Chapter 29
Alessia
The weeks following that have been hard. I’ve kept Tugg at my side all the time. Some days I felt pretty functional, others I would feel so sad that Kat, Dana and Jenn would do something so funny to each other, or tease the guys, that it would pull me out of my funk. A couple of days Blade and I would stay in and he would hold me, watch movies with me. My favorite was when we would go shooting. Or play pranks on Tank. Kat had some great ideas.
Last night Tank said enough was enough when we gave him an O’Doul’s in a mug all night long at the bar. He drank the 24-pack telling us all how invincible he was until we showed him what he was really drinking. He said we were just being mean, and that the next prank meant war, and he didn’t care what Blade said, he didn’t give a shit if it made me happy anymore.
“What’s got you smiling, baby?”, Blade asks with some concern in his voice and I wonder if he thinks that our next prank will be on him.
“Just laughing about Tank last night, that was a lot of fun. I also just realized that I can’t use what happened as my crutch anymore. Tank will declare war, and, honestly, if he does anything to my boots or my hair, I would have to kill your Road Captain,” I state very matter of factly.
“Can’t kill the boys, Vegas, and, yeah, it’s probably time to let up on your coping mechanism. Which is really funny, but we can’t keep the torture going. Tell you what, go right ahead and prank the Prospects. If they can’t out mastermind you and your evil crew of chicks, they can’t get patched in.” Blade jokes, but I’m already group texting the girls with what he said.
∞ ∞ ∞
“What are we doing in downtown Tahoe? Thought we were meeting my parents at the cabin?” I look at Blade all confused because this feels off and my senses are telling me he’s up to something.
Parking the truck, he walks around the other side and opens my door. The cold air hits my legs and I freeze instantly. Burr, a shiver races through my body. It’s cold up here. Blade takes my hand and leads me to the bench we sat on a month or so back. We sit down in the same spots we sat in before, and it sort of feels like we’ve come full circle. It’s so beautiful with the Christmas lights already out and the big snowflakes piling up on our beanies.
Blade turns to me, grabbing my hand. “Alessia, that day we came up here to go shopping… I knew that day that I wanted you to be by my side for the rest of my life. I bought a ring that day, and I wish like hell that I would have given it to you that day and eloped to a chapel. Your dad would’ve had my nuts if your mom missed your wedding, but I would’ve done it and it would’ve been so worth it.”
We both start laughing, our mixed warm breaths clouding around us. I can barely see anything through my tears. I can’t believe this is happening and I almost miss what he says next.
“Here I am asking you today to wear my ring and stay by my side and have my babies. Every day we gamble with time, betting on the outcome. Will you place your bet on me and go all in? Will you marry me, Alessia?”
A warm tear streaks down my freezing cheek. The thought of having a baby, the thought of marrying Blade, they both make me so happy. A laugh escapes my mouth as I answer, “Hell, yeah, I will!”
I throw myself at him and start peppering kisses all over his face while looking back into his eyes and thinking how far we’ve come. It feels like a lifetime when it’s been where it’s been for just months.
“Okay,” Blade starts rubbing his chin, “What do you say, highest card wins?” He pulls out a deck of cards from his coat pocket. “You pull, and I pull from the deck. If I get the highest card, we march into the casino wedding chapel and we get married right here, right now.”
“You’re on, shuffle the deck,” I screech out.
Blade shuffles the deck three times and looks at me. “Ladies first.” He fans out the deck in front of me and I pull a card, showing it to him. Queen of diamonds. Damn, please be higher.
Blade pulls a card and looks at it. He doesn’t say anything for a moment, and I’m about to cry thinking I won, but really lost, when I notice him fighting back a grin as he turns his card over. Ace. That’s a low card. Or so I thought? “Wait, what is the Ace in this game?”
“Baby, that’s an Ace. That’s the highest card you can pull in this game.” He pulls me to my feet to smack my lips with a greedy kiss.
Not taking a minute more, we run into the casino. I stop abruptly, surprised to see all the brothers from the Reno, Vegas and Cali chapters, then my parents and his parents are waiting inside for us. My head is spinning when the girls rush over, all excited to see me.
“Go with the girls, Alessia, they have your stuff upstairs in our room.”
I am speechless for a change.
∞ ∞ ∞
An hour later, after the girls have curled my hair and redone my makeup, I feel ready. Looking in the mirror, I laugh because there is not one thing in my outfit that screams white wedding. Black silk blouse tucked into a black leather skirt, with black knee-high boots. Yeah, definitely biker bitch status, no white wedding for me. Best part is, my girls look just like me.
Jenn hums low in appreciation, “This is definitely Vegas. Blade does you good girl.”
Dana checks the text on her phone. “Let’s get moving, Axl already texted me five times in the last twenty minutes. Blade wants you in the chapel. Now,” she says and tosses her phone back into her bag.
Stepping off the elevator, I see Papa and Snake waiting for us. “Baby girl, you look beautiful, time to get you to your man.” Taking Papa’s arm, he leads us across the casino floor. The farther along we get, the more I notice the MC brothers have gathered around, walking to the sides and behind us.
Getting to the entrance of the chapel doors, I see Blade standing down at the end of the aisle, and looking up, he finds me staring. He looks so handsome in his black jeans and boots. His head is freshly shaved on the sides and a tiny Mohawk is up the middle.
Since it’s not a real traditional wedding, Papa just keeps walking down the aisle until we reach the end and he places my hand in Blade’s. The girls go to stand to my right side and the officiator starts talking, keeping all the lines straight forward, with not a lot of extras. Honesty, I don’t care for weddings or the mushy sentiment in front of other people, so I am okay with the ‘get it done’ ceremony. Finally, we get to the end. “Will you take William Johnson to be your lawfully wedded husband in all things, until death do you part?”
“I do,” I speak up, barely able to contain my giddiness. Blade takes my hand and slides on my finger a classic vintage, small carat in white gold ring. It’s beautiful.
“Will you take Alessia DeRosa to be your lawfully wedded wife in all things, until death do you part?”, the officiator asks Blade.
“I do for this life and the next,” Blade says looking into my eyes.
“You may now kiss the bride.” And it’s done. We are husband and wife.
Stepping into each other, our lips touch, and I feel Blade’s hand running behind my neck. I open my mouth to deepen the kiss, and whistles ring out. Pulling back, I ask Blade, “Take me to bed? I’ve missed you.” I need to reconnect with him on the most basic level.
With no other words, Blade turns and leads me away to the elevator. The whole ride up, my back is to the wall as he kisses me, soaking in every part of my body. Rushing into our room, clothes start flying off, boots hit the wall. All that’s left is my garter and thigh high stockings.
“I want to kiss and lick every part of your body, but I need to be inside of you more,” Blade says against my neck. “Can I have you, Alessia Johnson, put my baby inside of you tonight?”
“Yes.” I choke back the tears and fear and bet again on this man and our future as Blade makes sweet, slow love to me.