Beretta (MC#1)

Chapter 5- Him

"Rise and shine motherfucker", Don nudges me with his boot. Not nudge more like a well-controlled kick sure to leave a bruise which makes me want to trip him from my position on the floor.

Which is exactly what I do.

He lands with a painful thud and we laugh like we used to. Before I became fucked in the head. Before I started to loathe how everything reminds me of that one clubhouse back in Nevada which burst into flames in front of my eyes while I stayed completely unharmed.

The laughter fades and his eyes glaze over with an emotion I understand too well. I'd been living with it for exactly 12 whole years now.

"Prez is awake and Raven might straight up smack him If we don't go rescue him", Sniper calls out from the end of the hallway and I stand up, cracking and stretching my limbs before offering Don a hand.

He takes it, rises and we both stalk over to the loudest room in the whole clubhouse. And the clubhouse is fucking loud. The wall clock reads exactly 11:02 and I realize It hasn't really been that long since I dozed off after my turn to keep watch. And what long hours they'd been, especially after those drinks.

Wincing at the distinct sound of a vase being shattered in the room, I stepped forward after both Sniper and Don both halted a few feet from the door. Pussies. Sending a brother to die.

Heaving a long breath for courage I knocked twice on the wooden door. After a few tense moments the door swung open to reveal the hammered face of the President of the Reaper's Disciples. Looking more like a college boy who had partied way too hard the night before than a man who had a sniper aimed right for his heart just last night.

Or maybe he was too drunk to even remember.

"Man, I wish that woman had just let me be shot than be subjected to the torture I just endured. Woman broke two china vases.", he muttered, running a hand over his face. "She was angry, scared and worst of all- sleep deprived", he fell into stride with us as we marched to church, Don pretty much counting his steps and jumping at the slightest creak of the floorboards.

"Church in 30, tell everyone attendance is mandatory", I slap a prospect on the back as we walk by.

We walk in tense silence until we reach the table. Once assured no threat is inside, we escort the Prez inside and come to a halt as he whips around to face me, furious. At what? I haven't the faintest idea.

"So now I'm to be escorted everywhere like a child. Inside my own clubhouse- my stronghold?", he spits out. "Are you gonna stand by while a I take a shit too, huh Blaze?"

"Look we're all on edge. You were attacked last night. If you even remem-"

"of course, I fucking remember"

"Good then you must bear with this protocol", I firmly meet his enraged eyes, letting him know no one's budging on this. Sniper suddenly look like he'd rather be anywhere else than here. Don runs his gaze over the windows and pretty much anywhere he considers a threat.

"Don, knock some sense into your fucking Vice President before he finds himself demoted to a prospect", Prez turns back around, looks at Don with a raised eyebrow who just pinches at his forehead before shrugging apologetically.

"I failed to protect you last night, Diesel. This is not a show of your weakness," and there it shines in his eyes again. Plain as day. Guilt- at being unable to do his job. "We need this. The reassurance that you're being guarded by our most trusted and skilled. That the club won't go off track- because that's what would have happen if that assassin had succeeded last night"