Chapter 27
Election day dawns bright and clear.
My bruises have faded to a sickly yellow-green, easily covered with makeup, and my lip has mostly healed.
The town is buzzing with energy—people heading to polls, campaign signs everywhere, a sense of anticipation that’s almost tangible. After everything we’ve been through, this feels like a victory lap.
And when the results come in, it’s not even close.
Duck wins by a landslide.
The “PUBIC Servant” incident, it turns out, only made him more popular. The man who could laugh at himself was the man they wanted running their town.
The clubhouse erupts in celebration. Music blasting, drinks flowing, brothers cheering like they’ve won the Super Bowl. Duck is mobbed by well-wishers, his face splitting in a grin that might be permanent.
“Can you believe it?” Kya appears at my elbow, practically bouncing. “A biker for mayor. The town council is going to have a collective aneurysm.”
“That’s half the fun.” I clink my beer against hers. “Here’s to aneurysms.”
Stone finds me in the crowd, pulling me against his side. “Hell of a day.”
“Hell of a week.” I lean into him. “Hell of a year, really.”
The women cluster on the deck outside like groupies at a concert, waiting for Steel to exit.
“You do this for every new patch holder?” I ask Ginger.
She laughs. “Yep. What goes on in Chapel is their business.” She waggles a finger at me. “But what happens outside of that male dominated room is our responsibility. It’s good these new boys know we’re the boss from the beginning.”
I tilt my head back to smile up at Stone. “Is that right? Am I the boss?”
“Everywhere but the bedroom, sweetheart.”
Inside the clubhouse, I can hear muffled voices. Then laughter—a lot of it.
“That’s either very good or very bad,” Kya observes.
“With this club? Could be both.”
Ginger checks her watch. “The banner’s going to fall if they don’t hurry up. I rigged it with fishing line and prayer.”
The doors swing open.
Steel emerges first, looking dazed, his cut now sporting full colors instead of the prospect patch. The brothers behind him are grinning, slapping his back, clearly having given him hell in there while Maggie officially sewed on his patch.
“SURPRISE!” Ginger yanks a cord.
The banner unfurls—WELCOME TO THE FAMILY, FAIRY FLOSS—just as the confetti cannons explode.
Steel gets a face full of glitter.
“Who—” He’s sputtering, trying to look dignified while covered in sparkles. “Who approved this?”
“I did,” Stone chuckles, raising his beer in toast.
Ginger shoves a bottle into Steel’s hand. “You’re getting a party. Shut up and enjoy it.”
Isabel watches from the edge of the crowd, Lily on her hip. When Steel catches her eye, he lifts his beer in a small salute, taking a deep drink.
She doesn’t smile, but she nods.
I catch Brick watching them from across the yard, his jaw tight. .
“That’s going to be interesting,” Stone murmurs.
“You mean the ‘who’s got the bigger dick energy’ those two are throwing off? Yeah, you’re telling me.”
The party kicks into high gear—food, drinks, music, dancing. Duck gives an impromptu speech about community and gratitude that has Ginger crying. Steel gets passed around for congratulations and kisses until he’s pink-faced and overwhelmed.
And through it all, Stone never strays far from my side.
Until suddenly, he’s gone.
I look around, confused, and find him standing by the bar, whistling for attention.
The music cuts, and everyone turns.
“One more piece of business tonight,” Stone says. His voice carries across the suddenly silent yard.
My heart stutters. What is he—
“Josie. Get over here.”
The crowd parts. I walk toward him on legs that don’t feel entirely steady.
He’s holding a fold of leather. A vest. And on the back—
PROPERTY OF STONE
The room erupts. Cheers, whistles, and Ginger starts crying again.
“This isn’t asking,” Stone says, loud enough for everyone to hear. “This is telling. You’re mine, Josie Bright. Have been since you walked into my clubhouse and told me my legal strategy was shit.”
“It was shit,” I manage, my voice cracking. “You were planning to threaten a judge.”
“And you showed me a better way.” He holds out the vest. “Put it on.”
My hands are shaking as I slide my arms through the sleeves. The leather settles against my shoulders like it was made for me.
Because it was.
Stone pulls me against him and kisses me in front of everyone—deep, claiming, nothing held back.
When we break apart, I’m breathless and dizzy and happier than I’ve ever been.
“You know,” I say, loud enough for the crowd to hear, “if you’re going to claim me as property, you should probably make an honest woman of me first. Legally speaking.”
“Josie—”
“I’m a lawyer, Boone. I believe in contracts.” I grin up at him. “Vegas has twenty-four hour chapels. Just saying.”
The crowd goes absolutely silent.
Stone stares at me for a long moment. Then his face splits into the biggest smile I’ve ever seen on him.
“You want to marry me?”
“I want you to make it legal before you go around branding me with leather goods, yes.”
“Vegas.” He’s laughing now. “You wanna get married by Elvis?”
“Obviously.”
He kisses me again, then turns to the crowd. “Looks like we’re going to Vegas!”
The clubhouse shakes with the roar.
“I’m booking you the honeymoon suite!” Ginger is already on her phone. “Don’t even try to stop me!”
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Stone says, not taking his eyes off me. “When do we leave?”
“First light?”
“First light.”
Lee raises his beer. “To the President and his Old Lady!”
“TO THE PRESIDENT AND JOSIE!”
Stone pulls me close, his mouth against my ear. “You sure about this?”
I press my hand against the leather vest. His name is on my back. His ring will be on my finger soon.
“Absolutely.”