“Could you get your girlfriend before she punches my husband?” I mutter. My eyes meet Damien’s and he smirks, shoving through my brothers to get to me. He puts his hand behind my neck and brings me forward for a kiss.
When he takes his lips away he whispers, “You always come with drama.” I hear Storm chuckle beside us. I face him and he winks before he turns his head back towards the stage. Lola plays the drums like a fucking demon. Every once in a while Chutney can get her to play with the band.
Damien turns around to face my brothers and puts his arm around my shoulders. “Introduce me.”
“Channing is the tall one with black hair, his girlfriend is the redhead, Paisley. Court is in the middle and the brunette is his wife, Rachel. The last one is Van and he comes single, thank God.” I point at each member before I wrap my arms around Damien’s waist and look up at him. “Guys, this is my husband, Damien “Rage” Daniels.”
No one sticks out a hand to shake and I roll my eyes. “Excuse me if I don’t want to shake his hand. He did kind of steal you from Victor,” Court states with menace.
I break away from Damien to go head to head with my brothers. I feel him though, right behind me. Then I feel another person and turn my head to see Storm before I say my peace. “He didn’t steal me from anyone. I broke up with Victor before I ever even touched Damien. I’m not a cheater. I don’t understand why everyone is all of a sudden team Victor after all the shit he put me through.”
Van grunts and steps closer to me. “Victor loved you. He spent half his life with you and you just step over him to get what you want.”
I take a deep breath before I decide to punch Van in the face. “Look you little shit, Victor was more worried about protecting his BFF than he was about me. Do you know how many times I had to sit at home, alone, because he was out with Talon? Victor even followed him to Iraq.” I point my finger over my shoulder at Damien. “Damien puts me first. He doesn’t leave me behind just to hang out with his buddies. I’ve made friends here, something I couldn’t ever do out in the real world. Just let me be happy and shut the fuck up!” I shout, getting more and more angry by the second. They don’t know what I’ve been through.
“You aren’t happy! You’re in a fucking biker bar for crying out loud! You should be at home, having Victor’s babies and enjoying being with a decent man!” Van bellows so loud the music stops and everyone turns to look at us.
Fucking great.
I reach up and slap him as hard as I can. “Victor put all of our lives in danger this week. He and Talon went and took down one of the mob’s whorehouses. So the mob took Victor and almost killed him.” I lean in as far as I can since Damien is holding me back. “He’s the reason I’m here right now. The mob is after me now because Victor didn’t think about anyone but himself. You remember that the next time you’re around him. You remember that and then you pick a fucking side. You’re either with me or you’re against me. And I hope you’re with me because I love each and every one of you with all my heart but I won’t tolerate this bullshit. Y’all aren’t my parents; you’re my younger brothers. You have no business to say anything about my life.” I take a deep breath and square my shoulders. “Also, since it’s sharing time, I can’t have children.”
Rachel and Paisley both gasp. My brothers just look at me like I’ve grown a new head. After a while Rachel steps through my brothers and holds out her hand to Damien. “I’m Rachel Pierce. It’s so great to meet you.” She gives him a dazzling smile and he shakes her hand. “Oh and I love what you’ve done with Ashley. She was boring before. I haven’t seen anyone put these three in their places like that.” Then she throws her arms around my shoulders. “I’ll carry eight babies for you, Ash. I swear to God I will. You deserve to be happy and I know you want kids. I see how you look at Asher,” she whispers in my ear.
Tears prick at my eyes but I don’t let them fall. That would make me look like a sissy right now. I have to look badass for that smack down I just delivered. “Thank you,” I tell her, shoving my face in her neck.
When we break apart I have three brothers looking at me with sheepish eyes. “I’m sorry, Ash. We’ll stay out of it from now on,” Court tells me as he leans down to scoop me up into a hug. “But you should have told us all that shit. I certainly wouldn’t have been at the hospital with Victor.”
“I was protecting you, dumbass. There are things better kept to myself.” I hold him close to me and breathe in his scent. His cologne tickles my nose and I smile. Some things will never get old and one of those is having my arms wrapped around my brothers. They are all older now; they don’t allow hugs from their sister anymore.