Chapter 6
Chapter Six
“Sophie?” Ben’s voice woke her, and she sat up. Grayish light peeked through the window.
“What time is it?” she asked.
“Four a.m. The Black Jacks are gone. The fireworks trick was brilliant. Monk and Rat roared out of here like convicts escaping the fires of hell.” Ben, who now wore a dirty black T-shirt with his filthy jeans, put a cup of hot tea on the bedside table.
“The fire jumped the break. We’re leaving ASAP. ”
“So we won the battle?” She slipped out of bed to find her shoes.
After he’d left her a few hours ago, she’d taken a cold shower, brushed her teeth and washed her face with some of Izzy’s toiletries, and dressed.
She’d wanted to stay awake and watch the fireworks, but a wave of fatigue had hit and she’d fallen asleep again.
“We did.” He pointed to her tea. “Drink up. You’ll need the energy. And meet me in the other room.”
She used the bathroom quickly and drank her tea while she twisted her hair into a long braid. She also mentally thanked Ben. Not just for the tea made in the middle of a crisis, but for the safety and acceptance she always found in his arms.
Smiling to herself, she found the red bandana tucked within the bed’s blankets, folded it, and shoved it into her skirt pocket. No matter what happened today, she’d never forget this night.
Two minutes later, after giving up her attempt to get the wrinkles out of her dress, she met Ben and Hawk in the main room near the laptops.
They were both staring at the monitors with matching frowns and furrowed brows. If she hadn’t already known they were related, their powerful physical resemblance would’ve told her.
“It’s a canopy fire now.” Hawk pointed to the screen. “Between the strong winds, steep slopes, and dry fuel, we have twenty minutes to evacuate.”
Ben nodded. “The bikes–”
“Are fine.” Hawk paused when he finally noticed her. “The bikes can ride around the fires. I’m more worried about your truck. Cali has already filled it up with gas from our reserve tanks we just installed in the back meadow.”
Ben came over to kiss her cheek. “Sophie, go to the truck. Cali is loading it up, and I’ll be there in a minute.”
She nodded and placed her tea mug in the sink. Then Hawk led her outside, and she coughed on the smoke-filled air. An eerie light outlined the horizon and exposed new holes in the cabin’s siding.
She’d had great sex during a firefight, and she hadn’t cared. She wasn’t sure what to make of that new personality quirk, other than to remind herself that she’d trusted Ben to keep her safe. And he had.
“I know I shouldn’t ask about the Black Jacks—”
“It’s okay, Sophie.” Hawk squeezed her arm. “The fireworks ended up spooking them enough that they rode away. I promise we didn’t kill anyone the night before your wedding.”
She wrinkled her nose. She had no love for the Black Jacks, but she was relieved. There had to be some kind of karmic debt with having your enemy killed on your wedding day.
“We did wound them, though.” Drac came around the cabin pushing a dolly loaded with crates. “And I can’t promise our other Ravensburg brothers will let them out of the state alive.”
“Excuse me?” She glanced at Hawk, but his attention was focused on Drac.
Hawk pointed toward the truck. “Drac? Less talking and more lifting.”
Drac rolled his eyes and began loading the crates into the truck’s bed.
“Hey, darlin’.” Cali appeared with a few bags of bottled water and dropped them onto the floor of the front passenger’s side seat. Then he winked at her. “Gotta love those fireworks.”
A hot flush flooded her cheeks. There’d been two kinds of fireworks last night.
But she’d not considered that the rest of the men had heard what she and Ben had done.
Then she decided she didn’t care. It was her wedding day.
If she wanted to have wild monkey sex with her groom in the middle of an MC battle, that was her choice.
And she wouldn’t feel guilt or shame or embarrassment about it.
“Hawk?” She pointed to the crates. “What’s this?”
“We’re loading ammo and extra fireworks from our storehouse, in case the fire reaches the camp.”
Yikes. “Is that legal?”
“No. But it’s better than a building explosion that hurts a firefighter.” He held open her door, and she hopped in. Before closing it, he said, “I know this has been stressful, but today is about celebrating new beginnings. Leave the past buried in the days and years you’ll never see again.”
“Thanks.” She paused when Ben exited the cabin. “Hawk, what happened to those Black Jacks? Will the rest of the Ravensburg chapter go after them?”
“All I can tell you is that those Black Jacks discovered stupid actions have serious consequences.” Hawk smiled as if none of the previous night’s violence mattered. “Don’t worry about anything. All of my brothers are unhurt, and today is about you and Ben getting married.”
