Bride by Initiation: Secret Society Mafia Marriage Pact (The Underworld Book 1)
Bride by Initiation: Chapter 27

The SUV pulls up to a strip club. The pink neon sign blinks: LEGS.

I groan. ‘Seriously?’

Brax’s mischievous grin lights up his face. ‘You didn’t think we’d go somewhere lame, did you?’

My stomach flips. I’ve never enjoyed going to strip clubs. It’s not that I won’t go, but I’d rather have my own woman grinding on me than a stranger who does it for any man who’ll wave a few bills at her. But Brax loves them. So we’ve had plenty of crazy nights out at clubs.

Now that I’m married, this isn’t a great situation to put me in. I suggest, ‘Why don’t we go somewhere else?’

He grunts. ‘No way. This is your bachelor party, not a dinner with your pregnant wife.’

I jerk my head backward. ‘Zara’s not pregnant.’

‘I’m just giving an example of things to come,’ he states.

My gut flips, and I scowl, staring at the sign.

Brax opens his door. ‘Let’s go. Time’s ticking. The boys are inside.’

I begrudgingly slide out of the car.

We enter the seedy establishment, and the thick air hits me in the face. The stench that seems to be a staple in strip clubs flares in my nostrils.

The music pumps loudly, and Brax slaps cash on the counter for our cover charge. He pushes me through the door.

There are eight stages with barely-dressed women dancing around poles.

‘Ah, there they are,’ Brax declares, pointing at dozens of my cousins and friends. Women surround them, all fighting for their money.

I mutter, ‘This is going to be a shit show.’

‘The best of the best,’ Brax boasts, giving me a look that makes me cringe inside. I used to love that expression. Now that I’m married, nothing good will happen if I’m involved in whatever is going through his head.

L.J., Mikhail, Kian, and Romeo all have women on their laps. We approach them, and they’re grinning like idiots.

I taunt, ‘Don’t come in your pants, lads.’

L.J. glances over, replying, ‘About time you showed up.’

A server beams at us. ‘Can I get you a drink?’

‘Jameson,” I state.

‘Bring the bottle,’ Brax orders.

I sit beside him, and women start making a beeline for us. Blondes, brunettes, redheads, white, Black, Latino, Asian, and Middle Eastern strippers all circle us like vultures, fighting for our attention and money.

Brax slaps a big wad down on the table, making it worse.

I groan. ‘Jesus.’

‘Lighten up, Sean, it’s your bachelor party,’ he replies.

The server brings over a bottle and fills two tumblers.

I pick one up.

Brax holds his out to me. ‘To married life.’

I clink his glass and then drink half of mine, cringing as the liquid scorches down my throat and into my stomach.

More women appear, and the air thickens from their heavy perfumes.

Brax tries to buy me several lap dances.

I deny each one; I’m not interested. The only one I want on my lap is Zara. But I do make a note of several of the women’s outfits that would look way hotter on my wife. So I need to get to the lingerie store.

Several hours pass. I’m polite to the women but always turn them down.

Brax entertains several of them, as do my cousins. A redhead grinds on him, and a blonde rubs his shoulders.

Suddenly, I hear Byrne’s voice come from beside me. ‘Looks like you’re passing the test, lad.’

The hairs on my arms rise, and I glance up.

He slides into the seat next to me and holds his glass out, commenting, ‘Looks like your boys are celebrating something.’

Brax nods. ‘Aye. Except Sean isn’t having any fun.’

‘I’m already married,’ I remind him, glancing at my other cousins.

They barely notice Byrne. They’re too entwined with the women on their laps.

I refocus on Byrne, questioning, ‘What tests are you talking about?’

He takes a big mouthful of whiskey and leans closer. ‘Loyalty to your wife.’

I lock eyes with him, snapping, ‘I’m always loyal to her. And I’m always going to be.’

He nods in approval. ‘That’s right. So you pass the test.’

I glance at Brax, accusing, ‘You set me up.’

He holds his hands in the air, offering, ‘Sorry, mate. He made me.’

‘Brax, go get a private dance,’ Byrne orders.

