by Romi Hart
She nodded, her ice blue eyes darkening a couple of shades and her pupils blown out. “I feel it. Imagine what I’m going to do to you after dinner.” And with that, she turned and strode away, her ass cupped perfectly in the tight pants and her hips swinging seductively. She turned a couple of heads, and Zeke wanted to rip them off like he was some sort of fucking werewolf and she was his mate.
He had to get control of himself, but then, this was Leigh’s doing. When had she flipped the switch from running away from him to getting him all hot and bothered with an invitation to finish what she started as soon as he was available?
His phone buzzed, and he was relieved that Dan agreed to reschedule. He hadn’t been sure he’d see Leigh again when he scheduled this meeting, much less that things would be moving so fast. And while he wanted to keep up the momentum, he couldn’t let his club down, either. They needed every ally they could muster if they planned to take down Gomez and the Ravens. The Reapers had strength in numbers, and Dan had spoken several times about how much his president despised Gomez and their ties to the Ravens.
If he could engineer a meeting between Dan’s president and Corey, chances were they would come to an agreement, and other MCs would hear about it and follow suit.
But he had to keep it short and sweet. Another text came through, this one from Leigh with her address. She lived on the opposite side of town, and he’d have to speed over if he was going to make it on time. He couldn’t waste time and resources trying to butter Dan up. He’d have to be short and to the point, emphasizing just how dangerous Gomez was and the inside information they had verifying his cruelty.
Heading out, he figured it might be good to get a bite to eat, and then he was going to take Leigh’s advice and pack an overnight bag. He didn’t want any excuse to have to leave until she was on her way to work. He wanted every minute he could get with her now, before things got a little crazy with the MC. After all, if things went well with Dan, Zeke knew he’d probably get wrapped up in club politics and have little time and space for anything outside of his brotherhood until the issue was resolved.
He didn’t have forever to take care of business, either. Part of having to meet Dan was making sure no one saw them together, and he was lucky the Reaper had agreed to come this far from his home turf. Zeke would have to meet him out of town, away from prying eyes of his own club as well as other locals, including the Diamond Kings and Ravens. That meant rolling into a hole in the wall establishment about twenty miles west of town, where the bartender was in the Flames’ pockets.
It was safe enough, but it would take time to get there, and to assure that no one was tailing him. If anyone was suspicious that Zeke was on a mission, things could get very ugly very quickly, and he had to assure his own safety, as well as that of the club’s. usually, they at least rode in pairs for something like this, and Zeke would take Rafe along for the ride. But when it came to Dan, he had to be more cautious and discreet. Otherwise, he’d lose the only source of information he had, and Zeke didn’t want that. Or for Dan to turn against him and bring down his wrath on the entire MC.
Clearing his mind, Zeke knew if he didn’t focus on one task at a time, he’d go nuts trying to work everything out. First thing first, he told himself. Food would make everything easier.
12
“It’s been over a week, Rory,” Leigh emphasized, feeling panic overriding reason. “I haven’t heard anything at all for over a week.”
Rory shook her head. “And how many times have you been out?”
Leigh gave Rory a pointed look. “Are you referencing how many times we’ve seen each other? Because really, we don’t spend a lot of time out.”
Rory groaned. “I can’t remember the last time I had sex good enough to avoid a restaurant or a movie theater. Okay, fine. How many times have you seen each other?”
Blushing Leigh looked away and tucked her hair behind her ear. She didn’t want to be honest with Rory. In fact, there were a lot of confessions she didn’t want to make. “A lot, I guess,” she said softly, meekly.
“O. M. G. You’ve been spending the night together. A lot. Like, the two of you are practically living together!”
“No!” Leigh protested. But Rory just gave her a triumphant smirk. “We probably spend four nights a week together.”
Rory’s jaw dropped, and she slapped the table between them. “No shit! What happened to the snotty little girl who hated bikers?”
