MaxMemories are a strange notion.I remember small bits and pieces of my childhood. Moments of my brother and I swinging in the backyard or walking to school together in the morning. I remember our Christmases, or the time we decided to make thanksgiving dinner for mom which ended in a disaster when we nearly caught the house on fire. I remember when I got the call about dad's death, and the moment I met Shawna. But, as I walk slowly down the corridor that is filled with filthy cell after filthy cell, the same memory kindles inside me on constant set of repetitive notions.The first time my squad was on assignment to go around a city and make sure there was no danger. I was petrified, worried that any little mistake could not only cost me my life, but the lives of my brothers. The army trains us to be brave, to make a life changing decision in the blink of an eye, but it doesn't teach you not to be human. So, naturally your main worry is that your human aspects will make a turn for
ShawnaI let the beat of Alessia Cara's Stay overwhelm me.My body moves to the new rhythm as I try and remember the steps I created in my head last night when I went to sleep. I round my neck slowly as the song begins and just as her voice fills the room, my hips circle moving quickly into each notion. The beat quickens and I lean my body into different forms.Ten minutes later I lay on the floor in a sweaty mess as the song goes on and on. I tap my chin with my finger thinking of how much better this dance would be if I had a male partner. I have to look into where and when I would have to most likely host auditions.I hear footsteps coming up the stairs and it aligns with the occasional thump. I smile thinking of Miss O'Neal walking up here to tell me to cut off the 'rap music'. She hits the last step then switches the iPod player off."You know, you should be resting that foot of yours." I yell out with my eyes still closed."I could same the same thing to you little missy. Are you
"Okay everyone, take your places and make sure you're all showing your beautiful smiles." I say as I walk around and check everyone's form.The curtain should be going up soon and I want to make sure they are all in their right places. This is the second showing we have done and the first one went down very well. After the first showing a week ago, I have had about fifty different sets of parents that wanted to be a part of my classes. It's been a successful few months and I couldn't have been happier with the success of the studio."Miss Shawna, your boyfriends here." Little Amanda sings as Max rounds the girls waving to them as he walks past them."Hey what are you doing here? I thought you couldn't make it.""Like I would miss one of your shows? I managed to get the bike finished sooner than I thought. Plus I wanted to see you in that tight little leotard." I roll my eyes at him and take the dozen pink roses he hands over to me.I lean in to kiss him, not being able to help myself a
VOLUME TWO: SHANELylaWhat a long day. Being a nurse in the ER department has its moments of amazing days. You're able to watch lives be saved and are able to witness as people come in a zero and walk out a ten. But nights like tonight? Nights where not only did I have to take the blood of a man so drunk even the officer that brought him in looked tipsy, but it turns out the asshole nearly beat someone to death at a bar because he almost tripped over him. Those are the nights that make coming home more exhausting.I park my car in the driveway and do what I do every single night since I moved out here from Texas. I take a few deep breaths and count my blessings. That's all a person can do when they are trapped between a rock and a hard place like I was.Hopping out of my car, I nearly trip over my three-year old's tricycle in the driveway and shake my head at the fact that once again, Lisa did not clean up after her when she played in the front yard. My sister Lisa isn't one to
ShanePulling up to Club Lust, I park my bike and hop off heading straight for the entrance. Austin needed me to do some dirty work today, something I don't occasionally do, but will when the club needs me to. Today is one of those occasions. Apparently, the manager of one of our strip clubs is rumored to be putting his hands on the girls.Torque, our tech guru, was told by one of the girls that Big Joe was shoving her around and slapped her in the face. She was trembling by the time she reached the Nightmare Warrior's compound, but we quickly showed her that was not something we stood for. We would never allow our staff to be assaulted, especially by someone they are meant to trust.After a few hours we were able to see that not only was Big Joe hurting majority of the girls, but the fucker had the audacity to steal from us. My main job for the legit establishments is books, which means the fucker was getting one over on me, and I don't tolerate that shit.Hence the reasoning for
Lyla"Mommy are you cheating?" I look up to find the matching deep green eyes that reflect as my own.Adrianna stands there with her small fist balled on her hip that is jutted out just a tad bit. Her foot is tapping as her other hand extends with its palm out."Why would you think I'm cheatin' honey clam?""Because your voice goes like that when you lie, and you always make up those goofy nicknames when you're doing something bad." I roll my eyes at the fact that I just called out by my almost four-year-old."Adrianna, mommies aren't allowed to cheat. It's located in our DNA." I smirk when her little lips push out in annoyance.If I had a nickel for every time my daughter made this face I would be a millionaire. I don't know who taught it to her, but she gets away with mostly everything because of it."Then how come you have some of the good cards behind you?" I laugh then reach behind me and grab the small paper cards.Cheating in a game of a Candyland with my daughter is not
