CHAPTER EIGHT SURPRISE

Brayden—

The open casket is laid out up at the front of the small chapel. The scent of flowers permeates the room. One standing arrangement is in the shape of a wheel with the letters EDMC in a banner across it. I don’t know what I expected, but not this. Marcus, Billy, TJ, and I stand toward the back, watching members from other chapters pay their respects. Right now, the New Orleans chapter is filing past the casket.

Everyone is wearing their colors. My father bought all of our chapter black dress shirts, and we’ve got them on under our cuts, though none of us tucked the tails in our jeans.

My father and Crash approach the casket and stare at the body of their former president. Dad puts his arm around Crash and squeezes his shoulder.

Shades is off in a corner with some of his men, and the widow is sitting in the front row with some of the club’s ol’ ladies.

With all the chapters that have descended from around the country, there are a lot of people in this room.

“You want to get some air?” I lean over and ask the other three with me.

“Yeah. I could use a smoke,” TJ replies, and the four of us file outside.

There are more guys milling around out front. Apparently, we weren’t the only ones who needed air.

I see several of the Alabama boys standing in a group, and a few of the New Orleans boys follow us out and stand at a distance.

The parking lot is filled with bikes and cars, but one car turning in catches my eye. It’s moving fast, like the driver is late.

I light a smoke and watch someone climb out. It’s a woman, but she’s too far away for me to see her. I track her as she moves down the row of cars, then comes into view up the walk.

Whistles and catcalls ring out, and I freeze when I realize it’s Rebel. My gaze sweeps down her. She’s dressed in the black dress and a pair of sexy heels. I was right about that dress. It clings to every curve I couldn’t see under the overalls, and she looks fucking fantastic in it.

It takes me a second to register she’s here for Butcher’s funeral. She must be, because the Bama boys are talking like they know her.

“Where are your overalls, girl?”

“I didn’t know you had legs, Rebel. Damn, girl.”

“Did you scrub all the grease from under your nails?”

Her face crumbles, and I fling my cigarette and stalk toward the man who said the last remark. I get right in his fucking face. “Apologize to the lady.”

“Who the fuck you think you’re talkin’ to?” the guy spits, and suddenly his brothers are at his back.

Luckily, I’ve got a few of my own, feeling TJ, Billy, and Marcus over my shoulder. I’m one second from punching this asshole in the face when a member of the New Orleans chapter shoves between us and grabs a fistful of this dude’s shirt and yanks him forward.

“Apologize to your goddamn president’s daughter, JJ, before I break your fucking jaw or let this brother do it for me.”

JJ lifts his hands in the air. “Okay, Blood. Sorry. It was just a joke.”

Blood points to the side, and I glance and see Rebel standing there, looking like she wants to crawl into a hole.

“Apologize,” Blood barks again.

“Sorry, Rebel. You look real pretty.”

It’s then her gaze hits mine, and lowers to my cut. I watch her lips part and those beautiful blue eyes widen slightly. Then she spins on her heel and hurries into the funeral home.

I feel the same shock. If what Blood just said is correct, and I have every reason to believe it is, then she’s Shades’ daughter.

Holy shit.

“What the fuck’s the matter with you, moron? The California crew has to come to town and teach you fucking manners?” Blood spits and shoves JJ away. “Get outta my fucking sight.”

JJ disappears inside, and Blood turns and offers me his hand. “We didn’t get a chance to meet last night. I’m Blood.”

I shake his hand. “Brayden. Cole’s son.”

“Ah.” His chin lifts. “I see. Sorry about these assholes. JJ’s an idiot. Always has been. Runs his mouth without thinking. But I sure liked seeing you call him out for it.”

“He wasn’t the only one making comments. Any of our guys said shit like that about my sister, my father would put their head through the wall.”

“Rebel takes after her old man, workin’ on cars and bikes. A year ago, she took over his garage. Most of them are jealous. She’s a better mechanic than the whole lot of ‘em. They tease her about it. He’s let it go on, which pisses me off. But it’s made her tough, and maybe that’s what she needed. But today? This is not the place for that shit.”

“Definitely not.” I glance and see that Marcus, Billy, and TJ have wandered off, leaving us alone.

“Rebel’s always been special to me. I’m the uncle she doesn’t want,” he says with a laugh.

“Judging from what I just saw, you’ve definitely got her back.”

“Always.” He looks toward the building. “Guess it goes without saying she’s off limits to the guys in the club, not that any have tried.”

“I find that hard to believe. She’s a beautiful girl.”

“Well, she’s usually in overalls with a wrench in her hand. Plus, she’s smarter than all of them. Some guys get intimidated by that shit.”

“Their loss.”

“Exactly. Well, it was good meeting you. We’ll have to have a beer later. Come find me at the clubhouse.”

“Absolutely.”

When he wanders over to some other men, I head inside and find the guys in the chapel.

“Well, you sure made a friend. I hear that guy is badass,” Marcus murmurs.

“Then it’s a good thing he took my side.”

“What made you get in the middle of that?” TJ asks.

“I didn’t like the way they were talking to her. Who the hell talks to a goddamn club princess that way?”

Our entire chapter stands near my father and Crash, listening to their stories about Butcher.

“Remember the time he laid his bike down around Deadman’s curve, hit that light pole, and we ended up taking him to the ER?” my father asks.

