Freedom to Ride - Resolution (Raven's MC)

FREEDOM TO RIDE

RESOLUTION

RAVENS MOTORCYCLE CLUB

By Suzanne Clark

Copyright Suzanne Clark June 2014

DEDICATION

Thank you to everyone who bought my debut novel FREEDOM TO RIDE and for the positive reviews. I hope you enjoy the sequel.

To my kids who make me smile every day and light up my dark days.

To my sister, Heather Atkinson, brilliant fellow independent author, who is a continual inspiration to me. Thanks also to my fab brother-in-law for his support.

To my fabulous parents who I hope I make proud and endeavour to follow in their mammoth footsteps.

Finally, to my home and heart - Scotland.

Suzanne Clark, 21st June 2014

CHAPTER 1

PRESENT DAY - SCOTLAND

Deanna stood, her whole body trembling, she was twitchy and nervous. Taking slow steadying breaths she tried to calm her rapid breathing as she heard a knock at the door.

“You ready Deanna? We need to help you into your dress. It’ll be starting soon,” shouted her best friend Megan. An excited squeal followed and Deanna smiled when she recognised her daughter’s voice.

“Come in,” Deanna called. Turning, she saw her friends Megan and Heather with her daughter, Holly.

“Oh my God. Holly, cover your eyes, you’re too young to see this,” Megan responded, jokingly covering Holly’s eyes as Heather chuckled.

“You look beautiful Deanna. Nate will have a shock when he sees you wearing that,” Heather complimented.

Deanna smiled as she turned back to face the floor length mirror in front of her, thankful that her nerves had eased now that her best friends and daughter were with her.

She stared at herself wearing the very sexy white lingerie, a surprise for Nate. It was made of delicate white lace and the bra pushed her chest upwards giving her an amazing amount of cleavage. She was wearing a matching thong, stockings and suspender belt.

“Arms up,” Heather ordered, as she carried Deanna’s two-part wedding outfit.

The top was a corset design, ivory with black and champagne piping. The skirt was tight around the top but flared down and outwards, giving her figure a fantastic hour glass shape. She’d wanted her dress to be a little different, especially as her normal clothes were now mainly black leather, thanks to her biker fiancé.

Deanna stood puffing as both Megan and Heather pulled the ties tight and laced up the back. When the skirt was fastened in place, Deanna stood looking at herself and was amazed at the transformation. She looked like a combination of a bride and a dominatrix, the thought making her chuckle.

Her long red curly hair was in a complicated up-do, with tendrils hanging down and white crystals threaded through it. A veil fell half way down her back and a bouquet of red roses and white lilies completed the result.

“Wow Deanna, you look . . ,” Megan couldn’t continue as tears clogged her throat.

Megan stared at her glowing best friend who was marrying the love of her life, Nathan Gunn, or Nate as all his friends called him, President of the Ravens Motorcycle Club that was based in Glasgow. Megan was so happy for them, especially after all the pain Deanna had suffered at the hands of her violent and mental ex-boyfriend Lee Walker, who was thankfully rotting away in prison serving his twelve year sentence.

“Mummy, you look like a princess,” said Holly, who was now an adorable two year old and had all the club members running around in circles after her. Holly was the real princess.

“Thank you sweetie. You look very beautiful too,” Deanna said as she crouched down, the dress tightening on her chest and making it hard to breathe, but not caring as she cradled her daughter. Holly looked extra cute in an ivory dress decorated with red flowers, her curly hair just like her mothers.

“Wait,” Heather interrupted, smiling cheekily at Deanna.

“What’ve you done? You’re turning more like Megan every day with those mischievous smiles.”

“Hey,” Megan said offended.

“What? Her smirk’s got me really worried. I know you too well” Deanna said. 

All of their joking around showed the deep affection they had for each other. Deanna would never forget how Megan had risked her own safety by helping her escape from her vicious ex-boyfriend.

Heather presented Deanna with a small wrapped gift box.

“Don’t look so worried. It’s just an extra thing that I know Nate will appreciate. It was actually Logan’s idea,” Heather smiled, thinking of her fiancé and Megan’s twin brother. Logan, the Ravens Vice President, had proposed to Heather on New Year’s Eve and they were planning a large Christmas wedding. Heather was now an official ‘Old Lady’ of the MC.

Deanna smiled her thanks and took the box warily, not sure what to expect, especially if it was Logan’s idea. As she lifted the lid, a giggle escaped her when she saw nestled in tissue paper a black leather garter. As she took it out of the box Megan chuckled.

“Oh yeah. Nate will definitely love that. I can just see him taking it off with his teeth. I’ll make sure I’ve got plenty of batteries in my camera,” Megan laughed.

Deanna thanked Heather as she leaned over, lifted her skirt and shimmied the garter up her thigh.

“Mummy, what is that for?” asked a very curious two year old.

“Erm . . ,” Deanna looked to her friends for help, who sniggered at Deanna’s hesitation.

“I’ll tell you when you’re older,” was all Deanna could think of as Megan and Heather chuckled.

“Shut up you two. What else am I supposed to say?” Deanna whispered, which only made them laugh harder.

Thankfully they were interrupted by a knock at the door and Deanna shouted for the person to come in, glancing at the clock she saw that it was getting close to the start of the ceremony.

“Hey you two. Holly, where’s your Ma? We’re about to start . . ,” Ethan, Nate’s older brother and soon to be her brother-in-law, trailed off as he caught sight of Deanna and his eyes popped out.

“Jesus, doll. What’ve you got on? You’re gonna give my brother a heart attack wearing that.”

“You haven’t seen what’s underneath it either,” said Megan.

“Oi you two, knock it off, or you can try explaining to Holly,” Deanna said good-naturedly whilst glancing at Holly who, bless her, was looking up at the adults completely confused.

