“Yes. That sounds like a perfect night,” I tell him as he pulls me close and just holds me for a minute. “I still love star gazing, but haven’t made the time to actually do it.”
“Good. Finish up your work and then get ready. We’ll head out around five. I have a few things to take care of. I’ll pick you up in my truck. I will put you on my bike, Doll. Tonight, I want you to dress however you want and we’ll need the truck to watch the stars,” he promises me before standing up and walking away from me.
I’ve finished my work for the day and then I took a hot shower so I could get ready for my date with Rex. I called Elara after my shower and told her what was going on. She’s happy for me but very reserved because she knows how badly he hurt me in the past. I explained our talk and his reasons for why he did what he did. Elara kind of understands, but still warned me to be careful because she’s heard about all the women at the clubhouse. They’re there for one thing and that’s sex with the members. I’m not sure how she knows so much about Rex’ club, but she seems to. Unless it’s just the information we gained from the documentary about bikers we watched a long time ago. She helped me choose an outfit for my date and then had to get off the phone because Logan was ready to nurse again.
After doing my hair and leaving my face free of make-up, I pull on a black skirt that ends mid-thigh with a dark red sweater Elara got me last Christmas. It’s soft but light enough for the heat of the evening. I add a pair of red heels and make my way to the living room where my purse sits on the coffee table where I put it earlier. I check to make sure my wallet, keys,and phone are inside before zipping it closed and laying it back on the table in front of me. Sitting on the couch, I look around my living room until my gaze lands on the jerseys and football. Whenever I’m alone in this room, my attention always shifts to the fireplace where I have Bhodi’s things.
A knock sounds on my door and I stand up to smooth down my skirt. I wish I had a mirror in the living room so I could take one last look at myself before I head to the door. Instead, I grab my purse and walk over. Unarming the alarm, I open the door after unlocking it. Rex stands before me wearing a pair of black dress pants and a dark blue button-down shirt. His hair is styled and he’s shaved the five o’clock shadow he’s been keeping on his face. He looks so damn good.
“Damn, Doll. You look sexy as fuck,” Rex says, his voice huskier than normal as he looks me up and down.
“You look really good, Rex,” I respond, unsure if it’s the right thing to say.
“Are you ready to go?” he asks, reaching out his hand as I place mine in it.
“I am.”
Rex walks me out to the truck parked in my driveway and I wonder how I’m going to get inside. It’s lifted and way higher than anything I’m used to. Rex doesn’t leave me to wonder for long as he opens the door and then lifts me up so I’m sitting in the passenger seat. When I look at him, he’s smiling at me. After closing the door, I watch him walk around the front of the truck before climbing in next to me.
“Do you want to go to the diner or one of the fancier restaurants?” he asks me as he starts the engine and music blasts from the speakers. Rex quickly turns it down and I can’t help but laugh because that’s nothing new. He always listens to his musictoo loud when he’s in a vehicle alone. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to turn it down the second I start it because it’s way too loud.
“I honestly prefer the diner. Those fancier places are so pretentious. I’d feel out of place,” I answer him as he backs out of the driveway and heads into town.
“Sounds good to me. I hate those places, too. Some things haven’t changed in either one of us,” he says as we both laugh because this isn’t the first time we’ve had this conversation.
Rex drives to the local diner and parks close to the door. He helps me out of the truck and takes my hand in his as we walk into the diner. It’s not as busy as normal when I’ve stopped here. Rex leads me to a back table I don’t ever see anyone sitting in. The same young girl comes over to take our order. Rex and her talk as if they’ve known one another for a long time and I wonder how they met.
“Maysen, this is Taleah. Taleah, this is Viper’s girl, Maysen,” Rex introduces us and I smile because I can easily see the two of them together.
“It’s nice to meet you,” I say, extending my hand toward her.
“Nice to properly meet you, too, Taleah,” she says before we give her our orders. “I’ll bring your drinks right over and put in your food order.”
“Thanks, Maysen,” Rex says, offering her a kind smile as she walks away from us.
During dinner, we talk and reminisce about our past memories while creating a new one tonight. This is our first public date and I’m excited. Rex holds my hand even when Maysen walks over to deliver our drinks. I have my usual chocolate shake with whipped cream. We laugh and there’s nota single beat of uncomfortable silence between the two of us. It almost feels as if we’re back to when we were together before. After Rex pays the bills and leaves a generous tip for Maysen, he leads me from the diner with a bag of something he won’t tell me. He ordered it at the counter so I wouldn’t overhear him.