Sighing, Leigh threw her hands up in the air, giving in. “Okay, you were right, and I was wrong. It looks like the Devil’s Flames might be different. But what difference does it make? Zeke suddenly just…stops contacting me, completely? What am I supposed to do?”
Rolling her eyes, Rory asked, “Have you texted him? Called him?”
“Not in the last four days,” she admitted. She hadn’t wanted to bother him when he didn’t answer her first few messages. She wasn’t going to get desperate. “He said he had feelings for me, but he didn’t know what they were yet.”
“How long has this been going on, Leigh? How long have you been falling for him, spending time in his bed, letting him in yours?” Rory eyed her somberly, and she thought about arguing, but her friend would see right through the protests.
“A little over a month.”
The other woman gasped. “Are you serious? And you didn’t tell me?”
Leigh winced at the hurt in her eyes. “It wasn’t personal. I didn’t want to talk about it because it’s new and different, and we’re both a little uncertain. He’s a lot more vulnerable than he looks. It was about protecting him, and really, I needed to protect myself from reading too much into it.”
“But you’re already heavily invested, or you wouldn’t worry about him not calling,” Rory pointed out. “Look, you need to calm down and think clearly. What do you know about his role in the Devil’s Flames? How prestigious is he? Is he club royalty, or just some peon?”
“He calls himself the communications officer. He keeps up relations with someone inside some of the other clubs, the clubs that aren’t necessarily friendly with his.” She wasn’t exactly clear on the details, but she explained the best she could. All of this was so new to her, she had difficulty remembering everything.
“So, he’s part of the council.”
“Yes.” That much she knew.
“Who else do you know in the club? Is there anyone you can call to make sure he’s alright, that he didn’t get hurt again? No one has any courtesy for bikes these days. He could have gotten hit or run off the road.”
“I hadn’t thought of that. But wouldn’t he land right back in my hospital?” she asked.
“So, check the records.”
On the verge of tears, she ran her hand through her hair. “And what if I find out he just decided he doesn’t want to be with me?”
“Then it’s better to know sooner than later.” Rory reached out and touched her hand reassuringly. “But I’m going to tell you a secret. A man in a motorcycle club doesn’t show up at your job with flowers, dressed up without his cut, just to ask you to dinner. And a biker doesn’t give second chances unless he’s keen on making that second chance stick. Something else is going on, and you might want to check in with his brothers.”
Leigh had no intention of heading to the clubhouse, no matter how comfortable she’d grown with being there. Going with Zeke was one thing. Being there on her own was completely different. And if Zeke didn’t want her, she would feel like an intruder anyway. “I do have a number for his best friend’s old lady.”
“There you go! That’s a perfect solution. You should call her.”
But Leigh shook her head. “I’ll give it one more day.”
“Oh, no you won’t. Get your phone out. We’ll go outside where it’s quiet, so you can hear.” Rory stood and tugged on Leigh’s arm, forcing her out of the barstool as she slapped two twenties on the table to cover their drinks. “You need answers, and I’m too anxious to know what’s going on to let
it go. Let’s do this.”
Not at all convinced this was the smart thing to do, Leigh reluctantly let her friend guide her toward the exit. But halfway there, her purse started to buzz, and she pulled free of Rory’s grasp. Her friend scowled at her as she rooted around until she found her phone, and Leigh’s lips parted, her breath quickening as she saw the caller ID. “It’s him,” she said, incredulous.
“Well, come on then! Answer it, and let’s get outside so you can hear him!” Rory urged.
Now, Leigh froze. What if he was calling to tell her all bets were off? Or worse, that he was hurt and stuck somewhere? She couldn’t stop the horrors from swirling in her head, and Rory reached for her, grabbing the phone from her hand and answering it. She didn’t even have the wherewithal to protest.
