“She’s dead,” Sadie says it like she was talking about the weather. Zero emotions.
“They killed her?” Everly whispers in shock. Her face has turned pale and her eyes are wide. She looks ready to puke or bolt—I’m not sure which.
Sadie scrunches her face in disgust. “Our guys might straddle the line of justice, but they would never harm a woman,” she snaps. “You clearly haven’t been paying enough attention if that’s what you think about them.”
Everly’s hands come up in surrender. “I meant no disrespect.”
“Mm-hmm.” Sadie’s not convinced.
“Look, I don’t know what Mason has told any of you about me or my life, but I have reasons to be skeptical about bikers and theirloyalty to brotherhood.” She practically spits the words. “My mother was a junkie. She sold herself to get her next fix. My sperm donor was a biker. One who kept my mother loaded on her drug of choice and shared her with anyone who paid enough until she got pregnant with me. Then he was nowhere to be found until she came up with enough money to pay for her next hit—diapers and food be damned. So, forgive me if I struggle to see a man in a leather cut as someone who truly gives a shit about something other than himself or his club.”
“Is that how you feel about Mason?” Sadie quips. “Because I’ve watched you two together. Seen the way he looks at you and how he dotes on Kaylie as if she were his to care for. You gonna tell me you think he’s a worthless piece of shit in a cut who’s only around to score pussy and sell drugs? Because the Kings aren’t one-percenters. They don’t allow drugs to come into our town. In fact, they put a stop to it years ago. They fight against people who want to use women and children for their sick personalgain. Are they completely on the up and up—well, mostly—but I will tell you, anyone who fucks with a brother or his club, his family, or his woman … they will meet a special brand of justice at the hand of the Kings. They may fuck around when they’re single, but when a King finds his forever, he locks her down and never lets her go. She is the queen to his King andeveryonewho comes in contact with the club will know it without a shadow of a doubt. In this family, loyalty is everything.”
I’m astounded at the fierceness radiating from Sadie. I’ve seen her upset, but she’s vibrating with anger and disappointment. The way she’s looking at Everly speaks volumes about her loyalty to her family and Hawk. I don’t know all the details, but I know the trouble they recently went through had something to do with Sadie and the shit her parents were involved in years ago. Both were KOF and both turned their backs on the club. But the club never turned its back on Sadie, and everything she’s just shared shows how much their love and loyalty has meant to her.
Everly looks properly chastised as she goes back to silently working on Avery’s hair. Needing to break the silence and the tension in the room, I bring the conversation back to myself.
“Listen, we’re getting off subject here,” I interject. “We have a wedding to finish getting ready for, and I have a dress situation to figure out.”
“Linzie, you’ll be fine if you don’t wear panties. No one is going to give two shits no matter what you choose. Just keep your legs crossed when you sit and angled under the table. I’m sure Gabe will appreciate the easy access later too.”
“Sadie Jay!” Jayde shouts, laughing. “Don’t be crass.”
“Like we don’t all already know what’s going on between them,” Sadie says. “That man has been a complete and total asshat and needs to get down on his knees and make shit rightbetween them—and by them, I mean your thighs—and I’m sure if he knew you weren’t wearing panties, he’d do just that.”
I feel heat creeping up my neck and onto my cheeks. “No onewill get easy access to anything I have to offer.Especially, Gabe.”
“Hold up,” Sadie calls. “I thought you and Gabe were going pretty hot and heavy the other day. I saw you come out of his room with just fucked hair.” Sadie arches a brow. “Am I wrong?”
“Sadie.” Jayde nudges. “Maybe Linzie isn’t the type to shag and blab. Let her be.”
I feel the heat creeping up my neck and into my cheeks. “It doesn’t matter what happened the other day. Things change.” I sigh.
“Oh, then you definitely have to do it. It’ll drive his ass insane. Let him watch you walking around all his unattached brothers with no panties on under that killer dress and remind him what he’s missing.”
“Sadie’s right,” Avery chimes in. “Nothing makes a man more decisive than seeing his woman traipsing around other men with all her goods on display.”
“I willnotbe putting all mygoodson display. I’m not one of those otherwomen?—”
“Whores,” Sadie, Jayde, and Avery all correct me at the same time. I wave my hand around, dismissing their outburst.
“Whatever. Let’s not go there again, please.” I huff, noticing how Everly shrinks into herself a bit. “The point is, I don’t dress like this, and it’s really a bit much for just being a guest at a wedding,” I say, waving my hand down the front of my body.
“Maybe you should dress like that more often,” Skyler says, walking into the room, joining the conversation. “You’ve definitely got the body for it. I see you at the gym at least three times a week working your ass off. You should take every opportunity you can to show off all your hard work.”
“Well, thank you, but no.”
“That’s the only dress we have that isn’t being used,” Avery adds. “But I mean if you want to wear your jeans and sweater that’ll be fine too, I suppose. However, you might look funny standing up in front of everyone wearing your jeans and sweater when the rest of us are wearing our dresses.”
“What?” I’m sure I heard her wrong. “Why would I be standing up in front with the rest of you?” Panic settles inside my chest. I haven’t stood up at a wedding since my own, and I am surely not planning on doing it now.
“Because Violet just ran for the bathroom and tossed her cookies again and Declan put his foot down about her being in the wedding. She can barely stand up as it is. There’s no way she’s going to make it through the entire ceremony like that,” Skyler explains. “Declan will need someone to walk the aisle with, and you fit the dress.” Her eyes shift to where Sadie and Jayde are sitting. They share a conspiratorial glance.
“I’m flattered, really, but Avery, this is your wedding day. You don’t want me standing up there. You want one of your friends or family up there with you. Someone younger,” I try.
“Jayde is taking over the role of coordinator since mine got stuck at home due to the snow. Sadie is already walking down the aisle with Hawk. Skyler will be with Ethan. And Declan will be on his own,” Avery rattles off. “Please. It will only take a few minutes for the ceremony and a few pictures. You can even swap out Violet for those if you want, but I don’t want my wedding party to be lopsided, and Jake really wants his brothers at his side.”
She is laying this on thick, and as much as I want to say no, I also don’t want to be the person who messed up her wedding or made it look unbalanced. Still, I can’t help feeling like there’s something else at play here.
