Sanctuary (Freaks MC Book 2) (4 page)

As they were eating, Emma was aware of his eyes on her, she looked up. “What?”

He took a deep breath. “My brother an' his ol' lady are getting hitched at the end of the month in Fillmore. I'd like you to come to the wedding with me.”

“
Oh... I don't know, Deke. That's only three weeks away. I have work and then there's the dog and the chickens.”

“
Emma.” He took her hand. “You can take time off work, and I'm sure you can find someone to look after Blue and the girls for a couple of days. I want you there.”

She stared down at her tiny hand enveloped in his huge one. She was going to hurt his feelings, and she hated to do that. But whatever their relationship was, with all its shortcomings, it was honest. They may not have talked much - not about the important stuff - but they didn't bullshit each other. “No. I'm sorry, I don't want to.”

He didn't let go of her hand, but he sat up a little straighter. “Wanna tell me why?”

“
This.... You and me, here in this house. It's all there is. I'm sorry, I don't know how to explain it.”

“
Is this about the club?”

“
No... Yes... Maybe. I don't know.”

“
Okay. Good to see you're clear on that.” He smiled. “This wedding.. These are my closest friends. My family. I want you there, Emma. It's just a little wedding. What's the big deal?”

SIX

Why the fuck had she agreed to this?

Emma followed Deke through the busy airport to a black van parked outside, unable to shake the feeling that this was a horrible mistake. He turned and smiled. “It's just a wedding, Emma. Nothing to get bent out of shape over.”

She didn't answer. Instead she leaned her head on the passenger window and watched the scenery.

This wasn't just a wedding. These were people he called family... People he cared deeply about. She was going to meet his family, and she really wasn't sure how she felt about that. She closed her eyes as his hand rested lightly on her thigh. Why hadn't she just told him no?

Neither spoke until he pulled up outside a small, slightly rundown looking house. Deke leaned over and kissed her. “This is Tiny's ma's place. You can get changed here and meet Tiny and Beth.” He chuckled. “And stop looking so worried. They don't bite.”

“
Deke....”

“
Emma.” He kissed her again. “Tiny is my brother. We have ridden together for over twenty years and I trust him with my life. And you'll love Beth and little Abi.” He tucked a stray hair behind her ear. “And they're going to love you.”

“Brother.”

Emma slipped her hand into Deke's as Tiny opened the front door. Jesus! The man was absolutely terrifying. Tall – even taller than Deke – and lean. His face was... she searched for the word and could only come up with hard. Everything about him was hard. And mean. And scary as Hell. How could anyone call someone like him ‘family,’ let alone marry him?

Deke let go of her hand and hugged the man he called brother, then turned to where she was standing. “Tiny, this is Emma.”

Never before had his hand on her back been so reassuring. She smiled. “Hi.”

Tiny stared at her, his expression unreadable. Then, after about a million years, the granite cracked as he grinned and, to her astonishment, pulled her into a hug. “Welcome. Come on in.”

He led them into a cluttered living room, where an elderly woman was sitting with little girl sleeping on her knee. She looked up and smiled as Deke bent and kissed her cheek. “Good to see you, Samson.” She looked over to Emma. “Hello, love. I'm Sophia.”

The little girl opened her eyes and blinked. “Samsam?” She held out her arms. “Big hug Samsam.”

Deke laughed and picked her up. “Hey, Princess.”

Emma felt her ovaries explode as the toddler laid her hands on his face and pressed her nose to his. “Lub you Samsam.”

“
Right back at ya, Abs.” He grinned. “You wanna say hi to Emma?”

She tucked her face into the crook of his neck and smiled shyly. “Hi.”

“Hi, Abi.” Emma couldn't quite wrap her head around how someone like Tiny could produce something that cute.

“
Down Samsam.” Deke set her on the ground and she trotted over to Tiny. “N'other hug Daddy.” His expression softened as he picked her up and tipped her upside down.

“
If she pukes, you're cleaning it up.” Beth walked into the living room and smiled. “Hi. You must be Emma. Samson has told me so much about you.”

“
Really?”

“
No, not a damned thing.” She laughed and slipped her arms around Deke's waist. “Hey.”

“
Hey.” Deke looked down. “You okay?”

