A long time ago, we had to learn the hard way that the walls have ears here and nothing we said was a secret. We needed a place that was all our own here, where no one could overhear. The only thing that remotely worked for that purpose was an old shed out back, far away from any wondering eyes and ears.
The shed has been here since the beginning. Pops originally used it for storage, but when things started going missing, he brought everything of value back to his house. Since then, nothing and no one has used it.
I wait for Odin to leave first. A few minutes later, Zeus. And finally, after enough time has passed, I walk out the front door. The door slams behind me, feeling a million times louder than it is. I glance at the MC logo painted on the door. It used to be the one thing I wanted more than anything in the world. To be a member of the MC. To join the brotherhood that was created by like-minded people. An institution that stood for something. Now, it mocks me every time I look at it.
Even if things were the same as they used to be here, it still wouldn’t be the thing I wanted the most in the world. Now that title was held by the blonde living next door to me. The girl who came to town and turned everything I knew on its head. My angel. Serena.
As I walk to the back of the property, I constantly check over my shoulder, too paranoid that someone is following. Most wouldn’t be stupid enough to try and cross me, but there are a few men who are fiercely loyal to my dad and would die for him if they were told to.
I pull the metal door open and walk inside the dusty shed. The four metal walls show some signs of rust, but they’re still intact enough. There is no furniture or anything in here. It’s not a place we hang out, just somewhere private to have quick conversations if we need to have them.
Odin is leaning against the furthest wall, a joint poking out his mouth, and a plume of smoke hanging in the air. The sticky-sweet scent masks the musky scent that clings in here.
I nod my head to both before grabbing the joint from Odin and take a long hit. I hold the smoke in my lungs until I can feel the burn before finally exhaling.
I don’t bother with niceties. There is no point. I just started talking, telling them everything our fathers said in the room. As the words leave my lips, I can see the anger and concern grow in their eyes. We all know how dangerous our fathers can be, and when they want something, they get it. Up until now, we only had speculation that they wanted Serena. We saw how they looked at her, but there was never any proof that they thought she was more than a hot piece of ass to them. Now, everything has changed.
They really could be her stalker. I thought the idea had merit when Serena said it, but this just points to them a hundred percent. They are the ones who have been watching her. Taking pictures of her. They may not have hurt her that night, but they could have easily been the ones to.
If they ever got their hands on her, I have a good idea what they would do. Serena is sweet, kind, and too good a person. That’s why I call her angel. She is better than what any of us deserve.
Our fathers are the devil. They will corrupt her. Break her. Kill her. She would never be the same if they got their hands on her. I would never be the same if they did. I would kill them before I ever let that happen. Even if I had to die trying. I would make sure the last thing I did was save her from their depravity.
“Well, this might be the proof we need to prove that they are behind the attack. But who is Dimitri?” Odin asks.
“I can’t think of anyone powerful we know named Dimitri. So, I’m guessing he isn’t a part of any gang around here.” Zeus says. He takes a deep breath, looking guilty of something, but I don’t know what. “I might know someone who can help.”
“Who?”
Zeus ignores my question completely, not even looking at me anymore. “I’ll make a call after this bullshit meeting.”
I nod my head, agreeing, but the niggling feeling of something being off course through me. Zeus doesn’t keep secrets from us. So why won’t he tell us who this person is that could help? Maybe it’s someone he met on the dark web. Someone who wants to be anonymous, but they would have given us a little bit of details if that was the case.
Before I can ask any more questions on the subject, he opens the door and storms towards the clubhouse. Odin and I stand side by side as we watch him. You can feel the anger pouring off him even from the distance put between us.
“I don’t like this.” I keep my voice low, not wanting what I am about to say to possibly carry to Zeus. “Whoever he was talking about can’t be good if he didn’t share anything with us.”
“Maybe.” Odin quips. “But do youreallythink Zeus would get anyone involved in anything to do with Serena if it wasn’t safe?”
Odin makes a good point. Though Zeus probably doesn’t know what he is feeling towards her, he does love her. That’s clear to see to anyone. He would never do anything to hurt her. He would protect her until his last breath.
A bit of the anxiety I was feeling washes away, but the last remnants of it are still there. I hate not knowing and being left in the dark. It doesn’t sit well with me. I have always been the leader among the three of us. We have always talked about everything and made decisions together. Zeus keeping something from us worries more than it should.
“Let’s head back and get this pointless meeting over with.” Odin claps me on the back before walking out of the shed and towards the belly of the beast.
I take one last steadying breath before making my way towards what was once a haven and is now hell on earth.
Serena
I woke up this morning hungover. I have never had one before, and after this, I never want another one again. Feeling like death warmed up is not something I want to experience again.
After Dante led us to a private room in the back, the drinks started pouring, and they never seemed to stop. At the time, it was great. To have a night with just my girls was exactly what I needed after all the craziness. But the morning after makes me never want to drink again.
By the time the club was closing down, all four of us were too drunk to drive. Dante, being the amazing man that he is, had Michael drive us all home. He dropped off Grace and Naomi at Grace’s house and even walked them to the front door to make sure they got in safely.
Next, we drove to Evie’s house, and she begged me to spend the night. I was secretly hoping she would ask. I didn’t want to go home. I didn’t want to take the chance of running into the Kings after last night. I don’t know how they found me, but I am starting to think they put a tracker on me. Hell, they could have put cameras and a mic in my room for all I knew.
Or at least, that’s what my drunk brain came up with last night. In the light of day, all of that sounds absurd. They may be crazy assholes on a good day, but they wouldn’t bug my room.
