Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 72756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 364(@200wpm)___ 291(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 364(@200wpm)___ 291(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Unlike Devil, whose hand left my hair while Eagle-eye was talking and now finds itself on my ass, squeezing it. “It's a freaking ceremony,” I hiss. He shrugs. Biker weddings are a big step away from the weddings at the Hall of Grace, that's for sure.
“But, I'm learning to live with it, even if I don't fucking understand it. Maybe I'm just too fucking old. But tonight isn't about me.” And now he faces us directly. “It's about Crash, who was still a kid when he joined up, and fuck am I glad I gave him that option. And it's about Devil, who's somehow still alive around here, despite his smart mouth. It's about Preacher, who despite me needing to kick his ass for trying to cheat me the first time we met, has become one of my most valued members. The rest of you fucks have a lot to live up to.”
“You never mentioned he kicked your ass,” says Devil quietly with a laugh.
“You're right,” says Preacher.
Eagle-eye raises an eyebrow. “You fuckers done? I don't have to be here, you know. I could just kick you the hell out and go have that shot of scotch I'm itching for. You shits aren't even paying me for this.”
“Please,” I say, and after a long, hard look, he continues.
“And of course, this is about Summer, who's ensnared the three of them and convinced them that there's no fucking way they could possibly live without her. I hope they realize how fucking lucky they are.” He sweeps out an arm and turns slowly until he's taken in the whole room, then faces us again. “We're not big on formality, and we're sure as hell not big on official documentation or government shit, but what we are big on, is our word. Our word is our fucking bond, and an oathbreaker is an ex-member, if he even fucking survives it.” The whole crowd growls or cheers in agreement. “I just want you to understand that even though there's no notary, or priest, or city clerk or other authority in here, the vows of these men are worth at least as much, if not more. And they'll expect the same from you, so my question is easy: you ready for this?”
From the gravity in his voice, I think he might get insulted if I answer too fast, too readily. This is it. This is for real. I'm about to promise my life to these three men, and they're about to do the same to me. I'll be theirs, totally and completely. Bound to them even tighter than I was to my old life.
The one difference? This is my choice. This is what I want. These are the men I want to spend the rest of my life with. “I'm ready.”
“And I see how you fuckers are drooling to get on with it, so I'm not even gonna ask. Here we fucking go. Crash, Preacher, Devil. This lovely woman seems to be interested in you guys for some reason that I can't hardly fathom, and I need to know that you're gonna live up to being the men that she needs, now and when you fucks are old enough that the prospects have to roll out your bikes for you. That you swear on your goddamn lives to protect her, to be there for her and to please her for as long as she'll have your sorry asses. Because there's no backing out of this, not now, not fucking ever. You in?”
I blink at the vows, but I don't know what I expected, really.
“Of course.”
“Fuck yeah.”
“In all the way.”
The three of them speak at once.
Eagle-eye nods. “I figured as much. Hell, if she's Crash's step-sister, does that make you guys brothers? Brothers-in-law? I don't even fucking know. But I take your oaths and I hear them, and so does everyone else in this bar. Clear?”
Pretty sure my face goes beet red. It doesn't feel that weird about the step-brother thing, not to me, anyway, but when he says it like that?
“Clear,” the guys say as one.
The crowd cheers and laughs until Eagle-eye makes a gesture. “And you, Summer. Are you sure these are the guys you want? You could have the pick of this entire room, fuck, this entire world, and you still came down on these three. You're a smart woman, Summer.”
I can't help it. Not after them not wanting to tell me what they're planning. “Well, now that you put it that way…”
Devil's fingers dig into my ass so hard I draw a sharp breath.
Eagle-eye's good eye pins Devil in place. “No duress. Do that again, and she gets free kicks on your balls until you cry for us.”
Devil holds both hands up so everyone can see them.
“Summer?” He came to my rescue, but Eagle-eye's voice makes it clear I'm done messing around.