Chapter Thirty-Four
Taleah
FOR THE LAST week, I’ve been doing my absolute best to avoid Rex.
I’m in bed before he gets done working on the trafficking ring.
When he is home with me, I pretend I’m catching up on paperwork or talking to Sarah about what’s going on and changes she wants to make.
Plus, a bunch of other bikes have been showing up over the last few days.
Annistyn informed me three more clubs are here.
There’s one called the Phantom Bastards.
The President is Reckless’ grandpa and his dad is also an officer in the club.
Another one is called the Wild Kings. One of the guys in that club is Reckless’ uncle and Annistyn’s unofficial dad.
The third club no one really knows so we’ve all been staying away from the clubhouse.
Cali assured us they were fine and wouldn’t have been brought in if the guys didn’t feel they could trust them.
With my head all over the place, I’m in no shape to meet new people though.
It was confirmed yesterday that I’m pregnant.
I took a home test with Annistyn and then made an appointment with the doctor Cali and her use in town.
Annistyn went with me, leaving Ridge home with Cali.
We had Evan with us, but since he didn’t go into the building, he has no clue what kind of doctor I actually saw.
When Dr. Reidell told me I was in fact pregnant, I broke down in tears.
My first thought was to call Elara so we could talk about it, but I didn’t.
Annistyn and I went to the cemetery after I checked with Rex.
He said as long as I kept the visit short, it would be okay.
So, I spent about five minutes at my brother’s grave, crying and telling him I was pregnant with our first baby.
Annistyn didn’t leave my side and was there for me until we got back to the compound and she dropped me off at Rex’ house. That’s when I called Elara.
“Hey, Tally. What’s going on?” she answers her phone when I call and I can hear the kids playing in the background as I continue to cry. “Did Rex hurt you? Do you need me to come over?”
“I’m okay, Lar. I, um, I just found out I’m pregnant.
Took a home test and then had it confirmed by Dr. Reidell,” I tell her as I start to cry even harder because the words are out there now and it’s real.
“I don’t know how Rex will react. He knows about the pregnancy scare and said he would’ve been there for the baby and me back then.
Now, we’ve both changed and things are so different between the two of us. ”
“They are different but in a good way, Tally. You two talk more and he’s so much more open with you than ever before.
Rex is in love with you and I think he’ll be happy about this news.
I’m happy about it. I get to be an aunt!
Just talk to him and make sure he knows how you feel.
How do you feel about this?” she questions me, excitement filling her voice and I know she’s already planning all the things she’s going to be buying our baby.
“I’m happy, but also scared as hell and nervous. Are we really ready for this step when things are still so new between the two of us?” I tell my best friend because she knows how I was the last time I thought this was my reality. Now, it truly is real and I’m scared.
“Things are new, but they’re not at the same time.
The two of you together has been eight long years in the making, Tally.
Rex and you are end game and I don’t have a doubt in my mind about it.
Now it’s time for me to tell you not to push him away.
Let Rex in as you navigate this new reality together.
He won’t leave you hangin’, Tally. You know this.
You have your parents, me, Rex, and the girls at the club as a support system for you now.
Don’t forget the girls at Fantasy Realm.
You are not alone,” Elara says as I hear Rex’ bike pulling closer to the house and know he’s coming home to check on me.
“I’ll try to remember that. Rex is home. I’m gonna go talk to him before I lose my nerve,” I tell Elara as she tells me she loves me and hangs up before I can respond.
“Doll, I’m home,” Rex calls out as I hear him reset the alarm and make his way to the living room where I’m currently sitting on the couch with tears streaming down my face. “Hey, what’s wrong? What did the doctor say?”
Rex rushes over to me and crouches down in front of me, taking my hands in one of his. With his other hand, he wipes my tears away before pressing a kiss to my forehead.
“Rex, I’m pregnant,” I tell him, ripping off the Band-Aid like I told him to do before.
For a minute, he doesn’t say anything at all. He stares at me with surprise filling his features. After a while, he opens his mouth like he’s going to say something, but no words come out. Worry starts to fill me because I know this is a shock, but now I wonder if he doesn’t want our baby.
“Is this why you’ve been avoidin’ me for the last week?” he asks when he can talk again.
“Yes,” I respond, more tears falling he quickly wipes away.
“Doll, it’s okay. It’s not what I was expectin’ to hear today, but I’m happy.
If you want this, then I do too. I’m ready to be a dad and I know you’ll be one of the best moms. From now on, I want to be at every single appointment with you and I’ll go out in the middle of the night when you have a cravin’.
It might feel soon, but it’s really not if you think about it.
We lost eight years together. If things were different, who’s to say we wouldn’t already have a couple of kids,” he says, making me smile because I have thought of that previously before this became our reality.
“You’re really happy?” I ask him, needing to be sure.
“I am. Today is a day of celebrations, it seems. I have somethin’ for you,” he says, standing up and heading for the bedroom.
I remain on the couch, wiping my tears away. When he comes back to stand in front of me, Rex has a box in his hand. I look up at him as he places the box in my lap and crouches down once again.
“Doll, I’ve been in love with you for longer than I even remember.
You’ve always been the girl of my dreams even when we were apart.
There hasn’t been a single day of my life since I met you that you weren’t on my mind.
Slowly, you started to own my heart and every inch of my soul.
You brighten up my world on the darkest days and remind me things will always get better.
I want to be the best version of myself for you.
No one else has ever been able to make my heart race while fillin’ me with the deepest sense of peace.
Will you be my ol’ lady?” he asks me, tears falling once again because he might not be the best with words, but he’s shown me every day since we got back together how much he loves me.
It’s the little things he does like coming home with my favorite drink or snack, talking to the girls who work for me, spending time with my parents, and the fact that he can’t ever stop touching me when we’re together.
