CHAPTER 12
EMERY
My palms are sweating from nervousness even with Kade’s arm wrapped around me and holding together the frayed edges of my soul. Anxiety is not something I deal with very well. I’ll probably end up tripping over my feet or babbling uncontrollably.
I’m not only nervous about being at Kade’s side at his sister’s graduation, which is more than enough reason for me to be on edge. I’m also not sure how I’m going to be able to look into his mother’s eyes and not want to attack her.
That woman doesn’t deserve to have a son like Kade. I’m sure she doesn’t even realize how lucky she has been. Hell, she could have had much more than she did since the death of her husband, but she chose to push people away and use her own damn son for her gains.
My stomach twists as I think about it.
In the week since Jennifer was found, I’ve spent a lot of time with Kade. I don’t think I could have shaken the man even if I wanted to with how determined he’s been to spend time with me and earn my trust. I guess it’s a good thing I didn’t really want to put distance between us.
I was understandably wary about letting him back into my life and giving him a chance at first, but I’m not now. I’m all in and he knows it.
When I glance up at him it’s to find him already looking at me with a big smile on his face. The man doesn’t need ways to appear more attractive, but the way he’s smiling at and looking at me makes him even more drool worthy. It’s not fair, really.
Last night as we laid together in his room at the clubhouse, naked and panting for breath, something clicked into place for me. All the time we’ve been spending together, the way he supported me when I confronted Jen, the devotion he’s shown toward me, washed over me. He never shied away from a conversation, no matter what the topic was. He didn’t shield me from his emotions and allowed himself to be vulnerable with me without knowing if I was ever going to get over our past.
The little residual bits of anger and hurt over what happened the morning after the night we spent together were just…gone. My eyebrows furrowed together, and I let out a small sound of surprise.
“Are you okay?” Kade’s voice was laden with concern and a little bit of fear. As his hands hovered over me as if there was some sort of injury he could see and then fix, I stared into his aquamarine eyes. I don’t know what he saw in my expression, but his face smoothed out and hope lifted a single word, “Ink?”
“I forgive you,” I murmured softly. He opened his mouth as if he were going to argue with me, but I shook my head. “You’ve already shown me. You’ve put me first; you’ve communicated with me and followed through with every plan we’ve made and every promise you’ve made.” I reached up and cupped his strong jaw in my hands, my fingers pricking on the stubble there. “You’ve shown me the man you are, Kade, and proven to me that you can keep my heart safe, even from you.”
I swear I saw tears forming in the gorgeous eyes of my big, bad biker. The serenity on his face as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath was a sight to see. “Are you,” his voice cracked a little, “sure?”
“I’m sure. I’m all in now.” I smiled softly when his eyes popped open and filled with wonder. “I don’t think I had any other choice but to forgive you. You weren’t going to take no for an answer.”
“Damn right, I wasn’t going to take no for an answer.” The way he puffed up his chest, knowing he’d probably be strutting if he had been standing and walking, had me giggling. His voice dropped an octave and went husky, “Thank you, Ink. I’ll never allow you to regret this.”
“I know you won’t.”
And I do know it to the very depths of me. Kade is a solid man. He’s built of something stronger than any man I’ve ever known before. He’ll stand tall and wrap himself around me to protect me in the most violent storms. He’ll shine down on me and allow me to dance in the sunlight when times are good, watching and making sure nothing dark can touch me. He’ll forge ahead and be the darkness when something threatens me, us, or our family.
Now I get to prove myself to him, not that he would ask me to. But he does need me just the same. I’ll be standing next to him during Emma’s graduation and helping him navigate leaving the manipulations of his mom behind so he can live his own life, a life for him, for us.
When we find seats and settle in, Kade looks around for a moment and then leans into me to whisper while pointing toward another section of seats, “That’s Mylie.”
I nod, seeing the resemblance immediately. He doesn’t tell me that the woman sitting next to his sister must be their mom. I don’t need him to.
His heart is still aching over how she treated him when he told her that he wasn’t going back out onto the rig. You’d think that she’d be glad he wouldn’t be risking his life and his health anymore. Most mothers would care about that, but not his.
I hate that for him.
As everyone settles into the seats, I glance behind us when the sound of heavy boots is almost deafening. My eyes widen when I look at the people who have filled the row behind us to find a good portion of the DSMC brothers along with their old ladies if they have one. It’s a good mix between the older brothers and the younger, but it’s definitely stacked in favor of the older members.
