Chapter 21
Jinx
Two months after Brave was arrested for tryin’ to murder my old lady, I called a meeting one afternoon with the other club officers to talk about his case.
We met in the war room, the conference room behind the chapel where the club officers meet.
It’s not much to look at, just a long table, some chairs, and a large monitor on the wall for Striker to present critical information.
This private space is where the club’s real decisions get made.
Jasper, Rock, Slate, Onyx, and Striker are already seated when I walk in.
“Brave took the plea deal,” I announce, tossing a folder onto the table and dropping down into my chair. “Morgan sent over the final paperwork this morning.”
Jasper picks up the folder and flips it open. “I thought this was an open and shut case. Why the fuck did they offer him a plea deal?”
Rock says, “You wanna walk us through it?”
“The DA originally charged him with attempted first-degree murder. It was deemed premeditated because he threatened to kill her in the texts he sent. That carries a sentence of life in state prison.”
“That’s what he should have been charged with,” Slate grumbles.
I lean back in my chair. “His public defender talked some sense into him and got him to plead guilty to lesser charges in exchange for a reduced sentence.”
“How much time did the fucker actually get?” Striker asks. He’s my best friend and loves Nora like a sister, so he’s about as pissed as I am.
“He got sixteen years total. After pleading guilty to attempted second-degree murder, the judge gave him the upper limit of nine years. They tacked on a one-year enhancement for use of a deadly weapon. And he got six years added on for first-degree residential burglary. The judge went with the upper limit on that one too because he entered armed and specifically targeted a family member. The vandalism and criminal threats charges were dismissed as part of the plea.”
Striker lets out a low whistle. “Sixteen years. That’s a long time to sit in a cell and think about your life choices.”
“Not fuckin’ long enough to suit me,” I say flatly.
Jasper looks up from the paperwork. “You wanted the life sentence, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, I wanted the original charge to stick. Life with the possibility of parole. That son of a bitch broke into my house and went after my pregnant old lady with a blade. If I’d been ten minutes later getting home that day, I’d have found her dead body.”
The room gets quiet for a second. Every man at this table knows I’m right.
Unfortunately, Nora gave it her seal of approval.
Her take is that sixteen years is long enough to give her brother time to think about what he did.
She doesn’t want him locked up for life.
She wants him to have a shot at a decent life one day.
“That’s generous of her,” Rock states. Both Rock and his old lady are firm believers in second chances, so I’m not surprised to hear those words come out of his mouth.
“That’s Nora,” I respond dryly. “She’s got more grace for those brothers of hers than they deserve. She talked to Spark about it. He made a vow to take Brave under his wing when he gets released and make sure he doesn’t go on the rampage again.”
Jasper closes the folder and slides it back across the table to me. “Do you trust Spark to hold that promise?”
I think about it honestly before answering. “Spark’s the one who deleted the drone footage to protect her. He made his club surrender in order to save their lives.” I shrug. “I don’t trust him any further than I can throw him. But I believe he honestly cares about his siblings.”
Jasper comes to his feet. “Then it’s settled. Brave does his sixteen years. When he gets out of lockup, Spark either keeps his word or we make him.”
We all murmur our agreement. On my way out, Striker catches my attention.
“I think your old lady made the right call. Hard time in the state pen is just the thing to teach him the error of his ways. I guarantee that he won’t have much fight in him when he gets out.
Sixteen years is a long time. He’ll be spendin’ all his time playing catch-up rather than lookin’ to make mischief again. ”
“I pray that you’re right, brother. Or he could learn to be a better criminal. That’s the thought that keeps me up at night.”
“Yeah, life’s a crap shoot, sometimes.” Striker responds as we walk out to the bar and grab a table. “Your old lady’s a gambler with a history of rollin’ snake eyes. She bet on you, didn’t she?”
I can’t help but laugh at his halfhearted attempt at humor. When the laughter fades, I tell him, “I’ve decided that today is the day, brother.”
His eyes fly open as one of the prospects drops a couple of bottles of beer on the table and strolls away. “Isn’t it a little early to pop the question? You’ve only known each other four or five months.”
“In case you forgot, we’re having a baby. Women like to feel secure and nest when they’re pregnant.”
