Zisa Chapter 18
The past week had been such a storm of activity. After the club voted unanimously to use some of their slush funds to pay for Zuri’s treatment, they sent five men down to Salina that day. Two escorted her to the Regulators’ clubhouse. She was given a room and watched over until Maestro was able to get her placement. I knew it was scary for her to be left with strangers, but it was the best course to take. We couldn’t let Penn get his hands on her or find a way to trick her into returning. Mama and I called her every day, and she was free to text or call us. It was something we found that Penn hadn’t allowed. It explained why she rarely contacted us.
We’d all cried when she left. However, it worked out. She only stayed with them three days before she was placed in a facility that was only an hour from Norfolk. It had a great reputation for success.
Meanwhile, back in Salina, Mama and I were hard at work closing out our lives here. We thought the big fight would be getting Imani and Milan to be all right with moving. They had spent their entire lives here. Their friends were here, including Loulou, who lived next door. They’d have to start over at a brand-new school, knowing no one.
They weren’t jumping for joy at the thought of the friends being left, but they came around to the idea of living in a new town and state surprisingly fast. It might have to do with the fact Mama told them they’d be living with Carnage. And Moose and I would be nearby. Plus, they were told their mom was getting better and would be able to live near us and be a part of our lives in the future.
Mama hated to do it, but time was crucial, so she had to quit her jobs without giving them notice. She fretted about it. She’d never done that a day in her life. However, she explained to her employers what was happening and why. They were more than sympathetic and understanding. They knew how hard she’d tried to get Zuri to change her life. They wished her luck and promised they’d give her a great reference. Although, I think if Carnage got his way, she wouldn’t be working nearly as much in Nebraska.
As for my work, it was simple. Other than needing to change my mailing address on my website and pop up a notice that I would need extra time to get orders out for the next few weeks, I was good to go other than boxing up my merchandise. I tried not to have a ton on hand due to overhead, but I did have some, which was kept in my spare bedroom and any other extra places I could store it.
While the girls were at school, and their two guards took turns watching the school and bringing them home, the other one helped us pack. The three who stayed were Fender, Knox, and Comet. They took turns at the school. With five adults packing, it went surprisingly quickly. The one thing we’d watched for, but it never happened, was Penn showing up. The guys thought it was due to their bikes being visible at our houses day and night. I hoped it was, but I was still worried. We hadn’t heard the last from that man.
Our landlords weren’t happy that we were breaking our leases. For the most part, we never complained and didn’t tear up our houses. They’d be lucky to get renters like us again. The only thing we hated was that since we couldn’t give them advance notice, they got to keep our two months’ worth of deposits. We could’ve used that money for other things, but it couldn’t be helped. Having everyone safe was a priority.
When we got to Norfolk, I was going to track down Maestro and give him a hug and kiss, no matter what Moose said. That man had gone above and beyond. He not only got Zuri into her treatment program but also worked with Mama remotely to get everything into place so Imani and Milan could start school as soon as we got there. He was a wonder, and the club was fortunate to have him.
And here we were, a week later, pulling out to get on the road to our new home. I took a final look at the house that had been mine for several years. A large moving truck held all our possessions. Knox was driving it. Behind my car, Moose and I were pulling a trailer that had his bike, Carnage’s, and Knox’s on it. Carnage didn’t want Mama to drive, so he was behind the wheel of her car. Fender and Comet were riding their bikes.
We were getting on the road at nine, so we’d make it to the clubhouse by early afternoon. I was anxious to see it. I knew the only ones who had houses on what they called their compound were Carnage, Howler, and Clutch. Moose lived in a suite in the clubhouse. He assured me that we’d have a house built as soon as possible. I told him as long as they had room to store my belongings somewhere and my merchandise in the clubhouse, I’d be fine.
We just finished one last round to be sure everything was locked up. We’d stayed in the hotel last night since there were no beds at either house. We’d grabbed breakfast there before coming over to do this final check. Moose was holding open my door so I could get into my car. Mama and the girls were already in hers. That’s when the sound of a siren caught our attention. Glancing up, I saw a police car racing toward us. It came to an abrupt halt right in front of my car, blocking it in. I didn’t even have to wait to see who was behind the wheel. God, what did he want?
