Chapter 29

29

Acid – Two Days Later

“There are two thousand rounds of bullets, a hundred shotguns, thirty pistols, ten revolvers, two submachine guns, and three hundred and forty different types of rifles ranging from sniper, assault, and marksmen,” I say as I read off my notes. “Harry and Webster will take the van to the docks with Anchor, Pitbull, and Buzz. I’ve mapped out the route for you, but instead of meeting the Rebels in Wincher, they’ve agreed to meet on the border of New York to mix things up.” I look at Steal and say, “Apparently, they’ve got a mole.”

His eyes darken, but he nods as Anchor asks, “You’re not coming on this one?”

I shake my head and say, “No. I kept up with the drop-offs and the docks while I was in Mexico, but I’m still not back full-time just yet. I’m still doing my therapy, and Perrie has agreed to see someone as well.”

The brothers all bang on the table, and I smile a little.

“Alright, so you shouldn’t be gone for more than a day, depending on traffic, but I have cold run the routes, so they’re mainly country roads, keeping off police radar,” I report.

Piston speaks up, “After this drop, we’re looking at $250,000 profit. It’s the biggest drop we’ve done so far.”

The brothers bang the table again, and I chuckle.

Steal bangs the gavel, then looks my way. Concern etches in his gray eyes, and I sigh. “I’m alright.”

He nods once. “But you’re back two weeks early and, don’t get me wrong, we’re all fucking happy to have you back,” the brothers all nod in agreement, “but two weeks early, Acid.”

I smile at him and admit, “As I said on the phone, Prez, the therapist insisted I return as an outpatient. I needed Perrie, plain and simple, and Canine needed me, his family, to rally around him after Aunt Holly passed. I wouldn’t have been able to stay away. Besides, the more I opened up, the more I pictured Perrie in my nightmares. After a long discussion with the therapist because, like you, I was concerned, he helped me realize that being here with her will help me heal, and honestly, the last three nights have been the best nights’ sleep I’ve had in years, and you want to know why?”

Anchor speaks up, “Because Perrie was in your arms.”

I nod. “Exactly.” I sit forward. “I had a session yesterday, and I didn’t wake up sweating or screaming, and I didn’t want to vomit. So, when I tell you I’m alright, I am. I’m just not ready to ride out for a day and be away from Perrie yet. It’ll set me back, fuck, it will set her back; we’re both finally healing together, and she hasn’t even gone to The Fight.”

Steal nods. “But as soon as you feel like you’re struggling….”

I smile. “I’ll let you know straight away, I promise.” He nods again. I look around the table, all the brothers looking at me with pride, making my chest tighten before I say, “I want a vote….”

They all tense up, but Piston grins wide and points at me. “You’re making her your old lady, aren’t you?”

Everyone looks at me expectantly, and I grin wide before grabbing the ring out of my cut. I place the white gold band with a rose-shaped diamond on top of the table, and every brother starts banging on the table in unison, shouting “Aye!” before Steal even asks, making me chuckle.

I look at Steal, whose grin is fucking wide as he grabs something from behind him and chucks the box on the table, stating, “I had this ordered when you patched in. She was always yours, Acid.”

Emotions fill me as each brother takes the box, sliding it my way. When it is in front of me, I take the lid off before ‘Property of’ at the top reaches my eyes. I take the leather out. The sword in the tree takes up the back, and underneath, “Acid” is in bold. I turn it over to see “Tinker” on the left breast, and The Huntsmen MC on the right. I squeeze the cut in my palms and whisper, “Thank you.”

“Go and fucking claim your woman, Acid, and get her ass on club land,” Cannon states loudly.

I look up, grinning as I admit, “I moved her in yesterday while she was at work.”

The brothers all laugh as Steal bangs the gavel on the table, ending the meeting, and I quickly grab the ring, put it in my cut, and stand.

“Brothers,” I say loudly before they all leave. They look my way, and I announce, “If she says yes, I’m not waiting months for her to plan a wedding. I’ll be marrying her next week at Halliwell’s gym.” They all grin. “Cass and Nat can help, and if I have it my way, I’ll be bringing in a vote to invest in the gym. It seems my girl has been doing the place up all these years and doesn’t know what to do with it. She dropped out of college to ensure it was perfect.”

Steal nods, grinning wide as the brothers cheer and pat my back, before we leave church. I grab my phone from Webster, and walk over to Nat, who is glowing despite the large bump in front of her. I kiss her cheek, making her smile, before I walk to the door.

“Hey Acid, we’ve missed you around here,” Angel says with a rasp as I walk past, and without saying a word, I lift the property cut. The whole room bursts out with cheers while the clubwhores all groan.

