The Ride

by Jaci J

  Riding in to town with a prospect I can't help but stare at him. I think his name is prospect Jones or something. Ran out of milk and a few other things so here I am stuck with a prospect running right back to town. Studying the prospect I realize he looks just like that kid from the show The Middle, Brick. All nerdy with an oddly large head. I think I'll call him that. Prospect Brick. He's pretty quiet and polite. Can't be more than nineteen. He'll work. If I've got to be stuck with a prospect at least it isn't a creepy one like Kash. Prospect Brick fallows me through the store like a good little prospect. Even carrying my bags like a Southern gentleman. I like this one. “Thanks for helping me,” I smile up at him. Nodding his head he smiles to himself. “Any time ma'am.” Checking out we head out of the store. Rounding the corner to the truck everything happens in a blur. A group of men with guns surround us pushing towards the alley behind the store. The only thing in real time is the smirk on the guy’s mangled face as he snarls at me. Slowly a nasty disfigured lip curls into a sickening grin. Scars cover a good portion of his face, like someone got him with a rake. “Look what we got here boys. Low's little girl. You a beauty ain’t yous,” he sneers at me. He sounds to be in charge. He's the only one talking. Reaching a hand out he touches my cheek. I try to keep my head still. Try not to jerk away. Running a finger down my cheek to my neck he sighs. I hold back the need to gag. I feel dirty from his touch. Everything about him is sleazy and sordid. Cold scratchy fingers touch me. His touch is awful. “Fuck you. Don't fuckin' touch me,” I growl coldly standing my ground. He's wearing a cut, but I can't make out the colors. All I know is he's not a Disciple and I'm in trouble. Prospect Brick steps in front of me, but scare face is quicker. Snatching me up by the arm he tugs me over to him knocking Brick into his guys. The fight in me takes over. “Get the fuck away from me,” I shout with a struggle. Trying to pull away from him. I'm fucked if I don't fight back. I've got to get away or at least try. Swinging my foot up I bring it right into his balls. Grunting he drops my arm instantly. Coughing and gasping he paces a few times hunched over holding his stomach. “You a stupid bitch aintchu',” he growls menacingly at me. Straightening up he levels me with one look. Shit. I don't have time to react. With a swift swing he back hands me across the face. I can hear the mean crack ringing in my ears. Pain radiates through my face and into my jaw. The pain stings to the bone. Stumbling back a foot or two prospect Brick is able to get in front of me, but it's too late. I hear it before I see it. A loud crack of a gun rings out. The sound deafening. Blood everywhere. Red, warm, sticky blood trickles down my body. Slumping against me the prospect falls into me. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. My mind goes blank, zeroing in on life. Is he alive? Lord let him be alive. I know it's a long shot. I can't look. I don't want to know. Terrible memories rush back in. Paralyzed with fear I can't move. I'm stuck. Memories of Josh's burlap sack covered head. On his knees. I'm sorry, is all I heard before blood. Lots of blood. Blood everywhere. All over me. All over the ground. Rooted to the cement I can't think, let alone move. Scar face grabs me around my neck. Feet dangling beneath me the ground slips away. Slamming me against the concrete wall of the store. My head crashes into the wall with enough force to almost knock me out. Hanging somewhere between consciousness and unconsciousness my mind fights to stay with it. I claw my nails at his hands desperately trying to loosen his grip on my neck. The strength in his grip slowly crushing my windpipe. “Got a little message for your pops,” his voice low. Speaking right into my face. Eyes wild and bloodshot. Squirming only makes his grip tighter. I can't breathe. My vision blurs. I can feel my head growing lighter by the second. My heart hammering its way out of my chest. “Listen ya stupid fuckin' cunt,” he growls shaking me a little. My head hits the wall again. “We want ours. He wants what's his. If not next time it'll be your head I blow off.” Dropping his grip on my neck he brings a fist right into my side. Fuck. Slumping into the wall my ass hits the ground hard. A boot connects to my ribs and everything hits black.

