closer.

“Something to think about,” I say when we part.

“I’ll be thinking about it,” she whispers.

Instead of pushing her into the woods, tearing off her clothes, and fucking her up against a tree, I take Lilly’s hand and lead her up the driveway.

There’s a wedding to get ready for.

Inside the clubhouse, I reluctantly let go of Lilly’s hand. After yanking her to me for one last kiss. “See you in a bit.”

Her cheeks turn a bit pink, which is cute on Lilly. Few things embarrass her.

Like a lovesick pup, I watch her until she stops at Trinity’s door.

Sparky and Stash are hanging out in the living room rolling joints. “Party favors,” Sparky says, then falls over into a fit of giggles.

“Good to see you’re ready for the wedding,” I bite out. They ignore my sarcasm and keep rolling.

“Idiots,” I mutter.

“I heard that,” Sparky yells as I run up the stairs. Ignoring the stoner twins, I stride down the hallway and knock on Rock’s door. Well, after tonight it won’t be his room anymore. He and Hope are finally moving into their house. If I were sentimental, I might have some words about that.

Okay, I’m a little sentimental. It’s the end of an era.

Am I jealous?

Maybe.

Rock’s standing in front of his dresser fixing the knot in his tie. I flick my gaze at Wrath, positive it’s killing him not to poke fun at our best friend for the suit and tie. His mouth turns up in a grin. Twenty bucks says he’s already ribbed Rock about the suit.

“Ready?” I ask Rock.

“Fuck yes.” His eyes meet mine, and I sense the briefest hesitation in them. “She’s still here, right?”

“Oh, Christ,” Wrath mutters. “Cinderella isn’t going anywhere.”

“Nah, I made sure I locked the front gate after me,” I add helpfully.

“Thanks, asshole,” Rock growls.

Satisfied or fed up with the tie, Rock drops his hands and turns away from the mirror. “What’d Loco want?”

“Oh.” Yeah, meeting up with Lilly had wiped my brain clean of the whole reason I went out in the first place. I yank an envelope out of my pocket and hand it to Rock. “Wedding present. I think he was insulted he didn’t get an invite.”

“For fuck’s sake,” he curses under his breath, grabbing the envelope and setting it on the dresser without opening it. “With the crews we have coming in, that’s all we would have needed.”

Imagining that scenario makes me laugh and Rock glares at me. “What? Come on, that’d be some funny shit.”

“More like Loco would be trying to make deals with everyone behind our backs,” Wrath says.

Rock doesn’t even turn around. “Exactly.”

“He’s already got something set up with Sway.”

“Yeah, can you imagine him trying to work a deal with Stump?” Wrath’s mouth curls into a smirk. “That old bastard would probably shoot Loco.” He chuckles as if he’s reconsidering inviting Loco up.

“I don’t want anything going wrong today.” Rock’s so damn tense. When he’s not looking, I make a what the fuck face at Wrath.

“Hope imposed a no sex before the wedding thing on him,” Wrath explains.

Rock glares at him. “Shut up.”

Well, that explains it. I take a more serious look at my best friend. I’ve known Rock since we were teenagers. Was there for his first shitshow of a marriage.

“You did good, Prez. She’s a keeper,” I say to reassure him. Just in case.

He responds with a brief smile. “Don’t I know it.”

The three of us have been friends for a long damn time. Before the club. And we love to joke around, razz each other, and generally act like obnoxious fucks. But Rock turns to both of us with a serious expression. “Thank you for everything. I know I’m throwing a lot on both of you today—”

Wrath isn’t one for all the feel-good shit. “Anything you need. You know that, brother.”

Rock’s phone buzzes. Thank fuck. For a second I thought we were all going to kick back and pluck our eyebrows together.

“Shit,” Rock grumbles, looking at his phone. “It’s Damon. Can you go meet them down the road and show them the way here?”

Eager to get out of here, I’m saying yes before he even finishes the sentence. Wrath stands to join me, but I stop him. “I got it, bro.”

He flips me off. Happy to have something useful to do, I hustle out the door.

* * *

Lilly

“I’m back,” I call out as I enter Trinity’s room waving the bottle of topcoat in the air.

“Thank God,” Trinity says, rushing over to take the bottle out of my hand.

No one asks why I took so damn long. Good thing, because I’m too busy reliving my moments with Z. He seemed different somehow today. Do guys get fluttery romantic feelings at weddings the way some women do?

Guys like Z? Doubt it.

I certainly don’t.

I’m thrilled for Hope, but I’m not standing here mentally picking out flowers and designing a wedding dress.

While Trinity paints Hope’s nails, I duck into the bathroom to slip into my bridesmaid dress. Hope’s been a fun, un-fussy bride. She let us pick out whatever we wanted, didn’t expect elaborate parties, or any other bridezilla nonsense. The wedding really is about the two of them and their love for each other. Even someone as jaded as I am finds it sweet.

Once I’ve secured my boobs and zipped my dress, I step out in time to watch Trinity fix Hope’s hair.

We indulge in a lot of pre-wedding banter until it’s time for Z to come collect us.

Other than trading in his jeans for a pair of gray cargo pants, he looks the same as always.

“You didn’t dress up for the wedding?” I tease as I follow the girls outside.

“Sure I did.” He grins, pointing to his pants and flashing dimples.

Z’s drives Hope, Trinity and me to the wedding site. Heidi’s with Murphy. Teller gets Mara. When Hope first explained the wedding was happening at the clubhouse, I thought she was nuts. But as we maneuver through the woods in the UTV,

I understand why. It’s beautiful.

I can’t imagine the trouble Trinity must have gone to setting this up. Guilt simmers over me for not being a better bridesmaid.

We park and Z helps Hope out. She and Rock meet and, well, they’re in their own little world. Wrath meets Trinity and asks where Heidi and Murphy are. Somehow we lost them along the way.

Z walks up and offers me his hand. “Hey, pretty girl.” His low, smooth voice does all sort of inappropriate things to my insides.

My voice fails me, and I realize I’m staring at him like an idiot. Finally, I reach out and take his hand, and a jolt of awareness heats my body.

He sort of dips his head, almost like a shy gesture. Z’s anything but shy, so I’m intrigued. “You’re…that color’s beautiful on you. You look amazing.”

His words come out so serious that again, I’m at a loss for words.

“Were you guys drinking this morning?” he asks as we join the others.

“No. Why?”

“You seem off.” He leans in close to whisper in my ear, “And because I need you fully sober for all the things I plan to do to you when this is over.”

Our eyes meet and he winks.

He takes his place across the aisle from me, leaning over to say something in Wrath’s ear. The big blond chuckles softly and nods.

* * *

Zero

“Twenty dollars says they’re fucking before this thing’s over,” I say to Wrath in a low voice when I join him on Rock’s side of the aisle.

He shakes with laughter and nods, but doesn’t respond. He’s too fixated on Trinity. Probably thinking about what kind of wedding she’ll arrange for them.

My gaze drifts to Lilly. Fuck, she ripped the air right out of my lungs when I saw her this morning. She’s prickly, though. Probably have to trick her into marrying me.

The ceremony’s over quick. Boxes of butterflies are passed around, and everyone releases them into the air.

I’ve really had my fill of all this girly shit. But based on what I’ve seen some of my cousins go through with their wives, I suppose it could have been a lot worse. Rock’s a lucky bastard.