Chapter 15
FIFTEEN
PENELOPE
PRESENT DAY
I was very obviously staring.
There really wasn’t any way I wouldn’t stare, and I think any person with eyes would agree. Jameson was currently shirtless, working on my car in the large open bay of the Stone Riders’ clubhouse. Half their club was converted into a sleek garage, and they’d opened it up for Jamie to use.
He had abs for days and fucking days. Smooth, hairless skin greeted me, with ink that covered his shoulders and connected over his upper chest and collarbone that resembled feathers.
Black feathers, which reminded me of a raven’s wings.
There was a skull wearing a crooked crown, indicating the patch insignia for the Chaos Kings.
He also had a few verses of text right below his belly button that seemed to act as an arrow down to his cock. The words were simple, and in script…
My midnight ruin.
Starlight eyes, burning flesh and bone.
A bruised heart, crushed by all our good intentions.
I had stared long enough to catch every word, especially after I had wandered over to hand him water, beer and a sandwich. Each time narrowing my focus on his lower abdomen. I wanted to know what it meant. Who he was talking about, and why it seemed like there was so much pain behind each word.
“Are you done eye-fucking him, because we need to settle on a menu.” Laura clicked her pen, keeping her gaze on the laptop screen in front of her.
We were at the bar, Laura and Callie were seated on either side of me, and Natty was hustling around in the kitchen, using a piping bag on some sweets.
They were all helping me plan my fake wedding.
I’d explained to them the entire situation, which Jameson said we weren’t supposed to do, but I had a feeling their significant others would tell them eventually if they hadn’t already.
“I’m not eye-fucking him,” I argued, while spinning on my stool to grab my water. Red had added a slice of lemon for me and then set a bowl of fruit in front of me.
Callie snorted, snacking from her own bowl of fruit. She was behind me in her pregnancy, but Red had taken care of both of us with fruit, water, and snacks.
“You do eye-fuck him. A lot.”
I glared over at the dark-haired tattoo artist. “Surely you of all people can appreciate that I was merely staring at his ink.”
Natty laughed this time, brushing a stray piece of blonde hair out of her face.
“It’s true!” I argued, but Laura merely lifted her pen and clicked it again.
“Seriously, we have to get this stuff planned. Once Natty is finished with her baking, we’re going back up to her room because you can’t watch that man fix your car without drooling.”
He was fixing my car, and he was doing it shirtless while laughing and joking with members of the Stone Riders while he did it. I was slightly swooning, possibly drooling, but most definitely picturing him naked.
“What do you have so far?” I set my attention on Laura.
Her eyes moved over the screen. “Okay, we have the date, this Friday—which can I just say again, how insane you two are—then we have the space, which will be held at the senior center bingo hall.” Laura shuddered the smallest bit before moving farther down her list. I knew the bingo hall didn’t sound romantic, but it was practical for fitting the members of both clubs, whom we’d invited.
“The nice thing is the hall comes with chairs and an arch.”
Natty poked her head over the bar. “And then we’ll head to The Drip afterwards for a reception.”
The entire thing felt strange to even process. They all knew it was fake, and yet they were sitting here with me, planning and helping me not to feel so overwhelmed or alone. It made me emotional.
“Thank you, guys.” My voice cracked as I tried to meet every one of their eyes.
Callie reached over and hugged me, then Laura jumped off her stool and did the same. “You’re one of us now, and we take care of each other.”
I was still fighting back tears when Jameson walked over.
“You okay, babe?” The term of endearment shot straight to my core, making me wet in a way that I hadn’t been since last night when he’d texted me the emoji of the lock.
The one indicating that he was taking care of himself.
I had sat there pondering what had gotten him so worked up.
It wasn’t like anything had happened to make him react like that…
he’d just suddenly needed a shower. Although lately it was starting to be like that for me too…
randomly I’d be desperate for release just randomly throughout the day.
It was getting more and more difficult to take care of myself the larger my stomach became.
When he’d texted me that emoji, it had taken every bit of self-respect not to storm in there and demand he make us both come.
It only took two seconds to remember that Jameson didn’t want me in that way.
