The Ride

by Jaci J.

  The second I see taillights, I'm already to my girl.

  “What the hell was that and what the fuck is up with your tits hangin' out?” I ask pointing right at her tits that are about a half inch from spilling out of that top.

  “You want to spend some time in jail?” she retorts shortly. Well shit, she's got me there, but I don’t have to like anyone else staring at her rack.

  “Nice work sis,” Gin pats her head like a good little girl. Smacking his hand away, she frowns. Oh fuck, here comes that attitude that was lacking three minutes ago.

  “You owe me so big. You know how much I hate that bitch Nicole. Now I've got to spend time with her whiney ass. Fuck, so big, like, new car big,” she grumbles kicking Gin in the shin.

  Laughing he agrees, “Whatever ya want.”

  Wrapping her arms around me, she pulls me to her. “You gonna go kill him now?” she asks me with those big doe eyes looking at me. I was thinking about it.

  “More than likely,” I grumble. I’m not in the mood for talking about the pig anymore. I am still not loving how this went down.

  “Good. He's a fuckin' pervert. Can I watch you kill him?” she asks me. Can she watch? That's a strange ass request. I've been asked to watch a lot of things I do and that has never been one of them.

  “Lil, no one is lettin' you watch them put someone to ground. How many times I gotta tell you.” Glaring at Stitch, she turns those big ol' pleading eyes back on me.

  “Please baby?” Ah fuck. I am not corrupting her with that shit. “Not happenin' sweets.” Pouting she turns those eyes to Gin next. I think out of every man in the club, he's the worst with Lil, me being in a close, sick second.

  “Sure. Why the fuck not?” He shrugs. What the fuck? Gin, the sick motherfucker. They stare at each other for a moment before they both laugh. High fiving each other, they walk out the back door arm in arm.

  “You two are fuckin' somethin' else,” Stitch grumbles. No shit, those two are as bad as her and Peaches together, which is bad.

  “Sick fucks,” I mumble to myself. That only makes them laugh harder. She's killing me. Looking at the guys it reminds me I have no fucking clue why they came over to begin with. “What y'all come over for?” Gin grins at me. “We're goin' out and gettin' fucked up.”

  The Rooster, our local dive bar is the only bar we hang out at besides the club. The small place is packed with brothers, a few club friends, and a couple regulars. Light music plays from the speakers with some old country music wafting through the air. Mismatched tables and chairs dot the area around the mismatched tiled dance floor, and the bar is an old slab of wood with names and pictures carved into it. Stale smoke and booze fills the air.

  The second Lil sets foot in the shithole, the party starts. People cheer and yell for her as soon as she's in the place. She goes right to the sound system and starts throwing on some loud ass music, singing and dancing as she twirls her beautiful ass around me while she’s laughing. Her next stop is the bar , bottle in hand and Peaches and Cali flanking her sides. They need an audience, so they make their way up on the bar, shaking their asses

  Jumping up and down, Lil and Peaches sing to each other. Gin looks at me; Yeah, I know our bitches are fucking nuts.

  Tiny and Sargent saddle up next to me with beers in hand, both high and cheery as all hell tonight. They both look at my girl up on the bar and shake their heads in amusement.

  “Baby doll's been like that since she could walk,” Sargent states with a chuckle.

  Tiny snorts a laugh in agreement, “Hell yeah. Life of the party that little trouble maker is, keepin' all us old guy on our toes, just like her Mama.”

  Watching her I can't help but smile. This girl is making me soft. She just keeps wrapping me up around her finger. She's just so fucking happy all the damn time and when I’m with her, it’s infectious.

  Some fuckin’ rap song comes on and that's when she goes wild. Rapping some dirty fucking lyrics, she sings to Arms, Rampage, and Happy, all sitting by her at the bar. Looking up she locks eyes with me, smiling this smile just for me; Smiling like I'm the only motherfucker in here she gives a shit about. I can't get enough of her. She brings a light to this dark ass hell I live in, the hell we all live in. The smirk she loves to hate is all because of her.

  20

  Lil

  Sitting on the bar, Tank’s on a stool between my thighs with his elbows resting on my legs. I don't think I've seen him smile this much. In fact, everyone is smiling and having a good time. He’s even more beautiful when he smiles, and I plan on keeping it that way. White fitted tee on, showcasing his hard chest. A flannel over his tee and holster hidden underneath. His cut on, always wearing it proudly. Faded jeans and his loosely laced Georgia's on.