“Hello?” Rory plugged her other ear. “Yeah, hold on a minute, Zeke. We’re in a really loud place, and she’s just getting back from the bathroom. I didn’t want her to miss your call. We’re going to step outside so she can hear.” She hit the mute button and gave Leigh a warning glare. “Don’t screw this up, Leigh. Don’t act petrified, and don’t act too casual. Be honest with him, and tell him how you feel.”
Leigh nodded, still not sure she was going to be able to talk, and followed her friend’s quick pace outside. Her hand trembled as she took the phone back and cancelled the mute before holding it to her ear. “Hi, Zeke,” she said, sounding much calmer and brighter than she felt. Her insides were quaking, and she hated how emotional she was over all of this.
“It’s good to hear your voice,” he said in a low growl. It washed over her delightfully, easing her tension and making her shiver with need. “I’ve missed you,” he continued.
“Why haven’t I heard from you?” she asked, unable to hold back the hurt and fear she’d felt.
“I’m really sorry, Leigh. I’ve been away on club business, and I couldn’t break away for a minute. The time got away from me, or I would have at least texted you. I didn’t realize how long it was until I felt like I was going through withdrawals, not seeing you.” He laughed, sounding almost embarrassed about it. “I’m still out of town and probably won’t be back for a couple of days. But I really want to see you. Can we have dinner?”
“Of course,” she said, overjoyed to know he’d missed her. “Just let me know when you get back, and I’ll make sure I’m available.”
He grunted. “Do you know how nice it is to think you want to be with me bad enough to rearrange your schedule for me? I don’t think anyone’s ever been that considerate of what I want.”
Her heart ached for him, but she melted. “Of course you matter, Zeke,” she said, turning away from the broad smile on Rory’s face. “But it’s also a little selfish because I want to see you, too.”
“Good. Because I plan for us to see a whole lot of each other as soon as I get back.” She heard the entendre and blushed, not from embarrassment but with desire. “I have to go, but I’ll see ou in a couple of days, okay?”
“Okay, Zeke. Hey, Zeke?” she rushed before he hung up. “Can you maybe tell me what’s going on when we see each other?”
He hesitated. “I can’t give details, but I’ll try to ease your mind. And I won’t let this happen again, okay?”
“Okay.” It had to be enough, and she appreciated it. Hanging up, she turned to Rory, more relaxed than she’d been in a week. Raising an eyebrow in question, Rory just stared at her, and Leigh finally sighed. “He’s been out of town on club business and says he’ll explain the best he can when he gets back. We’re going to see each other when he gets back.”
“And when is that?” her friend asked.
“In a couple of days.”
“Do you feel better?”
Leigh nodded. “I mean, he said he missed me. He said it was good to hear my voice. And he said he really wants to see me as soon as he gets back. That doesn’t sound like it’s over.”
Rory laughed. “You’re too much of a fatalist. You two are just getting started, and Zeke strikes me as the type who never thought he wanted to be in a relationship and is having difficulty coming around to the idea that it’s nice, something he wants. You have a long way to go, but it looks to me like this might be the one.”
With a skeptical look, Leigh shook her head. “Don’t take it there, not yet. I thought Chris was the one.”
“No, you didn’t,” Rory argued as they started toward the car. “You wanted him to be the one. You tried to mold yourself into someone who could accept him as the one. But you knew he wasn’t the whole time.”
Leigh thought about it and realized her friend was right. She’d never thought about him with excitement. She’d never thought about how he might propose or started planning in advance for a wedding. She’d never had fantasies about the two of them. Luckily, she hadn’t shared the great many fantasies she indulged in about Zeke when he wasn’t around. No, she hadn’t thought about marriage, but she did think about long term commitment, vacations, and different scenarios for hot, heavy sex.
“That doesn’t mean Zeke is the one,” she countered. “He’s a great guy, but I’m not going to have expectations. Our lives are very different, and it would take a lot of time and effort to find a way to mold them and fit them together.”