“Zisa, baby, get in the car and let me handle this,” Moose said softly.
“No, he’s my problem. We speak to him together, or I do it alone.”
“Stubborn ass woman. I should spank you and cuff you inside,” he muttered.
“Save the kinky stuff for the bedroom. We have witnesses here,” I said in a whisper, and then I winked at him.
He threw back his head and laughed. As I started walking ahead of him, he swatted my ass. I wiggled it at him. Marius was out of his car and storming toward us. Carnage and the other Regulators with him, except Knox, came to stand behind us. I saw Knox standing outside Mama’s car door.
“Marius, what is the meaning of coming up to this house with your siren and lights on?” I scolded him like he was a child.
“I want to know what the hell is going on. What’s with the moving truck and that trailer?” he yelled.
“I think it’s pretty clear. We’re moving,” I said slowly like I was speaking to a not-so-bright person.
“No shit. I want to know why and where you’re going. Please tell me you’re not moving somewhere with these nasty bikers. I told you what they do. You can’t go with them,” he snapped.
“I am moving with them. And I’d appreciate it if you’d stop calling my man and his brothers nasty, dirty, and any other horrible names. I know everything I need to know about them. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we have a long drive and a schedule to keep. This will be the last time you see us.”
I was turning my back on him when he hit me with another remark. “I heard that your sister has up and disappeared. I thought she might be with you, but I guess Penn has finally killed her. Maybe I’ll find her body in a ditch.”
He said it as if he was happy she might be dead. I swung around to face him. Moose held onto me. I knew it was to stop me from hitting Marius and getting arrested. It was exactly the shit he’d do.
“No, Marius, she’s not dead. We know exactly where she is. Zuri will be safe and far away from that bastard. And I’ll be far from you. You know, you may think you’re better than Penn, but you’re not. You hide your ugliness better, that’s all. Mark my words, your day is coming. I’m so blessed that I never loved or married you. It would’ve been a pain in the ass to find the love of my life and have to work to divorce you.” I smiled up at Moose, who lifted my hand and kissed it.
“I love you too, Bae. We need to get on the road. Oh, and Marius, stay away from us,” Moose warned.
As we walked off, Marius kept screaming my name and telling me I’d regret it if I left. We ignored him. It took waiting for the others to move their vehicles and bikes so Moose could get my car free. As we drove off, Marius was shaking his fist at us.
“He’s lost his mind,” I mumbled.
“He’ll lose a lot more.”
“What do you mean?”
“Let’s wait until I have something for sure to tell you. Then we’ll talk. Until then, let’s enjoy the drive as much as we can in a cage.”
Knowing I wouldn’t get him to talk about it if he didn’t want to, I relaxed and teased him about his cage remark. From there, we chatted about anything and everything.
???
Due to a stop to stretch our legs and eat lunch, we didn’t roll through the gate into what was the Regulators’ compound until two thirty. I was staring and trying to take it all in. I had no doubt Milan, Imani, and Mama were as well. I’d never seen anything like it before.
The gate was a large metal contraption that rolled on wheels. It slid open to let us in. As it did, I caught sight of a guy standing off to the left, outside a small building. He was wearing a cut like theirs. He waved at Carnage, who was ahead of us, then Moose.
In front of us was a massive metal building. Based on the size and the placement of windows, I was reminded of a factory. I was turning to ask Moose if it was when he chuckled. “Yes, it was a factory. The club bought it cheap years ago and worked on renovating it into our clubhouse and main living quarters. It had land with it, and over the years, we’ve bought up more of the existing land around it. The fence encloses the main part of it.”
“It’s so big. How many rooms are in it? You said living quarters. Surely you don’t need that many.”
We were pulling up in front of the clubhouse. There were bikes outside of it. He parked before he answered.
“It is huge. There are more things in there than just our bedrooms. There are a few offices, several storage rooms, a large common area, and a kitchen, to name a few. As for living space, we built them into suites, which consist of a bedroom, bathroom, and living room for each member to claim as his own. There are twenty of those. It’s enough for us and our guests. As you know, Howler and Clutch live in houses with their families, and Carnage has a house. They still have use of what their rooms were in the clubhouse if they need them, which isn’t often, so that gives us more room for guests and visitors.”
