I let her swing forward again.

  “Pervert,” she gasped, laughing.

  “Though, this time,” I said, walking around her so we were facing each other, “you’ve got a dress on.”

  She pointed her toes until they barely brushed my chest, letting her skirt billow up with the wind, giving me a spectacular view.

  “You’re killin’ me,” I said, grinning.

  She dropped her legs and her eyes met mine.

  The next time she swung toward me, I caught the chains and pushed her backward until her face was level with mine.

  “You know how much I love you?” I asked.

  “Yeah,” she said, letting go of the swing to cup my cheek in her hand. “I’ve always known that.”

  “You know you don’t have to be afraid anymore?” I asked.

  “Yes,” she replied softly.

  “Don’t keep shit from me anymore,” I ordered.

  “I won’t.”

  We stared at each other.

  “You know how much I love you?” she asked quietly.

  “Yeah,” I replied, the words hitting me harder than they should have. “I’ve always known that.”

  “You know you don’t have to be afraid anymore?” she asked, even quieter.

  I leaned my forehead against hers. I should’ve known she’d seen it. I knew she’d been watching me since I got out. The hypervigilance hadn’t gone unnoticed. “Yes,” I said, the words leaving me on a sigh.

  “You won’t ever leave me again?” she asked.

  “Not until they put me in the ground,” I said, meaning the words more than I’d ever meant anything in my life.

  We’d get married later, after we graduated from college, and Kara had started her job as a guidance counselor at the local high school, and we’d bought a tiny house on the outskirts of town.

  But the vows we said then weren’t half as binding as the ones we told each other in that park.

  Epilogue

  Draco

  We were at the clubhouse for a barbecue to celebrate the fires being one hundred percent contained, but I also had an ulterior motive. During the weeks that had passed, I’d never been in the same place with so many other members of the club at once. During the week, the brothers were in and out constantly. If Grease and my gramps Casper were there, my dad and my grandpa Dragon weren’t. If Mack and gramps were there, Grease wasn’t. I’d been waiting impatiently and the barbecue had finally rounded them all up.

  Kara was in another sundress. It was like her happiness had manifested in a new love of all things flowing and feminine. Of course, she also might’ve just loved the easy access they gave me as much as I did, because nothing else about her appearance had changed. She’d been serious about preferring not to wear makeup or jewelry and she still didn’t do any of that, but there was something noticeably different about her anyway. Like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She carried herself differently, smiled more easily, became animated in a way I hadn’t seen in years.

  Part of that was me, I knew. I probably looked different, too, walking around with a permanent smile on my face. But I thought Kara’s changes came more from being unburdened by all the shit she’d been carrying alone. Now that we knew, she simply didn’t have to hide anymore.

  “Hey,” my mom said, stopping us almost the moment we’d climbed off my bike.

  Yeah, that was new, too. It felt damn good to be on the back of a bike again.

  “Ma,” I said, leaning forward to kiss her cheek as Kara’s hand slid into mine.

  “Jesus,” my mom said, looking between us, “this is harder than I thought.”

  I just looked at her.

  “I’m sorry, Kara,” she said with a grimace.

  “That’s okay,” Kara replied quickly. She’d been on me for weeks to make up with my mom, but I hadn’t. I still couldn’t believe she’d treated Kara like shit and I wasn’t about to forgive.

  “No,” my mom said, shaking her head. “No, I fucked up bad.”

  She glanced at me and then back at Kara.

  “I was a fucking mess when Draco was put away. I’m not trying to excuse it. You were a kid and I fucking crushed you and that’s on me. Totally on me. I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am. So sorry.” She crossed her arms. “I never blamed you for what happened and I shouldn’t have said that shit to you. I couldn’t be mad at Draco for being such a fucking idiot because I was so goddamn worried about him all the time, and I guess I had to blame someone.”

  “You’re forgiven,” Kara said, elbowing me in the side when I didn’t speak.

  “We’re good,” I told my mom. I wasn’t ready to forgive her yet, but we were closer to it now that she’d owned up and apologized.

  “Good,” she said with a small smile, letting out a loud breath.

  Kara giggled.

  “I’ll find you guys later,” my mom said, smiling at me and then at Kara. “I need to help your grandmothers get the food out.”

  She walked away and Kara grinned up at me.

  “We’re not goin’ over to dinner or any of that shit yet,” I told her as I led her toward the crowd of people gathered around the picnic tables in the forecourt.

  “She apologized,” Kara scolded. “I forgave Curt when he apologized.”

  “You ignored his ass for a week while he followed you like a fucking puppy, groveling,” I reminded her.

  “I still forgave him,” she said, elbowing me again as we reached the table where Curtis, Charlie, Rebel and Charlie’s sister Cecilia sat.

  “Hey, you have a good time in California?” I asked.

