Bullet in a Bonfire

Chapter Five

I walked into the bedroom to change into some workout clothes. I have all this energy that I need to get out otherwise I'll never get adjusted to the time zone. I emptied out my bag looking for anything that would work. I found a simple tank top and a pair of cotton shorts. I knew I had a stroller in my car so I made sure Harper was all bundled up and grabbed Outlaw's leash. I was getting ready to head out when there was a knock on the bedroom door.

"Come in" Happy walked in and looked me up and down.

"Are you going somewhere?"

"Just for a quick walk. I need to get some energy out and so does Outlaw. He's been cooped up all day" I attached the leash to his harness.

"You can't go anywhere without an escort" he reminded me, I just rolled my eyes.

"Okay then come on" I pushed my way past him out to my car

"You really are your mother's daughter" he mumbled under his breath. I just gave him a sweet smile and buckled Harper in. She gave me a bright smile and laughed. She loved when we went on walks. When she was first born it was the only way I could ever get her to sleep. As she got older I started playing music and she loved it.

"Are you coming or not? It's getting dark and I want to be back before it's too dark?" He let out a groan and followed me. We started our walk in silence for a little while before I broke it. "Why did you join the club?"

"It's a family, I trust everyone with my life and they trust me," I nodded, that's the same answer most of the members give. "Why did you move in the first place?"

I remembered the night I left, my mom and I fought a lot but nothing will ever beat that fight. 

I walked into the house after a long day at the warehouse. Clay had me working on the guns all day while the rest of the club was on a run. 

"Mom?" I called out, she usually meets us at the door. 

"Dining room", she was sitting back and smoking. There was a stack of papers in front of her, as I got closer, I could read what it was, my college acceptance packet. 

"Mom,I-" 

"What are you thinking? Florida?" My mom sat up more. 

"Mom, It's a great school-". 

"You are going to throw away everything to go to college? How are you going to pay for this? I sure as hell won't support you". 

"It's a full ride". I just hung my head down. 

"You are not going, how could you even think about it? Do you not realize how selfish you are being? You have a good thing going here, Clay is allowing you to join the club!" Selfish? I am being selfish? I felt my blood start t boil.

"Mom this isn't what I want, this is what you want!" I yelled, unfortunately at the same time Clay and Jax came walking in. 

"Why are you speaking to your mother like that?" Clay asked walking into the room. 

"Look what I found", mom shoved the papers into his hands and we watched him and Jax both read them. 

"You are leaving?" The hurt on Jax's face destroyed me. 

"Jax I-" 

"Don't give him your excuses! Tell him how you are abandoning him, how you are turning your back on all of us!" I finally completely lost it. 

"How fucking dare you! I have done everything for this family, I am making one choice to temporarily leave so I can experience the world and life outside of this fucked up town! I want to be able to go somewhere without looking over my shoulder. You think I'm being selfish? What about you? Forcing me and Jax into the life so we won't leave you! You'd rather watch us die bloody like dad than see us succeed without you! If you want to see selfish, look in the fucking mirror!" I yelled into my mom's face. I didn't even register what I had said when I felt her hand across my face. The force knocked me off my feet and I fell to the ground. 

"You ungrateful bitch! Everything I have done was for you-" I cut her off this time. 

"Everything you do is for you", my voice was now at a normal volume. I pulled myself off the ground. 

"If you truly believe that then leave! I don't want you here. But remember if you walk out that door, you have no family". We glared back and forth at each other until I left to my room to pack a bag. I threw random items and necessities in some bags and grabbed them not even hesitating to walk out of the house. Jax chased me out of the house.

"Ana please don't do this!" he pleaded. 

"Jax, something has to change and she refuses to see the truth". 

"Okay then come stay with me, but please don't leave me". I turned away from him, I couldn't look in his eyes or I knew I wouldn't leave. 

"I love you big brother", with that I got into my car and left town. 

"Earth to Ana" Happy snapped his fingers in front of my face. I hadn't realized we had walked almost all the way to the end of the driveway while I was buried in my flashback. I can still feel the pain in my cheek from my mom. 

"Sorry, let's just say my mom and I had a difference of opinion and we couldn't be near each other".  We had stopped walking now and I was facing him. I noticed a black SUV a few driveways down, that itself wasn't interesting but it looked like the was a camera hanging out the window. I moved my body to block Harper from view. 

"What is it?"

"Black SUV four driveways down. There's a camera on the driver side pointed at us". He turned around and saw what I was talking about.

"Go back to the cabin now". He ordered and walked towards it. I ran back to the cabin without hesitation. I got everyone in and locked the doors, I went into the bedroom and locked us in there too. I changed Harper, fed her, and made sure Outlaw had food and water. I tucked Harper into a mobile bed my mom bought her today. Outlaw laid down next to her bed like he usually does. I laid on the big bed waiting for Happy to come in. I figured I might as well pump some bottles so I can freeze them. As I laid on the bed with my pump and read a book, I heard the front door unlock and a gentle knock on the bedroom door. I tucked everything away and slowly approached the door.

"It's me" Happy's voice came through the door. I let out my breath that I didn't realize I was holding in. I opened the door and followed him out to the living room where I saw a short fat man sitting on the couch. His face was bruising and he had a terrified look in his eyes. I looked at Happy and he started to explain.

"This is the man from the SUV. He was following you". My face paled and I knew exactly who had sent him.

"I'm sorry" The trembling man said from the couch.

"Does he know where I am?" I asked barely being able to get the words out. The man nodded. "Happy call Jax". Happy went into the other room calling him. I walked into the kitchen grabbing some ice for the stranger's face. He flinched away from my hand when I reached it out but realized I was trying to help him. I waited for Jax to arrive before pressing the guy for more information. Before I knew it Jax was barging into the cabin with my mom and Clay behind him.

"What the hell happened ?" Jax demanded. I explained what I saw and what had happened out there. My mom turned to the mystery man and started her interrogation.

"What's your name?"

"Mark Jackson ma'am"

"Who are you working for?"

"I'm a P.I. Mr. Wilson hired me".

"What does he know?" Jax chimed in.

"He knows your in Charming. He doesn't know where though".

"How'd you find me so fast?" I asked him finally finding my voice.

"He figured you'd run home so he called me when he saw you were missing and I've been waiting for you to arrive into town".

"But I never told him about my hometown. All he knew was I was from California".

"I don't know he must have figured it out somehow".

"When's he coming?" Clay asked.

"He's on his way now. We are supposed to meet tomorrow so I could give him your location". My heart was racing again. He found me. He was coming here. He was going to kill me I knew it. I turned to Jax, my mom, Clay, and Happy.

"I need your help. I need the club's help".