Page 91 of Monk

Conversations stopped mid-sentence. Laughter died. Heads turned.

I caught Shadow’s eye across the yard and gave him a subtle nod. He smirked, that knowing, dangerous smirk that said he knew exactly what was about to happen. Then he ducked into the clubhouse without a word as Kansas stepped forward, his presence commanding immediate attention. “Alright, you fuckers,” I shouted, my voice carrying across the compound. “Shut the fuck up!”

The music cut off abruptly. Silence fell over the yard like a blanket. Every eye turned toward us. Brothers, ol’ ladies, prospects, even the kids who’d been running around moments before.

Kansas stood beside me, his expression serious now, his hands resting on his hips.

“Brothers,” he began, his voice steady and strong. “Sisters. Family.” He paused, letting the weight of that word settle. “Seven years ago, this club was destroyed,” Kansas said, his voice roughening. “When one of our own destroyed our home and slaughtered our brothers. He tried to erase us from existence.”

I felt my jaw tighten at the memories clawing their way to the surface. The bodies. The blood. The screams.

“But we survived,” Kansas continued. “Only, we weren’t living. We were ghosts. Walking through the motions. Barely holding on.” He looked at Kali, standing near the fire pit with Vivi and Abigail. His expression softened. “And then Kali showed up,” he said quietly. “And everything changed.”

Kali’s eyes filled with tears, and her hand pressed to her chest.

“The love of a real woman,” Kansas said, his voice growing stronger, “can change even the blackest of hearts. It can pull you out of the darkness. It can make you believe in something again.”

He turned to me, his hand landing heavy on my shoulder. “Being an ol’ lady to a Diamondback ain’t easy,” Kansas said, his gaze sweeping across the crowd. “It means standing beside a man who lives outside the law. It means loving a man who’s got blood on his hands and demons in his head.”

The brothers started shouting in agreement, their voices rising in a chorus of “Hell yeah!” and “Damn right!”

Kansas grinned.

“It means being strong enough to handle the chaos,” he continued. “Being fierce enough to stand your ground. Being loyal enough to never walk away, no matter how hard it gets.”

He looked at me, his expression serious.

“Only the strongest women can love a Diamondback,” Kansas said. “And tonight, we’re claiming one of those women.”

The brothers erupted—shouting, whistling, clapping. My heart slammed once, hard. Shadow appeared at my side, materializing out of the clubhouse like a ghost. In his hands was a leather cut. Black leather. Soft and supple. And on the back, stitched in bold white letters, was a single patch:PROPERTY OF MONK.

I took it from him, my hands trembling slightly as I held it. From across the yard, Kali and Vivi moved toward Lina. She looked confused, her eyes wide, her hands clasped in frontof her. Kali took one arm. Vivi took the other. And together, they walked her toward me. Lina’s gaze locked on mine, her expression a mixture of confusion, hope, and fear. When she stopped in front of me, close enough that I could smell her perfume, I couldn’t breathe.

God, she’s so fucking beautiful.

I looked down at the cut in my hands, then back up at her. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes,” I said, my voice rough and unsteady.

The crowd went silent. Every eye was on us.

“I’ve hurt people,” I continued. “I’ve done things I’m not proud of. I’ve been a coward when I should have been brave.”

Lina’s eyes filled with tears.

“I should have done this seven years ago,” I said, my throat tightening. “I should have put this cut on your back the moment I knew I loved you. I should have claimed you in front of everyone and told the whole fucking world you were mine.”

A tear slipped down her cheek.

“But I didn’t,” I said. “And I can’t change that. I can’t go back and fix the past.”

I stepped closer, holding the cut out between us.

“But I can do it now,” I said. “I can stand here in front of my brothers, my family, and tell you that you are mine. That you’ve always been mine. That I love you more than I’ve ever loved anything in this world.”

Lina’s breath hitched, her hand covering her mouth.

“Carolina Wilcox,” I said, my voice steady now. “You ready to be my ol’ lady?”

She nodded, tears streaming down her face now. “Yes,” she whispered. “Yes.”