The MC President's Forsaken Wife (Zara and Knox) novel Chapter 338

Chapter 155 2

Chapter 165-2

25 Port

You heard the boss,” Locke says beside me, his large hand gently pressing against my shoulder,

pinning me pleasantly to his side. “You’re taking a long weekend.”

“But I’m fine, really,” I say.

“You’re taking the break because you deserve it,” Dad says firmly, leaning down to press a quick kiss to the top of my head, right over my flower crown. “You fought hard to get here. Today, you just enjoy your family, eat your cake, and let us take care of you. Clear?”

I look around the circle, from my Dad’s unyielding gaze, to Mayhem and Jade grinning like idiots, to

Locke holding me close.

“Clear,” I say with a smile, leaning back into Locke’s chest. “No work until Monday.”

“That’s what I thought,” Dad says, turning back to the bar.

Tucker and Rook wander over, each dragging a chair from the card table to form a loose

semi-circle around the fireplace. Big Mac sets a giant tray of leftover cake and cupcakes down on

the center coffee table.

“So, mandatory question time,” Tucker says, grinning as he grabs a pink cupcake. “What does our queen do with her free time when she’s not tearing down Knox’s drug supply line, or fixing carburetors, or kicking cancer’s ass?”

“Honestly?” I say, adjusting the flower crown. “I don’t even know anymore. I haven’t had a completely free afternoon without worrying about something for… oh, man. For ages.”

“S, here’s what you do,” Jade says immediately. “You binge-watch terrible reality TV, you sit in the sun, and you let Locke bring you food on a tray.”

“I can handle the food on a tray part,” Locke says.

“You need to get out on the road,” Bear says. “Once your strength is fully back, you and Locke take a weekend run up through the ridge. No business, no patch drama. Just bikes, open sky, and clean

mountain air.”

A murmur of agreement ripples through the guys. Even Bishop nods slowly in his rocking chair.

“A ridge run,” I repeat, the thought sending an unexpected spike of longing through my chest. “It’s been so long since I felt the wind hit my face on the highway.”

“We’ll make it happen,” Locke says. “That’s a promise, baby.”

“That’s perfect,” Dad says. “You haven’t been on a bike in – what? A year?”

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“Art takes time, man,” Mayhem declares grandly, lining up his shot with excessive dramatics. “And perfection cannot be rushed.”

He hits the cue ball, sending it crackling off two cushions before completely missing the eight ball and knocking the white straight into the corner pocket.

The whole room erupts into absolute chaos. Brick roars with victory, while Bear and Big Mac howl with laughter so hard, Mac nearly drops his plate. Mayhem stands there in total disbelief, staring at the empty pocket while Jade covers her face, shaking her head in affectionate embarrassment.

I lean back into Locke’s broad chest, laughing until my sides ache, the warm ambient heat of the fireplace spilling over us. In this room, surrounded by leather, cake, and unconditional love, the dark shadow of the past few months feels entirely defeated.

Mayhem suddenly looks at me with a massive, victorious smile despite his loss.

“Hey Zarabug… he didn’t know this, but Brick’s winning fifty dollars is going toward your celebratory dinner tonight. We’re ordering those fucking huge seafood platters.”

“You hear that, Locke?” I say, leaning further back into Locke’s warm chest. “We’re eating lobster

tonight.”

“Whatever the queen wants,” Locke says. “And that’s anything at all.”

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