Yeah fucking right.
Nobody in their right mind would've called the shit Ell-Bell and I had 'good.' I'd treated her like a dog 'til the night we kissed. Yeah, I'd taken a break from the teasing one long evening to help her fix her bike when I was sixteen, but she must've thought I was the biggest prick outside her old man's charter, and fuck if she wasn't right.
'Course, I could afford those mistakes when I was young and stupid. Now? Prez was sending me into a viper's nest. There wasn't any crawling away without someone getting bit.
Roman turned to Blackjack, his huge arms folded. “What happens if he goes up there and finds out Gil's been fucking with the Chinese like we thought?”
“Then we'll fuck Tacoma hard. We've seen it all by now, boys. Brothers' blood spilled on the ground. The worst the cartel had to offer. Half of you've pulled the girls you're with straight out of hell. One rogue charter isn't gonna break us – so long as we get them into line before they go completely off the chain.”
The Prez locked eyes with me. Slowly, I nodded.
Every man at this table understood. My mind was going crazy thinking about dealing with Elle again, making her my no shit, white dress and bitch heels bride.
But I wasn't marrying her because I had butterflies flapping in my heart.
We weren't getting hitched because I still had a hard-on to fuck her 'til she screamed my name, tore my skin, went outta her mind beneath me. No, no, fuck no.
This was all about the club, and I never let the patch down.
Had to tell myself that shit. Had to believe it. Had to get this over with.
“No questions?” Blackjack growled, waiting for a few tense seconds.
Silence.
The petrified bear claw smacked the table hard. “Meeting adjourned. Now, go get this poor bastard drunk while I tell Gil exactly how it's going down tomorrow.”
“A married man! Holy fucking shit.” Brass slid a fresh bottle of Jack into my hands and slapped me on the back. “Rabid's right. I would've bet my right nut we would've been next after Roman.”
“Good fucking thing you didn't. You'd be half a man right now if you'd put that shit on the table.” I ripped off the cap and took a long swig.
Pure amber fire washed down my throat. Hellfire blazed in my guts, churning away with their usual mix of anger, piss, lust.
My cock wouldn't stay down every time I thought about Elle Jo. I hadn't even seen the chick for four years. Not since I'd blown Tacoma with my shoulder wrapped in gauze.
The ache her asshole dad left behind still hit me sometimes in the heat of battle, or when the winters were rough. Flesh and bone remembered what the brain wanted to forget with crystal-fucking-clarity.
“That's it, brother. Drink up.” Roman's gorilla-sized hand squeezed my arm. “We've all had our differences here, you and me, but this is something for the club to celebrate. Family always is.”
“Oh, fuck.” I rolled my eyes. “Come on, guys. It's not like this bitch means shit to me. I'm taking one for the club. Probably won't even fuck her.”
My dick wanted to bust out and choke me when I lied.
Brass grinned. “That doesn't sound like the Asphalt I know.”
“Don't tell me. You're gonna keep getting your dick wet in sluts while she's wearing your brand?” Roman's eyebrows furrowed, disapproving as all hell.
“Not your fucking business, brother. None of you.” Goddamn I needed another swig of liquid courage, and I took a big one. “You're all acting like you've never heard of a marriage of convenience. You know me. I don't settle for that shit, and I'm sure as hell not gonna be a married man. She won't tame me. No woman ever will.”
Rabid stood up, polishing off his beer, and almost spat the shit out when he started laughing. “Good one, brother. You oughta know by now it's a bunch of bullshit. Just look how many boys here have fallen head over heels. If this Elle isn't the one for you, somebody else will be.”
“I can see it now...” Brass smiled. “Asphalt and Roman's kids making play dates. Swapping recipes with their old ladies. Keep that shit up, and the Prez'll have to patch in some new prospects just so he's got guys ready to ride at all hours.”
“Fuck you,” Roman growled. “I'm still doing everything an Enforcer should, and you know it. Raising my boy and loving my wife hasn't changed one lick of that shit. Never will.”
“Easy, big guy. You know I'm just fucking around. All for our soon-to-be-ex bachelor's sake.”
“Whatever, VP,” I said, taking another long pull of whiskey.
Fire surrounded my brain, turning the world to a delicious red. Only thing I loved more than being toasty in booze was being balls deep inside some hot, tight pussy.
My dick pounded, hard as a fucking brick, whenever I thought about Elle's. No, I wouldn't force her to fuck me, bride or not. Shit wouldn't be right.