ShaneI stare out the small dirty window as the sun shines off that stupid windchime Candice put up outside. The gleam moves around the table we are all surrounding, and I watch with boredom as it makes its way over to where my hands rest on the hardwood."We need something, anything on him that will at least throw him off." I look up at Chance's determined eyes as he stands up from his seat for the millionth time.We have been here in church for over an hour, and so far, we have absolutely nothing accomplished. It's Austin, Chance and I, and every part of me wants to just go home, sit out on my back deck and drink a beer. Anything is better than being here listening to each other go back and forth on what we can and cannot do about Alberts and our current dilemma."We will get something on him, but it has to be enough. He's already making our lives a living hell and we haven't even got a full name on the asshole. We have to be smart Chance.""We are smart Austin, but right now we
LylaI adjust the pillow under Miss Rosenthal's head one last time, then quietly exit the dimly lit room. She is my last patient of the day and I for one, cannot wait until I can get out of here.Walking over to Ben, I hand him the chart from Miss Rosenthal's room and lean against the wall while he reads it over and signs off on her checklist."You look drained Ly. You doing okay?""Oh yeah, you know me. After being yelled at by Miss Rosenthal and being told that I am incompetent and brainless, I get to now go to her family that has already tried throwing a chair at me because apparently, no one had told them about her needing to stay the night here after her stroke.""Hang in there. I know it's a busy night for us, but if it weren't can you imagine all the boredom you would feel right now?" Ben chuckles and I swear he is about ten seconds away from me grabbing his fancy expensive pen and stabbing him in his jugular."Hardy har har, you're developing a personality in your old age
GhostThe music pours out through the speakers as I lift the glass up to my mouth downing half the bourbon immediately enjoying the burn that follows up from my stomach to my throat. I signal the bartender for another as he zooms past me to help another patron. Seconds later, I down the second half and give the man a chin lift when he pours my second glass instantly.I've been here no longer than ten minutes, but I knew right away I would be drinking tonight.Christmas.Fuckin' Christmas.And here I was trying to escape it all.Candice and the other old ladies wanted to do something nice for the brothers, something nice for Bone. It's something I respected, but knew it wasn't something I could stand being around for too long. Christmas was about family. And I didn't have one outside the Nightmare Warriors."You look like you could use some alcohol." I look up and find a different bartender starring down a me from her spot behind the bar. Looking down I see my glass is once again
AbbyPlacing the last dish into the dishwasher, I shut it with my foot then run over to the laundry room to deposit the load of laundry I currently have in my hands. Throwing those in the machine and pressing the start button, I run over to the living room and clean up all the baby toys that are scattered around it.Cursing when I check the time noticing that Chance should be here any minute I grumble my father's name when I think of why I am cleaning last minute. I had spent the entire morning over at his house, because he said there were some things he wanted to talk to me about. Turns out, he just wanted to tell me that he wasn't sure about going to the Christmas party that we practically created for him. It took me almost three hours to talk him into going and another forty minutes yelling at him for being so stubborn."Damn stubborn biker." Another grumble comes out of me as I make a bee line towards the kitchen to put away another random dish left out on the sofa. Normally C
Lyla"But they're a bunch of bikers." Rolling my eyes, I pause as my hand grips the handle to the oven."Yes mom, and they've invited you to come to their Christmas party." Pulling open the oven door, I turn and grab the two sheets of cookies with both hands as I maneuver the phone between my shoulder and ear. "Mom, look I know this is a little different, but this was the first year the club had no drama and they wanted to celebrate as a family." I won't tell her some of that drama included myself, mom already has a hard enough time with the fact that Adrianna hangs around the clubhouse after what happened to her."I don't know, maybe just you and your family can go, and I'll stay with Lisa and her wife.""Mom, Lisa is going and she's bringing Lizzy." Shutting the oven door, I lean back against the counter placing one hand on my hip while the other now cradles the phone.I have been trying to get mom to accept the fact that she is apart of our family, but she still gives us the dist
