Unity

Mels

The sun had already set by the time I'd made it to Mels. I'd been wandering around Sacramento all day not really sure where I was going, my mind a blur, before deciding I actually needed my inhaler and my phone. I don't know how I'd lasted nearly two days without it.

To my surprise Mels was open, I could see the lights on the inside and even Charlie had escorted customers to their seats. I pushed open the door, the bell signalling my arrival. My boss looked at me in alarm before rushing over. "What are you doing here?" He hissed. I didn't know why he looked so irritated to see me here.

"I came to get my bag." I mumbled, frowning at his hostile reaction.

"Be quick." He told me. "It's in the kitchen." I didn't say another word as I walked away and pushed through the kitchen door. Jamal nearly dropped the plate of food he was carrying once he'd seen me come in.

"Ava?" He asked in disbelief. He put the plate down on the small window before pressing the bell. "Order!" He shouted to Charlie.

"What's up with Charl?" I asked heading towards the lockers at the back of the kitchen.

"Ava where have you been?" He asked quickly. "We've had bikers all over this place looking for you." I just rolled my eyes and pulled my bag out of the locker, I didn't care if they were out looking for me.

"Ava?" He called again, spinning me round by my shoulder. My eyes filled with tears as I looked up into his dark eyes. His face softened and he pulled me to him as I begun to sob.

"I don't want to go back there Jamal." I cried into his shoulder, not caring about the grease that was splattered up the front of his apron. He stroked my hair before pulling away, he wore a sympathetic expression.

"You're a club member now Ava, you won't ever be able to escape them unless Ace says so."

His words made me burn with anger and I pulled away, stomping towards the door. "I'm not a goddamn club member!"

"It's not all bad Ava!" Jamal stated, halting me mid stride as I turned to face him. I looked at him incredulously, does he not realise what that motorcycle gang does? He rolled his eyes before grabbing a hold of me and pulling me to the window.

He pointed out into the diner. "Look at it, you wouldn't even think that there had been a shoot out yesterday!" He exclaimed and I began to realise what he had been talking about. There was no bullet holes, the floor had been cleaned and the windows had been replaced. "Because you work here the kings decided that they'd do all the replacements."

The club had done this? I looked up at Jamal seeing the earnest look on his face, maybe he was right. Maybe they wasn't as bad as I thought. Like Ace had said me attacking those two men was only self defence, I had to save both Cain and I.

"See Ava, you're looking at it all wrong." He told me, letting go of my shoulder. "Now what I would do if I was you would be to ring your brother and get him to come over here."

I scoffed, tears beginning to sting the backs of my eyes at the mention of Axel. "I doubt he'll want to talk to me." I whispered, trying to keep my voice level.

"Well he seemed pretty worried about you earlier plus if you don't call him, I will."

I sighed before pulling my phone out of my bag, unsurprisingly it had died. I held my phone up, showing it to Jamal. "It's dead."

"Use the phone in the office, I'm sure Charlie won't mind." I just nodded before dragging my feet into the small room at the back of the kitchen. I wasn't looking forward to the pending lecture I'm sure I was going to receive.

I dragged my fingers over the handset, pressing the numbers that I'd remembered since I was younger and brought the phone to my ear. It rang once.

Twice.