Chapter Eighteen
Eliza
I took a deep breath, the kind you take when the world’s weight finally lifts from your shoulders. Relief crashed over me like a tidal wave, and tears sprang to my eyes. I didn’t bother trying to hold them back. Sheriff Holmes, my father, that monster in a badge, was nothing but ash and memories now. His empire lay in ruins at my feet.
My hands shook, not with fear this time, but with a freedom so fierce it burned through my veins. I laughed, the sound strange and foreign to my own ears. Free.
The clubhouse door swung open, and I stepped into chaos. It looked like Jo was prepping the place for a party. I noticed Park was with her.
He rushed over, coming to a stop a few feet away when Cheshire came in behind me, placing a hand on my shoulder.
“Eliza, I’m glad you’re okay.” Park cleared his throat. “Sorry about your dad. All things considered, he was still your flesh and blood, and the only family you had left.”
I shook my head. “I’m not. I don’t think anyone will miss him, except the men who were just as corrupt as him.”
“Just the same… if you ever need someone to talk to…”
Cheshire growled and put himself between us. “She won’t. Don’t cross the line, Park!”
He lifted his hands and backed up. “Just being a friend. I figured she could use one. I think it’s clear she’s yours.”
I placed my hand on Cheshire’s back. “I’m fine. He didn’t mean anything by it. I’m going to get cleaned up.”
“Same.” Cheshire turned and leaned in closer, then lowered his voice so only I’d hear him. “Want to shower together?”
“Aren’t you hurting? You look like one big bruise, not to mention the cut on your arm.”
He cupped my cheek. “No amount of pain would ever stop me from enjoying your touch.”
“Then, yes. I’d like that.” He took my hand and led me through the room and down the hall. We stopped at my room long enough for me to grab a change of clothes.
“You’ll need to move all your stuff later.” He kissed my cheek. “My room is now our room. Unless you’d prefer to have a separate one.”
I shook my head. “No. I like the idea of sharing one.”
When we got to Cheshire’s room -- no, our room -- he shut and locked the door. I set my clean clothes on the bed and went into the bathroom to start the shower. Cheshire joined me a moment later, already stripped out of his clothes. I winced when I saw all the cuts and bruises. I hadn’t realized he had a cut other than the one on his arm.
“Doesn’t it hurt?” I asked.
“Pain is a relative thing,” he said. “And right now, I’m not letting it take me down. But later… yeah, it’s going to hurt like a bitch and I’ll be in agony.”
I undressed and took his hand, tugging him into the shower. Using gentle strokes, I washed the grime from his skin, being extra careful around the open wounds. Even his lip had been split.
His touch was light as he traced the bruises on my body. “Aren’t you in pain?”
“I’ll be fine. I’ve had much worse,” I said.
“That’s not exactly comforting,” he muttered.
“If you’re trying to tell me not to touch you, and not to take this any further, then save your breath. I think we both need this right now. After everything, I want to feel close to you, and I want to celebrate the fact we’re alive.”
By the time I finished, he took the soap from me and washed the dirt from my skin. My nipples hardened from his light touch, and my body felt like it was on fire. No matter what he said, I worried I’d end up causing him pain if we were intimate right now. At the same time, I felt like I needed to be closer to him after everything we’d been through today.
“I want you, Eliza, but I don’t think I’m in good enough shape to do this in the shower.”
“Then let’s dry off and move to the bedroom. We can be quick so we don’t miss the party,” I said.
He smiled a little. “The party will go most of the night. I don’t think they’ll mind us being a little late, but knowing Jo and my brothers, they’ve ordered food. I’m sure you’re hungry.”
Right on cue, my stomach rumbled and my cheeks flushed. He helped me out of the shower, and I noticed his arm was still bloody, as was as the cut on his side. Before he could drag me to the bedroom, I made him stand still and rummaged through his bathroom drawers and cabinet. I found some triple antibiotic and bandages. They wouldn’t hold for long.
“I think you need stitches,” I said.
“Later.” He lifted me into his arms and carried me to the bed. He eased me down onto the mattress, pressing his body to mine. His eyes were filled with desire and ownership. “You’re mine.”
My heart raced at the thought of being owned by him, completely under his control. With anyone else I’d be terrified. But I trusted Cheshire. Knew deep down that he’d never hurt me.
He kissed me, long and deep, as he trailed his hand down my thigh and slipped it between my legs. His fingers teased my pussy, and I arched my back, desperate for more. He slid a finger inside me, crooking it just right, and hit a spot inside me that had me begging for more.
My moans filled the room, and I couldn’t help but wriggle beneath him in anticipation.
“Do you like that?” he asked, his voice low and devilish.
I nodded frantically, unable to form coherent words. He chuckled darkly and added another finger, stretching me until I was wet and ready for him.
Cheshire kissed me again before trailing kisses down my neck and collarbone. He positioned his cock against my pussy, and then stopped. “Tell me you want it,” he said, his body hovering over mine.
“Please,” I whimpered, begging for the pleasure he would give me. And then he thrust inside me, filling me up completely.