“Oh my God, it must’ve cost a fortune to have it renovated,” I breathed after he got out and came around to open my door. Carnage was getting Mama and the girls out of her car. Their mouths were hanging open like mine as they stared at the clubhouse.
“It didn’t cost as much as you think. We’re lucky that we have so many people who have skills in plumbing, electrical, and carpentry. We did a lot of it ourselves, so it cost mainly for supplies,” Carnage said as he brought the others to stand next to us. I hadn’t known I’d said it so loud.
“I can’t believe this. And where are the houses?” Mama asked.
“They’re behind the clubhouse but not too close. We have privacy and won’t be bothered by the noise,” Carnage assured her. He had one arm around her and the other around Milan, who had Imani standing in front of her and Carnage.
“Girls, I know you and your Mamie are anxious to see our house, but I’d like to show you a little of this place first. And based on the bikes, it seems everyone is here to meet you. Let’s go in, do a short tour, and grab a pop. What do you say?”
I grinned to hear him calling my mama Mamie, the girls’ name for her. Their excited “yes” made him smile. Before we could take a step, the door opened and out spilled numerous men. A quick scan told me the whole club was here, including Ryan and Lainey. Leading the crowd was Rowdy.
“We tried to wait, but you were taking too damn long. You know what they’re like, wild animals,” Rowdy groused.
Some of the guys booed his description while others puffed up like they were proud to be called an animal.
“Hold your pants on. Don’t scare them to death. Let me make introductions before they become worse. You all know Zisa.” He paused so they could shout their welcome to me. I smiled and waved at them. Once they quieted from that, he continued.
“This is Shantel, Zisa’s mama and my old lady. I’ll let you come over and tell her your names once we get inside and settle. These are Milan and Imani, Shantel’s granddaughters. You all met Zuri. She’s their mama. It’s been a tiring day. Mind if we come in and get them a pop? After you present yourselves, we’re gonna give a brief tour of the clubhouse. Then I’m taking my family to our home.”
“It’s a pleasure to be here. My girls and I look forward to getting to know all of you,” Mama said sweetly.
This was what got them moving back inside. Fender, Knox, and Comet brought up the rear behind me and Moose. We walked into a massive room. There was no other word for it, massive. Along one of the shorter walls ran a long, curved bar. On the opposite shorter wall was a game area. It had three pool tables, several dartboards, a large screen on the wall, and what looked like a jukebox. In between were several tables with chairs, and along the longer walls were several couches and stuffed lounger chairs. It was a frat boy’s dream or a biker’s. It was bigger and nicer than the Topeka chapter’s common room.
We were shown to a table, and our men fetched us all a drink. They knew our preferences by now. As we drank them, the others were introduced to the assorted men and the two other old ladies. Their kids would be home within the hour. I couldn’t wait to meet them. From what I recall, they were around Imani and Milan’s age or maybe a little younger. A prospect was out picking them up from school so their moms could be here when we arrived.
After everyone had met and Carnage was teased that Mama should dump him and take a few of his brothers, which he predictably objected to and threatened, we were given a tour. There was so much to see, so they stuck to showing us the kitchen and the rooms, along with the offices of Maestro, Rowdy, and Carnage. They promised we’d see the rest later.
The kitchen was big and industrial, which made sense since they didn’t have individual kitchens in their suites. There were four ovens, two big stoves, a walk-in refrigerator, and a freezer. Mama and I exchanged grins. We could cook and bake up a storm in here. To get us to Carnage’s house faster, we only looked at a couple of suites and the offices. We didn’t check out what would be mine and Moose’s, although we were all shown where it was.
By the time we told everyone goodbye and promised we’d meet back here later to have dinner, I was impatient to see where my family would be living. A short drive behind the clubhouse revealed the three houses. Carnage’s was the one farthest to the right, I discovered. It was a good-looking house. It needed some landscaping, but knowing Mama, she’d have lots of flowers planted around it and in the lawn as soon as it was done frosting and freezing up here. Someone had brought the moving truck to his house, and they were busy unloading it. Based on the cuts I saw, they were prospects.
When we packed, we labeled the items according to their owner and the room they would go to in the house. Most of mine would be stored somewhere on the compound. For the day-to-day things I’d need, like clothing, I packed the bulk of them in my car.
