by Vivian Gray
“I’ll do it,” Pete said.
Zeke nodded. He pushed open the swing door and revealed a sad sight of Troy standing alone in the middle of the dance floor, holding a gun and looking like a frightened rabbit.
“Troy,” Zeke said, over the pounding dance music, which was still in full swing after the DJ had fled. “We’re just here to talk to you. Don’t worry. You can still come out of this. It’s not too late.”
“It’s Gary!” he yelled, opening his jacket to reveal a set of explosives strapped to his middle.
They all stopped in their tracks.
Stephan held his hands up. “I’m going to switch off the music. That’s all.” He walked carefully to the DJ booth, having to cross the edge of the dance floor to get there.
Sophie and Tina held onto each other as they watched.
Stephan stepped up into the DJ booth and frowned as he pressed buttons and turned dials until, eventually, the music was cut off abruptly. He stepped down from the booth, once again holding up his hands to show he was no threat.
Troy was shaking. His eyes darted from Stephan to Zeke and back again. “Move over there,” he ordered, using his gun as a pointer.
Stephan did as he was told and stood next to Zeke.
There was silence for a few moments as everyone stood still, the only sound being short, stressed breathing from the various members of the group on the wrong end of the gun.
Admiral Stone stepped forward gently. “Gary, son, stand down,” he said.
“No. You don’t give a shit about me. You’ve never tried to take revenge for what happened.”
“That’s not true,” Stone said, his face creasing in emotional pain. “I think about you... I think about Gary every day. All day, every day. I’ll never forget him.”
“Me.”
“Troy,” he said, in a pleading tone. “You have to see sense. This isn’t the way to honor your brother. He was a protector. He died doing what he loved – protecting others.”
Troy shuffled on his feet and wiped sweat from his brow.
“I’ve always been so proud of you both,” Stone continued. “You’ve lost your way a bit, but you can do good, son. This is your chance to make it right, before you... before you do something that ruins many more lives. Gary would never have wanted that. You know that.”
Troy held his gun higher. “If I drop this gun, these explosives go off, and we’re all dead. I’m taking you all with me. You don’t deserve to live.” His voice quivered on the last word.
Zeke held his hands up. “We’re not out to get you. You can still do the right thing and give up now. That’s what your brother would want.”
Troy scowled. He held the gun up to his head.
“Don’t do this,” Tina said gently. “Please.”
Troy began sobbing, the gun pressed firmly to his skull. “I miss him so much. We did everything together. We shared a womb, for God’s sake. He should never have joined the forces. You...” he waved the gun towards Zeke. “… and everyone you worked for, ruined his life. That’s the same as ruining my life. We are the same person. He’s dead. I’m dead. Ever since the explosion, I’ve been dead. I’m lucky to still have this living shell. It means I can take revenge for the both of us before I rest my soul with Gary’s.”
“Listen to yourself, son,” Stone said, sounding slightly firmer. “That’s not Gary talking. He’d tell you to sacrifice yourself for others. In this case, that means to stand down. Stand the hell down. That’s an order!”
Troy’s eyes filled with tears as his shaky finger poised on the trigger.
Zeke stepped forward cautiously. “I have something for you,” he said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a lighter. He held it out for Troy to see. “Gary gave me this the day before he died. It’s like he knew something was going to happen. He wanted you to have it when we got home and asked me to look after it for you.”
Troy eyed the lighter, his face twisted in anguish.
“Here,” Zeke said as he tossed it over. As Troy reached out to catch it, Zeke was already in motion. He grabbed the gun, and tackled Troy to the ground, keeping his grip on the gun the whole time.
Sophie shrieked. Stephan rushed over to help restrain him while Admiral Stone took a look at the gun. “It’s not connected properly,” he revealed. “We’re safe.”
Zeke and Stephan pulled Troy up to his feet, holding his hands behind his back. Sweat poured down Zeke’s brow, stinging his eyes.
Troy dissolved into a river of pain. His tears flowed, and his shoulders shook. “I know he’s gone. He’s gone.”
Zeke, who still had one hand holding Troy’s arm up against his back, said softly, “You need to get some help and get your life back.”
Troy sniffed. “I know. I just wanted to show everyone how much power Gary still had. He was wiped out. He needed revenge. I’m sorry.” He sobbed with loud, guttural cries. “I’m sorry.”
Admiral Stone took Troy in his arms. “You’ll be alright son. It’s over now. No one has been hurt today. We’ll get you help.”
Just then a swarm of cops ran in with bulletproof vests and visors on.
Sophie ran to Zeke and threw her arms around him. He wrapped his arms tightly around her frame, relieved that he’d got her through this unscathed. He let out a long breath and relaxed his shoulders, which had been tense for too long. He opened his eyes and looked up just in time to see Troy being escorted out by police. They locked eyes for a few moments and Zeke saw the humanity in Troy’s eyes – withered and weak with what looked like regret in there too. He went without a fight.
