21. Chapter Twenty-one

Chapter Twenty-one

Charleston, West Virginia

"About time you come up for air," East says with a low vibrating chuckle as I follow him into church.

Since California, Ember and I have been inseparable. We spent the first day back home sleeping. Days two and three and maybe four, we spent naked and straight up, fucking over every inch of the house after I dragged our old bed into the backyard and lit it on fire.

We've agreed that we need a fresh start, so we're looking for a new place to settle. I resume shifts at the station tomorrow and Ember started back to work today. In a perfect world, she could quit work and stay home, but she enjoys working and with a baby on the way we need the money .

"Is this what I think it is?"

"We're voting on the patch over. Prez wants to see where all our heads are at before making any deals and deciding where we'll land, but yeah."

"No doubt, brother. No doubt."

We hand over our phones to Jimmy. Need to have a chat with him after this is over. I've tried to stay out of his personal shit, but he deserves to know about the bitch he's living with before she becomes a problem that stands between him and his patch.

"Stick around. I need a word."

"No problem."

"Damn right it's not."

I go in and take my seat at the end of the table on the opposite end of Prez. I'm not an officer, but I still get to come to the table.

Link does a roll call and Prez calls church to order. The first order of business is that we found out who the biggest bank roller behind Cloud Nine has been all these years. Someone high up on a national level.

Kingpin assisted in the takedown of the bastard responsible. Gave the pussy a beat down and left him within a breath of death's door. Motherfucker was jealous of all we have built. Wanted to ruin us while being a greedy fuck .

Now it's over and we need to separate ourselves and pick up the pieces.

Murder met with Black Rebel Riders' MC and Kings of Anarchy MC.

Location wise, it makes sense that we'd go with the brRMC being the mother chapter is located in Drag Creek, Kentucky. The Kings have ties to West Virginia, but Prez has always had loyalties to Grim. God rest his soul. He founded his club when he wanted out of the killing game and into the moonshine business.

Man was a fucking legend.

Ultimately, the choice is Murder's, and we can either fall in line with what he wants, or we can walk. We all receive a voting slip. Once we check the box of our choice, we fold our paper and toss it in the center of the table.

Prez and East will collect and count the votes, then the two of them will decide the future of this club. One thing I know is that once they choose, there's no going back. Our Royal Bastards' patches will burn. Ink will get blacked out and we'll have one hell of a fucking party.

The decision could come in five minutes or five months.

However long it takes, I know I'm with my brothers ride or die.

Prez adjourns us and I track down Jimmy after retrieving my cell .

"Walk with me, Prospect."

"What's up?"

"You make your choice?"

"Don't really have one. The choice was taken from me. Gotta step up and do the right thing."

"I hear that, man. But you sure she's being truthful?"

"What do you mean? You're the one who told me she was pregnant."

"Intel was wrong. She been to the doctor yet?"

"She said she went. It's not like I asked for proof."

"Maybe you should."

"Did Ember say something?"

"Not directly, but she had a positive pregnancy test disappear. Do with that what you will. But wouldn't feel right not cluing you in that your girl has issues."

"What do I do?"

"That's something you have to decide. If it were me, I'd observe. She'll trip herself up, eventually. Looks like you have a visitor." I nod to where Kiesha stands at the gate with Link, and he looks mad as fuck.

"Fuck." Jimmy scratches the back of his neck.

"Guess your secret is out. Don't bother trying to run. All that will do is piss him off further."

Jimmy gulps and I don't blame him. I'd be shaking in my boots if I were him .

"Prospect," Link roars in such a commanding voice I nearly jump to and he's not even talking to me.

"Good luck." I snort and head back to the bar to wait for Ember to get off work so I can pick her up for our dinner date.

"Do you know which way he's leaning?" Ember questions while twirling her pasta around her fork.

"Way all this shit has shaken out from the top, I wouldn't be surprised if Prez doesn't blow the whole fucking lot up and relocate us."

"Seriously?"

"We wouldn't be the first."

"That's crazy."

"When you fuck with a man's family and his livelihood, there's no telling what lengths he'll go to get revenge and protect what's his."

"Fair enough, I guess. Would you like to pick up our lives and move? Start all over somewhere else?"

"If the club goes, we'll follow."

"Where?"

"Depends on this patch over and where we're needed to set up shop."

She snaps her fingers. "Just like that? "

"Would happen in stages. Highest ranking officers would go scout shit out. Make the lay of the land. Get things situated. Family members would arrive in waves. Nothing that would get us on radar. An operation like that can take a few years, maybe longer. Not that I think it's what will happen. But keep in mind it's a possibility."

"Speaking of possibilities, I've given more thought to what we talked about."

"Oh yeah?" I grin, knowing where this conversation is going.

"Mhmm. I'd be open to visiting the club again. I'm not saying I'd want people to watch us."

"They've got private rooms."

"How private?"

"Like checking into an exclusive member's only resort. Complete Discretion. No one would even know we were there. Could even arrange a private car to drive us to and from the location. We could fly. They have more than one."

"Where?"

"New York. Florida. Colorado. All over really."

"What would we do there?"

"Anything we want."

"Like bondage and stuff?"

"If that's what you want. Could tie you up, fuck you in a swing. Possibilities are endless. "

Her cheeks flush and I know she's imagining what those scenarios might be like and getting wet. I place my hand on her upper thigh, stroking her smooth skin with the side of my thumb in a languid rhythm. Teasing and testing her patience.

Her lips part and her pupils dilate. "When?"

"Could go tonight as long as they have a room."

"Find out."

"All right."

I pull out my phone and fire off a text.

While I wait, I take Ember's fork and feed my babydoll a few bites. "You'll need the carbs."

My phone buzzes with a response.

"What do you think?"

"It looks so normal."

"What? You think it was going to be a dungeon with whips and chains?"

"Maybe."

"They have rooms like that, too. Didn't think that'd be your pace. Not yet."

Ember runs her hand along the silk sheets. "Have you been in this room before?"

"Do you want me to answer that? "

"If this is going to work, we've got to be honest with each other." She's trying to get over her jealousy issues when it comes to my past. We're getting there, but change takes time and practice.

"Not this room. No."

"But you've been in others?" She sits on the edge of the bed.

"Yeah."

"With who?"

"Other club members. No one I was involved with."

"So, I'm the first you've brought here?"

"Yes," I answer, and she smiles. "You like that?"

"It means I get something no one else has."

I tilt her face up by sliding two fingers under her chin. "Yeah, babydoll. You do." My lips meet her forehead, and she shivers. Hate that she associates forehead kisses with Creed, but she's here with me.

Their fling doesn't matter. I'm going to erase every bit of him from her memory by giving her new and better ones.

Giving her the beauty I promised her life would be.

"You nervous?" I ask running my rough hands down her smooth calves, massaging her in assurance.

"A little."

"You're safe with me. I do anything you don't like, or you decide something is too much. All you gotta say is cornflower."

"Cornflower?" she balks.

"Color of your eyes. But that'll be your safe word. Can you remember that?"

"I think so."

"Good." My lips widen to a satisfied grin as I latch a cuff around her right ankle then the left, each connected to metal rings secured to the platform bed.