Page 36 of Tempt Me

When Tank gets to the bottom of the stairs, he bypasses the wheelchair as my dad Joker steps up and pushes it behind him. Tank carries Zoey down the aisle as she smiles up at her dad. My kitten is a daddy’s girl and I should’ve seen this coming. If there’s one thing I can say about Tank it’s that he goes out of his way for all of his kids, but he has a stronger bond with Zoey and goes above and beyond for her. Maybe it’s because she’s his only daughter, I really don’t know. What I do know is that he’ll do anything for his girl and will always be there to have her back and support her no matter what’s going on in his life. My dads do the same for all of my brothers and sisters and I. They’ve taught me about the kind of dad I want to be and I can only hope I become half the dad they’ve all been over the years. Especially Tank and my dads. They took on the responsibility of kids who aren’t theirs by blood and have never once in all of our lives made us feel as if we weren’t theirs.

My dad puts on the brakes on the wheelchair before stepping back and letting Tank set Zoey carefully in the seat. He brushes some of her hair out of her face before kissing her forehead and whispering something to her. When Tank stands up from her, he turns to face me and I can see the moisture gathering in his eyes.

“Jameson, you’ve always been like a son to me. Treat my baby girl like the queen she is and we won’t have any problems. Keep doin’ what you’re doin’ and don’t ever fuckin’ let yourself believe you’re not good enough for her. You’re the perfect man for my baby girl and if I have to remind you every fuckin’ day, I will,” he says, pulling me in for a hug before letting me go and taking a seat next to Maddie.

“We are gathered here today to join Jameson ‘Savage’ Greene-Johnson and Zoey Henderson in holy matrimony,” Reaper starts the ceremony as I take Zoey’s hands in mine and focus only on her, not hearing a single word my President says as he officiates our wedding.

“Jameson,” Trax murmurs, nudging me as I jerk to attention. “Time to say your vows, man.”

“Fuck!” I say, trying to whisper but knowing I didn’t when everyone starts laughing. “Zoey, my kitten, you are the love of my life and you’re the missin’ pieces of my soul that I never realized were gone until I showed up at your apartment. That night you gave me everythin’ you had to give and never once expected anythin’ in return. I’ve hurt and broken you countless times over the years because I was a dumbfuck. I promise you here today, in front of our family and friends, that I will spend the rest of my life makin’ up for every second of pain and misery I ever caused you. You’re givin’ me the best gift I could ever be given with the twins you carry. I can’t wait to watch you become the best mom I’ll ever see as you love and support all of us. Kitten, I’m not always good with words, but I will never let you walk this path in life on your own. Even if you just need me to lend you silent support, that’s what I’ll do. I love you and those words will never be enough to truly describe how I feel about you. Always and forever until I’m no longer walkin’ this Earth.”

Leaning forward, I wipe a few stray tears as they slide down Zoey’s cheeks. Reaper turns to her and asks her to say her vows.

“Since I only found out about this a short while ago, I didn’t have time to prepare anything. However, I can speak from my heart. Jameson, you have owned my heart for longer than I’ll ever admit to anyone. I’ve loved you even when you forgot I existed and lived your life the way you wanted to. The same day I handed over my heart because there was no other choice for me is the day I gave you a piece of my soul I’ll never get back. I don’t want either one of them back. You’re my biggest supporter and I know on the days I can’t be as strong as I need to be, you’ll be the strength to keep me going. I love you and nothing could ever change how I feel about you. You say I’ve given you the best gift of our twins, but I disagree. You give me the best gift every single day when I wake up in your arms and see your hands resting protectively where our twins rest. You will give up everything if it means the three of us will be safe, happy, and healthy. Your strength, loyalty, and determination are things I’ve always admired about you. Jameson, I love you. Always and forever until I’m no longer on this Earth,” Zoey says, my own eyes filling with tears at her words because she’s the only one who will ever see me in that way.

“By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Savage, kiss your bride,” Reaper says as I drop to my knees in front of Zoey in the wheelchair.

She leans forward and I quickly press my lips against hers. It’s not enough for my wife though. Zoey slides her tongue along the seam of my lips and I open for her. My wife deepens the kiss and pours every ounce of love she has for me in it. I give her back just as much as everything fades into nothing around us. At least until a hand clamps down on my shoulder. Pulling away, I find Hawkeye standing behind me with a look of murderous rage on his face.

“That’s my sister, asshole. I don’t need to see you makin’ out with her,” he grunts out as more laughter fills the common room and I lean forward to rest my head against Zoey’s baby bump. Today couldn’t get any better than it is right now.

It doesn’t take long for everyone to get moving. Zoey has just over a half hour left before we have to leave and get her back in bed. I push her to a table and take a seat next to her as Maddie and my mom bring plates piled high with food over to us. We eat in between everyone coming up and congratulating us. The clubhouse is filled beyond capacity with all four clubs filling the inside. Our entire family surrounds us, both old and new members of said family. They show Zoey and me exactly how loved we are as everyone comes up to talk to us until it’s time to take Zoey back to bed.

