“I’ll learn. The only thing you need to worry about is your own shit, and how to get that damn prospect patch off. If you wanna be a full patch you gotta fight for it, and something’s telling me you haven’t been fighting for it hard enough. Reed wants you to. It’s not about his forgiveness, boy. He wants to see you’re fuckin’ blood thirsty for it, so show him.” I don’t know Trick well, but he’s got a point, and a damn good one at that.
I go into the kitchen and busy myself for the next hour, making up cold cuts and keeping myself busy. We all do a shit ton around the club to make sure it’s easy on everyone, picking up slack kind of like an oversized family. At least no one will have to worry about having a quick bite to eat for the next few days.
The rumbling of bikes tell me that a few of the brothers are back and right Right as I take a peek glance up to see who it is, the front door comes open and so does Reed, followed by Elena, Maria and Chaos. Trick comes out of nowhere from down the hallway. His ass must’ve been in with Angel, I wasn’t even paying any attention. Shit, that’s what got her into this mess in the first place. Me not paying enough attention to her.
“Prez, I gotta talk to you. It’s important,” I tell Reed, walking towards him.
“Yeah, we gotta talk. I need you to round up the brothers and tell them to check their phones in about an hour. Darius and I have called a meet with the Jackals, and this shit can’t wait.”
“Bet.” I reply quickly, taking my phone out and texting every brother that’s able on about
Reed’s face contorts into a stern glare. He looks angry, concerned and then concern flashes on across his face before anger wipes over him yet again. “Why’d you bring her here of all places?”
“She needs a safe place to detox. I couldn’t just leave her back in that house to keep getting high, she’s slowly killing herself.”
“It isn’t your job to watch out for your sister, Pain. It’s what got you in trouble in the first fucking place..” Reed hisses through clenched teeth, “I don’t have to remind you of the pain that your sister caused Daisy. If you were there she might not have went through any of it.”
“Or he would have been dead” Trick interrupts, making Reed turn his mean mug to him.
“Was I talking to you?”
“Nah, but you sure as hell are now. I’m assuming all responsibility over Angel. She’s my bitch, my ol lady. You aren’t gonna go against a brother’s woman now, are you?” Trick cocks his head from side to side, almost daring Reed to be an idiot and suddenly it makes sense.
Trick didn’t claim my sister because he likes her. He claimed her because it’s the only thing that would guarantee her safety.
Chapter 8
The harder the battle, the sweeter the victory.
- Your Tango
Chaos
I didn’t bother asking questions that I already knew the answer to. I witnessed every single thing that was said back at the club. My dear innocent of a sister went from being a homeless junkie to an ol’lady. Not just any ol’lady, but tied to one of the most prominent members of the club. I scoff, thinking how Angel would be the one to pull something like this, but she didn’t have any hand in it. Or at least that’s what Pain told me. According to him this is all Trick’s doing, and I just hope the bastard knows what he’s gotten himself into.
Plans changed quickly when Reed found out he could only bring two men to the meeting with him. The same terms were given to Darius with Purgatory, MC, and I’m assuming the Jackals as well. Reed picked Seamus and I Seamus is not one to fuck with, and I’m pretty handy with a gun. I don’t look like much from on the surface, but joke’s on these Jackals if they think they’re gonna fuck with us. Word on the street is that they’re not a fan of Rafael, and none of us are. Hopefully this meeting ends up working out to our advantage.
The three of us were the first to arrive at the address, oddly enough the wind is picking up and the brisk cold air starts to chill my bones. We all stay seated on our bikes, surveying the property of the where we’re set to meet. “Ever been here before?” I call out to Reed. He answers with who shakes his head from left to right.
The rumble of a car comes from behind us, and I notice the green Dodge charger. It’s one of Darius’ toys. He exits the vehicle, and two men pop out alongside him. I’ve heard of the one man, Jude. He’s a member of Purgatory, but has been gone for years. Some sort of cardio surgeon, but has arms are big enough to snap someone’s arm in half without any effort I highly doubt the guy is one of those gentle giant types. (And I sure as fuck don’t think he’s one of those gentle giant types). Shaun comes around from the other side. I’ve seen him around on occasion. The type who says shit without thinking and doesn’t give a damn about anything. , he reminds me too much of myself and Hell, we’d probably be friends.