Rex drives across town and pulls into an empty field. There’s no flowers or anything as he parks just off the road and leaves the headlights on. I remain in the truck as he gets everything set up in the bed of the truck. It doesn’t take him long before he’s opening my door and lifting me in his arms. This time, Rex doesn’t put me down. He carries me to the bed of his truck and places me on the tailgate. I move back as he climbs up to join me. We lay back against a ton of pillows and then he covers us with a thick blanket. The two of us remain silent for a long time as we look at the stars. At some point, we lean toward one another and kiss for the first time in eight years. Rex lets me lead and I don’t hesitate to deepen the kiss. We don’t take it any farther than that before we break apart, breathless with racing hearts. Rex pulls me into his arms and I rest on his chest as he starts to point out the familiar constellations he’s told me about so many times over the years. It’s the best night of my life and one I’m glad to share with Rex.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Master
TODAY I’M WORKING at the clubhouse. I’m still digging into TJ and his parents with my friend’s help. She has already sent me a ton of information that makes my skin crawl. Things I didn’t find on my own. I’m not sure what the damn difference between the two of us is, but I want to learn from her and see the various channels she uses that I clearly don’t know about. She is a genius, but I don’t know anything about her. So, instead, I get her help when I absolutely need it and go through my other connections when she can’t help me for whatever reason. Right now, all I want to do is get this situation taken care of so I can tell Taleah she no longer has to worry about TJ and his parents. I’ve already sent the information to Officer Reynolds and he’s assured me TJ’s parents will soon be joining him in jail for their various crimes. I don’t believe his mom is fully to blame, but that she’s being forced into the crimes she’s committed by her husband, the vile piece of shit.
As I work, I keep my phone close in case Taleah needs me. She’s working from Fantasy Realm today and I’m worried about her. Yesterday she had to use her walker again because her legs were so shaky. Her physical therapist said there might be times she still has to use it until she builds up enough strength to leave it behind. I could tell she didn’t want to use the walker even around the house when I was the only one with her. Taleah sees it as a weakness and she can’t stand appearing weak in front of anyone. She’s been like that since she was little from what her brother told me. He said he felt as if he built her up so much thatanything less than perfect in her eyes is a sign she’s struggling. It’s not true, but her brother could never get her to believe anything else. Neither could Elara, her parents, or me. Taleah knows what she feels in her heart and the thoughts running through her mind. When she makes a decision, she rarely goes back on it.
Count and Viper have been asking me about Taleah when I’m at the clubhouse. They want her to come by. Cali, Annistyn, and Maysen want to see her here with us as well. I don’t have a problem bringing her to the compound as long as she’s ready to be around so many people she doesn’t know. If I get busy, I know Count and Viper will take care of her. They won’t let the Feral Girls treat her like shit. Cali and Annistyn will pull her into their group the second she walks through the door. Annistyn already knows her and likes Taleah. Maysen has met her at the diner and I can see them becoming good friends. Cali will take more time to let her in, but I don’t have a doubt it will happen.
My phone starts ringing on the desk in front of me and I pick it up to see Officer Reynold’s name on the screen.
“Officer Reynolds, how can I help you?” I answer his call and place it on speaker as I wonder why he’s calling me out of the blue like this.
“Master, I just got word of something that happened in jail this morning. When the guards were checking cells after they switched shifts, TJ was found dead. He hung himself in the cell with the blankets from his bed. TJ was in a cell alone so we know there’s no foul play. The guards found a note on his bed. It said something about knowing he’d never get away with all of the charges he was facing and he wasn’t about to spend the rest of his life in prison. He blamed Taleah for everything,” Reynolds informs me and I honestly want to cheer because the fucker is finally gone and Taleah no longer has to worry about him.
“What are the chances of blowback from his parents?” I ask because Officer Reynolds has known them longer than I have.
“His father might want revenge, but we’re about to head out to arrest them for the information you’ve sent over. We’ll limit their calls and everything is monitored. The only conversation we can’t record is when they meet with their lawyer. You already know that. So, I’ll make sure every precaution is taken to ensure Taleah’s safety. She doesn’t deserve anything she’s been through. The only good thing is she won’t have to testify any longer in a trial,” Officer Reynolds says and I agree with him because she was really nervous about testifying in court.
