“He thinks he can simply sweep in and take over,” I stated, anger seeping by means of the chilly that numbed my physique. “We will’t let him, Hudson. We have now to cease him.”

Riptide nodded, his willpower mirroring mine. “We’ll, Star. We’ll convey this to the golf equipment. United, we will stand in opposition to him and shield our territory.”

“However my dad…” I began, the confrontation with dad earlier including extra intricacy to the already onerous time.

“We’ll cope with your father too,” Riptide assured, his voice agency. “Proper now, the precedence is your security and getting this info to our golf equipment.”

His phrases, stable and certain, minimize by means of the lingering concern and chilly. In his arms, I discovered not simply bodily heat however a renewed energy and resolve. Collectively, we’d face Marco’s menace, and united we’d navigate the murky waters of my household obligations and membership politics. As we left my borrowed Harley behind and headed to the Roost, I felt sure we may face something collectively.

Chapter 21

Brat

After Riptide introduced me safely again to the Roost, I took a bathe to clean off the lake’s chill and my encounter with Marco. I used to be nonetheless on edge. Not solely from seeing somebody who needed me useless, I used to be getting ready myself to face discussions about my father’s calls for. However as I entered the principle space of the clubhouse, I used to be met with a scene I hadn’t anticipated.

The transformation of the Roost was jarring in its festive air, a world away from the darkish currents of concern and battle that had pulled me to the lake earlier. Balloons and streamers in black and pink adorned the partitions and ceilings, whereas the tables have been laden with dishes and drinks, candy and savory aromas mingling in a tantalizing dance. The normally faintly lit clubhouse was aglow with delicate, vibrant string lights, casting everybody and every thing in a celebratory hue.

Standing there with my moist hair nonetheless clinging to my neck and my garments barely damp, I felt as if I had stepped into one other actuality. Certain, the sounds of traditional rock and roll blended with the laughter and chatter of the gang as at all times, however the energetic symphony of celebration had nothing to do with my sister’s celebrating hustling an unsuspecting man. The Roost, with its partitions echoing the rumble of bikes and the whispers of previous confrontations, now resonated with a distinct type of vitality.

That’s after I noticed my precise sister. Nicely, my half-sister, Sunny, ever the radiant beam of our household, within the midst of the Heelz. Her laughter ringing clear throughout the room, she caught my eye. Her smile widened in pure pleasure as she beckoned me over. My half-brother, Arizona, standing tall and unmistakable along with his laid-back demeanor, beside her was deep in dialog with among the Slayers, his gestures animated and pleasant.

And there was Emery, the girl who had introduced a way of stability and like to our household after my mom’s passing. She stood by the bar, her magnificence and heat drawing a crowd of bikers who listened intently to her tales, her voice easy and comforting above the racket of the celebration.

The sight of my household, built-in so seamlessly into the material of my biker world, was each heartwarming and unusual. The traces between previous and current, between what was as soon as dwelling in Tucson and my chosen dwelling right here with the Hell on Heelz MC, blurred in a picture of unity and celebration.

I moved by means of the gang to my household, greeted by smiles and nods, the respect and friendship of the membership members enveloping me like a heat embrace. Every step took me deeper into the surprising celebration, every interplay a sew within the woven narrative of my life’s journey.

“Sunny, what are you doing right here?” I requested my sister, hugging her tightly, my confusion clear in my voice.

Sunny, almost a decade my junior, carried the youthful radiance and vitality that her identify urged. With hair the colour of sunlit wheat, pouring down previous her shoulders, she resembled our stepmother, Emery, not simply in her blonde locks but in addition in her mild demeanor and heat, inviting smile. Her type was bohemian, favoring flowing attire paired with rugged boots.

“Dad flew us out for the big day. It’s not every single day my large sister will get engaged,” she pipped. “Congratulations, sis. The place is that this hunk?”

Engaged? The phrase echoed in my thoughts, a tidal wave of shock and realization crashing over me. I turned to Arizona, who clapped me on the again with a smile.

“By no means thought I’d see the day, sis. You settling down with a biker?” Arizona, my youthful brother, was the spitting picture of our father, Scar, with the identical sturdy options that spoke of our heritage. Options I someway lacked.

With excessive cheekbones and a stern jawline, his face was softened by a pleasant smile and sharp, observant eyes set deep. His hair, lengthy and darkish, was typically tied again in a mode that echoes our father’s.

Emery, my stepmother, was a imaginative and prescient, a timeless magnificence. Her blonde hair, at all times completely styled, framed a face that remarkably hadn’t succumbed to the passage of time. Although she had fairly the tan. Standing match and toned, she carried herself with an magnificence and energy that spoke of a disciplined dedication to being my father’s ol’ woman, as his membership calls their wives.

She was so completely happy she virtually sang, “Star, we’re right here to have a good time you and Riptide. Scar flew us out to present you our blessing in your upcoming marriage.”

I felt my world tilt once more, the items slotting collectively in a dizzying array. And I used to be about to be pissed, pondering dad had actually gone too far, asserting Riptide and I marry to seal this truce. Nonetheless, Emery shortly defined that Riptide had requested Dad for my hand in marriage. The celebration, my household’s presence, it was all for our engagement.

However the factor was, he hadn’t requested but. The confusion was settled as soon as I noticed my biker had deliberate to when he discovered me. He’d discovered one thing else as an alternative, me within the lake.

“The place’s dad and Riptide?” I requested Rage, who appeared a bit overwhelmed by the household reunion.

“Out to trace down your outdated buddy, Marco,” she stated. “Took a few of your sisters with them.”

Earlier than I may totally collect my ideas, the gang parted. And there he was. Riptide, flanked by his Slayer brothers, my sisters, too. He walked in with a assured stride, his darkish eyes looking the room till they discovered mine.

A blush overtook me, and I couldn’t assist however smile. Sure, all this fuss was for us. All for an engagement that hadn’t occurred but. Nonetheless, his look conveyed a mix of affection, anticipation, and a touch of nervousness. He reached in his minimize and paused. I imagined he was maybe not sure of how I might react to this public declaration. However when our eyes met, the room appeared to fall away, the noise and celebration fading into the background.

Riptide approached, his presence commanding but mild, and I knew what was coming. I used to be prepared. My coronary heart raced, not simply from the shock, however from the belief that this was a turning level, a second that may outline our future.

The biker made his approach by means of the gang, and each step he took appeared to resonate with the beating of my coronary heart. The room, crammed with the joyous noise of our surprising engagement celebration, hushed as he stood earlier than me.

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