Chapter Thirty-Nine
Damon
We end up at Devil’s Play for a drink after our ride. The show doesn’t start until evening, so right now it’s just a bar where we can chill without any worries in the world.
“Corey is very happy,” River says to me, peeling the label off his beer. “So, thank you.”
“Thank you for not murdering me,” is all I can manage to say back, and he laughs.
“I like you, Damon,” he says back, and then we clink our drinks together, and all is good in the world.
Diamond can’t stop looking at Echo, and I can’t stop giving him shit about it. “Why don’t you just ask her out? Corey said she’s coming to the clubhouse tomorrow night—perfect opportunity.”
“Is she?” he asks, perking up. “I don’t know. She’s just so regal and proper, and I’m a fucking ex-stripper and porn star.”
I start choking, and my future brother-in-law hits me on the back. We might not have spoken about marriage yet, but there’s no doubt that one day Corey is going to be my wife. “Okay, I didn’t know that part.”
“Must have slipped my mind,” he replies, shrugging sheepishly, his eyes going back to Echo.
“A lot of slipping would have been happening,” Blaze adds, laughing to himself. “Fucking hell, Diamond. Imagine if she’s watching porn one day and just comes across you. If you ask her out, you should probably give her the heads-up. Not head. The heads-up,” he clarifies, and we are all assholes because soon everyone is laughing.
Diamond rubs the back of his neck. “Well, not much I can do about my past. I haven’t done it in a few years, if that makes it any better. And some women seem to like it.”
I look over at Echo in her business attire—no-nonsense white shirt and black slacks—and wonder if she’s one of those women.
I’m going to go with no.
But hey, you never know.
She comes over and looks at us. “What’s the occasion?”
“We’re all alive,” Romeo says, lifting up his scotch.
Cheers all around.
“Corey has invited me to the clubhouse tomorrow, I hope that’s okay,” she checks with Romeo.
“Of course, you are always welcome,” he tells her. “It’s nice you’ve finally decided to mix business and pleasure.”
“Well, I don’t know about all that,” she murmurs, her eyes going to Diamond.
Interesting.
“But I’m looking forward to catching up with the girls. Corey told me not to bring anything, but I want to. Is there anything you can think of?” she asks me.
“She’d have it all handled. I bet she’s gone out and bought everything already knowing her,” I reply, pulling out my phone to see if she’s messaged me, and she has.
Corey: I spoke to Rosalind. Word on the grapevine is Melinda isn’t even pregnant, but is trying to get pregnant now.
“Motherfucker,” I whisper.
Damon: I knew it! My gut was telling me that was the case, but I was trying not to be an asshole.
Corey: Not the smartest plan. The timing would be off and you’d know that. I think she’s just desperate.
Damon: She has been quiet, so maybe she’s decided not to continue with her scheme.
“What?” Jag asks, nosily trying to look at my screen.
I tell them what Corey said, and they all cheer again.
“I can’t believe she tried to pull this on you.” Romeo shakes his head, scowling. “At least I’m not the only one with a pain-in-the-ass ex...” He pauses. “Not even girlfriend. Ex-hookup.”
“I just hope she lets it go and leaves me alone now,” I say, swallowing down the rest of my drink quickly. “I don’t need Corey to get upset again just because Melinda can’t get over the fact that I’ve got an old lady now, and I’m not fucking her.”
“Yeah, good luck with that,” Romeo replies, asking Echo if he can get another round of drinks.
“Don’t you guys have to ride home?” she asks skeptically, as she grabs the beers out of the fridge.
“Yeah, but we don’t have to be home anytime soon,” River replies, resting his arm on Romeo. “Do we?”
“I have to work. Here. Tonight,” I remind them.
Echo shrugs as she slides me my beer. “Best hope that nothing goes wrong, then, right?”
“How many seats do you have in your car?” I ask her.
“Five. I can always call them a taxi, though.”
We all end up staying for a few more hours and drinking many more beers. I cut myself off much earlier than them, just in case, but I’m not worried with everyone here. Anyone would be stupid to start something tonight.
Corey: Where the hell is everyone?
Damon: Devil’s Play.
Corey: We’re coming.
Damon: Good, you can drive us all home.
Corey: How drunk are you?
“The women are coming,” I let them all know, because apparently, we are partying two nights in a row.
And I don’t know about them, but I’d like nothing more than Corey here with me.
“They will be tonight,” one of the men calls out, and I catch Echo rolling her eyes. No wonder she’s never dated a biker—she has to sit around listening to us in our true form most nights.
They arrive an hour or so later, and Julianna has Julian with her, obviously not trusting her parents to look after him again. She doesn’t drink but sits with us all and has a good time.
“You look beautiful,” I tell Corey, touching the thin strap of her black dress.
“And you look like you’ve had one too many drinks,” she replies, sitting down on my lap with her arms going around my neck. “But you still look and smell oh so good.”
She puts her face into my neck, and I’m tempted to take her out back right now.
“Don’t tease me,” I whisper so only she can hear. “Or we’ll be leaving early.”
“Don’t threaten me with a good time,” she replies, kissing me on the cheek.
This is the first time she’s been this affectionate with me in front of River, and I like how comfortable she is getting with it all. It just feels so natural with her, like this is exactly where I’m meant to be.
And she’s not just my old lady.
She’s my favorite person in the world.
So distracted by her, I don’t notice Gio step into the room until it’s too late. His gun is pointed right at River.
“Get down,” I tell Corey, pushing her under the table as River stands, hands in the air as he steps forward, purposely moving away from the women, who are all ducking down. The men stay standing, forming a protective line in front of them.
“Did you think I was going to let it go that easily?” Gio smirks, stepping farther into the room. “You might need to hire some new security.” He looks like shit, his jeans and shirt dirty, his hair a mess. He obviously has had a rough time, and now he’s here to try to have the final word by killing River. The music still plays in the background, adding extra stimulation that I don’t need right now. I get ready to reach down and grab the knife at my ankle.
“Don’t do something you’re going to regret,” Romeo seethes, jaw tightening. “Put the gun down, if you want to walk out of here alive, Gio.”
“Put your gun down,” he growls at Romeo, who has slowly reached for his own weapon. “The Lions have turned their backs on me because I let you run me out of town. Tatum fucking hates me. And now I have nothing to lose. So, I’m going to get my revenge.”
Gio pulls the trigger as River darts to the ground, and he misses. Movement out of the corner of my eye has me shocked and horrified as I see Corey stand with a gun in her hand. She shoots at Gio, and hits him in the chest.
He goes down, blood spilling out of him and onto the carpet.
Romeo rushes over and disarms him, while I turn to Corey with wide eyes. Her fingers are still shaking as they hold the weapon, and I slowly wrap my hand around hers and take it off her.
“Are you okay?” I ask, pushing her against my chest.
She nods, taking a deep, slow breath as she gathers her composure. “I’m just glad I kept that gun in my purse.”
River comes up behind her and holds her. “What the fuck were you thinking?”
Her lower lip trembles. “I watched Matthew die. I wouldn’t have survived losing another brother.”
River slams his eyes shut and takes a deep breath, then kisses the top of her head. “You saved me. All of us. Thank you.”
“He’s dead,” Romeo calls out.
We share a look between us.
While I’m fucking happy he’s dead, I would rather it have been at someone else’s hand.
Anyone else’s.
But Corey is brave, strong, and resilient.
And I couldn’t be prouder to call her mine.