Chapter 18 #2
Princess went completely still behind Butcher, and he felt it instantly. The room seemed to get colder, because this was the man who hurt her. He was the man who made fear live in her eyes, and suddenly, Butcher understood something ugly about himself—he wanted to kill him.
Romano’s gaze landed immediately on Princess and then slowly shifted toward Butcher. Disgust curled across his face. “So,” Romano said smoothly, “you’re the biker.”
Butcher stepped forward. “And you’re the asshole.” Several Bastards snorted behind him, but Romano didn’t look impressed.
“You’ve involved yourself in business that doesn’t concern you,” her father continued.
“The woman you tried to sell is mine, so it concerns me,” Butcher countered. Princess sucked in a quiet breath behind him.
Romano’s expression hardened instantly. “She is my daughter.”
“No,” Butcher said coldly. “She’s a person.” Silence slammed through the bar, and Princess stared at him like her entire world tilted sideways.
Romano’s jaw flexed. “You think she belongs here?” he sneered. “With criminals?”
Wade looked deeply offended. “Wow, that’s just rude.”
Butcher ignored him. “Yeah,” he said calmly. “I do.”
Romano looked toward Princess again. “You’re embarrassing our family.”
Princess slowly stepped out from behind Butcher, and Christ, she looked beautiful standing there in his hoodie with fire finally burning in her eyes instead of fear.
“No,” she said quietly. “I’m freeing myself from it.
” Pride hit Butcher so hard it almost knocked him sideways.
He wanted to fist-bump the air and shout that she was his girl, but now wasn’t the time.
Romano’s face darkened instantly. “You don’t know what you’re choosing.”
Princess laughed then, sharp and bitter. “You’re right.” Her eyes filled with emotion. “Because for the first time in my life, I actually got a choice.”
Romano looked back at Butcher. “You think these men protect you?” he asked Princess.
Butcher’s smile was slow and mean. “They’ll protect her.” Every Bastard in the room shifted slightly behind him. They were a unified family now, and Romano seemed to notice. For the first time since walking inside, uncertainty flickered across his face.
Butcher stepped closer. “You came all the way to Mississippi for what exactly?” His voice dropped lower. “To threaten me in my own clubhouse?”
“This is a bar,” Romano spat.
“Not anymore,” Butcher shouted. Wade looked suspiciously emotional near the pool table, and Butcher wanted to roll his eyes at his friend, but thought better of it.
Romano’s eyes narrowed. “You’re declaring war against the Romano family.”
“No,” Butcher corrected calmly. “I’m ending a war that you started by coming after Princess and putting bounties on our heads.” He reached into his kutte slowly, and every man in the room tensed instantly. Butcher pulled out a folded piece of paper and tossed it onto the bar.
Romano frowned. “What is that?”
“Everything your allies sent Huntsville after the bounty dropped.” Butcher’s smile turned vicious. “Turns out a lot of people hate you.”
Vengeance stepped out from the back hallway, followed by Trigger, Grim, and Chloe, who was carrying a shotgun like Savage reborn.
Romano’s expression finally cracked, because he suddenly seemed to understand that Chicago wasn’t untouchable anymore.
Not with clubs talking and allies shifting.
And not with his daughter publicly refusing him.
“You’re losing,” Butcher said quietly. The truth seemed to hit harder than violence ever could.
Romano looked toward Princess one last time. “You would choose this life over your family?”
Princess looked straight at him and smiled. “No.” Her voice steadied. “I chose myself.” Jesus, Butcher loved this woman so damn much it physically hurt.
Romano stared at her for one long second before something in his expression finally changed. Not softness, but acceptance—cold, bitter, and final.
Then he looked back at Butcher. “If she gets hurt, it’s on your head.”
Butcher stepped forward immediately. “She won’t.” The certainty in his voice echoed through the room because he meant it with everything he was.
Romano held his stare one last second before turning toward the door, and his men followed immediately.
Nobody moved until the SUVs disappeared into the storm outside, and then silence crashed through the bar hard enough to shake the walls.
Princess let out a shaky breath behind him, and just like that, the war was over.
Butcher turned around slowly, and the second Princess looked at him, emotions broke across her face so hard it nearly brought him to his knees.
He saw everything in her eyes—relief, love, and freedom.
She crossed the room fast enough to almost run straight into him.
Butcher caught her automatically, hauling her against his chest while she buried her face against his neck.
“It’s over,” she whispered shakily.
His arms tightened around her instantly. “Yeah, baby.” Princess laughed and cried at the same time. Butcher realized that he’d burn entire cities down for this woman.
The room around them erupted in cheers as whiskey bottles slammed against tables.
Wade yelled something inappropriate about finally getting laid in peace again, but Butcher ignored all of it, because Princess pulled back just enough to look up at him with tears still shining in her eyes.
And Christ, he knew right then and there that there was no version of his future that didn’t include her.
Butcher did the one thing nobody in the room expected—he dropped to one knee right there in the middle of the clubhouse, and the entire bar went dead silent instantly.
Princess stared at him in complete shock. “Butcher—”
“Baby,” he interrupted roughly, reaching into his pocket slowly. “I spent ten years alone because I thought I lost my family.” His voice thickened slightly. “Turns out I was just waiting for you.”
Princess’s hands flew to her mouth immediately. “You’re insane,” she whispered tearfully.
“Probably,” Butcher agreed with a shrug.
Wade loudly muttered, “Definitely.” Butcher flipped him off without looking away from her and held up the ring he’d picked up three days ago after realizing there was absolutely no future where he let this woman walk away from him.
“Marry me, Princess.”
Tears spilled down her cheeks while she laughed helplessly.
“Yes.” The room exploded in cheers around them, but Butcher barely heard any of it over the pounding in his chest while he slid the ring onto her finger and stood fast enough to pull her straight into his arms. Princess kissed him hard, and for the first time in ten damn years, Butcher finally understood something important.
Home wasn’t a place; it was a person, and he’d finally found his.
The End
What’s coming next from K.L. Ramsey? You won’t want to miss Book 2 of the Savage Bastards MC series. Wade’s Wrath coming in September 2026!