Joyful (Leather & Chrome #4)

Chapter 1

“Perfect,” Emmett whispered, staring at the fully decorated tree in his and his roommate’s living room. Well, it was technically her living room and he rented a room from her, but Roni was the best and let him basically have free rein of the whole house.

Including decorating for holidays.

They’d only been living together since last spring, and at first, he’d been too nervous to ask her if he could put out a few things when summer and then fall arrived.

She was so intimidating in her leather vest and plethora of tattoos, but when she’d gotten a glimpse of his bedroom overflowing with decorations in October, she’d just laughed and said he should put things around the whole house.

And now it was almost Christmas. His favorite time of year.

Well, it was the Saturday after Thanksgiving, but that was close enough. He’d spent all day Friday taking down his fall and Turkey Day stuff, and now the house was an explosion of red, green, and silver.

When he heard the front door shut, he turned with a smile, expecting to see Roni strolling in, but she never appeared.

A slamming cupboard door in the kitchen let him know where she’d gone instead, so he started heading that way, a little skip in his step despite her obvious annoyance.

She wasn’t mad at him; Roni never got mad at him.

“Babes, you want some ice cream? My day was absolute shit, so I’m having a sundae and passing the fuck out,” she called from the kitchen right before he walked in.

He hesitated in the doorway, nibbling on his lip as he watched her pull the cartons from the freezer. Should he eat ice cream so late at night? Absolutely not.

But then again, who was there to stop him?

Straightening his shoulders, he marched forward. No one, that was who. He could do whatever he wanted and not feel a lick of guilt since he didn’t have a daddy to be disappointed in him.

Or praise him.

Or punish him when he was really naughty.

Shivering, he sidled up next to her. “Do we have mint chocolate chip?”

She gave him a half-hearted smile, eyes brightening some at his A Christmas Story sweater, and pointed at one of the cartons in front of her. “Of course we do. I’d never let us run out of your favorite.”

Roni was the best. Almost as good as a daddy would be. He guessed, anyway. He’d never actually had one, so he wasn’t really sure. But he knew she was awesome and the least judgmental person ever. “What happened at work?”

She sighed and grabbed the bowls from the cupboard.

The big ones. The ones they usually only used for popcorn during movie nights.

“This guy came into the shop tonight, right before we closed. And he was such a fucking—” She sucked in a breath and slammed her palms down on the counter, stopping herself from calling him whatever name she’d been about to.

“He repeatedly misgendered our piercer, mocked the design Knuckles had done up for him, and then wouldn’t leave when I told him to. ”

Emmett gasped. “Did you have to call the police?”

Roni laughed at that as she scooped out the ice cream. “Hell no. I busted his nose though, and then he threatened to call them. Luckily, he noticed my cut and thought better of it.”

Nibbling his lip, he glanced at the leather vest she wore over a navy blue hoodie and the patches on her chest. Viper and SGT-at-Arms, one on top of the other. As much as she was just Roni to him, he knew she had a whole different life with her motorcycle club. “Are you okay?”

She quirked an eyebrow as she went to the fridge. “Yeah, babes. I can throw a punch without breaking my hand.”

Of course she could. He flushed, but when she pulled out the chocolate sauce and whipped cream, looking at him in question, he nodded enthusiastically. “Yes, please.”

He watched as she squeezed liquid chocolate and sprayed creamy goodness into his bowl of ice cream, eyes wide. Hopefully, he’d be able to sleep after all that sugar. It would be worth it though.

“I’m sorry that guy was so rude,” he said, accepting his bowl from her and following her out of the kitchen. “Poor Tay and Knuckles.”

“It happens, but not often. Luckily, most people around here know not to fuck with the club.” She paused in the living room doorway, then hurried forward. “Emmett! This tree looks awesome!”

Pride filled his chest. “Thanks, Roni.”

She set her bowl on the table next to one end of the couch and peeled her vest off, tossing it aside, then toeing off her boots.

Without the leather and her tattoos mostly hidden under her sweatshirt, she looked younger, almost innocent, with only faint lines around her bright green eyes showing her age.

Well, except for her dark green hair, the sides trimmed short.

He sat next to her, curling his legs underneath him and digging into his sundae. “Did you do any cool tattoos today?”

