Any other time I would have startled, but I had seen him in my periphery and his scent, the comforting smell of outside, of fresh forest and leather lingered near me. It sounds weird, like I go around sniffing the man, but there’s something about it that calms me.
“OK. I trust you. Actually, I trust all of you.” It’s a big statement, and when I turn I’m met with Vex’s grin.
“Loyal, you’ve had years of not trusting anyone, what made you change your mind?”
I wave to the room. “Eight big, gruff, manly bikers showed up and now this sterile room looks like this so the kids feel comfortable around the men. It shows thought and kindness.”
“That it does.”
A loud whistle pierces the air, and all heads turn to Dex, as he stands at the front of the room. “In case you don’t know me, my name is Dex. I’m the President of DRMC Keep Chapter. I brought you here tonight so we could eat, drink and get to know each other, to welcome you in. I’ve realized that’s a shitty idea.” He pauses and the guests start to move uncomfortably. “Some of you have been here longer than we have and it’s actually you, welcoming us into your home. So, thank you. I’m sure I can speak for all of DRMC here that we are happy to have our MC based here, and it’s a privilege to be here with you. Now, let’s eat!”
Cheers go up and Greer covers her ears at the noise. Sniper gently places his hands over hers and my heart aches a littlewhen her little head tips back and she grins at Sniper. His lips tipping up.
“Come on, let’s grab a plate before all the big bastards eat it all,” Vex grins, guiding me to the large tables with a hand hovering at my lower back. Not quite touching me, but I can feel the heat from him.
“Holy-” My words are cut off looking at the spread in front of me.
I’m used to large meals being served in this hall. It’s where all meals were had at the Keep. All the families would come together. Mercy would lead us in a prayer of thanks for the meal and the girls and young women would serve first the men, then the children, then the women. Once I was married I would sit to the left of Goodson and smile politely. Laugh at his jokes. Nod when appropriate and watch the moments tick by until I could leave and help the women clear the tables.
“TumTum, how the hell did we not know you could cook like this?” Vex asks, snapping me from my thoughts as he stares at the offerings on the long buffet table.
“Well, no one ever asked and Mama Debs was always in the kitchen anyway.” TumTum shrugs.
I’m unsure of his age, but he’s definitely younger than the other DRMC men, with a baby face and a lot cleaner cut than some of the others. His hair is tidy, in a military type hairstyle, he’s clean shaven and has no tattoos that I can see. Quite at odds with the rest of the men. Even the Landry brothers seem more rough than TumTum, which is odd because the Landrys I knew were always in buttoned up shirts, dress pants and clean shaven. Now they sport beards and Saint has a wild mane of dark hair.
I stand with my overly filled plate in my hands, from where Vex has added more food than I’m able to eat, and my eyes dart around the room, looking for an empty seat. What I see fills me with more hope than I’m used to. Our guests are looking relaxed,mingling in with the MC members. Nell still looks spooked out of her mind, but her body language is less tense and with an empty seat next to her I smile at Vex before heading her way.
“Mind if I take this seat?”
“No, go ahead.” Nell gives me a small smile and shuffles her seat a little.
She’s been here a month, almost, and she’s starting to come out of her shell a little. We haven’t spoken too in depth about what she went through, but I can imagine. She watches intently as Greer talks to Sniper. The big man is leaning, head down listening to Greer intently.
“He’s good with her,” Nell says, almost a whisper. “She’s scared of men, but not him.”
“Sniper,” I gently reply.
Nell’s eyes flick to mine, before her lips tilt slightly. “Sniper.”
I stare at her for a moment, wondering what’s going through her mind. “They all have what they call ‘road names’. I think it’s a biker thing. See the guy over there with the beard?” I point in the direction of the MC men.
“You mean all of them?” Nell asks shyly, a twinkle in her eye.
I laugh at her comment, the mood lightening as she loosens up. “Ah, yeah. You’re right. Umm, the tall lean one, short dark hair, dark beard? He’s the one laughing,” I point and get caught up watching Vex throw his head back and laugh freely. It’s good seeing him like this. In fact it’s good to see him full stop.
After Blanche killed the Prophet and his brother, and well, pretty much anyone that had harmed the innocent, those of us left behind had to decide what we wanted out of our lives. Some of us moved into Adonner, reconnected with family or left the state completely to start again. Others, like myself and Justice, stayed to help the Landrys rebuild the Keep as a safe place. It was hard and there were times when I thought it would be easier to leave the bad memories and start fresh somewhere whereno one knew me. During those times Justice, my cousin-sibling and the male contact Blanche would use, he would talk me down. Build me back up again. And then there was Vex. Always encouraging. Always ready to lend an ear. I have missed him these past months while he’s been away with the MC, but I have also grown more than I thought I ever could.
“Oh, I see the one you mean,” Nell’s voice draws my attention back to her, her dark eyes showing less fear than earlier, but still reserved.
“Well, when we were growing up, his name was Victory. Now it’s Vex.”
“Vex is a much cooler name, I guess.” Nell says, a small smile on her lips.
“Yup,” I chuckle. “Then there’s his brother Wisdom, who now goes by Omen, and Christian, who is now Saint. The others are Dex, Sniper, Flack, Chef and TumTum.”
She snorts at TumTum’s name and I have to agree with her. “I have no idea how they get these names, but there has to be a story behind that one.”
We share a smile and I start to relax, more than I ever have in this room. Instead of the meal feeling oppressive, it feels freeing. Victory, I mean Vex, is in a serious conversation with Omen, Jason is laughing with Flack and TumTum is sitting quietly with River, the teen who was rescued with Nell, Greer, Jason and his daughter Izzy.