Lifting my wife from the wheelchair, I carry her from the common room and out front to my truck. Putting her in the passenger seat, I don’t answer the questions I see swirling in her beautiful eyes. I’m taking my wife home and she’ll find out soon enough that’s where we’re going. Shutting her door, I race around to the driver’s side as everyone makes their way outside to toss bird seed and flower petals at us as I leave my parking space and head around to the back of the compound where the homes are located.

“Where are we, Jameson?” Zoey asks once I pull in our driveway.

“We’re home, kitten. This house was built for Trax before he found their home. He gave it to us so we have a home of our own to raise our family in. Everyone has been workin’ to put it all together for us. Eventually we’ll look at the entire house, but for now, I have to get you back in bed, wife,” I tell her, shutting off the engine and getting out of the truck to get my girl out and take her inside.

Lifting Zoey from the truck, I carry her up the steps and onto the porch. I don’t let go of her as I open the front door and carry her over the threshold. We both take in what we can as I make my way to the stairs and carry her up to our bedroom at the end of the hall. The door is already open as I step inside and head straight for our new bed. It’s covered in a ton of pillows with a deep red comforter on top. The sheets underneath are pitch black and the pillows match. Setting Zoey down on the edge of the bed, I help her get out of her dress and hang it up before giving her one of my tee-shirts to put on. I strip out of my clothes and slide in next to her, pulling her in my arms and holding her close as I turn on the TV mounted on the wall at the end of our bed. We spend the rest of the day watching movies, talking, and just being alone together. Tank drops off some cake for us before leaving us alone once more. I don’t let myself fall asleep until Zoey falls asleep in my arms. Today was the best day of my life and it can only get better from here.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Zoey

THE LAST THREE months have been hard as fuck. I’ve been going out of my mind with boredom as I remained in bed unless I had to go to the doctor. Jameson has done everything in his power to make sure I don’t lose my mind completely, but he’s had to go to church and do a few other things for the club. Reaper isn’t letting him go on runs yet, but it’s only a matter of time before he has to leave on one. Especially since I was just taken off of bed rest. Nothing has happened since I started bleeding when that stupid fucker had me and I’ve had an ultrasound done every month since then. Everything with the twins looks great and they’re growing as they should be. So, Dr. Morris has agreed to let me out of bed unless something else happens. Now, I can go to work and back home. I’m also able to sit at the clubhouse. However, she doesn’t want me returning to school so I’m currently taking my classes online and I find that I prefer that right now.

Alicia and I are still in constant contact. We study together on video chat so I can see her and everyone else I’ve made friends with at school. It’s different but we make it work because this is important to all of us. When we’re not studying, Alicia and I still talk. She just started dating one of the guys in our group, Jeremy. He’s a good guy and really shy. I don’t know that I’ve heard him speak more than a handful of words since we met unless he’s contributing to our discussions in our study sessions. Alicia actually asked him out and he said yes. She’s told me about their relationship and it’s cute as fuck. They’re both really great people and deserve to find happiness with one another. We plan on meeting up for lunch one day soon so she can meet Jameson properly and so I can see Jeremy away from school. Alicia says he’s different when there aren’t a ton of people around. I just hope my husband doesn’t scare him because Jameson definitely has that effect on people who don’t know him. We’ll see what happens.

Reagan and I have been spending a ton of time together. She spends more time at the clubhouse than at home so she can see me. Xavier is the cutest little guy and is running her ragged. He’s into everything and nothing holds him back. Trax doesn’t help when he chases X all over the clubhouse and gets him wound up before leaving him with us again. That man is gonna be the death of my best friend. But, she loves him and simply indulges his whims and looks on with nothing less than true love when she watches Trax. She just found out she’s pregnant again and I couldn’t be happier for my friend. She’s an amazing mom and I hope she has the houseful of kids she’s always wanted. I’m glad Trax took a chance on her and didn’t let the fear of her medical condition chase him away. Instead, he researched everything he’d need to know to help his wife and is constantly watching her to make sure nothing happens to her. The same that Jameson does for me with this pregnancy.

Kingston has been to visit when he can. He rides in and spends the day with me before heading back home. I don’t know what’s going on with him, but something has changed and he doesn’t talk about it. Kingston and I have an understanding between us. Neither one of us pushes the other to talk about shit we aren’t ready to disclose. He knows I’ll be here when he’s ready to open up just like I know he’ll always be there for me. Part of me wonders if it’s getting ready to move. Vault has started a new club close to Cedar Bay where my brothers are and most of the guys in my Gramps chapter are moving down to be with Vault and Valor. Until recently, they’ve been running the club with some of the guys from the Nomad chapter of the Phantom Bastards. Those guys don’t stick in one place for long and I’m surprised they’ve lasted as long as they have while the guys finished growing up and getting ready to make the move. Kingston loves his parents and siblings so this move is going to be hard as hell on him. He’s a mama’s boy just like I’m a daddy’s girl. I miss Kingston when he’s not around and now it’s gonna be even worse because he’ll be farther away from me. But, he’s gotta live his own life the way he’s meant to. I just hope he finds the happiness he deserves to have in his life.