She nodded, and Hawk slammed the door.
When Ben slipped into the driver’s seat, he turned on the truck and grinned. “Is my bride ready to get married?”
Even though the fires were close, the smoky air could stifle a raging bull, and there might be an ongoing war between two dangerous motorcycle clubs. She smiled until her face hurt. “Yes, please. Let’s go home.”
Nine hours later, she wasn’t smiling. “It’s almost one o’clock. Our ceremony begins in an hour.”
“I know.” Ben stopped the truck in a road pullout, behind two motorcycles parked on the side of a mountain, thirty minutes from Kingsmill. The four other Devil’s Renegades had gone in different directions to report road closures and other obstacles.
Hawk and Cali stepped off their bikes and removed their helmets. Hawk then pulled out a SAT phone and started talking. Something was wrong, besides the fact they’d spent hours circling mountains to avoid fires.
Ben turned off the ignition. “If I ask you to wait here, will you?”
She opened the door and jumped out. “No.”
Ben followed her and they stopped near Hawk’s bike.
“What’s wrong?” Ben asked Hawk.
“A problem.” Hawk pointed toward a southern mountaintop. “We’re close to Kingsmill, but the only road leading into town is blocked by downed power lines and trees. The truck can’t pass.”
“Can we go around Mosby’s Gap?” Ben asked. “Or head south and come up through Milltown?”
Hawk motioned to his SAT phone. “Not according to Drac and Thor.”
Cali kicked a stone, and it went flying off the cliff. “What now?”
Hawk put the phone away and shrugged. “No idea.”
She squeezed Ben’s hand. “Will we make the wedding?”
Ben sighed. “I don’t know.”
Cali smiled at her. “Don’t worry, darlin’. We’ll think of something.”
Ben dropped her hand to pace the narrow highway. They were blocked on one side by a steep slope that headed up into a thick forest and the other side that dropped off into a 500-foot deep ravine.
“Can we walk?” she asked Ben.
“It’s too far. We’d never get there in time.” Ben stood on the edge of the road and looked down. Then he turned to see the mountains on fire behind them. Finally, he eyed Cali’s bike. “But I have an idea.”
Cali’s grin lit up his beautiful face, and he tossed his keys to Ben. “That, my brother, is inspired. I’ll watch the truck.”
She glanced at Hawk. “What are they talking about?”
Hawk laughed. “How do you feel about changing into your wedding gown in the woods and arriving at the church on the back of a Harley?”
This wasn’t at all how she’d imagined her getting-ready-for-her-wedding routine would go. She’d hung her dress in the protective gown bag on a high tree branch, and had a small mirror from her purse.
“Sweetheart?” Ben’s voice came from a small clearing ten yards away. “I hate to hurry you—”
“I know.” She glanced around to make sure she was alone, more out of habit than concern, and took off her sweater. “I just need five minutes.”
She’d insisted that she wanted to get dressed without him seeing.
Yes, he’d see her dress when she emerged, but she wanted to do this part alone.
It didn’t take her long to brush out and French braid her hair and put on a bit of makeup.
Luckily, she kept a comb and makeup kit in her purse.
She only had blush, powder, mascara, and lipstick, and she was grateful.
Although she made a mental note to begin carrying more toiletries with her whenever she drove anywhere.
Even if she was just going to the grocery store.
She didn’t have her bridal heels, so she kept on her sandals. At least the dress had a built-in bra and petticoat. With a long sigh, she unzipped the dress bag and yards of white silk chiffon fell out.
“Ben?” She hated the defeat in her voice. “I think I need help.”
He appeared so suddenly, she wondered how far away he’d actually been standing. He’d changed into his tuxedo, which he wore with his boots, and stared at the dress half-hanging from the bag. Then he took her hand and squeezed three times. “I know this isn’t how you wanted today to go—”
“It’ll be okay.” She squared her shoulders and smiled at him. “I need you to help me put the dress on without getting makeup on it or messing up my hair.”
He kissed her cheek and went to work. Putting on a wedding gown in the woods, without getting it dirty, was harder than either of them had expected.
Finally, Ben zipped up the back and fluffed out the skirt. “You’re the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen.”
Her first impulse was to brush off his compliment. Yet, the sincerity that shone in his brown eyes made her vision blur. He looked incredibly sexy in a black tux. “You’re the most handsome groom.”
He pointed to his boots, and then she raised her skirt to show her sandals.
They both laughed until she said, “I need my veil.”