Shane bounced on his heels and held his fist high, elbows in, protecting his ribs. I waited. I always waited, never striking first. It was more fun for me that way. Shane threw a jab, clipping my chin. I smirked and the motherfucker smirked back. A three punch combo to his ribs, then a head butt to my nose. It stunned me for a moment, and he was able to get another hit in. I ducked his next blow, then released my fury. He was waiting for me to explode. That quick fucker dodged half my hits. I swung-- he took it. He swung-- I savored it. I needed the blow. Physical pain took away everything else. All I could feel was the bite of his throws, and that was better than the ache in my gut.

I split his lip. He cut my eye. I wasn't even trying to win.

“Enough,” Ace shouted. The entire room turned to look at him, our fight forgotten. He nodded his head toward one of the backrooms, and Shane and I left the ring, neither of us in pristine condition. Men handed us our cuts as we passed by.

We walked into a room that was filled with tools. Some in working condition and some not, but the room had become a catch all for anything that needed a place.

“He’s not even trying, Shane,” Ace said closing the door behind us. It was like we were being called to the principal’s office.

“Right here, motherfucker. Right here.”

“You’re being stupid,” Ace said calmly. He was always so fucking calm.

“Nah, he’s got something to work out. Better he works it out in the ring, then make some stupid fucked up decision.” Shane tore a smoke from his jeans and his lighter from his vest. He lit his smoke, and continued to flip open and close the Zippo.

“Stop talking about me like I’m not in the room. I’m fine.”

“Really? You don’t seem fine,” Shane’s blew his smoke at me.

“If I wanted a bitch, I’d call your mother.”

He flipped me off and Ace shook his head.

“You know what? Fuck this. I need to ride.” I started to walk out of the room when Ace put his hand on my shoulder.

“Then, we ride.”

I didn't glance back. I threw my leg over my bike and rode east. Nine of my brothers were with me, with Ace to my right and Shane on my left. We took the highway until there was no more highway. There was no more of anything. It was just me and my thoughts, and the road. My mind tried to make sense of everything that happened tonight, and I decided on one thing. It didn’t matter if she thought she was Enrico’s, or if she was a druggie. For all I knew, that piece of shit made her that way. What I did know is that none of that really mattered. The only thing that mattered was that she was safe and I knew where she was. I wasn't going to let her slip away again. If I had to dry her ass out and hide her from the fucker I would. Deep down, she was still my Mouse, and I realized earlier I’d reacted in rage. What I should’ve done was waited until her shift was over, and taken her home with me. I shouldn't have called her a whore, and I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. I didn't know what lead her to that stage. I was just so angry.

It was well past dark. My hands cramped a little. We rode so long that eventually the roar of the pipes behind me started to lessen, as little by little, my brothers dropped off.

Hues of pink, orange and purple started to fill the sky, and I knew it was time to turn back. I had a plan. I decided I was going to find out where she lived, and I was going to figure out her shit whether she liked it or not.

Only Ace and Shane were left with me. We pulled into a gas station. The open sign was half lit, and it almost looked abandoned except for the twentyish kid headbanging to metal inside the store. I grabbed a pack of smokes and paid. The kid looked up at me like I was a fucking God when he saw my MC vest.

“Are you, like, in a real MC?”

I glared.

“Have you met Jax Teller? That dude is so cool. You kind of look like him, only your way fucking bigger.”

I glared again, then an idea struck me. “Kid, you ever seen a real MC before?” Considering we were in the middle of nowhere I wasn't sure that he would have.

“Only Sons! That shit was dope, but I hated how Teller went out.”

“I’ll tell you what, kid. You want to be an insider for me? Do something real special for the club?”

“Are you kidding me? That’d be rock ‘n roll.” He moved his thumbs to his two middle fingers and made the traditional rock n roll sign then banged his head like Beavis and Butthead. This kid was never getting laid.

“What’s your name, kid?”

“Joshua.”

“Well, Joshua. I’ll tell you what. If you ever see any big bad bikers with a different cut on than ours, you text me.”

“You want me to like give you intel? That’s so rad, dude!” I leaned into him and grabbed his orange and white striped standard issued shirt fisting it. The kid’s face became even paler than it was.

“Don’t fuck with me. You cross me and...,” I took my finger and ran it across my throat pretending to slit it. The kid’s shaking knees rattled the counter.

“I...I...I,”

“Spit it out, kid.”

“I understand.”

“Good. Now, tell no one of this meeting.”

His voice shook as he asked, “How will I reach you?”

I smirked, and pulled from my wallet one of the shop’s cards and left it on the counter, then turned and walked out. The door creaked as it closed behind me.

“What the fuck was that in there?” Shane asked as he flicked his smoke towards the road, the red glow sparking in different directions as it collided with the ground.

I smirked, “A little Sons hero worship, that’s all.”

Ace shook his head. He was always getting the Sons reference.

“So, what’s the plan?” Shane asked, knowing I finally had my head on straight.

“That dancer from last night, the one in the cat suit? That’s my Charlie. She was all kinds of fucked up when I talked to her last night, and I totally lost my shit. Plus, she has ties to Enrico and that makes me insane. I went in blazing. I was beyond pissed. Said things.” I shook my head in disgust with myself. “Shane, need you to get her address from the club.” His hand was already on his phone texting as I asked.

“What else?” Ace questioned.

“Need you guys to have my back, once we get to her place. Make sure none of Enrico’s guys are around. I don’t want to fuck anything up with him, but I need to see her.”