Gentle touches that have nothing to do with sex but feel more intimate than anything else.
We talked a while ago about what it means to be an ol’ lady.
Unlike marriage, there is no divorce between a biker and his ol’ lady.
This is for life. I know Rex is the only man I’ll ever love and as long as things remain the same and we continue to talk through everything, I don’t see us ending this time.
“Yes, Rex. I would love to be your ol’ lady,” I tell him as he nudges me to open the box in my lap.
After untying the ribbon, I pull off the top to find a layer of tissue paper.
Peeling it back, I reveal a leather rag.
I’ve seen Cali and Annistyn’s and they told me what they’re called.
Rex lifts it from the box as carefully as he handles his cut and shows me the back.
The club’s colors are in the center. Above them, it says, ‘Property of’ and below it has ‘Master’.
The front has a patch with Doll on it and his road name under it.
Rex pulls me to my feet and helps me slide my arms into the rag.
Once it’s on me, he slowly spins me so he can see it all.
“You look sexy as fuck, Doll. One day soon, I’m gonna fuck you wearin’ nothin’ but this,” he says, leaning in to kiss me. Rex doesn’t hesitate to deepen it as we get lost in one another.
“I love you, Rex,” I tell him when we finally break apart.
“I love you, too, Doll. Cali and Annistyn are goin’ down to the clubhouse.
Reckless wants us all to have dinner together tonight with all the clubs here.
There’s gonna be a lot of people here you don’t know.
If that makes you uncomfortable, we can stay here,” he says as I look up at him and realize this is my life now.
“We can go. I’ll help them cook and you can introduce me to people,” I say as he grabs my hand and we leave the house together.
Before we get the door of the clubhouse open after parking his truck, I can already hear the music playing.
It’s not super loud, but definitely louder than I’ve heard before.
Rex assures me it’s not a party because the kids are still here and running around.
It’s just louder because of all the various conversations going on inside.
With a nod of my head, he opens the door and we enter complete chaos.
There are more people than I’ve ever seen before filling every inch of the common room.
Every single chair and bar stool is occupied with men and women.
“It’s okay, Doll. Cali and Annistyn are already inside and there are more ol’ ladies here. You’ll like them,” Rex promises me as we move further inside and I search the room.
Annistyn is standing next to the largest man I’ve ever seen in my life. They’re talking and laughing until she notices me. Annistyn frantically waves me over and Rex takes charge, leading me through the groups of people so I don’t get lost or run over by anyone.
“You’re here!” Annistyn says when we’re close to them. “Taleah, I’d like you to meet Tank. Tank, this is Taleah.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” I tell Tank, accepting his outstretched hand. His touch is more gentle than I expected.
“Nice to meet you too, Taleah. Master, it’s always good to see ya. I’m gonna offer my congratulations because you didn’t have an ol’ lady the last time we were here,” he says, a large smile on his face as a few more people come over to join us.
“She just said yes before we came down here,” Rex informs him before turning to me. “Taleah, this is Fox, Slim, Playboy, and Grim. Tank and Grim are in the Wild Kings MC. The other three are in the Phantom Bastards MC. Slim is Reckless’ grandpa and Playboy is his dad.”
“It’s nice to meet you all,” I greet them, offering the best smile I can as nerves fill me.
“Taleah, why don’t we head to the kitchen?
Most of the ol’ ladies are in there cookin’ dinner for everyone.
We can find something to do because when Skylar is here, she pretty much takes over the kitchen.
You’re gonna love her food and sweets. The woman is a goddess,” Annistyn says, moving me away from Rex and leading me into the kitchen.
Several women are already working as they look up to greet us without stopping what they’re doing. I’m introduced to Skylar, Bailey, Sam, Shy, and a few others. I’m never going to remember all of these names.
“I can see the panic on your face,” a woman says walking up to me. “My name is Hartley and I’m with Lash from the Knight’s Rebellion MC. You’ll catch on to who we all are sooner rather than later. I don’t know everyone here so we’re all learning this together.”
This woman is so nice and I can’t help but laugh with her.
Annistyn remains at my side as we get orders from Skylar.
With her in charge, we all work together to prepare the food quicker than I thought possible.
Annistyn and I are essentially gofers, moving to get things for those working on the food.
Skylar starts baking once the meat is in the oven and there’s nothing else for her to do.
She makes brownies, peanut butter fudge my mouth waters over, a few pies of varying flavors, and cookies.
The woman works efficiently and manages to time everything perfectly so as one thing is coming out of the oven, the next thing is ready to go in.
I’m in awe of her and decide I want to be her when I grow up.
We all talk and laugh as we get used to one another and prepare a fantastic meal for everyone in the clubhouse.
I’ve honestly never seen this much food in one place before.
I’m having a lot of first moments being with Rex and around this clubhouse.
I love every second of it. Kim and I get into a conversation about sport bikes when she learns I ride.
Her son is named King and a member of another chapter of the Phantom Bastards MC.
Fox is his dad. King’s wife also rides a sport bike and I kind of want to meet them.
I don’t typically ride with anyone, but it might be nice to meet up with them for a ride one weekend.
Rex and I can go and just get away from everything.
I’ll have to wait until after the baby is born, but we could make it work.
When we have dinner, all the men leave the table and chairs for the women and kids.
They choose to stand with their meal in small groups close to their ol’ lady.
Rex rarely leaves me once I sit down to eat.
His eyes make sure I’m eating enough without saying a word.
I’m sitting with Annistyn, Cali, and the kids.
Fox and Rex are talking about something and I know he’s going to disappear in his office before too long.
I’m honestly okay with it because I’m enjoying myself more than I thought I would.