Allegiance (The Chicago Defiance MC Series Book 8) Read online

  Torque cracks his neck standing taller. “Scratch would want one hell of a party. So, everyone back to the clubhouse. Brody and Grier, you’re welcome if you can make it?”

  “Wouldn’t miss it, Torque,” Brody calls back, and Ace slaps his old friend on the shoulder.

  “Right, then, let’s party like Scratch would want.”

  The drinks are flowing, and the clubhouse is fucking packed. I’ve never seen it so crowded. There’s three biker clubs, Italian mafia, and a couple of cops thrown in for good measure.

  It’s a damn hot mess.

  But everyone’s doing what Scratch would have wanted, and that’s enjoying themselves. It’s not often Houston rides into town, I guess considering they’re so damn far away, so them making this trip means we need to make the most while they’re here.

  Houston being here at the same time as the Knights, well, that’s never happened before.

  So tonight, we party.

  Chains and Luc are having the fucking time of their lives. They haven’t been back since they left. They have so much to tell everyone about their lives now. I can’t wait to sit down with them myself, but for now, Lily and I are sitting with some of the Houston guys and a few of the Knights. Everyone’s mingling and the brothers are getting along well. Well, there’s no fights so far, but it’s only in the early stages.

  Zero, Houston’s president, chugs down his beer, while his VP, Wraith, munches on some pretzels. “You guys always have mafia at your parties?” Wraith asks, making Zero almost choke on his beer.

  I glance across at Bianca and shrug. “Ahh… these days, kinda, yeah.”

  Wraith curls up his lip and continues eating like he has a problem with that statement. Zero rolls his eyes. “Cool your tits, psycho. If Torque trusts this Andretti chick, then we do, too. It’s as simple as that.”

  Wraith shoves the bowl of pretzels away. “Yeah, well, I’m not drinking anymore, you know, just in case.”

  Zero snorts out a laugh, grabbing his VP’s stein and starts downing it. Zero slams it on the table then swipes the back of his mouth with his arm. “More for me then, you pussy.”

  I chuckle as Lily moves in sliding next to me looking tired. This party’s been going for hours. She spent some time with Tiny and Medic. I lean into Lily’s ear. “How is she?”

  Lily grimaces. “Broken.”

  I wince and wrap my arm around her so I can pull her to me.

  “I hear you got promoted to Sergeant At Arms, Lift?” Aero, the Notorious Knight VP, calls out over the music. He’s sitting a little way down the table, and I chuckle.

  “You’re a little behind the times, but yeah. A while back now, Aero. When Chains left, I got promoted. How’s shit going at the Knights?”

  “That’s a long and detailed story I need to go into depth with you. We’re staying overnight. Breakfast. I’ll tell you then, okay?”

  I smirk with a nod as I focus in on the feisty looking Latino goddess on his arm. I need to introduce myself to her, but it can wait until breakfast.

  Torque walks over with Foxy wrapped around him. He looks spent. It’s been a huge day for him, and with so many important people under his roof who he needs to keep calm, he must be feeling the pressure and strain. Torque and Foxy stop in front of us. I’m a little confused as Foxy smiles wide. “How are you feeling, Lily? It’s been a big day for you since leaving hospital this morning?”

  “I had no idea what to expect today, and I have to say this certainly wasn’t it. The ceremonies were sad. But the party is fun.”

  Torque smiles. “Well, get used to the parties. If you’re going to be sticking around, our parties tend to be like this. We don’t have them too often ‘cause of the kids and all, but when we do, you can guarantee they go off.”

  Foxy rolls her eyes. “Yes, that is true. But you, miss, need to remember to take it easy.”

  I pull her closer to me. “I’m gonna be taking her to bed sooner rather than later, doc.”

  Foxy nods. “Good, but before you do, Torque has something to discuss with Lily. Wanna come to the chapel?”

  I furrow my brows. This sounds serious. My president doesn’t invite people into the chapel unless it’s for hardcore problems or issues.

  Fucking hell.

