Chapter Twenty-Two

Tessa

The dogs don't seem phased by our return to the clubhouse. However, my heart is heavy as we enter and head for Axel's office. Lexi is sitting on his desk, and he's got his head rested against her stomach as she strokes her fingers through his hair. He looks tired and maybe even vulnerable.

When he senses us approach, he releases her, and she stands, smiling at me. I return it, still feeling sick with nerves.

"The lovers return," says Axel dryly. "Are we celebrating?"

"Yes, Pres," Pit confirms, and Axel grins. It's the first real smile I've seen from him, and I relax slightly. At least he looks happy.

He stands, rounding the desk and holding out a hand for Pit, which he grasps, and they shake. Axel tugs him closer and gives him a quick hug, patting him on the back. "Congratulations, brother." Then he turns to me, and I shrink back slightly. He notices and holds out his hand. I slip mine into it, and he gently brings it to his mouth, placing a kiss on the back. "Welcome to The Chaos Demons, Tessa." I feel a warm buzz and smile in return.

"This calls for celebrations, right?" asks Lexi.

"I'll call the guys," Axel confirms.

"Actually," says Pit, glancing at me, "Tessa isn't into all that fuss."

I squeeze his hand, shaking my head. "It's fine. I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" he asks, his eyes full of concern, and I give a nod. It's tradition for the club to celebrate, he told me that already, and I don't want things to be different for Pit.

Lexi claps her hands together in excitement then grabs my hand. "Let's go and make plans."

Pit keeps hold of me, refusing to let her drag me away. He gently strokes a hand over my cheek and pulls me closer. "You okay with that?" he asks. I nod, feeling my heart swell with love that he checked. He releases me and shoots a glare at Lexi. "You keep the club whores away from her. She ain't ready for their shit."

"Pit," she hisses, narrowing her eyes, "we don't refer to them as whores anymore."

"I ain't interested in your women's rights speech, Lexi. Keep them away from her."

Lexi salutes him, giggling as she leads me into the main room, which is quiet. We sit on a couch, and she sends off a text. "I'll gather the troops," she tells me.

"Sorry about Pit," I mutter to fill the silence. "Ebony didn't really like me and—"

She rolls her eyes. "Ebony doesn't like anyone. She's been waiting for someone to sweep her off her feet, and she gets disappointed each time it doesn't work out. But now Pit's claiming you, she can't be a cow, so relax."

A few women rush in from upstairs. "Where's the fire?" asks one.

"Sit," orders Lexi, and they each fill a space on the other couches.

"Pit has claimed Tessa," she announces, and the women screech with excitement, each getting up to hug me and wish me congratulations. "And now, we need to plan a party."

The door opens and Anita saunters in looking amazing as always. "Did someone say party?" she asks, lowering her sunglasses. I rush to her, and we hug. "I've missed you this week," she tells me. "The office is a mess, and I hope you're ready for the pile of filing I've left on your desk."

I grin as we sit down. "I missed you too."

"So, Pit's finally come to his senses?" she asks, and I nod. "I hope he doesn't think you're not working cos I ain't giving you up for no biker," she warns.

"So, let me introduce you properly to everyone," says Lexi. "I'm Lexi, obvs, and I'm Axel's old lady. Duchess is unattached, although I think my dad would argue differently," she says, winking at Duchess. "She's been running the guys for years."

"Since I was classed as too old to be a whore," says Duchess, laughing, and we all join her.

"Coop is my dad, and he's got a soft spot for her. They hang out all the time and tell me they're just friends, but I know that look on his face and it ain't screaming ‘just friends'," Lexi continues. "We also have the wonderful Luna."

"Also ex-whore," says Luna, giving a little wave.

"She's Grizz's old lady. He's the Vice President," explains Lexi. "Gemma is with Fletch. We're both ex-cops. And you know Anita already. Again, she's not strictly attached to any of the men, but we all kind of know she's Atlas's old lady."

"I really am not," says Anita, her tone bored.

"Only because you're stubborn," points out Duchess.

"Technically, when the shit goes down, we're only supposed to watch out for the other old ladies, but times have changed, and I make sure to include everyone I feel is a part of this club, club girls and all," Lexi says. "We're all here to look out for the men. We all want the same thing."

"Great speech," says Gemma. "Now, can we talk colour schemes and alcohol?"

I relax immediately. Pit was right—they're being really nice, and I don't get any bitch vibes off any of them. Maybe being here, having a new family, won't be so bad after all.

Pit is watching me. He's spent the last half-hour sitting patiently at the bar, just watching me. Lexi leans closer. "I think your man is getting annoyed with me keeping you here. We can sort the rest. Go spend some time with him."

I smile gratefully. "Okay. Thanks."

"I'll call you if there're any problems." All the women took turns putting their number in my phone, and then they added me to their WhatsApp group.

I slide my arms around Pit's neck, stepping between his open legs with our eyes burning into each other's. He makes no move to touch me as I press my body against his. "I like them," I whisper. "I now have six contacts in my phone." I remember Mark and smile. "It would have been seven, only I lost one." He arches a brow, and I place a kiss along his jaw. "Mark," I whisper.

