“They’re runnin’ everythin’ exactly the same. Bond reached out from jail. He sent an email because he didn’t believe the guards would check the contents. One call to me and Iknow their entire plan,” I say while smiling because the asshole is so arrogant and entitled he doesn’t believe he’s going to get in trouble for this or the other charges against him. “Ben has brought in seven new guys to help with the auction. I’ve got their information in the folders here. Mainly low-level criminals who can’t keep a job and just want a huge payday. Ben is makin’ big promises he won’t keep. He doesn’t give up money easily and this time is no different.
“The auction is in two weeks now and I managed to get a friend’s help to secure an invitation. She reached out on behalf of her ‘boss’. Ben made her turn over financial records, all of the basic information, and he didn’t waste any time doin’ a background check on the boss. She sent me a picture so we’ll have to find one of the guys who matches it the best to take the lead. They didn’t change a single aspect of the auction. Groups of ten men will go in at a time. They have a minute to check out all the girls and women before movin’ on. Once everyone has had a chance to check them out, the auction will start.
“The girls will either be held in place by chains hangin’ from the rafters or in cages. It all depends on how willin’ they are to cooperate with the assholes holdin’ them hostage. The victims are drugged if they fight, kept in cages until the auction, barely fed or given water, and beaten daily. Bond has instructed Ben to keep the girls in line by any means necessary. I’ve forwarded the email to Officer Reynolds so he can add it to the evidence against the douche canoe. I’m still tryin’ to nail down the exact location of the warehouse so we can get blueprints to put a firm plan in place. When are the clubs showin’ up?”
“They’ll be here in a few days. We all want time to prepare. Go over plans and make sure all weapons are ready to go. Link, get with your contact and give them an update of the situation. They need to know we’ll have new faces withus so they don’t get arrested by accident,” Reckless says while looking around the table at all of us. “For now, remain vigilant and someone is to stay with Taleah if she leaves the compound. She’s been workin’ from home and not leavin’. Make sure the Prospects know to check everyone who comes to the gate for any reason. Manic, Force, and Master, put a schedule in place for Taleah. I want men available at all times in case an emergency comes up and she has to leave immediately with almost no warnin’. For now, rest and any new information needs to be brought to us immediately.”
Reckless slams the gavel once again and we all leave church. After grabbing my gun and phone I find a message from Taleah. She went home and is going to bed.
“You headin’ home?” Count asks as I head for my office with the files in hand.
“Yeah. Taleah went there so she could go to bed. I still need to figure out what’s goin’ on with her,” I say, heading straight through the front door to my bike.
Riding around the clubhouse, I follow the road up to my house. Count is my neighbor on one side and Manic is on the opposite side of me. The porch light has been left on and I see the light on in the living room through a slit in the curtains covering the window. I shut the engine of my bike off before I get all the way in the driveway because I don’t want to wake Taleah up if she’s already asleep. If she’s sick, sleep is the best thing for her. Parking my bike in the garage, I close the door before heading inside the house. I do my nightly check of the doors and windows before resetting the alarm and heading for the bedroom.
Taleah left the bathroom light on and closed the door almost completely. I have just enough light to see in the bedroom. Taleah’s covered herself up all the way. I can hardly see the top of her head resting on the pillow. Walking over, Ifeel her forehead, but she doesn’t have a fever. Pressing my lips against her skin, I linger for a minute before moving back and getting ready to climb into bed next to Taleah. The second I’m laying next to her, Taleah turns over and rests her head on my chest while wrapping her arm around my stomach. She throws a leg over mine and almost knees me in the dick before she settles down again. I hold her close as my eyes slide closed and I let sleep pull me under.
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 ourfirst 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 yourparents, me, Rex, and the girls at the club as a support system for you now. Don’t forget the girls at Fantasy Realm. You arenotalone,” 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 eightyears 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.
