The Biker's Fate Chapter 180

Darien

Three weeks later...

MACK AND I had been out running errands most of the day, and I was exhausted and irritable. We'd had to put our wedding on hold indefinitely due to the fact it was going to take another three months to rebuild the shop now that the property had been released back to the club. Every time I'd tried to open up the lines of communication with Mack to see if we could find another place, he shut me down. I was beginning to wonder if he'd changed his mind.

"Leave the bags, babe," Mack said as we climbed out of the car. "I'll grab them in a bit."

"Whatever," I said with a sigh, and followed him into the house.

"Surprise!" boomed and I looked up to find pretty much everyone I knew in (and out) of my house.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"We're getting married," Mack informed me.

"What? We can't! Millie's not here."

"Yes she is," Pauley said, and walked over, a laptop in her hands.

Millie's face smiled at me through the screen. "I'm here."

"Pauley, you want to take Darien to the bedroom?" Mack suggested.

"Yep," she said, and took my arm (and the laptop), and guided me into the bedroom. "Millie's not going to be in wedding shape for months, and the club's destroyed until they can rebuild it, so we talked about the best way to make that happen. We've got your dress, Kim and I are going to do your hair and makeup, and Millie's going to be with us via Skype."

"Ohmigod."

"Are you okay with this?" Mack asked as he closed the door to the bedroom. I hadn't even heard him come in.

"Yes! Absolutely."

"Good. I'm gonna get changed." He kissed me gently. "I'll see you in the backyard in thirty minutes."

"That's not enough time, honey!" I countered.

"Twenty-eight now," he said, and slipped out the door before I could chastise him.

Pauley giggled. "Come on, sissy, we can do it."

And we did. I showered quickly and met the ladies back in the bedroom where they did hair and makeup in less than fifteen minutes, and yet, I still felt beautiful. I slipped on my gorgeous ivory gown that was very old Hollywood. It was a taffeta and embellished lace mermaid gown with a dropped waist. Sheer tulle and scalloped lace cap sleeves formed into a plunging V-neckline and sweetheart bodice with hand-beaded accents under the bust.

Kim pulled my curls to the side and finished them off with antique pearl combs, attaching the veil just below the combs and letting it fall down my back. Because of the scars on my right arm, Pauley had bought off-white gloves that matched the taffeta perfectly and hid everything that needed to be hidden.

Kim handed me a long white box. "From Mack."

I blinked back tears as I opened it to find a diamond bangle inside. "Ohmigod. It's gorgeous."

Kim nodded and attached it to my wrist on the outside of my glove.

I held it up to the screen. "It's beautiful Dare. You're beautiful," Millie said.

"Love you."

"Love you too, honey."

"Okay, ready?" Pauley asked.

I nodded and she handed me a bouquet of flowers. One last hug and Kim gathered up the laptop while Pauley gathered up my train, and we headed to the back of the house.

Despite the tragedy that had happened less than a month ago, the club had managed to transform my back yard (it was large, but they'd made it seem larger) into the perfect wedding spot. Mismatched chairs, some metal, some folding, some dining room, a mish mash of styles that were probably pulled from people's homes, garages, and storage units, and it was perfect. Someone had managed to make art out of the seating, each chair seeming to fit perfectly in each row. Flowers sat prettily on the ones next to the aisle and provided a grassy lane for me to join Mack. I could see him, but he was still facing Crow (our officiant), as we'd discussed. I didn't want him to see me until he could get the full effect.

The first cords of In Love With a Girl by Gavin DeGraw sounded. I was surprised, because it wasn't the song we'd discussed, but instead showed Mack's feelings toward me (he said) in perfect song form. I smiled and looped my arm through Pauley's (she was giving me away). Kim went ahead of us with Millie and then turned to face us so that Millie could also see.

Pauley and I began our walk as the guests stood. Even Mr. Akerman was there, a little wobbly as he stood next to his wheelchair. When we reached the middle of the aisle, Crow let Mack turn around, and I nearly crumbled as tears slid down his face. He was gorgeous in his black tuxedo and tie that matched my dress. Pauley led me to him and he kissed her gently before leaning down to kiss my cheek. "You are beautiful, sweetheart."

"So are you," I whispered, giving him a watery smile.

