by KE Osborn
Everyone laughs while Tremor wraps his arm protectively around my shoulders as he kisses my temple.
“I guess what I’m saying is, I’m happy you’re all part of my… of our lives. We couldn’t do this without you. And moving forward into the next stage of our lives, we couldn’t imagine having any other family than you lot.”
“God, you’re a sappy shit,” Trax calls out.
Torque picks up a plastic cup and throws it at Trax. It smacks him in the head making us all laugh.
“We just wanted to thank you all for being here for us, time and time again,” Foxy relays.
I pull my lips in by my teeth. I can’t hold it in any longer. I stand up suddenly making everyone turn to look at me. “I’m so freaking excited for you guys. I’m sorry, I’m just so goddamned excited. How long have you known?”
Everyone creases their brows including Torque and Foxy who look at each other confused.
“What are you blabbering on about?” Torque asks then his eyes open wide as he looks at Foxy. “Foxy, what’s she talking about?”
Foxy laughs. “I have no idea?”
Confusion wracks through me. “Wait… you’re not pregnant?”
Torque recoils back, turning to stare at Foxy as she shakes her head adamantly. “Nooo. What on earth made you think that?”
Torque visibly relaxes as he wraps his arm around Foxy again while everyone laughs at me. “This impromptu dinner, the romantic feel, you guys being all weird. Plus, I saw Foxy rub her tummy.”
Foxy shrugs. “I’m hungry, my stomach’s been growling.”
Fuck! “Oh…” I pause glancing at Tremor who’s smirking at me. I slowly sit back down on my chair as Tremor pats my leg for comfort.
“But there is a reason I made the atmosphere romantic,” Torque replies. Everyone turns to look at him as Foxy raises her brow.
“You did?” she questions.
He lets her go suddenly dropping to one knee. I gasp along with Foxy, Sparx, and Mom as we all sit forward a little more.
This is a big deal.
No. This is a huge fucking deal.
Torque has been married before. His wife and unborn son were killed in a car accident, so Torque feeling ready to get married again is... A. Huge. Fucking. Deal.
Foxy’s hand shoots to her mouth then Torque grabs her free hand in his. “Foxy… Heeley, from the moment I ran into your frozen yogurt store, then you threatened to beat me with a can of whipped cream, I knew we were in for a wild fuckin’ ride. Now here we are, all this time later, I can say without pause, without reservation… I fuckin’ love you. You’re my heart, you’re my world… I can’t go another minute in this life without knowing you’re not only going to spend the rest of it as my Old Lady but as my wife. Heeley… marry me?”
My eyes mist with tears at his words as do Mom’s and most definitely Foxy’s. We’re all sniffling as I watch Trax glance to Sparx, a look crosses his eyes. It’s a contemplative look, and I wonder if he’s considering this as his next move. I look back to Foxy, her bottom lip trembling, as Torque reaches under the table pulling out a ring box that was obviously taped there. She bursts into tears as he opens it. The woman in me wants to run screaming to her to see the ring, but this is her moment, I can wait.
Foxy’s head bobs up and down rapidly, words stolen from her voice as he slides the ring on her finger then Torque stands up taking her with him. Excitement bubbles inside of me as she lets out a loud laugh, her voice finally coming back.
“Oh my God… yes!” she calls out.
Excitement overwhelms me. I let out a happy cheer along with the rest of us as tears slide down my face. Torque kisses her passionately, I don’t even care right now. Watching their celebration of love is so freaking amazing I’m overcome with joy. Tremor leans into me kissing my head.
“I’m so glad I’m a part of this,” he whispers in my ear.
I turn to face him, leaning in and kiss him softly.
The night is only just beginning, but I know the celebrations are going to be long and fucking epic!
