Chapter 36
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
FREAK
Why have I got drummers drumming in my head? Christ, I’m a wreck. Even opening my eyes hurt, but when I’ve forced the lids to lift and my pupils start to focus, I see I’m in Trixie’s room. Alone.
As it all comes back to me, I realise I’ve let her down.
Again. I’d meant to come back and celebrate with my old lady.
But one drink turned into two, then each brother wanted to share a round.
That I’d stayed was down to them having just voted to let me stay in the club, and, after putting me through their razing, had agreed for me to claim Trixie.
Overly grateful, I’d drunk with them all.
I can’t remember a time when I’d been so wrecked.
I deserve every throb of my aching head.
Pulling myself into a sitting position, a wave of nausea goes through me, but I fight it back.
Trixie must fucking hate me. She’d have been worried sick when I was in church, and I didn’t even have the decency to let her know that I wasn’t dead, or sent out bad.
Fuck. If she’s left me already, I’ll never live this down.
Would this be an entry in the Guinness Book of Records?
Shortest time ever for having an old lady?
I’ve got to find her, apologise. But first, needs must, I’ve got to piss like a racehorse.
Then, as I stand, I get another reminder, a twinge from my balls, which a gentle exploration with my hands down my pants, shows me aren’t too swollen.
I’ll get Short back for that. After, of course, I make things up with my old lady.
Going down the hallway, I enter the shared bathroom, grateful to have it to myself, and now able to give a visual examination, find neither my dick nor balls have turned purple.
Maybe I’ve still got a chance to sire more kids.
Kids? Glancing at myself in the mirror, I wonder where than thought had come from.
Ace, as far as I was concerned, was an accident, and while I’d not been so positive about it at first, a happy one as it turned out.
Before he’d come along, I’d never seen myself as a parent.
Would Trixie want kids? And what would I do if she did?
I watch as the lips of my reflection curve. I’d give them to her. Maybe just the one, but I’ll try to provide anything my old lady wants. After what that motherfucker of a husband did to her, she deserves the world, and the second chance at a relationship that I’m going to give her.
I may be rough around the edges, may have the looks that civilian women want to hide themselves and their kids from, but for her, I’ll try to be better.
And now I’ve started by fucking it up. As I stare into the mirror, lines appear on my face.
I hate that Piero Alongi is still alive, hate that he’s still got power over her life.
Despise that she’s still legally tied to him, and will never be able to wear my ring and be my wife while he’s still breathing.
She’ll never bear my name… unless I do something about it.
But I can’t involve the club, I can’t ask them to go up against the Mafia.
But as I look forward, my visage changes and begins to resemble the man who, for a decade and a half, rarely comes out, but who has appeared twice over the last few days.
The man who’s Delta. My skills might be rusty, but they’re dormant, not lost. To free Trixie, I’ll take on Alongi.
My plotting for vengeance has to stop when I hear voices in the hallway. The dulcet tones of the woman who, one day, I’m determined to legally marry, and the deeper voice of my son. Sighing, knowing I have to face them, I open the door and step out.
“You’re awake.” Trixie beams at me. Her complete lack of ire catches me off guard.
Still, I offer my prepared apology. “I’m so fuckin’ sorry.”
Her brow creases. “What for?”
“For fuckin’ up? Getting drunk? Passing out on you? Take your pick.”
She laughs, and links her arm with mine as we walk back to her room, Ace following. “You think I haven’t seen bikers letting their hair down before? You needed a release from the tension you were carrying earlier.”
Ace taps my shoulder, and I turn to face him. “She’s perfect, Dad.”
He couldn’t be more fucking right.
We enter her bedroom. While I love my son, I could do without his company right now. I’ve got a yearning to check that my dick still works. Though I might have to be inventive since her ribs are still sore, I really want to claim my old lady.
But Ace has got other ideas. He saunters in, sits on the bed as if he belongs there, and asks, “So, where are you, Mom and I going to live?”
Mom? My eyes flick to Trixie.
“Not my idea.” She gives a little embarrassed shrug. “But I’m happy for the title if you are?”
Ace has never had anyone to call Mom in his life. Now I’ve made my choice, I’m all in on this relationship. And my son wanting to claim Trix too? Well, that just cements us as a family unit. It’s no different from Trip calling Short, Dad. In fact that was probably where Ace got the idea from.
