21: END GAME

The clouds have sought refuge behind the sun. They’re not putting a damper on our spirits or the day, but that doesn’t mean that my heart isn’t still heavy. All I can think about is Anarchy and the way that I left him at the hospital.

After I’d gotten six hours of sleep, surprisingly peaceful, I’d risen to Nova bringing me breakfast in bed. She’d served sausage, bacon, eggs, toast, oatmeal, and home fries. I wasn’t sure how I’d slept through her cooking all that food; it sure smelled good as hell, but I had.

Once I’d finished eating, we had taken a long, leisurely shower together that allowed me to sample her body and try to fill her with my babies again.

I meant every word that I spoke last night, and it wasn’t the alcohol speaking. I’m ready for a family of my own, and not just because we’re not getting younger now that we’re entering our late thirties.

Standing in that hospital and seeing Anarchy hooked up to all that machinery, lifeless, speechless, not opening his eyes and acknowledging his brothers hurts. He doesn’t have a legacy that he’s leaving behind. He has no children and not even an Ol’ Lady.

When he’s gone, the only legacy he’ll leave is the work he created for the MC. It’s a vast legacy, but still. No one loves him unconditionally. As his brothers, our love for him runs deep, but the love of a man’s woman and child is incomparable.

I think about all this as I hug the curves of the roadway heading back to the clubhouse. I recall how I felt lying in her arms last night. She ripped me a new one in her own Nova way, but what she said made sense.

I was an ass for not reaching out to her and letting her know that I was okay. I’d pulled her away from the only place that she knew as home and took her to a place where she was alone. Sure, I’d told her that she could call Roxie, but I should have made that happen myself, and I damn sure should have called her.

I pull up in front of the cottage now. I texted Nova as I was leaving the hospital and told her to get dressed. I promised her that I had a surprise for her, one that I hoped she would like.

The door flies open, and I know that she must have heard my bike. I watch as she locks the front door, not that she has to. I guess it’s a habit. Nova flies down the porch steps, beaming as she runs to me.

Climbing off the bike I remove the helmet that I picked up for her.

“This is mine?” she asks.

“It is.”

Her fingers trace the Phoenix on the right side of the helmet before she flips it to trace the Fiery Disciples’ logo on the left side.

“When did you get this?”

“Honestly, I planned this several weeks ago. I always knew that I would claim you if you would have me. So, I put the request in and picked it up after I left the hospital.”

“The Phoenix?”

“I’ll explain it later, but first, we have a date.”

“Where?” she asks, allowing me to pull the helmet onto her head and secure it.

“That wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you, now, would it?”

“No, but I still want to know,” she says as I help her onto the back of my bike.

“You’ll have to wait, my lady.”

She giggles and holds onto me tightly as I climb onto the bike.

“Kai?”

“Yeah, baby?”

“How’s Anarchy?”

I inhale deeply. “The same. It’s a long road, but we’re hopeful that he’ll live. That’s a little more than we had yesterday.”

“Okay.”

I pull out of my space and head back to the front of the clubhouse.

Nova’s arms around me and her legs pressed against my thighs feel perfect. It’s like my bike has been waiting to pull her into our synergy for the longest time.

Her heart beats hard against my back as we climb hills and speed down the other side. Her fingers press against my abdomen as she rubs it, stroking my desire with just a simple bike ride.

I don’t want her to let go, but when we arrive at the shop twenty minutes later, I don’t complain. Because as much as I enjoy her riding behind me on my bike, I’m looking forward to this next activity even more.

“A tattoo shop?” she asks, climbing off the bike and tugging at her short denim cutoffs as she slants a glance up at the large sign.

Smokin’ Ink is emblazoned on fire and smoke shooting from a bike’s tailpipe.

I remove her helmet from her head and then mine.

“Yes,” I say, leaning down and hooking an arm around her waist and pulling her hard against my body.

I kiss her, enjoying the cherry-flavored gloss on her lips, the sweetness of her warm tongue, and the sensuality of how she returns my kiss.

When I pull back, I look down at her tank top and see her nipples budded through the cotton.

“Keep that up, and I’ll be sucking you off while you’re sitting on this bike.”

“Shit, you ain’t said nothing but a word, darlin’,” I growl.

She slaps my chest and asks, “Why are we at a tattoo shop?”

“Remember that conversation that we had last night?”

“I do.”

“I meant what I said about wanting to start a family with you. I meant what I said about claiming you, Nova. This is how that goes.”

