“He’s not wrong, Prez. Yak can…well…yak,” Wolf adds.
“You love me for it,” Yak sing-songs.
Wolf pushes him off the stool before taking it from him. “In your dreams.”
“Every single night,” Yak jokes before grabbing beers for everyone else.
I clear my throat. “I have news.”
“What is it?” Eagle asks.
“I married Rain yesterday evening,” I tell them, staring straight ahead, not willing to meet any eyes.
“Is this over the inheritance thing?” Wolf asks.
I nod.
“We will be married for at least two years. I expect the club to treat her as my wife. This might not be a traditional marriage, but she is my wife,” I tell them.
“Of course. We will have to bring it up in church and all that, but Rain was protected even before you married her. She has been part of this club her entire life. We would have never let anything happen to her, with or without her ties to you,” Panther explains.
“I know. She knows that too. Mustang even knew, but he didn’t think she would stay and accept the help from the club,” I confide in them.
“He thought she would run,” Wolf whispers.
I rub my hand down my face. “He thought she would leave all of this behind and never return, which is why it surprised me that she agreed to marry me. I don’t think it has to do with the house or the money, per se. I think it has to do with the fact that she would be losing it on someone else’s terms. Not her own.”
“Does it matter why she stayed?” Yak asks softly, as if he is taking something seriously for once.
“No, and had she left, I would have followed. I made a vow to Mustang on his deathbed that I would always take care of her. So whether she likes it or not, I would follow her. She wouldn’t have to know I was there, but I would take care of her. Even if she decides to leave at the end of this, I won’t break my vow.”
They all look at me solemnly. They know what that means. If she leaves, I’d be leaving the club behind.
“How are you doing with all of this? Mustang asked a lot of you. More than is fair, really,” Panther probes.
I shrug, unsure what to say.
He claps me on the shoulder.
“I know it’s hard to talk about your feelings when society says we are men and we shouldn’t have them, but it’s okay if you aren’t okay. We won’t think less of you if you are hurting from losing Mustang or if you are feeling any sort of way about marrying Rain. We are your brothers. We are here for you.”
I nod. “I know. I admit it’s hard knowing he’s gone. He was my moral compass. He helped steer me in the right direction. Now I’m navigating being married to Rain, and I don’t have him here to help me. I don’t know which way is the right way.”
Eagle chimes in, “Then you come to us, and we will help you figure it out. None of us is as old and wise as Mustang, but we are smart. Well, with the exception of Yak there.”
I laugh, grateful for his lightening the situation.
“Thanks. Right now, I’m taking it day by day. She’s with Aspen and Maggie. She’s supposed to move in today, but I’mletting her steer the ship right now. I don’t want to put any pressure on her,” I inform them.
“You are a good man. How about another drink and a round of darts? We can get your mind off things and help you unwind,” Wolf offers.
Looking around at my brothers, I feel nothing but relief. These men, who were once strangers, have been a blessing to me. As an angry teen, I thought I would have to spend my entire life relying on myself. I never realized that there would be a place for me to belong until this place.
Until Mustang.
“Yeah, let me kick your ass at darts,” I jest.
They all laugh as we head over to the dartboard, Yak trailing behind with a bucket of beers.