Darius hollers over to Reed, “Thought Pharaoh said he’d be here when we arrived.”
“He said that, but looks like we’ll be waiting on him.” I pull my jacket closer to my body as Darius, Jude and Shaun approach. The minutes pass slowly, so we chat amongst one another.
“How’s the missus doing?” Darius asks Reed, who smiles back in return.
“Great. Baby is growing good and we can find out the gender any day now. Elena is telling me that she wants to keep it a surprise, but I know better. Found a text she sent that said she wants to tell me on Christmas.”
“How’d a man like you end up with a gem like her?” Darius chuckles, smacking the back of Reed’s shoulder. Before Reed can reply a loud screech of tires jolts our attention to the entryway of the parking lot. A huge, decked out truck with lifts comes barreling down right next to the group of us and when the doors open, I can hardly believe my eyes.
“What kind of fucked up shit are they on?” I mumble lowly to Seamus, who chuckles in response but sends me a warning with his eyes to pipe down.
Three men come out of the truck, two of them with black matte and gold masks, looking exactly like an Egyptian jackal would. The third is a bit different, his mask is the same, yet much grander. I don’t know how they run their group but I’m guessing this is the head honcho. His body is smaller than the others, much shorter and slim. I haven’t ever come into contact with many Egyptians but I assumed they were tall. Makes me wonder if it isn’t some Mexican fucker under that mask.
“Pharaoh,” Reed greets, Darius nods.
The voice that comes from Pharaoh does nothing but shocks me, and suddenly explains why this man is so short and slender, because he isn’t a he. He is a she.
“I’m pleased that you both arrived safely, and chose to wait. I needed to see how serious you both are about eliminating our common enemy. You have passed your test.”
“I’m not here to play games, or pass your tests. Each one of our time is valuable and precious, we all have people who depend on us, so let’s agree to stop with the bullshit. We have a common goal, and more importantly a common enemy. I think it’s safe to say we can trust one another.” Reed states, eyes scanning from Darius to Pharaoh.
Our three leaders each take a few steps away from us, giving them a bit of privacy but we manage to still hear what is going on.
“Is it true, about the threats made against one of your women?” Pharaoh asks Reed, who nods. She is asking about Maria. Reed nods.
“Rafael had always been part of the human trafficking trade until a short while back. Maria was one of the first women I had purchased. I bought her freedom as I did for every other woman that day. Some of them are with the club, and some of them have made lives for themselves elsewhere. Maria chose to stay, and has been with us ever since.”
“The cartel was not always like this. Once upon a time it used to be a symbol of strength, of unity....but over the years Rafael has destroyed every bit of respect that the name once held. You want to know how he keeps his power? It is out of fear. People are afraid to lose their families because of his callous actions, and I can’t blame them for that. The Ramirez’s and Lopez’s were a
t war many years ago, and we all know who came out on top. What Rafael does not realize is that was a battle. He he has only won the battle. While he thinks that he is safe...we are rallying our troops and preparing for the war. The Lopez’s will reign Mexico once again.”
Pharaoh tilts her head to Reed and stares at him, the mask making her look like a creature of the dark. “I will help you, both of you, but you must help me when the time comes. We can be allies, but only if you make the decision now. If you do not support the Lopez’s taking control over the cartel then we must go our separate ways. You will stay out of my way and I will stay out of yours. If you get in my way, I will just kill you.”
“Rafael has made threats against Reed’s club, and committed crimes in my city. Neither one of us are standing for it. We have enough trouble on our plates and don’t need him stirring up more shit. I don’t enjoy killing, it is not something that I like to do, however I know when it is needed. We must work together to eradicate Rafael. The only thing that comes from him is more misery, and I don’t know about either of you but I am tired of cleaning bodies off of the streets.” Darius says.