PYRO
Three Months Later
The past three months at the club have been going great. Things with Neala and me are smooth. We’re on an even keel, and even though I still haven’t asked her to be my Old Lady, I’m going to rectify that soon. I want her. It might seem soon, but Neala and I have been dancing around our feelings for each other for years. Just because we’ve only been together for a few months shouldn’t stop the fact that I want her to be mine always. I plan to talk to Torque about it tonight when I get back to the clubhouse, but for now, I have a date. I guess I shouldn’t call it that seeing as it’s with my cousin, but nevertheless, I’m heading over to Chloe’s to celebrate her last session of chemo today.
Pulling up to the green door, I notice a car is already parked outside, and I wonder briefly whose it is. I don’t recognize it, plus she didn’t mention anyone else was going to be here. So I gently knock on her door, flowers in hand, as I wait patiently for her to answer. She’s delayed, but she answers soon enough. Chloe pulls the door back, but she’s hesitant. Instantly, I know something’s wrong.
Her eyes are wide as they glisten at me, and I frown at her in response. “Chloe?”
She exhales looking to the ground. “We have a visitor.”
I cock my head at her words. “We?”
She pulls the door back to reveal my father. His strong muscles fill out his tatty brown suit looking like he got it from some expensive place, but has worn it a few too many times. I grit my teeth looking at the hip flask jutting out of his suit pocket.
He hasn’t changed at all.
Never has, never will.
The piece of trash.
Chloe mouths ‘I’m sorry.’
This isn’t her fault, he would have made her let him in. It’s what he does. Weasels his way into everything.
“Son, it’s so good to see you again,” he slurs taking a step forward, hitting his shin on the coffee table. “Fuck,” he murmurs stumbling slightly.
I step inside her apartment so whatever scene he’s going to cause at least it’s not out on the street to embarrass Chloe in front of her neighbors.
“Why are you here, Frank?” I grunt out.
His eyes darken as I move Chloe behind me. “Frank? I’m your fucking father. You will call me sir!”
Gritting my teeth, I repeat, “Why. Are. You. Here?’
He exhales breaking his stare on me to look at Chloe. The look he gives her sends a chill down my spine. “I never see my son anymore… Chloe’s the only family I have left. So, I thought I should try…” He picks up one of her head scarves threading it through his fingers, “… considering.”
She grunts behind me.
“She finished her chemo today, and now you’re showing your support?”
He straightens his shoulders staring me in the face. “I am making the effort, son. I may not have been here for all her treatments, but I’m here when it counts.”
I step forward. “You’re never here when it counts, Frank. All you do is fuck up the moment someone needs you.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” he asks stepping right up in my face.
“I mean all through Mom’s pregnancy, were you there for her?”
He laughs. “You wouldn’t even know, you weren’t there.”
“No, but I can guess. She died giving birth to me while you were off drunk in some goddamn bar… you couldn’t be there for her or me when push came to shove.”
“How the fuck would you even know that?”
I scoff while throwing my hands in the air. “Chloe’s dad, you know… your brother? The one who cared for me when you were plastered? The one who had that mystery accident with Chloe’s mother. The one we know you were involved in, but can’t prove. He told me everything about my mother, and everything I need to know that you’re nothing but a scum-sucking motherfucking asshole.”
He pushes me, making me take a step back.
Chloe gasps as I step forward right up into his wrinkled face. “You were so fucking drunk when I was born you couldn’t even name me properly. Mom wanted me to be called Trevor after her father, but you were so wasted you slurred your words calling me Tremor, then wrote that on my birth certificate. What kind of drunken piece of shit does that to their kid just after his mother died giving birth to him?”
“She died to get away from you, you little cunt!” he sneers.
Anger blasts through me so hot I can’t stand it as I clench my fist, bringing it up and slamming it into the side of his jaw. He stumbles slightly, but I don’t have time to think before he bends down tackling me like a footballer. Chloe ducks out of the way just in time. Her hand rushes to her mouth as she lets out a small scream as he pushes me back straight into the coffee table. The wood splinters all around, trapping me inside of the fractured timber. I grunt as Frank lands on me, hard. His weight almost twice the size of mine covers me then his hand comes up smashing me in the face. I groan as his knuckles connect with my nose. It doesn’t break, but it begins to bleed as I lay stuck between him and a mass of wooden table. I’m pinned, with no way to move. I try to bring my hands up to smash into his sides, but my contacts are barely making a dent as he lays another hit into my jaw. Pain sears through my face as my head snaps to the side, another blow landing quickly into my eye socket.