I chuckle and head outside.

“Ol!” I hear a shout just as I pass the first two bikes, and I turn to see Piston, his eyes watery. I furrow my brows with concern until he says, “Thank you for always having my back, big brother.”

I give him a grin. “I’ll always have your back, you know this….”

He nods. “I do, now go make that woman yours, finally.”

My grin widens, and he chuckles before I head to my bike, ready to get eyes on my girl, and I know exactly where she’ll be.

It doesn’t take me long before I pull up in front of Halliwell’s gym. The sign is still not changed out front, and I sigh. She said that was the last thing to do, but let’s face it, she’s struggling with what to do with the place, which is why the windows are still boarded up and the sign unchanged. Hopefully, I can convince her to reopen the doors and allow the club to help her so she can run the day-to-day, and the club will do the rest.

Climbing off my bike, I grab the cut from the saddle, walk to the door, use my key to unlock it, and walk inside.

I lock the door behind me and drop my keys on the reception desk before looking at the white ring in the center of the room. She’s wearing a black t-shirt and a pair of skinny jeans, and she’s standing in the spot where her dad died. It doesn’t matter how long he’s been gone; she’s always going to struggle, but selling the gym, the guilt will eat her alive.

This place is her life.

With her property cut in hand, I slowly walk over to her. She doesn’t turn around, though. She knows I’m here. We’re tuned, our bodies instantly sensing each other.

Slowly, I wrap my left arm around her from behind, keeping the cut at my side as I place my face in the side of her neck. I'm happy her hair is up so I can run my lips over her soft skin.

“I don’t know if I can reopen the gym,” she whispers after a few minutes of silence. “All I see is Dad laying on the floor. I scattered his ashes at Brooklyn Bridge with Cassidy, hoping it would bring me peace when you were away, and yet I’m still struggling with the concept of selling, but I also don’t know if I can reopen.”

I tighten my arm around her and gently kiss her neck before saying, “I know it’s hard, but I want you to close your eyes and take a deep breath for me.” She does as instructed, trusting me instantly, making me smile. “Now, clear your mind, and tell the future you see.”

Tears hit my arm as she admits, “Having this place full of people, with you by my side.”

I nod, kissing her neck again, and whisper, “Keep your eyes closed.”

I gently let her go and move around her before I place her arm in the hole of the cut, gently bring it around her back, and lift her other arm into it. She keeps her eyes closed, making me smile. I stand before her in the spot where her father died, a spot where she painted five gold stars.

My cock hardens at the sight of her in my property cut, something I never thought would happen, but I ignore it and kneel, grabbing the ring.

Swallowing hard, I hold the ring up, and choke out, “Open your eyes, Tinker….”

Slowly, she does as I say but gasps when she sees me on my knee with the ring. Tears instantly fall as she lifts her hand to her mouth in shock.

“I love you, Tinker,” I whisper, and she sobs.

“I love you, too.”

I grin. “I know, and you trust me, right?” She nods frantically. “Then trust me now when I say we can make new memories here while cherishing the old ones. I kneel before you, in the spot your dad passed, to ask you to spend the rest of your life with me, not just as my old lady but as my wife.” Tears trail her cheeks as I grab her left hand, gently pushing the ring on her finger. “Reopen the gym with the club, make new memories with me, Tinker.” I stand, keeping hold of her hand, and cup her cheek with my other, gently wiping away the tears. “Marry me.”

“Yes,” she sobs, and I take her in my arms, lifting her, causing her legs to wrap around my waist. I press my lips to hers, feeling so fucking happy.

“I love you,” she croaks after I break the kiss.

I cup the back of her head and kiss her again, before replying, “Not as much as I love you.” I kiss her again and whisper, “So what do you say, Tinker? Do you want to reopen the gym with me?”

She looks around the room, taking in everything she’s done, before her eyes go to the spot where her dad died. A small smile appears on her lips, and I grin.

“Yes,” she whispers, then looks at me, gripping my hair, and demands, “But only if you’re my partner.”

I kiss her hard before my tongue connects with hers, until she suddenly breaks the kiss. I scowl because I need those fucking lips back on mine, but she ignores the look and moves slightly to look between us, her left hand gently touching the leather, the ring noticeable, making my heart fucking soar.

She’s really fucking mine….

“Steal ordered it after I joined the club,” I admit.

Tears fall again, and I quickly kiss them away before our lips meet.

“My fucking soon-to-be wife,” I mumble against her lips, “my old lady….”

She smiles wide, happiness radiating, and I kiss her again, feeling whole. Feeling complete. My past, my trauma—they had no chance of ruling me, not when this woman is my queen.