Chapter Eighteen
Violet
Coming back not just as Violet, but as March’s wife, had my stomach fluttering with nerves. The clubhouse seemed quieter than usual. My hand trembled as I pushed open the door and stepped inside. The familiar scents of coffee, leather, and oil greeted my nose, wrapping around me like a comforting embrace.
“Vi!” Jo’s voice rang out and I found her hurrying toward me from the kitchen.
Her smile was infectious as she approached. My heart swelled seeing her again. We’d only been gone about a week, but it felt too long now that we were back. Eliza was right beside her, her own grin just as wide, and something soft flickered in her eyes. I hadn’t been part of the Underland MC for very long, and yet they both looked so happy to see me. It made me realize these women weren’t just friends. They were my sisters.
“Come on,” Eliza urged. “We have something to show you!”
March gave me a nod and I scurried after the two of them. They led me to the spare room I’d been using, its door closed. Jo’s hand rested on the knob. She threw a quick glance at Eliza, an unspoken conversation passing between them.
“Ready?” Eliza asked, her words soft but laced with an energy that made my pulse quicken.
“More than ever,” I replied, anxious to see what they were hiding behind the door.
With a nod, Jo turned the handle, and the door swung open.
My breath caught -- three cribs sat along one wall. A colorful rug covered the center of the room, and I saw a changing table, three rocking chairs, and a handful of baby toys still in the packages. I stepped inside, my heart pounding a fierce rhythm against my ribs.
“Jo… Eliza…” The words stumbled out, tripping over the swell of emotions that surged like a tide within me.
“Vi, do you like it?” Jo asked. “The club worked on it while you were gone.”
“Like it?” I echoed, laughter bubbling up from a well of happiness. “I’m… overwhelmed.”
I turned, taking them in -- two pillars of resilience who’d become my sisters in ways blood never defined. Their smiles were my lifeline, their presence my sanctuary. We closed the distance in a few heartbeats and hugged each other so tight.
“Thank you,” I murmured into the softness of Jo’s hair, her scent mingling with Eliza’s. “For everything.”
“Family looks after family.” Eliza’s words were simple, her conviction unyielding. “The guys wanted us to feel like us and our children will always have a place here, even if we aren’t all living together in the clubhouse. This room will always be a place the kids can come and play together.”
We stood there, tangled in an embrace that spoke more than any words ever could. This was home. This was where futures were forged -- not in the chaos outside, but in the quiet moments that stitched our souls together. Here, in this nursery, hope bloomed anew, nurtured by the hands of those who knew the price of survival all too well.
I heard the thump of boots heading our way and turned to see Hatter, Cheshire, and Absolem. I wasn’t sure where March was, but my guess was that he was catching up with everyone else.
“Have you told her yet?” Hatter asked.
Jo and Eliza shook their heads. What else had they been planning while we were gone?
Cheshire’s grin flashed. “Big plans for our little slice of heaven here. We started to discuss it before you left but finalized a few things this past week.”
“Modular homes.” Absolem’s words were succinct, the excitement in his eyes barely contained behind those steel-rimmed glasses.
I blinked, trying to process the quick shift in topics. “Modular homes?”
“Community living,” Hatter clarified, crossing his arms over his chest. The scars on his face seemed to deepen with his serious expression. “A way to keep us all close and safe, yet give us some privacy and space to grow.”
“Reckless Kings offered up their plans,” Absolem continued, leaning back against the doorframe. “But we’re Underland. We’re not like them. It’s possible things may change down the road and we’ll want something different, but for now, this is the quickest and best option for the club.”
Cheshire’s eyes sparkled. “Nothing big or fancy. Three-bedroom homes that are twelve hundred square feet or smaller. Even the single guys will get them, in case they find women and decide to start families. We’re going to clear out some trees, run whatever pipes or wires we need to prep the space, and Hatter has been working on a deal with a modular home place just down the highway.”
Their visions of the future, strong and unwavering, filled the room with an electric charge. They wanted to build a community not of isolation, but of collective strength. I liked it. Even if we weren’t all sharing the same space anymore, it would be like a close-knit neighborhood all on Underland MC property.
“Close to the clubhouse,” Hatter said, “but with enough space to call it your own. We’ll put in a playground nearby once the kids are a little bigger. If anyone wants to get a dog, we can put up fencing for small backyards.”
Hatter’s gaze met mine. “It’s hope. A future I think we all need and want.”
“Exactly,” Cheshire chimed in, the corner of his mouth twitching upward. “A place where our kids can ride bikes and play hide-and-seek. Where we watch each other’s backs by just looking out the window.”
“Where we grow old, but never alone,” Absolem concluded, pushing his glasses higher on his nose with a rare, content smile.
Their dream would bind us tighter as a family. This wasn’t just about having a house. These men were building a legacy one home at a time. A place where they could grow old together with their families, and one day our children would take over. It was beautiful, and I was so happy to be a part of it.
Jo took my hand and guided me to the kitchen, where I found March leaning over some papers strewn across the kitchen table. Rabbit and Tweedle were flanking him. I took a peek and saw what appeared to be a map of the future of this place. Houses marked off as little rectangles, a square marked playground , and I noticed other things like a pool and pavilion.