He takes a long pull of his beer and gives me an indulgent grin. “Where in the hell did you hear that?”
I just shake my head. “Every fucker knows women nest when they’re pregnant.
My old lady has been buying fancy little cushions by the dozens.
She decorated the whole fuckin’ house with those things.
Now we have a fake fur blanket draped over the foot of our bed and another across the back of the sofa. ”
His eyes narrow on me. “You wouldn’t be makin’ shit up right now, would ya?”
“Fuck no. Come for dinner this weekend and see for yourself. She even puts fresh flowers on the table.”
He snorts a laugh. “Whatever. You know you need a ring, right?”
I reach into the inner pocket of my cut and pull out a diamond ring. Laying it on the table between us, I ask, “It belonged to my grandmother. Do you think it will do?”
He picks it up and holds it up to the light, before letting out a low whistle. “This will more than do. What is it, a one and a half carat?”
“Since when do you know about diamonds?” I ask.
“Lucky guess. Don’t know shit, only that women like them big.”
“Do you think I need to go bigger? Bigger is always better, right?”
“Sometimes. But I think Nora will prefer a ring with heritage over a flashier one. She’s sentimental that way.”
I pluck the ring out of his hand and buff it on my sleeve. “This ring has been burnin’ a hole in my pocket for the last week. I was just waitin’ for the right moment, you know?”
“And today feels like the right time?”
“Tonight actually. I want to do it in front of everyone.”
Suddenly we hear my old lady laugh. Our eyes follow the sound and find her standing across the room.
She’s with the old ladies and laughing at something Tessa said.
She’s looking so damn beautiful wearing my cut, with a tiny baby bump that only I can see because I know her body so well.
Seeing her so comfortable in our clubhouse makes me feel things, deep and possessive things that I’d best not name, even to myself.
As the afternoon wears on and turns into evening, me and Striker shoot pool. I surprise my old lady by inviting her two best friends, Kassy and Lena, to hang out at the clubhouse. She’s thrilled to see them again. They sit together at the bar, talking up a storm.
After dinner, I decide that I’ve waited enough. I walk over and unplug the jukebox.
When the music stops everybody knows something’s up. Club officers only pull the plug on entertainment to make special announcements. They are all searching my face, trying to figure out what’s going on.
Nora glances up from her mocktail, looking wary and confused.
She catches sight of me staring at her from across the room.
Her friends move closer and each places a protective hand on her.
She shifts uncomfortably in her seat. This poor woman has spent her entire life expecting the worst from rooms full of men in cuts.
I should have known that stopping everything would provoke her anxiety.
I quickly get on with my proposal, so she doesn’t have to be worried any longer than necessary.
I approach her and take her hands in mine. I look into her eyes, willing her to relax into the moment with me. My heart is hammering in my chest, so I can’t really blame her for a little anxiety.
“Look, sweetness. I’m not good with feelings and findin’ the right words to tell you what I need to say,” I tell her.
My voice is rough and my emotions are rising fast but I’m gonna get this out or die trying.
“But I have somethin’ important to ask you and wanted to share this with the important people in our lives. ”
Her expression brightens and her friends drop their hands and move back slightly.
I pull the ring out of my cut and hold it up. The diamond catches the overhead light—and her notice. It’s the only thing left of my family and the only thing I have of real value that wasn’t bought with money I earned through the club.
“This was my grandmother’s,” I tell her.
“She was the only person in my life who ever made me feel like I was worth a damn growin’ up.
I want you to have it.” Clearing my throat, I continue, “Marry me, sweetness. Be my old lady, my wife, and the mother of my child.” When I say the last part, I rest my free hand flat against her stomach.
For a second, my self-doubts get the better of me. I think she’s gonna say she needs time, or worse, she’s gonna shake her head and tell me no.
Of course she doesn’t say no. This woman loves me and I should not have had last-minute doubts about her answer. She says firmly, “Yes, of course I want to be your wife.”
The clubhouse explodes with brothers shouting their congratulations. Brothers are happily thumping their hands on tables and stomping their boots. When I slide the ring onto her finger, her hand is shaking with excitement. She immediately flings her arms around my neck and pulls me down for a kiss.