The Bloke (Men Under Revue #1)

11. Colby

Chapter 11

Colby

I let her go this morning. It was entertaining to see just how pissed off I could make my wife as she stormed out of the penthouse. Sienna refused to accept that we were married but she wouldn’t for long. I made a promise to her last night that I would give her everything, and I plan on keeping that promise. I’ll give her the fucking world.

After carrying her out to my cherry red Polaris Slingshot, I threw on the spare clothes—jeans and a T-shirt—I kept for emergencies and drove her straight to The Little Chapel of the West. She laughed at the idea of marrying me when we pulled up, thinking it would make for a great story in the morning, a joke to her friends, but she didn’t know just how serious I was.

The owner of the wedding chapel works for the Men Under Revue, so he had no issue whatsoever with her drunken state as she signed the marriage license he slid in front of her. He doesn’t question us and never will. That’s what comes with the power we hold over the Strip.

When she finished signing the documents, I was able to catch her full name.

Sienna Isabelle Carter —now, Sienna Isabelle Bryce.

In the five years I've worked for the brotherhood, I’ve learned to take what I want, and she is exactly that: what I wanted. I didn’t feel the need to chase her around, to woo her like a normal man would.

Instead, I put a ring on it, one with a tracker so that I could keep a close eye on her. She wouldn’t take it off; she was too stubborn to do that. She’ll continue to wear it as a fuck you to me. But if she does take it off, I’ve also installed one on the back of her phone’s battery.

Within the past three hours, I was able to track where she lived and, I assumed, where she worked. The pin on my app told me she was at—what appeared to be—a Pilates studio on the west side of Paradise, closer to Spring Valley.

Opening the browser on my phone, I searched the address to find the studio’s name and operating hours. Sunset Pilates, she would be there until at least seven tonight, which worked for me.

Locking my phone, I dropped it into my gym bag, slid on my sneakers, and headed to the elevator. I skipped out on last night's finale and signings and knew that Jaxon would have a few choice words waiting for me once I got to the showroom for training and rehearsal.

I rode the elevator to the basement garage, tossing my bag into the passenger seat before getting into the driver’s seat and peeling out of the garage.

I could already hear Jaxon’s reprimands in the back of my mind as I drove to Neon Palms. It had been a good long while since I last pissed him off, so this should be pretty entertaining for everyone, including myself.

I didn’t give a fuck if he scolded me in front of the other blokes. I got what I wanted last night. I was a happy, sated fucking man. Nothing he could say or do would ruin that for me.

Abso-fucking-lutely nothing.

Pulling into the parking garage at Neon Palms, I jogged up the stairs to the showroom and made my way to the back door for the locker room. Once inside, I shoved my bag into my locker and strolled to the stage for rehearsals.

I could already hear the music playing. Jaxon had started rehearsal without me.

When I arrived, I was already dressed in my gym shorts, white sneakers, and a white tank top, so there was no need for me to change. I was ready to start practicing for tonight’s show.

“Well, look who finally decided to show up.” Jaxon scorned, giving me his darkest fuck you glare to date. “Line the fuck up.” That's it?

Doing as I was told, I walked across the stage to line up with the other six blokes. Our set music started, and we all moved into our starting positions, a single-file line down center stage. We gripped the hems of our white tanks and pulled them up to chest height while leaning to the side, switching in a staggered formation.

We continued the routine, not actually ripping our tank tops off but stopping with all seven of us lined up at the front of the stage.

Jaxon cuts the music and steps onto the stage.

“Take five, guys; I need a minute with Colby.” Fuck.

“Jax—” I started.

“Please tell me you didn’t do what I think you did last night.” He whisper-yelled just as Darren and Benji retreated to the lounge room.

“The fuck does it matter what I do?” I crossed my arms over my chest, standing my ground.

Once everyone had cleared out, Jaxon stepped into me, so close I could feel his breath on my face as he seethed.

“It does when it comes to the brotherhood. You can’t just bring random women into it.”

“I don’t recall that being a problem with Tate and his new wife,” I shrugged.

“Tate’s wife went under a thorough background check, followed by a test of her loyalty to him and the Men Under Revue.” He ground out through a clenched jaw. “Are you willing to put yours through the same?”

“What kind of fucking question is that?” I barked. “I didn’t realize I needed permission to marry.”

“All I’m saying is, if she fails, she’s done. It’s your hands that her blood will stain, Colby. Can you live with that?” Jaxon sighed. “You can marry whoever the fuck you want, but I just wished you would have said something before doing it outright. Was she really that important?”

Was she? I know it was an impulsive decision, but it was the right one, and I will die on that fucking hill.

“Of course she is. I don’t need to justify my reasons for claiming her as mine.”

“No, but now you better pray to god that she can pass her test.”

“There are no gods here, only us.” I scoffed.

“You say that now…” Jaxon shook his head. “Not everyone is like us, Colby… Not everyone understands how we handle things. She might not be as tough as you believe her to be.” He groaned, fisting his hair. “Fuck, mate… You don’t even know her.”

I might not know her now, but by the end of the week, I will.

And I’ll make sure she passes her test, whatever the cost.