Lucifer meets my eyes and winks as Cherise reaches down and gives my shoulder a squeeze. There’s something about Lucifer’s old lady and Prodigal’s mom. She has this aura about her that reminds me of Amelia. I bet they could get along well; probably too damn well and it would get them both in trouble.
I’ve gotten close to Cherise while spending time at the clubhouse. Somehow, without me even realizing it, she stepped into the role of mother, the one my own abandoned. She’s never looked down on me for my career choice, not that I would have expected it.
Loot shoots me a wink from further down the row when I take in the imposing wall of leather and muscle that have just showed up. Just showed up. I think that’s what is the most shocking part of them being here.
Kade’s mom abandoned the club, but that doesn’t mean they’ve abandoned her. If that’s not loyalty, I don’t know what is.
“Wow,” I whisper, awe filling me as the way this group of men and women love sinks into my marrow.
Kade kisses my temple, his voice thick with emotion but low enough for only me to hear, “They’re here for me just as much as they’re here for Emma.”
I swallow hard, and blink back the tears forming in my eyes. “Family,” I murmur.
Kade’s eyes light up and he kisses my lips softly. I’m about to deepen the kiss, not giving a single fuck about where we are or how many people are around, but that’s the moment the graduation ceremony begins.
The way Emma startles when our section cheers for her makes me grin from ear to ear. I swear I can see her teary eyes even from a distance. But what everyone can see is the way her smile lights up the whole damn place.
The only thing her joy battles is the anger rolling off her mom. Every time I glance in her direction, she’s glaring at the bikers at my back. I’m not sure if she’s stupid, just too selfish to know better, or has no sense of self-preservation. Probably all three.
Once the ceremony is wrapped up, hats being thrown into the air in celebration with the words of a bright future reverberating through the crowd, we move as a group towards the graduating class. Surprisingly, Emma bounces in our direction without even looking for her mom first.
She knocks me back a step when she practically tackles me to the ground, her arms wrapped around me and her excitement banishing the last of my nerves. “You must be Emery. It’s so good to finally meet you.” She glances at her brother who has a huge grin on his face as he looks between us. “Even though I haven’t seen him, Kade has told me all about you. Thank you for coming today,” she gushes.
“Congratulations. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be,” my words are dripping sincerity because they’re true.
She beams at me before wrapping around Kade like an adorable spider monkey, tears of love, respect, and pride shining in her eyes. They murmur softly to each other before Emma takes a step back. Then she turns her bright smile in the direction of bikers and their women who have formed a semi-circle around us.
From what Kade said, he was able to sometimes bring the girls to family days, even though their mom hated it. Fuck her, is what I think. Being able to spend some time with the club, even if only a little, was a way for them to remember and learn about their dad. It’s something they deserved to be able to do.
The vibe around us changes as Emma is busy being congratulated and basking in praise, some of which included envelopes being slipped into her hand from more than one brother and couple. My head snaps around to find the bitter woman who gave my man life standing in front of us.
Miley is standing next to her, her fingers twisted together and her eyes darting around the bikers behind us. Longing is pouring off her and it makes my heart ache. Does their mom not see what she’s doing to her kids? Does she just not care?
Before the anger pouring off the woman who is in danger of losing her family turns into barbed words and insults, I take a step forward and wrap my arms around Miley. The way she’s trembling in my arms makes me want to lay into their mom even more, but I bite my tongue. For now.
When I pull back, I chirp, “Hi. I’m Emery.”
“My old lady,” Kade’s voice is filled with possession as he wraps an arm around my shoulders.
My cheeks heat, loving the way my man claims me without any hesitation. It’s a major turn on even though now is not the time or place. Tell that to my lady bits.
“Hi,” Miley’s voice is soft and reserved which is at odds with the way her eyes sparkle with excitement, “I’m Miley.”
“Go and say hi to everyone,” Kade tells her with a soft smile on her face.
She practically runs away and directly into Lucifer and Cherise’s waiting arms. If I thought it would do any good, considering she only has a year left in high school, I would stand up and fight for her to be taken from their mom. I’m not sure that’s my place though.
Still, I won’t stop her from knowing she has people at her back who will always be there for her. Kade insisted that their mom isn’t physically abusive. I’ll try to find solace in that even though I’m sure it won’t be easy.