ShawnaMy body moves through the rhythm of the song as Believer by Imagine Dragons booms loudly through the speakers aligning each wall. My head swings around as my body bends down to the level I need it to go, all while keeping my posture tight. I end it hard stomping on the ground, keeping my face down and hat titled to the side when the song ends on a hard beat.Smiling up at my class I relish in their applause as April, my assistant walks over to me with a towel and my water bottle.Taking them both with gratitude, I remove the hat, damping my face with the towel then swing it around my shoulder, just before draining half the bottle of cold water. Handing the hat over to April I look around and watch as everyone begins grouping together and working on the moves I've just shown them."That was great.""Thanks" I smile up at her, pleased with myself that I kept the routine exactly the way I had envisioned it. I had debated whether or not I was even going to make a routine to t
VOLUME FOUR: A WARRIOR'S CHRISTMASCandiceStepping onto my tip toes, I reach up higher, cursing when I feel my shirt pull free from my black slacks. Looking down I count the steps of the ladder, only to realize I'm on the last one.Damn my short legs.Eyeing the top cap, I wonder for a brief moment if I could balance on it, just long enough to hang up this last bundle of lights that I have bunched tightly in my hands."Come on Candy, it's just like another step." I whisper, attempting to motivate myself. Shutting my eyes and counting to three, I jump up placing one foot on the top then startle when I feel two hands wrap around my ass, pulling me down the ladder and onto the ground."Babe, what the hell are you doing?" Austin grunts and I smile up at him while balancing my hands on his chest. My heart is still pounding from my near death sudden decision so I catch my breath, counting once again before I could speak."Trying to hang up this last strand. I was able to do all the o
AbbyI clutch onto Chance's waistline as he speeds up, passing all the familiar surroundings. It's been over a year since we have been home, and it's been the most amazing year of my life.Chance and I have been traveling all over the country and have recently decided to make a permanent home back here in New York, surrounded by everyone we love. My web design business grew even larger when I was able to travel and meet new clients. I don't regret my decision to leave nursing and the money is just as great.I lay my head on his back once again, smiling with excitement as I see the same long street that leads up to the compound. Going nomad has been the best thing to ever happen to Chance. He is not only happier, but lighter. Darkness and guilt no longer lead him, he takes everyday as its own and always appreciates each day as it is. We've seen much, lived a lot and met a lot of new friends. Chance was even able to track down his parents after they moved to Florida to retire. The r
Chance"Know you're all pissed. Put the club in danger, but I had to keep the intel to myself." I stare down at the small seashell, twiddling it back and forth as I listen to Austin speak.It's been two days since everything went down at the clubhouse and everything feels completely different.Bone is no longer in the ICU. He's still bound to the hospital, but Abby and Julia have gone to see him each day to keep him calm and in the loop. Abby is going strong, I think being close to death has given her voice a push. She and Bone have a much better relationship now and he respects us being together.The FBI told us that we were in the clear, they found all the information to prove our innocence, including six cops coming forward with facts about what Alberts had either promised them, or threatened them with. We were simply in the way of the drug trade. We no longer deal, that much everyone knew, but he knew enough about the clubs that if he was able to get rid of Snake and the King
AbbyMy knees bounce, sobs wrecking my body. I rock back and forth, worry borrowing its way deep down inside my mind. The doctors words as they rushed my father into surgery repeat in my head over and over again."We think one of the bullets is lodged in his lungs."I woke on the way to the hospital, my head on Chance's lap as Shane drove us behind the ambulance. I was worried for my father, but my following questions were about everyone else. Chance explained that the FBI of all people helped us, and that the Alberts brothers were the only causalities. I was so worried about everyone, but it looks like Austin saw them coming from the back of the clubhouse on one of the monitors Torque had set up.They were desperate. That's the only way this all made sense. We were close to getting to them, and with Domingo after them as well, they took their last opportunity.I spot Chance walking towards me; his long strides quicken when he sees my state. I have not stopped to calm down since t
ChanceNine Years Ago"Need another?" I look up from my empty glass and nod at the bartender. The liquid pours into the tumbler and I quickly down it, signaling him for another. I could have made a dangerous mistake tonight. That's all I can think of as the next shot of bourbon fills the glass. I recall the night of mistakes I had as I down this one.The gun in my handWatching the minivan appear, lurking in the shadows directly across the streetWatching as Detective Alberts family got out of their car, happy and care free without worryI was going to do it. I was going to end the lives of every single one of them. Alberts was not there, but I didn't need him to be, I was going to seek the revenge I was due. An eye for an eye, family for family.But as I neared the house, gun ready in my hand while my face was covered by a scarf, I stopped.AvaShe was what crossed my mind the moment I crossed the threshold. She wouldn't want me to do this. I couldn't do this in honor of