Chapter 13
NORA
I’m not sure what to do about getting a dress when Bee confirms she’s secured tickets to the ball. But I should’ve known better because Bee is nothing if not organised. After breakfast, she and Maggie drag me away, telling me they’ve organised a day of pampering and dress shopping.
I think I’ll hate it, but I get to meet some of the women from Bee’s family. The shop is loud, with feminine laughter and teasing. It’s closed for the day while we choose our ball dresses. It’s years since I’ve been in a room with so many women.
The Crow Old Ladies, and Navy’s cousin, Hope, are hilarious and a lot of fun to be around. I love them and understand now why it hurt Bee so much to leave them for as long as she did.
But we all do what we have to when it comes to protecting our families, and none of them seem pissed at her, only relieved to have her back.
I didn’t realise how much pull Bee’s family has and how connected they are.
Most of the ladies here already have their dresses, and this is their final fitting.
But Bee, Maggie, and I haven’t had a chance to choose a dress yet, so we’ll be settling for whatever we can find that fits us.
Bee is still covered in bruises, so the make-up lady has her work cut out for her, but she does a fantastic job.
When I attempt to settle the bill for my dress and the pampering, Bee tells me that Nickel insisted on covering the expenses.
I’m not sure how I feel about that.
I’ve been alone and self-sufficient for a long time. I have money—not a lot, but enough. I’m the only surviving member of my family, so I inherited everything.
Maggie chuckles and wraps an arm around my shoulders in a hug when she sees the look on my face.
“Trust me, honey, just go with it. The Tin men are a stubborn lot and don’t allow their women to pay for stuff when they’re more than capable of doing so.
My advice is don’t fight it. Go with the flow. My boys are their fathers’ sons.”
I look at Maggie, seeing the humour and affection warming her eyes—eyes that look so much like her sons’.
Relaxing into her hold, I rest my head against her shoulder.
Maggie is amazing and has welcomed me into their family with open arms. I didn’t realise how much I’d missed having a mum’s comfort until I met her. There’s nothing quite like it.
“Okay,” I agree. “I’ll bow to your knowledge of the Tin men as you’re the Queen Bee of us all.”
“The Queen Bee.” Maggie chuckles.
Bee nods and grins. “She is, isn’t she, Nora? She runs those men like a well-oiled machine, and they don’t even realise it.”
Maggie throws her head back and laughs, drawing attention from the other ladies, but nobody says anything or demands to know what we’re laughing at.
“Years of practice, loves. Years of practice. You’ll learn.” Maggie winks and squeezes me again before moving off towards Bee’s mum and Bev, a tall, strawberry-blonde bombshell.
I’ve had a lot of fun this morning, and I’m looking forward to getting to know Bee’s family better. Ironically, Bee’s mum is also called Maggie. From what I’ve heard about Jeanie’s family, they’re equally awesome.
When we arrive back at the Queens Wraiths, Bee disappears to find Noah and pick up Copper. Maggie goes home to Tinman, and I go to the clubhouse to wait for Nickel, who sent me a message to meet him here.
I missed my family so much today. Willow and my mum would’ve been right at home with the ladies I met. And my dad would’ve loved Nickel and his brothers. He was a quiet man, my dad, but he was a man’s man and loved us girls and my mum to distraction. He would’ve done anything for us.
But it’s not a night for melancholy thoughts, not when I’ve got work to do. You make mistakes when your head isn’t in the game. I can’t afford mistakes, not when my new family is counting on me.
Not when Nickel is counting on me.
Tapping my newly polished fingernails on the bar, I look at myself in the mirror, admiring my perfectly styled blonde hair and makeup. I’m looking fabulous and ready for the ball.
“Holy shit, Nora. You look fantastic, darlin’.”
I turn on my two-inch heels at Nickel's husky groan and almost swallow my tongue when I get my first look at him in a tux. We haven’t seen each other since this morning's training.
And wow. Just… wow. Nickel is hot any day of the week, but my god, in a tux… he’s next-level hot.
“Holy shit, right back at you,” I breathe as he walks towards me.
He takes my hand and twirls me around. I’m wearing a long, dove-grey dress with thin straps, a low scooped back, and a slit up each leg to just above my knee. I need easy access to the knife and gun strapped to each thigh.
I turn back to face him and smile. His hair is loose around his face, his beard newly trimmed and oiled. He smells divine.
“You smell delicious,” I tell him, stroking a hand down his beard.
“Beard oil.” He smirks at me. “I’ve got something for you. I had Thea make you a few things.”
He pulls a box from his pocket and puts it on the bar before opening it. Inside are a silver necklace, bracelet, and ring with green gemstones and a circle of clear ones around it. They could be diamonds but are more than likely zirconia.
“Wow, Thea made these?” I ask, running a hand over the pretty jewellery.
“Yeah, this is her passion, and she makes stuff for the family if we ask. Guns are her second love… according to her,” he says, picking up the necklace and showing me the locket.
“She always puts a few surprises in her designs. The necklace has a lock pick set; the bracelet is a garotte; and the ring is a tracker. There’s also a tracker in the necklace.
” He hesitates as he looks at me. “I’d like you to wear these.
