fuck off. Now do you have the paperwork to state Robin isn’t married?”
Billy held up the file. “Free of charge, and I better get an invite to the wedding.”
Preacher took the file and left. After he made a quick stop at the club to catch up with his boys on some of the goings-on around the club, he tried not to think about what he had planned for the night.
He had already talked to Bear and he’d given him the all-clear to ask for his daughter’s hand in marriage, but it didn’t make it any easier. In fact, it only seemed to make it a little harder.
Running fingers through his hair, he tried not to be nervous.
What the fuck did he have to be nervous about?
He was the president of the Twisted Monsters MC. He gave monsters a reason to fear.
Robin was his light. She was his reason for breathing, for being anything.
“I’m totally and royally fucked.”
With all the necessary bills dealt with, and Dog already organizing the next fight, he closed up his office, locked it, and headed out. He made a quick stop at the local grocery store. People were back to giving him a wide berth, which he had no problem with. One of the downsides to Robin’s kidnapping, people were more than willing to come and share their sympathy with him as if she was actually dead. His woman wasn’t dead, and she hadn’t been.
With a bunch of ingredients, he got home and started to make her a delicious meal. One of her favorites was his stir-fry, and he wanted to impress her. With everything ready, he waited for Bear to bring her home.
At the sound of his friend’s car, he went to the door and watched as Robin kissed her father on the cheek and ran up the stairs to him. She threw herself into his arms. “Anne had no problem looking after Bethany but she did tell me to tell you to make me scream.” Robin’s face was bright red. “I think whoever she’s seeing is having a very big influence on her.”
“You think she’s dating?”
“I think something is going on there. I’ve seen a difference in her and I recognize the signs. I even heard her tell Elijah to go fuck off and screw another of his skanks.”
“And that’s not normal?”
“Not for Anne. Don’t get me wrong, if her kids aren’t around, she can curse like anyone, but even when they’re not, she kind of keeps control of herself. It makes more sense when you get to know her, I promise.”
“She’s your friend.”
“That she is. So what’s so important about tonight?”
He pulled her into his home. “First, I want you to relax.”
“Done. Easy to do and done.”
“Good.” He led her through to his dining room and poured her a glass of water with ice.
“Preacher, this is … is this a date? I didn’t dress for a dinner date.”
“Don’t worry and don’t stress. This is all on me. I promise. Now, I want you to relax while I go prepare your food.”
“You’re slaving for me?”
“I’m cooking for you.” He took her hand, kissing the knuckles. “I’ll be right back.”
He went straight to the kitchen and started to work on their meal. All it took was fifteen minutes as he’d done all of the chopping before she arrived. This was another reason he loved stir-fry. It was so easy and fast to do.
Food served, he took her a bowl. “Dig in.”
“Food, water, candlelight. I think you’re trying to seduce me.”
“Is it working?”
“A little.”
“I wanted to talk to you about something. A couple of things, actually.” He took another scoop of noodles before grabbing the file he’d glanced over with Billy. “Take a look.”
“I don’t have a clue what I’m looking at.”
“You and Reaper were never married. We don’t have to wait for him to be declared dead before I can marry you,” he said.
“Wait? What? No, there was a ceremony.”
“The man he used didn’t have the power to marry you. He couldn’t do the service. It was all fake.”
“All this time we weren’t married?”
“No.”
“Oh.”
“Are you sad about that?” he asked.
“What? Oh, no, I’m not sad.”
Preacher didn’t believe her. “Then why do you look like I’ve just given you some of the worst news you could have possibly gotten?”
“I’m sorry. It’s not that. I can’t believe this is all. I know it’s the truth, but I guess I was kind of … I don’t know.”
“You thought you were married.”
“Yeah. I don’t miss him. My memories with