He started slowly, gradually increasing the pace as my body adjusted to his size. I cried out, loving the way he owned me completely. My hands gripped his shoulders, digging into his skin as I tried to hold on to the feeling.
“You’re going to scream my name,” he warned me. His pace quickened, and I could feel myself getting closer to the edge. I moaned his name as he thrust deeper, harder, hitting that sweet spot over and over again until my orgasm crashed down on me like a wave. I screamed his name, my body trembling from the intensity.
Cheshire thrust three more times, and I felt the heat of his release filling me. I briefly wondered if he’d forgotten the condom again by accident, or if he’d decided not to use one.
We lay there, panting heavily, our hearts still racing from the intense encounter. “That was… incredible.”
He leaned in and nuzzled my neck. I couldn’t help but agree. With each passing moment, I found myself falling deeper in love with him -- not just because of his brutal strength or his rugged good looks, but because he saw something in me that no one else had and accepted me completely, flaws and all.
We got up and rinsed off in the shower again. After I bandaged his wounds once more, we dressed and headed to the common room, straight into the belly of the celebration. Music pounded against the walls, a thumping bass that echoed the pulse racing under my skin. Laughter bubbled up around me, warm as the whiskey shots being tossed back.
“Eliza!” Hatter called out, his voice rough but laced with joy. He raised a bottle in salute. “To new beginnings! Your life is now your own.”
“New beginnings,” I echoed. Jo stood beside him, her delicate frame a stark contrast to the burly bikers surrounding her. Yet she radiated strength, her eyes fierce with a fire that refused to die. I hoped I could be like that one day.
We were survivors, both marked and molded by darkness, yet here we stood amidst laughter and light. She seemed to have adjusted well. Would I look so relaxed and carefree as more time passed?
The Underland MC had become an unexpected haven. I’d have never thought a place like this would be a sanctuary for me.
“Here’s to tearing down tyrants,” someone shouted, and the club erupted in agreement, a roar of approval that filled the space with electric energy. The club’s work wasn’t done, but by taking down my father, they’d taken a giant step in the right direction.
I weaved through the crowd, feeling more at home than I ever had before.
“You did good, Eliza,” Mock said.
“I didn’t do anything except wait.”
“Couldn’t have been easy,” Carpenter said, clapping me on the back so hard I nearly stumbled.
“Thanks to you all, I had a reason to wait for someone to come rescue me,” I said. “If something like that had happened before I met all of you, I would have just waited to die. But I knew Cheshire, and the rest of you, would keep looking for me.”
Cheshire cut through the room, his presence turning heads, his perpetual grin promising mischief. The sea of bodies parted for him. He locked eyes with me from across the room, blue gaze blazing. Pride. Adoration. A silent vow that spoke louder than any words.
“Eliza,” he called, his voice slicing through the clamor. Every step he took toward me was a claim, each stride a testament to his place in this world -- and in mine. When he reached me, the chatter and the din of celebration dulled into oblivion.
“Cheshire,” I whispered, my heart hammering.
His fingers curled around mine, possessive yet gentle. He tugged, and I followed, drawn by an invisible thread that bound us. As he led me to the center of the room, it was clear who I belonged to, clear that I wasn’t just part of the club -- I was part of him. My cheeks warmed, and I couldn’t hold back my smile.
* * *
Cheshire
The thrum of the bass pulsed through the soles of my boots as I pulled Eliza into me. Our bodies found a rhythm, a primal dance older than time, her hips against mine. The room faded away, everything dimming against the electricity between us.
“Eliza,” I murmured, voice low, my breath hot on her neck. She tilted her head, offering the expanse of skin where her pulse danced beneath. My arm wrapped tighter around her waist, pulling her closer until there was no space for doubt or fear -- only us, only this. I didn’t care who was watching. Let them. Especially Park, that fucker. I wanted him to know Eliza was mine.
We spun, dancing to the music. It felt as if the world was spinning. Our feet moved to the beat, and I wanted the moment to last forever. I couldn’t remember a time I’d ever enjoyed dancing with a woman like this.
I leaned in, slow, deliberate. Her breath hitched, anticipation crackling between us, fierce and feral. Then our lips met and the club erupted in applause and catcalls.
“Get it, Cheshire!” someone hollered, the shout piercing through the haze of heat wrapping us. I flipped off the room in the general direction of the voice and heard someone laugh.
Cheers, whistles, the clinking of bottles -- I knew it might have embarrassed any other woman. But not Eliza. Not my fierce lady who’d stared down hell with the steel of a warrior queen. She was far braver than she gave herself credit for.
Our kiss deepened, a clash of teeth and tongue. It wasn’t gentle. It wasn’t meant to be. It was fire and need, a claiming more powerful than any ink on skin. Her fingers dug into my shoulders, nails biting through leather and shirt, branding me as surely as I branded her with every press of my mouth.
We broke apart, breathless, chests heaving. Her cheeks were flushed, lips bruised from our fervor, but her eyes… they blazed with a light that outshone the stars in the sky.