  Lily seems lost, not understanding the jargon as I stand abruptly pulling her with me. “C’mon, baby, let’s go with them.”

  LILY

  I nod holding Lift’s hand as we push through the swarm of people and head for the chapel. Torque opens the cream door, and the four of us walk in, shutting the noise of the party out. My eyes widen as I take in the room. There’s a giant wooden table situated in the middle with chairs around it. A fancy wooden gavel is placed at the head of the table, and I instantly know what this room is. “Holy shit! Is this where you—”

  “Have church? Yes.”

  I gasp. “I didn’t think I would be allowed in here.”

  “Technically, you’re not,” Torque states. “Though, I need to discuss this with you, and it’s too fucking loud out there.”

  Lift rolls his shoulders. “Has something happened?”

  Torque gestures for the table.

  Shit! Now we’re sitting at the damn table. This can’t be good.

  Lift seems as nervous as I am as we each take a seat.

  Torque and Foxy sit opposite us. Both their hands come up on the table fisted together.

  I let out a long breath as Torque starts speaking, “Lily, as you know, you were an attorney at Burke Zimmerman Caine fighting to get name partner.” My body tenses as does Lift’s. “I know you wanted more than anything to be a big-shot attorney. Make a name for yourself.”

  I panic. “I’m sorry… but that was in my past. I pushed to be someone I am not. I swear I never meant to hurt her or the club—”

  “Lily, stop! That’s not what this is about,” Torque interrupts.

  “It’s not?” I ask.

  Foxy chuckles as Torque slides a folder over to me. “This contains a contract.”

  I’m lost.

  I reach for the blue folder, dragging it toward me, then turn it over. Big bold letters adorn the top of the paper, and I let out a small laugh. “Torque, this is a confidentiality agreement?”

  Torque sits back in his chair seeming relaxed. “I want to offer you something.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “You sign that, and you work for the club as our attorney. We tell you everything, and when the need arises, you do what you need to. You fight with that fire in your belly, but for us. I’ll pay you a salary far greater than you would have earned as name partner. You won’t be a name partner, you’ll be working as the club’s attorney. And to be honest, we don’t need one often, but it’s a salary, so the income is always there. We can give you time to think it over if you like?”

  “Do you have a pen?” I blurt out. I’m not even going to talk it over with Lift. It means not only do I have a job, but it gives me more of an incentive to stay here.

  “You want to stay?” Lift asks.

  My time here has shown me things aren’t so black and white, and I’m okay with that. I guess being an attorney has helped me in being able to let go of clinging to the absolute good in people. Though, at the same time, I see the best in these bikers. I know they all have darkness lurking, but through the darkness shines a light, a beacon always guiding them home.

  They may not be perfect, but they’re damn well good enough for me.

  As for Lift, he’s exactly right for me.

  Good side.

  Bad side.

  Every damn side.

  I want him in every way I can get him because he accepted me when I was at my worst, so I can accept him for who he is which, to me, is the best version of the greatest guy I know.

  I bring my hand up to the side of his face while searching his eyes. “You know what, Americano?”.

  Lift’s happiness radiates across his face like opening a window to a fresh summer’s day. I can see how
it seeps from deep inside to light his eyes and spread out into every cell of his being. A man like Eli doesn’t just embody joy when he beams from ear to ear, I can hear it when he talks, in the tone of his words, in the way he stands. Everything about him oozes the way he feels, and right now he’s undeniably happy.

  “What, Vanilla Latte?”

  I sigh contentedly as I prepare to tell him how I feel. “I love you, Lift.”

  Lift’s eyes alight, his entire body relaxing like he’s been needing to hear me say those words as he leans in pressing his forehead against mine. His eyes stare deeply into mine as I feel our souls connect, like I know we’re meant to be together forever. But our story is only just getting started.

  “I love you, too, Lily.” Lift leans in pressing his lips to mine, kissing me. That tingle shoots straight from my lips to my core making all my senses come alive. The kiss is deep and passionate.

  I’m kissing a biker.

