Chapter 34
Riptide
Holding out my hand, I smiled up at Sloane as she picked her way down the rocks. She was being careful, but little did she know that I’d never let her fall. I knew this path through the boulders like the back of my hand. The way down to my cove was written on my soul.
She kept glancing up and gasping at the view as we went and it etched the truth I’d known from the minute I’d seen her deep into the core of my being.
She was my soulmate. I’d never shown this cove to another person.
Beard’s Hollow Cove was near The Cape Disappointment State Park.
There were a few homes scattered on the public land nearby, but this was the only house close to the cove itself.
The woods were so thick, that if you didn’t walk by you wouldn’t know about it.
Since it was private property, no one ever wandered this way.
There was a beach open to the public, but the rocks secluded this tiny section of sand away from the world.
The only one who knew of its existence, besides me, was the old man who’d lived in the house at the top of the bluff. As soon as my investments had meted out enough money, I’d shown up on his doorstep, cash offer and a contract in hand.
We’d talked for hours and he’d told me about how he’d bought this house for his wife.
She’d been the love of his life and he’d lost her eight years prior.
He’d seen me sneaking onto their little slice of shoreline since I was a kid, but he’d never busted me.
I’d been surfing on the beach nearby and had paddled around the rocks.
It was the only reason I knew the cove existed.
From that point on I’d used the spot as my own personal haven.
He and his wife had laughed together as they’d watched me surf and snorkel in the water.
They’d been impressed at my tenacity. Swimming in the Pacific Ocean, this far north, wasn’t for the weak-hearted.
Even with a heavy wetsuit on, the water was still cold.
He sold me his home that day, saying that he knew no one else would love it the way I did. It was only my vacation home now, but I hired a staff to keep it well maintained. It received the love and care that its prior owners had put into it daily.
My feet hit the sand and I walked, hand in hand with the woman I was going to remarry tomorrow, toward the water. She’d told me—when we’d lived out in the desert, under the oppressive rule of a lunatic—that she dreamed of the ocean. Now it lay before her, waves crashing into rock and shore alike.
Her eyes filled with tears as her feet were engulfed by cold salty water. “It’s everything I dreamed,” she told me. Pleasure and happiness filled her expression. I wanted to put that look on her face every day for the rest of our lives.
We’d gotten in late last night and stayed in our home. I had every intention of christening every room of the house with her…later. “I’ll leave it up to you,” I told her. “We can go anywhere in the world that you want for our honeymoon. Or we can stay right here.”
“I choose here,” she replied with zero hesitation.
Laughing at her enthusiasm, I hugged her close, then let her go so she could explore. Watching her take in every inch of the cove, hearing her exclamations of delight when she found the tidepools, it made me fall more deeply in love with her. I couldn’t wait to do this one day with our child.
The hours passed so quickly, I lost all track of time until a shout caught my attention.
Lockout and the others were waiting at the top of the bluff, looking down at us.
They’d come a day early to help us set everything up.
The cove would be where our ceremony took place, with the picturesque Pacific Ocean as our backdrop, while the reception would be up on the grass in our backyard.
I owned five acres out here and we wouldn’t need to worry about disturbing the neighbors.
I helped Sloane scramble up the cliff. There was a dirt path to follow, but it zig zagged its way to the top and I wasn’t about to let her fall.
One day, I planned to make a wooden path with rails down to the bottom.
Until then, I enjoyed helping. I placed my hand on Sloane’s ass to steady her and gave her an innocent look when she glanced over her shoulder at me.
She shook her head, but kept going. Everyone was waiting up top for us. My parents, sisters and their families, and our whole MC family. All except one.
I glanced over at Lockout. “I thought Ricochet was supposed to be home today?”
Lockout put a hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “I talked to him this morning. He’s going to stay with his sister for a few more weeks. This is hitting him hard, Rip.”
“I know. That’s why he should be here. That way we can help him.” Guilt was eating away at me. I’d been the one to bring Ricochet into that situation. Knowing he was hurting, and that it was partially my fault, made me want to do whatever was necessary to help him.
