by Harley Wylde
He sighed and ran a hand down his face. “Fine. I’ll see if he’s still around. I slammed the door in the man’s face, and I’m sure he didn’t like that too much. Then I’ll ask Torch to come sit in on whatever that asshole has to say. But you’re not wearing that if people are coming into this house.”
He helped me stand and I stepped out of my shorts, then pulled my tank over my head. He stared at my breasts, then sighed as if he were a child being denied his favorite toy, and turned to walk away. I smiled as I heard him muttering under his breath, then I quickly cleaned up in the bathroom and pulled on clothes that would be appropriate for company coming over.
I went back to the kitchen and finished chopping the vegetables Mason had said he needed for our lunch. By the time I was finished, Officer Daniels and Torch were coming into the kitchen with Mason right behind them. I wiped my hands off on a towel and sat down, waiting for everyone else to do the same. Mason decided to stand, and kept his hand on my shoulder, probably as a way to show Officer Daniels that I was not only claimed, but I wasn’t going anywhere.
“I wanted to let you know that we tracked down some family to take in your stepsiblings. They had an aunt they’ve never met who lives a few states over. She’s arriving tomorrow to get the kids and sign all the proper paperwork,” Officer Daniels said.
“So my stepmom still hasn’t surfaced?” I asked.
He glanced at Torch, and I watched as the silver-haired man gave a nod. What the hell was going on? I reached up and grabbed Mason’s hand where it still rested on my shoulder, trying to prepare myself for whatever was about to be said.
“Parts of your stepmother have been found,” Officer Daniels said.
“What do you mean parts of her?” I asked.
“A finger was sent to the station with a note to stop searching for her. Then in a burned-down building outside town, two more fingers were found. The fingerprints matched your stepmother. So if she’s alive, she’s missing three fingers right now,” Officer Daniels said. “What I think is that the people she does business with decided she was expendable and got rid of her.”
I wanted to say that I was saddened to hear that she was dead, but I wasn’t. I only wished that she’d died before my dad. More than once, I’d wondered if being married to a woman like that had been what killed him. He’d still been young when he died, only in his early sixties. I felt like I’d been cheated out of a future with my dad all because he’d fallen for that lying bitch’s stream of bullshit.
“I guess they won’t be admitting that they killed her,” I said. “Is it possible that we’ll never know?”
“Honestly, I think her remains will be found sooner or later,” Officer Daniels said. “Until then, it wouldn’t hurt to maintain your extra security. I don’t think you need to remain locked away inside the compound, though.”
“If she’s dead, what happens to the house and money she inherited from Delphine’s dad?” Mason asked.
“I don’t know if Tia Lee had a will or not. As much as I hate to say it, everything will likely be split between her kids,” Officer Daniels said. “But you’d need to talk to a lawyer about all that.”
“It’s fine, Zipper,” I said, patting his hand. “I don’t need the house when I live here with you, and I’ve barely touched the money he left me. I do need to figure out what I’m doing with Dad’s shop, though. I have no idea how to run a tattoo parlor. I’ve been paying them and paying the bills, but I have no idea if they’re doing good work or if the scheduling is handled properly. I’m totally lost.”
He grinned at me. “Good thing you’re married to someone who does. Don’t worry about your dad’s business. We’ll keep it open, and one day, maybe one of our kids will want to run it.”
“If there are any new developments, we’ll be in touch,” Officer Daniels said as he stood. He glanced at Torch. “If that hacker of yours runs across anything, it would be nice if you gave us a heads-up so we can close out this case.”
Torch smiled and nodded. “We’ll be in touch.”
Officer Daniels showed himself out, but Torch didn’t get up. He looked at me and Mason, then focused on me again.
“I know you feel like a prisoner in your own home, and for that I’m sorry. If you’d like to go out somewhere, I think it would be safest if you had at least three men with you. Once we know for certain that Tia is dead, and that no one else is coming for you, then things can go back to normal,” Torch said.
I snorted. “What the hell is normal?”
“Fair enough. If the two of you need anything, the club is at your disposal, and the Hades Abyss and Devil’s Boneyard both still have members at the compound. I’ll ask them to stay until everything is resolved. Never hurts to have more manpower, even if it means we have to return the favor later on,” Torch said.
“Thanks, Pres,” Mason said.
“Anytime, Zipper. You take care of our girl, okay? She’s carrying precious cargo. It’s nice to have so many families inside the Reapers now. Before long we’ll have more family picnics and a lot less club pussy. Although, I guess the new guys will always need ways to blow off steam.” He stood. “I’ll see myself out.”
Mason squeezed my shoulder, then went to the sink to wash his hands. “Want to help make lunch?”
“What exactly are we having?” I asked as I stood.
“I’m going to sauté the vegetables in olive oil with a little salt, pepper, and minced garlic. Then I’m going to stir-fry some cubed chicken and add a pinch of Kickin’ Chicken seasoning to it, and we’ll mix the veggies and cooked chicken and serve it over pasta.”
“And where did you learn to make this?” I asked.
He shrugged. “I’m making it up as I go.”
