37. Chapter Thirty-Seven
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
ORA
“Can I get you anything?” I ask Dad, sitting at the bar having a beer. “Are you meant to be drinking?”
He grins at me over the bottle. “Ora, I’m fine. You don’t need to hover around me. Let me enjoy a beer in peace.”
Tonight is the party, and Lu and I have spent all day getting everything ready. We ordered take-out this time, but we made the desserts.
Rose suddenly slides up to him, running her fingers across his chest. My nose wrinkles. I understand he’s a single man and the president, but I don’t want to see that shit. It then hits me that he has to watch War and me kissing each other all the time because we don’t exactly shy away from PDA. But knowing Rome sleeps with the same women the younger men do fucking creeps me out.
But this is his club .
This is his life .
He whispers something in her ear, and she pouts but leaves us alone.
“You go have fun. I’m going to go check on the cake,” I say, turning to leave.
He gently grabs my arm and pulls me back toward him. “You know no one is more important to me than you, right? If you ever feel uncomfortable, you tell me.”
“I don’t want you to have to change who you are,” I reply, trying to find the right words. “You didn’t want me with War, but you are dealing with it. I’m going to have to deal with the club girls wanting a piece of you even though you’re…” I trail off.
“Handsome? Powerful? Sexy?” he suggests, amusement dancing in his blue eyes. His twin dimples even make an appearance.
“Old.”
He throws his head back and laughs. “I’m in my prime, Ora. And it might surprise you, but women still find me appealing.”
“Gross,” I whisper, and he laughs some more.
“Prez, Sarah’s out front,” Danger calls out, a scowl on his face. “I didn’t let her in, so she’s waiting outside the gate.”
I share a look with Dad, who dips his head to plant a kiss on my hair. “She’s not welcome here any longer. My loyalty isn’t to Sarah. It’s to the club. It’s to you.”
“Dad—”
I follow him outside, where Sarah is crying. “You’re just going to ban me from a place that was my home?”
“You’re with Insanity MC now, Sarah. And don’t even try and lie about it. We had you followed, and we know you and Pippa were spying on us for them,” Dad says to her while shaking his head. “Kate is probably rolling in her grave right now.”
“She died because of this club ! You didn’t protect her ,” she screams, stomping her foot. She turns to me, hatred filling her eyes. “You ruined everything!”
I don’t know how, but I’m not going to argue with crazy. If she wants to blame me for her actions, I can’t stop that, and she can have at it.
War storms out and puts me behind him. “What the fuck are you doing here? Getting the bakery burned down not enough for you?”
She stops her dramatics, wiping the tears from her eyes. “The bakery lady is connected to your club,” she replies, shrugging. “You killed their men. What did you think would happen?”
“Get out of here, Sarah. You aren’t welcome. This is your first and last warning,” Dad roars, standing in front of the gates. “You chose your side.”
“No,” she fires back. “You chose yours . You chose her . War chose her . I didn’t realize I was so replaceable. Fuck you all!”
She gets into her car and drives off, wheels kicking up dirt as she goes.
War lifts me in his arms and carries me inside, sitting me on the couch. “You okay?”
I nod. “Yeah, I’m not going to let her ruin my night.”
But I do have to wonder when it is all going to end.
They burned down the bakery…
So what is next?
I’ve never had enemies before, and it’s an unsettling feeling. I push that thought away and go back to the party.
Lore invites me to the dance floor, spinning me around and making me laugh for a while.
After, I’m back at the bar sipping on some water when War walks over to me with a petite woman next to him, her long, dark hair lush and gorgeous dangling down her back. She smiles at me, her dark brown eyes sparkling with genuine warmth. “Ora, this is my baby sister, Belle. Belle, this is the love of my life.”
“Oh my God, you are stunning,” she says, giving me a welcoming hug. “I can see why he’s so obsessed with you. And congratulations on the baby. I’m so excited to be an aunty. Anything you ever need, please, just call me.”
“Thank you,” I reply, blinking away happy tears. I’m an emotional wreck, but right now, it’s all for the right reasons.
Belle arrives without her husband, and I know War is pissed about it. “When you’re ready to leave, I’ll send one of the men with you. You aren’t going home alone.”
“War, I’m fine,” she assures him, rolling her eyes. “I’m a big girl. I know how to drive and read a map and everything.”
“Angel can take you home,” he replies, ignoring her.
Once everyone arrives, we all crowd around the bar, and Dad and War stand on the stage.
“We want to thank you all for coming tonight,” Dad calls out, scanning the crowd. “Shit has been going down, and we’ve all come together and had each other’s backs. We are a true brotherhood, loyal until death. The Serpents of Chaos MC is a family, and we proved that when we saved my daughter from the Isle of Insanity MC. Today, we are celebrating that.”