  I love a biker.

  And I’m going to be living with and working for the Chicago Defiance MC. My parents will be so proud. I try to think of how I can broach the subject with them one day. I know I will also need to tell them about Lift, that we are an item, and we’re basically shacking up in his clubhouse. Yeah, that’s going to go down just as well. Not!

  I know I need to stop worrying about what other people think of me because that’s what got me into trouble in the first place.

  I’m happy.

  I love it here.

  I’m more than blissful in the life I have with Lift. More than I have been for a very long time. And even though we got off to a rocky start, we’re doing well now.

  “Ahem,” Torque clears his throat. “While it’s great you two are confessing your love for each other and everything, are you ready to sign, Lily?”

  I giggle, pulling away from Lift with a forceful nod. “If the club’s willing to have me, Torque, then I am going to work damn hard for you.”

  “That’s exactly what I thought you’d say.” Torque smirks. “Welcome to Defiance, Lily.” Torque hands me a pen.

  “Wait!” Lift calls out before I take it.

  We all turn to him.

  “I need to know something before you sign that.”

  I raise my brow. “Okaaay?”

  “I need to know if you being an Old Lady is going to be a problem with you being the club attorney?”

  I turn to Torque as if to seek the answers directly from him. He shakes his head causing me to smile. “No. Not a problem for me,” I answer.

  Lift glances at Torque, and he double confirms. “Not a problem on this end, brother.”

  Lift reaches out grabbing my hands in his, and a sudden swarm of butterflies run through me. “Lily, I’m placing a claim on you, right here, right now!”

  My eyes widen. “You’re what?”

  Torque chuckles. “C’mon… you didn’t see that coming?”

  Foxy pulls on Torque’s arm. “Shush, they’re having a moment.”

  “Claiming me? Now? I mean, isn’t it too soon or something?”

  “You love me?” I nod. “I love you,” Lift states. “You’re staying at the club.” I tilt my head. “You’re working for the club. So, why wait? If today has shown us anything, it’s that life’s too short to waste mucking around. Look at Tiny and Scratch. They took so long, so fucking long to get their shit together… and in the end, it was too late.” My stomach knots thinking of Tiny out there right now and the suffering she is going through. They were together for years, and Scratch missed out on claiming her because they waited.

  So why shouldn’t we?

  Why should I let this pass me by?

  A slow smile creeps up my face. “Yes!”

  Lift and Torque both laugh. “It’s not really something you say yes to, Lily. It’s more something we just do. You are mine, Elle.”

  I jolt my head back. “Elle?”

  Torque and Foxy smile like they know what’s happening. I, though, have no idea. “Like the letter L?”

  He chuckles. “No… E.L.L.E. as in Elle Woods.”

  I burst out laughing. “You’re comparing me to Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, the movie?”

  He raises his hands in surrender. “Hear me out. Just like Elle, people underestimated you. Yeah, you’re not the typical blonde like Elle, but that spark, the life she held within, her never-give-up attitude, I see that in you, Lily. The fight to be an attorney and a damn good one at that… to fight for the right people… that’s who you are. That’s what makes you Elle. That’s what makes you my Elle.”

  Pride swarms me, and I bite on my bottom lip.

  Torque and Foxy both nod in agreement.

  “You really see me that way?”

  Lift’s hand comes up against my cheek, and he smiles. “Yeah… I do.”

  I can’t help myself as I lean forward, slamming my lips to his. My body ignites like the Fourth of fucking July. Kissing Lift is the only thing I want to feel for the rest of the night. Torque and Foxy chuckle beside us as they both stand, leaving us kissing as they head for the door.

  “You have five minutes, no more. And if you fuck on this table, Lift, I’m gonna de-patch you. I fuckin’ mean it!”

  “Torque!” Foxy berates as they walk out closing the door to me giggling into Lift’s mouth. His hands slide down under my arms, and he hoists me up. I let out a squeal as my ass falls on the table. I’m giggling like an adolescent as he stands, the chair flies back as he moves between my legs, his lips finding mine again. Our tongues collide in such passion that I feel like I’m floating on air.