He hadn’t shown a shred of interest in me ever since that one night we nearly had sex, but stopped when he realized I was still a virgin.
“I’m good, we’re just wedding planning,” I finally replied, clearing the tightness from my throat.
He was staring down at me with that crooked smile, and he had grease stains on his face and chest. I lowered my gaze briefly to see the script again and withheld the urge to trace it with my finger.
His finger came under my chin, stopping me.
Our eyes connected, silently speaking those words he’d always say when he’d do this.
He broke our stare first, moving his finger from my chin. “Your car is fixed. I greased the door, replaced the timing belt and did an oil change.”
I forgot how talented he was with vehicles.
Used to be that there wasn’t a mechanical problem he couldn’t fix.
When I’d moved back to the clubhouse and started dating Luke, I didn’t see Jamie that often because he’d started up his own garage in the city.
Everyone in the club took it hard, wondering what had forced their president to open a non-club funded or affiliated business in the busiest part of Richland.
He’d handed most of the responsibility of the club over to Luke, and only came around on the weekends to party.
I remembered in vivid detail because he’d always have a new girl on his arm, or in his lap. He’d never look at me.
In fact, he treated me like a stranger.
He’d broken my heart, and to this day, he probably didn’t even know…or if he did, it was likely that he didn’t care.
Red was in front of us and handing something over to Jamie. “Thanks, Red.”
She nodded, then rubbed my belly before taking off.
She’d asked if I would mind, and I told her I didn’t.
The older woman was starting to grow on me, and maybe because my mom was gone, and I had no family left, but this club was starting to feel like home.
It was possible that I’d ask to stay here when Jamie eventually took his club back and returned to Richland.
The thought made a tiny fracture in my already broken heart. I pushed it down, though, and focused on the folded leather in Jamie’s hand.
“Here, Red got it done sooner than expected.” He unfolded the leather, revealing a cut.
On the front left side of the vest was my name sewn in white, under where it should have CKRV, for Chaos King Richland Virginia, it was blank. It made me curious if he just wasn’t sure what to put, or if he was having the same thoughts about staying that I had.
I flipped the cut over and smiled so big my face hurt. Fake or not, wearing Jameson’s name on my back had been a dream of mine since I was old enough to understand what they meant.
Sewn in white were the words: Property of Jameson King
The insignia of the club was next, and under that was the club name. Chaos Kings.
It was the small title along the shoulders that got my stomach flipping. On each shoulder, there were white stars sewn in, along with patches that read: President’s Wife.
It was the first thing I’d seen since the ring that indicated I’d be marrying him soon. My chest expanded with excitement, hope and longing.
I was out of my seat and in front of him, gripping the leather. His brown eyes tracked my movement, that smirk I loved so much tilting his lips, only in the corner. As if he wouldn’t allow himself to fully give himself over to the way he wanted to smile.
Bracing one hand on his broad chest, I lifted on my toes and pressed my lips to his.
It was quick, and I fell flat on my feet a brief second later, but Jameson’s hand was around my waist, securing my back as he leaned down and molded his mouth to mine.
It was hot and firm. I wanted to moan into the kiss, to wrap my hands around his neck and lose myself to the way he made me feel completely undone.
He was warm sunshine on a lazy summer day.
Heat soaked dirt and fresh grass. He was peace.
My peace. The one steady thing I’d clung to for half my life.
Finally, he gently broke the kiss and allowed his gaze to roam over my features.
There were words there…something he wanted to say.
I knew because it was how he used to look at me in school when Luke would show off, and Jamie would stay quiet.
A thousand things he likely wanted to say but never did.
“You guys are too cute.” Laura sighed from the stool next to us.
The room came back into focus, and I felt my face flush.
Jameson cleared his throat and let me go, helping me adjust so that I didn’t fall. “Here, let me help you into it.” I held my arms out and felt the cut come up over my arms and then fall to the sides of my pregnant belly.
I felt safe in his patch, like standing behind a massive boulder as an oncoming wave swept in. He was protecting me from the Chaos Kings and everything Luke had done to ruin me. I wrapped my hand in his and gave him a dopey smile.
“Let’s take your car back, we need to stop in and see the Chaos Kings.”