Page 88 of The Riders’ Reign

Jack laughs. “So? I’m their president, and I have always done right by them, kept them safe, given them a place to call home. I’m not going to be judged for finally finding some damned happiness.”

I consider his words and realize he’s right.

“Hey, beaaatch!” The shouted, jokey insult has me turning around so fast I give myself whiplash.

“Oh, my God, Zee!” I rush to my friend, Mackenzie, and throw my arms around her.

She’s got Kirill with her, who nods to Ace, but also Tino, and oh crap, Dom’s here, too. He can be a moody one, in my opinion.

“What are you doing here?” I ask. “Not that I’m not glad to see you.”

“Vani brought us. Said there was a big party at the compound and invited us. She asked Ophelia and those freaks she’s with, but you know what they’re like. Not Ophelia, I mean, but the guys. They’d probably turn to dust if they had fun.”

She’s referring to the three men known as the Preachers. And while they are strange, and pretty scary, they really do seem to care for our friend.

I giggle and smack her arm. “Don’t be terrible.” I look around for Vani, and spot a tall, massively built guy, and know she won’t be far behind. Zane is her silent protector. He can’t talk, but he’s terrifying. His charisma and presence are even more intimidating than his size.

Vani breaks through the crowd and rushes up to her dad, giving him a hug. Then she turns to me and envelops me in her warm embrace.

The twins, Lex and Saint, are standing on either side of her, while Zane takes up position a little way back as if assessing for threats. Saint is wearing the most over the top, black and gold silk shirt I’ve ever seen. I think it’s Versace. Even though he sticks out among all the far more casually dressed bikers, I have to admit he looks good.

All around us, people are drinking and laughing. A few are dancing, and in far corners of the set-up, couples make out.

Someone turns the music up, and a song I don’t know fills the air. It’s heavy rock of some sort, and I try to tune it out as Vani shouts over it, telling me how she’s going to try to come visit more often.

We chat a little, and while it might not be completely back to normal between us, things feel so much better. There’s a lull in the conversation, and Saint wanders off with Dom to fetch drinks for the group.

A familiar guitar chord fills the air, and I smile. I know this one. The drumbeat blasts in next, and Kirill whoops, starting to headbang along with the beat. When the opening chorus of Guns and Roses, Paradise City, kicks in, Kirill starts dancing, and I have to admire just how good he is.

If he wasn’t in the Russian mafia, he could have been a professional dancer with a bit of training.

“Are you ogling Magic Mike over there?” Ace grumbles.

I laugh. “God, no. He’s not my type. But he is a good dancer.”

“So am I.” Ace winks. “Come on. Dance with me.”

I don’t think I know how to dance to this sort of music. Pop is more my thing, but I follow him to the patch of grass where people are gathering to throw themselves around with gusto.

We dance for a couple of songs, with some of the others watching from the sidelines. I spy Rook heading back to chat with Jack, and I want to go congratulate him. So I gesture for Ace to come with me and leave Kirill and Tino dancing with the bikers.

Before I can reach Rook, Lex leaves his little group and approaches me. “Camile, I have some news on the private plane arranged to collect your mother and brother. It will be landing at a small airfield near to their location in forty-eight hours. Do you think you can arrange for them to be there?”

I nod eagerly. “I can, for sure. Thank you so much for doing this, Lex. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it.”

“Well, Vani didn’t exactly give us much of a choice, and if Vani wants something, she’s going to get it. She still feels terrible about how she treated you, and she’s doing her best to make it up to you. I hope you can see that and bring yourself to forgive her.”

“There’s nothing to forgive,” I tell him.

I mean it, too. Yes, it was awful when we were fighting, but I can see how sorry she is. It’s just taken her a little time to come to terms with things, and I completely understand that. All I care about is that things are good between us now. That she’s going this extra step to make sure I’m happy means the world to me.

He shrugs. “Besides, we know Jack has a stake in this, too, and we can’t risk pissing off the father-in-law.”

“Whatever your reasons are, I can’t thank you enough.”

The thought of seeing my family again causes my eyes to well with tears, and a lump constricts my throat. I’d genuinely believed at one point that I’d never see them again. When they’re safely back in the States, we can finally grieve my father, however complicated that might be, emotionally. I’m not sure what lies ahead, as far as the family business is concerned, but I discover I don’t really care. As long as we’re all safe, that’s all that matters.

“Come on, let’s go and get a drink,” Vani says, appearing from where she’s been dancing.