Chapter 8
When we hear Alex’s voice shouting, ”You”ve got to be fucking kidding me!” Chance breaks off the kiss and pushes me behind him, blocking my brother. For a moment, I get lost in enjoying his protective side until I remember that they”re arguing over me.
”This is why you were so eager to take her away for a day?” my brother yells, and Chance doesn”t say anything. I know he doesn”t want to lie to my brother.
”We didn”t plan on this happening,” I say, and step to the side so I can see Alex, whose face is bright red with anger.
He”s so loud that it”s even caught his wife”s attention, and Vicki is now standing in the doorway, wondering what”s going on. And I know she”s not supposed to be out of bed.
”Well, it sure as hell looks like you two are pretty cozy. I”m willing to bet he didn”t spend the night on the couch, did he?” Alex shouts at me.
”You want to be mad, that”s fine. You be mad at me, but you will not talk to her that way,” Chance says, raising his voice.
That catches Alex”s attention because I can”t remember a single time in all the years he was running around this ranch that I”ve heard him raise his voice, especially not to Alex.
”That”s my baby sister,” Alex says, glaring at Chance.
”I”m aware, and that”s why I”ve stayed away. When I came home and saw her at graduation, my feelings changed. So when I was given the choice to move to move anywhere I wanted after I got out of the Navy, I chose Rock Springs. One of the reasons I took it was because I valued our friendship.”
”So, what, you don”t value it anymore, and you”re willing to just throw it away?”
”I do value it. Then finding out she had the same feelings for me made it impossible for me to stay away.”
My brother takes a step forward, and Chance angles his body once again, putting himself between me and my brother. Alex stops and notices the move.
”I guess I was wrong,” I say, and that catches both their attention. Once again, I step out from behind Chance and look at my brother.
”He was so worried about you that he was willing to sacrifice both of our happiness for it, but I told him that you wanted us to be happy. But I was obviously wrong.” I cross my arms and stare angrily at my brother.
”I do want you to be happy,” Alex says.
”Chance makes me happy, and he is who I have wanted for years now. But we both put your happiness above our own. Why do you get to have your happily ever after with Vicki, but we don”t get ours because it inconveniences you? Chance and I are going to Montana this weekend for a friend’s wedding. While I”m gone, I suggest you decide if this is worth fighting to the point that I leave and you”re on your own.”
Turning to Chance, “Why don”t you go pack your bag, and we can go up to Montana a couple of days early?”
Then I storm past him into the house.
”I”ll talk to him once he calms down,” Vicki says, offering me a half-smile as I pass her, walking into the house.
”Thanks,” I say as I go to my room to pack my bag and change out of yesterday”s clothes.
Chance left to go home, get cleaned up, and pack a bag. While I waited for him to pick me up, I helped in the barn. It”s not the poor animals” fault my brother is being a jerk right now. I also called our cousin Ford and told him what was going on. How my brother was needing help, and I was trying to talk some sense into him.
Chance had planned on riding the bike, but he wanted me to be comfortable, so he brought his truck for the trip. The first night we stopped in Amarillo, Texas, because we got a late start.
The next day was longer, and we ended up staying over in Casper, Wyoming, before making it all the way to Mustang Mountain, Montana on day three.
By the time we saw the signs for Mustang Mountain, we were both done being in the car, no matter how much we liked talking and having uninterrupted time together.
”We should have flown. It was different when I was going to bring my bike, but you would have been much more comfortable flying in,” he says, looking annoyed with himself.
”Actually, this was my first official road trip. I much rather prefer this,” I say with a smile.
”I doubt you’ll agree when we have to do that drive in two days on the way home.”
”Maybe you should let me drive some and help out. Then it won”t seem like such a long drive.” I joke because I tried to give him a break several times, and he refused. I don”t know if he just doesn”t want me driving his truck or what, but I feel like the drive would have gone a lot faster if I could have driven.
”What the hell is going on? I didn’t think the wedding was going to be this big,” Chance says as we pull up to what I assume is the Mustang Mountain Riders Clubhouse. It”s gated off, with all sorts of RVs parked around the property and a ton of people there. He pulls up to the gate, and someone steps up to the window.
”Chance, I didn”t know you were coming up,” the man says, then looks at me and frowns. ”You really should have said something. This is not a great time to have brought your girl.”
”What do you mean? It”s a wedding.” he says surprised.
”We”ve been having some issues with the Savage Bones. It’s that 0 1% Club moving in on the territory. They”ve compromised the sheriff, and we”ve had a few injuries from our ranks. It”s not the best time to have a wedding. But you guys should stay here at the clubhouse, as it”ll be safest.”