  “Yeah, I love it down there,” Cecilia said. “It was a nice visit, even though I couldn’t wait to get home. Olive’s allergies were so bad we had to wait until the smoke cleared—literally.”

  “Good thing your house didn’t burn down,” Charlie quipped easily. “It was a close thing.”

  “I’m aware,” Cecilia said dryly. “Should I have stayed and fought the fire singlehandedly so Mom and Dad didn’t lose their house?”

  Charlie snorted. “I was there.”

  Kara laughed. “We didn’t do shit and you know it,” she told Charlie, pointing at her. Charlie swatted her hand down. “All we did was piss off the guys and grab your great Gram’s quilts.”

  “I saved the quilts,” Charlie told her sister importantly.

  “I saved my kids,” Cecilia replied.

  “Fine,” Charlie sighed, flopping her body onto the table, her arms outstretched. “You win.”

  “I’m gonna get a beer,” I leaned down and told Kara quietly. “You want anything?”

  “Water would be good,” she replied. “Thanks, baby.”

  “Thanks, baby,” Rebel copied with a little giggle, her eyes on us.

  “That’s enough out of you,” I told her, giving her ponytail a little tug as I walked past her.

  “How’s Wes doing, Reb?” Kara asked as she sat down at the table.

  I didn’t hear Reb’s answer, but I guessed it was something along the lines of how great Wes was. Honestly, I couldn’t really blame her. I actually really liked the guy. He was exactly as she’d described him to us. Jeans and a button down, red hair, and the guy smiled all the fucking time. Like he was just happy to be there, hanging with us. He had Down Syndrome like Reb, so he knew what she went through on a daily basis. It also didn’t hurt that he worshiped the ground she walked on. Even Curtis had given his blessing. It was impossible not to.

  I looked around as I walked toward the coolers lined up against the building but I couldn’t see any of the guys I’d hoped to corral while we were at the clubhouse. Grabbing a beer and a water, I paused by the building, looking through the crowd again. Not a single Aces officer was outside.

  “Draco,” my great gramps called from the doorway, “your pop needs you and Curtis inside, boyo.”

  “Alright,” I said, turning to get Curt. He must’ve heard because he was already rising from his seat at the table.

  “You know what this is about?” he asked as we made our way into the club.

  “Not a clue,” I replied. I knew why I wanted to talk to my dad, but I had no fucking clue why he’d need to talk to me.

  Gramps was standing behind the bar when we got inside and he opened the door to the small room back there, gesturing with his chin, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he smiled.

  I’d never been in that room. Neither of us had. It was closed to non-members, and even though it was mostly a formality, we hadn’t patched in yet.

  When we reached the doorway, I froze.

  The room was packed.

  My Grandpa Dragon, Uncle Leo, Grease, Tommy, and Will, Kara’s dad Mack, my Gramps Casper, and my dad.

  On the table they sat around sat a matching set of rockers.

  “Phones,” Great Gramps said, holding his hands out. Me and Curt dropped our phones in his hands, stunned.

  “Door,” Grandpa Dragon said to Great Gramps. He was every inch the President as he stood.

  I swallowed hard, glancing between him and the rockers as Great Gramps shut the door, closing us in.

  “Usually do this one at a time,” Dragon said. I couldn’t think of him as Grandpa then. Not when he was talking to us as equals, his back straight and his face as serious as I’d ever seen it. “But seein’ as how you two’ve done everythin’ together since you came out of your mama’s belly, figured we’d make an exception. Any complaints?”

  I jerked my head from side to side as Curt murmured “No,” from my left.

  “Good,” he said. “Cuts,” he said, gesturing to the table.

  Tommy got up from his spot to our left, and gestured to his spot. He slapped my back as I passed him, but otherwise, the room was silent.

  Taking my pocket knife out of my pocket, I stood next to my brother as we laid our cuts face down on the table. It took less than a minute to cut the thread holding my prospect patch off the back, but it felt longer somehow. Like time was passing at the speed of light and as slow as a sunrise at the same time.

  Dragon handed us our Aces and Eights MC rockers and as we laid them on our cuts, the room filled with a roar.

  The men around us, ones who’d raised us, stomped their feet, yelled, and beat their fists on the table.

  I couldn’t stop the pride that filled my chest as I glanced around the room. I knew it was a moment I’d remember until I was an old man. When everything else was a vague memory, I would see that moment with absolute clarity.

  Grease spoke as soon as the cheers had quieted.

  “Curtis, you’ve paid your dues and shoveled shit for over a year and you’ve probably seen this comin’.”

  “Surprised the shit outta me, actually,” my brother said, making everyone in the room laugh.

  “Draco,” Grease said, his tone making everything inside me still, “you haven’t been wearin’ that prospect cut long.”

  I nodded.

  “But you’ve been workin’ for the good of the club a hell of a lot longer,” he said. He paused, and in that moment, I remembered every message I’d passed, every contact I’d made, and every secret I’d brought home to them. “You’ve earned a rocker ten times over, brother.”