“In a week’s time we will all meet. I will text you both. Until then, prepare your men and tell them that we will be taking a trip very soon. They won’t need their winter coat where we’re going.” She turns around, twirls her hand in the air and hops in the passenger side of the truck. Her Jackals follow her swiftly and before I know it they’re out of the lot and out of sight.
“What do you know about Frank Lopez?” Darius asks Reed.
“He’s a hell of a lot better then Rafael.”
“Let’s hope for both of our sake that you’re right.”
Chapter 9
Sometimes the hardest battle is against yourself.
- ThinkPozitive.com
Pain
“Trick did what?” Maria asks, her face says it all. Confusion. Shock. Unable to believe it. “I am...surprised but maybe not so shocked. He has mentioned wanting to find a woman crazy enough for him.”
I scoff, rolling my eyes. “He doesn’t know what he’s gotten himself into with my sister, Maria.”
“Well, it isn’t your job to warn him of that. Trick made his choice and you must allow him to live through it. He will figure it out, and you or your brother will not worry about Angel. She is safe here at the club, and most importantly she is safe with Trick. You men do not allow anything to happen to your women, you never have.”
“Chaos doesn’t give a damn about what happens to Angel. He hasn’t for years.”
Maria’s face drops at my words. She doesn’t understand the rough history that we have together. Her and her sister’s story is so much different then ours. Maria hasn’t ever admitted everything that they went through when they were with Rafael, but I can tell that they relied on one another to survive. But even before that I know they had an amazing childhood, she even admitted that to me. Chaos, Angel and I didn’t have any sort of amazing childhood. Shit, we had to grow up when we were kids. I remember digging through dumpsters behind restaurants just to make sure we were eating. It was garbage – the food and the circumstances, but it’s how we survived. We did whatever we had to do. After a certain point Chaos got over tired of Angel disappointing him again and again by Angel, and I can’t blame him for that. He just stopped caring because it was easier then the constant worrying. I think he saw how badly it was slowly tearing me apart and decided that he didn’t want to do what I was doing. Hell, what I still continue to do.
“Chaos cares about Angel...even if it doesn’t look like he does. You and I both know how he hides things deep inside himself. When he hurts...it cripples him. Chaos is much more emotional then he actually lets on.” She’s right, but of course she is right most of the time.
I nod. “Angel is in my room for now. Who the hell knows when Trick is going to explain to her what he did, and that she’ll be in his bed every night.”
“I doubt she will be in his bed tonight. I wouldn’t plan on sleeping in your bedroom.” Maria giggles, falling into my chest.
“Where will I be sleeping then, hmm?” I play coy, grazing my fingertips under her chin and tilting her head up to look at me.
“Hmm. The couch is a good option.” She winks as I scoff.
“I think there’s a girl in here that wouldn’t mind me snuggling up against her tonight.” I feign looking around the club, “Do you know who she’d be?”
Maria smacks me harder then I expect in the throat and I cough. “That’ll teach you to be a smartass with me, culo. Yes, you can sleep in my bed tonight.”
“Thank you.” I whisper to her, quickly getting lost in my own thoughts. Even knowing that Angel is here in the club, you’d think that I’d find some comfort in it, but I don’t. All I seem to be able to think about is why she still chooses to stay on the drugs.
Maria grabs ahold of my forearm and squeezes, like she knows what I’m thinking. “Sometimes drugs are a way for people to dull their pain. They want to feel nothing, so they do the one thing that will make sure they are feeling nothing.”
“I don’t try to understand it anymore. There’s no use because I never will.”
Maria softly smiles at me, half sympathy, half relief. “You have tried to understand the best way that you can, but now all you can do is be here for her. She is going to be in a safe place with us, and it won’t be easy.”
I take in a deep breath, because I have to tell Maria something that I know she isn’t going to like. She’s not going to like it one bit. I’ve been keeping this secret from her for days. Maybe it’s because I’ve wanted to protect her from it...to keep her from the pain that she may have to go through.
