by Ana Stone
Inside the office Roxy was pacing the floor. Stella looked up from where she sat and patted the seat of the chair beside her. “Take a load off. “
Roxy blew out a breath and took a seat.
“You know what happened?” Stella asked.
Roxy shook her head. “Not really.”
“Then how you end up with Zeke, Rice and Six-Pack?”
Roxy blew out her breath. “I had to go see the doctor in Selma to get him to sign off so I could go to work. There was some kind of accident on the highway – so he got caught up in it and ran late.
“I knew everything would be closed by the time I got back to Harmony so I was looking for a place to get something to eat and got turned around with all those Belleview roads. I saw an explosion. A car. I decided to try and just get around the area but ended up coming up behind it. I saw three men headed down a side street toward the fire.
“My first thought was to get out of there, but then I recognized Zeke. He and another man. I don’t know his name. Tall, lean, dark brown hair. Clean cut kind of cute.”
“Rice. My son.”
“Oh. Well, I saw Zeke and Rice and they were firing at something in the direction of the fire. I knew they wouldn’t see the men coming up behind them, so I killed the lights and drove up behind the men and rammed some trashcans into them.
“It must have gotten Zeke’s attention because he, Rice and the other guy …”
“Six Pack.”
“Yes, they headed toward me. One of the men went down from the impact with the garbage cans, but the other two were firing at Zeke. He took one out with a shot to the leg and the other with a shot to the shoulder. They got in the car and I brought them back here.”
Stella studied Roxy’s face for a long moment. “And you don’t know what was going on that led to the explosion?”
“No, ma’am.”
“You didn’t ask?”
“No ma’am.”
“Why?”
Roxy heaved another long breath. “I guess I didn’t really want to know. That job? The one I was getting certified for? It’s a deputy’s position. In Harmony.”
Stella’s eyes widened. “Christ on a crutch.”
“Yeah.” Roxy got to her feet and paced across the room then back. “What the hell is this club into, Stella?”
“You don’t want to know.”
“Probably not. But I’m an accomplice after the fact whether I like it or not, so I need to know what’s going on.”
“To cover your ass?”
It was in that moment that Roxy realized her concerns were not for herself. When she answered it was with honesty tainted with regret. “To cover his.”
Stella stood and reached for Roxy’s hands. “You and Zeke. Something’s happening there, isn’t it?”
Roxy nodded. “Something. I don’t know what, but…”
“But you want to protect him.”
“Is that insane?” Roxy asked.
“I don’t know, honey. But you need to know that the shit that went down tonight – Zeke’s been dead set against that stuff all along. So have Eli and Rice. But they were voted down so—“
“Yeah, I know,” Roxy interrupted. “My dad was involved. I know the drill.”
Stella cut a look at the door then lowered her voice. “Eli and Zeke have been trying to figure a way to get the club back on track and out of all this shit, but Reese has control and as long as he does, it’s not going to be easy.”
“Then maybe Zeke should stop thinking like a Renegade and start thinking like a Delta operator,” Roxy replied.
“Meaning?” Stella asked.
“Meaning that he needs to think of it as a mission. Delta missions are never simple and always life and death. They have to be able to think their way out of more than you and I could even imagine.”
Stella nodded. “Yeah, but that isn’t going to change what’s going on right now. Carrie – Zeke’s mother is demanding that Eli go to Selma and post bond.”
“That’s his mother?” Roxy asked. “And who was she talking about being Zeke’s father?”
“Reese. He adopted Zeke when Raff died but Zeke never acknowledged him as such. It’s a sore point with Carrie.”
“So what does she want from Zeke?”
Stella shook her head. “Blind obedience.”
Roxy laughed harshly. “I can’t see that.”
“It’s not going to happen.” Stella remarked, then sat back down and lowered her face into her hands.
Roxy reclaimed her seat and for a long time they sat in silence. Finally, Stella looked up. “Roxy, what are you going to do if you’re connected to what happened tonight?”
It was Roxy’s turn to fall silent. What was she going to do? She got to her feet. “I need to talk to Zeke.”
“No, wait,” Stella jumped up as Roxy headed for the door.
“No,” Roxy argued, pulled the door open and walked out.
Zeke, Eli, Rice, Six-Pack and Carrie were standing outside. What shocked Roxy enough to have her stopping dead in her tracks was that they were not alone. Her boss, Chief Art Phillips was with them. And he didn’t appear to be in the process of arresting anyone.
He saw her and the conversation stopped. Everyone turned to look at her. Chief Phillips said something and Zeke nodded, turned and walked over to Roxy. “How about giving me a ride home?”
“Sure,” she agreed.
“Who the fuck is that?” Carrie asked in a loud voice.
Zeke gestured for Roxy to precede him to the car and ignored his mother. “I said who the fuck is that cunt?” Carrie yelled.
“None of your business.” Zeke said over his shoulder.
That put Carrie in motion. She marched toward Zeke. “None of my business? I’m still your fucking mother.”
Stella ran after her, trying to get between her and Zeke.
