The Places You Have Come to Fear the Most - An SOA Fan Fiction

Chapter 6

Keith didn't like that and Amelia knew the look on his face, it was not a good one. She slammed the door, locking both the knob and deadbolt. Dealing with him alone was a living nightmare but having him in Charming, invading her haven and mortifying her in front of Juice was it's own kind of torture. She wanted to seem strong but she was a fool to believe he'd just leave. Putting on an overly enthusiastic smile, she pressed her weight against the door as he began to knock again and call her name.

"I'm not crazy," she said quickly. His banging became stronger and she bounced against the door. "He likes to say that, but I'm not." It was clear as he began to shout that being shut out only made the circumstances worse. "He'll go, eventually. He's just very...passionate."

"There's no reason to lie." Juice took her hand and gave her a gentle pull toward him and away from the door as silence settled over them. "He's an asshole, and I can see you're scared of him. Let me deal with it, then he really will go and you can relax." Feelings aside, Juice never stood for abuse or mistreatment of women. No real man did but after having been raised by his single mother, who was sure to instill a strong respect for the fairer sex, it was something he was fanatical about.

Drawing his gun, Juice quietly unlocked the door but before he could leave, Amelia grabbed his wrist with an earnest look in her eyes. "Please be careful, he's a vicious man." Juice had already seen exactly how bad this guy could be, he'd be hard pressed to not shoot him if given the chance. He nodded and cracked the door, his gun aimed, but Keith was gone.

"When I walk out," he whispered, his eyes darting around the front yard. "Lock the door."

"Should I call my Dad?" Amelia was already grabbing for her phone, she didn't want to involve him and most likely the rest of the club but she couldn't let Juice get hurt.

"No, they're all at that party, probably hammered." He stepped over the threshold, stealthy and swift, and kicked the door shut behind him.

Taking direction wasn't something she was particularly good at nor did she enjoy even trying. Amelia didn't lock the door but pulled the snub nose Colt 38 Special from the end table drawer. Her fingers gripped the gun tight, her hand shaking as she watched Juice disappear around the side of the house.

Tig's yard was like a landmine of sticks and any natural debris that would make an impossible amount of noise. Trying to sidestep and skip over most of it Juice really only gave away his position twice, both times he was able to move quickly enough to save himself from a swift blow from the aluminum bat Keith was wielding. They swayed back and forth across from each other, Keith swinging the bat to keep Juice at bay.

"Drop the goddamn bat," Juice spat. "You're man enough to hit her yourself but not me?"

He laughed and tossed the bat away. "She tell you she likes it?" He stepped around, bobbing and weaving, as Juice threw a few punches. "Crazy bitch always asked for it. This is all one big game." Keith lunged and tackled Juice to the ground, his gun falling somewhere in the grass around them.

Grappling for prime position, they rolled and grunted all over the yard. Amelia was about to go out there, she needed this to be done, but she saw Juice pin Keith down. As he scanned the yard to find neither weapon was in reaching distance Juice decided to go old school. He slammed his fists into Keith's jaw, left then right, then stood and pulled the man up with him. Holding Keith with one arm Juice unsnapped his belt sheath and with one flick of his wrist held the edge tight to the man's neck. "What you did," he whispered harshly. "That's sick shit and I won't let you do it again."

The reflection of the sheriff's flashing lights on his blade made Juice freeze, he could hear them scurrying back into the yard, there was no way he could do this now. Begrudgingly, he slipped the knife away and turned, hands up, smiling at the deputy. As if Juice wasn't already certain of the kind of person Keith was his reaction to the police cemented it.