I’m still seeing my counselor. I only talk to her once a week now. Honestly, I’m proud of the way I’ve been dealing with my healing and getting over everything that’s happened to me. Jameson has sat in on a few sessions with me and we’ve really gotten to dig deep into everything from our past and worked through it. I don’t have nightmares like I was when I came home from the hospital and I’m finally starting to feel as if I can overcome anything that tries to stop me from accomplishing my goals. There’s only one area I haven’t talked about with my counselor. That’s the relationship I have with Jameson when it comes to sex. He hasn’t touched me since I was taken and held hostage. Dr. Morris has cleared me to resume all activities including sex as long as I’m careful and listen to my body. I want my husband more than ever before and there’s no getting rid of the ache I feel deep inside when he’s around. Still, he won’t touch me more than holding me when we’re in bed. If something doesn’t change soon, I might have to talk to my counselor about it because it’s driving me insane.

Dr. Morris is allowing me to work three days a week for Alex at Rhythm and Grace because I don’t do much more than sit in a chair and answer phones, take payments, and that kind of stuff. She’s also approved of me spending a half hour dancing carefully after my shifts when the studio is empty and I can work with Alex. It’s a form of exercise I can still do with how big I’ve gotten over the last three months. Jameson still sits in and watches when I dance with Alex. The biggest change is that he doesn’t get up and dance with me any longer. He remains sitting on the floor and doesn’t get up until I’m ready to leave for the day. Alex sees the change and we’ve talked a little about it. She doesn’t understand what’s going on with him anymore than I do. I’m ready to tell him to go fuck himself though and make him watch me take care of the problem myself. That’s how desperate I’m getting.

Today I’ve been focusing on completing my schoolwork. I’m almost done with all of my classes even though there’s still time left in the semester. All of my projects and papers have been done. All that’s really left for me is the reading, taking notes, and the work that we turn in as homework. I’m glad that I got some amazing professors who have been working with me since I got taken out of school and put on bedrest. They let me turn everything in early as I finish it and let me choose who I work with on group projects and papers. Thankfully I have someone from my study group in almost all of my classes because I just choose one of them to work with. It’s easy for us to work together since we’ve gotten used to talking and working together over video chat.

Tits has been taken off of probation in the club. She’s changed her ways and has started cooking, cleaning, and doing what she’s supposed to. She even shocked the hell out of me when she came up as I was sitting with Jameson, Reagan, and Trax to apologize for how she treated me. Anyone from the club who was sitting in the common room at the time heard her apology and they now see her go out of her way to help me with whatever I need when I’m there. Tits is constantly making sure I have my apple juice or a bottle of water. She never opens them, knowing I prefer to open them once they’re in my hand after everything. When it’s time for a meal and we’re at the clubhouse, she goes through the line first and makes me a plate before waiting her turn after everyone else. I’m really happy that she’s changed her ways because she’s honestly a good person who chose to believe in the wrong person. I don’t even think Tits is fucking anyone right now as she focuses on herself. No one’s gonna stop her from doing that. Especially Alex. They’ve met behind closed doors a few times and Alex never spills Tits’ secrets.

My day has been extremely productive. I’ve gotten two classes completely finished and all of my work turned in to my professors. I’ve gotten the laundry that Jameson carried into the laundry room done. Everything is washed, dried, and folded. The baskets are now waiting on the counter for my husband to carry upstairs for me. I can’t do that and he’d chew me a new ass if I even attempted to this far into my pregnancy. I’ve also started dinner. There’s a roast in the crockpot and I’ll cook the mashed potatoes and gravy soon. I also plan on making some roasted asparagus. It’s been a long time since I’ve been this productive and feel as if I’ve actually accomplished something.

“Kitten, I’m home,” Jameson calls out as I stand in the kitchen and listen to music while waiting to put the rest of dinner on.

“In the kitchen,” I tell him, my voice hard and cold as I glare in the direction he’ll come from.

Jameson comes in the kitchen and immediately stops the second he sees me. He looks me over from head to toe and I know he’s making sure I’m not injured somehow. While I appreciate his need to ensure I’m not hurt and nothing is going on with the twins until it’s time for me to have them, our relationship and marriage can’t just be about that. I need the intimacy with him. To know that he still wants me as much as I want him. With how he avoids touching me unless it’s bed time, I truly don’t believe my husband wants me at all anymore. The thought of that alone has tears filling my eyes.

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