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This time as we take turns, I don’t hold on to the bike. I hold on to him. Because despite him being my prison guard in a way, he managed to do something I didn’t think would happen.

He thawed enough of me to share. And sharing isn’t something I do lightly.

Or at all.

Chapter 8 - Atom

Two Months Later

Never seen so much frill in my life. But I’m not about to say shit. The mother of the bride is freaking nuts and connected to the Mafia. I’m sure if I mention anything that isn’t about how amazing this all is, I’ll be dead at the bottom of some lake by this time tomorrow.

“Fuck, there goes another one,” Flint mutters as we watch Bass grin ear to ear while he spins his bride around the dance floor.

Casper chuckles, as do I.

“You’re next,” I say, gauging Flint’s reaction out of the corner of my eye. His woman, Kitten, hasn’t been subtle in that department. With Peaches pregnant, Brooklyn getting a white wedding, and Law openly announcing that he and his new old lady, Babygirl, are trying to make their party of two into a three, she’s feeling a little left out. Or jealous. Or whatever it is girls feel when everyone else is doing the wedding and baby thing.

Flint goes bug-eyed and leans far enough back in his chair that he almost tips over till he rights himself with loud thud.

“Fuck that. Gator and Casper can go next.”

I shake my head even as I look around the room and make sure Natalie is still in the same place she sat once she arrived. She’s technically my plus-one, but considering everyone knows about her being here under protest, no one is throwing a fit that she sat at a table reserved for overflow guests. Which means she’s been sitting alone for most of the reception unless someone comes by to steal a chair to sit somewhere else.

“Gator already asked Troublemaker,” Casper supplies.

“And?” Flint asks with too much worry on his face. Which he needs to have since Troublemaker and his girl are best friends. If she gets a ring before Kitten, ten bucks says Flint will be sleeping outside for a week.

Casper shrugs as he sips on his bottleneck. “She turned him down. Again.”

I huff out a laugh and watch Flint’s shoulders drain of tension. “Thank fuck,” he mutters.

Common knowledge around here is that Gator is ready to tie Troublemaker to him permanently. He fell hard and fast for her before she even saw him as anything but a cougar chaser. Not that she was a cougar by any definition of the word, just slightly older than him. Not enough to turn heads in my book, but for her it’s a hang-up. Or it was till she realized he was the best thing that ever happened to her.

Which is why I don’t know why she tells him no every time he asks. Maybe it’s just because there’s no rush, and each time she does it, I still see them both smiling at each other after. Or maybe she just knows Kitten will demand a ring too and is taking pity on Flint.

“As for me and Billy, well, shit, you are kind of raining on my parade,” Casper says with a shake of his head as he looks down at the table.

“No shit?” Flint asks with his drink halfway to his mouth.

“No date set yet, but it’s on my mind.”

“Fuck. Think you can warn a guy?” Flint looks stricken again, as if he just found out his favorite dog died.

Casper laughs, stands, and pats Flint’s back. Hard. The guy hits the table from where he’s sitting in his chair. “Consider this it. I’m looking for a ring. Once I find it, I’m putting it on my girl’s finger.”

He walks away, knowing none of us will say shit to anyone. Being trusted to know something like this about the president is a big deal, and I smile internally that I have the trust of my boss.

“What about you, huh? Are you going to pop the question to Fairy?” Flint asks with a chin lift to Mad Max, who sips his juice box.

His girl has a thing for them, and he made sure there were enough at Bass’s wedding for the both of them.

“Fairy and I got married last month. Justice of the peace at the jail. Her uncle witnessed it.”

Flint’s jaw drops to the floor, and I barely pick mine up to say “Congrats.”

He gives us a chin lift and then leaves.

“It’s always the quiet ones,” I mumble as I watch him go to his woman.