Chapter Fifty-One
DREW
Husband and wife.
Those three words set me on fire.
When I pulled away from our kiss, I opened my eyes to take her in.
“Happy forever, darlin’,” I whispered.
“Forever,” she whispered, her smile so big she’d made herself some dimples. “Doesn’t sound long enough to me.”
Before we could say anything else, Slater was slapping me on the back, and Tate was reaching out for Ayda, the two of us holding hands as we turned and laughed along with our friends.
Ayda’s grip never loosened on my hand as she was passed between friends and family alike, unwilling to give up the physical connection between us for a second.
As we made our way down the aisle, the men reached out to congratulate us both, revving their bikes in celebration. I’d never felt such a natural high before. It was a buzz no amount of whiskey or drugs could ever provide. It was like winning the jackpot of life, and my prize was holding onto me with everything she had.
Before long, we’d reached the end of the aisle where Ericstood, tall and proud, an older version of me with his silver flecks running through his combed back hair, and his old cut on his shoulders. It was the smartest I’d ever seen him. The happiest, too.
“Congratulations,” he said, stepping in to kiss Ayda on the cheek. “Welcome to the Tucker family. I have a feeling you’re going to run this show better than either of us ever did.”
“Couldn’t be happier about being a part of the family,” she practically sang at him, squeezing my hand as she bounced on her toes, full of energy.
Eric turned to me and held his hand out. “I’m proud of you, son,” he said softly, and something about those words on that day made another part of that wall around my heart fall down. As much as I hated to do it, I broke from Ayda, stepping forward to my father and wrapping my arms around him to slap him on the back three times.
He’d done things for me when I thought I needed to hate him.
I knew he’d do them all again if he had to.
It took him a moment, but eventually, I felt the rise of his arms before he gripped me tightly and hugged me right back.
“Cheers, Dad,” I said so only he could hear. “Wouldn’t be the same without you here.”
“Give it a rest already.” He sniffed, clearing his throat and pushing me away.
My laughter was quiet as I stood back and reached for Ayda’s hand again.
Eric pretended to look over his shoulder at something before he rubbed his forearm over his eye.Those damn allergies,I thought with a smile on my face.
Deeks slipped through the crowd with a black box in his hands, breaking the emotional tension running between Eric and me. Deeks looked proud as he held it in his arms so Ayda could open it. He watched eagerly with the rest of The Houndsaround us as Ayda teared up all over again when she pulled out a small cut from the confines of it. She released my hand and held it up, staring at the patch on the back with TUCKER embroidered under it.
“Tradition,” Moose grunted with a nod of his head. “Old ladies get cuts.”
Ayda turned her glassy blue eyes on me and pulled the leather on over her dress with a smile.
“I like this tradition,” she said, picking up my hand. “What do you think?”
“I think you’re in danger of giving me a heart attack. Jesus, Ayda. Quit getting hotter.”
Her smile grew coy as she studied my face, her tongue darting out and brushing over her bottom lip suggestively. Running her hands down the leather that hugged the subtle curve of her waist, she let out a satisfied sigh. “You gonna take me for a ride?”
“Yeah, but not the kind of ride you had in mind,” I muttered, moving closer and grabbing her hips. “Is it time for bed yet?”
“That was exactly where my mind was,” she teased.
“All right, you two, enough of that,” Slater said, pushing through the crowd to come and peel us apart. I eyed him like I hated him, groaning as he looked at me like the smug bastard he was. “Sorry, pres, but rumor has it we have a little party to attend. I’m under strict orders from Autumn to keep your asses inline.”