  Lift yanks me, my pussy slamming against him. His hard cock pressing on the seam of his jeans. My hands wrap around his neck, my fingers slide alongside the smoothness of his scalp as he leans into me on the table.

  Fuck, I want him.

  But I won’t disobey my president before I’ve even signed the damn contract.

  Lift’s going to have to wait until this party is over.

  But for the next three minutes, I’m going to kiss him like I damn well mean it.

  Lift’s weight leans over me. I know what he wants, and he’s willing to risk his patch for it, but I won’t let that happen. My legs wrap around his waist as we kiss frantically rocking back and forth together gaining delicious friction. My clit throbs so hard. I need him more than I’ve ever needed anyone, but I will stop this before it goes too far.

  The energy rushing between us is palpable, the surge bursts and ignites a fire inside of me that can only be doused by him. I can’t wait to get into our bedroom. I can’t wait to celebrate our joining together. Right now, as his hand slides between us, and as he squeezes my breast, I need to cool this down because if I don’t, I might not be able to.

  I don’t want to be responsible for what happens if we don’t.

  So, I pull back from the kiss, panting frantically, his lips falling to my neck and kissing along my collarbone. “Lift.”

  “Mmm…”

  Moving my hands to his chest, I slowly push.

  His head snaps up as he looks at me and stops. “Are you okay?”

  I push him back further.

  The tenting in his jeans is beyond obvious as he tries to catch his rushed breaths.

  “We have to stop.”

  He groans. “Torque was joking.”

  “I’m not taking that chance. Now put your boner away and help me down.” He grimaces but moves his hand out for me to take it, and I slide off the table. “Thank you.”

  Lift subtly rearranges his cock in his pants with a small groan, but he picks up the pen handing it to me. “I believe you have one more job to do before we leave.”

  I open the document to the last page and sign. I’m being hasty. I should read it first. I, of all people, know better than to sign something legal without checking it fully first. But of all the people in this place I trust, it’s Torque. He wouldn’t do wrong by me. Everything about this feels utterly one hundred percent right.

  “Let’s rejo
in the party,” I tell him.

  Lift nods, taking my hand and leads me back out into the clubroom where the party’s in full swing. I may be a newcomer to this club, but since I’ve been here, I believe I have made true friendships. Ones that are going to last a lifetime. Lift and I move over to the seats they call the summer camp tables, and we sit. He wraps his protective arm around me, and I feel like I’m home. I’m right where I’m meant to be.

  The Chicago Defiance clubhouse isn’t a dangerous place. Is there danger? Yeah, sure, when others bring it to them. But do they seek to find it? No.

  My eyes run around the crowded room to take in the party.

  Torque’s standing by the bar with Foxy in his arms swaying her back and forth. Their love is unlike anything I’ve ever known. They’re what I aspire Lift and I to be like years down the road. The rest of his family are with him—his mother, Freckles, and stepfather, Surge. His blood brother, Trax, his wife, Sparx, and the guys’ sister, Lala. Her husband, Pyro, stands with his best friend, Armor, and his Old Lady, Phoenix, and I wonder how it is that I’ve come to remember everyone’s names already. It’s like they’ve gotten under my skin, and they’re a part of me now, just like I suppose I am a part of them.

  Considering how I started out with this club, I’m surprised I’ve gotten to this point, but hell if I’m not glad that I have.

  Sensei and Sass walk past with Vibe and Rowdy. They’re all laughing, and my chest squeezes at seeing Rowdy laughing. She seems lighter. Happier now that Raphael has been disposed of. I think with him out of the picture, and the Warriors running with their tails between their legs, the club feels like that chapter is closed, and now a new one is opening. Even though we’re here for a sad reason tonight, and we’re celebrating the life of a fucking good man, the idea the club can come back from all of this is strong on everyone’s minds.

  We can rebuild.

  We can overcome.

  And with strength comes growth.

  With growth comes love.