  I swallowed and nodded again.

  “Plenty of men right outside that are waitin’ to congratulate you—”

  “And a tattoo gun,” Will called out jokingly.

  Fuck. I pictured the full back tattoo I was going to end up with by the end of the night. Kara was going to have to keep her hands off my back for a few days while I healed. She wasn’t going to be happy about that.

  “But we’ve got a few things to discuss first,” Grease said.

  “I actually had somethin,’” I said, making his eyes eyebrows lift in surprise.

  “Table’s yours,” he said curiously.

  “There’s a cop—”

  “Aw, fuck,” Tommy muttered.

  “He’s been fuckin’ with Kara,” I said, giving him a nod.

  “Fuckin’ with her how?” Mack asked.

  “Pullin’ her over for no reason,” I answered. “Stoppin’ her on the street.”

  “This cop got a name?” Grandpa Dragon asked.

  “Park,” I said.

  “Shit,” Gramps Casper said, drawing the word out. “I know that fucker.”

  “You do?”

  “He remembers fuckin’ everyone,” Tommy said.

  “Cousin of the Sholes kid,” Gramps Casper said.

  “What?” I asked, stunned. Travis Sholes was the whole reason I’d gone to prison.

  “I’ll take care of it,” Gramps said. “Couple words with a friendly sheriff I know.”

  I opened my mouth to argue and he stopped me with a raised hand.

  “Takin’ out a cop is a stupid move,” Gramps continued. “We don’t do that unless there’s no other option.”

  “Scarin’ him wouldn’t hurt,” Mack muttered.

  “Give it a week,” Gramps said, “and he’ll be civilian Randy Park.”

  “His name is Randy?” Tommy said, laughing. “Parents musta hated him.”

  “That work?” Gramps asked me. “If he’s still a problem, he won’t have a badge to hide behind.”

  “Works for now,” I said slowly.

  “Doubt he’ll do shit once he stops wearin’ a badge,” Grandpa Dragon said easily.

  “No payback, though,” Will said with a grimace.

  “I’ve seen the guy,” Curtis said quietly. “Doubt he’s got much except the uniform. He’ll feel it.”

  “Alright, now we’ve got that covered—”

  A tentative knock made Grandpa Dragon pause.

  My great gramps opened the door. “What do ya need, lass?”

  “My husband,” Callie said, her voice apologetic.

  “What’s up, Sugar?” Grease said, rounding the table.

  “Some guy from Montana,” she said in confusion. “How’d he get my number, Asa?”

  “I’ll take care of it,” he said, kissing her as he took her phone from her hand.

  Great Gramps closed the door again as Grease lifted the phone to his ear.

  “Yeah?” He paused, listening. “You got it,” he said before hanging up. He opened the door again and set the phone on the bar before coming back in.

  I watched as Grease met Grandpa’s eyes, then looked at each of his sons.

  “Horsemen are callin’ in their marker.”

  The whole room went electric and I had zero idea what the fuck was happening.

  “It’s been almost twenty-five years,” Will said quietly.

  “And we’ll give ’em whatever they need,” Great Gramps said, his voice low.

  Coming in Spring 2022

  Craving Unbound

  A crossover novel by Nicole Jacquelyn and Madeline Sheehan.

  Acknowledgements

  To the bloggers and readers – thank you so much for your patience and excitement about Kara’s story. I know that I’ve slowed down a lot and don’t publish as often as I used to—babies make it tough to sit in front of my laptop no matter how badly I want to write—but you guys never forget the Aces and I’m so grateful for you.

  To Mom and Dad – It’s weird when your parents are your best friends, right? I love you guys.

  To my kiddos – Stop growing! Every day each of you gets bigger and smarter and braver and funnier. I’m so proud of you guys… never move out, okay?

  Sister – love you!

  Nikki – As always, you’re the wind beneath my wings. Thank you a million times for coming with me on this journey, especially Kara’s. You showed up for me during a time when I would’ve fully understood if you bowed out. I can’t tell you how much that means to me.

  Madeline – Who would’ve guessed eight years ago that a Facebook message between strangers would’ve started a friendship like ours? Lucky.

  Toni – Peas and Carrots, dude. Always.

  Letitia – Thank you for the absolutely fantastic job you do, giving my characters a face that we show to the world.

  Michelle, Pam and Beatrice – You guys are lifesavers. Thank you for all of the messages, the time you’ve put into the reader group keeping everyone engaged and excited about Kara’s release, and most of all the friendship. You guys have given me so much peace of mind, holding down the fort while I dealt with life.

  Amber and Melissa – thanks for being my first readers again. Love you guys.

  Donna – I’ll never stop thanking you for reading my first book and then sharing it with the world. You took a chance on an unknown writer and completely changed her life.

 

 

  Nicole Jacquelyn, Craving Kara

 

 

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