  Gin's on his right and Rampage on his left wearing something similar, but God does Tank make it look sexier. My family is sitting around, Peaches next to me, Cali next to her. I've got my family back. This bar is a decrepit worn down old shack, but it's our place. The looks don't matter, it's perfect the way it is. This place has heart and memories worn into the old wooden walls. If the walls could talk, they'd have some wild stories to tell.

  “Damn girl, you can hold your liquor,” Tags compliments my ability to drink excessively. A skill I learned from Gin, Stitch, and Happy in high school. That's how Gin acquired his nickname, his drink of choice being Gin, obviously.

  Shooting a look at Stitch, he smiles back at me, giving me a nod of encouragement. “Taught her well,” he laughs.

  Happy snorts a laugh, throwing back his shot and slamming it down. “Beer pong bitch,” he says to me. Wiggling those eyebrows, throwing down the challenge.

  Snatching up the bottle he just poured his shot from, I throw it back, doubling his shot in one guzzle. Slamming the bottle down I challenge back, “beer pong asshole.”

  Hopping off of the bar I grab Tank's hand pulling him with me. “Help me kill these assholes baby!” Pulling me into his chest, he kisses my head, letting my favorite smell get me. The smell that is Tank, smoke, spice, leather, and man. Wrapped around him is my favorite place to be.

  “You got it angel.”

  Watching Tank play beer pong makes me smile. Watching all the guys makes me smile. I watch these four big huge men wearing their cuts, standing around an old beat up card table tossing tiny balls into red cups filled with beer. It truly is a funny fucking sight to see. They're high fiving, punching, and smacking at each other.

  “You,” Stitch shouts at me. “Get your ass over here and play me sis,” Stitch finishes with a yell and a smile. Walking over to them, it hits me I'm home. Never realized how much I missed them until now. At times like this I miss my mom's smiling face the most though. She would have been right here with us, dad at her side, kicking back and enjoying their family. I know that's why Dad doesn't do things like this with us anymore. It's hard for him. It reminds him too much of Mom.

  I put a smile on my face and enjoy this time with my family, because she would want me too. “Yeah, yeah.” I mutter with a smile.

  Dancing with Peaches, Cali, Melli, and Mini, I notice that we've all lost our minds. I'm pretty sure Peaches and Cali have snorted enough coke for a life time. High as kites. Melli has a joint in her fingers, dancing around in a cloud of smoke while Mini and I are passing a bottle back and forth.

  “I fuckin' love this song,” Peaches shrieks, throwing her hands in the air.

  Somewhere, somehow, I’ve lost my shoes along the way. I’m pretty sure I left them with Tank, but can't be too sure … fuck it. Not only are my shoes lost, so is Peaches shirt. That is really not surprising.

  Some of the guys are playing pool. Tags, Gin, and a Prospect are playing poker at a nearby table while Tank and the other guys are out back talking bikes or something motorized while Kiki is sitting at the bar chatting up Mary.

  Then before I know what’s going on, a group of guys, five total, wearing cuts I don't recognize, walk into the bar. Shit. I notice them looking around, taking i
n the place with an air of trouble following them in. Five pairs of eyes swing to us and I can feel the malice rolling off of them in waves. This night isn't going to end well.

  Walking right up to Cali and I, one of the big guys leer down at us. “Well well. How ya doin' darlin'” The big one growls down at me. He has a thick southern accent laced with sleeze. His body is invading my personal space.

  Damn he's large. Not as big or bulky as Tank, but pretty big.

  He's wearing a dirty beater under his cut. Ok, just gross. A shaved head with a large swastika tattooed on the side of his head, also one on his chest right under his neck with a rebel flag under his neck tattoo. He's a skin head, not good. What a fucking idiot.

  Taking a step back, I bump into a hard body, it's a body I don't know.

  Oh shit.

  Peaches is on me in a second. “Who the fuck are you?” she barks at the guy, hands on her hips and full of attitude.

  He sneers at her, disgust all over his face. “Watch how yous talkin' to me, spick.” Oh fuck no. Sheer anger blinds me immediately. I'm not about to let this nasty excuse for a man talk to my family that way.

  “You best watch how you're talking to my family.” I spit at the giant racist asshole, getting right in his face. Turning his beady eyes back on me he smiles. Not so much as smiles but sneers.