“Stop it!” Chloe’s pleas for my father to stop his assault go unheard as she rushes forward lunging on top of Frank yanking at his arms.
He stands up forcing Chloe to fall away from him. She tumbles like a ragdoll, her body so lifeless and limp as she collides with the floor, her head hitting the cabinet behind her. I groan out in pain as I try to get up from the mess of the coffee table, but Frank kicks me straight between the legs so I slump, unable to move as he stands towering over us both.
I gasp for air as he pulls the hipflask from his jacket pocket taking a long sip of the alcohol then swipes the back of his mouth. “You both need to respect your elders. I may be a drunk, but I am your father, Tremor. You will do what I say. Just like you always did, you pathetic piece of shit. Don’t tell me I was a bad father, I tried to teach you how to defend yourself, but obviously I need to teach you more. Don’t worry. I will,” he sneers taking another drink as he kicks my boot, turning to head for the door. “I’m glad you’re feeling better, Chloe, you always were my favorite niece.”
He walks out slamming the door behind him as Chloe bursts into tears scurrying over to me. I slowly edge out of her coffee table to sit up. My muscles aching like fuck as I wipe at my bleeding nose.
“Oh my God, Tremor. I’m so sorry. If I’d have known that would happen I would’ve never let him in.”
I reach out touching the slight bump on her head from when she fell hitting the cupboard. At least it didn’t split open and bleed, but I still hate the fucker for hurting her. “If you didn’t let the asshole in, he would have caused a whole different scene, Chloe. You did the right thing. Sorry about your coffee table. I’ll get you a new one.”
She slides in next to me. “I don’t give a shit about the table, Tremor. I care about you and how banged up you are right now.”
Rolling my shoulder, I sigh. “I’m fine, just a scratch.”
She looks me up and down. “It’s not a scratch, Tremor.”
Rubbing the back of my neck, I feel the muscles tightening from the impacts. He roughed me up, and I know some people who aren’t going to be happy about this. “I know.”
“Well, what the hell are you gonna do about it?”
I raise my brow at her. “I’m taking you to the club. I don’t know if you’re safe here for starters.”
“Okay. Then what? I mean think about it, Tremor, you joined this club so they could protect you from him. So you had a brotherhood to watch your back. Call on your brothers to fight your father.”
“You don’t know what you’re asking, Chloe.”
Her eyes darken as she grips my hand. “I know exactly what I’m asking. If it were up to me, he’d be gone a long time ago, Tremor. It’s not just you he tormented all these years… you’re just lucky you’re male.”
A shudder runs through me making every molecule inside of me want to head out on a murderous rampage as I look at her. She’s so sweet, so innocent. She doesn’t need to say anymore, I know exactly what she’s saying. The thought sickens me completely.
I had no idea.
If I did, I would have killed the motherfucker years ago.
I feel physically vile.
My eyes glisten as she looks at me with tears in her eyes. “Don’t look at me differently, I’m still the same.”
I clear my throat then grit my teeth. “Pack your shit, we’re going to the clubhouse.”
We both stand as I wince from the pain while she helps me stand then she rushes about the apartment to gather her things. I need to make a call to my president, let him know what’s going on.
“Chloe, I’m calling Torque. Keep packing, don’t stop.”
She murmurs out something unintelligible from her bedroom as I yank out my cell hitting speed dial 1. It rings, he answers quickly.
“Pyro, you should be celebrating not calling me.”
Sadness washes over me. We should be celebrating. Chloe should be resting. Today is a big day for her, and instead Frank came in here ruining everything. “We had a minor glitch.”
He grunts down the line. “Talk to me.”
“Pres, I need to bring Chloe into the clubhouse to stay. I don’t know for how long, but my dad, Frank, showed his ugly fucking face, and… she isn’t safe alone with him around.”
