Page 33 of My Veteran Biker

I park the truck and look at her. Her jaw is set, shoulders back, that same determination I remember from seventeen years ago when she told me she was leaving.

"You're going to be fine," I say.

"You keep saying that."

"Because it's true."

She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. "Okay. Let's do this."

We get out. Tate's on the porch, sees us coming, and calls inside. By the time we reach the steps Clint's in the doorway with Sydney beside him.

Clint's face is unreadable. He looks at Francis, then at me, then back to Francis.

"Francis, this is Clint and Sydney," I say. "Clint, Sydney, this is Francis. We're together."

The words feel too simple for what they mean but I don't have better ones.

Sydney steps forward first, hand extended. "It's good to meet you. Knox has been alone too long."

Francis shakes her hand. "He seems to prefer it that way."

"He thought he did," Sydney says. "Come inside. The other women are in the main room."

We follow them in. The clubhouse is loud, full of brothers and their women, the smell of beer and grilled meat from somewhere outside. I see Tate talking with Cain near the bar. Holt's got Louis on his shoulders while Katherine laughs at something Natalie said. Diesel and Sienna are in the corner, his arm around her waist.

Everyone turns when we walk in.

Sydney takes Francis to meet the women while I make my way to Clint.

He watches me approach with that expression that means he's already made an assessment and is waiting to see if I'll confirm it.

"She knows what this life is?" he asks.

"I told her everything."

"And she's here anyway."

"Yeah."

"You love her?"

"Yes."

Clint nods once. "Then bring her up when you're ready. We'll make it official."

He walks away before I can respond, moving to where Chuck's standing by the wall with a laptop open. They talk in low voices, Chuck pointing at something on the screen.

I cross to where Francis is standing with Sydney and the other women. They're talking about something ordinary, maybe Katherine's school year starting, and Francis is nodding along but I can see the tension in her shoulders.

I put my hand on her lower back and she relaxes slightly, leaning into the touch.

"Ready?" I ask quietly.

"For what?"

"To make this official."

She takes a breath. "Okay."