She nods. “I trust you.”
I head down the step as she watches, snapping at them, “This isn’t fair! We didn’t get a vote!”
Jett shrugs, “Why’d we need your vote? We knew it was the same as ours. Hey Sean, where the fuck are you goin? Home’s this way.”
Gravel from the old driveway crunches under my heel as I turn, confused. Those grey eyes are lit up with a sly smile and Celia stares as the elders start grinning.
Honey Badger shouts, “Gotcha!”
We freak out. Celia runs down the steps and literally leaps into my arms. I spin her around, laughing with her, kissing her and laughing some more. The car window rolls down and the driver asks, “Can I go now? My boss thinks I’m on a real run.”
Jett calls out on a huge grin, “You did us a solid, Clyde!”
Clyde waves as the window closes on him.
Honey Badger unzips the suitcase on its side, and it falls open to reveal, “Empty. Oh man, we got you good.”
“Wow,” I whisper, stunned. “You guys are a real piece of work.”
Tonk says from where they’d planted themselves to watch the prank unfurl, “Really? I thought we’re so amazing!” He mocked my voice and I just shake my head.
“I changed my mind.”
“I love you, Celia,” Fuse sings. “I’ll get a place in town!”
“Okay,” I laugh, “Shut it!”
“Don’t leave me, Sean!” Scythe croons, which is even funnier because his voice is so deep he can’t make it go high.
Celia sighs through her smile as we walk into the house. “We can still leave.”
“Nope.”
She eyes me. “That’s so final.”
Jett shuts the front door and announces, “We need one more thing to make it final. Kids!”
Our friends come downstairs, fully dressed. Celia and I gape at them as we realize they were part of the prank.
Sofia points upstairs. “We had to listen from the windows. Thank God you didn’t look up!”
Of one mind the entire family heads into the big parlor, everyone standing and filling the room, all eyes on me. Like when I met them, they’re posed each in their own personal way. Some leaning on furniture, some arms crossed, some squatting, others with their hands in their pockets—back or front. It’s different than that first day though because this time Celia’s by my side, not by Atlas’s.
Carmen walks up to me, and it’s the first time she’s looked like she doesn’t want me gone. Her voice is gentle but firm, “Sean, I’m sorry I’ve been so mean to you.”
Smiling with relief I tell her, “We’re good.”
“When I saw you helping my daughter fight through her anger last night, I knew I’d been so wrong about you.” She pauses, glancing to Tonk Jr. “Was it transference?”
“Yes, that’s the word.”
“I don’t know all the reasons I held it against you that you weren’t our family, but I want you to know that I voted for you to stay. It was unanimous.”
Sage holds up the cat and shouts, “Even Tickles wants you here! See, he’s holding up his paw! I want Sean to stay!”
The room laughs. I glance to my left to see Jett with something behind his back. He whips his arm out and reveals a brand new Ciphers jacket.
My jaw drops. “No way!”
Tonk asks, “How the hell did you get that so quick?”
Jett shrugs one beefy shoulder. “Can’t lie. I was hoping the kid stayed. Had this ordered a month ago.” Returning to me he says with feeling, “You’ve earned this.”
I slide my arms in and shake it into place, running my hands down the leather, and reaching to touch the C on my left arm. “Not gonna lie. This feels pretty damn good.”
Jett beams with pride, and it’s that same pride that everyone has right now as I glance around and stand tall. He announces, “You deserve a new name, too, because Sean is way too fuckin’ soft for a biker like you!”
The parlor erupts in cheering. Celia laughs behind her hand and watches me fake disbelief. “What the hell is wrong with Sean, huh?!” They all boo, and I just grin. “You all suck.”
Sofia Sol shouts through cupped hands, “So what’s it gonna be?”
Suggestions fly, but none stick until Celia whistles through her fingers. “I got it!” She slides her arms around my waist, “Diesel.”
“I like the sound of that. Why Diesel?”
“I think it’s sexy.”
“That’s good enough reason for me.”
“And you’re not just any fuel. You’re the special kind you can’t find everywhere.”
The room erupts in groans and sappy sounds like they’re going to puke.
I glance around the club, eyebrow cocked. “I’m gonna kiss her like you’re not here. Turn around if you can’t handle it.”
Not one person looks away.
Never kissed anyone to cheering and hollering and stamping feet before. If someone ever asked me how it felt to have such an audience at the highest point in my life, I’d say, I highly recommend it.
CHAPTER 34
Thanksgiving Morning.
DIESEL
Waking up with Celia in my arms, I blink at her sleeping profile and wonder how I got this perfect life.
When we took this attic space over, she and I pushed the boxes into corners, emptied out some old dressers and a vanity, found some antique lights. We unraveled some dusty rugs and then decided to throw those fuckers out. Our clothes are here now. There’s an old bathroom just outside that nobody used for years. Plumbing was fucked up. My construction days came in handy. I brought it back into working order even though there’s not a bathtub or shower in it. Still, it does the job and we can brush our teeth and do our business in private without having to run to the lower levels of the plantation where everyone else lives.
We both think this attic is cool as fuck.
Under the blankets I slip my fingers between her legs and close my eyes as desire takes hold. She murmurs something in her dreams, hand stretching out to slide up my arm. Pressing sensual kisses into
