Chapter Nine
Zeke
I ’VE BEEN A fully patched member of the Dirty Slayers MC for almost three months now. In that time, I’ve gotten all of my certification through trade school and now work full time at Calhoun’s. Omen opened a bike restoration and custom build shop before I joined with the club’s backing. I’ve been working with him since I got here. I didn’t want to work at Rooster’s garage because it felt as if I were replacing someone. Rooster has a full crew and it just didn’t feel right. Omen needed the help, so I chose to go with him. I’m happy there and can’t wait to get to work each day. Especially when we get to build custom bikes and make each one our own. I knew I wanted to work in something like this, but it exceeds my dreams by a million times.
Brick is still constantly searching for Melissa. Each time he gets some sort of lead, it ends up being nothing. Rooster has even put in calls to other clubs we have a friendly rapport with and asked them to keep an eye out for her. No one has seen her and I’m not sure if she’s okay or anything. That’s the hardest part of this entire situation. I don’t know if my girl is okay, alive, buried in some unmarked grave, or anything else. If I knew what the hell was going on with her, that she was happy wherever she is, I might be okay. I’d still want her here with me, but I would leave her be if I knew she was okay.
Brenda is still a pain in my ass. She’s at the clubhouse on a daily basis and trying to get up all in my business. If any woman is even close to me, Brenda throws a fucking fit. She acts as if she’s my ol’ lady and that’s most definitely not the case. If I were going to have an ol’ lady, it wouldn’t be anyone but Melissa. She’s my girl and always will be. Brenda can fuck all the way off and leave me the hell alone. Something I’ve tried to tell her more than once to no avail. She doesn’t listen to a word I say unless it’s something she wants to hear. Hell, she’s constantly trying to bring me drinks, and they’re always open. I don’t accept open drinks from anyone. None of us do. When I don’t take the drink from Brenda, she always gets pissed. It just makes me wonder what’s in the drink to make her so mad.
Today, I’m at work, putting the pieces of our latest custom bike together. It’s already been worked out, taken apart, and painted. Now we just have to assemble everything and do the wiring before we can fire it up. That’s the best part of making a custom bike. Seeing your vision come to life and rumble the throaty sound only a bike we make can get. I’m sure others make it happen, but every time we fire a bike up, pride fills me because everything went to plan and our dreams are coming true.
We don’t have a large crew here at the bike shop, but I like everyone here. Including the two who work in the showroom. Their only job is selling our merchandise and the bikes we have on display there. It’s not a lot, but we do have more than a handful of bikes we’ve made that weren’t for any specific reason. Omen and I are usually the ones working together while everyone else works on something else. On top of being best friends, we work amazing together. I know what Omen’s going to do before he does it and he can say the same about me.
“Homicide, why don’t you run into town and get some lunch for us? I’ve already called in an order, it just needs to be picked up. Didn’t get drinks so you should be able to fit everythin’ in your saddle bags,” Omen asks me, walking in from the showroom.
“On it. Don’t do anythin’ with this until I get back. I’m tryin’ to get the exhaust on correctly,” I inform him, a smile on my face.
Omen and I always finish one another’s work here in the shop. Just something else we’ve done since I started working here.
Leaving the shop, I head straight for my bike. Strapping on my helmet, I straddle my bike and start the engine. I don’t waste time in the parking lot with my stomach growling in hunger. As usual, I got lost in my work and didn’t realize how late in the day it was. Pulling out, I make my way to the deli we usually order lunch from. No, Omen didn’t tell me where he got our lunch, but it’s pretty much the same thing on a daily basis. We all order from the deli because they have the best subs and cookies I’ve ever tasted in my life. We’ve got drinks and chips back at the shop so we only need the cookies and subs. There’s more than enough room in my saddle bags to fit them. Especially since I just cleaned them out from all the shit I accumulated in there over the last week.
As I ride through town, something catches my eye and I slow down to pull over against the curb. Walking down the street toward me is a face I haven’t seen since leaving Mirfield. Since before the attack on me. Jace. He’s looking around him as he walks toward me without a care in the world. My heart is beating rapidly in my chest and my breaths are practically pants as I realize he might have the information I need about Melissa. I don’t know how long it’s been since he left Mirfield, or what he’s doing here, but I plan on finding out.
“Jace?” I call out, my voice causing him to turn his head in my direction as I remove my helmet.
“Zeke?” he returns, his steps quickening as he makes his way over to me.
Zeke continues looking at me as if I have two heads instead of just one. I get it. I’m sure he’s been under the assumption that I’m dead and he shouldn’t be seeing me right now. However, I’m standing here in front of him as alive and breathing as he is.
