Falling For The Biker: The Vice President's Girl Chapter 133

Ezra

If Ray could burn a hole through our intertwined hands by just staring, he would. Although, the stare isn't angry, more like...resigned.

This past few weeks, he's been acting like the Raymond I used to know and love. Always checking up on me, asking about Wren and I.

He even came to visit, stayed a couple hours—I thought it'd be awkward, but surprisingly, even with the elephant in the room, it wasn't.

"EJ!" He shakes my hand and pulls me in for a bro hug. We do all that without me letting go of Wren's hands.

Now that she's letting me hold her, touch her, I'm not going to give her the chance to shrink away from me again. It was hell without her.

Ray smiles softly at Wren. "Chirp." He hugs her tight. "I'm so glad to see you doing better. I've missed you."

"Me too," she replies.

Quincy steps forward with MaryAnne and offers a shy wave, and it's at that point that I let Wren's hand go.

She takes slow steps toward both of them, and hugs them. "I'm so sorry, Quinnie."

"Please," Quincy says, pulling her into a hug, "you don't have to apologize. I get it."

Wren takes MaryAnne from Quincy, and I can see how her eyes fill with regret, and with longing. Seeing her hold MaryAnne squeezes my chest.

God, she'd have made an amazing mother.

And then she smiles up at me, lips quivering slightly. I smile back, encouraging her, reassuring her through it.

We'd try again. We'd have more babies.

After all the greetings have been done, everyone settles in their seats. Wren sits beside me with MaryAnne while Ray stands in the middle of the room.

"Hello, everyone." He clasps his hands together.

"Hello, Prez!" We chorus.

When Ray asked me to be here this afternoon, I was surprised. Till now, I have no idea why I'm here, or why I'm part of whatever this is.

But I can't say I'm not hopeful. It goes on to solidify that he's reaching out, he's not upset with me anymore—at least not entirely.

"We've had a crazy couple of weeks, haven't we?" He chuckles. "And I just wanted to say a big thank you. Thank you to each and everyone of you, thank you for risking your lives to bring back my little sister even when I couldn't make it. Thank you for showing me that I can trust you, and that you love me."

I nod slowly, because I too, am grateful. So, so grateful to this family.

The only person absent is Clay. He had to travel to his family so that he could be better taken care of.

And god, when I heard what he did—as I was entirely blacked out after seeing Wren shot—I'd be sure to thank him properly myself.

He was the one that picked up Wren immediately after she was shot. He protected her with his body when Lydia's goons kept trying to shoot at her.

Clay sustained multiple bullet wounds to his back and yet, yet he made it out of that warehouse with my Wren in his arms.

He fought through the pain, the bleeding just to get her to safety.

It's a miracle that he survived. And I'm so thankful that he did.

"Also," Ray clears his throat. "I didn't just call this meeting to thank you all, I called this meeting to also especially thank Ezra Jax. EJ," he calls, "please, can you come here?"

Wren and I give each other a look and when she pats my thighs, I walk over to Ray.

And then, Ray drops to his knees in front of me. The whole room goes silent.

I'm like a deer caught in headlights, my eyes wide. Confusion and utter embarrassment floods my body.

"Ray, what are you doing, man?" I grab his arm to hoist him up but he shakes his head.

"Thank you, Ezra," he says, voice hoarse like he's holding back tears. I swallow. "Thank you for always showing up when I need you, thank you for being selfless, for protecting my sister and most especially, thank you EJ, for loving Wren."

My jaw drops and I stagger backwards. Something bursts open in my chest, and warmth floods my body.

I try to say something, anything, but I'm too stunned to speak. The last statement...it's everything.

"Ray..."

"And I'm so, so fucking sorry," he continues. "I am doing this publicly because of how I humiliated you in front of everyone, the way I hit you, embarrassed you. It's only right that I apologize the same way. So, Ezra, I have no excuse for treating you the way I did, as my best friend and VP, I could've handled it all better, but I didn't. So I'm sorry, to you," he turns to Wren, "–and to Wren. You both didn't deserve the pain and trauma I inflicted, and I regret it every single day."

I bite down on my jaw to keep my emotions at bay. Ever since everything happened, holding back my emotions have felt harder than normal.

And I think it's because of the utter fear that gripped me when it all went down. Like everything suddenly snapped, and my emotions rushed to the surface.

I've been feeling a lot, and fuck, I hate it. I'm not weak, but I'm giving myself some grace because of what we just went through.

So when the tears fill my eyes, I don't fight it. Still, they don't fall.

I grab Ray up by his arms, and this time, he complies.

"I'm so sorry, Ezra," he says again. "Forgive me."

I snort through the tears. "I already forgave you, Ray. You're my best friend, and I shouldn't have lied to you, I shouldn't have gone behind your back. And for that, I am so sorry too."

He nods and holds a hand out. When I shake him, he yanks me in for a hug.

We stay in that embrace for a long time, our longest hug and I feel it deep in my heart, that we're okay. Sure, he still has to get used to me being with his sister, but he's willing to try.

And that means a whole lot to me.

Everyone starts cheering, hooting and clapping. It's ridiculous and Ray and I find ourselves laughing. But just before we break apart, Wren walks over and wraps her arms around both of us.

Quincy joins and just like the day I left this MC, everyone joins in the hug.

Including Mrs Dee and Lizzy. My special ladies who have taken care of Wren whether she needed their care or not. They made sure she was fed, made sure she didn't lack anything.

I owe each and everyone of them for taking care of my girl. And when I leave, I'll never ever forget them.

Finally, the hug breaks with everyone laughing as they return to their seats. And I feel content, full, satisfied.

We're happy now. We've gone through the worst and we didn't lose anyone.

Ray claps his hands once and the chatters die out. "So, not to waste any more of your time, Ezra?"

"Yea?"

He stretches out a brand new 'VP' MC vest. "I believe this belongs to you." He smiles. "You're the only suitable VP and I couldn't be more proud to have you serve at my side once again. Will you be my VP again, EJ?"

My hands remain at my side, while my heart pounds painfully in my chest. Because I know my answer to that.

I look at Wren, and her wide eyes tell me she wasn't expecting this either.

How do I tell Ray that I can't do it anymore? That I want to leave New Orleans...with his sister? That I'm done with this life?

"EJ?" Ray frowns, neck tilted as he waits for my response.

A thick lump slides down my throat, and I shake my head softly. "I...I can't, Ray."

"What?" He inhales sharply.

"We need to talk, Ray...in private."