Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 84471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 422(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 422(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)
All three nod. “Clear, sir.”
“Don't fucking call me sir. I hate it.”
“No, sir,” Skyhigh says, his lips quirking for just a moment before he finds his poker face.
“Jesus fucking Christ,” Hellfire mumbles. “Willow!”
“Yes, sir!” I straighten before I realize what I said. “Sorry.”
“The life of an old lady ain't easy. These men chose a dangerous life, and you chose them. It's not a life for everyone, as any old lady in here can tell you. Faith and Jessica on one side of it, Bonnie on the other. My boys are lucky that you've chosen them to be yours, but it's important that you know what you're coming to. I know that as soon as this ceremony's done, I probably won't see you folks until tomorrow at the earliest, but this life's no bed of roses. Shit happens, and I know you've already seen that.”
I nod, not sure if I'm supposed to say something.
Ghost comes carrying a black bundle that he hands to Hellfire, who then passes it over to Dragon. Dragon lets it unfold and holds it up. A leather biker jacket. Way too small for him, for sure. And then he turns it around, and I get a big lump in my throat.
In the middle of the back is the Outlaw Sons MC logo, the skull with the pistons crossed behind it. The top rocker, curved around the logo, says, “Property of,” and the bottom rocker, curved around the bottom, says, “Skyhigh, Dragon and Blackout.”
“By wearing this, Willow, you represent the Outlaw Sons MC, and you represent your men. You're expected to give both them and the club your full loyalty, always. By claiming you as their old lady, they'll be responsible for you as long as you bear their patches. Understand?”
I nod eagerly. The longer I spend with them, the harder it is to imagine a life without them. And the club is as much a part of them as they are of it. “I do.”
“Boys, claiming an old lady is fun, it's exciting, and it's a lot of fucking responsibility, and I need you to understand this. You protect her, respect her and fucking love her. If I hear even a rumor that this isn't the case, we're gonna have some serious words. And you're not gonna like it. She loves you, and you're gonna honor that. Let me hear you say it.”
“Yes, sir,” all three of them say.
“Fuck you, you and you,” Hellfire says to each of them in a row, pointing a finger just in case there was any doubt. “Now get the hell out of here before I change my mind.”
Yep, Paige and Jess were right. I barely get time to put my beautiful new club jacket on before I’m whisked off to start our new life together.
By getting railed.
42
WILLOW
While I wait for the coffee machine to finish pouring my mug, I check my mail on the phone. And to think I used to hate the pressure it put on me. But now?
I don't know what kind of magic you discovered lately, Willow, but I hope there's a lot more where that came from. I know it's going to be good when it's difficult to edit because I keep getting caught up in the story, and you've managed to make this jaded editor go back and reread so many times because I was pulled along and forgot to do my job. If you don't have any more comments to my last suggestions, I'm going to send it to proofreading next week. I think this one's going to fly off the shelves once the reviews are out, and I think it's time we start talking about your next book. Thank you for the great read! — Colleen
And I already have ideas for the next one. Just shows what the right inspiration will do. Who'd have thought becoming an old lady would lead to a successful publishing career?
The coffee machine finishes, so I slide the phone into my back pocket, grab the mug and make my way to the back steps, where Grace, Paige and Jessica are waiting for me. Bonnie was going to come, but her house down the street is done, and she's roped half the club into helping her and Anne move in. It leaves us old ladies, and my oldest friend to enjoy the blooming back yard the guys have helped me finish. It's the first year, but I've gotten my first tomatoes out of it, and by having harvested something, I’ve fulfilled my promise to myself, even if half got eaten by slugs. Just like a lot of things, I couldn't have done it without the guys.
“So you're both moving into houses on this street? It's going to be so nice for Willow to have neighbors again. I know you're all on good terms with the Outlaw Sons now, but still, it's a big neighborhood for a woman to live alone.” Grace nurses her green tea while she looks around. Terry's coming to get her later, but we specified girls only. I still haven't told her all the details of being around the club, and absolutely nothing about the whole Tanner incident. Maybe I will eventually, but I'm still not putting her past staging an intervention if she hears too much about what's going on here. It's bad enough that I've been claimed as their old lady, which she's still struggling to wrap her head around, even though she was right there when it happened.