“How dare you tell your sister to go speak to them,” their mother spits out the words, each one filled with poison and hatred. My spine goes rigid as I stare her down. When she sneers at me, I ball my fists up in the attempt to not slap her before she can spew any more crap. “Don’t look at me like that, biker whore,” she hisses.
Kade growls, the sound coming from the back of his throat and filled with menace and warning. “Takes one to know one,” I quip, not at all phased by her outburst. “Bitter isn’t a good look on anyone. Nor is hatred and judgement.” I lean towards her, my voice cold, “Just know that if you continue to try and guilt trip your son into taking care of you, I will put a stop to it.”
“He has an obligation to his family,” her voice is shrill, her face a mask of aghast indignance.
“His family are those girls. Me. His club.” I stare directly into her eyes and don’t blink as I add, “Not you. No more manipulation. No more guilt. It’s time for Kade to live for his dreams and for his real family, not someone who would rather see him killing himself than being happy. I won’t stand for it, not a second longer.”
The woman huffs, her face turning bright red with ire. I don’t give a flying fuck. Should I have stepped up and said all of that? I’m not sure, but I am certain that I’ll stand between Kade and what aims to hurt him.
“Emery has the backing of the DSMC on this one,” Lucifer’s voice comes from right behind me and is full of warning.
I look up at the man who holds my heart in his hands like it’s precious and fragile and see the pain and hurt in his eyes. Not because of my words, but because of the reality of what his mom has being doing to him for years. I tip up on my tiptoes and kiss his lips softly, needing him to know that I’m here and I’m not going anywhere.
When I twine our fingers together, I pull him towards where Emma and Miley are talking to Wrenley, Prodigal’s wife, and old lady. In only a matter of minutes, we tell Emma congratulations again and make sure Miley knows that we’ve got her back. Then I’m pulling Kade out to his bike.
It doesn’t take long for us to get back to the clubhouse, the silence in the building feeling sacred instead of strange. The moment we’re in his room, he presses me up against the door, his aquamarine eyes swirling with so many emotions.
“You stood up for me. You,” he starts but then shakes his head like he still can’t believe what happened, “I love you, Ink.”
Now it’s my turn to be shocked, but the feeling turns into sweet warmth and a sense of knowing that settles in my soul. “I love you, Kade.”
The smile that stretches his lips is boyish and wicked at the same time. Our clothing goes flying in a blur of caressing hands and nipping kisses. My skin is so damn sensitized by the time he lays me out on the bed while hovering over me and lowers his head toward one of my nipples that I’m sure I’m going to come without him even touching me.
My back bows the moment he swirls the tip of his tongue around the hardened peak. When he sucks it into his mouth, I wrap my legs around his hips, begging and pleading with my body for him to bury himself deep inside of me.
“Please,” I gasp, “I need you Kade.”
“Gonna worship you, Emery,” he murmurs against my skin while gripping my knees, unwrapping my legs from his body, and pressing them down into the bed.
Fuck and he does worship me. My man kisses every inch of me, his grip on my body possessive as he holds me in place. He doesn’t let up and forces me to take every single bit of pleasure as he gifts it to me.
The way he pulls two orgasms from me with his head between my legs has me floating in boneless bliss. Even when I’m too sensitive and practically sobbing for him to stop, he laps at me with a feral intensity like he can’t get enough of me.
I can see my arousal glistening on his mouth as he prowls back up my body. When he kisses me this time, I can taste myself on his tongue. Before I can comprehend what’s happening, he’s filling me with one hard thrust.
“Kade, fuck,” I shout the words and he swallows them down.
“That’s right, Ink,” he grits out. When he pulls back just enough to look into my eyes, I can see the love there, right along with the need he has for me and the dreams for our future—not just his future, but the one we’ll share together. The only warning I get before he starts to move is a growled, “Brace.”
He starts to fuck me, his hips moving hard and fast. As I give myself over to him, I realize there was no way for me to prepare, to brace, for the way he makes me feel whole, for the way he makes pleasure wash over me, for the way the future feels like infinity.
“Love you,” he growls from where he’s tucked his face into the crook of my neck.
As I tip over the edge, barely holding onto my sanity, his teeth sink into the tender flesh there. “I love you,” becomes a chant on my lips in time with the pulsing of my pussy walls as I milk every drop of his cum from him.
Panting breaths, whispered promises, and love being tattooed on our souls are the only sounds in the room right before I slip off into sleep. My dreams are richer now, bigger, and it’s all because of the man who holds me like I’m precious and cherishes me like I’m treasure.