I snickered and hoped we didn’t end up with food poisoning. It wasn’t that he was a bad cook most of the time, but it amused me whenever he decided to experiment in the kitchen. Like the time he decided to make cabbage soup, which consisted of cabbage, water, salt, and a few hunks of ham. I’d made him order pizza that night.
“So, what’s the plan today?” I asked.
“Lunch. Movie. Then I think we should cuddle in bed and take a nap because I’ve been wearing you out. You have shadows under your eyes, you nearly died, and you’re pregnant. I’m not being a very good husband,” he said.
“Mason, you’re the best husband. I love you, and I love being with you. I know if I pushed you away and said I was too tired or too sore that you’d stop.”
“A nap wouldn’t hurt us. Then, if you’d like to get out of the house, I’ll ask some of the guys to go with us and I’ll take you out to dinner. They can sit at another table so we’ll have our privacy, but you’ll be protected.”
“We can really leave the compound?” I asked.
“Yeah, baby. I’m sorry I’ve kept you under lock and key this past week, but I didn’t want to take a chance on something happening to you. If Officer Daniels thinks the threat is likely over, then we can venture out, as long as we have several Reapers with us, or some of the guys from Hades Abyss or Devil’s Boneyard.”
“Can I ask you something?” I asked.
“Sure.”
“What’s the deal with Jackal?” I asked. “Did Tank give him the black eye he was sporting at our wedding?”
He glanced at me before watching the food on the stove. “Yeah, Tank gave him that black eye, and it was well-deserved.”
I waited, but he didn’t say anything else. “And?”
“Not my story to tell, Delphine. You haven’t even met Josephine. When the time is right, everyone will know what’s going on. For now, stay out of it.”
I sighed. “Fine. You’re no fun.”
He winked at me. “You weren’t saying that when I was balls-deep inside you. In fact, I think they heard your screams of pleasure and delight all the way up at the clubhouse.”
I flicked the end of the kitchen towel at him, but I was smiling. We finished cooking, then ate our lunch at the table. After the d
ishes were washed and put away, we curled up on the couch and watched a comedy that had me laughing so hard tears ran down my cheeks. I’d only been married a week, but I’d never been happier. Being with Mason was everything I’d ever dreamed it would be, and so much more. And I couldn’t wait to see what our future would bring.
Epilogue
Zipper
Two Months Later
Delphine still wasn’t showing, but our kid was making himself, or herself, known. My poor wife was puking her guts up morning, noon, and night, which meant we hadn’t had as much sexy time as I would have liked. I probably spent more time rubbing her back and running to the store for every possible cookie, herb, or cracker that might possibly get rid of her nausea.
Right now, she was curled into the arm of the couch, moaning softly and looking paler than usual. Her pajama pants were covered in teddy bears, and she’d paired them with a pink tee. She was fucking adorable. And miserable. I was happy to see the cutesy shit, though. After the first few nights, she’d started wearing skimpy things to bed, taunting me with short shorts and barely-there tanks that drove me mad with all the skin they showed. We had company drop in all the damn time, though, and she hated having to go change, so the bears, bunnies, kitties, and other innocent-looking things had made a reappearance.
I eased onto the couch next to her and handed her a cup of chamomile tea with a touch of honey because she said it was too gross without it. I wrapped my arm around her waist and helped her sit up. Steam rose from the mug and she blew across it before taking a sip. She drank half the cup before she handed it back to me and I set it on the coffee table.
Delphine curled against me and I hugged her tight. “What do you need, baby? Do you feel up to eating something?”
She groaned and shook her head. “Don’t talk about food.”
I let her go and went down to my knees in front of her. Lifting her pajama top, I pressed my lips to her stomach. “Little one, this is your daddy. Could you please stop giving your mom such a hard time? We love you, but she needs to be able to eat.”
Delphine ran her fingers through my hair. “Maybe she’ll listen to you.”
“Or he.” I grinned. “I’ll love our kid either way. It’s just that with a boy, I won’t have to increase my gun collection by a few dozen handguns and rifles by the time the teen years get here. And if it’s a daughter and she’s anything like her mother, then holy hell! We’re in for a wild ride.”
Delphine giggled. “Maybe she’ll find a hunky, tattooed, artistic biker to chase after.”
“Over my dead body,” I said, growling.
Del sighed. “I think my stomach is settling. Maybe she really did listen to you. Do we have any more of that chicken noodle soup from last night?”
“Yep. I saved a container of it for you, just in case. I’ll go warm it up and bring it to you. Just sit here and relax.”
“Love you,” she murmured.
“Love you more,” I said, giving her a wink, then I went to fix her some soup.
The doorbell rang, but I heard Del answer it so I stayed in the kitchen. Tia Lee’s body had been found last month, and with it, the threat to Del had gone away. She’d apparently stolen some drugs from very bad people, and had been tortured and killed. They’d tried to weight her body before dumping it into the lake a few towns over, but she’d eventually surfaced. Wire had done some digging, just to make sure no one else was after her, and we’d gotten the all clear. Just in time for her to be stuck in the house with all-day sickness.
Torch and Wire entered the kitchen and set a large envelope on the table.
“What’s that?” I asked as I stirred the soup in the pot. No way I was going to microwave my wife’s food.