She shrugged, crossing her legs. “A couple of college girls came in and got their underboobs done, and then I did a consult on a half sleeve and worked on a back piece I’ve been making progress on for the last six months. Should be pretty cool when it’s done. It’s a huge Japanese piece.”

He spooned just whipped cream into his mouth, biting back a moan. “That sounds interesting. I can’t wait to see it on your Instagram when it’s done.”

She chuckled, reaching over and giving his shoulder a soft shove. “Why don’t you come hang out at the shop sometime after you get done at work? I bet you and CJ would really hit it off…”

It wasn’t the first time she’d suggested it, and he was tempted, but he was positive he wouldn’t fit in with the other tattoo artists.

Roni was awesome at their house, but at Rebel Yell Studio, she’d be…

Viper. And what if when she saw him around her other friends, she realized he didn’t fit into her life?

Or they convinced her he didn’t after he left.

He shuddered and shoveled more ice cream into his mouth, saying around it, “Maybe someday.”

She rolled her eyes, setting aside her bowl and turning to face him fully. When he just scooped more mint chocolate chip out of his, averting his eyes, she sighed and took his bowl right out of his hands and set it onto the table too.

“Hey! Mine!” He reached for it, not wanting it to turn to soupy grossness.

“In a minute.” She snagged his grabby hands, grinning at his disgruntled huff.

“Babes, I don’t understand why you’re so terrified of hanging out at the shop or with any of the club members.

Last week, you about passed out when I suggested you come to dinner with me, Tank, and CJ.

Seriously, Em, your face got so pale I was worried. ”

Gulping, he stared into her concerned eyes. “I’m not scared,” he said in a tiny, petrified voice.

She laughed, giving his fingers a squeeze. “Do you honestly think I’d let any of those assholes be mean to you? Do you think so little of me?”

Horrified, he clutched at her rough hands. “Oh my goodness, no! Roni, you’re the best friend I’ve ever had, but they’re your family.”

Her face softened. “I get it now.”

“Get what?” He darted a look at his ice cream. Was it already melting? Why was she making him talk about feelings without his bowl of comfort?

“You don’t know you’re my family now too,” she said, ducking to catch his gaze.

His heart rate began to increase, his palms growing sweaty in her firm grip. “I am?”

“Yeah, babes.” She smiled, giving him a squeeze and letting him go to grab their bowls again. As she handed his over, she said, “You think I’d live with any chump?”

He laughed a little, thinking of all the horror stories she’d told him about past roommates. “You didn’t know me when I moved in.”

She shrugged and shoved a huge spoonful of chocolate peanut butter into her mouth. “Ollie vouched for you.”

“He barely knew me either!” Emmett said. “He’d just cut my hair a few times.”

“We’re both excellent judges of character, so quit arguing with me. We’re family, and that’s that.”

Family.

He couldn’t help but smile widely at her.

He’d never had a friend call him that before, and his regular family…

Well, they loved him, but he wasn’t close to them.

His siblings were all older than him and way more successful, with loud and rambunctious families of their own that always filled up every room of every house they were in.

His whole life, he’d been the quiet one, the one who liked “childish” things and dropped out of college, squandering his potential.

It was easy for him to just disappear into the background whenever he was with them.

He grimaced and poked at his ice cream, doing his best not to think about what had happened at his parents’ house on Thursday. Sometimes he faded into the background too well, apparently.

But with Roni… She saw him. She even saw the parts of him that he’d kept hidden from everyone else. He’d thought she would think it was weird or maybe even make him move out if she found out about his little side. But, of course, he’d been completely wrong.

He hadn’t realized she was coming home early one day a couple of months after he’d moved in, and he’d been watching The Little Mermaid in his footy pj’s in the living room, coloring a picture of a dragon on the floor with his big box of crayons.

Snowball, his favorite stuffie, had been sitting right next to him, keeping watch over him.

And had almost gotten sprayed with apple juice when Emmett had looked up and found Roni smiling at him softly.

Explaining to her that he was a little had been easier than he’d expected—once he’d gotten over his shock and terror—her quick acceptance helping him relax enough that he’d even been able to finish his movie.

And she’d hung that picture on the fridge when he’d finished it a few days later, using a magnet shaped like a frame she’d gone and purchased without telling him.

The sight of it in their shared space had brought tears to his eyes for weeks whenever he’d looked at it.