“See here?” Absolem’s finger traced along a section of the plans, his blue eyes serious behind the lenses. “We can extend this part out. More space if we need it in the future, although I think Hatter is set on the club staying the size it is.”
“Good thinking,” March rumbled, his voice low like distant thunder.
In this place our children would never know the fears that haunted our pasts, not if we could help it. The Underland MC wasn’t just a club. These men were building a sanctuary.
“Thank you,” I whispered, gratitude swelling in my chest. “For everything. For welcoming me into your family, not turning me away when I showed up uninvited, and for giving all of us something we so badly need.”
“Family looks out for each other, Violet,” March said, echoing my thoughts, his blue eyes locking with mine. “Always.”
In his eyes I saw it clear as day -- hope. It glowed bright, and in that look, we shared it all -- the dreams of kids playing in a yard we could defend, the laughter that would echo off our homes filled with love and not fear. I didn’t know the background of everyone here. But I knew their time in the military had changed them all in different ways. They needed this as much as Jo, Eliza, and I did.
“I don’t know about Jo and Violet, but Eliza likes plants. Maybe we could have a community garden,” Cheshire chimed in, his usually mischievous face serious. “One for vegetables and fruit too. Teach the kids to grow their own, you know? Maybe tending to plants would be calming for some of us.”
I noticed the way his gaze shot over to Rabbit, who even now seemed a little jittery.
“Self-sufficiency,” I said. “Well, somewhat anyway. We’d obviously still need other stuff from town, but it would cut costs on some of the groceries, depending on how large of a space we’re talking about.”
“Exactly.” March nodded.
“Renewable energy sources.” Absolem’s brow furrowed and he folded his arms over his chest. “Maybe we could put in solar panels for the houses. Clubhouse too. It would not only cut costs but would be beneficial to the planet as well.”
I had to press my lips together to keep from laughing. It was hard to imagine the tough biker being concerned about going green. But I liked it.
“What about adding security systems to the houses?” Eliza asked. “Even if this place would be mostly safe, someone managed to snatch Violet right from under our noses. It would be nice to have an extra layer of safety when we’re home.”
“Right.” March scanned the papers in front of him. “We need to do something about our perimeter too. Houses first, obviously, but I think we should work on completely fencing this place in like the Reckless Kings did.”
Absolem cleared his throat. “I could install cameras throughout, even though it wouldn’t necessarily keep something from happening, it would let us see what transpired. If we’d been able to see someone take Violet, we could have gotten to her faster.”
“All good points. We have some time. It will be probably a month before we can even bring in the first house. Maybe longer,” Hatter said.
Everyone continued to bounce ideas around, and I could feel the excitement in the air. We were planning for a future where violence and chaos were kept at bay by the walls we’d build and the bonds we shared. I couldn’t wait to see how it all turned out, and I was excited to help wherever I could.
“Architects of a better tomorrow,” Jo said. “This place is going to be amazing!”
“What do we do with all the rooms in the clubhouse if everyone is moving out?” Eliza asked.
“Well, we could combine two of them into a space for club meetings,” Cheshire said.
“Church. It’s called Church,” March said. “And I agree we definitely need to do that. We’d have to take out at least one of the bathrooms to pull it off, but I don’t think that will be an issue. Just need to hire a plumber so we don’t end up flooding this place.”
“That still leaves a lot of space,” I said. “What about turning one of the rooms into a community pantry for cans and dry goods? We could stockpile non-perishables so that if anything happens, we’re somewhat prepared.”
“Like another pandemic,” Jo said. “Or worse… if someone is after the club, we could hole up behind the fence and be fine for a while.”
I noticed Absolem was making notes. It looked like the club was going to consider all our ideas. I liked how the men weren’t excluding us and letting the women have input. This was our home too, after all.
March stood beside me, his hand warm on my back. He leaned in, nodding toward the men who had become our brothers in more than just name. “These men are my brothers, which means they’re yours as well, Violet. Our kid is going to have two aunts and lots of uncles. You’re no longer alone.”
“Family,” Hatter said. “We’re all one big family. Always will be.”
“This isn’t a place that will ever tear you down,” Absolem said. “We all build each other up, support one another, and there are lots of shoulders to lean on if you ever need one.”
“Thank you,” I said again, feeling the words were too small, too simple for the gratitude swelling inside me.
“None of that now,” Hatter’s voice cut through the thick air, commanding yet kind. “There’s no need for thanks.”
“Here’s to the future,” March raised an invisible glass, his lips quirking in a half-smile that reached his eyes.
“To the future,” we all echoed.
Soon, the room began to empty, the energy shifting as the club members stepped out. The murmurs of conversation drifted back into the clubhouse, threads weaving together, stitching us tighter. Something inside me loosened, and I realized how comfortable I felt here.
I followed March out, the last to leave. I thought about the nursery the club had prepared. It wasn’t just a room. It was a promise. Our children would know laughter here, not fear. They’d know love, surrounded by the roar of engines and the fierce hearts of the Underland MC. Our little community wouldn’t just be buildings. It was so much more.