Scout: Devil's Rose #11

Chapter 18: Violet Monroe

Major looks over my outfit and seems to approve of it, but I can tell that something is off for him. He gets off my bed and goes digging through my closet. He turns around and hands me my leather jacket that's more for fashionable than functional purposes.

"But on sneakers and you'll be good to go."

"I'm not meeting Devil's Rose MC members looking as if I've just gotten out of bed."

"I don't think any of them would care."

"But I care."

He doesn't have a comeback for that, so he gets ready while I pick another outfit, a pair of black jeans and a crop top. I then put the leather jacket over top.

After about another ten minutes of me making sure that I look put together, we leave my apartment and go downstairs into the parking garage where his motorcycle is parked.

He hands me the extra helmet that he has for me, turning on the motorcycle for it to heat up. The rumble of the engine echoes through the concrete garage, a rush of adrenaline shooting through me.

"We're meeting at the bar first, so we will go there. Then, we will head to Reaper's."

"Did you ask if they were okay with me going?"

As he puts on his helmet, the Bluetooth in our helmets connects, and I can hear him loud and clear.

"Alpha said it's fine, so no one's going to be mad about it."

I swing my leg over the seat of his bike, using his shoulder as a point of stability.

"Is that how it works? Alpha says something, and y'all just go along with it?"

"I mean, yeah," Major shrugs, "that's kinda why he's president. And why he stays president. If we didn't mostly agree with his decisions then he wouldn't be."

"Mostly?"

"We don't always agree. Unanimous agreement all the time isn't real."

"No, that's just unrealistic," I agree with him, wrapping my arms tighter around his waist as we cut the twenty-minute drive to ten.

As we pull into the parking lot in front of the bar, some of the official members (Carbon, and Bullet, plus a few others and their Old Ladies that I don't know) are standing outside around their motorcycles.

Poison, and a woman who holds his hand, step out from the bar as I get off of Major's motorcycle, once again using him to keep myself from falling.

I'm guessing Poison is holding hands with Dakota; I mean, who else would he be holding hands with?

The two of them come up to us, Dakota officially introduces herself, and we chat for a few minutes before we can tell that the others around us are curious about who I am.

Major and I take a lap where he can introduce me to the official members and the Old Ladies of each one as well. It's good that I have somewhat of a basis of who everyone is because of Gabby.

I owe that to her because I'm not as overwhelmed as I think I would be if I knew absolutely nothing about anyone. It also helps that I've already met Poison, Carbon, Bullet, and Slasher.

We all get on our motorcycles after confirming that we are headed to Reaper's house and that then prospects (future official members in training - FOMT as I call them) are capable of handling business while we are all hanging out.

Could that be deemed as a form of hazing? Or are they just doing what they signed up for?

We settle into the ride in the middle of the pack. Alpha, Tank, Bear, and Vegas sit behind us, Persephone, Hazel, and June riding on the back of the correct bike while Kate rides her own next to Bear.

I think from the moment I met her, I expected that. I don't think it's a "I'm a feminist and I refuse to ride on my man's bike," I think it's more of a "I want my independence, and I'll get annoyed with my man if he drives in a way I don't want to be driven." And I can get behind that.

Reaper and Fiona and Whiskey and Beatrice ride at the same pace that Major is which is a good grouping of the six of us. Poison and Dakota, Bullet and Piper, Carbon and Gabby, and Slasher and Iris are another grouping of a slightly higher speed.

Rubble, however, he's taking the lead, a dangerous lead. Man is taking corners that make me want to shit my pants just looking at it.

I can tell that Scout is slightly worried; not enough to make him unable to concentrate. I can hear the other guys talking through Bluetooth (because we also hooked them up when meeting at the warehouse).

The Old Ladies keep talking about how Rubble needs to find someone who will stop him from being a dangerous driver. The guys have a bet that he already found someone, but they're pissing him off and that's why he's driving dangerously.

I don't voice my opinion, but I think the guys are right. I think he's annoyed and needs to drive it out.

Major communicates with me less over the Bluetooth speakers but through tapping my leg as we take turns, speed up, slow down, all that. It makes the experience way more intimate when no words are said.

I just understand what he wants from me because of a certain signal on my leg, and we do it together. It doesn't take much, and it comes hella naturally. Like I've been riding his motorcycle for weeks or months, not days.

It takes us about twenty-five minutes through the forest to reach Reaper's expansive house. We all park the motorcycles in the driveway, and I stare at the entrance in awe of how gorgeous it is.

I feel Major's hand resting comfortably on the small of my back as he rests my motorcycle helmet on his handlebars.

We walk inside Reaper and Fiona's beautiful home and into their backyard where they have laid out both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks and some food.

We begin to gather into groups, chatting away about random things, when Major suddenly gets my attention. He leans down to my ear, his hand resting gently on my elbow.

"Alpha wants to chat with you real quick," he tells me, tilting his head in the direction where Alpha is.

Well, fuck, that cannot be good.

"Do you know what about?" I ask reluctantly, ready to be hit with a "doesn't want you here" message.

"He just told me not to worry about it. That's all I know."

I can tell the Major is also anxious about it, so I rest my hand on his bicep, hoping to call him.

"While I talk to Alpha, you talk to Rubble. See what's going on with that man."

"You've only met him for like five minutes."

"Yeah, but like the others were saying, you don't drive that recklessly unless something is wrong. There's a difference between being dangerous for fun and just being angry."

I step away from Major and walk toward where Alpha is standing, a non-alcoholic drink in his hand.

"Hi," I greet him, unsure of what else to say.

"Violet. How was the ride with Scout?" he asks kindly, probably trying to put me at ease.

It only works slightly.

"Good. I trust Scout to know what he's doing, so I just followed along with him."

"It's nice to be able to trust your partner," Alpha states, taking a sip of his drink.

"May I ask you why you need to talk to me?"

"It's nothing bad. I just don't know when else to talk to you about what happened yesterday. Are you okay? Are there any resources that I could find for you that would be helpful?"

Well, that's not at all what I was expecting.

"Oh, no. I'm okay. I'm a little worn out, but it's all a part of the process as far as I'm concerned."

Alpha nods his head in agreement.

"Well, you know we are all here for you. Even if you just met most of us, we want to help in any way we can."

"And I greatly appreciate that, thank you," I say, laying one hand on my chest as if that will show my gratitude more.