Crash points at him. “That’s right. They thought he had a concussion.”

Cole smiles as he tells the story. “The ER doctor asked him a bunch of questions, like do you know where you are? Butcher replies, St. Vincent’s. The doctor asks him if he knows what city he’s in. Butcher replies, Birmingham. The doctor asks him, do you know who I am? And Butcher replies, Dr. Carson. After the doctor leaves, I tell him he did really good, and he turns to me and says, all those answers were on his badge.”

The men crowded around laugh.

Crash lifts his chin. “I was with him at the grocery checkout one time, and he had a bottle of wine and a bouquet of roses. Before the cashier rings it up, he says, hang on a second, and comes back with a second bottle of wine and another bouquet. The cashier grins and asks him if he’s got two girlfriends. Butcher replies, nope, just one really angry one.”

The men laugh again.

My attention keep straying to the casket where Rebel stands with an older woman who has her arm around Rebel, their heads tipped together. I’m guessing that’s her mother. I can only see their backs, but she has Rebel’s same dark hair.

Shades walks up and interrupts. “We’ll be lining up for the procession to the cemetery in about fifteen minutes.”

“We’ll be ready,” my father says.

“California will bring up the rear,” Shades remarks, and my father’s jaw tightens.

“No problem. Anywhere you want us is fine.”

I’m sure it is not fine, but he has the grace not to make a stink about it.

Rebel and the woman approach, and Shades turns, then drops his arm around the older one. “Brothers, this is my ol’ lady, Skylar, and my daughter, Rebel.”

I immediately see the resemblance. They’ve both got the dark hair and sky-blue eyes. In fact, Rebel is a dead ringer for her mother.

Skylar immediately steps into my father’s arms. “It’s so good to see you, Cole.”

“Unfortunate circumstances. What’s it been, twenty years?”

“More than that, but please don’t count them up. You’ll make me feel my age.” Skylar’s smile is bright, and I swear she doesn’t look as old as she must be to be Rebel’s mother. She steps to Crash and gives him a big hug as well.

“You’re beautiful as ever, darlin’,” he says.

My gaze strays to Rebel, and I’m prepared to play along and pretend we haven’t met. I sure as hell am not going to say a word, but I have no idea if she will.

Shades pulls Rebel to him with an arm around her shoulders and dips his head to her. “You stay away from these California boys, sweetheart.”

“You’ve made it clear a million times I’m off-limits to everyone.” Rebel throws an attitude at him.

“Hear that, boys?” Crash adds. “Stay away or papa bear will beat the crap out of you.”

I feel like a damn school boy receiving that warning.

Rebel does her best to avoid looking at me, but I watch her every move. She hates this. It’s in her cold eyes, and the way she looks across the room like she wants to be anywhere but here. Finally, she pulls free of her father.

“I’m going to get some coffee.”

“Okay, baby. We pull out soon.”

She nods but doesn’t reply, walking toward the doors.

My gaze follows until Green kicks my boot. He flares his eyes at me, and I get the message and clear my throat.

Shades feels the need to reiterate the point. “I catch any one of you near my daughter, I’ll take a sledgehammer to your bike.”

I absolutely believe him.

My father shoves his hands in his pockets and lifts his chin. “Boys, go on out and get ready to line up. You heard the man. We’re at the back.”

We troop out of the chapel, a line of black leather. In the foyer, I elbow TJ. “I’m going to use the restroom.”

He nods, and I break off from the group and wander down the hall. When I’m done, I go looking for the lounge with the coffee service.

Rebel stands at the table, adding creamer to her cup. A few other women sit across the room, murmuring in low conversation. I move to the table and begin fixing my own coffee, playing it cool.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were in the club?” she hisses low.

“I didn’t know you were the goddamn president’s daughter or I would have,” I murmur back.

“So, you just happen to pull in to my shop?”

“Honest to God.” I can’t stop from letting my gaze drag down her body. “I was right about the dress. You’re stunning.”

That takes some of the starch out of her.

“Thank you for what you did out in the parking lot.”

“They shouldn’t talk to you like that.” I taste the coffee. It’s horrid, and I make a face.

Rebel tries to hide a smile and holds out a handful of tiny individual servings of creamer. “You’ll need these.”

“No shit.” I take them and begin peeling them open and dumping them into my cup, glad to drag this moment out. “I really didn’t know who you were.”

“I didn’t know who you were, either,” she whispers and begins shaking a packet of sweetener, then rips the corner off and taps it into her cup. “You should have told me you were with the club.”

“I didn’t know it’d be an issue.” I toss the little cups into the trash.

“Well, it is,” she snaps and passes me a stir-stick.

“Apparently,” I hiss back. “I’ve just been read the riot act about you. Does he do that with all the guys you bring home?

She gives a little huff. “I stopped bringing guys home a long time ago. It’s easier that way.”

“I’m sorry we can’t have that date. I would have liked that.”

“Oh, we’re still having dinner.”

I lift a brow at her gumption. “What about your father?”

“What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”

“No, but he finds out, I’m the one gonna be hurt.”

“Guess you have to decide if it’s a risk worth taking.” With that, she walks over to the other women.

My gaze lands on her ass and her legs in those heels, and I feel my dick get hard. Oh, you are definitely worth the risk, Rebel.