‘Now?’ he questions.

‘Yeah, now.’

‘Excuse me, ladies. I need to share the love,’ Brax says, helping them off him and then rising to his feet.

They whine.

He picks up some bills and curls his finger at two other women. They bounce over to him and disappear into a private room with some of my other cousins.

I turn toward Byrne.

He leans closer. ‘It’s time to go, son.’

‘Where?’

‘Out the back door so others don’t know you’re leaving. There’s a door down the hall, past the bathroom. I’m going to go now. You wait five minutes.’

My chest tightens, and my heart races faster. I state, ‘I don’t like surprises.‘

Byrne shrugs. ‘Sorry. That’s the way these things work.’ He winks, finishes his drink, and gets up. ‘Congrats on your nuptials. I hope you and the missus are happy.’

‘Thanks.’

Byrne disappears.

L.J. glances over, asking, ‘Who is that?’

‘Just some guy I’ve met a few times. No biggie. I need to go to the men’s room,’ I tell him, but he doesn’t care. He’s too interested in the woman grinding her pussy next to his cock.

I pass the bathroom and replace the exit door. I glance behind me, to make sure no one’s looking, turn the handle, and sneak outside.

Byrne’s waiting in a black Mustang. I slide into the passenger seat, and he pulls through the alley.

I question, ‘Where are we going?’

‘To the airport.’

I snort. ‘Of course we’re going to the airport. Let me rephrase my question. Once we’re on the plane, where are we going?’

‘You’ll see,’ he says, his lips twitching.

‘Do you ever get used to this? The secrecy’s annoying,’ I add.

He shrugs. ‘Doesn’t bother me.’

Annoyed, I sit back in the seat and shake my head.

He glances at me, ordering, ‘Calm down, son. Nothing bad’s going to happen.’

I fume, ‘You said that last time, and a man tried to swing his dick in my wife’s face.’

He nods. ‘Aye. But you took care of it, didn’t you?‘

I freeze. ‘You knew that would happen?’

‘No. But you took care of it. You didn’t interrupt the ceremony on stage, and you didn’t kill him. Yet you put him in his place. That was the right thing to do. If you’d killed him, well, that would’ve had dire consequences.’ He refocuses on the road.

A chill runs through my bones. I admit, ‘I could have killed him. It was hard to hold myself back.’

‘But you exercised restraint,’ Byrne adds, pulling into the private airport and parking next to a plane.

I open my door, step onto the tarmac, and shut the door.

He rolls down the window and calls out, ‘Have a good time.’

I turn back. ‘You’re not coming?’

‘Nope.’

My gut flips faster. ‘Why?’

‘Not my place. See you soon.’ He revs the engine and drives off.

I take a deep breath, then walk up the stairs and into the plane, wondering what’s in store for me. I step inside the cabin and freeze.

Zara’s lips twitch when she sees me.

I grin. ‘What are you doing here?’

‘No idea. I’m sure you know just as much as I do, which is nothing,’ she chirps.

I chuckle and sit down. I lean over and kiss her.

She retreats, her eyes turning to slits. ‘Why do you smell like perfume?’

I groan. ‘Brax took me to the strip club.’

Her cheeks redden. She sneers, ‘Well, that was nice of him.‘

I grunt. ‘Don’t worry, I just fended women off all night.’

She mumbles, ‘Sure you did.’

I slide my hand through her hair and tug her head back.

She gasps.

I lean over her face. ‘Don’t worry, my little brat. You’re the only one whose pussy I want rubbing against my cock.’

She bites her lip, trying to hold back her smile.

I kiss her forehead, her nose, then her lips. I flick my tongue against hers until that ache grows within me.

The pilot comes on the speaker. ‘Please put your seat belts on. We aren’t going far, but it’s a little rocky tonight.’

I release her, grab her seat belt, secure it, then do the same for mine. I pick up her hand and kiss the back of it, asking, ‘So, where did you go?’

She answers, ‘To that new club called The Wave.’

‘And how many guys hit on you?’

She smirks. ‘A lot, but I’m not sure it beat out the naked women trying to grind all over you.’