“A tattoo.”

“Yes. Are you scared?”

“Um, no...”

“You sure?”

“Well, I...it depends on what’s happening.”

“I have an idea in mind. Something that I’ve worked up for the artist and discussed. It’s a surprise for you, but I can understand you not agreeing to something you’ve never seen or had input on before. So, we’ll show you, and if we get your agreement, he can start right away.”

She inhales deeply, giving me a warning glance, and says, “Okay, Kai.”

I take her hand and lead her into the shop.

“Ryder! End Game’s here,” Eagle, the receptionist calls out.

“What’s up, my man?” Eagle greets me, slapping hands with me.

“Nothing much.”

“How’s Anarchy doing?”

“Hanging in there,” I say.

Ryder steps out from the back, tugging on his long, white beard. Smiling, he says, “This beauty must be Nova. Why she’s with your ugly ass, I have no idea.”

Nova looks between Ryder and me and sees the large smile that I share with my friend.

“Nova, this is Ryder. You’ll have to forgive this rude ass because he has no manners,” I say.

“I have manners when there’s a pretty lady involved,” Ryder says, taking Nova’s hand and kissing it. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, ma’am.”

“It’s nice to meet you, as well,” she replies, smiling at his attention.

I slip her hand from mine and say, “You’ve got me second-guessing letting you do her work.”

“Miss Nova, it is an honor and privilege to ink you. I know that if Anarchy were well, that’s who End Game would have chosen. With his own tattoo obsession, he’s funny about who he lets do his art, so the fact that he chose me for you...I’m honored. Even if he is as ugly as fuck,” he says, searing me with a glance.

Chuckling, I say, “Let’s let her see what we have in mind before we get too far ahead of ourselves. She hasn’t agreed to anything yet.”

“I’m sure you’ve done a good job picking something out,” Nova tells me.

We head to the rear of the studio to a large private inking room. Ryder closes the door and begins to pull out his sketch pad and power up his computer. He sits and explains the process to Nova before he shows her the drawing.

“What’s with the phoenix, Kai?” she asks, swiveling on her stool to stare at me.

“You are my beautiful phoenix, Nova. Just like the phoenix, you continually rise from the ashes. You’ve faced many challenges and certain destruction. Although you may feel like you’re consumed, you never are. Somehow, you find a way to rise again and be better, bolder, and more brilliant than before. You always become a better version of your best self. That’s why I chose this as your MC name, as well as the tattoo that I wanted you to have, to claim you.”

Nova’s eyes tear up as she turns back to the drawing of the phoenix with my name rising from the bird in flames. Spinning once more, she hops off the stool and runs to me, throwing her arms around me.

“I love it, Kai!” she exclaims.

“Then let’s get busy, pretty lady. This won’t be complete in one sitting.”

When we leave the shop several hours later, we both have a phoenix with one another’s names emblazoned in the fire. It will take more sessions to complete, but I’m happy to know that this woman is mine, and the world will know it, too.

There’s a lot of anguish in my heart, but nothing feels better than to know that there’s a woman who wears my name on her neck and has my heart in her hands. Most importantly, she always has my back.

“Ready to start on that family again?” I ask as I help her onto the back of my bike.

“You don’t think that you succeeded last night?”

“I’m sure that I succeeded. But, I’d like to get practice in for the next two or three babies after the first one.”

“What?” she laughs.

“Yeah, I figure we’ll have a big family. I always wanted sisters and brothers.”

“Me too,” she says.

“Then let’s make sure that we give the little one that I planted last night a running start.”

“You’re full of shit, Kai Donovan McGinnis.”

“You love my shit, Nova Lynn...”

“Uh-uh!” she says, wagging a finger at me.

“Don’t know what to call you. Hamilton-Rainier, or...”

“Or, you can call me Nova Lynn McGinnis. And if we need a piece of paper to make that legal, then—”

I lean into her and wrap my arms around her waist. Consuming her lips with mine, I taste her, exploring the depths of her hot, silky mouth. She’s sweet and tangy, and I don’t want to let go.

I hear someone clearing their throat, and while I’m comfortable ignoring them, Nova leans back. She taps me and points over my shoulder.

I turn to see Ryder’s ugly face behind me, scowling.

“Just got a text. Check your message.”

I pull my phone from my back pocket. I’d ignored it.

RAIDER: Anarchy’s awake.

The End

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