  5

  Tank

  Lil and that goofy ass prospect left two fucking hours ago. Shopping is what she said. Two hours. Two whole God damn hours. What the hell you do at a store for two hours? She only needed some milk and a few other things. Forty-five minutes is how long it should have taken. Milk takes ten minutes, not two God damn hours. Where the fuck are they now? I've been sitting and standing. Sitting and standing. This bitch has me antsy and twitchy. Any second I might lose it. Something just feels off. Shit ain't right. Stomping off to Low's office I hear Peaches scream before I make it to the door. My heart sinks. Pushing my way back into the room everyone is hollering and talking at once. Looking around my eyes find her. The worst thing possible smacks me in the God damn face. I feel fucking sick to my stomach. Lil's leaning against the door frame of the back door. Blood everywhere. All over her clothes. Blood dripping down her body onto the floor. For a moment I'm frozen watching the blood drip. Small little drops of blood. Drop. Drop. Drop. Dropping from Lil. She needs me. I swear to fucking God I lose it. Peaches is at her side with tears and all. Reaching her in one long step I'm not sure how I make it to her without losing my shit. “Jesus Christ!” My body just taking over. I don't think I've ever been this freaked out before and I've seen some scary shit. “Lil, you okay?” Scooping her up carefully I walk her to the bar. Setting her down tears trickle down her cheeks. Jesus fucking Christ. “What the fuck happened to you?” I can even hear the shake in my voice. I don't give a fuck. How bad is she hurt? Looking her over I can see bright red and purple raised welts across her face. A few small gashes on her cheek. Rings. A fucking hand hit her face. Deep bloody split in those pretty lips. My eyes fall further. Purple and bluish finger marks around her neck. Fucking chock marks. Someone’s dead. Dead, dead. Like head blown off, brains on the fucking ceiling, dead. Blood all over her chest and stomach. She's bleeding. I actual hesitate, worried at what I might find. Reaching a hand out to her she flinches away from me. That shit stings, but I have to see how bad she's hurt. I can't let my ego get in the way right now. “Low!” I shout for him. Jesus Christ where is he? “Low!” Peaches is whimpering and sniffling from beside Lil. “Oh God,” she mutters on a chocked sob. Taking Lil's shirt in my hand I pull in over her head carefully. Letting out a held in breath I feel marginally better. No blood, no wounds. But big angry fucking bruises on her stomach and ribs. “They … they … he's dead,” she whispers. Eyes watery, voice thick and horse.

  They? What the fuck. Who's dead? It hits me in a rush. Goofy ass prospect was with her and he didn't come back. Fuck. “Who baby? Who did this?” I try for a soothing voice, but I'm too God damn fired up. Right now I don't care about the prospect. Lil is all I care about. Yeah I'm a fucking dick, sue me. My words come out harsh and impatient. Throwing her arms around my middle she pulls me right to her. Face pressed into me. “Don't know. They had a message,” she whimpers into my chest. I let her do her thing. She needs me, I'm here. Low bursts though the door ready to fight, shot gun in hand. “What the fuck happened?” Looking around his eyes find Lil. I've never seen someone look so sick. His face probably mirroring mine. “Lil, baby.” Rushing over to her he looks between her and I. Yeah it's exactly like it looks. Telling him what I know he curses and starts braking orders. Lil's still pressed into me. It's full blown retaliation at this point. “Doll face ya gotta tell me what they said,” Low urges her. Turning her head, cheek rested on my chest she's still hold onto me. Looking at her dad I can see the tears she's trying to hold back. I hurt for her. It fucking hurts to listen to her sad voice. “He … uh, he said he wants what's his. If not I'm dead,” she says in the saddest voice I've heard. “I'm … I'm sorry. God. The prospect,” she sobs. She's sorry? For what? She's worried about the prospect and not the price hanging over her life? Pulling her into me I let her do what she needs to. It's as much for me as it is for her. I'm a selfish prick I want her close. She’s been here a few weeks and this shit has already happened. This has rattled me. I've seen dead bodies. I've witnessed m
y fair share of violence and deaths. Fuck I've even killed. Ripped motherfuckers apart. Seen a girl or two beat up, but this shit hits me harder than usual. My minds trying to tell me it's because I care about this girl, but I push that shit down. No time for that crap right now. Lows on the phone making calls. Shits about to go down. People will die. “Scars,” she whispers into my chest. What? What does that mean? “What ...” It hits me again. Scars. On the persons face. “Motherfuckin' Draco. Tick!” I shout too Low. It's all over. Every fucking person in that club patched in or not is out for blood. This shit ends now.

