“Me too.”
“You did good, Blaze. Go. Take your ol’ lady. Enjoy yourselves. You’ve earned it.”
As soon as we leave Storm’s office, I hear a squeal. It’s Ava.
“Letty!”
That fast, I’m forgotten.
“Ava!”
The girls run toward one another and collide in the middle of the bar. They hug, cry, and cling to one another. I don’t know how they comprehend anything either of them says, because they talk over one another so fast. Words spill from their lips like it’s their own language.
It’s cute as fuck.
I take a seat at the bar. Bear drops into the chair on my right, Bullseye on my left. “Boys,” I greet them, accepting the beer placed in front of me.
“Your bike is in the lot. Prospect brought it back.”
“Thanks, cuz.”
Bear grips my shoulder, turning my body to face him. He looks emotional. It’s unusual for him to let his feelings be sotransparent. “Fucking proud of you, Blaze. Of both of you.” He glances at Bullseye. “Shit came down on the club, and you both handled it.” He reaches for his beer and lifts it. “To Blaze, his ol’ lady, and Bullseye!”
Cheers echo around us as glasses and bottles are raised.
I pop off the top of my beer and chug half of it before wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. It tastes good. But then, victory always does.
I finish my beer and grab another, turning to face the rest of the bar. That’s when I see Ryker. The kid looks good with a patch on his back. He’s only a few years younger than me, but it feels like more. Maybe it’s because I feel like an older brother to him, something I never felt with Liam or Theo.
I feel a twinge of sadness, but it’s quickly gone. They both got what they deserved. It’s no loss.
Ryker slips his arm around Ava. She’s an ol’ lady, but Letty doesn’t know that until now. I can see her joy, knowing that her best friend is living the same life, and they’ll bond over having biker husbands. Ryker proposed to Ava last fall.
It feels right. Being back here in the Grid Iron. Letty as my ol’ lady. The past finished, buried, and behind me.
Storm joins us. “I think the clubhouse needs a coat of fresh paint and new furniture.”
“An upgrade,” Bear agrees.
“I like it,” I add. We could use a new look around here. Something that shows we’ve overcome the past.
Smoke picks up his drink and joins us, leaving the pool table where he just beat Zoo. “We should party, Pres. Throw the biggest one you ever saw. Invite other clubs and our allies.”
Storm nods. “Sure.”
Letty spots me watching her and smiles. She hugs Ava and then leaves her with Ryker. The sway of her hips hypnotizes me as she saunters my way.
There are a lot of pretty women who hang around the Grid Iron. I don’t think any of them is as beautiful as Letty.
When she reaches me, I grasp her hips and tug her between my knees. I don’t plan to leave the stool for a few minutes, but I need to touch her. There’s this caveman need to pound on my chest and declare to the whole bar that she’s mine.
Of course, they all know.
Her hands wind around my neck, and she lowers her head to whisper in my ear. “Still have the black mask?”
Oh, yeah. I’m keeping that balaclava. We’ve got a lot more games left to play before I think of getting rid of it.
“Yeah, baby.”
