3. Frost
FROST
“You’re not married yet, handsome.”
When we arrived, Vegas explained that his club members and club whores were told that Hope and I were off limits. Hell, everyone knows we’re here to celebrate our upcoming wedding.
I take another step back. “Doesn’t matter. I won’t cheat on my woman.”
“Honey,” she purrs as she steps closer. “It’s a bachelor party. Haven’t you ever heard the old saying, ‘What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas’?”
She reaches for my chest again, and I'm about two seconds from being a complete asshole about it when I hear the unmistakable sound of heels marching toward us. I barely have a chance to turn my head in the direction of where Hope is coming from, except it isn’t Hope, it’s Amy.
“Oh, fuck,” I mumble.
I don’t have any time to react before Amy’s hand disappears into her purse and emerges with a mini-Louisville Slugger bat.
Crack.
Amy's mini bat connects with the girl's kneecap with surgical precision. The sound echoes through the clubhouse, and suddenly, despite the music still thumping, the room goes silent. Every conversation dies, and all heads turn our way.
The girl crumples with a shriek, grabbing her knee. “What the fuck!”
I don't move. Instead, I take a pull of my beer and watch Amy stand there, bat resting casually on her shoulder like she's waiting for her turn in the batting cage.
“I believe my future brother-in-law told you to back off,” Amy says, voice sweet as honey.
Hope's hand flies to her mouth, but I catch the glint in her eyes. She's not horrified. No, she's trying not to laugh.
That's my girl.
Vegas pushes through the crowd, his VP, Casino, right behind him. The Saints Outlaws president takes one look at the situation: the girl on the ground, Amy with her bat, and me standing there with my beer. I watch as understanding flickers across his face.
“You got what you deserved, Cherry,” Vegas says to the club girl, voice flat and final. “I told you Frost was unavailable. Also know he must’ve told you himself that he's getting married.” I nod. “You don't respect that, you don't respect this club.”
“She's fucking psychotic!” Cherry spits, still clutching her knee. “She assaulted me!”
“Nah.” Vegas crosses his arms. “You assaulted his boundaries. She just made sure you understood the message.”
Casino snorts, and a few of the brothers start chuckling. The tension breaks like a snapped rubber band.
“Bubbles, get her out of here,” Vegas orders.
Another club girl, who must be Bubbles, hurries over and helps Cherry to her feet. They hobble toward the exit, all the while, Cherry’s eyes shoot daggers at us as she’s led away. Amy just waves her bat.
The door slams shut, and Vegas claps his hands once. “Alright, show's over. Let's party!”
The music seems to swell back to full volume, conversations resume, and just like that, the clubhouse returns to life. Brothers go back to their drinks, ladies go back to dancing, and the whole thing becomes just another story that'll get told over beers.
I cross the room to Hope with Amy at my heels. Hope's trying to look stern, but she's failing miserably.
“You promised not to assault anyone,” Hope says to Amy.
Amy shrugs. “I promised not to assault anyone at the spa. This is an MC party. Different rules apply.”
“I can’t believe you smuggled Lil’ John with you this weekend,” Hope chastises.
“You said I couldn’t bring Big Lil’,” Amy huffs. “You didn’t say anything about Lil’ John.”
Hope pinches the bridge of her nose. “Amy, when I say you can’t bring Big Lil’, just know I mean any and all bats or weapons are off-limits.”
Amy crosses her arms. “It was Chaos’ idea. Why am I the one being scolded?”
I narrow my gaze toward the culprit. “Chaos, what the fuck?”
Chaos snaps his head in our direction, shrugs, and makes his way over.
I slide my arm around Hope's waist and pull her close, pressing a kiss to her temple.
The white brIDE sash glitters across her chest, and I'm grateful as hell Amy thought of it.
Not that I need a sign to know Hope's mine, but it doesn't hurt to make it crystal clear.
Now that I think about it, maybe men need a sign, too.
“Your best friend's insane,” I murmur against Hope's ear.
“Your best friend gave her the idea to bring Lil’ John,” Hope counters.
Fair point. Chaos appears at my shoulder with fresh beers, grinning like the devil himself.
“That was beautiful,” he says to Amy. “Absolutely beautiful.”
Amy accepts the beer with a mock bow. “I live to serve.”
Vegas approaches. “Congratulations on the wedding, brother. And on having a woman with friends who've got her back.”
I shake his hand firmly. “Appreciate the hospitality.” I swing my eyes to Amy. “Sorry for the… disturbance.”
“What’s an MC party without a little violence?” Vegas wags his brow at her.
“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell them,” Amy says exasperatedly.
As Vegas moves back into the crowd, I pull Hope closer, feeling the heat of her body against mine. The bass thrums through the floor, the Saints Outlaws celebrate around us while Amy and Chaos take a seat at the bar, high-fiving each other.
Hawk and Eagle make their way over to us.
“Well, that was exciting to watch.” Eagle looks proudly at Amy.
“Yeah, thanks for the assist,” I mumble.
Eagle laughs. “In Amy’s defense, you did tell the lady to leave you alone twice.”
Amy snorts. “I hardly call that a lady.”
“Something about taken men that women can’t resist,” Hawk adds.
Hope cocks her head. “What about taken women?”
Hawk squeezes her hand. “Honey, the only reason why the men aren’t over here drooling at your feet is that my son…” Hawk jerks his chin at me. “...threatened anyone with a dick. He told them if they so much as touched you, they’d have him to deal with.”
“More like his gun,” Eagle elaborates.
“Oh, really?” Hope glares at me. “How come I wasn’t offered the same courtesy to threaten the woman here to stay away from you?”
I gulp. “Well… ah… because… well… Vegas told them to stay away.”
“That worked out well, didn’t it?” Hope sasses with a smile.
“And on that note, we’re gonna go back over to the bar,” Eagle states.
“You okay?” I ask Hope.
She looks up at me with those bright, hazel eyes that I'm going to wake up to for the rest of my life, and smiles. “Are you kidding? That was the second-best bachelorette party moment ever.”
“I thought you were pissed at me for telling everyone you were off limits?”
“Seriously?” She shakes her head. “I knew either you or Amy would say something to keep the riffraff away.”
I throw my head back and laugh. Once I’m settled, I pull her back against my chest and whisper in her ear. “Wanna bet that Amy said something, too?”
She chuckles softly, “Even I know that’s a losing bet.”
The party rages on around us, brothers laughing, music pounding, and Vegas holding court at the bar.
This is family, our home away from home.
Hope fits into it like she was always meant to be here.
Amy catches my eye from across the room and raises her bat in salute.
I raise my hand and give her a two-finger salute back.
Family. That’s what we’re all about… having each other’s backs.