I open my arms, gently pull Trixie to me, and indicate for Ace to join us. Despite the headache that’s still lingering, I feel a sense of completeness I’ve never experienced.
Ace, as I’m well used to, has a one-track mind.
“For now, I could move out of your room, Dad, perhaps take over Trixie’s.
I know you two will want some time for yourselves.
” He gives me an all-too-adult knowing wink.
“But I was thinking, while we’re building a house here, in the meantime, we could maybe get somewhere to rent? ”
“Or you could go back and live with your nana,” I growl. Slightly ashamed it’s my kid who’s coming up with the sensible ideas. I blame my hangover.
Ace’s eyes gleam. “I’ll still stay sometimes with Nana. But, I’ve got a mom now.” To make his point, he places a kiss on her cheek.
Trixie’s giggling. “I’m starting to wonder which one of you claimed me.”
“Both.” Ace and I answer together, then laugh.
And, showing his brain isn’t just for computing, Ace pulls away. “I’ll give you two some space. I’m going to look at some websites and see if I can find us a rental.”
Opening my mouth, I’m just about to tell him he should leave that to us, when Trixie gets in first. “That would be great, Ace, thanks.”
After he leaves us, I ask, “You really want to live off compound?”
“I don’t want to disappoint him, Freak. He’s so damn happy that we’ve got together. I think he’s got this dream of something he never had, a house, a white picket fence, his dad and a mom making a real home for him.”
“Not any woman, Trix. He wants you.”
She, too, moves away from me, and wraps her arms around herself. “But it’s all a pipe dream. I can’t leave the compound, not permanently. I have to believe Piero is still looking for me. And there are cameras everywhere and facial recognition.”
She sounds so distraught, I try to comfort her. “I know, Trix.”
“It’s been years, but he’s the type of man who never wants to lose at anything.”
“Trix,” I say firmly, “I know. And just like you can’t get married because you’re still tied to him, neither can he legally move on. It’s only been five years, not long enough to have you declared dead legally. You don’t need to persuade me, he’ll keep looking.”
“So, what do we do?”
I find him and kill him. I may not be as smart as my son, but even I know not to let her into my intention.
She’d do anything to stop me. “We draw up plans for having a house built on the compound. In the meantime, you’ll move into my room, and Ace can stay at my ma’s, or,” I glance around her bedroom, “he could set himself up in here. He’s growing up fast.” I huff a laugh.
“He only stays at the club once or twice a week normally, up to now it’s not been too much of a problem having him sleep in my room.
I’ve not been a full-time dad since I started prospecting for the Kings. ”
“And that’s what he wants you to be. There for him, all the time. It won’t be long before he’s going off to college, this is your chance, Freak.”
“Our chance,” I snort. “If it wasn’t for you, we’d be trundling along as we’ve always done. But somehow, you’ve become our glue.”
“I’d love to live somewhere as a family.
” Her eyes glaze as she imagines it. “Some place not far from the club. And, it would only have to be until our new house is built.” Her eyes become slits, and her lips curve.
“We could ask those sexy bikers, you know, Lunatic and Hardcore from California, to expedite the build for us.”
“Not having you around anyone you call ‘sexy,’” I respond, punctuating my words with a well placed slap to her ass.
Undeterred she just alters course, “I suppose we could go for Gold Wing Construction, though Blitz would hate flying here…”
My laugh comes right from the belly. Yeah, the bikers from Georgia know their shit. Odd fuckers, though. Blitz needs all the good stuff to even step foot on a plane, Token rarely speaks, and Rhino? Well he’s a grumpy motherfucker. Maybe they’d be the safer option.
“They were quite good looking too.”
“You want another spanking to remind you that you’re off the market?” I raise one brow as I stare down at her. “You realise I’ll happily kill anyone who makes moves on you?”
“Ooh,” she places her hands over her heart. “You’re so scary, Freak. I assure you, I know who I belong to. But window shopping isn’t a crime, is it?”
“Window fuckin’ shopping?” I growl, hardly able to keep a smirk off my face.
I can’t remember when I’ve had such fun talking to a woman, or anyone come to that.
“I am going to keep you so fuckin’ satisfied you won’t even want your eyes to touch another.
Maybe put a baby inside you to remind you who you belong to. ” Did I really say that?
Her eyes go round. “Freak – you want more kids?”