Cops guarded the door and began taking short statements from everyone who’d been in the room with Troy. They gave their details and agreed to go to the station for questioning should they need to.
Sophie looked exhausted. She leaned most of her body weight on Zeke as they staggered out into the crisp night air. It was finally over. Zeke and Sophie walked to the car, with his arm wrapped protectively around her shoulders. He took in a deep breath and said, “Shall we start planning that wedding?”
Sophie laughed. “I’m too tired to even think about a wedding.”
He kissed her forehead. “Let’s get you home.”
Home. They could be together for good now – free of the veil of threat that had been draped over them ever since they’d met.
Epilogue
One year later...
Sophie
“Yup, I can fit you in on Friday. Leave the keys with me. It’ll take a few days for that design, but it can be done within budget. OK. See you then.” As Sophie hung up the phone, she looked up, sensing people at the door to her office.
Zeke smiled at her, and little Nathan held out his hands towards her. “Mmmuum.”
She dropped her pen and approached them. “Hey, my little man, and my big man.”
“Hey,” Zeke said. “Do you have time for a picnic with your two favorite men?”
“Of course. I can close up for an hour.”
They walked through the paint workshop and out onto the street. Sophie locked the door under the brightly colored sign. She’d worked her but off since Nathan was born to set up her paint shop and was already taking an enormous amount of bookings – thanks to Zeke’s marketing and office skills. He’d finished with security. He’d seen enough guns and bomb threats for one lifetime. It was time to get out of the heat and into the motor modification industry as Sophie’s business partner. When he wasn’t busy being a stay-at-home dad of course.
As they walked along the street towards a leafy park, they passed Stephan’s shop. Sophie called out, “Does Uncle Stephan fancy some lunch?”
He emerged from under a car, and a huge grin spread across his face. “Of course. Would I miss having chips shoved into my face by this little man?”
Stephan took Nathan in his arms and instantly had the little man giggling as they made their way to the park.
Zeke stopped in his tracks. Across the street, coming out of a drug store
was Admiral Stone. He handed Sophie the lunch bag and ran across.
“Hi,” Zeke said. “How are you?”
Stone nodded, a faint smile spreading on his lips. “I’m well,” he said. “And so is Troy. He’s still in hospital. He’ll do time for Nathan’s death, but he’s coming to terms with it all.”
Zeke nodded. “Well, I’m glad he’s had the help he needed.”
They stood in silence for a moment. Zeke shoved his hands into his pockets. “I’d better catch up with Sophie and the kid,” he said. “It was nice seeing you.”
“Yeah, you too.” The Admiral reached into his wallet and took out a one-hundred-dollar bill. “Here, put this in your kid’s piggy bank.”
Zeke smiled and took the money. “That’s very kind. I will, Sir.” Zeke hesitated before pulling out a card from his pocket. “Here,” he said, “you should come to this. If you want to. We’d be delighted to have you.”
Stone looked down at the card. “Next week? Sure. I’m honored. Thank you.”
Zeke smiled and sprinted across the road towards the center of his universe – mother and child.
***
One week later…
Zeke
Zeke’s nerves eased as he watched Stephan carrying Nathan up the curved stone steps leading to the large wooden front door of City Hall. Zeke was in the lobby greeting guests – most of whom were members of the Midnight’s Hounds and their wives. He spotted Stephan and Nathan, and a huge smile eased the nervous expression on his face.
“Hey, there’s my best men,” he said, throwing one arm around them both.
“Are you nervous?” Stephan asked.
“No. Not at all,” he said, swallowing hard. “Well... actually yes, but only for this part – the meeting and greeting. I’m not good at this. And my speech, oh man I’m dreading that. But for seeing Sophie, and for our vows, no, I’m not nervous. Bring it on. That woman will be a fountain of calm. I could spill oil all over her wedding dress, and she’d shrug it off with a laugh. She’ll make me feel great as soon as I see her.”
Stephan patted his back. “Exactly.”
The time came for Zeke and his two best men – one in his forties and one only a year old – to make their way to the altar to wait for the bride. Zeke had no idea what she’d be wearing. She wasn’t exactly a girly girl, but she was feminine and looked awesome in a dress. He knew she’d pull out all the stops. She hadn’t given anything away about what she’d chosen. And now his wait was over... the music started up… and all eyes turned to the door where Sophie stood, holding hands with Stephan’s nine-year-old daughter, Faye.