  A few hours later Lil is cleaned up and calmed down. She's bruised and sore, but she's okay. Low left me and Gin with her. He took off to try and track the motherfucker down. Went to cause some damage. Fuck did I want to go. Lil asked me to stay, asked Gin to stay, so here we are. I want to see some blood of the fuckers that did this. God did I want to see it. See it on the floor, on the ceiling, on my gloves. I stayed for her. Sitting on the couch she's been tucked up against me for a while nursing a drink. “What about the Prospects body?” she asks me finally speaking. After everything she drove herself here, left the prospect behind the store he was too heavy for her to pick up. Her voice sounds stronger. Shit, the damn prospect. Died trying to save Lil. “We'll get it back sweets.” I try to sooth her. She doesn’t need to worry about it. That's club business. That isn't shit she's got to think about. “There better be a funeral. A fuckin' huge one. I want him patched in. He gave me his life,” she states firmly. I forget how much she knows about this life. All this shit isn't something she should be thinking about, let alone worrying about. “He will be baby. I promise.” She sighs long and hard. “Okay.” Her head's rested on my chest. Arms tucked up against me. There's something to be said to having her next to me. She's warm, she's breathing, and right now she's mine.

  Lil's drunk. I'm talking sloppy, clumsy drunk. After a while she got restless. Couldn't stop thinking about what happened. Gave her a shot to calm her down. One shot turned into an entire bottle of Tequila. “Dance with me baby,” shes purring in my ear. Dancing around me like a damn stripper. I'm not going to lie I'm enjoying the show. I'm a sick bastard, baby is bruised up and fucked up and here I'm thinking about fucking her. Black and blue and she's still beautiful. Peaches and her dancing around each other giggling. Some ridiculous music plays through the club house. Lil wanted the song so I put it in for her. Now I'm stuck listening to it. Whatever she wants though. Peaches and Lil both shriek at the same time. Heard the same song fifteen times now. Each time they get excited. Fucking driving me up a wall, but it puts that smile on her face so I'll deal. Pulled away for a minute I leave those two to dance. Gin's on some shit about taking off tonight to handle shit together. He's got plans and guns, not a good combo for someone who's thinking with emotion and not logic. Shit doesn't sound like it's a great idea. “Can't just let them pukes do whatever they want. Been sittin' on this shit for a while now. They're fuckin' with my family man, my family. It needs to be handled,” Gin growls pacing back and forth in the loft. Looking like a caged animal. Tugging at his cut looking about ready to blow up. I agree, but what the fuck am I supposed to do? Round up the troops and head out. Can't. Low'd kill us for that shit. “What 'bout Low? Or better yet Lil? Or Peaches? What are we gunna do with them? We've got to handle this carefully.” Gin looks pissed off. Fist clenched. Jaw ticking. “Don't fuckin' care. I'm not watchin' her die. Had to bury Lucy, ain't doin' with Lil too.” Caught off guard by his sudden sad revelation. I've got to fallow protocol. Can't handle shit off of the fly. I'm trying not to get anybody killer here. “Don't want shit to happen to her either, but doin' somethin' crazy ain't gunna end well for anybody. Pretty sure Peaches and Lil want you alive.” Smashing his fist into the wall a picture falls to the ground. “Let me educate ya, yeah? Shit cannot happen to sis.” Pacing back and forth he kicks a chair. “Know how long I waited for Lil? Almost a year. Lucy was like my mom. Five years old, couldn't wait for Lil to be born. I was finally gettin' a sister in a sense.” He starts asking questions that I know he doesn’t want answers to. “Know who the first person to hold her was when they brought her home? Me. Held her for hours. She slept on me. Five years old and that little tiny baby felt safe enough to sleep on me. I was her brother, man. She loved me, but I loved her more. Know who fed her her first bottle? Me. Spent every day with her. Held her hands when she learned to walk. Taught her to write her name. Taught her how to ride a bike. How to shoot a gun. Know whose floor she slept on until she as five, because she was scared? Me.” I watch Gin rant and pace. His face serious. A wave anger rolling off of him. This shit is all news to me. He continues ranting barely taking a breath. “Walked her to school every day when she was in grade school. God she drove me nuts, but the second she was gone I missed the shit outta her. Know who she came to when her boyfriend’s made her cry? Me. Know who visited her damn near every weekend when she moved? Me. Pops always in county or on runs. Mom in prison. Kiki too busy with her own shit. They were all I had. Lil was all I had. Lucy died. Lil's all I've got left of my family. Can't bury her too man,” he says in a broken rasp. Always knew he had issues with that shit. Gin's always had abandonment issues. Didn't know it ran that deep. Didn't know they fell so heavily on Lil. “We'll get it handled. On my life brother we will end this shit.”

