me down. I staggered backward and Sundance delivered a hard body shot that I’d feel for six weeks. Wrath and Rocky were next in that order. After that, I don’t know which Howler threw what punch or how long they were punching me. I was trapped in a tsunami of fists for what felt like forever, but as soon as I felt my legs give out from underneath me, I heard the merciful sound of Sundance’s whistle.
“Alright, gentlemen, that’s enough of that horse shit,” Sundance and my knees hit the bloodied grass. “Now help your new brother up and into his new cut,” he said to another round of hollers. “And get him a beer and a shot for fuck’s sake.”
I was carried back to the cabin where Needles gave me the once over, and after two sets of stiches and some tape on my ribs, I was deemed fit for drinking and returned to the fold of my fellow Howlers. I was bloody, sore, soon to be very drunk, and perhaps the proudest I’d ever been in my life.
I also felt something I never had before. A sense of belonging.
* * *
Violet
“It’s over,” Raquel said, setting her phone on the counter.
She’d surprised me by stopping by with two bottles of my favorite wine ten minutes after Aero left. That was almost three hours ago.
I shook my hands out, sliding off the barstool, and pacing. “How bad?”
“Ori didn’t say.”
“Oh my god, that means it’s bad,” I cried.
“No, it doesn’t,” she said, but her tone wasn’t convincing.
“I swear to god, if they’ve damaged his face, hands or cock, I’m going to maim them.”
“In that order?” Raquel retorted.
“Cock first,” I breathed out.
“I’m glad I missed Orion’s induction,” Raquel said. “Sorry. That was probably insensitive.”
“No. I get it. It’s really brutal.” I snagged my keys off the counter. “I need to see for myself.”
“You’ve had a bottle of wine.”
“Then you drive me.”
“Um, hello…I had the other bottle,” she pointed out.
I threw my hands in the air. “I’ll call a car!”
“I think you should wait for your man to get home, honey. They don’t like being interrupted.”
“I know,” I growled, slapping my chest. “I’m well aware of what the expectations are for us little women when it comes to the club.”
She smiled gently. “That’s changing, Letti. You know it is.”
“Not fucking fast enough,” I hissed.
“I hear—”
Before she could finish her sentence, the front door banged open and my brother walked in practically carrying Aero.
“Oh my god!” I snapped. “What the fuck did you do to him?”
“Shhh, baby,” Aero slurred. “My head’s killin’ me.”
“You gave him a concussion?” I squealed.
“No, sissy, he’s wasted,” Orion countered.
“Tequila,” Aero said with a chuckle.
“Did Needles look him over?” I demanded.
“Yeah. He’s good,” Orion said, and set Aero on the sofa.
I turned on every light and lamp in Aero’s dim apartment and knelt in front of him. “Oh my god,” I squeaked, scowling over my shoulder at my brother. “Is this your doing?”
He grinned. “No. He took a couple dozen or so hits before Dad called it.”
“Get out,” I snapped.
“Lett—”
“Out!” I stood and stomped toward him. “Swear to god, Adam, you need to get your ass out of here before I do something that’ll leave you without the ability to make babies.”
“Okay, that might be going a little far,” Raquel said.
“She used my birth name,” Orion retorted. “She must be really pissed.”
I glared at him and Raquel slid off the barstool and grabbed her purse. “Let’s go, honey,” she said to my brother.
He grinned and walked Raquel to the door. “Scrappy’ll drop your bike by tomorrow, Aero.”
“Okay,” Aero said, and I waved my hands to hurry my brother along.
Once they were clear of the door, I closed and locked it, then went back to my man. “Let’s have a look at you.”
“I’m good.”
“You’re beat to shit,” I countered.
“Best night o’ my life, baby.” He grinned and I noticed his front tooth was chipped.
“Let’s get you to bed. I’ll get you some ibuprofen.”
“Needles gave me something better,” he said. “It’s in my jacket.”
“Are you in a lot of pain?”
“No, baby. I’m good.” He tried to stroke my face, but he was so drunk, he missed.
I sighed. “Come on, let’s get you comfortable.”
I helped him off the sofa and we hobbled back to the bedroom where I gingerly removed his clothes. I couldn’t stop the tears from streaming down my face as every layer of fabric removed revealed yet another bruise or cut. Checking every part of his body, I was relieved