Chapter Ten
Melissa
O AKLYNN AND I no longer live together. She came home about a month ago beaten to hell. Mad Dog found her when she was leaving the funeral home and tried to force her to tell him where I am and who I’m with. He was incessant about getting the information and almost killed her by strangling my best friend. There was no way in hell I could continue putting her life in danger, so I packed the twins and me up and left. Oaklynn still knows where I am because she sent me to the house of a friend of hers. A guy named Carter she went to school with. He’s nice enough, but isn’t really into sharing his house with me and the twins.
Zeke Jr. and Delilah were born four months ago. I went into labor three weeks early with them when I was home alone. The second I called Oaklynn, she left her job and got me to the hospital. Oaklynn never once left my side as I went through labor and was rushed in for an emergency cesarean section when one of the twins went into distress. My best friend never left my side the entire time I was in the hospital with them and she’s been there every single day until I moved in with Carter.
My kids are amazing. Zeke is quiet and rarely cries or fusses. The only time he really does is when he’s hungry or needs his diaper changed. He’s content doing his tummy time and keeping his eyes on his sister. Delilah is also a quiet and good baby. Much like Zeke Jr. she doesn’t cry very often. But, she does wear her little heart on her sleeve and it’s easily broken. In my eyes, the twins are the perfect combination of Zeke and I. It makes me miss him even more on a daily basis. He’s missing so much and there’s no way to bring him back to enjoy his children. To see how amazing they are. How special and smart our twins are.
While the kids sleep during the day, I work and take my online classes. I’m almost finished getting my degree to become a paralegal. Just the first step in becoming a lawyer like I ultimately want. I currently ghostwrite for two authors and spend a few hours each day working on their books. They know I’m a new mom to twins and work with more than just them. So far, I haven’t let either one of them down and they love the way I put their stories together. Every single chapter they get as I finish it and then give me back any notes if I’ve included something they don’t like. I honestly love the job and money I make doing it. It’s what’s made it possible not to take out a ton of student loans to put myself through school.
Carter is hardly ever home. He works all day long and then usually goes out most nights. I don’t know if this is how he normally is or if it’s because the twins and I are here. Honestly, I feel bad for him never being around, but I can’t change the situation. I’m not comfortable enough to live on my own. I don’t leave the house unless Carter is with me either. We have one night a week where we go out grocery shopping and get dinner together. Both of us know there is nothing more than a budding friendship between us. I won’t ever be with anyone other than Zeke and Carter knows this. He understands where I’m coming from. Yes, Oaklynn told him my story before he offered to let us move in with him.
“Hello?” I answer my phone, looking at the twins to make sure they didn’t wake up.
“Melissa, what are you doin’?” Jace asks me, his voice soothing my soul.
It’s been a while since I heard from Jace and I’ve missed him.
“Sitting here working while the twins sleep. They should be up in about a half hour. What are you doing?” I return, smiling even though he can’t see it through the phone.
“I’m waitin’ for you to open the door,” he says, shocking the shit out of me as I jump off the couch and slowly make my way to the door.
“Are you serious?” I question him, looking through the peephole to find him standing there with a smile on his face.
“You’re lookin’ at me right now,” he returns as I unlock and open the door.
Dropping my hand with the phone, I open the screen door and launch myself at Jace. He holds me in a tight hug for several minutes before setting me back on my feet.
“What are you doing here?” I question him, leading him in the house and carefully shutting the door behind him.
Jace watches me as I lock it again. I’m never in this house without the doors and windows locked. Carter doesn’t bitch when he does happen to be home considering the situation I’m currently in. He saw the pictures of Oaklynn and doesn’t want the twins or me to end up in the same condition as his friend.
“I got some time off from school and decided to come out and see you,” he answers as I finally take him all in.
Jace is wearing a cut as I look at him. My heart stalls in my chest and I can’t catch my breath while my heart starts racing. Blackness starts to fill my vision and I know it’s just a matter of time before I pass out. Jace is in a motorcycle club. He didn’t tell me he was in a club. Is it my dad’s club? Is he here to spy on me?
“Calm down, Melissa. Come on. Take a slow, deep breath for me,” Jace demands, grabbing my hands and staring me in the eyes. “Not your dad’s club. A completely different club that is nothin’ like those assholes you grew up with. I promise you that. Now, take a seat on the couch and take some more deep breaths with me.”
Jace leads me to the couch and sits next to me. He doesn’t look away from me as we breathe together. It takes me several minutes to get myself under control before Jace pulls away from me and lets my hands drop into my lap. This isn’t the first time I’ve had a panic attack in front of him. The few times it’s happened, Jace has done the same thing until I get myself back under control. He won’t leave my side until he absolutely needs to now.
