Chapter 7

Max

The 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 me and my brother at an early age, but she always did this, cleaned what didn't need to be cleaned. Straighten already straightened paperwork sitting neatly on my desk. It was mom.

"I don't need you to worry about me mom. Now did you bring me cookies?"

"Yes, but they're not here. They will be at Austin and Candice's house tomorrow night at seven. I expect you there too."

"The fuck?"

"You heard me. Now, you will be there Maximus or I'll come and find you when you're working on your bikes and give you hell every single day." With her last words, she kissed and pinched my cheeks then left my house.

Now here I am, gunning it to get to my brother's house as fast as I can, because the two women in my life will both give me hell for being a single minute late.

I slow down when I hear a siren behind me. I check my mirror and see a squad car from behind me and roll my eyes at the fact that Timmons is most likely pulling me over once again.

The car slows down behind me and I reach around to take my helmet off.

"This better be good Timmons." I say with a smirk, but it vanishes when the door opens and someone I have never met walks up.

Tall, thin, dark brown hair is all I can see because the rest of him is covered, but his demeanor screams trouble.

"Evening sir. You mind turning the bike off?" I raise an eyebrow at the stiff but decide today may not be the day to mouth off. Last thing I want is to not only be late but to be thrown in jail for the night because I couldn't keep my mouth shut. Don't think Candice would like that as an excuse.

I turn off my bike then look back over at the apparent new cop that has now realized I have my cut on.

"Nightmare Warriors huh? And what is that exactly?"

"Why'd you pull me over man?"

"Speeding."

"Wasn't speeding." I smirk. I don't honestly know if I were or not, but I know for sure that isn't the reason he pulled me over.

"I'll be the judge of that Mr.¡­." He dips his head down to indicate for me to give him my last name. I don't. This guy can suck it.

"Can I just get my ticket then? I've got a mean redhead waiting for me. She hates it when I'm late and I don't expect you to follow me there to explain why you pulled me over for no reason other than to harass me about my club.

A smile traces his lips and I resist wanting to throat punch this guy.

"Why would I harass you about your club Mr. Stone?"

Anger clouds my features and I am just about to stand up to address this clown correctly. I won't let anyone try and punk me out.

"Wouldn't do that if I were you Mr. Stone. Wouldn't want to have to fill out paperwork." I narrow my eyes down at this clown as he takes his glasses off and stares at me.

I've never seen him before, that I know. I would remember a tool like him. It's obvious he uses his badge to get whatever he wants but I don't know why he's here. Why he's harassing me. I'll have to speak with Timmons about officer prick.

"You have a nice night now."

I stare at him as he heads to his squad car and hops in. My eyes don't leave him, even as he passes me and waves out of the window like a goddamn fool. Starting my bike back up, I briefly wonder if whatever's about to hit our club is going to take someone away from us like it almost took Candice.

I look up at the sky before taking back off.

"Could use some kind of sign old man. Not sure what the fuck is going on but keep everyone safe yeah?" when the clouds open up a bit, I take that as my cue that my dad heard me and take off to Austin's house.

Once I arrive, I knock on the door and await my brother to answer. When he does his face looks contorted with pain.

"Whoa! You alright bro?" I ask walking in when he slowly moves his stiff body over.

"Fine." He gruffs out but I don't take his word for it. Austin looks worse for wear, and I for one want to know why.

"Austin, what the fuck is your problem?"

"This fuckin' dinner is my problem." He says then bends down and grabs his crotch.

"Whoa man, what the hell, don't do that in front of me. Go and have your woman take care of that."

"She was, then¡­.."

I stop in my tracks just before the dining room and turn back to look at him. This is going to be a funny story.

"What?" I say with humor crossing my voice.

"Candice was¡­."

"Yeah, I got that part, don't need the words."

"Then mom decided to use her goddamn key."

"Oh my God¡­." You cannot make this shit up. You just can't. "You mean to tell me, that you were close and your mommy¡­ interrupted?"