She looked over at Tiny and smiled. “Yeah.”

“Good to hear.” Deke nodded to Tiny and kissed her on the forehead. Somehow with barely any words a whole conversation had just taken place between the three of them.

~ oOo ~

“You're nothing like I expected.” Emma opened her bag and laid out her dress on the bed.

Beth laughed. “So what did you expect?”

“Honestly, I'm not sure.” She sat down and watched as Beth pulled on her dress. “I was kind of swinging between Amazonian warrior and crack whore.”

“
Samson really didn't say anything about us, did he?”

“
Not really. He's very fond of you, though. That much was clear.”

“
As we are of him. He's been a good friend to Joe and me.” She frowned. “Could you help me get this thing zipped up? The problem with getting married when you're pregnant is you get too fat for your dress.”

“
Sure. And you're not fat, you're pregnant. You look perfect.” She really did. Beth was one of those effortlessly beautiful women who would look hot dressed in a sack, and the simple dove gray shift, overlaid with lace, was anything but sack-like. Emma sighed and pulled a different dress from her bag.

“
Two dresses?” Beth sat in front of the mirror and began to pin up her hair, revealing the word 'Tiny' inked in cursive script on the back of her neck.

“
Three, actually. I had no idea what this wedding would be like and Deke... Samson...”

She was cut short by Beth raising her hand. “Don't change what you call him. He's Deke to you. That's important, Emma.” She smiled. “He really likes you. I'm not sure you realize how much. Hell, I don't think he does, either. He wants to be Deke to you. Not Samson.”

“Why? This may sound stupid. But I've never thought about it before.”

“
I doubt he has, either. I don't know you, Emma. But I do know Samson.” Finally satisfied with her hair, she turned and looked at the dresses on the bed and pointed to a green maxi. “This one.” She looked up, and her eyes met Emma's. “Does he talk about the club?”

“
Not really.... He's been hurt sometimes. And sometimes he....”

Beth smiled a little sadly. “Sometimes what he does weighs on him. And when it does, he comes to you. His cute little witch.” She stood and checked her reflection in the mirror. “It's not always easy being an old lady is it?”

“I'm not his old lady.... We're just...”

“
Yes, you are. It's just neither of you know it yet. C'mon, put the dress on and let’s get this show on the road.”

~ oOo ~

Samson had known that suggesting that Emma should go up and get ready with Beth was a high risk strategy, and judging by his raised eyebrow, Tiny agreed. But he knew that Beth was itching to get her alone for a while, and he wasn't going to let Emma's death glare put him off. And truthfully, he wasn't worried. They would get along just fine.

He buttoned up his shirt and turned to where Tiny was trying to persuade Abi that she really wanted to wear the nice dress Mommy had bought. “Smoke?”

“Yeah.” Tiny unbuttoned his collar and followed him out outside. “I don't remember agreeing to wear this. No cuts, she said. Not trussed up like a fucking turkey.”

“
You any closer to finding your witness?” Samson passed the joint to his brother.

“
Got a name. We're working on the address.” He shrugged. “It's as good as done.”

“
You want me to talk to him when you find him?”

“
Nah. I got it covered.” He looked up at the sound of laughter through the open bedroom window. “You need some distance. If it all goes belly up, she's gonna need you around.”

“
Won’t come to that, brother. She pissed?”

“
She was. Mostly cuz I tried to keep it from her.” He chuckled. “Shoulda known better.”

They finished the joint in companionable silence, until it was broken by the sound of a Harley pulling up out front. Tiny pushed himself away from the wall. “Sounds like Spike's here. Guess it's time go get me married.”

~ oOo ~

“
You ready for this, baby girl?”

Beth slipped her arm through his. “Feels like I've been ready my whole life. C'mon, let’s get down that aisle before he escapes through the window.”

The room in the small hotel they were using was a little dingy. The paint was peeling in places, and the chairs set out for the handful of guests didn't match. And most flower girls don't get carried down the aisle, wearing purple leggings and an orange top with some freaky unicorn on the front. But no one could have looked happier than the woman on his arm as they walked down the aisle to The Pretenders' 'I'll Stand By You.'

Despite all the shit they'd gone through, all the crap he'd thrown in her direction, Beth loved that man waiting for her and would never walk away from him.