“It’s not that simple. Once he comes home he’s going to have to truly face what he did. This time and before. That isn’t going to be easy. We’re not kicking him out. We’re not abandoning him. But it’s time to hold him accountable, time for him to face this.”
“You and I both know he’s sitting in his sister’s guest bedroom blaming himself already, Lock.”
“True, but I didn’t think it was right to drag him home yet. He’s thrilled for you and said to tell you he’s sorry he’s missing this-”
I nodded in understanding. “But it’s too hard for him to be here, doing this, right now. I get it. I’m just fucking worried about him.”
“Me too, Brother. Me too.” Lockout sighed. “Enough of this. We have a shit ton of work to do to get this place ready for your wedding.
* * *
The next morning, the sun rose, battling against the fog and mist. The fog should burn off before Sloane and I said our vows.
As long as it didn’t rain, we’d deal with whatever the weather did.
The forecast was calling for cool temperatures, but no storms. This area typically received more than seventy inches of rain a year.
It wasn’t the best time to be doing an outside wedding on the beach, but I wasn’t willing to wait for summer. I was remarrying her now.
Hellfire stumbled into the kitchen, grunted a good morning to me, and all but dove at the coffee pot.
We’d stayed up most of the night drinking.
We’d watched as the women and girls all pampered each other.
Priest’s girls had waited long enough for Uncle Butcher and Uncle Toxic to get drunk enough before slyly talking them into face masks and toe nail polish.
Both men were now sporting pink toes and neither seemed to give two shits.
Not that any of us would have turned those cute kids down.
Priest had four little hellions on his hands.
Smart and wicked. They were going to make all of our lives hell when they hit their teenage years.
The rest of the guys started waking up and coming downstairs. Butcher groaned as he walked in. “Who punched me in the fucking face last night?”
“The bourbon,” Smokehouse replied in a helpful tone.
“The women up?” I asked.
“Like we’re going to risk asking that and waking them up,” Hellfire said. “Do you have any idea how mean women can be when you interrupt their sleep?”
That had everyone laughing. Hush walked down the stairs. “They’re awake. I heard Seek in the bathroom.”
“Heard her?” Smoke asked.
“She’s been gettin’ mornin’ sickness for the last few weeks,” he said with a sympathetic grimace.
“That sucks. Being pregnant doesn’t sound fun,” Smoke declared. “Not sure why women want that shit.”
“They get a baby from it,” Lockout told him. He leaned down, hands on the table, and leveled Smokehouse with a look. “Whatever you’re thinking, Smoke, don’t say it. Don’t bring that kind of karma down on your head, Brother.”
Smokehouse seemed to consider his words, then shrugged and did what he always did, shot off at the mouth. “I’m never having kids. I’ll just dote on all yours.”
I met Lockout’s amused gaze and shook my head. My thoughts used to run pretty much in line with Smokehouse’s, look where that had gotten me. About to marry my wife—for the second time—and a kid on the way. Smokehouse wasn’t much older than me, but he led that bachelor lifestyle.
There’d been no plans for me to settle down.
It hadn’t even been on my radar. Then suddenly I found myself planted inside a cult, being forced to marry the most beautiful woman I’d ever seen.
Smokehouse’s day would come. And thanks to his dismissal of Lockout’s warning it would probably come at just as unlikely a time for him. Hopefully without the cult.
Mom came downstairs and cooked us all breakfast, then brought the women’s portions upstairs. Some of the guys helped her carry the plates up.
I’d been banned from everywhere except one of the guest bedrooms we were using to get ready and the kitchen. Kicked out of my own damn bedroom because no one wanted me to see the bride before the ceremony. I didn’t bother to point out that we’d done this before.
The time flew and next thing I knew I was in a pair of cargo shorts and a button down shirt—thank God my angel hadn’t required I wear a suit—along with my groomsmen, waiting along the top of the bluff.
It was as though the weather gods were answering our prayers.