Austin rolls his eyes then saunters in the kitchen where Candice and mom are each having a glass of wine. The smell is amazing as I inhale mom's famous lasagna and baked chicken. I smile when I look around the familiar house and see the damn kitten wallpaper in Austin's kitchen that mom decided to surprise him with. What she didn't know, was that it was super bowl weekend, and Austin, Shane and I, were going to his house to watch it and eat. I will never let him live down the moment he realized what his kitchen walls were made of.

"My prodigal son arrives."

"Mom." I lean in to kiss her.

Julia Stone was always a hard ass but could also be sweet as a sugar. Although the difference in age between my parents was enough to make someone cringe, they made it work for the first few years after they had me. Dad was never a one-woman man though, and mom always knew that. It wasn't until she divorced him, did she finally realize her wroth.

Mom always taught us to go after what we wanted in a woman, and once we have her, treasure her. I can still recall the moment she met Shawna. Perfect for me were the words she used.

"Late, as usual Max. Thought you were a military boy."

I cringe hearing my mother say that to me. Small phrases such as the time one, or when people call me soldier, even the thank you's. Those are the worst. Thank you for your service is hard to hear when I am the only around to hear it, knowing I shouldn't be.

"No worries. Besides, I just finished making dinner, so technically Max, you are on time." Candice says walking up to me hugging me and kissing me on my cheek. I squeeze her a little more to thank her for changing the subject.

Last year I hurt Candice, and although she instantly forgave me, it has never set right with me how I hurt her. She was the only one I told about my PTSD and so far, she has kept it our little secret.

"Good, I'm starving." Austin says from behind me.

"You shouldn't be Austin. If I know my boy, Candice had already gotten hers before you demanded your own pleasure. I'm sure what I walked in on was a thank you and not just you getting started."

I throw my head back and laugh. I hear Austin groan telling mom to stop but chuckles once Candice joins me in laughing her ass off too.

"Don't you worry Julia. Your son is a giver, not a taker."

"Just like his father."

"My God, could you stop?" Austin complains.

"Oh stop. You two are old enough boys to know your father and I couldn't keep our hands off each other. I remember this one time in Max's room¡­."

"Whoa!"

"Mom enough."

Austin and I both yell out, causing both mom and Candice to laugh. Crazy women.

"So, where are your parent's Candice?"

Candice's mom has recently gotten married to her physical therapist and just when Candice didn't think she could be happier, her new step father, asked if he could adopt her.

"Still on their honeymoon. Grandma didn't want to intrude and I think she is still stalking that new neighbor of hers."

I laugh thinking of Candice's grandmother and how even to a man of my size, the woman scares me.

"Let's all eat, I want to catch up with all of you."

Austin and I look at each other then move to block their path. Candice looks intrigued, but mom simply smirks our way, she knows her boys.

"Where are they mom?" Austin crosses his arms at his chest.

"Huh?"

"Don't play dumb with us lady. Where are the cookies?" I mimic my brother.

"Oh sweetheart, shouldn't I be enough company?"

Austin and I both shake our heads and mom let's out a laugh then comes in to kiss both her boys. I don't see her often enough and I make a note to change that.

We spend the entire dinner, talking and laughing. Candice talks about work and how her boss is now seeing one of the other doctors, making her life a living hell. Austin and I chime in here and there but we mostly stuff our faces. When dessert time comes, I nearly come in my pants when mom brings out her famous chocolate chip cookies with Hershey's kisses in the middle.

She used to make them all the time for us and it was always our favorite. Now we usually have to bribe her to make us some.

"I should get going, got an early day tomorrow." I say standing up after our coffee. Candice begins yawning and I knew I picked the right time to head out.

"Mom, are you sure you are alright to drive home?" I ask as she leans in to kiss Candice and unlocks her car with her key FOB.

"Oh please boys. I don't live that far. I love you two."

"Love you too mom." We say in unison, causing a smile to grace her face.

Mom heads out and Candice announces she is heading to bed since she has work in the morning. I say my goodnight and Austin walks me to my bike. Before I start her up, I turn back to the house making sure we are alone.

"Got pulled over before coming here." I whisper.

"Timmons?" Austin whispers back not missing a beat. His house is heavily armed and has the best security system but we can never be too sure.

"No, although he pulled me over the other night. This shmuck was new, and he had a chip on his shoulder the size of Manhattan."

"What's he look like?"