‘But no one did,’ I state.

She stares at me. ‘You didn’t have any lap dances?’

I confess, ‘No. I hate those places.’

She scoffs. ‘Sure you do.’

I pin her with my gaze, and with my most serious voice, I assert, ‘I do hate those places. Ask Brax.’

She huffs. ‘Right. I’m sure Brax is going to tell me the truth,’ she says sarcastically. ‘It’s bros before hoes with you two.‘

‘I’m not lying, Zara. There’s only one woman I want rubbing against me, and it’s you.’

She briefly studies me, and she must see the truth in my eyes because she smiles. ‘Well, that’s good.’

I kiss the back of her hand again. ‘Yeah. So what do you think this is all about?’

‘My guess is as good as yours.’

The plane takes off and rises into the air, but not very high. The turbulence hits, and the plane shakes hard. After only fifteen minutes, the pilot announces, ‘We’ll be on the ground shortly.’ The landing gear lowers, and within minutes, we’re back on the ground.

Zara mutters, ‘Wow, that was quick,’ then she takes a nervous breath.

I stroke my thumb over the back of her hand, declaring, ‘Everything will be fine.’

She turns, smiles, and softly states, ‘I know. I’m glad you’re with me, though.’

‘Me too,’ I admit, my heart beating harder.

When the plane has come to a complete stop, we unbuckle our seat belts and get up. I lead her off the plane and through a dark hall, similar to the ones we always seem to go down. When we get to the end of it, I put my hand on the knob and pause. I offer, ‘Should we run back to the plane?’

Her eyes widen. ‘I think we’d be in trouble if we did that.’

‘Do you think anyone ever has?’ I question.

She laughs. ‘Probably not. But I don’t think we should be the first ones.’

‘I suppose you’re right. Are you ready, my pulse?’

She nods.

I kiss her hand again and then open the door.

A low drumming fills the air. Candles flicker all over the room. There’s a massage table and a chair with a table attached to it.

Seven couples line up across from one another. Women stand next to the massage table in little black dresses and soft pink stilettos. Their hair is wrapped in messy buns and their backs face us. All their brands pop with the same pink roses and shading as my father’s.

The men wear black suits and ties that match the women’s shoes. They face the chair and hold their closed fist to their chest. Their brands are prominently displayed, also colored like my father’s.

Valentina stands between the table and the chair. She beams at us.

The hairs on my arms rise. I tug Zara closer to me, still not trusting Valentina, even if she is my wife’s cousin. Zara may not have any reservations about her, but I’m not letting my guard down.

The drumming stops.

Valentina chirps, ‘Welcome to the Ritual of Color and Shadows.’

Zara puts her hand on my thigh, as if to steady herself.

I ask, ‘What does that mean?’

Valentina’s expression brightens. She announces, ‘It means you’ve earned the right to move up a level, but we’re not going to stretch out your phases. There are two seats at the table that other members desire to fill. The vacancies need to be filled on the seventh moon, which is right around the corner.’

My mouth turns dry. I’ve read and re-read the rulebook too many times to count. There may be 666 seats, but it’s rare that one becomes available, much less two.

Zara squeezes my hand tighter and pins her blues to my greens.

Valentina continues, ‘The Omni have decided you’ll get your pink color and shadows tonight. It’s rare for anyone to get granted the Ritual of Color and Shadows, but you have approval. It’s normally one ritual at a time, so the Omni are especially happy with you and your choices.’

Pride radiates from Zara.

Valentina points to the massage table. ‘Zara, lie on your stomach. Sean, sit in the chair and put your hand on the table.’

Zara and I don’t say anything, quietly taking our positions as instructed, but I grab her hand.

She smirks, stating, ‘Don’t worry. You can squeeze my hand as hard as you need to, Sean.’

I chuckle. ‘I think you’re going to have to squeeze mine harder.’

‘We’ll see about that,’ she challenges.

I laugh, excited that my brand will now match my father’s, and ecstatic we’re moving up a level. We’re one step closer to our seats at the table, and I couldn’t be prouder that my wife is at my side.