  Come back down stairs to Lil and Peaches doing lines off of each other on the bar. Jesus Christ, Gin and now these two. Tonight's a fucking party I guess. I know I should stop her. I shouldn't be letting her get so fucked up, but she's so damn happy right now. I'm not fucking that up for nothing. Sitting down on the couch I just watch her, watch that body. Trying to push that shit Gin said out of my mind. I can't let shit happen to her. For Gin and for myself. Watching her smile. Watch the way her body moves. The way her face lights up at me. Eyes for only her. Singing and dancing her way over to me she throws herself on me. Straddling my fucking lap she makes herself comfortable on me. Leaning into me she smiles sweetly. Yeah, she isn’t making shit easy for me. “Ya know you're my favorite person here,” she whispers with a seductive smile. Fucking hell. Yeah baby you're mine too. “Is that right?” I ask her with a laugh. Damn beautiful drunk girl. Running a little hand over my chest she watches her hand. Those fingers leaving a trail of fire behind them. “That's right. I think I'm keepin' you,” she says grinning a big ol' grin for me. She's keeping me? Baby you've already got me.

  Lil

  Tanks different. I can see it on his face. In his eyes when he looks at me. Sure he wants to fuck me; he's a man for God sakes. But he also looks at me like he needs me. Looks at me like I'm more important than his next breath. As if I'm more than a quick fuck. Maybe it's the coke and tequila or maybe it’s was having the prospects blood blown all over me, but right now I need him. I want him. Pressed up against his warm hard chest my body aches to be closer. I feel safe right now. I've never wanted someone more. I've never been surer about someone. Throwing my arms over his shoulders I bury my face in his neck. I just want to be as close to the safety I feel from him as I can. He smells like he always does, perfect. He smells like Tank. I'll be forever addicted to that smell. Not sure how I ended up here, but it's exactly where I want to be. This is probably a bad idea, but I can't go back now. Running a large hand up my back he wraps his hand around the back of my neck. “You alright baby?” His rough voice rumbles through me. Nodding into him I smile. Wrapped around him I'm perfect. The need to taste his skin has me biting my lip hard. The urge to great to ignore. I let the buzz travel through my veins. I let it take me over. Liquid courage. Running my tongue up his neck I can feel his pulse quicken under my tongue. A shudder wracks his body. I let myself taste his skin. He tastes just like he smells. It's a heady combination. I'm soaking wet and needy for him. Licking up to his ear I bite down a little. My mind completely gone. The only thing I can focus on his Tank. “Fuck me,” I whisper is his ear. His whole body goes rigid under me. His hand tightens on the back of my neck. For a moment he doesn't
say anything. Sitting completely still he doesn't move a muscle. His chest rising and falling rapidly is the only movement I can feel. With a quick curt shake of his head he breaths, “can't” One word. He can't. My heart falls straight to my feet. A big slap to any confidence I had. What the fuck? He can't or doesn't want to? I get it. I'm an idiot. Swallowing down the embarrassed lump I hold my head high. He doesn't want me someone else will. Fuck him.