Chapter 12
Esme was in a tizzy as she chased Green around the clubhouse, Slayer not too far behind him.
“Give me that!,” She bit out threw another round of giggles.
“No way! You cannot bet serious, Esme!”
Slayer caught a hold of Esme as she rounded the pool table, lifting her high in the air. She was laughing so hard she could barely breathe, but she was only met with smiles.
“Esme, you are not wearing boring beige to Rayna and Fury’s wedding,” Green said seriously as he bundled up the material swatch.
Green made a show of tossing the material into the garbage at the precise moment Fury and Rayna entered the room.
“Rayna! Tell Green to give me back my material swatch!,” Esme cried as Slayer tightened his hold around her waist.
Rayna looked between her and Green before she placed her hands on her hips.
“Killian O’laughlin, why are you tormenting Esme?”
Green winced before he shook one long finger in her direction.
“Excuse me miss, but that’s Green to you!”
Rayna scoffed and rolled her eyes before she glared in Slayer’s direction.
“Put the poor woman down,” She demanded, her blue eyes narrowed.
Slayer slowly set Esme on her feet before he held his hands up in surrender.
“Green made me do it!”
Fury was laughing as he shook his dark head, the longer locks falling into his eyes.
“You guys are idiots,” Fury called as he headed towards his bedroom.
Rayna watched, still catching her breath, when Limit and Prettyboy entered the room.
She instantly sobered, her laughter dying out, as she watched them glide through the space. It’d been exactly four days since her and Prettyboy had touched one another in the dark. Since they’d shared their first secrets.
First, because when Esme had awoken the next morning, there was a small note on her pillow that read:
Secret number two: I hate spiders.
Now you know.
-Prettyboy
That had started what she now considered their very mild courtship. They had lunch together, he showed her sketches of the bikes he was getting ready to detail, they talked about their pasts. He even asked her about Chris, which had been surprisingly therapeutic so far. Esme didn't imagine herself completely cured of her what she deemed her ‘devastation-induced-psychosis’, but she was getting better.
After Prettyboy admitted to her that he wanted to be more than friends, she’d had no idea what to expect.
Esme wasn't sure why, but she coveted that first note. And the second one, and the third.
The second note had been a tad longer, half of a piece of paper he’d shoved under her door while she was in the shower.
Secret number three: When I was ten I stole for the first time. It wasn't much, but stealing that small pack of gum made me feel like a ten year old badass.
Does it surprise you that I have an extensive criminal background?
-Prettyboy.
The third note was a little sweeter, a little more poignant; at first it’d made her cry, because Esme was still struggling with the ever-present memory of Christopher Wilder.
Yet, Prettyboy’s third note was still safely tucked away inside of her pillow case as if she were afraid that if the rest of the world saw it, the words would disappear.
Secret number four: I’ve been thinking about kissing you since the moment I first saw you. Do you taste as good as you look, Esmeralda Quinn?
-Prettyboy
So there Esme stood, watching the man who was now apparently writing her pseudo-love letters, talk to Limit as if she were completely enamored with him.
Was she?
Am I?
“You okay, baby?”
Esme turned to see the last person she expected to see watching her: Axel.
She squealed happily, rushing to throw her arms around him.
His strong arms wrapped around her tightly as he crushed her against him. He was laughing as she hugged him to her.
“You’re lookin’ good,” He said wryly, setting her down easily.
She smiled up at him, her fingers tugging on the ends of his hair.
“Yeah?”
His sparkling eyes were trained on her expertly when he nodded.
“Yeah, baby. How ya doin’?”
She shrugged, her smile still in place as she held one of his big hands.
“I’m better. The people here are real nice.”
Axel’s gaze caught something over her shoulder, and she turned to see Ox and Prettyboy watching them.
“I told you they would be,” Axel said as he gave her his full attention.
Overwhelmed with emotion, Esme cupped his scarred cheek and smiled.
“I missed you,” She admitted.
She hadn't realized how much she did miss Axel until she saw him standing there smiling at her. His familiar scent enveloped her, sweet musk and motor oil. Seeing him sent a pang of contentment resonating throughout her.
“I missed you too, baby. I’ve gotta speak to the club about a few things, but I’ll be here for the day. I think we’re gonna have a party for old times sake tonight.”
“You’re not here to take me home?,” She whispered so only he could hear her. Axel’s dark eyes met hers, and she knew he wasn't there to take her back.
“Not today, Esme.”
Not today, but soon?
Not today, but never?
She wasn't sure how she felt about that; did she want to go home yet?
Instead of asking him any more questions, she leaned up on her tip toes to kiss his cheek.
“Okay. I'm going to help Rayna with some wedding planning, but promise me you’ll save me a little time later?”
She tried to smile, but her bottom lip got caught between her teeth instead.
Axel nudged her under the chin before he pressed a gentle kiss to her temple.
“Always. Go and have fun, I’ll find you later.”
She nodded, watching as he walked towards Ox and Prettyboy.
Just as she was about to turn around to leave, she caught Prettyboy’s gaze, and felt her cheeks heat when he winked in her direction.
Dear lord.
He’s going to be the death of me.
◆◆◆
Esme found Rayna outside talking to Rider and Fury, her fingers working furiously over the screen as she muttered under her breath.
“What’s the matter?,” Esme asked.
Rayna swore again and Fury gestured towards Rayna’s phone.
“Her wedding dress is delayed again.”
Esme glanced at Rayna.
“What’s it look like?”
Rayna turned her phone towards her, displaying a gorgeous confection of lace and crystals.
Esme smiled as she ran her fingers along the screen reverently.
“It’s gorgeous.”
Rayna smiled at her.
“Yeah, it is. But, at this point I’ll never get it in time!”
Rider was grinning as he watched Rayna roll her eyes heavenward.
Esme cleared her throat, not quite sure if she should offer what she was about to offer Rayna.
“I still have mine. If you want to try it on,” Esme said softly.
Simultaneously, everyone turned to look at her.
Rayna tucked her phone into her pocket as she glanced at Fury.
“You don’t have to do that,” Rayna said.
Esme shook her head.
“No, I want to. Really, I spent a lot of money on it and I would…hate for it to have been a waste,” She explained.
A fucking waste, Esmerelda.
Rayna hugged Esme to her, running her fingers through Esme’s long hair.
“Thank you. I’d love to try it on,” Rayna said.
Esme smiled before she gestured towards the lot.
“What do you say we go and grab it before the party starts?”
Rayna looked at Fury before she nodded.
“Okay, let’s do that.”
Fury looked at Esme though dark lashes before he mouthed a ‘thank you,’ in her direction.
Esme sent him a wave as Rayna guided her towards her bike.
“Can we wrap it up to bring it back on my bike?,” Rayna wondered.
The dress wasn’t large by any means; Esme and Rayna were close to the same size. The dress could easily be held by Esme as they rode the distance to the Lone Rangers’s clubhouse.
“Yeah, let’s ride.”
Rayna's eyebrows hit her hairline at the steady timbre of Esme’s voice as she spoke.
“Okay. Let’s ride.”