Mae broke from my neck. She brought herself higher so her face looked down on mine. “I know,” she said softly. “But . . . but I cannot regret it. I love my sister, Styx. She deserves to be as happy as Lilah and Maddie.” Mae ran her finger down my face. Her eyes filled with that fucking look she only wore when she looked at me, and it just about destroyed me. “She deserves to be as blissfully happy as I am with you.”
Mae took my hand from her waist and moved it over her stomach. “I saw how lost she was when she saw Maddie, Lilah and me, happy in our freedom. Then I saw how she was with Rider . . . and how he was with her.” My nose flared as she mentioned that dick.
“I know he has done wrong. But I also agree with Bella. Rider has done nothing but try to make amends for his role in this mess, ever since he realized it was all false. More than his role, his brother’s and uncle’s too. We need to let it be. I will not see Bella hurt by my husband’s hand. I . . . ” Tears built in her eyes. “I could not cope with being the reason for her pain. She has suffered enough. Rider has suffered enough. Just . . . stop.”
“M-Mae,” I groaned and shook my head. “I-I c-can’t.”
“You can,” she said. “It is quite simple really. You just forgive him and move on.”
I raised my eyebrow and almost fucking cracked when she laughed at my silence. She was so fucking beautiful, the most stunning bitch there ever was. As if she’d read my mind, she kissed my lips and said, “I love you too.”
She sobered up. “Styx?” I flicked my chin. Mae sighed. “I am done with all the blood and pain. A miracle was awarded to us when Bella came home. The commune is done. There is no more hurt. So forgive Rider. He is Bella’s husband. She loves him . . . just let it go. Allow them to live in the happiness they have found.”
When I didn’t say shit in response, Mae asked, “Will you consider it? For me, please?”
To answer her question, I rolled her over until her back was flat against the couch. Mae cried out in surprise, but then her wolf eyes grew heavy and her hands ran through my hair. Reaching down, I pulled my cock from my leathers and hitched up her dress.
I didn’t wanna think about Rider. I wanted to forget about tonight, period. Right now I just wanted to sink my cock in Mae’s wet pussy and make my bitch scream.
So I did. Over and over a-fucking-gain
*****
Two days later . . .
I entered church last, dropping to my seat at the head of the table. I hadn’t seen my brothers in two days. I’d had a fucking lot of thinking to do.
Each of my brothers was staring at me. When my eyes fell on Vike, his face was blank.For once, my fucking heart pounded. For once I felt real fucking fear at what I was about to say. But, fuck, it was what was gonna happen. I’d take the fallout, whatever the fuck it might be.
I lifted my hands. “Rider ain’t gonna die.” As Ky said the words aloud, I felt the tension rise in the room. “Y’all can think what the fuck you want of me, I don’t give two shits, but he’s with Bella now, and that bitch is family. I ain’t gonna fuck with my family.” I took a breath. “I got things the turncoat rat needs to stick to, or I will take him out. But he ain’t gonna die today.” Moving forward in my seat, I shucked off my cut and slammed it on the table. I met each of my brothers’ faces and signed, “You want me to step down as prez, just say the fuckin’ word. This is my club, my fuckin’ life. But I ain’t gonna move on this decision. Just say the word and I’ll hand the reins to Ky.” I took my knife from my pocket and held it over my ‘Prez’ patch.
I saw Ky shaking his head. But this wasn’t his call. If the brothers had lost faith in me, they needed to open their fucking mouths and say so.
“Fuck no,” someone suddenly said. Flame was sitting forward, glaring at my knife. “I ain’t killin’ him either. I ain’t hurtin’ Maddie. You’re the fuckin’ prez. You’re stayin’ the fuckin’ prez.”
I nodded at Flame. AK leaned back in his seat. “You ain’t goin’ nowhere, Styx. Fuck the rat. I ain’t even gonna think of him no more. There’ll be plenty more cunts like him comin’ our way. I’ll just save my rage for them.”
More heads nodded. “You’re the fuckin’ prez, Styx,” Tank said. “Ain’t gonna lose you because of this shit. That fucker ain’t worth it. You’ve led us this far. You ain’t gonna jeopardize the club. I’m with ya.”
Bull and Tanner nodded in agreement.
“I don’t even know the prick,” Cowboy drawled. “Ain’t no skin off my nose. But yeah, you keep that patch on that cut. We only came here from bein’ nomads because of you. You’re not fuckin’ steppin’ down now over some psycho prophet.” Hush flicked his chin at me in agreement.
Smiler, more mute than me, sat at the back. He tipped his head toward me. He was never gonna disagree with my call.
I met Viking’s eyes. “That fucker needs to die. But no fucker wants to lose you as prez.” The redhead shrugged. “As long as I don’t gotta see his face again, do what the fuck you want. But you and that gavel ain’t goin’ nowhere.” He smiled. “And I like pissin’ you off too much to see you step down.”
“And you know I’ve got your back,” Ky added. I dropped the knife. Ky turned to the brothers. “All in agreement that the fucker is left alone?”
A chorus of “Ayes,” came sailing my way. Viking slammed his hands on the table. “Now get that cut back on, Styx and stop bein’ so fuckin’ melodramatic. Shit! Between you, your bitches and Cowboy forever bein’ all open with his hippie feelins, I’m gonna grow a fuckin’ vagina! And that’d be a shame because my dick is a fuckin’ modern marvel. The anaconda is too precious to lose.”
AK rolled his eyes.
Cowboy flipped Vike the finger.
And just like that, my brothers were back at my side.
I put away my knife, threw on my cut, and slammed the gavel down to the table.
Church done.
I pounded out of the door and down the hallway. I slammed open Smiler’s door. A shocked gasp met my entrance. Bella and Rider were lying in bed—the prick was in a bad fucking way. Bella hadn’t left his side since the barn. Mae told me Bella didn’t ever leave in case we took that opportunity to get at her man. Even now Bella jumped off the bed and prepared herself to fight. I didn’t know what the fuck she was thinking, acting like she could take me. But she impressed me. Bella was one fucking feisty bitch.