Chapter Twenty-Three
Hammer fought the need to wince as he shifted his weight.
Who knew these floors were this hard? But he stayed where he was, waiting for Camila to turn around and notice him.
His gut churned as he hoped she would say yes, but feared she would say no.
They’d just voted for her to stay, now he wanted to make it official.
He just needed her to agree. He held up the cut Zipper had been holding for him in front of his chest and waited.
Winter released her, and she looked unsteady on her feet.
He briefly considered getting up to steady her, then she spotted him.
Camilla’s mouth fell open and she stared at him.
He knew this was his chance. He had to say what he needed to now.
“I know this has all been fast. But when you know you know. This is the same as a ring for all of us. This means you’ll be mine, and I’ll be yours.
I’ll stand beside you when you need a hand, behind you when you need support, and in front when you need a shield.
” He held up the property cut. “I didn’t know what I was missing until I walked into that hacienda and spotted this little elf of a woman asleep in bed.
Now I never want to let you go. Tell me you’ll stay? ”
Tears pooled in her eyes, then streaked down her cheeks unchecked. He wanted to sweep them away, to tell her there was no need to cry, but he couldn’t move, not until she gave him an answer.
After a moment she nodded, tears still streaming down her face.
He stood and went to her. He held up the cut and waited while she slid her arms in.
He slid it up her arms and settled it onto her shoulders before pulling her into his arms. When he kissed her, he got lost in her taste.
This was just one of a million reasons he wanted to keep her.
When he touched her, the rest of the world, the rest of his worries, vanished.
All that mattered in the moment was her. He liked that.
“Get a room!” someone shouted from the back of the room.
“Nah, stay here. I want to watch,” Goliath said, much closer.
Hammer spun, his arms still tight around Camila as he turned to glare at Goliath.
“That will be the last time you embarrass her. Or you’ll deal with me. Got it?”
“Got it.” Goliath shook his head, he turned. “Damn, I was just teasing. Geeze. We all need a drink around here,” he muttered as he headed toward the bar. Hammer didn’t care where he went as long as he stopped making Camila uncomfortable.
“I told you, carino, I wasn’t letting you go anywhere.”
“How? I was sure there were at least a couple who wouldn’t want to take on Papá.”
“There were a couple,” Bulldog said, approaching them. “Congrats. Are we planning a wedding?”
“I’ll let you know.” Hammer hadn’t had a chance to talk to Camila about marriage yet, but he would. He wanted to make this legal, and as quickly as they could, so her father had less claim on her. “Who voted no?”
“One of the prospects, Ryan. He’s gone. If he’s not willing to take on a little trouble for family, then he’s not Sons of Sin material.”
“Did you say it that way?” Camila asked, still in Hammer’s arms.
“I did. I told him exactly that when I told him to pack his shit and get out. He’s no longer welcome here.”
“You said there were a couple?”
Bulldog nodded. “The other was Brick. Said he’s got enough going on in his life right now, he just can’t back taking this on.
He and I had a sit down—he’s been thinking about going nomad for a while, since he’s only in town about one week a month right now.
He might eventually come back or join up with another chapter.
He’ll be around for a few days yet, so we’ll get him his nomad patch and he’ll move on. ”
“That was all?” Camila’s eyes scanned the room and the more than fifty people there. “Everyone else was willing to deal with Papá?”
“Everyone here is always willing to take a little risk for family.” Bulldog said. “That’s what you are now. Family. I suggest you get used to it.” He clapped Hammer on the back again, then wandered away.
“Come on, carino, I have some celebrating to do.” He swung her into his arms and carried her up the stairs. Camila laughed and he knew that was a sound he wanted to hear forever. And he’d make sure that even in the darkest days, she had something to laugh about, just so he could hear it.
Forever. Damn that sounded good. And they could handle anything, as long they stood together against it.
The End