He stiffens slightly. "Say his name again." He's daring me, and I smirk.

"You deleted his number," I accuse, laughing.

"And blocked it."

"Did you delete my pictures?"

"Yes. And from now on, any man who touches you will leave with broken bones."

"Harsh," I say, nipping along his jaw.

"Axel's given us a new room," he says.

"Didn't you have a room before?" I ask.

"Yeah, but it was on the whores' floor," he says, smirking. "We now have a respectable room, and you'll be closer to the other old ladies."

"Umm, upgraded," I tease.

"Shall I show you?"

I slip my hand into his. "Yes, please."

Pit

"Do you ever regret it?" I ask Axel as he places a tray of shots on the table. Grizz and Fletch dive in, each grabbing a glass and knocking the liquid back.

"No," he says firmly. "Never."

"You're not getting cold feet already, are you?" asks Grizz, slapping me on the back before picking up a shot and handing it to me.

I knock it back, wincing as it burns my throat. "No. I find myself waiting for her to realise this isn't what she wants. I can't relax."

"That's because you've not made it official," offers Grizz. "I felt the same. That's why we married."

"I'm not sure she'll go for that," I say, laughing.

I watch Tessa with the women, laughing and joking like she's always been a part of this club. She looks relaxed and at ease, something I never thought would be possible after what she's been through.

The last few days have been amazing. She's really come out of her shell, and I have Lexi and Anita to thank for that. They've made sure she felt welcome and a part of their circle.

Chance nuzzles into her side, and she runs her fingers through his silky hair. I've woken every single day with that fucker snoring between us, but he doesn't leave her side, like he knows just what she needs. Maybe he's a blessing in disguise because he's certainly helped her to relax around the club. She even moves around the place with ease. Every time a brother approaches her, he's standing to attention, ensuring no one gets too close.

"She ain't gonna vanish," Fletch says, waving a hand in front of my face to get my attention.

"He doesn't stop watching her," Grizz points out. He's right—I'm always watching her, checking she's okay. The need to be near her is intense, but she doesn't seem to mind. In fact, she tells me she finds it reassuring, which only feeds my obsession more.

"Yah know, Lucas can marry you here," Axel suggests. "Just say the word."

My heart twists. I'd marry her right now if she agreed, but I don't want to rush her. I shake my head. "She's not ready."

"Have you asked her?"

"No, of course not. The second I mention marriage, she'll run for the hills."

"I think she'd surprise you," says Fletch. "You said she's had some bad trauma, she needs security more than anyone."

"You think?" I ask.

"I know," he says with a nod, "she'll want to feel safe. Talk to her about it."

"Anyway, she's still married," I remind them.

"I can easily sort that," says Fletch. "I'll log into the records and delete it."

I smirk. "Just like that?

"Yep."

I take Tessa's hand, and she slowly spins, showing off the short dress she allowed me to choose for her to wear to dinner. I've never had a dinner date before, and I wouldn't feel comfortable taking her to a posh restaurant, and neither would she, so I arranged for the women to transform the club's kitchen.

I lead Tessa into the room, and she gasps, taking in the twinkling lights strung up around the place. The table is set for two with a flickering candle in the centre. "I didn't think you'd want to go out for dinner," I say, pulling out her chair.

She slides into it. "This is perfect."

I take a seat to her left and lift the lids from the Chinese takeaway. It's Tessa's favourite. I spoon some rice onto each of our plates, followed by a little something from each container. She loves variety, and we often order several things from the menu to try.

"Are you looking forward to our party on Saturday?" I ask, pouring her a glass of wine.

"After the crazy week I've had at work, yes," she says, scooping up some of her rice. "I'm looking forward to it." I'm surprised by her confession, and she laughs. "I'm not that much of a recluse."

"If I'd have said to you a few weeks back that you'd be partying at the clubhouse, you'd have never believed me," I say, smiling.

"No, I guess not. But these last few days here have shown me that, actually, everyone can be nice, even Axel."

"We just take care of our own," I say, tucking in to my own food.

"I like that," she says, nodding. "And I like that they've made room for me too."

I place my fork down, suddenly feeling nervous. "I know we've not really talked about it, but what do you think about marriage?"

She stops mid-chew, staring at me. "Why?"

"I know you don't want kids, but you never said anything about marriage."

"Erm, I guess I never thought anyone would ask me the question," she admits with a nervous laugh.

I slide from my chair and land on one knee. She watches me through wide eyes as I produce a ring box from my pocket. "I'm asking," I say, opening the box to reveal a square pink diamond ring. "Tessa Dean, will you marry me?"

"Holy shit," she whispers, staring at the twinkling ring. "Yes, of course, I will."

Relief floods me as she throws her arms around me, falling to her knees. I laugh as she kisses me, and when I pull back, her eyes are shining with happy tears. I take the ring from the box and gently slide it onto her finger. "I'm glad you said yes cos I have Lucas booked for Saturday."