Zeke stopped and turned to face Carrie just as Stella stepped up beside her and took hold of her arm. “No, you gave up that right when you married Reese. Now, get out of my face.”
Zeke gave Stella’s shoulder a quick squeeze and walked with Roxy to her car. Neither of them spoke until she pulled up in front of Zeke’s house. He looked over at her. “You’re the new deputy?”
“I was supposed to be. Now… who the hell knows? Why was the Chief there?”
Zeke huffed out a breath. “Long story.”
“I’ve got the time.”
“Look, I know you’re wondering what the hell that was--”
“I’m wondering why the hell I got myself involved.” She interrupted
“That’s a good question. Why did you?”
She cut a look at him. “I could ask you the same. Where’s the honor in what you’re doing, Zeke?”
He looked away and didn’t speak again until she pulled up in the driveway of his house. “I still owe you that beer.”
“I’d rather have answers.”
He was silent for a long moment and when he spoke his voice was soft. “You sure?”
“Yes.” She answered without hesitation.
“Then come on in.”
Roxy cut the engine and got out of the car to follow Zeke to the house. She was surprised when he unlocked the door and gestured for her to enter. His house was spotless, tastefully decorated and had a homey feel that immediately made you feel welcome.
The front door led into a great room that was walled with warm honey wood, rough cut, a polished wood floor and heavy cushioned furniture in a dark fabric that made you want to sink in and relax. A big rug in a Native American pattern adorned the floor and over the heavy wood mantel of a large stone fireplace, a flat screen television was mounted.
The lighting was subdued with recessed lights in the ceiling, which was of the same rough finished wood, with exposed beams.
It was a room that said “here’s a place to relax.” She immediately liked it. Even down to the paintings on the walls of landscapes from different areas of the world.
Zeke led
the way to the kitchen. Like the great room, honey toned wood floors and cabinets dominated the color scheme. Creamy granite countertops with flecks of rust and gold and ivory appliances combined with a bar that separated the kitchen from the great room made for an inviting and attractive arrangement.
He went to the refrigerator and pulled out two beers. “Glass?” he asked
“Bottle is fine.”
“Let’s go into the den.”
So he referred to the great room as a den. It struck her as a little old-fashioned. She followed him and took a seat on one end of the couch. He handed her a beer and took a seat beside her.
He took a drink from the beer before setting it down on the coffee table and then angled to face her. “I want you to know that I never wanted the Club to be involved in any illegal activity. Neither did my father.”
She nodded and placed the untouched beer on the table beside his.
“What happened tonight,” he said. “I owe you. We owe you.”
“Does that collective we include Chief Phillips?”
Zeke blew out his breath, slumped back and ran his hands back through his hair. “He’s not a bad man, Roxy.” He let his hands fall and closed his eyes wearily.
“But?”
“But yes, he is—involved.”
“So he’s on the club’s payroll.”
“No. But he—looks out for us. Until Reese went off the deep end, the club looked after Harmony.”
“And now?”
“Now it’s such a fubar I don’t know if it can ever be put right again.”
Roxy picked up her beer, took a long pull and leaned back. “And?”
Zeke took a short drink from his beer before answering. “What do you want to know?”
That gave her pause. There was a lot she wanted to know. Like why her constant companion, the feeling had abandoned her the moment she laid eyes on him. Why she felt like she had known and loved him her entire life and had only just met him. Why she was willing to commit a crime for him and why she was scared shitless of him.
“You’re a one percenter.” She said in lieu of a question.
Zeke’s eyes darted down toward the left shoulder of his leather vest then up at her. “You know what that is?”
She nodded.
“How?”
Smart. He had turned the questions on her. That was okay. She understood that if she wanted full disclosure from him, she was going to have to give.
“My dad was in an MC.”
“Was?”
“He’s dead.”
“How long?”
“How long’s he been dead?”
“No, how long was he in a club?”
“As long as I’ve been alive.”
“And you hated it?”
“Oh yeah.”
“Why?”
“Why?” She asked, shocked at the question and then unreasonably angered by it. “Well, let’s see, Zeke. Maybe it’s because it turned my mother into a junkie who OD'd before I was five. Or maybe because it got me gang raped and beaten half to death by a rival gang before I was fifteen. Or maybe because it stripped everything that was good about the man away and left me growing up with someone who thought my only worth was being a club whore.”
Zeke stared at her for a moment. “I’m sorry.”
“Yeah? Why? That’s just life for a club.”
“It shouldn’t be.”
She jumped up and looked down at him. “How can you sit there and say that when you wear that patch?”
“I hate this fucking patch!” He exploded and came to his feet, towering over her with eyes blazing.
“Then take it off!”
That seemed to take the wind out of his sails because he blew out his breath and flopped back down on the couch. “It’s not that easy.”
Roxy knew he was telling the truth. Walking away from a club wasn’t like quitting a job or changing religions.
“What did you mean when you said it shouldn’t be?” She decided to change tactics.
“Just what I said. When my grandfather started this club it was about brotherhood and helping each other out.”
“So what happened?” She asked and took a seat beside him.