Sophie smiled shyly as she clutched her bouquet of white roses. Her dress was perfect, and Sophie personified. She wore a 1950s shaped prom dress, nipped in at the waist and flaring out to where it ended at the knee. On the ivory fabric were pale blue printed birds. It was bridal, without being ordinary. Her hair was pinned up in loose curls with some hanging loose around her face. Faye wore a pale blue dress and was beaming up at her as they both walked down the aisle towards the men.
Sophie caught Zeke’s eye, and his heart skipped. Since the moment he’d seen her, in her oil-stained garage suit with black smears across her face, he’d thought she was the most stunning woman on the planet, and now she walked towards him, the mother of his child, about to commit herself to him for life. He couldn’t have wished for more. She was everything he’d longed for.
She reached the end of the aisle and handed her flowers to Faye so she could take Zeke’s hand. They laughed, and Sophie shook her head. Being center stage was not exactly her thing. But he could tell she was relieved to be reunited with him. He squeezed her fingers, and she looked into his eyes. Zeke could barely hear anything the officiant said. He was flushed with a heady mix of emotion and excitement.
They made it through their vows successfully, with only one interruption from Nathan announcing he had to go pee. Luckily an aunt of Zeke’s whisked him off to the little boys’ room in time. He was back in time to see his parents sealing the deal with a kiss.
Zeke looked into his new wife’s eyes and knew he would do whatever it took to keep her safe and give her the loving family she deserved.
Sophie hooked her arm around his elbow with a smile, and they turned to walk down the aisle to the lobby. As they reached the steps to the lawns, they heard a low rumbling sound like thunder. It got closer, and Zeke’s heart rate quickened. He swallowed hard. How would Sophie react? She specifically said no to this idea, but he couldn’t resist. They day wouldn’t be complete without something extra special to mark the moment and show off their personalities. He watched as her frown of confusion melted into amusement as the first bike appeared on the corner of the street. Stu, the biker leading a twenty-strong procession of Midnight’s Hounds, wore a white top hat with black feathers thrusting upward from the ribbon round its middle. He wore black leather from toe to neck, but his bike had white ribbons tied to the handlebars and the back of the seat. He revved his engine as he waited at a red light and took off his hat to nod towards the bride with a polite smile.
Sophie laughed and lightly smacked Zeke’s chest. “What the hell did you do?” she asked, as she watched the bikers slowly emerge from around the corner, now that the light was green. She gasped and covered her gaping mouth with her hand. Zeke could see her eyes were dewy with tears and he relaxed into a grin.
One by one, the loud, purring engines drifted past City Hall, each sporting white ribbons and some with ‘Just Married’ signs and pink balloons. It was quite the spectacle. Zeke whooped and clapped as his best friends paid tribute to the love of his life. They each nodded or waved to the bride and groom as they went past, filling the street with growling noise. People on the street stopped in their tracks to see the sight of bikers in ribbons. It raised eyebrows and smiles all round. Zeke put one arm around Sophie and pulled her in tight.
She smiled up at him. “I told you not to do that,” she said. “But I’m glad you ignored me. Maybe you know me better than I know myself? That was awesome.”
Little Nathan tugged at his mom’s dress, and she lifted him up in the air to kiss his cheek at the same time as Zeke wrapped his arm around them both while Stephan took a picture. It would be the picture to mark their happy day for the rest of their lives, framed in silver upon the wall.
THE END
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Books by Vivian Gray
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Born Biker: A Motorcycle Club Romance (Devil’s Crucifix MC) (Dark Outlaw Secrets Book 3)
I’m about to take her ‘til I break her.
I always get what I want, and what I want is her.
She can try to fight it, but we both know she wants to be owned.
She wants to be held close and made to moan for hours.
And I’m coming to finish what I started.
ASH
A violent past poured blood onto my soul and burned hellfire in my heart.
I’ve been trying to get out for so long.
But now everything I care about is burning.
Dani has her whole life lying ahead of her.
And now one of my demons is threatening to strip it all away.
The thing is, I’m not exactly innocent in Dani’s downfall.
My enemy may have lit the match.
But I’m going to throw gasoline on the fire.
Because Dani ventured too close to the inferno in my mind.
Even though she shouldn’t want me.
Even though touching me is a risk few have survived.
A woman like her just can’t stay away from my heat.
But I’m the only one who can keep her alive.
Here in this outlaw world, I rule by force.
Survival of the fittest is the name of the game.
And she fits perfectly on
the back of my chopper.
I don’t care that she didn’t invite me into her life.
I’m here now.
And protecting her is all I give a d*mn about.
Better than she’s kept safe by a monster than chained down by a devil.
DANI
Where there’s smoke, there’s fire.
Getting close enough to burn was never part of the plan.
But Ash took that choice away from me.
Ash. A man whose chiseled, tattooed body is matched only by his ruthlessness and loyalty.
A man who confuses, arouses, and frightens me.
I didn’t ask for him to save me.