“Mine,” I growled, low enough for only her to hear.
“Yours,” she said.
This party was about more than a victory. It was a beginning -- the first mile of a long ride into a future we’d carve out together. When we were done, this town would be safe. No more monsters would lurk in the shadows. If they dared come to Warren, we’d take them down.
* * *
Eliza
The noise died down, glasses lifted high as Hatter commandeered the silence.
“Brothers,” he began, his gaze sweeping over the sea of leather and ink. “And, sister. Tonight, we aren’t just celebrating a win. It’s another step toward a much bigger plan.”
“Eliza,” Hatter continued, his eyes finding mine in the crowd. “You’ve shown more spine than anyone ever gave you credit for.”
I swallowed hard, the lump in my throat a mix of pride and raw emotion. Around us, the noise rose to a crescendo again, a wave of cheers and hoots.
“Here’s to new beginnings,” Hatter roared over the din, “to the end of tyranny in Warren, and to the Underland MC -- may our roads be long and our enemies scatter like dust!”
“Underland!” the club echoed back.
Conversations sparked around me, tales of close calls and daring plans. I let their words wash over me.
“Can’t believe we pulled it off,” someone said. “And we didn’t lose anyone.”
“Believe it, brother,” another replied, and I heard the sound of someone slapping another person on the back. “We’re damn unstoppable.”
They laughed, and the sound was pure joy, a release of all the darkness we’d been buried under.
“Feels like waking up,” I murmured to myself, watching the scene unfold.
“Damn good morning, then.” Cheshire’s voice rumbled next to me, his arm snaking around my waist. “We earned every second of this, Eliza. You especially.”
I leaned into him, the beat of his heart soothing me. We were battered, maybe a little broken, but we were here, together.
“Need air,” I murmured to Cheshire, breathless from the crush of bodies.
“Follow me,” he said, gripping my hand.
We slipped through the front door and into the cool night. Quiet wrapped around us. The sound of the club celebrating could still be heard through the walls of the clubhouse, but out here, it was just us in the moonlight.
“Scared you today, didn’t I?” he asked, his thumb tracing the line of my jaw.
“Scared for you,” I corrected him. I reached out to run my fingers over his cut. The patches told stories, even if I didn’t know what they were.
“I’m never going to leave you,” he vowed, pulling me close. “I’ll be by your side always.”
“Promise?” My voice cracked on the word, hope and fear tangling together.
“Promise, Eliza.” He sealed it with a kiss that tasted like forever.
“Love you,” I breathed against his lips, the truth of it simple and raw.
“Love you more,” he answered, his grin the last thing I saw before closing my eyes and leaning into him.
After Cheshire kissed me breathless, we returned to the clubhouse. The music died down, and the chatter settled into a low hum. All eyes turned to Hatter as he stood. Jo was beside him, her hand on his arm, looking like she was holding onto the world.
“Got something to say.” Hatter’s voice rumbled through the room, commanding silence.
My heart kicked against my ribs. Something big. I could feel it in the way Cheshire tensed next to me, his fingers tightening around mine. Were they about to tell everyone about the baby? The way Jo’s face glowed said it was something that involved them both.
“Jo’s pregnant.”
A cheer exploded from the club members, raw and joyous.
“Congrats, brother!” someone yelled over the din.
“Family’s growing,” another voice followed.
I watched as they swarmed Hatter and Jo, a sea of leather and ink. They were more than a club. They were kin, bound by something stronger than blood. And Jo, with her wide smile and eyes shining, was the queen of it all.
“Damn good news,” Cheshire murmured, squeezing my hand.
“Amazing,” I agreed, my voice nearly lost in the celebration.
Hatter’s scarred face was split by a grin. It was the first time I’d seen him that happy since I’d come to the clubhouse.
“New life,” Cheshire said, his gaze not leaving the pair at the center of the room. “Means we’re doin’ something right. That the club has a future.”
I leaned up to whisper to him. “Did you forget something earlier on purpose? Are you wanting a family too?”
He tensed and stared at me. “Shit. Sorry, Eliza. Maybe some part of me did it on purpose, but I’d promised to give you the choice and I fucked it up again.”
I shook my head. “No. Like I told you before, if we have a baby, then it was meant to happen. I’m not scared anymore. I have you, and everyone else here.”
Cheshire held my hand, his grip tight, as if he was afraid to let go. I didn’t mind.
“Look at them,” I whispered, nodding toward Hatter and Jo. “They’re so happy.”
“Deserve it,” Cheshire replied, his voice rough with emotion.
“Yeah, they do.”
“Like us,” he added, turning to look at me.
“Like us,” I echoed.
The darkness that had clung to our lives was receding, pushed back by the light of new beginnings. When I looked up at Chesire, I saw a man who’d walked through hell with me, who’d fought for a peace we could finally call our own.
“Ready for this?” he asked, his thumb stroking the back of my hand. “For a new life?”
“More than ready.” I leaned my head against his shoulder.