Children of Fire (Complete)

thirty-two

Gideon

The meeting with Mark went smoothly, and we had decided that instead of pushing something other than coke, we would just get some that was higher quality. We didn't want to introduce too many drugs at once, we didn't want the people in Luciana to overdose-- we just wanted them to be able to have a good time when they wanted to. After our meeting with Mark, we had chapel.

All of the brothers decided that our decision to get better quality drugs was a good one, and that they were all on board with the location of the future strip club. "I want everyone to write down a name and put it in this hat. We're going to see who our options are for a bar manager, and we'll discuss it tomorrow evening. I'm tired and I've got stuff to take care of." I told them, placing an old hat in the middle of the room. Once everyone had put a slip of paper inside, I locked the hat away in a safe we had in the back of the room and locked the doors behind me. I had put it off long enough, and now it was time that I got the answers I needed from Emerson.

As I was making my way to my bike, I noticed Killian sitting at the bar with some Vulture. I didn't know her name, hell I really didn't know many of their names if we're being honest, but they seemed fairly cozy. I think it was the one he was hanging out with last night at his party but I couldn't be sure. His eyes met mine for a brief second and he gave me a nod, reassuring me that he wasn't upset with me any longer, I returned the nod and opened the door that led outside to the cool air that was obviously making its way finally.

I found my bike, second to last in line. The only bike ahead of it was our Road Captain, Teck's. It was in perfect formation should we need to take off somewhere in a hurry. My bike purred beneath me, the most soothing sound I had ever heard. Nothing in this world can ever give me the feeling that riding this fucking Harley does to me-- she's the only woman that never hurt me or let me down, the only woman that has been there for me any time I needed her. I loved my bike more than anything, and I had built it from the ground up, not a single part untouched by me. Most people say that men that rode bikes always gave part of his soul to the machine and they would always be there for them in a way their partners couldn't. It was true, one hundred percent.

After a few minutes I had finally reached Emerson's apartment, and although the ride wasn't long it had felt like an eternity. Usually, riding my bike gave me a sense of being free, and it was the best way for me to clear my head, but tonight it was a different story. I found my thoughts wandering off to Emerson (which seems to be more and more common these days) and what our conversation would lead to tonight. I had had plenty of time to think about the way she reacted this morning and my photographic memory helped me to try and pick apart her facial expressions. I noticed the way she shrunk into my bed any time I mentioned his name, regardless of my tone or stance-- which led me to believe that it wasn't just me she was frightened of, it was him.

I knew that whatever she had to tell me about him I wouldn't like. I knew it wouldn't be easy for her and I tried my hardest to fight back the feelings of unease that washed over me when I saw how she used to act around me-- like I would lash out and hit her for any wrong move. I thought she was just intimidated, but now I had a sick feeling it was for other reasons. I pulled into the dark parking lot of her apartments and did my best to calm down so that I didn't storm in her apartment and upset her without hurting her, but damnit just thinking about the fact that someone could physically harm her had my blood boiling.

I turned off my bike and put my helmet on the seat then pulled my hair back. I made my way up the stairs, taking two at a time, and straightened my cut before reaching out to knock on her door. But, once my knuckles hit the shitty wooden door my blood went from boiling to frozen in a matter of nanoseconds. The door creaked open and I hadn't even realized it wasn't even shut to begin with. I was hoping that maybe she had just left and forgotten to lock it but I didn't know where she needed to go-- the Hangout was closed and nobody was going to be hanging out at the clubhouse but the club since we had Chapel. She really didn't go anywhere else and my heart started beating faster. I grabbed my gun from my waistband and slowly flipped the lightswitch, gun aimed and ready to use should I need to.