She gasps. "This Saturday?"

I panic. "If you want to wait, we can. I just thought you wouldn't want the fuss and organising something big and fancy wouldn't be your thing. Unless it is, in which case I can hand over my bank card and you can go crazy—"

She cuts me off with another kiss. "Stop talking, Pit," she whispers against my lips. "You know me better than anyone, and this is exactly what I want."

"Really?"

"Yes."

Tessa

The good thing about growing up mainly alone is that I appreciate the little things no one else seems to notice. Like the way Lexi touches me gently on the arm whenever she passes. Or how Gemma throws her arm around my shoulders when we're all together and chatting about life. It's things they do to one another all the time, they probably aren't even aware they do it. But I notice, and it means something to me. It means I'm accepted and I'm liked, the two things I've wanted for so long, and they give them so freely.

And they all understood my reluctance to walk down an aisle alone. The thought of a roomful of bikers, all watching me walk towards my future, was too scary. So now, as I stand at the doorway to the pretty, white marquee which had originally been hired to house our claiming celebration and has now been turned into a ceremony room, I feel at peace. The things that haunted me for so long are all gone.

Lexi hooks an arm in mine, Luna does the same on the other side, and behind me, Gemma holds a small bouquet of posies she handpicked from her own garden of flowers. It matches the bouquet she made me.

Music begins to play, and I take a deep breath as everyone inside stands. "Ready?" asks Lexi.

I give a nod, and we enter the marquee and make our way towards the front, where I see Pit waiting patiently. The second his eyes land on me, he relaxes. I see how his shoulders drop a little and a smile spreads over his face. He insisted I kept the dress a surprise, even though we've done nothing traditionally. I only chose it last night after Lexi organised for me to have a small hen party in the dress shop. She knew the owner, who was only too happy to host us. We'd spent hours all trying on dresses while drinking Champagne and wine. It was magical.

Before I've reached Pit, he's moving towards me, and I laugh. He slides his hands along my jaw, his eyes tracing over every inch of my face. "You are beautiful," he whispers, kissing me gently.

Lucas clears his throat, and a few of the bikers laugh. Pit slides a hand into mine, and I realise the girls have all sat down in the front row. He leads me to the front, where Lucas is waiting to marry us.

Pit

The ceremony was short and sweet, exactly what we both wanted. If I could have whisked Tessa away to an abandoned island in the middle of the sea, I would have, because everyone being here wasn't important to me. Marrying her was all that mattered.

I march over to where she's laughing with the girls and take her by the hand, gently leading her away. "Rude," Lexi singsongs after us.

"You've hogged my wife for long enough," I call back.

I pull Tessa into my arms and bury my nose in the crook of her neck while running my hands over her backside. "I asked for five minutes," says Tessa, laughing as her arms circle my neck. "The girls have worked hard on this wedding, and I should spend some time with them too."

"I gave you ten minutes, and I hate not being near you."

She laughs again, placing a kiss on my cheek. "How do you cope when I'm at work all day?"

"He calls me constantly to check you're okay," Anita pipes up from where she's sitting at a nearby table.

"Oh my god, Pit, tell me you don't," she whispers.

"Just keeping you safe," I murmur in her ear. "Can we slip away?"

"No. It's our wedding day."

"But we've done all the big stuff. Now, I want you to myself. Besides, you hate people, remember?"

She runs her fingers through my hair, and I close my eyes, loving the feel of her every touch. "I thought you asked Tatts to brand me," she reminds me.

I'd almost forgotten. "Fine. Then can we slip away?"

She shakes her head in amusement. "We'll see."

Seeing my name on her skin is the icing on the cake. It's her first tattoo, and I savour the feel of having another of her firsts. She watches intently as Tatts runs the ink over my chest, filling the gap over my heart with Tessa's name in large letters.

"I was watching you with Luna's kid earlier," I say, hooking my little finger around hers.

"She's a cutie," Tessa says with a smile.

"Maybe we were being too harsh when we said we didn't want kids."

Her smile fades a little. "Huh?"

"I'm not saying right now, but maybe we shouldn't rule it out completely. I think having a mini you to obsess over might feel alright."

A small smile pulls at her lips. "Yah know, somehow, you make everything sound possible."

"Think about it. The kid will have a lot of family. Big, strong bikers who will smash shit up if she hurts."

"What if it's a boy?"

"Then he'll be just like his dad and his uncles." I tug her closer. "I know you worry they'll be bullied or hurt in some way, but I swear that won't happen. I'll kill anyone who even tries."

"You'll be a brilliant dad," she whispers.

"With you to help me," I add.

Her smile spreads across her face, and she places a kiss on my lips. "Anything is possible when we're together."

And she's right. Fate brought us together in the most unusual circumstances, and although I regret the way it all began, I don't think we'd be at this point without being forced together. I'll spend my life protecting Tessa so she'll never have to feel scared or upset again. She's my world, and I'm hers.

"I love you," I tell her. "Now, can we slip away?"

THE END