Chapter 8 #2
I look toward Beau as he adjusts the leather and flattens it down over his chest. I see the way his face softens just a little as he runs his hand over the front, like he’s reacquainting himself with an old friend.
The patch on the front of his vest catches the light, and I can’t help but read the words written there, S.O.A.
No wonder he's so comfortable with weapons and fine with the possibility of violence coming our way.
Jackson’s slip of a grin disappears for a moment as he slowly pulls his own vest on.
When he finishes, I see the patch on the front of his…
Vice President… Holy shit. He looks at it for a second, taking in the weight of the words like they carry something heavier than just a title.
There’s a shift in him, something quiet but undeniably present.
I watch them as they stand there, both of them now wearing the vests that mean so much to them. I feel my breath catch in my throat as I notice something scrawled along the bottom hem of Jackson’s vest. It’s a name, written in faded, slightly worn stitching…Sawyer.
My mind races, my heart thumping in my chest as I try to process it. I glance at Beau’s vest, my eyes falling to the side where I spot another name, stitched in the same place as Jackson’s. Wren…
I freeze, my thoughts racing. The realization hits me like a ton of bricks, and for a moment everything goes quiet.
Those names, Sawyer and Wren, they’re not just random names.
They’re…theirs. Their birth names. Before they were Jackson and Beau.
Before they ran from the prison bus and disappeared.
I can’t help it. I whisper it out loud, the names slipping from my lips before I realize I’ve spoken them at all.
“Sawyer…Wren…”
The room goes still around me. All four men stop talking and for a brief moment, I feel the weight of everyone’s gaze on me.
My cheeks flush as I quickly look around, hoping I didn't just fuck up. Jackson speaks first, his voice soft but filled with that depth I’ve come to know so well.
The warmth in his eyes making my heart flutter as he grabs my hands turning me to face him.
“Say it again.” He says, his voice almost a plea, a quiet command wrapped in tenderness.
I swallow hard, feeling the pull of his gaze, and I whisper it again, “Sawyer…”
The second the name leaves my lips, Jackson leans down.
He crashes his lips against mine in a kiss that takes me completely off guard.
His claiming is rough and intense. It feels like he’s been waiting for those words to come from my lips for far too long.
I can feel the heat of him, the fire that always burns beneath the surface, but there’s something different now. It's mixed with something vulnerable.
He rests his forehead against mine with his eyes closed. I can hear his breath come out in quick bursts as his hands slide to cup my face. He opens his eyes, and he looks on the edge of tears.
“The number of times I’ve wanted to tell you my name,” he says softly, his thumb brushing across my lips. “Just so I could hear you say it. Hear my name on your beautiful lips.”
His words are like a gentle caress. A declaration that pulls at my heart in ways I didn’t expect.
I can’t help but smile, my chest swelling with his words and the crazy amount of love I have for this man.
But before I can say anything, I feel Beau’s hand on my arm.
He gently turns me toward him and he leans down to meet my gaze.
His expression serious now, yet still filled with the warmth I adore.
“My turn.” He murmurs.
I don’t need him to say anything more I already know what he wants. I look into his eyes and take a deep breath, then whisper his name. The name that now feels as much a part of me as it is of him.
“Wren…”
The second his name leaves my mouth, something shifts in Beau.
It’s like every wall he’s ever put up just..
. falls. His eyes lose that sharp edge, softening in a way I’ve never seen before.
His whole face changes to something open, raw, almost vulnerable.
For a second, he looks lighter. He looks like he's been carrying this weight for so long and it just disappeared.
This feels like I'm finally seeing my men for who they are.
Not the tough front they wear but the true man underneath.
“I never thought I would hear you say that.” He says with a crack in his voice.
I rest my head against his chest. My heart is racing as I wrap my arms around him, trying to hold onto this moment.
I feel the gravity of the life they’ve led.
I feel like I can understand the sacrifices they’ve made.
This makes the trust they’ve given me by sharing what they have with me even more special.
It’s not just a name. It’s a piece of who they are, a part of their past they’ve carried alone for so long.
Beau pulls back slightly, still holding me close, but his fingers gently trace the curve of my cheek. Jackson steps forward, his hand resting on my shoulder, giving me a small, knowing smile.
Just as I’m soaking in the moment, Liam’s voice cuts through the air, breaking the silence.
“We’re pretty whipped from the ride here,” he says, sounding both exhausted and a little amused.
He stretches his arms above his head with a groan, clearly feeling the long journey.
“We just wanted to stop in, say our greetings, and give you guys those.” He adds, motioning toward the vests with a nod.
He glances between Jackson and Beau, then at me with a small, genuine smile.
“We can meet up again tomorrow to discuss everything further. But for now… well, it was good to see you both again, brothers.” he says, his voice low, thick with the kind of brotherhood I can’t fully comprehend but absolutely feel in the way he says it.
“And it was nice to meet you, Aria.” He gives me a nod, his gaze warm, but he’s already starting to turn toward the door.
Before I can even get a word out, Nolan’s already behind Liam, walking out the door together. “We’ll catch up tomorrow, and hey, don’t worry. It’ll all work out the way it needs to." He says, voice easy, like this is all normal, like nothing just happened.
The moment the door closes, everything feels still.
This was unexpected, but I feel like it has brought us closer.
After I heard their story on Valentines Day, I never had the courage to ask their real names.
I wanted the time to be right, and I wouldn't have picked any other way than how it happened today.
I hear the unmistakable roar of the motorcycle engines come to life, and the sound slowly fades as they drive away.
I'm standing between Jackson and Beau, and my heart hasn't stopped racing.
I feel like this is what we needed in the middle of our new crazy life.
Both of them move in closer to me, wrapping their arms around me in a perfect cradle.
Their presence is like a shield, strong and steady.
I can feel their bodies relax into mine.
The stress replaced by something calmer, something that feels like home.
Even if it is temporary I'm happy I could give them this comforting moment.