By the time he’s at my side, I’m off my bike and standing next to it. Reaching out, I shake his hand and take in his appearance. He’s definitely put on some muscle since I last saw him and changed his look. When we were in school, you never saw him in anything but creased pants and polo shirts with loafers on his feet. His hair was always styled and not a single wrinkle was in his clothing. Now, he’s wearing jeans, a tee-shirt, and pair of boots on his feet. It looks as if he’s done nothing but run his fingers through his hair with how disheveled it is.
“What are you doin’ here?” I ask Jace as we step back.
“Had to get out of Mirfield. I can’t go into details here, but it wasn’t good, Zeke,” he tells me and now I’m curious as to what the hell happened. Especially if it involves Melissa.
“Will you tell me if I take you somewhere we can talk?” I question him, needing to know what he knows about Melissa and the entire situation.
“Of course. You need to know what the hell is goin’ on,” he returns, a sad smile on his face.
“Follow me. I gotta grab lunch and then we’ll head back to the shop. We can find somewhere to talk there. My best friend Omen will probably listen in,” I warn him now.
“He trustworthy?” Jace questions, raising an eyebrow at me.
“He is. I joined an MC here and they’re all great guys. Have had my back since the day I got to town. I wouldn’t bring any of them in on this if I didn’t trust them. Omen is who I’m closest to also,” I assure him, my voice leaving no room for argument. “Where did you park?”
“My bike is up by the deli,” Jace answers me.
“Perfect. That’s where I’m headin’. Meet me there.”
Getting back on my bike, I head for the deli. Jace walks back down and is sitting on his bike by the time I make my way back out with our order. Together, we leave the deli’s parking lot and he follows me to the shop. Jace backs his bike in next to me and shuts his engine down as I do the same. Jace helps me grab the order from my saddle bags and we head in the shop. Everyone is waiting for us in the showroom. Omen looks from Jace to me and back again.
“Jace, follow me,” I tell him, taking my sub and cookie with me as I lead him to the storeroom of the shop.
Omen is hot on our heels as we enter. He shuts the door and locks it behind him before stepping up next to me.
“What’s goin’ on, Homicide? Who is this?” Omen questions me, alert and ready for anything to happen.
“This is Jace. Remember the guy I was lookin’ for when we handled that shit? This is him,” I answer my best friend.
“Gotcha. Where did you find him?” Omen returns, not taking his eyes off Jace.
“When I was on my way to the deli. He was walkin’ down the street. Needs to talk to me but couldn’t do it out in the open. Jace, what’s goin’ on?” I say, turning my attention to him as I unwrap my sub.
“I don’t know what all happened that day, but I know what I saw a week later wasn’t anythin’ good. Melissa was locked in the basement and tortured for a week. Her body was covered in bruises, cuts, open wounds, and blood when I was told to get her and take her up into her room. She had been strapped to the table for a fuckin’ week and I had no clue. I wasn’t allowed down there all of a sudden and wasn’t about to go up against Venom. You know how he gets when his orders aren’t followed,” Jace says, his voice filled with regret and guilt.
“Are you fuckin’ kiddin’ me right now? They beat and tortured my girl for a fuckin’ week?” I bark out, losing my appetite immediately.
“They did. As soon as I had her in her room at the clubhouse, I made sure the door was locked and went back out in the common room. I wanted to gut every fuckin’ asshole in there. Venom told me they had to go to a meetin’ and they all took off. I got my ass in gear and made shit happen. I got ahold of Oaklynn and told her what little I knew of the situation and that I was gettin’ ready to send Melissa her way. Then, I went and packed two bags of her shit from her dad’s house, grabbed her purse, and got together a bag of snacks and stuff.
“When I got back, Melissa was tryin’ to get out of bed and almost fell face first into her nightstand. I managed to save her and get her into the bathroom. She did what she had to do and then I got her dressed. When we left, I put her on a bus to Oaklynn and made sure she had a burner phone so I could make sure nothin’ happened to her. Then, I went in the opposite direction in case someone was followin’ us. She was in bad fuckin’ shape, Zeke. I’ve been roamin’ around, not stayin’ in one place for too long while avoidin’ Venom and the rest of the club since then,” Jace informs us, his voice not getting any better the more he talks. “I’ve got pictures of what they did to her. No, I’m not showin’ you them either. It’s not fuckin’ pretty and the last thing you need to see.”
“Well, you don’t have to worry about Venom or anyone else anymore, Jace. I took care of all of them. Well, I didn’t get my hands on Mad Dog, but everyone else is gone. Where is Melissa now? Is she okay? Are you still in contact?” I question him, needing to know the answers to my questions.
“First, I wanna know how the fuck you’re alive and standin’ in front of me right now. As far as Melissa knows, you’re dead. She’s cried every fuckin’ day since this all happened. Oaklynn is really worried about her,” Jace states, staring me down.
