Chapter 31
Zen
I walk into church tall and proud. I’m making a family—not just any family. I’m making one with the woman I love, how we want, not how the world tells us it should be. I sit beside Rage, and he asks, “How’s the shoulder?”
I grin at him and say, “It’s great. That doctor Cleo brought in does good work.”
“I’m glad. He might be joining the Savage Legion.”
“I’ll bet. It’ll ease some of the pressure off you to patch us all up. You’ve got a family that needs your time now.”
“From your mouth to God’s ear. I heard Patch wants to prospect.”
I shrug. “We all prospect. They didn’t have me sitting at the gate when I was a prospect, I was pretty much doing what I do now. I expect he’ll do medically-oriented things during his stint.”
Before he can respond, Siege calls the meeting to order. He brings everyone up to speed on Lexi’s case and the upcoming bonuses for those who helped protect her. Then he turns the podium over to Dutch, because as treasurer, it’s his place to talk about money.
Right now, our club is flush with cash. The brothers receiving bonuses are surprised at the size of them. I’m not, because I know what an industrious little fuck Terrance was. They’re thrilled, and I’m thrilled for them.
Siege takes the podium again and moves through several pieces of club business before turning the floor over to any brothers who might have something to say. I raise my hand, and he motions for me to speak.
I stand up and deliver my short speech to the brothers. “I wanted to take a moment to thank you all for your support during this situation with my old lady. I know some of you weren’t in a position to volunteer because of family or other obligations, but you were all still emotionally supportive when we were pulling out our hair with frustration. Every single brother here was nothing but kind and considerate to Lexi when she was going through the toughest time of her life.”
They all start yelling that they were glad to do it, telling me to take her somewhere nice, and shouting other encouraging things. I hold up my hand and explain, “I also want to personally thank Crow for pulling that bastard off her. And I want to make a motion for Wade to be voted in as a full-fledged member of the Savage Legion MC today, as well as the other two prospects who helped him. If not for their bravery and quick thinking, that killer might have gotten away with Lexi.”
Just like we planned, Dutch calls out, “I second that motion.”
Siege frowns. “We can’t vote for them as a group. They must be voted on individually. Let’s start with Wade.”
Wade steps forward and says a few words about why he’d be an asset to our club.
Siege’s voice rings out, “All in favor, let’s see a show of hands.”
All the hands in the room go up, so there’s no need to have a show of hands for against.
“Alright, that’s unanimous. Tusk, step forward and get your new cut.”
Wade steps forward, and Dutch hands him his new cut with the odd club name engraved on it. Wade doesn’t care what name they tagged him with—he just wants to be a brother. He takes off his prospect cut and slides the new one on with a look of pride on his face. Everyone congratulates him.
After Tusk, Ghost and Bear are next to be voted in, and everyone is all smiles.
***
At the bar, the old ladies have a party going for the new club members. I make my rounds quickly because we’re having breakfast with my family this morning.
When Lexi reaches the bottom of the stairs, I’m blown away. My old lady likes to dress in black, but today her black is sweet. She’s wearing black velvet pants and a slinky long-sleeved shirt with my property vest on top. She’s wearing the other set of earrings that don’t dangle and black ankle boots. Her hair is pulled up and back out of her face. And of course, my ring is sparkling on her finger. In short, she looks amazing.
Crow stalks by me and stops dead in his tracks. “You are one lucky man. You know that, Zen?”
“Yeah, I must have done something amazing in my last life to deserve such a beautiful and loyal old lady.”
Lexi walks up to me and slides her arm through mine. When we walk outside and get onto my bike, I can’t imagine how my life could get any better.