Aubrey (Axis Rising)

029:

         

*****029:

Rafe

You'd think she would have known better. What reaction was she trying to get? 'Cause she got it!

"What the hell are you doing?" I didn't beat around the bush as we stood in the upstairs hall between Felicity's room and our unused bedroom.

"I met him at a club downtown. It's none of your business."

"Pretend I'm Kell."

"You're not, and I don't have to listen to you." She made to move past, not liking being called on the carpet for something she obviously had known would draw attention.

I took her arm, not hard, but she wrenched it away as if I'd branded her with a hot poker. "Worse." I said. "I'm your employer."

Her eyes got round. "You can't fire me for dating a biker."

"He's got gang tats. Seriously, Hannah, what are you thinking? You didn't meet this dude at a club, and you certainly can't bring him here."

"Gang tattoos? What are you talking about?" She managed to look skeptical and scared at the same time.

"Surenos, SUR, you saw his tattoos. He's got the So Cal SX3 and the M for Mexican Mafia allegiance. He's been in prison. It's all over him." I thought she must have heard of these things. "How long have you known him?"

"A week." She confessed with a bit of defiance, but the steam was chugging out of her in regular intervals. He had to be intimidating to one as sheltered as this girl should be. She must have had a lot of her badass dad in her to think she could run with SX3, or any affiliate. You're talking hardcore gang membership here.

I heard weird sounds coming from downstairs and skipped the steps on my way down. Dammit, what did this idiot do?

He was out on the patio, and had picked Felicity up. She was screaming and arching her back. I made it to them just as we were surrounded by security--- Aidan, Kodey, Boyd, new guys. I went to grab her out of his grasp, when he twirled her laughing.

"She likes me, don't ya little girl? You're part of my home crowd, now aren't ya, little girl?" He spoke to her in flawless Spanish, and even though he'd started twirling her, anyone could see he was examining her charm necklace. My blood froze.

Shit, are you kidding? I knew I could take him down. I wanted to make light of it though and get him out of here without repercussions. Shit...

"Hey man, she's scared, give her here." I got in his face. I'm at least as tall if not taller, but he outweighed me by forty pounds. However, I am pure muscle and this guy is built but he's not me.

He handed her over without an issue. "What's your problem?" He acted all cool with it. "Think you're some badass, come over and get you mug in my mush, you ready fo' me to blow this joint, yo ain't hittin' on all eight."

I eye-balled the tattoo's one more time again for good measure. He wasn't doing a thing to hide them. It was a statement.

"It's time for you to breeze." I said evenly, hushing Felicity who was sobbing, holding her necklace, and her armful of dolls, retrieved after she'd flung them by Jeff, who was looking casually threatening.

"Lemme get my chick, and we'll do jus' tha'." He caught sight of someone on the bricks and I turned to see the exchange, thinking he might have recognized Mutt who had had gang affiliations in his youth, but he was looking at Aubrey's Latino friend, Eli. He gave him a chin jerk and some kind of sign, I took as a greeting or show of respect. I hoped it was just the racial connection and drew in my breath sharply.

"Yeah, about that, you're not leaving with the babe you entered with." My guys were gathering around now, we come from Los Angeles, you follow me? We weren't ignorant of how these things went down.

"Close you head, mother-f---." Jack spat, his eyes and fists proclaiming how much he liked being surrounded.

I was the most skilled at street fighting and martial arts, but I had the baby, and there were more babies outside. This presented an issue if this dude decided to be stupid.

I could see the women and older folks, including my dad inside the glass doors. My eye caught Lance's and subtle messages were exchanged. Lance stepped outside, went straight to Felicity and grabbed her out of my arms.

"Let's settle this like gentlemen, okay, man." I said in as calm of a voice as I could muster. "You got no call here in Carbon. I can see you way outta you league, and your varrio. I respectfully acknowledge that you came with a loaded white chick, one hot momma, for sure, but you ain't leaving with her, and it's time for you to go."

Jack looked around, judging the distance between me and him, my stance, my lack of weapon, it was obvious to me that he was carrying at least a knife. I could fight him with a knife, I thought.

"Shit, I's leaving, man, you homey's ain't worth my time. Nor's your shit faced white bitch." He slapped his palms together. "Tell the little muchacha happy birthday from me." His Spanish resurfaced with this ending remark, and he sauntered around the front of the house followed by my security detail. Richard and my dad were now ushering the kids inside.

What a way to end the party.

I went inside after we heard his engine rev and the traditional peel out noise. Abbie and Jeremy were white faced and slack-jawed as they saw Hannah on the bottom stair step, looking like a fried hooker wild cat.

"You heard what he called you? There's more where that came from. Go ask your sister for a change of clothes and meet me in my office downstairs." I said to her brooking no disobedience, as the music came back on and the rest of the family and friends prepared to leave, or else stood around talking, and started getting out more food and stuff.

She eyed me meaningfully, and then flounced by Abbie, slammed into the new apartment entrance and I heard a muffled angry shout as she slammed that door behind her.

******