Chapter Twenty-Three
Melissa
Z EKE MADE SURE to let me know we wouldn’t ever have to worry about Mad Dog or Brenda ever again when he came back to my cottage a week ago. I know better than to ask questions in those kind of situations. So, I took him at his word and took a deep breath of relief. There is no better feeling in the world than knowing the one person you’ve been running from for over a year is no longer a threat to you and your family. I can’t even describe what it feels like. As far as Brenda goes, I can’t believe she’s really gone. That woman is a fucking menace and doesn’t deserve to be near the Dirty Slayers MC. She doesn’t know the life and is only out for herself. That’s not how you can be when it comes to club life. You have to be all in. Even if you’re an ol’ lady.
I’ve spent time with Marie and Kimber at the clubhouse and my cottage. They’re both amazing women and have talked me through everything going on with Zeke. Especially since he keeps disappearing. He’ll show up at the cottage after work, stay for a little while, and then take off for hours on end. When he gets back around the time the twins get their bath, he won’t tell me where he’s been. I know he’s not with another woman but I don’t know what he’s up to. If it were club business, he’d tell me. Zeke doesn’t typically keep anything from me. At least he didn’t in the past. Now, I don’t know what to think.
This morning he basically kicked me out of the house and told me to go pamper myself. I went to Marie’s salon and got a trim, she did my nails, and then I went to get a massage. I’ve never had a massage before and it’s something I’ll be repeating in the future. I can’t honestly remember the last time I was so relaxed. It could be a combination of the massage and knowing we have no threats coming for us, but I think it has more to do with the massage than anything else. However, I can’t stop thinking about why I’ve been kicked out of the house and told not to return for a few hours. Something is going on and it’s got my curiosity piqued.
I’m done with my pampering and heading back to the house when my phone rings. Pulling over so I can answer it, I find Zeke calling me.
“Hey. What’s going on?” I answer, not sure why he’s calling me now.
“Hey baby girl. Are you almost done with your pamperin’?” he asks me, noise in the background making it kind of hard to hear him.
“I’m on my way home now,” I tell him, hoping he hears me.
“Can you swing by the clubhouse? I had to come over here for a few minutes. The twins and I are hangin’ out now and would like you to join us,” he asks, further making me wonder what’s going on.
“I can. I’m about a minute away from there. Is everything okay, Zeke?”
“It’s perfectly fine. Why are you askin’?”
“Because you’ve been off for the last week and I know something is going on. I know you better than you think I do.”
“You’ll understand in a little bit, baby girl. I’ll see you in a minute. I love you,” Zeke says before hanging up without waiting for a response.
This is the first time either one of us has said those three words since we saw one another again. I’ve always loved Zeke and there will never be another man for me. It’s something I’ve felt deep in my soul since we first started hanging out so long ago. Now, I’ve wanted to tell him I love him but it didn’t ever feel like the right time. Or that I was just saying it to him because it’s what I’m supposed to do. I’m not saying I feel pressure to tell him I love him or anything, but it just didn’t feel right.
Pulling into the driveway for the clubhouse, I wave to Robbie as he opens the gate for me. Returning the wave, Robbie lets me through before closing the gate once again. I pull into a spot close to the door and park to find almost everyone here today. If they were having a cookout or something, Zeke could have told me. I’d have been here to help the ol’ ladies get things ready or made something at home to bring with me. Now I’m gonna feel like an idiot because I don’t have anything and I didn’t help Marie and Kimber getting stuff ready. I might not be an ol’ lady, but I know how a club is supposed to work.
After shutting off my car and putting my keys in my purse, I get out and make my way to the clubhouse. Pulling open the door, rock music blares through the speakers as I look around to find every member of the club sitting around the common room. Zeke and the twins are with Rooster, Marie, Omen, and Grudge. While I still don’t know the guys all that well, I know most of their names. Especially Omen since he’s always with Zeke when we’re not at the cottage. Plus, Omen is Marie’s son so he shows up randomly when I’ve been hanging out with her and Kimber. Brick is another one I know since Kimber’s married to him.
Zeke gets up from the table and hands our son over to Omen. Rooster is already holding Delilah in his lap. I don’t move as I watch Zeke make his way over to me. He’s got a large smile on his face and is dressed in his standard jeans, boots, tee-shirt, and cut. My eyes devour his body as I take in his tattoos and the way he moves—it feels as if I’m his prey and he’s stalking me. I won’t be running from him for any reason. This is the man I want in my life and he doesn’t have to chase me to make it happen.
“Baby girl,” he breathes out, pulling me into his arms when he gets close enough. “Today is an important day. One I hope you’ll remember for the rest of your life. I know I will no matter what happens.”
“I love you, Zeke. I’m confused, but I’m not going anywhere,” I tell him, not sure what’s going on right now.
“Melissa, we’ve been through a lot since we met. The worst time for me was when I didn’t know where you were, what was happenin’ to you, or if I’d ever see you again. That entire time, you were never off my mind. I’d dream of you every night, think about you all day long, and there wasn’t anythin’ I wasn’t willin’ to do to find you. Then, there was that entire thing with Brenda. She was playin’ games and instead of lettin’ her push you away and get in your head, you stood your ground and stayed true to yourself. You’ve always stayed true to yourself.
“You’ve given me three of the best gifts anyone has ever given me. Zeke and Delilah are amazin’ kids and it’s because of you. I missed out on their entire beginnin’, but I’m not goin’ to this time. I’m all in. I’ve always been all in when it comes to you. There’s no other choice. You, baby girl, are sexy as hell, strong, determined, loyal, lovin’, and will always do what’s right for everyone around you no matter the cost to yourself. I love you more than words can say. There aren’t strong enough words in the English language to convey how I feel about you. Today, in front of my family, I want to know if you’ll be my ol’ lady,” Zeke says, accepting the box Grudge holds out for him.