The girls danced impatiently to get inside, so we didn’t linger outside. Walking in, I took in the house. The furniture was quality items. He didn’t have a lot of pictures on the walls, and his knickknacks were few. I was glad to see the walls weren’t stark white. He had a warm, light taupe color and a darker color on random walls. It had a large living room and a connected kitchen. In addition, he had an office, laundry slash mudroom, and bathroom downstairs. Upstairs, he showed them a guest bedroom and bathroom. Next, he stopped outside a closed door. He looked at the girls. On the door was a sign that read Imani .
“Are you ready? I understand from what Rowdy told me this has been prepared for you, Imani. If there’s anything you want to change, let me know.”
“I don’t share with Milan anymore?” she asked in amazement.
“No, you don’t. You’re a big girl who should have her personal space. Your Mamie agreed,” he told her right before he swung the door open.
I heard her gasp, and then we all crowded inside. I wanted to cry. It was perfect for her. The walls were painted cream and purple. A whole new bedroom set was in there. The bedding was a combination of purple, cream, and pink, her favorite colors. Built in a corner was a raised area where she could go up a ladder and sit on comfy throw pillows, like a lounging area. Below it was a desk and chair. On the desk was a computer screen.
Around the room was a dresser, nightstand, and a walk-in closet. Carnage opened another door that led to a bathroom. Someone had painted it purple and cream to match. All the towels, a shower curtain, and accessories matched. She was squealing and jumping up and down. She burst into tears and ran over to hug Carnage. He picked her up and murmured in her ear as he hugged her. I swore I saw tears in his eyes. Mama was holding her hand over her mouth, fighting not to cry. As soon as Imani calmed down, he sat her on her feet.
“I know you want to explore your room, and you can, but first, we need to check out your sister’s room.”
“Yes! Oh, I can’t wait to see it,” Imani shouted. Milan looked uncertain. Carnage took her hand and led us all to the door next to Imani’s. A sign reading Milan declared it was hers. Swinging it open, we stepped inside to find a room very different from Imani’s.
For one thing, the colors were all different. In Milan’s room, it was all white, turquoise and black. It was a bit more sophisticated. She might only be a year older, but she was more mature than Imani, and it showed here. A full-sized bed was against a wall with a built-in piece surrounding the headboard. It consisted of a lower door-covered cabinet with two open shelves, then an upper door-covered cabinet piece rested on each side of the bed with a connecting piece of more covered cabinets, making it into a solid three-sided unit. Her headboard was covered in material of black images on a white background.
There were two turquoise walls and two white walls. Her bedding was a combination of all three colors. She had a dresser and walk-in closet like Imani. And a desk set up with a screen on it. I noticed underneath the desk a computer tower. The accents and everything screamed a girl’s dream, just like Imani’s did. And Milan had her own bathroom, too. It was decked out in her theme colors the same way her sister’s was. She stood there, not saying a word. Carnage exchanged a worried look with my mama. When Milan hung her head and burst into tears, Carnage stopped Mama from going to her. He did instead. He hugged Milan close and whispered to her like he had with her sister. I was crying this time. Moose put his arm around me and Mama. Imani was watching her sister in concern.
“Don’t you like it, Milan?” Imani asked softly. It took my oldest niece a minute or so to answer. When she unburied her face from Carnage’s shirt, she was smiling.
“I love it. It’s the most beautiful room I’ve ever seen. I can’t believe it’s mine. And your room is so beautiful too. Thank you, Carnage. You didn’t have to do this for us.”
“Honey, I wanted you to feel this was your home because it is. But I can’t take all the credit. My club, Lainey, and Ryan contacted me and asked me to find out things from your Mamie, like favorite colors and stuff. All I did was tell them. They did the rest. You can thank them when we go back to the clubhouse to have dinner. If you want, you can explore your rooms until then. We’ll bring up the boxes later that have your stuff in them. I asked the prospects to leave them out in the garage until you got a chance to see your rooms.”
“Yippee! But first, I want to see Mamie’s room.” Imani cheered. We all laughed at her happiness.
“We can do that, but I want you to know she’ll be sharing her room,” Carnage said as he gave Mama a smirk and a wink.
