Page 71 of The Enforcer

With a wide smile, he starts the car and pulls away. “I still hate these things. I will never understand why you love them so much,” Zeke says, indicating the car as a whole.

Grabbing his hand, I lace our fingers together. “I don’t know, maybe I’ll get on the back of your bike again one day.”

“Bullshit,” Zeke says, glancing over at me.

I shrug. “Why not? I almost died in a fire. I’ve spent my life being afraid of things for no other reason than they look scary. But you’re safe. All of you are. You rarely have accidents, you always wear your gear, and you don’t take unnecessary risks when someone is on the back of your chopper. And I trust you more than I trust anyone else in my life. So, one day, yeah. I’ll get on the back of your bike.”

“Don’t let what happened to you force you out of your comfort zone,” Zeke says with conviction. “I’m really talking shit when I say things about cars. I would never want to make you feel like you have to ride with me.”

“I know. But I think it’ll be fun. Besides, I like the idea of having my arms around you while we ride around the city.”

Grabbing my hand, Zeke kisses the back of it, a soft smile on his face.

I look around, wondering where Zeke is taking me. We’re going in the direction of home. Still, I don’t ask where we’re going. Zeke wouldn’t tell me anyway. He loves keeping me in the dark about shit but I don’t mind. I love his expression when he has a secret, all sparkling eyes and boyish smiles.

Before we get home, Zeke turns into the parking lot of the accounting practice I’ve had my eyes on. I sigh when he turns the car off and gets out, coming around to help me out.

He smiles at me as he pulls me to the front of the car. Turning me around, he pulls my back to his front, careful of my burns. “You like this place, right?”

Sighing again, I nod. “Yeah. It’s outside of my price range, but it’s the perfect location.”

Rummaging in his pocket, Zeke moves his hand around to the front of my body so I can see the key dangling from his fingers.

Turning around quickly, I look at him. “You didn’t!”

With a smooth laugh, he hops off the hood of the car. “I did. I leased it for you for the next five years. That should be enough time to get on your feet. You won’t have to worry about dipping into your savings or occupying a building you don’t want.”

I have to bite my bottom lip so I don’t cry all over his shoulder. Being careful of my arm and back, I give Zeke a long hug. He holds me with as much pressure as I can tolerate, kissing my cheek and neck. “Thank you. God, thank you Zeke. I don’t know what to say. You’re fucking perfect, you know that?”

“Of course I do. You really upgraded with me. I’d say you’re the luckiest man in the world.” His slick smile has me rolling my eyes but I can’t wipe the grin from my face. “Come on, let’s take a look around.” He threads his fingers through mine and pulls me forward. I pretend to drag my feet, but that only lasts a few steps before I come willingly.

Stopping in front of the doors, he hands me the keys. “You do the honors, Counselor.”

Taking the key, I poise it over the lock, then turn back to him. “Thank you, Zeke. This means the world to me.”

Planting a soft kiss on my lips, he says, “I told you I’d always take care of you. This is your dream and I support that. I will do anything you need me to do to make you happy. You’re my world, baby. I love you.”

“I love you too.” Before I shove the key into the lock so we can plan my new firm together, I frame Zeke’s face with my hands and kiss him.

Yeah, I’m definitely the luckiest man in the world to have him.

Epilogue

Zeke

Eighteen months later

Strobe lights bounce around Inferno, flicking in my eyes. I lower my gaze when one pegs me right in the fucking retinas. I’ll have to figure out if that height on the wall was the best place to put those since they’re so close to the door that leads to the upper office. I might have to move them to the ceiling so I can avoid having one fucking blinding me.

Inferno turned out better than we thought it would, especially since we had to tear it down and rebuild. The fire marshal and inspectors said there was too much smoke damage for the original club to be salvaged, so Prez agreed to tear it down and start fresh.

It’s just as well. The vision I had for this club is better with a fresh start than having to work around the bullshit set up Kirk had. Who puts a fucking bar in the middle of the floor but only has one bartender? Fucking terrible design plan.

The police captain tried to give us shit while the fire inspector pointed out damage and why it couldn’t be salvaged. Finally, the fire inspector asked why the police captain was there while he was showing us fire and smoke damage. Captain Matthews tried to say that we were under investigation for arson, but that was far from the truth.

Rooster suggested that not only should I install an alarm system, but I should also get cameras installed as soon as the club changed hands. That piece of advice proved valuable because we had proof that Kirk snuck into the club and poured gasoline across the center of the floor and set it alight after he saw me and Shane split up. I’m guessing he was hoping to take one or both of us out. Dumb fucker probably should have set fire to the exits.

The police captain’s face turned beet red when we reminded him that we were not even persons of interest in the setting of the fire. He stormed away, eyeing us as if he were going to blow our world up. We beat him to it.

---