Page 86 of Property of Rattler

“And I don’t want idiots in my club,” Prez growls.

Knight looks like he’s about to cry. Especially as all the brothers stare at him emotionlessly. Me? I don’t need to try.

Prez waits a beat, then tells him. “You did fuckin’ good yesterday. You showed initiative, Brother.”

Knight is staring down at his boots and misses the now gleeful looks exchanged around the table.

“Prez, I think he missed that. You need to put him out of his misery,” Tempest says, adding a chuckle.

“VP?”

“On it, Prez.” Saint stands, I can see he’s holding the patches in his hands as he walks down to the end of the table. Getting there, he holds out his free hand.

Knight stares at it, then at the VP’s face, and as if he’s being kicked out of the club, gingerly shakes it.

“Better getting sewing.” Saint pushes the new patches toward him.

Taking what he’s offered automatically, Knight looks down. His lips start to curve, and his head moves side to side. “What the fuck? I thought you were getting rid of me.”

“Welcome to the table, Brother.” Prez claps his hands. Which is a signal for everyone to stomp their feet, bang their fists on the table, or vocalise grunts of welcome and congratulations. I give a sort of wave with my uninjured hand, it’s all I can summon up.

The ex-prospect turns the patches over in his hands. “Lancelot?” he queries, as he reads the name tag.

Prez shrugs. “Seems fitting for a Knight.” Which makes everyone laugh.

I’m pleased for him. I really am. But I’m more than relieved when Bullseye bangs the gavel down one final time. I’m anxious to get back to my woman. Sure, I’ll do as Prez insisted, and make sure she wants to be my old lady, but I know, deep down in my heart, she’s already committed to me.

Church over, the brothers get to partying, it’s Lancelot’s patching-in shindig after all, and after the tension of the last few days, they’ll want to make the most of it. Stone can wait where he is for now, he’s not going anywhere.

I take a moment to slap the new member’s back and congratulate him, then I look around the room for Ames. I can’t see her anywhere. I make my way over to Trixie who’s already been claimed by her man, Freak standing with his arm possessively around her.

“I thought Ames was with you and Pippa?”

“Pippa’s on diaper duty,” Trix tells me. Then she grimaces, and adds, “Ames went back up to our room a while ago.” She looks like she’s about to say something else, but glances at Freak and closes her mouth.

“Oh?” I frown. I thought she’d enjoy the old ladies’ company.

“About the room,” Freak butts in. “Trixie and I would like it back.”

Trix elbows him. “Not tonight. We’ve got to pick up Ace in a moment. I promised him we’d go back to the house.”

Freak puts his lips to the top of her head, an intimacy which previously would have had me sneering, then turns to me. “Yeah, you can use it tonight. But after that, if she’s staying, it will have to be in your room.”

“Until our house is built,” Trixie says. “Then maybe…”

“We’ll see.” Freak’s non-committal, but I keep the idea at the back of my mind, wondering whether as I’ll be a brother with an old lady, I might be able to lay claim to the room in the clubhouse. It would be really convenient to have an en suite.

After offering Freak a chin lift, I slowly limp/hop my way across the room trying not to trip anyone up with my crutches. Now I’m out of church I realise how much my head, ribs and shoulder fucking hurt and I can’t wait to take a couple of the painkillers Bronwyn had left for me. Top of my list of wants, is just to be close to my old lady. Although I don’t think my body’s capable of doing more than just kissing and holding her. But fuck it, this is our relationship. We started slow, who gives a fuck if we continue the same way? I want to be fully fit so I can make love to her the way she deserves.

Making love. That will be a new one on me. But I’m going to totally worship her and make it so she never regrets staying with me.

I have to pause to take a breath when I reach the top of the stairs. Then, when I’ve again got my crutches beneath me, I proceed to Freak’s room, and to the girl who’ll be waiting for me.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

AMES

My tears have long since dried. Now I’m just waiting for Rattler to put in an appearance. If not ending things with him completely, I’ve got to put on the brakes. I’ve been wondering if I ever knew him at all. It was a whirlwind romance, if you can even call it that.