“So, um, you joined a club?” I question him, not sure I want to know what’s going on in his life now.
“Yes, I did. I joined the Dirty Slayers MC in Frostford. It’s a small town and I love it there. I’m almost done with trade school to become a certified mechanic. In the meantime, I work part time at a bike restoration shop. We also build custom bikes. It’s fuckin’ great. When I’m not at school or work, I’m Prospectin’ for the club. You’d love it there. It’s better than anythin’ you grew up with,” Jace informs me, a large smile on his face.
The smile Jace is wearing quickly disappears when the front door unlocks and opens. He’s immediately on his feet and facing the door as Carter makes his way inside. Carter stops as soon as he’s got the door closed and stares back at Jace. Fuck my life! I don’t need a standoff or other bullshit between these two. Especially with the twins sleeping in the playpen five feet away.
“Carter, you’re home early,” I begin, standing from my seat on the couch. “Carter, this is my friend Jace. Jace, this is Carter. The twins and I are staying with him right now.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Jace,” Carter says, stepping forward and holding out his hand to Jace.
Carter knows who Jace is. I’m sure he was surprised and on edge because all he would have seen was a strange man wearing a leather vest in his house when it’s never happened before. This man knows I don’t talk to anyone other than Oaklynn and Jace. Just like he knows I’ve never had anyone to his house before. Carter doesn’t even have anyone over to his house. Again, I’m not sure if it’s something new or it’s just how he is.
“Nice to meet you too,” Jace finally returns, his voice letting me know he’s not happy with my current living situation.
“I just need to grab something for a meeting this afternoon and I’ll be gone again. Melissa, are you okay here today?” Carter asks, looking between Jace and me.
“I’m good. The twins will be up soon and I’ve just been going back and forth between school and work,” I tell him with a smile.
Carter nods his head at me and makes his way to his office to grab whatever it is he needs. It’s not long before he leaves the house with a file in hand. I don’t honestly know what Carter does for work, but he always dresses in expensive suits and carries this leather briefcase with him. He doesn’t seem to lack money either. Carter also drives a sports car. He went out and bought an SUV when the twins and I moved in so we can get groceries and stuff on our weekly trip out.
Sitting back down on the couch, I turn my attention toward Jace once again. He doesn’t look happy.
“Who the fuck is that?” he growls out, his voice low and menacing. Something I’ve never heard from him before.
“It’s Carter. He’s a friend of Oaklynn’s. I needed to get away from her after Mad Dog attacked her. Jace, he almost strangled her to death. All to find out where I am and what I’m doing. I can’t have something happen to her. I’ve already lost Zeke, I’m trying to outrun my father and his band of assholes, and there’s some man out there who fucking bought me. I don’t have a single second of peace. My heart breaks on a daily basis. Look at my kids, Jace. They look exactly like their daddy. I didn’t get to grieve him properly and now I get to stare at kids who look like him on a daily basis,” I tell him, tears sliding down my face at a rapid rate.
“I don’t like you livin’ with some guy I don’t fuckin’ know. He could hurt you or the kids and no one would know about it until it’s too late. Melissa, we need to talk about a few things. There’s things you need to know and I’ve been tryin’ to figure out how to tell you. There just hasn’t been time to say anythin’ because this isn’t a conversation you can have over the phone,” Jace says, dropping down onto the couch next to me.
“What are you talking about, Jace? You’re starting to scare me,” I ask him, not sure what this conversation is gonna be about.
“First of all, you need to know that Zeke isn’t dead. He’s alive and hasn’t stopped lookin’ for you since all this shit went down. He’s losin’ his fuckin’ mind knowin’ you’re out here somewhere and he can’t get to you. He knows you’re okay. I told him you’re workin’ and goin’ to school. That’s it. He doesn’t know about the twins at all. That’s a conversation the two of you need to have,” Jace begins speaking, absolutely flooring me.
I really didn’t hear a single word after hearing him say Zeke isn’t dead though. It’s playing around and around on a loop as I stare at the guy who has become one of my best friends. He’s sitting here telling me that the man I love is alive and has been searching for me all this time. What is he even talking about? I saw Zeke collapse on the ground. Saw those men start to bury him in a shallow grave. Zeke isn’t alive.
“Jace, why are you doing this? Playing such a cruel joke on me by saying he’s alive. Zeke is not alive. I watched him fall to the ground. Saw those men start to bury him in a shallow grave. Zeke died the night I was going to tell him I was pregnant. I thought you were my friend,” I state, standing from the couch and turning away from Jace. “I think you should leave, Jace.”
