The Executioner

Chapter 25: Elliott

It had been a week since the meet. Tack had eyes on the the Hell Rangers pretty much twenty four seven and it seemed they were still up to their old antics. The reports they had gotten all week told them the stupid kid they called Screw had assumed he was winning. He had filled himself and his sad excuse of a club with false hope of regaining their drug business  and they had been celebrating ever since, snorting pretty much anything they could crush into powder. Tack gave them the go ahead with the club barbecue where they would officially be welcoming Pete into the family. Thanks to Elliott. He'd talked to Tack about moving up the kids patch in date and tonight while the party was going on the officers would be in church presenting him with his cut.

Elliott sat at the picnic tables with Zac and Lager talking but his focus was mainly on Scarlett. She'd come so far lately and he'd taken notice. She had applied for a job this week in the hospital near the club house and had been venturing out with Myra nearly every day. He'd seen the change in her and the more confidence she gained the harder he fell. She'd always been gorgeous to him, but a woman with confidence was something that couldn't be matched. She stood now talking with Myra, Lana, and June, Luca's girlfriend, and he couldn't help but smile seeing her laugh and converse with all of his family, her family.

"Brother?" Zac said pulling him back to the conversation. "I think you're going soft on us" he laughed exchanging a look with Lager who also laughed out loud.

"Trust me brother the last think I am is soft right now" he grinned like the Cheshire Cat and winked at Zac.

"Didn't need to know that..." Lager said turning red with laughter. "On a real note, what's up with you two?"

Elliott shook his head, thinking about exactly how to answer that. "I don't fucking know man.  I haven't figured that out yet."

"Well you better figure it out quick because it looks like she's got someone else interested." Lager nodded over to in Scarlett's direction. The girls had dissipated now, Myra caught up in a conversation with Lana and a brother from up state named Tex, leaving Scarlett in a conversation with his club brother River. He was kissing her hand and said something to make her laugh. Elliott's blood began to boil. River was known for pulling tail. Women tripped over themselves trying to get his attention. And he had his sights set on Scarlett.

"Ah now don't go kill the boy son, technically she's fair game." Tack spoke walking up to the table with a beer in his hand.

"No she's not and you know it." Elliott said through gritted teeth.

"We will see. Just watch." Elliott could hear the smile in his voice, the arrogant bastard.

Just then Scarlett's eyes hit his. She motioned to him and Rivers eyes followed meeting Elliott's also. The look on his face said he was irritated but he knew better than to make a scene. Elliott watched him say goodbye to Scarlett and then she turned to make her way over to him.

"Down boy." She laughed as she came to stand beside him. He reached up and grabbed her hand pulling her in between his legs on the bench. Elliott could see Lager and Zac exchanging looks and grinning, the assholes. 

"Shut up you two." He said giving both of them pointed looks. He noticed then that River was still watching them so he reached up to Scarlett's chin turning it towards him so he could kiss her, claim her, without words. Words he didn't know if he was ready to say. Tack had called it though. She knew who she belonged to already and like any good woman she let it be known. River turned his head away and Elliott gave her a devilish grin.

"You're jealous." She smiled stating the obvious.

"No, I just don't like him."

"Whatever you say brother" Zac chimed in, drawing a huff from Tack.

The rest of the night Elliott couldn't help but watch her every move. She danced with Myra and laughed until she was doubled over. He loved seeing her happy. She was enjoying every minute of it, until...

Scarlett was standing at the front of the stage with Myra, Elliott watched her while he stood next to one of the tapped kegs, when the first shot rang out. Then another. And another. Until they were being showered with bullets flying everywhere. The crowd thinned suddenly, girls running in every direction screaming, men drawing their weapons and aiming towards the source of the gunfire. Elliott instinctively pulled his gun, hit the ground, and turned to face the bikes that had pulled up to the gate. He could see the guard, a prospect, laying still on the ground. He'd know those piece of shit bikes anywhere. Bullets continued to rain into the crowd but Elliott was on a mission, he flipped the nearest picnic table and crouched down behind it, using the edge to keep him steady he aimed at Screw who was straddling his bike laughing like a maniac. He took one shot. Hitting the psycho in the stomach, a little lower than what he was aiming but when he was satisfied, he ducked back behind the table scanning the yard for Scarlett. The sound of gun fired died out replaced with engines roaring off into the distance. When he was sure that they were gone he emerged from his crouched positions and began to wade through the crowd of men, his brothers, who had formed a wall in front of the others. It was a proud sight, but he didn't have time to appreciate it. There was blood splattered across the pavement and all he could do was pray that it wasn't Scarlett's. His heart pounded as people began to shout for help and for someone to call 911. He came across Zac and Myra first. Myra was huddled against Zac's side crying but both of them seemed to be okay.

"Where's Scarlett?" He yelled a little too forcefully making Myra jump.

"I don't know Elliott, I'm sorry, I turned around and she was gone!"

He ran towards the stage and saw Tack standing over someone on the ground. The look on his face made Elliott stop in his tracks. He felt his blood run cold. Slowly he began to approach his father. Almost staggering at the though of Scarlett laying there on the pavement. He though he was going to throw up. As he got closer, it wasn't one but two people on the ground. Scarlett was knelt down over a body. Pete. He noticed someone had gotten the Emergency bag from the clubhouse and Scarlett was in nurse mode working diligently to stop the blood pouring out of Pete's side.

Elliott had never been more relieved in his life.

The ambulance had shown up shortly after. Elliott didn't say a word to Scarlett. He saw a look in her eyes that he'd never seen before. Determination. He could tell she was scared but his strong girl was doing everything she could to save one of his brothers. She had helped them load Pete into the ambulance without saying a word to anyone other than to tell the EMTs what happened and what she had done so far.

Jude had taken a bullet to the shoulder and one of the girls that had been there partying had been grazed but everyone else had been fine. Except the guard. Unfortunately he was a fatality in this bullshit war.
Now they sat in the small crowded waiting room, all of them, waiting for Pete to come out of surgery. Scarlett sat next to him leaning into his side and holding Myra's hand in her lap. She hadn't said anything. But he knew that her head had to be a mess.

"Do you want some coffee baby?" He spoke softly into her ear. She nodded. "Come on lets go get some." He took her hand pulling her out of her seat. Her silence was driving him crazy.

Once in the hall away from the others he pulled her to a stop and dragged her back into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and held her like she might disappear at any minute.

"He took that bullet for me" she whispered. "Elliott he could die because of me." He could feel her shoulders begin to heave as she took in a deep ragged breath.

"Baby he's going to live because of you. Don't you dare blame yourself for this." Elliott tilted her chin up to him. "You were amazing out there. You saved his life." He noticed she wasn't shaking or crying, she wasn't scared. She was worried. His girl had come so far.