“You seem to be working it out already, for the most part,” Rory shrugged, taking the wheel as Leigh slid into the passenger seat. “Stop letting the doubts outweigh the happiness, and live in the moment, Leigh. You’ll be so much happier. You worry too much.”
She knew that. It was her nature and a character flaw she desperately needed to work on. Especially since she knew without a doubt that, if anything permanent ever did arise between her and Zeke, he needed her to be strong, confident, and independent. She’d been that before Chris, and she’d started working back toward it since. She didn’t need to suffer a setback because she doubted her own value.
Staring out the side window as her friend drove, she mused, “It’s so complicated. When we’re together, it seems easy. Zeke makes me feel good about myself, in a way I never have. Sure, I’m good at work, and I don’t hate what I see when I look in the mirror. But I feel beautiful and content and sure of myself with him. And then, when he’s not around, I’m on shaky ground, worse than ever. I question everything about myself. How can one person send you to opposite ends of the spectrum?”
Rory didn’t say anything for a minute, but Leigh knew she wouldn’t hold back forever, and she could almost see the wheels turning as she calculated the response she wanted to give. Finally, she said, “It’s not him that has you on that yo-yo.” Leigh frowned at her, confused and ready to argue. But she continued, “Chris made you question a lot about yourself, and you haven’t completely recovered from that. Now, you’re truly happy, which is something you didn’t have with Chris. You feel that way because you’re finding that confidence you lost. And yes, Zeke seems to be helping you do that.
“But given time to stop and think, you analyze too deeply and miss the big picture. You’re so busy falling back into that damaged part of you, the part that Chris almost broke, you don’t realize that the entire emotional roller coaster is your doing. The only reason you question yourself when Zeke isn’t around is because of the baggage you carry from what Chris did. Not because you actually think Zeke would do the same thing.”
Leigh considered that for a moment. Maybe she was right. After all, it was too easy to fall right back into that comfortable connection. Hell, Zeke had been missing in action for a week, and one short phone call had her walking on air again. But how could she know the difference? How could she be sure that she wasn’t feeling unsure of Zeke?
As if reading her mind, her friend said, “Let’s do a little experiment. I want you to forget about Zeke for a minute, okay? Pretend that you’d done something absolutely ridiculous and gotten back together with Chris.” Leigh wrinkled her nose at the thought. “I know it’s detestable, but you have to forget that, too. Let’s say the two of you have spent almost
every night together for the past month. Then, Chris disappears. Two days, you don’t hear from him. You text and call with no response. We won’t even give it a week. How are you feeling?”
Leigh scoffed. “I’d be busting down Arianna’s door to see if he was there.”
“Okay. Let’s pretend you’re on your way to her place, and he calls. He apologizes, says he had been grading papers, midterms or something, for the last forty-eight hours.”
But Leigh shook her head. “I’d keep going. I’d knock down the damn door at Arianna’s if I had to. And if he wasn’t there, I’d probably seek out his phone’s signal through GPS to find out where he was before I believed him.”
“And that’s my point,” Rory said, smacking the steering wheel. “You wouldn’t be happy. You’d be on edge, and you’d be on the warpath. You wouldn’t believe a word he said without verification. But with Zeke, you relaxed, took him at his word, and trusted him implicitly. You didn’t follow up with a call to that other chick we were going to call to start with to make sure he was telling the truth. And you were more than happy to schedule dinner plans.”
She had a point, and Leigh stayed quiet, thinking it over. Maybe she needed to stop reverting to the dark place her relationship with Chris, and the fact it had culminated in her not being enough for him, had taken her. It haunted her far too often, considering she had no reason to think Zeke would ever betray her. She hadn’t felt unsafe around him, and he’d spoiled her with the way he seemed to worship her, both in bed and with words. He constantly told her how gorgeous she was, told her how much he liked that she was intelligent and kind and caring. And he wasn’t doing it to get something out of her. The only time she’d ever heard a compliment out of Chris’s mouth was when he wanted something in return.