Page 20 of Tinsel & Chrome

Ezekial

The store was reluctant to give up their video of the parking lot, but they did allow Chaos to view it. He saw the car and license plate. I called my guy in the police force and asked him to run the plate. It only took seconds to get a name and address.

Billy Everson. It’s Trixie’s ex. She doesn’t talk about him at all, but I know he did bad things to her. She was a frightened little bird when she arrived here. Jess wrapped her arms around her and took her in. Now, she is a confident woman. My woman.

And I’m going to get her back.

Chaos volunteers to go with me, and while putting my helmet on, I notice there’s many others coming as well. Trixie is one of us, and we take offense to anyone touching what’s ours. Grabbing our equipment, we head out.

We pull up to the apartment building, and I strap my helmet to my handle bars. We storm the apartment, and the first thing I see is Trixie covered in blood, her face black and blue. This motherfucker beat her. I turn around for a moment and see the man struggling to get away from Chaos and Dredge. Not so fucking fast. I walk over to him and punch him in the face. One of his teeth falls out, making him drool bright red blood.

I look at Chaos and nod. He knows I want him to take out the trash. I hear the thud of fists pummeling Billy. My only focus is Trixie. I walk over to her and drop on my knees to cradle her face. She has tears streaming down her cheeks.

“Shhh. It’s okay baby, I’m here.”

She nods her head, too worn out to say anything.

I finally take all of her in, and then I see the nails. This motherfucker nailed her hands down to the chair. I turn my head back, and shout, “Chaos, I need a hammer!”

I touch her hands tenderly. She flinches, but stays strong. Fuck, I want to tear him apart, but I need to focus on Trixie.

Chaos finds a hammer with a claw on the back.

“This is going to hurt, baby. I need to get these nails out.”

She nods in understanding, and I start from the bottom so I can hit the nail upward; this will allow for wiggle room and let me adjust the claw under the head of the nail. Her screams echo through the apartment as I work. I manage to get both nails out, but she’s covered in blood. I ask, “Do you think you can ride on my bike?”

She nods her reply, and I pick her up from the chair, then turn around to see Chaos with the nail gun.

“I’m taking her home. Call the cleaners when you’re done.”

I carry her out the front doors and to my waiting bike. I hand her the helmet, but she’s too weak, so I slide it over her head and adjust it for her.

“Are you sure you can hold on?”

I look at her frail hands.

“Please just get me the fuck out of here,”

she manages to get out, and I nod, climbing onto my bike.

We make it back to the clubhouse quickly. I pick her up again and carry her inside. Kiera makes a beeline straight to us, but she stops dead in her tracks when she sees the damage that was done. I gently lay her on the couch in the common room. I need Preacher, our resident medical provider, to take a look at her. I don’t even have to summon him. He’s there as soon as I lay her down.

By the time he’s done, both her hands are bandaged and her arm is cleaned out and bandaged as well. He gave her some pain meds so she can rest. I put a pillow under her head, then cover her up. Every time I look at her, it makes me want to kill the guy. Luckily for him, Dredge and Chaos took care of that for me. The pain I would’ve brought down on him would’ve been even worse for fucking with my woman.

Trixie

I’m scared to open my eyes. What if being rescued is all a dream? Slowly, I open one eye, then the other. The pain radiates through me. I lift my hands up and see the bandages. I try to sit up, and I’m instantly dizzy. I hear, “Baby, relax. Rest.”

I nod, then say, “Water?”

Instantly, Ezekial has a glass of water with a straw, and he puts it to my lips. I open my mouth, grabbing the straw, then suck up as much as I can. He takes the cup away and kisses my forehead, once again telling me to rest. I drift off and hope this is real.

Ezekial

The next couple of weeks are a blur. Trixie sleeps on the couch, and I sleep on a recliner right beside her. She is sitting up without feeling like she’s going to faint now, and that’s an improvement. With bag after bag of frozen peas, her face isn’t swollen anymore.

When she was ready to transition to her room from the couch, I was apprehensive. How can I watch over her if she’s in her room? Kiera has been a total mother hen to her. She’s had a lot of guilt over not being able to save Trixie when she was taken. Trixie assured her, several times, that there was nothing she could’ve done.

Trixie still has use of her hands, so it seems the nails didn’t do any long-lasting damage. She was mainly upset about her tattoo being cut off.

After holding her, I look in her eyes.

“When you feel well enough, we’ll get you a tattoo on your shoulder.”

She looks confused.

“But aren’t we supposed to display it on our arm?”

“Baby, if it is what you wish, I want to get an old lady tattoo on your shoulder.”

“Ezekial ... are you sure?”

She sounds shaky. The old lady tattoo is a black rose with a skull going through it. It says property of MFMC. I know she is mine, and she’s all I’ve ever wanted. I know I’m difficult but she puts me in my place. I can’t stop thinking of her. She is all I’ve ever wanted. I need her to know this.

I hold her in my arms and say, “Never been so sure about anything in my life. You are all I’ve ever wanted and needed.”

She turns her head slowly, brushing her lips against mine.

“Then there is nothing more that I would love.”

She has tears in her eyes.

“I love you,”

I whisper in her ear. Her eyes turn huge when I say that. I’ve always known it, but I just couldn’t express it.

“I love you too, my sweet man.”

She grabs my face and kisses me deeply.

Trixie

It’s been three weeks since I was taken. Ezekiel was my knight in shining armor when he saved me from Billy.

Ezekial finally went to his office to go through some paperwork after taking time off to care for me. Christmas is in a couple of days. Kiera put my frame I bought in my room. My hands are still sore and trying to heal.

The men are gone doing their scheduled job, and the clubhouse seems empty without them.

Kiera helps me put the picture in the frame, then we wrap it in Christmas wrapping paper. Once we have a bow on top, I’m ready to take it to him.

Walking Into his office, I realize he’s on the phone, so I put the gift on his desk.

“Take that out of here.”

Ezekial’s tone is serious, his brows scrunched together.

“It’s just one present, babe.”

I try convincing him. Walking over to him, I sit on his lap.

As I straddle him, he tells me about his childhood. Fuck, no wonder he hates the holidays.

“Jesus! Fuck, baby. You were just a child. You had no control over your father. He was a monster. I’m so sorry you had to deal with that,”

I gently say.

“But by pushing away any celebration, you are still allowing him to control your life. You are a strong man who deserves love and everything that comes with that.”

I kiss him softly on the lips. I see tears in his eyes but don’t mention them. I’m going for broke.

“I love you, Ezekial. I think I always have. I don’t ever want you to feel lonely again.”

He takes my face in his hands and gives me a deep kiss. We linger for a moment, letting our lips do the talking. He pulls away, and I immediately feel his absence. He grabs the package I brought in and opens it—a framed picture of the two of us on his bike.

“Trixie, I love this. Thank you.”

He kisses me again, deeper this time. This time, it’s my turn to cry. For his admiration of the photo, for his brutal lost childhood, and for his realization that he’s worthy and can be loved. He fought so hard to keep those memories at bay, it never occurred to him that it would be cathartic to talk about them.

My sweet man is finally showing his true emotions. I know now, this is where I’ve always belonged.

I’m actually able to get Ezekial out in the common room on Christmas day. Seeing a genuine smile on his face puts me in a happy place.

I still have nightmares about my ordeal, but with Ezekial by my side, I know I can take on the world.