  “Awe baby. Yous ain't gotta stick up for the trash. Yous a pretty white girl,” he slurs touching my cheek. His touch leaving a slimy dirty film on my skin.

  Reeling back in disgust, I pull away wanting to scrub myself with powdered detergent, but there's nowhere to go. His guys are standing around us. I hate people like him.

  “Fuck you, you fuckin' honky pig!” I watch his lips curl into a sinister smile. With a quick back hand, I land on my ass. My poor face. A pain shoots through, leaving a dull sting ringing through my head.

  “You hit like a fuckin' girl!”

  It all happens in a flash. Twenty Disciples rush the guys and I'm on my feet being put behind the bar before I know what's happening. Peaches, Cali, Melli, and Mini are right beside me.

  Melli's whimpering, Peaches looks like she's enjoying it, Cali's calm as hell, and Mini's in hysterics. The four guys who were behind the scary racist have disappeared through the front door escorted by eight guys. My eyes are stuck in one spot. All I can see is Tank, with so much fury and rage on his face as he grabs the scumbag and pounds him to the floor ... His steel toed boots are stomping the guy’s head into the old tiled floor with precise execution in his kicks and hits. Blood is all over the ground, all over Tanks boots. And splattered on his jeans. All in slow motion. Each kick in sickening detail.

  I watch in horror and shock as Tank kills this guy with each deadly blow. I know better than to get in the way. If I go over there right now, it's only going to make it worse for the guy. He's a disgusting excuse for a human, but that doesn't mean I want to watch him be beaten to death. At first the guy was using his hands to deflect the kicks, now he's lying lifeless and limp.

  Looking around I find Stitch, Sargent, Happy, Crush, and Leo standing stoically, arms crossed watching Tank kill this guy.

  Fuck.

  Mini runs around the bar in a panic, hair flying, mascara running. Grabbing onto Happy's arms, she shakes him.

  “Stop him!” She's crying, yelling, frantically pulling on him. “Happy, please. He's killing him,” she wails. Shoving her away he looks menacingly down at her.

  “Get you're fuckin' ass behind that Goddamn bar,” he barks at her. Shying away she looks as sick as I feel.

  The front door kicks open, Gin and Tiny walk in looking irate. Throwing his arms around Tank, Gin hauls him off of the guy.

  “Bring him outside,” Tiny barks, pointing at the guys body. The Prospects jump up to help. Shoving Tank outside with him, Gin lets the door swing closed behind him. I watch as the Prospects drag the bloody, lifeless body of the guy out the door. His face is a mess of mangled bloody flesh as they drag him out. Trails of blood streak the floor from the drag. I think I'm going to be sick.

  Leaning my back against the cool wall, I just stare at the door. My mind is blank, buy my body is pumping with adrenaline.

  “You just stood there. Stood there and watched him kill that guy. You all did,” Mini cries at us. Peaches shoots her a warning glare. I'm stuck. Two loud pops echo through the room deafening the silence.

  Happy took Mini away. Got her crying, wailing ass out of here. Peaches is helping the old bartender clean up the blood while Cali is standing behind me rubbing my back and Melli is talking with a Prospect.

  I'm sitting on a bar stool like a fucking catatonic mess. What the fuck just happened? With a loud crack the front door kicks open. Tank, Gin, Rampage, Stitch, and Sargent walk in looking anything but happy.

  Gin turns hard eyes to Peaches. “Get ya ass off that god damn floor baby. Go on with Rampage. Be right behind ya,” he says his words softening when he sees the edge in Peaches face. Nodding, she follows Rampage out.

  Stitch wraps his arms around Cali kissing her forehead. “Head out with Tags, yeah?” She smiles softly and goes with Tags without a fight.

  Melli follows suit and leaves without a word.

  Oh fuck. All eyes turn to me. None of those eyes look happy to see me. Tank heads right for me, Gin on his heels. Stalking across the room with purpose his eyes never leave me. Pushing his way into my personal space, he doesn't give me a chance to react.

  Looking down at me with mean hateful eyes he shouts, “You know who that motherfucker was? You go n' pick a fuckin' fight with him. Are you stupid? You askin' for it? Now I got a mess to clean the fuck up.”

  I've never seen him this mad. Face stone, muscles bunched with tension, jaw ticking, hands fisted and shaking. Those eyes that always look at me with lust, with care, with softness show nothing but cold hard wall.

