Tank: Devil's Rose MC #6

Chapter 35: Octavius West

I knock on the door of her parents' house. 

Holy shit, I'm here on fucking Christmas Eve, and I'm about to meet her family for the first time. What if they hate me and I ruin the memory of this Christmas forever? What if they talk about I, a douchebag, knocked on the door and ruined everything with my presence? 

And they all have children. I wouldn't want to ruin a child's Christmas either. That would be a horrible impression to leave and then they would never grow to like me and Hazel and I would have to decide whether or not we were meant to be together and-

"You're here."

The moment she wraps me into her arms, the thoughts in my head stop. She's home. She's where I belong. I don't need to worry about anything else but loving her, protecting her, and being the best man for her. The world could be collapsing around me, and the only thing I would think about is her. 

She's half of my thoughts now. 

For the past few days while she was here at her parents' house, and I was doing some final MC financial and weapon-related paperwork so no one else had to worry about it, I don't think I've missed anyone that much before. It was like a part of my soul was gone.

I missed her sleeping beside me, eating breakfast with me, leaving her clothes on my bedroom floor that I pick up, and the way she texts me videos to watch even though I'm sitting right next to her. 

I missed how she always taps her toothbrush on the bathroom sink so I know she's awake and wanting to shower with me, how she talks about the philosophical questions to me right before we go to bed, how she can't walk out of the door in the morning without doing a brief dance to get herself pumped for the day, and how she sometimes wants to do nothing but sit on the couch and cuddle to her heart's content.

I lay a soft kiss on her lips, soaking in her touch, which I can't believe I had once lived without.

"Are you ready to meet my crazy family?"

"Yes."

With her, I'm ready to do anything.

For some reason, all my thoughts are sappy today. Maybe because it's Christmas Eve, maybe because we're taking big steps, maybe it's because I know she's in love with me. It honestly doesn't matter, but I can't keep myself from wanting to gush over her.

Hazel tugs me into the house, wrapping both her arms around my right forearm.

"Mom, dad, boys! He's here!"

We step into what I think is the living room of their home, and I'm instantly wrapped in a warm hug by who I'm guessing is Zara, Hazel's mom.

"Oh my gosh, welcome, welcome. We are so happy to have you hear. Please watch for Legos. They are freaking everywhere. We wouldn't want you getting hurt with one of those."

"Thank you, Ms. Martinez-" I was told by Hazel that she took my dad's last name so I'm not assuming anything "-Merry Christmas."

"I love you already! Call me Zara, please!"

I can see where my girl gets her energy from. The resemblance to her father Chance though is pretty crazy. When he claps me on the back before moving around me to go stand next to his wife, I know exactly where Hazel got her red hair and angular nose. She gets her brown eyes from her mom though. 

Her brothers, Greyson, Max, Hayden, and Zane introduce themselves along with their partners (both women and men) and children. 

Hazel comes back to stand next to me, giving me a side hug. I lean down, kissing the top of her head, and wrap my right arm around her shoulders to tug her closer to me. I can feel the eyes of her family on me, but I couldn't care less.