Torque clears his throat. “I know she isn’t. We ran checks on Frank Samuels when you joined us, Pyro. We know his history back to front. We know what he did to you. What he’s done to Chloe—”
“You knew about Chloe?”
He exhales. “We also knew you didn’t know. We thought it best to keep it that way. Sorry you found out, brother… it must have hurt.”
Tension rolls through me as I glance at Chloe’s bedroom to hear her still packing. “Yeah. Guy’s gotta fucking pay, Torque.”
He sniffs. “Bring her in. Rubes will get her settled, then we can talk about our options.”
Relief flows through me, and he’s willing to hear me out. That’s what makes him such a good president. Nothing’s too small for him.
“Thanks, Pres, we’ll be in soon.”
“Yep,” he simply says then ends the call.
While taking a steadying breath, I then stride toward Chloe’s bedroom to see her packing her suitcase frantically. I walk to her, reaching out, touching her arm gently as she sinks in on herself with a heavy sigh.
She looks at me, her eyes watering. “If he hurt you, I mean really hurt you…” her bottom lip quivers, “… I’d be so lost without you, Tremor.” She jumps up wrapping her arms around me tight. Every muscle in my body screams out in agony, but I don’t give a shit. I hug her back because this could have been so much worse. Frank is dangerous, and I got off lightly.
“I’m not going anywhere, little cuz, remember that.” I pull back looking at her. She looks so pale and weak. I know she had her last dose of chemo today, and she must be feeling fucking horrendous. She needs to rest. “I’m gonna get Neala to come over and drive you to the clubhouse.”
Her entire body goes rigid. “We need to leave as soon as possible. Frank might come back, this time with his ‘Gentleman’ friends.”
I grimace. “We need to take your car, you can’t drive. No way. So, I’ll take us in your car. I’ll get Zane and someone else to come pick up my ride.”
Her eyes open wide. “You’re going to leave your bike here? What if he comes back? You know he’ll do something to it.”
Rolling my shoulders, I wince. “You’re right.” I pull out my cell dialing Sensei’s number.
“Hello?”
“Sensei, I have something weird to ask you.”
He chuckles. “Most of
my conversations with you, Pyro, are weird. But yes, go ahead.”
“Would you let Sass ride your bike if it were an emergency?”
He’s quiet for a pass, then he exhales. “I suppose. She, of all the women in the club, knows how to handle a ride. She’s ridden motorbikes all her life, I don’t see why not.”
“Okay, then I have a favor to ask.”
“Oh shit, here we go.”
“I need you to bring Sass on your ride to my cousin, Chloe’s, apartment to pick up my ride. I need Sass to check over my bike to make sure it’s all okay and working fine, as in, no one has tampered with it before you bring it back to the clubhouse for me, while I bring Chloe in a car. She’s too sick to drive herself.”
He’s quiet for a moment. “You think someone’s going to tamper with your ride?”
“I think the moment Chloe and I leave her apartment, and my bike is left here unattended, anything could fucking happen.”
He exhales. “Okay. I’ll go get Sass from the garage now. But Pyro, if something is wrong with the bike, I’ll have to tell Torque.”
“Already on it, Sensei. I think once everyone sees my face they will know something’s up.”
“What the fuck does that mean?”
Sighing, I blink a few times feeling my left eye swelling from the punch. “You’ll see. I’ll text you the address. If you can get here as quick as you can, the less chance there’ll be of something being wrong with my ride.”
“We got you, brother.”
“Thanks, I owe you.”
“No need. I’ll come see you when we get in.”
“Appreciate it.” I end the call turning around to see Chloe standing behind me with two suitcases and a small pot plant.
I raise my brow at her letting out a small laugh. “A pot plant? Really?”
She beams. “Yes, I’ve had it since I was twelve, I’m not letting the fucking thing die now.”
Smirking, I reach beside her grabbing the two suitcases, lift them up, and plant a light kiss on her forehead next to the swelling lump on her skin. “You’re adorable… let’s go.”