“That would be your kid’s inheritance,” Torch said.
“Um, what?” Del asked as she took a seat at the table. “What inheritance?”
“Well, the provision your dad put into his will also had a clause in there to protect you,” Wire said. “In the event of Tia’s death, the house was to be given to you. The money she got from the life insurance gets split between her kids. Guess your dad wanted to make sure they were taken care of.”
“Wow,” Del said, staring at the envelope. “So, my childhood home is mine?”
“Yes,” Torch said. “And while it’s not common for a Dixie Reaper to live outside the compound, if the two of you want to move into your childhood home, then you have my blessing.”
I stopped stirring the soup and turned to face him. “Live outside the compound?”
Torch nodded. “We’ll keep this house empty for you. If something goes down and trouble comes knocking, you’ll have to move your family back into the compound. But if the two of you would like to live in Delphine’s childhood home, then I don’t have a problem with it.”
Delphine chewed on her lower lip. “What if… What if I turned it into a rental property? Just until the baby graduates high school? Then we could give the house to him or her.”
“If you want to set it up as a rental, I’ll take care of it,” Wire said. “I can make sure all of the money goes straight into your account.”
“Let her think it over,” I said. “We don’t have to make a decision right now.”
Torch leaned down and kissed Del’s cheek, then patted her shoulder. Wire smiled at her as he walked past, but Torch lingered a moment.
“You two need anything?” Torch asked.
“A baby that lets me consume food and not throw it back up?” Del asked.
He smiled and patted her shoulder again. “I’ll ask Dr. Myron to pay you a visit tomorrow. There’s a flu strain making its way around town, so it’s probably best if you don’t go to his office right now. Don’t want you getting sick.”
“Thanks, Torch,” she said softly, then laid her head down on the table. “I’m tired of being miserable and feeling weak.”
Torch looked at me, not with the soft look he’d given my wife, but one of steel and determination. “Come by the clubhouse in the morning. I have a job we need to discuss. Nothing that will take you away from Delphine for longer than a day.”
“I’ll be there,” I said.
“I’ll make sure someone comes to sit with Delphine, in case she needs anything while you’re gone,” he said, then he walked out, and I heard the front door shut a minute later.
“Soup,” my wife croaked at me.
I smiled and poured her soup into a bowl, then handed it to her. She slurped at it, and slowly some color came back into her cheeks. I sat next to her and just watched. Being with Delphine left me with mixed emotions. Some days, I worried that I’d fuck everything up and she’d leave me. But most of the time, I was just in awe of her. This beautiful, sweet, adorable woman was mine. Mine to love. Mine to punish. Although, I’d had to back off on the punishments as sickly as she’d been with the pregnancy.
“I love you, you know that, right?” I asked.
She smiled weakly. “I know. I love you too.”
“You’re my entire world, Del. You and our kid.”
She set her spoon down and focused on me. “Mason, I’ve loved you since I was a teen and you were forbidden fruit. You’re my everything, and I’m only sorry it took me so long to come find you.”
I clasped her hand and lifted it to kiss her fingers. “We’re together now. And I’m not letting you go anytime soon.”
“Good.” She smiled. “Because I’d just come right back if you pushed me away. Now let me eat while this kid of yours isn’t making me puke.”
I chuckled and watched her eat. My heart was full, and I was happier than I’d ever been before. The night Delphine walked back into my life was the moment my life changed forever. I’d thought I’d lost her, that she’d never be mine. Now she wore my ring, my property patch, and was carrying my kid. Even though I’d marked her in every way I could, and would ink my name onto her skin after our kid was born, she’d written her name onto my heart with every smile, every touch, every time she screamed my nam
e.
Del might have been mine, but I was most definitely hers. Always.
Series Information
Dear Reader,
Thank you so much for purchasing a copy of Zipper (Dixie Reapers MC)! I hope you enjoyed the story as much as I loved writing it. I know he’s a little different from the other Reapers, but it’s the quiet ones you have to watch out for, right? If you want to read more about Officer Daniels, he has his own story in the Bad Boys Romance series, called Cuffs & Kink. He’s a sexy older cop who falls for the good girl preacher’s daughter. What could go wrong?
Next up is Jackal’s story, Book One in the Devil’s Boneyard series. We’ll finally find out what happened when Josephine ran off with him at the wedding party a few books ago, and why Tank thought he deserved a black eye in Zipper’s story.
You guys are amazing and your support means so much to me! I can never say that enough times. Each and every one of you mean a lot to me. Seriously. Because of you, I get to do something I love and call it a job. If you want to join in some fun games on release days, check out the Wyldlings on Facebook!
Happy Reading!
-- Harley
Harley Wylde
Short. Erotic. Sweet.
Harley’s other half would probably say those words describe her, but they also describe her books. When Harley is writing, her motto is the hotter the better. Off-the-charts sex, commanding men, and the women who can’t deny them. If you want men who talk dirty, are sexy as hell, and take what they want, then you’ve come to the right place.
When Harley isn’t writing, she’s thinking up naughty things to do to her husband, drinking copious amounts of Starbucks, and reading. She loves to read and devours a book a day, sometimes more.