Rivals 🌈 ✔

86 - Done

Reluctantly, Juice stepped into the clubhouse. Chibs had asked if they wanted to come here. He didn't want to, but Raine had encouraged him to go. Juice had insisted, though, that Clay, Tig and Happy were not there. He didn't want Raine to ever have to see his torturers again.

Jax was waiting for them, he was flanked by Bobby and Chibs. Now that not only Juice had left the club, but Clay had also been banished—or, more likely, been killed—there was only a small group left. 

"Juice, Raine..." Jax looked at them gravely. "No words make the things that happened undone. Clay betrayed all of us and we all suffered as a result—but you two the most."

Juice ground his teeth. You two the most. As if the other had gone through even a whiff of the pain they endured! Without doing any research themselves, they had followed Clay like a flock of meek sheep. He was disgusted with them and didn't say a word.

"As a kind of compensation, we want to give you a donation and give you the first profit we'll make from our new trading partner."

Juice grimaced. That trading partner might have been involved in the whole scheme, too. It felt like taking blood money. Yet, he did not object. Raine had sky-high hospital bills to pay and they wanted to buy a house, plan a wedding and open a tattoo shop. They could well use a chunk of money. He however refused to thank them and only gave a nod.

"I'm going to pack my things," he hummed. "You have my bank details."

He moved past the men—perhaps a little too quickly since Raine couldn't follow him that fast. A few steps further, he waited for his friend. They said nothing until they were in his club room. Before he knew Raine, he used to take croweaters here from time to time, but he had not spent the night here for a long time now. Still, he remembered how he arrived here as a kid, hoping to find a new life here.

That new life now put his crutches against the wall to wrap his arms around Juice from behind and rest his chin on his shoulder. "Lots of memories here?"

"Nothing worth mentioning," he muttered.

And yet, knowing that he was never coming back here caused a nagging feeling in his chest. This had become his home. His second home which had turned out to be unsafe. Where pain overshadowed love.

It was that his bond with Raine was so strong, otherwise, he didn't know if he would have dared to venture into a new home with him.

Their second stop was at the Mayans' clubhouse in Oakland. The last time Juice had been there, he had been beaten up with a bat. Still, he stepped inside more easily than he'd expected of himself. Maybe it was because he'd spent a few days on the Mayans' property in Santo Padre—or maybe it was because he no longer expected trouble. Marcus Alvarez seemed like a reasonable man to him, and an angel compared to Clay. The thought of his former club president made his blood boil.

As they crossed the clubhouse, Juice glanced aside from the corner of his eye. Raine's face was tense. Juice found it difficult to assess what was the reason behind it. Was he dreading saying goodbye to his brothers? Or was it because of his former best friend that he felt uncomfortable? Juice however didn't spot the guy.

Raine stepped towards his president. Juice hesitated whether to walk with him, but eventually stayed a few meters away. For Raine, Marcus was more than just the club president. Since a young age, he had often visited the Alverez family, so Juice decided to give them some privacy.

After a few minutes, Raine turned to him. "They're going to vote, whether they'll allow my departure. Marcus says it's a formality and that I don't need to worry about it. Esai is out doing a job, but since I'd rather not have him there, we'll do it without him."

Juice nodded slowly. It seemed unnerving to him; sitting around the table, waiting to see if your brothers would grant you another life.

"Okay. I'll wait here."

Raine leaned forward to press a quick kiss to his lips, then walked to a door at the side of the building. As soon as he was inside, Alvarez called the rest of the men in.

"Here, a beer."

Juice turned in surprise to see Phantom standing there, holding out a bottle to him. Of course—as a prospect, he wasn't allowed in either. "Thanks." He was glad to see the man; he hadn't even been able to thank him for his help that night Raine had been taken to the hospital. "For more than the beer."

Phantom raised the corner of his mouth. "I'm glad to see he's out of the hospital again. Did he request to leave the club?"

Juice nodded. "Yeah."

"And you?"

Juice rolled up the sleeve of his shirt. He had taken the bandage off last night. "I quit. By now, they've figured out that Raine and I weren't involved in the theft, but I really have no wish to go back."

Silently, Phantom shook his head. "I still can't believe it."

Juice studied his face. It was as if a shadow lay across his face, and an ache he wasn't sure was new or very old, had nestled deep in his eyes. Had all this changed his view of the club? Did he not know if he still wanted to be part of it? He knew Phantom hadn't really found his place here yet, though maybe that would change when he got his patch.

"Where are you guys going now?" Phantom asked.

"Don't know yet," Juice admitted. "We're not attached to anything anymore. But I think near Santo Padre. That's where Raine has friends and family. Mouse said she's ready for a change of scenery too, so she's going to look around for a house in the area too."

This was a great relief to him, since he would hate it when his best friend lived a one day's drive away.

"You are always welcome," Juice said with a hesitant smile. "If you're ever around. You've done a lot for Raine and me. If you're ever in trouble and need help, don't hesitate to call us. I would really to give something in return."

Phantom showed him a lopsided grin and pulled him into a half-embrace. "I'll keep that in mind."

Thoughtfulness was audible in his words as if he was already considering possibilities.

Juice turned as the door opened behind him. Raine stepped out, his face more relaxed than it had been in months. He joined them and laid an arm around Juice.

"It's done." His eyes found Juice's. "Our clubs will never stand between us again."

And to affirm those words, they did what they thought would never, ever happen; they kissed each other in the middle of the Mayan clubhouse.

. . .

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