CHAPTER 16
The main room of the clubhouse is full, and everyone is smiling and having a good time. It’s just a normal party so far. No one has said a damn thing about Heather’s pregnancy or the fact that she’s sporting a giant fucking diamond ring on her finger.
When she was getting ready for the party in Bedlam’s room, which is where the four of us have basically been living, we surrounded her and then dropped down to one knee. The way her hazel eyes went wide was almost comical, but then they welled up with tears. None of us can handle when she cries.
Scope held up the ring while Bedlam grabbed her left hand. I was the one who got to speak for us.
“We love you, Cherub. We thought about asking you in front of everyone, but this is just for us. Just us.” I ran a hand over her pregnant belly where our child kicked against my touch, the movement making me smile. “You’ve given us more than you know. You give us your submission as a gift. You love us completely. The baby you’re growing and protecting is ours. There’s only one more thing you can give us.”
“Yes,” she whispered, and we chuckled.
“He hasn’t asked yet,” Bedlam teased her, and a blush started rising on her cheeks.
I cleared my throat and grinned at the shy smile on our woman’s lips. “Will you marry us, Heather?”
“Yes. The answer was always going to be yes.”
We stood and wrapped her up in a hug that wasn’t just for her, but for each other as well. It’s a little strange to feel like we have a brotherhood within a brotherhood, but it’s exactly what we have. We’re connected on a deeper level to each other than we are to any other member of the DSMC, but that doesn’t make what we have with the club any less valuable.
Before we came down to the party, Bedlam pulled the collar we gave Heather months ago out of the small jewelry box which used to be on her dresser in Sweetwater Valley. He held it out to her, a mischievous grin on his face.
“I think this is the perfect accessory to complete your outfit.”
Heather slid a hand down over her hip where there were some patches of fake leather on her maternity leggings and smirked as the ring that we gave her moments before sparkled. “I thought my ring was the perfect accessory,” she sassed.
Bedlam barked out a laugh and then opened her collar. “It is, but so is this.”
He kissed her neck after he had it fastened in place and our woman held her head high as we made our way into the common room. I was thrilled when the brothers all greeted her with smiles, but I didn’t expect anything less.
I was a little more worried about how the old ladies would react, but Wrenley bounced right over and gave Heather a big hug and then gushed over how amazing she looks while being pregnant. The other old ladies, including Cherise, Lucifer’s woman, were just as warm and welcoming.
I wasn’t the only one who breathed a sigh of relief. Heather relaxed the longer the women were around her. Their sincerity was clear to see, and my woman started glowing because of it.
Some of the angels have been glaring at her, but they’ve also been wary and looking a little confused. When Lucifer catches my eye and gives me a chin lift, a giddy feeling goes through me. We’re about to dispel all the confusion the angels, or anyone else, might have.
As I head toward our woman, Bedlam and Viper join me. I practically fucking preen when Heather’s eyes roam over us with obvious appreciation.
“Damn girl,” Wrenley stage whispers, “one is potent enough, but you’ve got three? I’m not sure if I should be in awe of you or jealous.”
Prodigal steps up behind his wife and wraps an arm around her waist to tug her back against his chest. “Awe, for sure, wife, because there is no way I’m sharing you.”
“We aren’t sharing her either,” Bedlam drawls, his eyes intent on our woman who is turning a pretty shade of pink. He holds out a hand for her and she takes it without hesitation. He looks up and winks at Prodigal. “At least not with anyone other than us.”
Prodigal barks out a laugh and bends down to whisper something in Wrenley’s ear that has her swatting at his shoulder as we lead our woman toward the middle of the room. The way she bites her bottom lip tells me she’s nervous, but she has no reason to be.
“Don’t worry, Cherub,” I whisper in her ear. “You’re wearing our ring and carrying our child. Nothing bad will ever touch you.”
When she looks at me, I can see the love in her hazel eyes. And the trust.
There aren’t any more secrets between us and all the walls that held us apart in the past have been obliterated. There’s only us and the future we’ll have.
Bedlam puts his fingers in his mouth and lets out an ear-splitting whistle that has the music being turned off and everyone turning our way. Almost everyone in the room must know what is about to happen. Our brothers all have big smiles on their faces along with the old ladies.
“Holy shit,” Heather breathes, “I didn’t know you could do that. You’re going to need to teach me.”
Bedlam chuckles and kisses her softly. She glances around the room, but no one really bats an eye. Well, except for the angels whose eyes look like they’re about to pop out of their heads.
“While the three of us were prospects,” Viper starts, “we started a relationship with Heather, but knew we couldn’t offer her everything she deserves. We had to wait until we were patched in, if it happened. Because we didn’t tell her our plans, which was stupid on our part, she didn’t know we planned to claim her as ours the moment we could.”
“When she found out she was pregnant,” Bedlam takes over, “she decided she needed some distance from us. We don’t blame her or hold that choice against her. There should have never been a doubt in her mind of how much we loved and needed her.”
“Even though we had to wait to go and find her since I was the last who might earn my patch,” I look at her and see her eyes glassy with tears, “we knew it was only a matter of time.” I rub a hand over her belly. We were surprised to find out she was pregnant, but we couldn’t be more thrilled.”
Cheers erupt in the room at the mention of our little one. I’m smiling so wide my cheeks start to hurt, but being in this room with my family feels so damn good.
“We asked our woman to marry us earlier tonight and she said yes,” Bedlam shouts over the cheering which only makes it ramp up again.
Heather holds up her hand and wiggles her fingers to show off her ring. Fuck, she’s adorable.