“Mar...”
She furrows her eyebrows together, “What’s the matter? You have that voice.”
“Chaos told me before Thanksgiving that he didn’t know how long he could keep sharing you with me.”
She shakes her head, “I don’t understand. I don’t belong to him, I am both of yours.”
“Babe...we need to solidify whatever the three of us are and soon. There needs to be rules, because I’m not going to lose you, and I can’t lose my brother. I’ve had enough loss through my life...and he’s getting heated about it.”
“What did he say to you?”
“Exactly what I just said, that you belong to him and he is simply sharing you with me. You and I both know that we’re more then that. Not just you and me, but the three of us. You have a connection with both of us, and we both have a connection with you. You aren’t my girl, and you aren’t his, you’re our girl.”
“I know that. I’ve always belonged to the both of you, even when none of us knew what we were doing. I will try to talk to him and see where his head is at. I don’t want any of us to get hurt...I care for both of you and...I can’t lose him.” Those words burn, stinging me more then they should. I know that she didn’t mean it in a horrible way, that she wasn’t trying to hurt me. I can’t help but feel hurt though. “I refuse to lose either of you. The three of us have suffered enough through our lives and I will not have any more losses.”
“You’re right baby, we’ve all had enough loss.” I wrap my arms around her, pulling Maria against my chest and holding her close. No matter how many times she’s in my arms like this, I will never find the right words to explain how precious she is to me.
Maria is my walking heart, and if she hurts, I hurt.
I’m gonna do my best to make sure that she’s happy, and that we all get what we need, even if Chaos tries to be a selfish bastard.
But Maria needs Chaos. I need my brother too. It’s the hard truth I have to accept. : each of us needs the other. If Chaos ends up ripping whatever we have apart...my heart will be broken, and I’m not talking about the one that beats in my chest.
Chapter 10
“It’s hard to wake from a nightmare, when the nightmare is real”
- Anonymous
Maria
I thrash, shaking vi
olently from my sleep, jolting upright in the bed. Yet again, I’ve awaken from a nightmare starring the one and only Rafael Ramirez. Night after night I’m subjected to witnessing the same atrocious actions, all caused by the devil himself. Pain is asleep beside me and I swiftly get off the bed and exit my room. I walk out to the bar for my one saving grace – tequila.
I bend down and open up the cabinet, grab the neck of the bottle and unscrew the top, bringing it to my lips for a few long sips. It burns, landing heavy in my stomach, but the sting of the tequila is nothing like the sting of memories that refuse to stay buried. Memories that I no longer wish to remember. I don’t want to remember the sounds of my mother screaming as Rafael’s men stormed our house. Or the way that she begged Rafael not to take me and Camila, to take her instead. More importantly, I remember the look on my father’s face...how then I thought it was surprise...but now I know the truth. It wasn’t shock. It was expectation. He expected it to happen, and instead of getting us far away from Rafael’s grasps...he did nothing.
We were sitting ducks.
My mother was killed, my sister and I were taken and I can’t help but wonder...who should I be angry at? The man who pulled the trigger and ripped us out of our home, or the man who sat by and allowed it to happen. Where should my anger be directed towards? Who deserves all of my anger?
Some days my anger is all that I have, it’s all that I am. I’ve held onto it for years and I wonder if I will ever really be free of it. Finding out the truth, that my father...traded us for his own freedom only fuels the fire. It makes my blood boil and my skin burn with hatred. I never thought I could hate my father, but I also never thought that he could ever do something like this. Granted, the results of his actions could have been worse. I’m lucky. Lucky to have ended up here with the Skulls. But I lost my sister for so long, and I’ve only recently found out where she is. I don’t know when I’ll be able to see her again, wrap my hands around and hold her close, and that kills me. We have spent so long apart. I bet she’s changed so much over the years. If she hasn’t in her looks then I know she has emotionally. We were both very different girls when we were living at home in Mexico. We were sheltered from just how evil this world actually is. We had no idea, but and because of our father, we were quickly thrown into the depths of hell.
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