As Crow led us through our vows (biker style), I took a minute to think again about how grateful I was for a life so full. I smiled up at Mack and hoped he knew how much I loved him. He hadn't been what I was expecting, but he was better than I could have dreamed.

"I love you, honey."

"I love you too."

He smiled and leaned down to kiss me. Our first kiss as husband and wife, and it was perfect.

One year later...

I had just turned the kettle on to make some tea when the feisty bellow of our four-month-old daughter sounded through the baby monitor. Harper Mackenzie Reed arrived three weeks early, weighing in at a whopping seven pounds, four ounces (I can't imagine what she would have weighed if she'd been on time), nineteen inches long, and she had my red hair and her daddy's blue eyes.

"I got her," Mack called from our bedroom.

"Thanks, honey."

Millie had just left, and I was so happy for my beautiful friend. She'd been exonerated of all charges, particularly considering she kept records of everything, so the powers that be recognized she was really a good person trapped in a bad situation. It had taken about six months for her to completely heal and she had scarring over most of the right side of her body, including her face, although, the plastic surgeon had done an amazing job. The only visible scars were where her lip had to be sewn back together and in front of her right ear. She'd found another kick ass job, this time without mob affiliation, and had also met a wonderful man.

Flick had also recovered beautifully... and as strange as this was to me, had become a grandfather figure to Harper (and Barney of course). He'd pretty much inserted himself into our lives with the kind of ease that I felt only came from being a man who'd lived his life to the fullest, and then nearly had it ripped away. He'd quit smoking and his heart was working better than ever. He'd decided that, "Harper needs some reality that only Great Uncle Flick can provide." That statement had both warmed and terrified me, but as it is with most things, the gruffer they are on the outside, the mushier their gooey center.

As Mack took care of the baby, I pulled up the email that my agent had forwarded with contracts and general information about the studio who wanted to turn my first book into a movie. The script had been sent to me for final approval a few weeks ago, I'd made a few tweaks, and now it was out of my hands.

Mack walked into the kitchen holding our little firecracker, who was smiling at her daddy in the way I knew was going to cause problems with discipline later on.

"I changed her, but I think she's hungry," Mack said.

"Or she's manipulating Daddy who isn't typically home right now," I countered.

He chuckled, kissing her cheek. "You wouldn't do that, would you, princess?"

Harper grinned and buried her head in his neck.

"Well, hello, little lady," I cooed. "Who didn't want to sleep for a full two hours today?" I asked and reached for her.

She smiled and settled against me as I carried her to the recliner. I whipped out my boob and we assumed the position, easily slipping into our feeding routine.

"I'm assuming you want tea?" Mack asked.

"Yes please. The licorice stuff would be perfect."

He grabbed a mug and turned off the kettle.

"I heard back from Caren Ann about the movie." Caren Ann was my very Southern, very funny, and wholly irreverent agent, who I discovered I adored almost more than Pauley.

"Yeah? What'd she say?"

"They've got Allison's role filled."

"That's the main chick, right?"

"Yes, honey, that's the main 'chick.'"

He shrugged. "I don't know who the hell these people are, Dare. I just know they are the reason we get big ass deposits in our checking account each month."

I giggled. "I know."

"So who is it?"

"Melody Morgan."

"You're shittin' me," he said, and brought me my tea.

"Nope. She's trying to break out from under her child star mantle and feels this is the way to do it."

"Wow, from Disney channel to NC-17 in less than five years." He sat on the sofa beside me. "Well, she fits the character."

"I think so too." I smiled down at Harper, stroking her cheek as she ate. "The male lead's going to be harder to find. Girls care more about that anyway."

"When are they going to start filming?"

"Less than six months from now."

"Shit, that's fast."

"They don't mess around." I smiled and looked down at Harper again. "You little faker," I whispered.

"She asleep?"

"Out cold."

Mack chuckled and rose to his feet. "I'll put her back down."

"Thanks."

He scooped her up gently and walked her back to her room, returning quickly and sitting back on the sofa.

I grinned, pulling my shirt and bra off and straddling his hips. "We've got a little time and I'd like a little attention of my own."

He kissed one breast then the other. "I'll give you whatever you want, baby."

"Good answer."

Mack stood with me still in his arms and I wrapped my legs around his waist as he carried me to our bedroom. He gave me four orgasms before our little ginger snapped and we were back to being parents again. And we loved being parents. In fact, we loved it all.