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The way Emma startles when our section cheers for her makes me grin from ear to ear. I swear I can see her teary eyes even from a distance. But what everyone can see is the way her smile lights up the whole damn place.
The only thing her joy battles is the anger rolling off her mom. Every time I glance in her direction, she’s glaring at the bikers at my back. I’m not sure if she’s stupid, just too selfish to know better, or has no sense of self-preservation. Probably all three.
Once the ceremony is wrapped up, hats being thrown into the air in celebration with the words of a bright future reverberating through the crowd, we move as a group towards the graduating class. Surprisingly, Emma bounces in our direction without even looking for her mom first.
She knocks me back a step when she practically tackles me to the ground, her arms wrapped around me and her excitement banishing the last of my nerves. “You must be Emery. It’s so good to finally meet you.” She glances at her brother who has a huge grin on his face as he looks between us. “Even though I haven’t seen him, Kade has told me all about you. Thank you for coming today,” she gushes.
“Congratulations. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be,” my words are dripping sincerity because they’re true.
She beams at me before wrapping around Kade like an adorable spider monkey, tears of love, respect, and pride shining in her eyes. They murmur softly to each other before Emma takes a step back. Then she turns her bright smile in the direction of bikers and their women who have formed a semi-circle around us.
From what Kade said, he was able to sometimes bring the girls to family days, even though their mom hated it. Fuck her, is what I think. Being able to spend some time with the club, even if only a little, was a way for them to remember and learn about their dad. It’s something they deserved to be able to do.
The vibe around us changes as Emma is busy being congratulated and basking in praise, some of which included envelopes being slipped into her hand from more than one brother and couple. My head snaps around to find the bitter woman who gave my man life standing in front of us.
Miley is standing next to her, her fingers twisted together and her eyes darting around the bikers behind us. Longing is pouring off her and it makes my heart ache. Does their mom not see what she’s doing to her kids? Does she just not care?
Before the anger pouring off the woman who is in danger of losing her family turns into barbed words and insults, I take a step forward and wrap my arms around Miley. The way she’s trembling in my arms makes me want to lay into their mom even more, but I bite my tongue. For now.
When I pull back, I chirp, “Hi. I’m Emery.”
“My old lady,” Kade’s voice is filled with possession as he wraps an arm around my shoulders.
My cheeks heat, loving the way my man claims me without any hesitation. It’s a major turn on even though now is not the time or place. Tell that to my lady bits.
“Hi,” Miley’s voice is soft and reserved which is at odds with the way her eyes sparkle with excitement, “I’m Miley.”
“Go and say hi to everyone,” Kade tells her with a soft smile on her face.
She practically runs away and directly into Lucifer and Cherise’s waiting arms. If I thought it would do any good, considering she only has a year left in high school, I would stand up and fight for her to be taken from their mom. I’m not sure that’s my place though.
Still, I won’t stop her from knowing she has people at her back who will always be there for her. Kade insisted that their mom isn’t physically abusive. I’ll try to find solace in that even though I’m sure it won’t be easy.
“How dare you tell your sister to go speak to them,” their mother spits out the words, each one filled with poison and hatred. My spine goes rigid as I stare her down. When she sneers at me, I ball my fists up in the attempt to not slap her before she can spew any more crap. “Don’t look at me like that, biker whore,” she hisses.
Kade growls, the sound coming from the back of his throat and filled with menace and warning. “Takes one to know one,” I quip, not at all phased by her outburst. “Bitter isn’t a good look on anyone. Nor is hatred and judgement.” I lean towards her, my voice cold, “Just know that if you continue to try and guilt trip your son into taking care of you, I will put a stop to it.”
“He has an obligation to his family,” her voice is shrill, her face a mask of aghast indignance.
“His family are those girls. Me. His club.” I stare directly into her eyes and don’t blink as I add, “Not you. No more manipulation. No more guilt. It’s time for Kade to live for his dreams and for his real family, not someone who would rather see him killing himself than being happy. I won’t stand for it, not a second longer.”
The woman huffs, her face turning bright red with ire. I don’t give a flying fuck. Should I have stepped up and said all of that? I’m not sure, but I am certain that I’ll stand between Kade and what aims to hurt him.
“Emery has the backing of the DSMC on this one,” Lucifer’s voice comes from right behind me and is full of warning.
I look up at the man who holds my heart in his hands like it’s precious and fragile and see the pain and hurt in his eyes. Not because of my words, but because of the reality of what his mom has being doing to him for years. I tip up on my tiptoes and kiss his lips softly, needing him to know that I’m here and I’m not going anywhere.
When I twine our fingers together, I pull him towards where Emma and Miley are talking to Wrenley, Prodigal’s wife, and old lady. In only a matter of minutes, we tell Emma congratulations again and make sure Miley knows that we’ve got her back. Then I’m pulling Kade out to his bike.
It doesn’t take long for us to get back to the clubhouse, the silence in the building feeling sacred instead of strange. The moment we’re in his room, he presses me up against the door, his aquamarine eyes swirling with so many emotions.
“You stood up for me. You,” he starts but then shakes his head like he still can’t believe what happened, “I love you, Ink.”
Now it’s my turn to be shocked, but the feeling turns into sweet warmth and a sense of knowing that settles in my soul. “I love you, Kade.”
The smile that stretches his lips is boyish and wicked at the same time. Our clothing goes flying in a blur of caressing hands and nipping kisses. My skin is so damn sensitized by the time he lays me out on the bed while hovering over me and lowers his head toward one of my nipples that I’m sure I’m going to come without him even touching me.
My back bows the moment he swirls the tip of his tongue around the hardened peak. When he sucks it into his mouth, I wrap my legs around his hips, begging and pleading with my body for him to bury himself deep inside of me.