Trent, one of the prospects, hands something to Viper and he holds it up for everyone, but especially Heather, to see. Instead of speaking to the room, he directs his words to our woman. “We already claimed you around the table and you’re going to be our wife, but you need one more thing to make it official. Your cut.”
Heather covers her mouth with her hand and starts to nod. There’s no need for a question here. There never really was. This was the way it was always supposed to be.
I’m still kicking myself for putting it off. I could continue to blame myself for insisting we wait, even though we didn’t have much of a choice. It doesn’t matter now.
Because we’re here.
The three of us help pull her cut up and over her shoulders. The leather caresses her curves perfectly.
“Fuck,” Viper growls, his voice low enough that only we can hear him, “gonna have to fuck you in just the cut later, Cherub.”
Heather giggles and nods as her hands glide over the leather gently, her touch full of reverence and devotion. When she looks up at us, the love there has us pulling her into the middle of us and wrapping our arms around her.
We take turns kissing her, the noise in the room as our brothers celebrate with us so loud that I feel it all the way to the depths of my soul. When I kiss her, I make sure to pour everything I feel for her into it, and she gives the same back to me.
When we break apart, the old ladies are there to pull Heather into their circle and our brothers are there for us. It’s chaos and it’s beautiful. I felt welcomed and at home when I earned my cut, but this is another level.
We let ourselves drift in the happiness and the celebration because it’s all for her—our woman, our Cherub. I keep my eyes on her, but it’s not easy with how boisterous everyone is. The thing is, I know she’s safe because we’re surrounded by our family.
I still when I hear a shrill voice across the room, “So you got pregnant and trapped them with a baby? Why all three, though? Just find out who fathered your little brat and only force him to be with you.”
Red clouds my vision as I spin around, so pissed I can’t find the source of the problem at first. When I do, I see Connie standing in front of Heather like she’s the queen fucking bee. The time she came onto me after I got my cut flashes in my mind and only further pisses me off.
“Look, Connie,” Heather’s voice is calm, but there’s an edge to it I bet Connie won’t be smart enough to hear, “there doesn’t have to be a problem here. You just need to know that my men are off limits, and we can coexist in peace.”
“Live in peace,” Connie scoffs. Her face, which might be pretty to some but hides something ugly which is peeking through right now. “That’s fucking rich coming from you considering not long ago you were an angel just like me. You opened your legs for how many of the men here?” She waves her hand around wildly to encompass the entire room, her tone taunting.
“Three,” Heather states proudly and I can’t help but grin, even though I’m sure it looks sinister to anyone paying attention.
I start to head in their direction, Bedlam and Viper doing the same from where they were just chatting with other brothers. We’re not the only ones who have noticed the commotion. The attention of all the brothers, prospects, and old ladies in the room is on Connie and Heather.
I don’t think this is going to go down the way Connie thinks it will.
“I knew it,” Connie exclaims like she’s just found the cure for cancer. “You’re just a whore, an angel.”
Heather arches her eyebrow, the derision clear to see on her face. “I might have been an angel in this club, Connie, but the only whore I see is you.”
Connie rears back and takes a step toward our woman, but then Hammer is there and steps in between them. Scythe steps in next to him and Frenzy on the other side. Their eyes are cold and full of condemnation. I don’t know who Connie has spent time with recently, but if it’s any of them then I have a feeling it’ll be a cold day in hell before they touch her again.
“Connie, I think you misunderstood Heather,” Scythe’s voice is a condescending drawl.
“I did not. She said she fucked three brothers other,” she emphasizes the word like it matters, “than the brothers who have claimed her.”
Heather makes a tsking sound just as I reach her. I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her back against my chest, needing the contact so I don’t go after a woman which is something I’ve always said I would never do. Now, if one of the old ladies wants to throw down then I’ll pop the popcorn.
With Bedlam and Viper standing next to me and surrounding our woman, the three brothers who stepped in take a small step away. Heather’s face is a neutral mask. This is exactly what she was afraid of, but I’m so damn proud of her for standing her ground.
Our woman’s voice is just as calm as she appears to be, “Is that what I said, Connie?”
“Yes,” Connie hisses.
Heather shakes her head in admonishment as Connie’s face twists up in confusion. “You asked me how many of the brothers I opened my legs for. I said three.” She tilts her head back and looks at me before looking at Bedlam and Viper. “My three men are the only men I’ve been with here.”
Connie’s mouth opens and closes a few times. Seeing her completely flabbergasted is almost hilarious. Almost.
“No fucking way,” Connie retorts.
Scythe shrugs, “I never had sex with Heather.”
“Me either,” Hammer pipes up.
All the single brothers chorus the same information, and the prospects get in on it as well. Connie starts turning bright red as Lucifer steps in. She immediately drops her eyes, and I can’t help but smirk.
“You know we don’t allow old ladies to be disrespected around here, Connie,” Lucifer’s voice is cold, and each word is dripping with disdain. “You have a choice. Shape up or ship out.”
Connie nods and raises her eyes just enough to look at Heather. When she looks away, her eyes snag on the way I’m touching Heather’s baby bump. I can see resignation flash in her eyes before she mumbles, “I’m sorry, Heather. It won’t happen again.”
“I appreciate your apology, Connie,” Heather’s tone is diplomatic.
Our woman might, but I don’t. I’ll be keeping an eye on Connie and making sure she doesn’t do or say anything to cause our woman stress. Not while she’s carrying our baby and not after they’re born either. If I can help it, nothing bad will touch our Cherub.
She’s ours. We own her. We love her.
We’re never letting her go.