  “Calm the fuck down man,” Gin warns Tank sternly. Tank gives one swift head shake basically telling Gin to 'shut the fuck up and back off'. Shaking my head in disbelief I stare up at Tank, unsure what to say or how to act. I'm still trying to figure out what just happened.

  “You fuckin' crazy bitch?” he screams at me. The word bitch echoes in my head. The biker brat rears her ugly head. Bitch? Call me a bitch and watch me blow a hole in your head.

  “Fuck you! You think I’m gonna let you fuckin' talk to me like this. You’ve lost your motherfuckin' mind?” My finger hitting him in the chest, he’s staring down at me and tugs at his hair, eyes flaring with contained rage.

  “I hope to God you ain't screamin' at me right now,” he counters.

  “Fuck,” Gin mutters under his breath. Oh yes, I'm most definitely talking to you. I am going off the deep end. Shit is gonna hit the fan and Gin even sees it coming.

  He steps towards me to guard Tank from what he knows I'm about to do. “You want a motherfuckin' fight? You got it asshole. You think I can't break you, try me,” I clip at him. My body humming with anger. All that adrenaline is now channeled into this fucker Tank.

  For a moment he seems stunned, head snaps back in shock, eyes widen. Taking a step towards me I step towards him, ready to go rounds.

  “Don't fuckin' touch me,” I sneer at him.

  Stepping closer Gin gets in our way. “Sis, bring it down. Don't do some shit you'll regret.” Glaring at Gin, he gets the hint and steps back.

  Tank growls, “Don't ever tell me not to touch you. Girl, you are mine.” Taking another step towards me he looks like he's ready to pounce. Putting his hands on Tanks chest to stop him, Tank looks ready to kill Gin.

  “You've lost your Goddamn mind Tank,” I tell him.

  Looking at Stitch I give him a pleading look. Nodding his understanding he walks up to me wrapping an arm around my shoulders. “Let’s go,” I tell him.

  Tank looks murderous. He looks like he wants to rip Stitches arm off and feed them to him. Good, fuck him. Without a backwards glance, I leave with Stitch wondering how an amazing night went so bad so fast.

 
; Lying in the extra bedroom at Cali's, I'm a fucking mess, not even sure how this went so horribly wrong. One minute we're all having fun, the next Tank's killing people.

  Tanks blown up my phone, calling and texting as soon as I set foot out the door. Finally I had to turn it off. I couldn't take the constant ringing. I’m trying really hard not to start a fight. It's been a few hours and I've started to cool off and calm down. I just don't understand what he expected me to do? Go running and crying to one of them? To back down? Not stand up for my family? I wasn't raised that way and that has never been me. No one has ever talked to me that way and I’m not gonna put up with it now.

  I hear Cali's concerned voice, “Oh shit.” followed by Stitches, “calm the fuck down before you go in there all mad as fuck 'n shit.”

  I hear a loud bang followed by Cali again. “Leave her be.”

  I don't have time to react before the bedroom door flies open with a loud crack as it meets the wall. He's good at breaking doors I see. Tanks big body fills the doorway blocking out the hall light. I don't have to see his face to know he's still seething.

  “You,” he growls pointing at me. “Get your fuckin' ass up and on the back of my Goddamn motherfuckin' bike.”

  Lunging for me, I dodge him. Jumping up and onto the bed I move away from him. He's not about to start throwing demands out at me. I am not that girl.

  “You got it twisted Tank, I'm not the girl you yell at. You do not talk to me like this and you can fuck right off, asshole!”

  Striding towards me he makes a grab for my hips. Backing away I smack at his hands. I'm slowly becoming unhinged. He's driving me mad. Cali's standing in the door way now looking like she's unsure of what to do. Stitch takes one look, shakes his head and leaves.

  “Baby, I ain't playin' with you. It'd be best if you shut your fuckin' mouth and do I what I tell you,” he rumbles down at me.

  Jumping off of the bed away from Tank, I duck around Cali and into the hall.

  Holding up a hand to Tank Cali says calmly, “I'd suggest you leave her be. You don't know Lil like I do. You're only gonna make shit worse for yourself.” Tank stares at Cali like she's lost her ever loving mind. Looking back up at me, he lets the defeat seep through the hardness. He knows he's not winning this.