“My dad got killed and Reese took over.”
She was quiet for a moment, finished her beer then set the bottle on the floor where it was not likely to get knocked over. “Stella said you retired because you were wounded and got assigned to a desk.”
“That’s pretty much it.”
“How were you wounded?”
Zeke drained his beer, got up and fetched her empty bottle and took them both to the kitchen. “Want another?”
“No, thanks.”
He returned empty-handed and sat down beside her. “I was trying to save Digger and the sniper who killed him shot me.”
Roxy could not have been more surprised if he had just said he was from Mars. “You…? You were with David?”
Zeke nodded. “On a mission. We were sent on an extraction. Got our targets out but somehow the enemy got Intel and Digger and I got pinned down. He got hit and I took out the shooter. I didn’t know there was another until I had Digger on my shoulder. He caught another to the back and I took one in the spine. Our team got us out but it took an hour. By then Digger was dead.”
“I—thanks for telling me.”
“Sure. So you weren’t given any information.”
“Unfortunately no. Did he ever talk about me?”
“Not really. He just said his wife was a bad ass.”
She shook her head. “Don’t know so much about that. I just did my job.”
“You commanded troops in theatre. Multiple tours. Headed an intelligence detachment.”
She nodded.
“So why’d you leave? Digger?”
“No.” She replied. “I was on an intelligence mission and wounded. In route I suffered a cerebral embolism and … well I don’t remember much of the month that followed, or quite a few years preceding the incident.”
“You lost your memory?”
She nodded. “David was killed the same day I was shot. By the time I was out of surgery and conscious his body had already been shipped home. I was rehabbed in Germany and offered a cushy desk job in D.C. and told I’d never go back in theatre. So, I opted out.”
Zeke leaned back into the deep cushioned back of the couch and regarded her. “Did you love Digger?”
“Yes. I mean I must have or I wouldn’t have married him.”
“The way you love me?”
The question clearly surprised him as much as it did her because he jerked upright. “Shit on a stick, I swear to god I don’t know where that came from.”
Roxy reached out and put her hand on his arm. “What’s going on here, Zeke? The other night… that—hallucination or whatever it was? The dreams I’ve had. Why do I feel like I have known you? That I’ve been looking for you? Why would I risk coming for you in the middle of that gunfight tonight when I know it’s wrong? What is it about you that is so goddamn vital to me that it obliterates what I know to be right and makes me willing to do anything to save you?”
Zeke moved his hand to the side of her face. “When I shot you, I sat in that hospital and watched you. I couldn’t stand the thought of you dying. It was like part of me was in danger of dying with you. It didn’t make any sense.
“I dreamed about you. I was holding you and you were dying. I didn’t think I could bear it. If I lost you I lost everything. You said it was okay, that you’d find me. That you’d always find me.”
“The hallucination…?” Her hand tightened on his arm.
“I will always find you.” He repeated the words from the vision in a bit of a choked voice.
Roxy released her hold on him, moved away from his touch and stood. “This is crazy. I don’t even know you. And I don’t want to care about you. You’re everything I’ve run from and hated my entire life. I have a new job. Town deputy. I can’t be involved with you. You’r
e… you’re a Renegade.”
“Things aren’t always what they seem, Roxy,” he stood and took hold of her right arm. “Not all of the club is like Reese. Eli? He’s a good man. He has no part of … he’s a good man. Like Rice. He has a wife and kids and he’s not a criminal.
“This patch?” He tapped the one percent patch on his vest. “It’s a badge of shame, Roxy. Mistakes of a young man who didn’t have the guts to say no. A young man who ran because of what he’d done. Ran to the safety of the Army because that’s the only pass you can get from the Club.”
“Yet you were there, tonight.” She pointed out.
“Trying to make sure Rice and Six-Pack stayed alive. They’re not killers, Roxy and they’re stuck. If I don’t have their back they don’t stand a chance. I’ve got to protect them –until I can figure a way out for all of us.”
“You said it yourself, Zeke. There is no way out.”
“There has to be.”
“I wish you believed that.” She raised her hand as if to touch his face then let it fall and started to pull away. He was stronger and pulled her to him, using his free hand to cup the side of her face and tilt it up.
“What do you want from me, Zeke?”
For a few seconds he didn’t respond. When he did, it was not at first with words. He lifted one hand to circle behind her neck and pull her to him. “Redemption,” he breathed a moment before his lips claimed hers.
Roxy knew she should bolt. Tear away from him and flee. To let him touch her was dangerous and foolish. And yet she couldn’t stop herself from meeting his lips.
She’d never had a moment in her life that devastated her with emotion. Not the loss of her mother, the rage over abuse in childhood or the death of her husband. Nothing in life had ever prepared her for the emotional onslaught that his kiss provoked.
It was hunger that could not be sated, thirst that could not be quenched and love that could not be diminished. It was coming home to someone she had not known commanded her heart. Her arms moved to encircle his neck, her body pressing against his.
It was a kiss of need and homecoming and devotion. She could not say how long it lasted, only that when it ended she felt a loss.