“With who?” Imani asked. She’d never had a man in their lives, so she didn’t think of one sleeping with Mama. Any time Carnage was over, they were either gone, or he left before they got up.
“Him, silly. He’s her boyfriend. That means they sleep in the same bed,” Milan told her, although not unkindly.
Imani’s eyes widened. “Does that mean Moose and Auntie Z will sleep in the same room, too?”
Moose laughed and answered for us. “Yes, that means she’ll be in my room. You saw the door. That’s where we’ll live until we have a house built.”
“Oh goodie, so if they sleep in the same bed, does that mean they’ll have babies?” she asked even more excitedly.
“It means that one day, Moose and Zisa will probably have some, but Carnage and I won’t. And before you ask why not, the answer is I can’t have babies anymore. I’m too old,” Mama explained.
Imani appeared disappointed. Before she could go off on a tangent, I made a suggestion.
“I hate to leave, but I’d like time to see where I’m staying. Why don’t you two have fun in your rooms and let Mamie and Carnage relax? We’ll meet you back at the clubhouse.”
“That’s a great idea. Go play in your rooms, but don’t go anywhere else,” Mama warned.
As they ran off, I hugged her and made her laugh when I gasped and said, “Does that mean you’ll have babies?”
She smacked my ass. “Get out of here. I need to kiss my man, and I don’t need you to watch. I’d hate to corrupt your innocence,”
Moose snorted while Carnage chuckled. I’d see the master another time. Let her and Carnage see it alone. Waving goodbye, I let Moose take me back to the clubhouse. We entered through a backdoor. His room was on the first floor, about halfway down it. There were more suites on the second floor. He took out a key and unlocked it. Before he opened it, he paused.
“Baby, I know this isn’t the same as a house. I promise as soon as we pick out a house plan, we’ll get it built. Until then, let me know if there’s anything you want to change or do to our rooms other than tear down walls. I want you to be comfortable.”
“That’s so sweet, honey, but I’ll be fine for however long it takes. As long as I have you and room to work, I’m good.”
“Oh, speaking of work, I asked Carnage about space for you to use as an office. He had a storage room cleared out for you to use. We’ll go look at it after you see our rooms.”
“He did? Oh God, I’ll have to tell him thank you. I hope they didn’t go to a lot of trouble moving a bunch of stuff.”
“It’s no trouble. The four of you and your sister are moving your entire lives for us. If there’s anything we can do to make it easier, we will. Okay, ready?”
I nodded, and then he opened the door. Walking inside, I took it in. It was larger than I expected. We entered a decent-sized room that was set up as a living room, although he had a mini-fridge and a two-burner hot plate on a built-in counter with storage. He had a coffee table, couch, and one stuffed chair in there, along with a large screen mounted on the wall. It was cozy and not a cluttered mess.
He closed the main door behind us, then took my hand and walked me to the other door in the room. It wasn’t closed. In it, there was a king-sized bed, a dresser, two nightstands, and two more doors.
Again, the furniture was nice and seemed to be of good quality. It was nicer than what I owned. The walls were bare, but he was a guy, so I expected it. Another mounted television was on the wall. He gave me time to soak it in, then moved me over and opened one door, showing that we had a decent-sized closet. Between it and the dresser, we should have no problem having both our stuff in them. I tended to store my clothes in two bunches. In the spring, I’d bring out my spring and summer clothes, then rotate them out for the fall and winter ones.
After giving me time to check it out, we went to the other closed door, and he pushed it open. The bathroom was big, and the shower was larger than mine. We’d be able to get in together without being glued together or contorting to wash.
“I know it’s not much, but it’s ours. And you can decorate however you want,” he said nervously.
I wrapped my arms around his neck. “It’s more than good, Arman. And it’s temporary. If you go lock the main door, I can show you how happy I am to be here with you and with our current living arrangement,” I suggested huskily, licking my bottom lip.
His expression went from worried to filled with desire in a snap. I watched as he hurried to the door and turned the lock. As he did, I walked to the bed and sat down to remove my boots. I was more than eager to have him. It hadn’t even been twenty-four hours since we’d made love, but I was dying to be with him again. He stalked to the bed, loudly growling.