Everyone cheers.
And then War speaks, “As you all know, Ora came into our lives, surprising us when we found out she was a Serpent all along. Her blood knew where to lead her. Not only is she the club princess, but now she’s finally going to officially be my old lady.”
I hear louder cheers, whistles, and Lore calls out, “It’s about fucking time.”
Heaven hands War a leather cut, crooks his finger, and calls me over to him. I step up on the stage and take the women’s size leather cut with ‘Property of War’ on the back, along with the Serpents of Chaos patch. My name, ‘Ora,’ is written on the front.
Wow! He isn’t messing around.
“Ora, you’ve been mine since I first laid my eyes on you. I ordered this for you the day I stepped into the bakery and saw you again,” he says, sliding it over my dress. It fits perfectly, the soft leather sliding over my skin. He lowers his lips to my ear, “You’re mine , and I’m yours . I fucking love you.”
I shiver at the reverence in his tone.
He dips me back and kisses me, putting on a show.
We are met with whistles, clapping, and sounds of congratulations.
“Serpents, show her how we welcome her,” Dad calls out, and War lets go of me, only for the club members to line up in front of me. Bones is first, lifting my hand to his lips and pressing a kiss there. “I’ll protect you with my life. I promise to forever be your taste tester and try everything you bake. And if anything happens to War, I’ll be there to pick up the pieces.”
“Thank you, Bones.” I laugh.
War mutters something about murder.
Skull is next, copying his twin with a kiss to my knuckles. “Welcome to the family, Ora. I’ll always protect you.”
“Thank you, Skull.”
He steps aside for Lore, who has the biggest, warmest smile on his face. He also kisses my hand. “Adore you, Ora. You know I’ve always got your back.”
“Adore you more, Lore.”
War makes a growling sound.
Lore simply shoots me the cockiest smile, and I can’t help but smirk.
Haze comes next. His lips are warm against my skin. “Anything you need, I’m here.”
“And same to you, Haze.”
I have a feeling he’s going to need me. His amber eyes bore into mine, and he looks like he wants to say more but hesitates. “You’re perfect for War.”
“I hope that’s a compliment,” I tease, and he laughs.
Angel doesn’t kiss my hand but dips his head respectfully. My eyes land on the scar that runs down his cheek. “I will kill for you. Protect you. And step in any time War asks me to.”
“Thank you, Angel,” I whisper.
A man I’ve never met before stands in front of me—slate-gray eyes, perfectly tousled dark hair, and glasses. “I’m Suit,” he introduces, bending to kiss my hand. “And my gift to you is letting you know that War is officially divorced.” His gray eyes twinkle. “So now you can put that man out of his misery.”
I smile, liking him already. “Nice to finally meet you, and thank you for all your hard work.”
“Anything for you.” He winks.
War grips my hips and pulls me back against his hard body.
Ghost approaches me quietly, and like Angel, he doesn’t touch me. He does, however, pull out his blade and bow down. He doesn’t say anything, he doesn’t need to.
“Thank you, Ghost,” I rasp, clearing my throat as emotion hits me. This beautiful, broken man I was once scared of would lay down his life for me, and I know that now.
One by one, the rest of them step up, kissing me, hugging me, or offering me words of welcome and loyalty.
The last man to step up to me is Omen. His hazel eyes are filled with apology as he studies me. “I fucked up. It won’t happen again. I will protect you with everything I am.”
I want to tell him it wasn’t his fault but now is not the time or place.
“Thank you, Omen. Glad to see you back here.”
“I hear I have you to thank for that,” he replies, kissing my hand and then stepping away from me.
I’m overwhelmed with emotion. The men here pledged their lives for mine and promised to protect me like I am their own. I’ve never felt so loved or protected.
I’m wearing a cut that says I’m the property of a man. I never thought I would proudly wear something like that, but I feel so very proud to be War’s. Outsiders might see it as me being owned, a piece of property, but the truth is, I hold my own power here. All of the men just proved that.
“I’m going to fuck you wearing nothing but that cut tonight,” War says to me, placing an open-mouth kiss on my neck. “I’m so fucking hard for you right now. This better wrap up soon, or I’m not going to make it.”
“We could sneak away,” I suggest, grinning. “After your sister leaves.”
He groans and kisses my lips. I’m so surprised he waited until he was divorced and made me his old lady before fucking me again.
I know this man will love me forever.
Look after me.
Be an incredible father.
And he will fight for me.
After all… All’s fair in love and War.