Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Meg

"Remind me again of the rules."

Lo walked out of the bathroom and shook his head. "Babe, why do you have to have rules when we go out in public?"

I pulled my shirt over my head and slipped into my flats. I was going for the ol' lady biker look but classed it up with the flats. That was about as fancy as I got. Black blouse with flowy sleeves, dark jeans, and black flats. And my purple hair always went with every outfit. "Because then, when I act up later, I can say whatever I did was not part of the rules that you laid down."

Lo shook his head. His fingers struggled to button his shirt, and I could tell he was agitated.

"Let me," I called softly. I stepped in front of him and slipped each button into its hole.

"I can't even button my own damn shirt," he grunted, frustrated.

"You're just trying to make me feel wanted," I joked. I smoothed my hand down his shirt and smiled up at him.

Lo grunted. "Fucking hardly."

A couple of years ago, Lo had suffered a stroke that should have killed him, but the doctors had performed a miracle, and he was still here with me. He had a few deficits now, but for the most part, he was still my Lo.

He struggled with his fine motor skills, mostly. Most days were good, but there were days when he struggled with buttons or working on the small parts when he was working in the garage. There had been more than a few hammers and screwdrivers tossed across the garage when he was frustrated.

I had to remind Lo that he was lucky to be alive, and if struggling with buttons and tiny tasks was what we had to deal with now, I would button his buttons for the rest of my life.

"Any other buttons you need me to do?" I glanced down at his waist. "Though, I might just keep that one unbuttoned and spend the night in our room with you."

He wrapped his arms around me and rested his chin on the top of my head. "I don't know what I would do without you, Meg."

"Probably just wear T-shirts and jogging pants, which honestly wouldn't be that bad. I mean, that's pretty much all I wear."

He chuckled and squeezed me tight. "I don't think Hero and the club would be cool with me representing Knights Garage in sweats this weekend."

"Eh," I mumbled. "I'm sure they wouldn't care because they don't have to attend all of these meetings."

"And talk on the Pinstriping with Ease panel tomorrow," Lo mumbled.

I tipped my head back, and my eyes connected with his. "That one is your fault. As soon as the convention organizers heard the great Logan Birch was attending the Midwest Body Shop convention, they were hounding you to lead the pinstriping panel."

"I should have said no. With my luck, my brain is going to freeze, and I won't even know how to pick up a pen, let alone string two words together in front of hundreds of people."

I frowned, and my heart hurt for my normally confident Lo. "You don't have to do the panel tomorrow. You don't have to do any of this. We can just hole up in our room all weekend and just enjoy each other." Lo was one of the best pinstripers in the Midwest, and it made perfect sense for him to lead the panel, but I didn't want him to do it if he was so worried he was going to mess up. He did get some brain fog now and then, though it didn't happen nearly as much as it did right after the stroke.

Lo sighed heavily and brushed a stray strand of hair from my face. "Pretty sure Hero would be pissed to find out we came here and just stayed in our hotel room the whole time."

I shrugged. "Eh, you're still the prez. You can make him wash all the bikes if he gets mad." Lo had been saying for years that Hero was going to take over the Devil's Knights, and he honestly was, but it hadn't happened yet. Sure, Lo had stepped back from his daily duties between the club, the garage, the strip club, and the pole dancing studio, but he was still Prez. I didn't think that would ever go away, even when Hero officially took over.

For so long, the Devil's Knights had been Lo's life, and that was never going to change.

"I'm doing the panel tomorrow and all of the meetings this weekend, babe. I just might need you close by."

I smiled wide. "So I can make a distraction? Fall out of my chair? Maybe dramatically fill my cup with water and then forget that I'm filling my cup, and I just pour the whole pitcher on the table? Oh," I gasped, "what if we get some type of hand signal, and when you do it, I'll jump up and act like my water broke? That will for sure get the attention off you, partly because I'm not pregnant. I think that's obvious, but I think confusing everyone will help you make your escape."

"Oh, Meg," Lo chuckled. "I admire your willingness to do anything to help me, but I think we can leave the fake water breaking for a last-ditch effort. I think I'll only need that if I pass out."

I patted his chest. "Well, just know if you need it, wiggle your fingers on your left hand and then point to the left with your right hand."

He pressed a soft, gentle kiss to my lips. "I don't know what I would do without you, babe."

"You already said that," I sighed. "It's going to go to my head, just so you know."

"I think you're supposed to tell me you don't know what you would do without me."

I cradled his cheek in my hand. "I'd probably have fifteen dogs and three cats and still be working at the warehouse."

"I see you've thought about it," he chuckled.

"It's kind of a given, isn't it?" I winked. "Though let the record show, I much prefer the wonderful life you've given me."

"Have I told you lately I love you?" he asked.

I squinted and glanced up. "Hmm, I think it's been about seven minutes and thirteen seconds, so you're late. Tell me," I prodded.

"I love you, Meg."

I cupped my hand to my ear. "A little louder, please."

Lo chuckled and shook his head. He swooped me up into his arms and carried me to the door. "Nope. We need to get to Jonas and Lennox's room and then down to the welcome dinner."

"I'm sure they can find their own way down to the dinner," I hummed.

Lo stepped back, and I lost the warmth of his body. "We already spent all afternoon in our room. We need to go mingle and show our faces."

I shrugged and ran my fingers through my hair. "No one wants to see my face. You are the one these guys are going to go gaga over when you tell them your name. That's if they don't notice you before then." I wasn't joking when I said that Lo was a pinstriping legend. He was phenomenal at what he did, and a lot of the body guys looked up to him.

"I just need you by my side, Meg."

I grabbed my little clutch, and Lo reached his hand out to me.

"There is nowhere else I'd rather be, handsome. Let's go."