Something in the Orange

Chapter Six

Authors Notes: This is the chapter that first came to me, one of these scenes as the first thing I ever wrote for this story when it was just a little plot bunny.

"I ain't proud of all the punches that I've thrown, In the name of someone I no longer know"
Dial Drunk - Noah Kahan 

Her knuckles rap against the door, smoothing down her dress, she nervously shifts from one foot to the other. The house is quiet, no sound of anyone around.

She's surprised she even remembered the address. She had only been here once, she had just turned sixteen and Jose had picked her up from school, stopping off here to discuss something important. She was forced to stay in the car, she remembered counting each brick surrounding the garage, bored out of her mind.

Sighing she heads back to her car to find a scrap of paper to leave a note, just as she opens her car door, a black SUV silently pulls in behind her.

Vee looks over at the driver, seeing a beautiful middle aged woman behind the wheel. Vee lifts her hand in an awkward wave as the car comes to a stop in front of the garage door. The woman climbed out, watching Vee warily.

"Oh hi, I was just going to leave a note" Vee babbles "I'm looking for Marcus Alverez, does he still live here?"

"Who's asking?" The woman's eyes narrowed.

"Oh I'm Valentina Nott, Marcus knows my brother, Miguel — Miguel Galindo" Vee stammers.

The woman's eyes grow wide looking Vee up and down "shit" she mutters "sorry, I didn't recognise you, I'm Izzy, Marcus's wife" she says to Vee walking over holding out her hand.

Vee shakes her hand smiling. Izzy's smile puts her at ease.

"It's okay" Vee says waving her off "it's been a long time"

Izzy nods "Marcus is actually at the clubhouse, I forgot Santi's tablet, but I'm heading over there now if you want to follow me"

"Oh no I don't want to be an imposition"

Izzy waves her off "no imposition, I'm sure he will be glad to see you"

"Okay" Vee nods, smiling back at Izzy, nerves still clawing at her insides.

She watches as Izzy races into the house, coming back out a few minutes later holding an iPad and locking up.

Vee climbs into her car and pulls out onto the street, waiting for Izzy and following her across town.

'Idiot' Vee thinks to herself 'Driving across town to a biker clubhouse, where they will probably kill her on sight for being a Galindo. She should have waited for Nestor, so fucking stupid.'

Fifteen minutes later she follows Izzy into a dusty scrapyard, weaving along a clear path between junk piled high, as they stop in front of a big iron gate with a Mayan mask on it. Izzy winds down her window saying something to the guy that approached, she watches as Izzy points to her and the guy nods, walking around Izzy's car to open the gate.

Pulling into what she assumes in the clubhouse she parks behind Izzy's car and climbs out, she looks around taking in the picnic benches littered with bikers, a small group of kids running around, their laughter fills the air. Turning back she catches Izzy nodding her head towards the house in front of her and she follows.

Schooling her face into a neutral expression she channels a calm exterior, while her nerves run wild on the inside. They enter the house and it takes a moment for her eyes to adjust to the dark room. It looks like some type of bar with a pool table surrounded by more bikers with scantily clad women grinding on them.