As she moved to leave his side and go to her man, she stopped and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you, Samson. For everything.”

“
Anytime, baby girl. You know that.” He turned to the little girl on his hip. “Let’s go sit down, Princess, and watch your mom and dad get hitched.”

As he sat down, Abi snuggled into his chest with her thumb in her mouth, and Emma slipped her hand into his. He smiled and whispered, low into her ear. “You are looking so hot, I'm not going to be able to get through the day without jumping you.”

“You're not looking too shabby either, big guy.” She leaned a little closer to him. “Maybe we'll be able to sneak away for a while.”

~ oOo ~

She wasn't quite sure how she'd envisioned a biker wedding to be, but Emma was sure it wasn't this. The only guests were herself and Deke, the best man - who she had decided to steer clear of - Tiny's mom, another elderly lady who'd introduced herself as Betty, and a pompous-looking couple with a surly teenager, who'd disappeared as soon as the short ceremony was over. Everyone else had climbed back into the van and driven back to Sophia's little house.

Surely that couldn't be it. She'd juggled shifts, arranged for the animals to be looked after and spent money she couldn't afford on a flight for a five-minute ceremony in a shitty little hotel. She wasn't pissed, exactly, but it seemed she'd gone to a lot of trouble for nothing. Deke laid his hand on the small of her back and led her back into the house. “We're going to eat here before heading out to Bay View.”

“Bay View?”

“
It's the nearest chapter. There's a party in the clubhouse.”

“
Oh.. I thought...”

“
Don't worry. It's nothing big. Just a few friends is all.” He bent and kissed her. “It'll be fun.”

“Not hungry, love?” Sophia eyed the bread roll and salad on Emma's plate. “Don't you like chili?”

“
I... I don't eat meat.” Jesus, Deke, would it have killed you to give them a heads up?

“
There's not enough there to feed a bird. Do you eat eggs? I could make you an omelet.”

“
I'm fine, honestly. I'm not that hungry.” She shifted uncomfortably as the eyes around the table fell on her. Deke laid his hand on her thigh, and she forced herself to smile. “Please, don't worry about it.”

Spike snorted. “I got some meat you'd...”

“Brother.” Deke's tone was friendly but she'd felt him stiffen. “Play nice.”

Shit, this was awkward. She kept her eyes fixed on her plate and pulled apart her roll as the moment passed and the conversations started up around her. The only thing that was stopping her from leaving was the huge hand resting lightly on her thigh.

After an eternity, the meal was over. Emma and Beth washed the dishes while the men stood outside smoking and Sophia and Betty watched TV with Abi. Beth smiled. “Can't imaging that there are many brides who have to cook lunch and then clean up afterwards.”

“
Don't you mind?”

“
No, not really. We could have eaten in the hotel, but Sophia wanted everyone here. This is all for her. If she'd been well enough to travel, we'd've got married in Seattle.” She folded the dishcloth and dried her hands. “I'm going to get changed. There's no way I'm wearing this in the clubhouse. I'd do the same if I were you.”

~ oOo ~

She was pissed. Really pissed. Deke dropped the bag on the bed and braced himself for the onslaught. “Say what you gotta say, Emma.”

She glared. “You sure I have your permission to speak?”

Ouch. Okay, yeah he deserved that. “I'm sorry. I fucked up.”

“
Yeah, you did. Just what part of you thought that I was going to be okay with being left with a bunch of women I'd never met? I sat there for two fucking hours with no one speaking to me. Then when I finally decide that enough was enough and try to find you... You yell at me in front of all those people.” She pulled off her boots and threw them into the corner of the room. “Have you any idea how humiliating that was? I cannot begin to tell you how angry I am right now. I've spent money I don't have on a stupid dress that I wore for five minutes, I haven't eaten because the only thing your fucking friends eat is meat and it never occurred to you to tell anyone that I don't. Been treated like an interloper by that bitch, Gloria. Had my ass groped by that... That fucking gorilla and then... Then you talk to me like I'm a piece of shit because apparently there are rules that no one saw fit to share with me.” She pulled her top off and removed her bra. Deke felt his cock twitch. “You can sleep in that bed. I'll take this one.”