It was only around fifty degrees, but the wind had died down.
The air was completely still. Most everyone, except the wedding party, was wearing jackets, but we’d decided we could deal with the cold long enough to let everyone see our wedding attire.
It wasn’t too bad out here as long as that wind stayed away.
All the guests were making their way down with our help.
We made the trip multiple times to help the women and kids.
When it was time, I made my way down once more, Gabby clinging to my back.
The girls were old enough to walk, but when they’d begged Priest for piggyback rides, I’d offered myself up as tribute since he couldn’t carry all four at once.
There was literally not one thing I wouldn’t do for those girls.
Lockout had hidden all the booze last night before most of us had passed out.
That wouldn’t stop Butcher and Toxic from sniffing it out, but it gave us time to get through the ceremony before they were hammered.
The last thing we needed was anyone falling down the steep cliff that led down to the cove.
I waited patiently as the bridesmaids and my bride made their way down. Once they were on the sand, I nodded at Gabby who hit play on my phone. It was hooked up to speakers and the wedding march echoed amongst the rocks of the cove.
Kit, Jenny, and Seek walked over the sand with Hellfire, Hush, and Lockout. Their seafoam green dresses drifted behind them as they walked forward. The women looked gorgeous and I couldn’t believe what a difference this day was turning out to be, compared to the first time I’d married Sloane.
Everyone was wearing matching grins. Mine was gone along with my breath.
It was hard to breathe when love was trying to strangle you.
All I could do was stare at the woman walking toward me.
She was in a simple, flowy white dress that was perfect for a beach wedding and was sandwiched between Butcher and Toxic.
Both men had on shirts that were complete eye sores, which of course was the point.
If they had to ditch their cuts, they made everyone pay.
Butcher’s had flamingos on it and Toxic’s had pineapples.
Upside down pineapples. I was going to have to ask him later if he had any idea what that signified.
I hoped he didn’t. I was terrified he might.
Sloane’s smile was radiant as she walked toward me.
The sun was shining down on us, warming the sand, and I had everyone I cared about in one place.
Almost everyone. Ricochet flashed through my mind.
Somehow I was going to have to figure out a way to help that kid, but not today.
Today I needed to marry the most perfect woman I’d ever met.
I was a lucky fucking asshole and I knew it.
The trio stopped in front of the arch we’d hauled down here last night then Mom, Dad, Sloane, and I had spent hours decorating with flowers.
I’d declined help from anyone else as it gave the four of us a chance for time to ourselves before the wedding.
Everyone else had taken that opportunity to start up the party.
They’d been drunk off their asses before dinner had even started.
Priest started up his speech. He’d married some friends of ours over in Austin a few years back.
Years ago we thought it would be fitting to make him an ordained minister.
It started as a joke, making Priest a priest. Little had he known then that it meant the rest of us were going to insist he perform weddings for all of us down the road.
In Butcher's case, likely an exorcism. He didn’t seem to mind.
His deep baritone all but disappeared as I stared at my wife. Soon to be wife. Again.
She smiled up at me with those eyes that matched the water beside us. Somehow, she was mine. Our start might have been rocky, but we were solid now. She’d been coming out of her shell more and more as the weeks went on and I was as much in love with the woman she was becoming as the one she’d been.
We recited our vows, ignoring the sniffling coming from the women in the crowd.
Her eyes were dry and perfect as I professed my love to her.
Her voice was clear and strong as she promised to be my wife until death do us part.
Death would have to go through me to ever get near her.
Nothing would touch my family while I was alive to protect them.
Our family cheered when I dipped Sloane then kissed her until she was breathless. We stayed down on the beach, wrapped up in each other as everyone headed up the cliff to the celebration waiting for us at the top.
Pulling her close, I breathed her in. It was hard for me to imagine that only a few months ago, I’d been single and thought I’d been happy.
Now I knew I’d just been waiting. Stuck in a perpetual pause until I found my angel.
Now was when life began and I couldn’t fucking wait to go through it all with her.