”Thanks, Juice,” Stone says as we park, gather our stuff and go inside.
”This place used to be an old brothel,” Chance says, smiling.
I can tell he”s trying to lighten the mood.
We get shown to a room upstairs that”s pretty spacious and has its own attached bathroom and fireplace. Just as we get unpacked, there”s a knock at the door.
”I can”t believe you came here for this,” a man walks in and gives Chance a hug.
Turning to me, Chance introduces us. ”This is Stone, the groom. Stone, this is Jessa.”
Stone’s eyes go wide. ”Alex”s sister? It”s about damn time, man. When did this happen? You have to tell me later over a beer. Right now Atlas wants to talk to you.”
Chance looks at me and reaches his hand out, and I place mine in his.
”Come on. Atlas is the Mustang Mountain Riders president,” he says, as we go towards the door.
”Oh, maybe I should stay here then,” I say, trying to drop his hand, but he doesn”t let me.
”Where I go, you go. That’s the rules, babe.”
I smile, and I look over at Stone, who just nods and follows behind us. Going downstairs, we walk to an office at the back of the clubhouse, where there”s a man sitting behind a desk.
”Atlas, this is my girl, Jessa. Jessa, this is Atlas, the club president.”
”Jessa, so nice to meet you. Why don”t you guys sit down? I didn”t know that you were coming,” Atlas says.
”There”s no way in hell I was going to miss Stone”s wedding. What is going on?”
”Long story short, we have a club named The Savage Bones trying to move in on our territory. We just found out that the sheriff switched sides, which is kind of what prompted the wedding, being that Stone is marrying the sheriff”s daughter,” Atlas says I think more for my benefit.
”That”s going to cause some waves. What do you guys need?” Chance asks.
Then, they start talking about what”s going on and using some terms I don”t quite understand. It sounds like the Rebel Hearts MC is willing to help out the Mustang Mountain Riders if needed.
What catches my attention is finding out that the Rebel Hearts MC is battling a drug cartel trying to move drugs through Texas. This is really the first time I realize that Chance being in an MC isn”t just about guys riding bikes every week.
As we leave the office and go back up to our room, the exhaustion hits me.
”I was going to show you around town, but I don”t think we should be leaving the clubhouse.” Chance pulls me into our room and locks the door behind him.
”I didn”t realize you guys were dealing with a drug cartel. How involved are you with that?” I ask.
He tries to shrug it off. “I”m really not, being as I’m the treasurer. But if push comes to shove, I”d be there to back up my brothers,” he says.
I can read between the lines. He”s not in the fight right now, but if they need him, he would be.
We spend the next few days getting to know everybody, so by the time it”s time for the wedding, I don”t feel like such an outsider. Though when we walk into the main space in the MC Clubhouse, I think we stepped into an alternate universe. The very rustic old brothel feel is gone, and it”s covered in pink and tulle.
”Opposite of what I would expect to see at a clubhouse,” I whisper as we take our seats next to Dean and his brother, Six, and both of their girls.
”The Prez has already demanded it come down the second the wedding is over. He was not too thrilled to see so much pink in the clubhouse,” Six says.
”Be nice,” his girl, Ginger says, elbowing him from her seat beside him.
The music starts and the bridesmaids walk in, and then the Maid of Honor walks through the door. When he sees her, Lightning”s entire demeanor shifts. I would have missed it if I hadn”t been looking at him.
Apparently, the Maid of Honor is the bride”s cousin who just got into town even though she was told not to come.
I watch Lightning and Addie”s cousin, Piper, throughout the wedding. They keep making eyes at each other, which I find very interesting, and part of me wishes I could stick around and see what happens there.
It”s a beautiful wedding, and the bride and groom appear to be crazy in love. The food is everything a bride could want. I”m told that one of the other guy’s wife who owns a local catering company is catering it. Apparently, the club”s enforcer is also helping with the food because he loves cooking.
Can”t say I can imagine a big guy like Bear with an apron on in the kitchen, but it does make me smile thinking about it.
When a slow song comes on, Chance leads me out to the designated dance area for what will be our first-ever dance together. Once we’re on the dance floor, he pulls me into his arms, and I’m pleasantly surprised. He”s a pretty damn good dancer.
”Where did you learn to dance like this?”
”Every year the Navy has a ball, and each unit throws their own. I had a CO who required everyone to go and dance at least once. So my unit spent a week beforehand learning how to dance,” he says shaking his head ruefully. All I can do is laugh.
The wedding was great fun and we enjoyed every minute, talking and hanging out with everyone. The next morning we are up early and on our trek back towards Texas.