“Well, after I got jumped by those bitches, I ended up bein’ buried alive. I don’t even know if Melissa saw that part of what happened. All I know is I dug myself out of the shallow grave, found her car keys, and then made it to a farmer’s house on the outskirts of town. He let me stay with him for about a month while I recovered from the injuries and then I ended up here. I’ve been with the club since I rolled into town almost a year ago,” I answer Jace, not going into details. “Now, what about Melissa?”
“She’s okay. As okay as she can be with thinkin’ you’re dead and shit. Every day is a fuckin’ trial for her to get through. She’s got a job, is stayin’ with Oaklynn, and is goin’ to school online. There’s somethin’ else I should probably tell you, but it’s not my place. Melissa needs to be the one to tell you. I’d tell ya if I could, but this isn’t somethin’ that I can, Zeke.
“She’s been hidin’ out from her father. He’s been makin’ her life a livin’ hell since she took off. Melissa always manages to give them the slip, but he’s made it impossible for her to get a normal job. Spread all sorts of lies about her, stalked her, and random bikes kept showin’ up all over Miller Point. She’s scared of her own fuckin’ shadow and barely leaves the cottage she shares with Oaklynn,” Jace tells us, keeping his eyes locked on me as he talks. “You’re sure everyone but Mad Dog is gone? No one will be lookin’ for her but him? What about the asshole who bought her? Is he searchin’ for her too?”
“I don’t know about her buyer. My President knows him and I’m gonna ask him to make a call to find out what’s goin’ on there. Mad Dog is the only one left. I slit their throats and decapitated Venom. Didn’t even know what the fuck I was doin’ when it happened. I want to see Melissa, Jace. Tell me where in Miller Point she is. It’s not too far from here,” I demand, my heart racing and my entire body trembling with the thought of seeing my girl.
“Not yet, Zeke. Melissa is gonna need some time. Let me tell her you’re alive and then get her to come here to you. If you spring this on her, it could do more harm than good. This isn’t somethin’ she’s gonna handle hearin’ well. If she just sees you, forget it. She’ll lose her damn mind,” Jace states, crossing his arms over his chest so I know he’s not going to budge on this.
Everything in me is telling me to fucking rip him apart limb from limb. To make him give me the information I want about my girl. Instead, Omen places a hand on my shoulder and keeps me locked down tight. He knows when I’m about to fly off the handle and lose my mind.
“Jace . . .,” I begin saying before Omen cuts me off.
“He’s right, Homicide. Let him talk to Melissa and find out where her head is. He can let her know you’re alive and where you’re at now. Then, when she’s gone through processin’ that shit, she can come to you. Maybe it will be easier to talk her into movin’ here if she sees everythin’ you got goin’ on here. Jace, what are your plans now?” Omen asks, looking at the man standing before us.
“I don’t have any plans. Like I said, I’ve just been movin’ from one town to the next in an attempt to stay ahead of Venom and everyone else. I was actually gettin’ ready to leave here when I ran into Zeke, or Homicide, a little while ago,” he answers, looking between us.
“Why don’t you hang out here at the shop with us for the rest of the day? You can see what we do and how we work before decidin’ if it’s somethin’ you’re interested in doin’. If it is, we’ll send you to the same school Homicide just went to so you can become certified like the rest of us. Then, you can have a job here. If you’re interested in joinin’ the club, we can talk to the other guys about makin’ it happen. Homicide or myself can sponsor you,” Omen says, something on his mind with the way he’s talking.
My best friend has a plan in mind and I won’t know anything about it until he’s ready to share. That’s how Omen is with everything. He plays his cards close to his vest and doesn’t share until a solid plan has been formed in his mind. That’s something else we have in common. Though, when it comes to Melissa, I don’t hold anything back. Everyone around me knows how frustrated and pissed off I am about the situation.
Knuckle has even taken it upon himself to start sparring with me and training me to fight. I’ve had a few fights in our underground fight nights as well. I’m not the best, but it certainly helps get some of this damn rage out when it’s overwhelming me.
“Yeah, I can do that. Thanks,” Jace finally responds as Omen and I eat our lunch before making our way back out to the bike we’ve been putting back together.
Jace and Omen talk about the process and how everything works here and he meets the rest of the crew as well. The rest of the day seems to fly by as we work, talk, and Omen makes a call to Rooster. I’m sure it’s about Jace and brining him around the clubhouse once we’re done here for the day. Still, Omen doesn’t say anything else about the situation to me. We work with the music blaring behind us and get through the day as normal. Jace fits in perfectly with us, and I have a feeling it will be the same way at the clubhouse. I guess time will tell.