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
VOLUME ONE: MAXPrologueMax"How long you going to keep starring at that damn picture Stone?" I look up at Matthews' ugly mug with a smirk on my face."As long as it will take for me to memorize her face.""Ahhh, your making me want to puke." He smiles but I know for a fact he is still living on cloud nine. His daughter was born a few weeks ago and although born premature, yesterday he got a letter and a picture of her officially home.In one week, our unit will be flying home and we are all eager. Even Jones' cranky ass is happy to be going home. Shawna's letters helped get me through these last six months and I couldn't be happier. The picture she sent me yesterday however, is too naughty not to be looked at every few moments, although I don't plan on letting these assholes see it, I'll stab their eyes out with a dull knife before I let them have what's mine."When you going to put a ring on that finger by the way?" Wells calls out from the back of the Humvee. His thick Misso
ShawnaI move around as the sounds of X Ambassadors Unsteady booms around the room.I place my hands in the air as I enter into my last step and freeze the pose. My body is sore, ankle especially, but I welcome the large smile that accompanies my face.I did it. I finally finished my routine and I couldn't be happier.I blow out a few deep breaths and do a little shimmy of celebration. I walk over to my small metal chair and sit on top of it. Drinking my water, I begin rubbing my ankle a few times. It's been a few days since I have been here in the studio to practice and my ankle is letting me know how unwelcome the feeling is.I lean my neck back, to help get some blood rushing back to my head from the constant bowing I had just done. I jump out of the chair and place my hand on my heart when I hear someone clapping as they walk up the stairs and enter into the studio."Well now, I thought I heard someone up here." Miss O'Neal says walking in the room, the echo of her cane bounc
MaxI sit in my seat at church, located to the left of Austin. The long oval red oak table proudly presents the emblem of our club. The death symbol holding his usual scythe along with a shield. Under the emblem are the words Nightmare Warriors MC in black bold letters. We have only been in church a few moments and are still waiting on a few brothers to join us, but judging my Austin's nervous behavior, I can tell something is defiantly wrong. The thought worries me. This club doesn't need any more bullshit."That everyone?" Austin calls out and all the brothers looks around to make sure no one is missing. On average there are at least twenty members in this chapter, but we recently lost two members that decided to go nomad. Burner and Loyal are now somewhere in the Nevada area."Alright let's get started." He begins once everyone confirms they are here. "Got a call from Timmons a few hours ago. Dipp was arrested yesterday." The whole club begins to immediately look around for o
Shawna"Order up."I run over to the kitchen bar that separates the back end of the kitchen and the serving station, and grab my order for the party I took the order for. With all four plates along both arms, I slowly walk out of the kitchen and head straight to my section.I have been working here at Burgen's going on eight months. It wasn't an ideal job, but the only one that allowed for my schedule of only mornings before twelve and not every weekend. Because of my other job over at May's bar, which pays much more than this one, I had to be careful not to step on managements feet."Alright guys. Got the double bacon burger, hold the cheese. The country friend steak and potatoes. The prime rib with green beans, and for you sir, the cobb salad, extra egg." I say as I drop each plate off on the four construction men that have come in this morning.It's Early Sunday morning and we are surprisingly busy. Burgen's is not a large diner by any means. In fact there are only two waitress
Max"Should we check it out?" Tolino asks."Let's do it, don't necessarily like being a sitting duck." Wells calls out.We exit the Humvee and begin walking towards the building.A chill surrounds me as we make our way in the direction that Jones's indicates with his fingers. It's quiet and I slowly move to the right while Wells and Tolino move to the left. I can hear a faint whispering and I stop mid step and slowly round the thin wall I am in front of.A small doll lies on a vacant stone makeshift chair. My hands are shaking as I observe the tiny piece of felt and indicate to Matthews, who is now behind me, at what I am seeing."That a doll?" He whispers. I don't answer him; the question was obviously rhetorical."Heads up guys. Looks like we got some women here." I hear Jones say in my earpiece. I lower my gun and look over at Matthews who still has his trained."Women?" He asks then eventually lowers his as well. He walks over to the small doll and picks it up off the stone chair.
ShawnaA loud rocking sound vibrates my door as I slowly open my eyes.It sounds again, and I realize it's my bedroom door and someone is knocking."Come in." Already knowing it is most likely Inette since Ivan is still in Maine until tomorrow evening.Inette comes strolling in, wearing a small white tank with no bra and white panties with long gym socks on. I check the clock on my nightstand and see it's only seven in the morning."How can you look like a cover model at seven am?" I ask rolling over to my side to try and get some more rest.I worked at May's last night and we had a huge bar fight between two men who both had way too much to drink. Because the cops were called, the staff had to stay an extra two hours to give our statements. I only just got in around four."Yoga. Now, how did it go yesterday, you never called?""Sorry, I had to head to work right after and we were swamped form the moment I clocked in." I'm not being completely truthful. I did have to work after
MaxThe little minx.I don't normally get played. I like to consider myself the unplayable. But this woman will end up being the death of me.And I'm not even the one sleeping with her.I check the time on my bike and cringe when I realize I'm going to be late. Knowing Candice will have my ass if I am, I speed up a little more.Candice had been inviting me to dinner each night this week, and each night I gave her an excuse for why I couldn't. I had been neglecting the repair shop lately, so I decided it was as great a time as any to get caught up with orders and help out the guys.As much as I adored my brother's girl. I didn't want the attention to be on me and whether or not I am alright. I should have known better though. Last night as I pulled into my driveway at home, I spotted my mother's car and I knew, I just knew, Candice had called her."We were just worried about you?" Mom said to me as she straightened around in my house. I'm not a messy guy, something she instilled in both
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