I know we’ve got everything planned down to the last second, but I’d feel better knowing you’re wearing them. ”
“Only if you’ll wear this,” I say, pulling a ring from between my breasts and holding it up.
I found out about Copper’s ring from Bee, and I like the idea of tracking Nickel. It’ll ease my concern knowing that we can track him. I wasn’t sure how to broach the subject, but he’s just given me the perfect opportunity.
“Happy to, darlin’,” he assures me.
Taking his left hand, I slip the ring onto his ring finger. He raises an eyebrow and tilts his head, his eyes filled with surprise.
“Staking my claim, handsome. Don’t want any women having ideas about my man tonight.”
Nickel’s eyes soften, and he leans forward to kiss me softly. “Don’t you know? I don’t see other women since I met you. All I see is you. All I need is you. I’ll happily wear the ring, and when this is all over and done, we’ll make it official.”
God, this man.
For someone who thinks he’s not good with words, he always gets them right for me.
“I accept.” I roll onto my toes and kiss him.
Sinking back to my heels as we pull apart, I hold out my left hand. He slips the ring over my knuckle, kissing my finger before reaching for the bracelet and slipping it onto my wrist. Then he picks up the necklace, and I turn my back so he can fasten the catch.
The doors open, and Bee walks in, followed by Copper, Tinman, and Maggie.
“Wow, don’t you all look amazing?” I smile, noticing how alike the brothers look. “Pity we’re not going for a fun night out.”
“Next year,” Bee promises, hooking her hand around Copper’s elbow. “Nice jewellery.”
“Isn’t it?” I note that she’s wearing a similar design. “Did you get Noah settled?”
“Yep, he’s over at Thea’s with Jeanie and Shea, happy as a lark,” she assures me.
“So,” I ask, looking around at everyone, “how are we getting to this place?”
“Cars outside. I hired a limo.” Nickel grins at the look of surprise on everyone’s faces. “What?” He shrugs. “If we’re going to do this, let's do it properly. Besides, you ladies look too good not to be spoiled, even if we're working.”
Maggie slants her eyes at me as if to say, “I told you so,” then pats Nickel’s cheek. “You’re a good boy. Thank you.”
I bite back a chuckle and wrap my arm around Nickel’s. “Let’s get going. I’m guessing the rest have already left.”
“Half an hour ago,” Tinman replies, opening the clubhouse door for us to leave and securing it behind us.
A stretch limo is parked in the clubhouse driveway, and a driver holds open the door. Bee slips in, followed by Copper, then Maggie and Tinman. Nickel and I are last. It’s not the first time I’ve been in a limo, and it never gets old.
“Sadly, we’re working,” Bee says as we pull slowly out of the drive and onto the main road, “or we could have champagne.”
“Next year,” I tell her with a smile.
“Next year,” she agrees, reaching over to squeeze my hand.
“How long until we’re there?” Copper wants to know.
“About two hours,” Bee replies. “Gives us time to go over everything one more time. Nora, have you got your knockout juice?”
“Right here,” I reply, patting my cleavage where I’ve hidden the hypodermic needle and small syringe.
“Same,” she chuckles. “That’s the only problem with ball gowns—not much place to hide shit. And I miss my boots.”
By the time we reach the hotel and join the queue of waiting cars unloading their passengers, we’ve got a plan in place, and I feel confident.
We enter the plush hotel and are immediately ushered into a large ballroom. I’m aware of the looks we’re getting. Our men are vastly different from most of the men here tonight.
I tighten my grasp on Nickel’s arm when a woman looks at him greedily and narrow my eyes at her when she catches my gaze. She must see my anger because she goes a little pale and quickly averts her attention to her companion.
I never thought I’d be a possessive woman, but I guess I was wrong.
We follow Bee and Copper, halting at a large table near the front of the stage. It’s by far the largest in the room. I relax when I see the people surrounding it—most of the Crow MC.
We settle in after a flurry of greetings, hugs, and air kisses. The noise level rises exponentially, and we receive looks from a few snooty people—not that anyone at our table gives any indication that they care. I take a leaf from their book and decide not to either.
“I’m so far out of my comfort zone right now,” Nickel mutters in my ear as he seats me.
I pat his leg as he sits beside me and whisper, “Just pretend they're all naked with sticks up their arses. It’s what I do.”
He barks a laugh, and Copper looks at him with surprise. He looks just as uncomfortable until Nickel tells him what I said. Copper grins at me, offering me a fist bump that I return.
Bee giggles and leans over the table towards me.
“What they don’t know is that most of the people at this table can buy and sell them twice over, Nickel included.
” She winks at me. “They’ve got money but no soul, and most of them are so busy trying to one-up each other that they miss out on the good things in life. ”
“Like?” Onyx, one of Bee’s older brothers, asks.
“Family and friends who would die for you,” she promptly answers with a small smile.
“Exactly,” Molly agrees with a nod. “They don’t get it. But we do.” She lifts her glass in a toast. “To family and friends who would die for you.”
As one, we pick up our glasses. “To family and friends.”
“And to brotherhood,” Reaper says, holding up his glass.
“Family, friends, and brotherhood,” we repeat loudly, ignoring the looks we’re getting.
Taking a sip of expensive champagne, I lean back in my chair and peruse the room for my prey.
I’ll find him, but until I do, I’ll enjoy the company.