It had been two months since the takedown of the Scorpions. Blaine had been thinking about Olivia nonstop, and was surprised that he hadn’t heard from her. He sent her a couple of texts in September and they went unanswered. He had fallen apart since Tyson’s death and had been on a bit of a bender. Today, he woke up with an extremely sore neck and a dry mouth. The light that shone through the filthy clubhouse windows was bright and he squinted his eyes and pressed his hand to his aching forehead. He looked around, assessing the state of the clubhouse. Beer bottles were scattered everywhere, a few bikers were passed out on couches, women in various stages of undress beside them.
He heaved himself out of his chair and rummaged around in the fridge for a bottle of water. The place stunk and the smell of stale beer, piss, and body odor made him gag. He stumbled out into the concrete courtyard and sat down on one of the old rickety picnic tables. He had always been an early riser, even when he was hungover. He checked his phone, seven-thirty. He took a swig of the water and tried to fend off the images of that terrible evening that had been plaguing him, day and night.
He failed. The night came back to him with horrifying clarity, Tyson’s eyes, as the life faded from them. Seven men. One of theirs, and six of the Scorpions had died that night. For the first time in his life, he felt guilty. All those lives lost for what? Turf? The club life was all he had ever known, and now he was second-guessing whether he was up for another twenty years of the same shit; if he was lucky, or unlucky, enough to last that long. Blaine was scared. He knew that he didn’t want to keep killing, dealing in drugs, and women, but the idea of getting out was even scarier. What would he do? What could he do? He couldn’t turn his back on Zeb, not after all he had done for him.
He heard the door creak open and saw Skinny emerge from the dark mouth of the clubhouse. Skinny paused to light a joint and then joined him on top of the table. The old boards creaked with his weight.
“Rough night?” Skinny asked.
“Somethin’ like that,” Blaine responded, and stared at the chain link fence.
“What’s up for today?” Skinny asked as he took a big hit from his joint.
“We’re gonna have to get the prospects to clean up the clubhouse, that’s the first step. It smells like shit in there.”
“Those guys were up doing blow until dawn, good luck getting any of them moving anytime soon.”
Blaine shivered and pulled his hoodie on over his t-shirt. The Indian summer was over and there was a bitterness in the air. He sighed and gazed off at the horizon.
“Are you okay, buddy?” Skinny asked and patted Blaine on the back.
“I don’t know anymore.” Blaine took a hit from his joint and stared at the pavement.
Skinny sighed and heaved himself up to sit down on the table beside Blaine. The boards creaked with his weight. “Shit, Blaine. I need tell you something.”
Blaine’s ears perked up. Skinny sounded nervous. “What?” He asked gruffly.
Skinny kicked his worn boots on the bench of the table. “That guitar girl came by here looking for you.”
“Olivia? Came here? When?”
“Ummmm,” Skinny hesitated. “The night Tyson died.”
Blaine stared at Skinny. “Skin, that was two months ago.”
Skinny cleared his throat, “I know.”
“How the fuck did she get in, and how did I not know about this?” Blaine slapped his fist on the table.
“The guys at the door gave her a hard time and weren’t going to let her in…”
“Good,” Blaine Interrupted. “She shouldn’t have been anywhere near this scene.”
“But…” Skinny hesitated.
Blaine looked at Skinny, narrowed his eyes, and waited for him to continue.
“I helped her get in.”
“Fuck, Skinny. Jesus Christ. You should’ve come to get me.”
“Well, Blaine. That’s what I did. I made sure that she was safe, a couple of the guys grabbed at her and I let them know that she was yours. But then she saw Lizzie all over you and bolted.”
Blaine looked at his fat, gray haired friend, as the words registered in his hungover brain.
“Fuck,” Blaine said after a minute of contemplation. “She should’ve never been here.”
“Zeb told me to keep my mouth shut about it.”
“Oh, he did. Did he?” Blaine said. He stood up, and straightened out his shirt and smelled his armpit. Not too bad for having slept in it, but not knight in shining armor material. His first instinct was to jump on his bike and go find Olivia. This explains why she hadn't responded to his messages. She thought he was fucking Jizzy. He could explain everything to her, but he thought it might go over better if he actually showered and brushed his teeth first.
He pulled up to Olivia’s house, his hair still wet, and parked his bike. He saw the curtain in the front window move and knew that he had been spotted. It’s a little tricky to sneak up in a quiet residential neighborhood on a Harley. He couldn’t back down now. He knew that he was bad news for Olivia, but he couldn’t stomach the idea of her seeing that slut Lizzie all over him. He didn’t know what he was going to do after apologizing. The best thing for Liv would be for him to walk away, but his heart wouldn’t let him. He knew that this virgin was his, and it was his responsibility to make sure she got through this life with his protection.
To his surprise, Maddie came running down the front steps of the house.
“Blaine!”
He hadn’t even had time to dismount his bike and was fully unprepared for the stinging slap that Maddie handed out. He stoically took the slap, it wasn’t the first time in his life a woman had open handed his cheek.
“I’m so mad at you, but I need you right now,” Maddie said.
“What’s going on? Blaine asked, worried.
“I need a ride. Olivia’s going to do something really stupid.”
“Hop on,” Blaine said, patting the bitch seat.
“Listen you asshole. The only reason I’m anywhere near you right now is because I need a ride. You are to stay far, far away from Olivia. You hear me?”
Blaine sighed, “I can’t do that.”
“You can, and you will.”
“Maddie, listen…”
He tried to explain, but Maddie interrupted him, “We don’t have time for this, Liv is in serious trouble. We have to get down to the studio, NOW!”
Blaine felt adrenaline surge through his body. He wanted to explain everything to Maddie, but the idea of Olivia being in danger sent his heart racing.
“Well, get on then – let’s go!” he yelled, starting his bike back up with a loud, window rattling growl.
Maddie swung her leg over the back of his bike, his wet hair whipping her face as they roared off down the street.