Ethan coughed to clear his throat, still shaken by how gorgeous his sister-in-law looked.

“You’ll make him proud Deanna. Even though I am curious . . ,” Ethan asked, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively as Deanna pinched him on the arm and smiled, guessing what he was thinking.

As Deanna gazed fondly at her brother-in-law she remembered when Nate had struggled to decide who he wanted to be his best man. He was very close to both his older brother Ethan and his best friend and VP, Logan. So Deanna had intervened.

She had no father - she thought he’d disappeared when she was a teenager. It was during the savage attack by her ex months before that she’d found out the truth. Lee had gleefully claimed that he’d killed her father years ago to avenge his mum. His mother had committed suicide after Deanna’s father ended their affair when he met and fell in love with Deanna’s mum.

The only suitable person Deanna really looked up to, and had a deep respect for, was Ethan and they’d developed a close relationship. Deanna and Holly had been welcomed into the family by him from the beginning, so she’d asked Nate if Ethan could give her away.

When they’d both approached Ethan and asked him, he’d been delighted which meant Nate was able to ask Logan, his loyal VP, to be his best man.

“Right, come on then. Show’s about to start,” Ethan said, interrupting her thoughts, as he led the way with Deanna on his arm.

Holly walked behind the pair clutching her basket of flowers and Megan and Heather followed excitedly looking elegant in their flattering red bridesmaid dresses.

They made their way from the dressing room and walked through the now quiet majestic Stirling Castle, the castle presently closed to tourists.

Nate had booked the venue as surprise for her, knowing that the club’s charity run to Stirling the previous summer had been a memorable weekend for her. She’d walked around the castle in awe and had been delighted when she’d seen a banner advertising weddings. Her fabulous fiancé, and soon-to-be husband, had remembered this and had given her an extra special Christmas present when he’d told her of the plans he’d made.

As it was the end of June the weather was really warm and she was looking forward to having their wedding photos taken outside and around the castle.

They came to a halt outside the restored sixteenth century Great Hall where the ceremony and wedding reception were to take place. As Deanna stood taking deep breaths Ethan squeezed her hand and she turned to look up at him.

“You ready?” he asked her quietly.

“Yes. I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time,” she smiled.

A bagpiper was stood waiting nearby and greeted them as he moved the pipes into position and began to play a beautiful and stirring melody. The Great Hall’s massive doors opened and they walked inside, the piper leading the way.

Deanna glanced around the cavernous room that was decorated with flowers, candles glowing in sconces on the walls and huge candelabras lit with dozens more candles. It was early evening and the descending sun shone through the stained glass windows, but so many candles were still needed to light the colossal gothic room. Her high heeled shoes clicked on the old stone floor as they walked between the rows of seats filled with all the club members and their smiling families.

Deanna looked forwards to the raised dais platform at the front and her eyes focused on Nate standing beside Logan. She broke into a huge grin as Nate stood proud in full Scottish regalia of his clan’s green and blue tartan kilt, his thickly muscled legs magnificently displayed. A black jacket, waistcoat and white shirt emphasised his muscular build and finished with a tartan fly plaid across one shoulder, fastened with a large Celtic brooch. The whole outfit making him look like a powerful highland warrior.

He had an intimidating presence due to his gigantic size, but from the day Deanna met Nate she had not once felt any reason to fear him. Inside he had a gentle soul but was fiercely protective and loyal to the people he cared about. He stood confidently, towering over everyone else in the room, his black hair tousled and as she got closer the gold in his dark eyes glowed brightly, a devastating smile lighting up his handsome face when he saw her for the first time. He looked spectacular and he was about to become all hers.

When Nate turned and caught sight of Deanna he gasped, he couldn’t believe just how beautiful she looked as she walked towards him on his brother’s arm. She always looked stunning to him, but she simply took his breath away. He stood tall and honored and was desperate for her to become his wife.

Deanna was wrapped in Nate’s strong arms as they stood gripping each other, swaying to the slow music playing in the background. The evening celebration was also being held in the Great Hall and everyone was now partying into the night.

They had already enjoyed a huge banquet feast, the room transformed with dozens of tables lit with candles and spot lights. The glowing atmosphere inside the mammoth room had made the celebration almost magical and an experience everyone would remember.

It had been an impressive sight with most of the other club members in similar tartan outfits, as it was rare to see so many of the men without their leathers and MC cut.

Nate had been excited as he’d shown off his jewel encrusted Sgian Dubh held in his sock brace, the other men pulling out their own traditional small knives to compare them. When things got a little out of control as they played around boyishly, Alice - Nate and Ethan’s mum - had scolded them, telling them to knock it off as it was dangerous with all the kids about. The men had sulkily walked away, their knives confiscated by Alice.

They’d been dancing for hours and most of the children had disappeared to bed at nearby hotels, whilst the adults that were able remained and partied hard.

She looked up into Nate’s face and was overwhelmed with happiness to know this magnificent man was her husband.

“You okay babe?” Nate asked in his extremely deep voice, his rich Glaswegian accent always sent shivers down her spine.

“Yes, it’s been a wonderful day,” she sighed as she snuggled into his warm chest.

“Aye it has. You look beautiful. I love this dress. But I can’t wait to see you without it later. Logan mentioned something . . .”

“Hmmm. . . I forgot I hadn’t thanked him for that,” she replied sarcastically, hearing a chuckle behind her as Logan and Heather danced past, having heard their conversation.

“What?” Nate asked confused.

“Never mind, you’ll find out later,” Deanna responded as she scowled playfully at Logan, but he just laughed harder. Logan had actually been the person who’d help push Nate and Deanna together, so Deanna had him to thank and he’d become like a brother to her.