Chapter 22
ALANNA
The hum of conversation filled the clubhouse, but it did nothing to calm my nerves. I’d been pacing for the past twenty minutes, wearing a path into the wood floor.
“Girl, you’re gonna groove that board right through to the basement,” Savannah drawled from the couch.
“I can’t help it.” I twisted my fingers together, glancing toward the door again. “They should’ve been back by now.”
“I’m sure they will be soon.” Lark’s voice was steady, calm in the way only someone who’d survived her own chaos could manage.
She was curled up in one of the leather chairs, her feet propped on a stool and one hand resting absently on her still-flat stomach.
“Your brother is probably just being extra careful to make sure there are no trails that can point toward you later.”
“Yeah.” I raked my fingers through my hair with a sigh. “That could be it.”
“Or Jax and Drift could be in another fistfight,” Savannah teased. “Since it wasn’t club business, Kane told me all about how they duked it out in the sand over your honor.”
“Duked it out?” Callie echoed with a snort.
“Hey, it sounded good in my head.” Savannah giggled. “And you can’t convince me you weren’t as curious as me about the bruises on Jax and Drift’s faces when they brought Alanna to the clubhouse.”
“Fair point,” Callie muttered.
“I definitely asked Jaxton about it, but he tried to act like it was no big deal,” Lark murmured with a grin.
“I’m sure he did.” My shoulders eased a little as I sank into the chair across from Lark. “I always wanted a sister, but I got Jaxton instead.”
Lark grinned, her eyes sparkling. “Hey now, he’s not that bad. Even if he did try to smash Drift’s face in for daring to touch you.”
Savannah gave me a pointed look. “And if you’d gotten that sister back then, Lark wouldn’t be pregnant now. And you never would’ve met Drift.”
I laughed, the tension in my chest breaking for the first time all day. “Yeah, that would’ve been a damn shame.”
The low rumble of engines punctuated my words, and my heart leaped into my throat.
Lark’s hand found mine and squeezed. “Told you they’d be fine.”
I was already on my feet before the first bike shut off, running for the door. It swung open just as I got there.
Chance was the first one through. Behind him came Jaxton, Kane, Edge, and Axle. Everyone looked tired but alive.
I didn’t wait for explanations. I threw myself into Chance’s arms, the breath whooshing out of me as he caught me tight against his chest.
“It’s done,” he murmured against my hair. “You’re safe.”
The words cracked something open inside me. I nodded, unable to stop the tremor in my voice when I whispered, “Thank you.”
“Unbelievable,” Jaxton grumbled somewhere behind us. “Yet again, she doesn’t even ask if I’m okay. Just runs straight for him.”
Lark crossed the room and wrapped her arms around his waist. “That’s how it’s supposed to be when you fall for someone.”
He made a dramatic gagging sound. “Gross. Can’t we at least keep the mushy stuff out of club territory?”
That earned a round of laughter from the women and a collective shake of the head from the men. Even Kane’s mouth twitched.
I twisted in Chance’s hold to glare at my brother. “You literally had your wedding reception in this clubhouse. How is that keeping the mushy stuff out?”
“Yeah, but shit’s different when it’s your sister.” Jaxton glared at Chance. “And the man who was supposed to be your best fucking friend.”
My eyes narrowed. “I mean, there was definitely a lot of fu—”
Chance clapped his palm over my mouth, cutting off my taunt. “Quit needling your brother. He’ll come around eventually, and he just helped keep you safe.”
“It was a hell of a lot more than just helping,” Jaxton grumbled.
Kane finally took pity on me and explained, “The ring’s down. Your data’s secure. Nothing left for him to touch.”
Relief flooded through me so hard my knees almost buckled. “Guess having a hacker for a brother has its perks.”
Jaxton scowled immediately. “You know how much I hate being called that, smart-ass.”
Chance’s arm tightened around my waist as he shot my brother a look. “Enough.”
I tilted my head back to smirk up at him. “You’re not the boss of me.”
“Yeah, it’s not like she’s even officially your old lady yet,” Savannah pointed out.
Rev ducked behind the bar, grabbed a brown paper bag, and tossed it to Chance. “This came for you.”
Chance caught it easily and pulled out a small leather vest—similar to his but sized for me.
Shaking it out, he turned the back toward me so I could see the property patch that announced to the world that I was his. But then he froze and muttered, “What the hell?”
I didn’t understand what was wrong until he flipped it over, and I saw the front of the vest. Jax Jr. was stitched above the left breast pocket.
A low growl rumbled from his chest. “Who the fuck thought this was funny?”
Jaxton didn’t even pretend innocence. He crossed his arms over his chest with a smug grin. “You claim my baby sister, you deal with the branding.”
Lark snorted, Savannah and Callie howled with laughter, and even Kane’s mouth twitched. I clamped a hand over my mouth to stifle my laugh.
“This shouldn’t even be possible.” Chance glared at Jaxton. “You just found out about us yesterday.”
My brother shrugged before admitting, “Already had the patch made in case we’re having a boy. Just put it to good use yankin’ your chain. Can’t say you don’t deserve it.”
Lark tilted her head back to look up at Jaxton. “We haven’t even discussed names yet.”
“I know, baby.” He stroked his hand down her spine. “Had a Lark one made too, thought it’d be a fun way to do one of those gender reveal things like you’ve been watching on social media.”
She pressed her face against his chest with a sniffle. “Aw, that’s so sweet.”
I took the vest from Chance’s hands and slipped it on. “I kinda like the nod to my brother.”
Chance’s expression eased, and his hand brushed the back of my neck as he murmured, “You gotta be fucking with me.”
“Maybe a little,” I admitted with a grin.
He shook his head and sighed. “At least he didn’t mess with your ring.”
Jaxton grinned, wicked as ever. “Or did I?”
Chance’s head snapped up. “Shut up, fucker. It’s safely upstairs in my room.”
The laughter that followed chased away every lingering shadow in the room.
I tugged on Chance’s arm. “Show me.”
His hand settled at the small of my back as we climbed the stairs, the noise from the lounge area fading with every step. When we reached his room, he closed and locked the door behind us. Then he crossed to the dresser and opened the top drawer.
When he turned back toward me, there was a small black box in his hand. “I bought this before I ever admitted to myself that I could have you. Loved you then, even though I tried like hell to deny it. Told myself you deserved better than me.”
Emotion clogged my throat, and I shook my head, stepping closer until I could press my palms against his chest. “What I deserve is to spend the rest of my life with the man I love. And that’s you.”
The tension in his body broke all at once. He cupped my face, his thumb brushing my cheekbone. “Say that again.”
“I love you, Chance.”
His mouth found mine, the kiss slow and reverent, unlike our usual heat. When he pulled back, he pressed his forehead to mine. “I love you too, Alanna. Been fighting it since the day I saw you walk down the aisle for your brother’s wedding, all grown up and too damn beautiful for your own good.”
I laughed softly, tears stinging my eyes. “Guess you lost that fight.”
“Glad I did.” Flipping open the jewelry box, he let out a relieved sigh. “At least that fucker didn’t mess with this too. Meddling bastard.”
I peeked inside and gasped. The diamond solitaire was perfect. “Chance, it’s gorgeous.”
His grin turned wicked as he slid the ring onto my finger. “Now the whole damn world will know you’re mine.”
I kissed him again, grinning against his lips. “Don’t worry. Once the baby comes, my brother will be too tired to interfere.”
Chance’s laugh rumbled low in his chest. “Good. Gives us time to start working on one of our own. If we time it right, you’ll have the kid during summer break before senior year.”