Tears fill my eyes and slowly roll down my face. When I first got to Frostford, I would have told you I never would have accepted being an ol’ lady to anyone. Including Zeke. I didn’t want anything to do with another club after the hell my father put me through. Now, I can’t say the same. It would be amazing to be included with the Dirty Slayers MC. To have a family at my back and know there will always be someone I can go to for help.
Zeke pulls the lid off the box and removes the rag. He holds it up for me to look at while I stare at the leather. On the back are the club colors. ‘Property of’ sits at the top of the colors while ‘Homicide’ rests below it. Zeke turns it around for me to take in the flash saying ‘Author Lady’ on the left. Some of the guys found out I write stories and have started calling me that. It’s kind of funny if you ask me.
Turning around, I give my back to Zeke while holding out my arms. He slides the rag up my arms and rests it on my back before I turn back around again. Without hesitating, I leap into Zeke’s arms. Wrapping myself around him, I press my lips against his while he holds me close to his body. I want nothing more than to go to his room right now and let him have his way with me. We can’t do that because the twins are awake, but later on we can. I know Marie would watch the kids for us, but I want to celebrate with everyone here before Zeke and I celebrate on our own later.
“I love you, Melissa James. I’ve never loved another and I won’t ever leave you. Today’s surprises aren’t over with yet though. Marie and Rooster are going to watch the kids while I show you the next surprise,” Zeke says when we finally break apart.
“There’s more?” I question, not sure what could be left after becoming his ol’ lady.
“Yep. Follow me.”
Zeke leads me through the common room and down the hall toward the back. Instead of going in any of the rooms, we head outside. A four-wheeler is waiting for us. Climbing on behind Zeke, I wrap my arms around him and he starts it up. He heads for the back of the property. I look around at the wide open space filled with nothing. The grass is kept short and taken care of instead of being overgrown. When we get further out back, I see buildings start to appear.
The closer we get to the buildings, I find them not regular buildings you’d see on a club’s compound. These are houses. There’s not many, but the few that are sitting in front of us are newly built, have space between them, and I spot my dream house at the very end. A log cabin sits there.
Outside the log cabin is a neat flower bed, flowers already in bloom in front of the wraparound porch. Zeke pulls up in front of the house and shuts the four-wheeler off. We get off and he grabs my hand. Leading me up the steps, he opens the front door. Zeke remembered everything we talked about when we were younger. More than once we laid on a blanket in the woods and talked about our future. There wasn’t a single detail we left out as we planned and mapped out how we wanted our life to be when we could leave Mirfield. Everything I can see of the house so far is exactly what I described I wanted.
When we were younger, I told Zeke I wanted a log cabin home with an open floor plan. I wanted it to be two stories with all the bedrooms on the top floor. And there was going to be a finished basement so Zeke could have his own space. The only thing that wouldn’t be his in the basement is the room for storage. I wanted a large kitchen filled with all the latest appliances and plenty of room to bake and cook large meals. Zeke put everything I ever wanted in our home in this place. At least from what I can see.
“Come on. I’ll show you around,” Zeke says, walking forward with my hand still in his.
We move from one room to the next. Not only is the house my dream, it’s already completely furnished. Everything from the cottage is here along with new things I’ve never seen before. The entire time we walk through the house, tears fill my eyes. I’m so damn emotional today.
Downstairs there’s a large living room, huge kitchen, laundry room, office for me, bathroom, and a guest bedroom. The basement is furnished and has a bar, large TV mounted on the wall, and pool table in the room. Off to the side is a home gym. Making our way up to the second floor, there are six doors. They’re all sitting wide open. We look in each room. There’s a room for Zeke, Delilah, a nursery that’s been started, bathroom, guest room, and our room. Our room has a large bed, walk-in closet, a balcony with a small table sitting out there, and a huge bathroom with a big shower, large tub with jets, and his and her sinks. Zeke has a bedroom that’s decorated in motorcycles while Delilah’s is perfect for a princess. I love it!
“Zeke, I can’t believe you did this for us,” I tell him, my voice shaking with emotion. “It’s the perfect home. You’ve given me my dream. Something we talked about so long ago and what I thought I’d never have. There are no words for this.”
“There isn’t anythin’ I wouldn’t give you, baby girl. If there’s somethin’ you want, all you have to do is say the word. The kids and you are my entire world and I’m goin’ to do everythin’ I can to make sure you know it on a daily basis,” he tells me, pulling me in for a kiss.
I deepen the kiss while backing up toward the bed in our room. When my legs hit the edge of the mattress, I let myself fall back. Zeke follows me down. We spend the next hour christening our bedroom. The only thing I keep on is my rag as Zeke takes me from behind so he can see his name on me. When we finally untangle ourselves from one another and get cleaned up, Zeke and I make our way back to the clubhouse. They’ve ordered pizza, wings, garlic bread with cheese, and several pasta dishes. We all eat, talk, laugh, and have a great night.
I use the time to get to know some of the guys in Zeke’s club. Zeke doesn’t leave my side as we each hold one of the twins and talk to everyone. The only thing that would make today better would be to have Oaklynn at my side. She’s my best friend in the world and I miss her so much. Zeke and I head home, to our new home, when the kids start getting tired. After bathing them and putting them to bed, we spend the rest of the night showing one another how much we love one another. Perfect fucking day!