“No, Melissa. Look. I’ve got a picture of him right here on my phone,” Jace says as I hesitate to turn around.
Taking the phone Jace is holding out to me, I find Zeke staring back at me. He’s changed over the time we’ve been apart. Added on more muscle and let his beard grow out more. There’s more tattoos on his body as well. The most shocking change is the cut covering his torso. He told me he’d never join my father’s club. Didn’t want to be a part of anything like them. I figured it meant he’d never join a club for any reason. Apparently I was wrong.
In the picture, Zeke isn’t smiling. He’s staring at Jace with a look of annoyance on his face. It’s a look I’m very familiar with. No, it was never aimed at me, but at everyone around us. My heart starts racing and I can’t take a breath as I continue staring at the picture on the phone in my trembling hands.
“It’s okay, Melissa. He’s okay. I’ll let him fill you in on what happened that night, but he’s alive and okay. He goes by Homicide now and has really made a place for himself in the Dirty Slayers MC. Saved the President’s life twice and the Vice President’s life once. He was patched in after six months. Became a certified mechanic and works at the bike restoration shop with me. He’s got a family and really good friends in this club. They are the complete opposite of your dad’s club, Melissa. They gave him a purpose and have been helpin’ him look for you,” Jace informs me as I try to get some much-needed air in my lungs.
“Jace,” I whisper, not being able to get anymore words out.
“The other main thing you need to know is Mad Dog is the only fucker you still have to worry about. Homicide killed your father and the other men. No one other than Mad Dog is lookin’ for you, Melissa. He also made sure to tell me they’ll be handlin’ the man who bought you from your father. I don’t know how the club plans to accomplish that, but I have all the faith that they will. These men don’t play games when it comes to women. And in Homicide’s eyes, you’re still his and that’s all the club needs to know,” Jace states as if it’s a done deal.
“I don’t even know what to say to any of this, Jace. It’s a lot to take in and I’m tired. I don’t know what to think or what I’m going to do now. Zeke will hate me for not telling him that I was carrying his baby. That I kept this from him,” I cry out, not allowing the hope starting to build burst to life.
“You don’t have to say anythin’, Melissa. I’ll take care of everythin’. Listen, I know you want to do this shit on your own. You’ve been doin’ a great job from what I can tell. However, it’s time you come back to your man. Homicide needs you, and you need him. Since you’re not with Oaklynn any longer, come back to Frostford with me. Move there and take the time you need to process what I’ve just told you. Then, when you’re ready, you can see Homicide and get the answers I can’t give you,” Jace says as if it’s the easiest decision in the world to make.
“Jace, I can’t just move to Frostford with you. No matter how much I want to see Homicide, I need to think of the twins,” I tell him as Zeke Jr. starts to fuss in the playpen. “Speaking of, I need to feed and change them. I do still nurse them, so you’ll have to turn your back for a few minutes until I get him settled.”
“Do what you gotta do, Melissa. I’ll take care of little miss sunshine if she wakes up while you’re busy with the little man. But, you need to think of this, Melissa. Mad Dog is still out there. He won’t stop until he gets his hands on you. If he’s willin’ to put his hands on Oaklynn the way he did, what do you think he’ll do to these beautiful babies of yours? He won’t hesitate to use them to break you until he gets what he wants. If you come with me, you’ll have better protection. Homicide won’t let anythin’ happen to you no matter what you decide happens between the two of you,” Jace says, making a good argument as I pick Zeke up from the playpen and make my way back over to the couch.
“I’ll think about it, Jace. That’s all I can say right now. This isn’t something I can just say yes to. I mean, I’d love the protection, but there’s lot more than that I have to take into consideration. And no, I’m not talking about school or work. All of that I can do anywhere. Just give me some time and I’ll let you know,” I tell him as I start nursing my son.
Jace takes care of Delilah when she wakes up a few minutes later. He changes her under my guidance and holds her until Zeke is done eating. When it’s time to switch, I cover myself back up while we change babies. Jace changes Zeke Jr. while I feed my little girl. It’s honestly nice to have some help right now. I’m usually doing this all on my own with no one to help me or give me a hand for any reason. Maybe I should make the move. I’ll have to talk to Oaklynn before making any decisions.
The rest of the day, Jace and I spend together. I make us dinner and we talk. He never once stops helping me take care of the twins. When it’s time to put them to bed, Jace leaves and heads to the motel he’s staying in for the next few days. The entire time, my mind doesn’t stray from the fact that Zeke is alive. He’s okay and living his life. Is that something I really want to interrupt?