"Tall, on the thin side, dark brown hair and eyes, never seen him before Aus."

"Timmons came to me the other day. Was acting strange as if someone might have been watching. Told me that he had to hire a few new guys because of the problems our clubs were giving him. Acted like an asshole, but I can tell it was more of a front. Something is up."

"When he pulled me over a few days ago, he told me that someone was going around asking about our club. Didn't think too much of it until all of this tonight."

"Looks like the club is going to get hit with the shit stick again."

"Yeah, which is why I won't keep you from going in there and finishing what you started earlier with your woman. Something tells me in the next few weeks you're not going to be seeing much of her." I smile then turn around to hop on my bike.

"I hate this for her." I hear him before I start the bike up.

"Then don't let it touch her Austin. Speak with her, don't let what happened with Cherry, happen to Candice."

Austin looks generally surprised by my words.

Cherry was an old lady to one of the original members Bone. Their daughter Abby, is like a sister to us and grew up in the club, same as us. One night the club was out on a run and Cherry brought Abby to the clubhouse as a surprise to see Bone. He didn't keep her updated with club shit and because of it, she had no idea that it wasn't a good time to come. Some small-town gang was trying to be hard asses and decided to sneak their way into our club that night. They held Cherry and a very scared five-year-old Abby at gunpoint and shot Cherry right in front of Bone when he came home that night.

The rules are to not tell an old lady about our business and I have always been a firm believer in that. It's not sexist, it's safe. But with things like this, things that are obviously capable of affecting our outside lives, are the things our women need to know about.

"I'm on it." Austin agreed after a brief moment and then gives me a chin lift that tells me goodnight.

I start up my bike and get out of there. I need a drink.

Walking into Club Sin, I am immediately surrounded my sex.

A few years ago, this club was being run down by the previous owner. One of the brothers, Rex, had a thing with one of the girls that served here. She told us about it being shut down and Austin put it in a vote. It just needed some love and a proper manager. Now it's one of the most profitable night clubs in the city.

We don't come down here often, normally just to check on things and see if we are needed, but with Shane handling majority of the problems it's never been something I have needed to step in and deal with.

I look around and immediately spot Shane. His six-foot four frame is hard to miss with all these scantily clad girls walking around him carrying drinks above their heads with three fingers and a serving tray.

I take in the club as I make my way to him.

It's the same as it's been since we renovated a couple of years ago and judging by the way the bouncers are all over the place, I can see everything paid off well.

Dark black walls with small LED purple strip lights surround the room. The DJ plays the newest song while the large white glowing dance floors illuminated the hundreds of bodies surrounding it.

I reach Shane, located directly in front of the bar as he surveys the room and give him a chin lift. He returns the gesture and I stand right next to him.

"You good?" Shane asks.

"Yep. Came to check on some problem with Angela."

"What problem?"

"Torque didn't tell you?"

"No." He turns his gaze over to the manager's office located directly behind the bar.

When I got to the club today I was exhausted from being overwhelmed with repair orders. Apparently there had been a seven-car pileup and three of the cars belonged to tourists, so obviously they needed their cars out fast. When I finally finished all the necessary repairs and left the shop in the hands of the others, I had a new slew of problems that were addressed to me by Torque.

Torque is our tech guru and a damn fine one at that. He was the one that found out that Candice was missing and where to find her by tapping into the street light camera's. I found Torque years ago when he was just a sixteen-year-old punk on the streets. I had heard of him from some of our old runners on the street. Apparently the kid could bypass any security system and would often sneak into places long after closing hours and eat or get clothes. Thing was, he never stole money and only took what he absolutely needed.

After locating him, he explained his situation to me. He was a run away because both his parents used him as their personal punching bag. Austin denied him being a member because of his age but there was something we could give him, a place to stay and a job.

He would clean, mop, sweep and anything else we needed done, and in turn, we would pay him and let those hours turn into his probation for being a prospect.

Torque explained to me that he was looking into updating the surveillance for Sin, and in doing so, found out one of our managers here, was stealing money.

Now here I was, having to bring my ass down here to fix this.

"She's stealing from us man."

"Fuck." Shane says rubbing his head.

"You want me to handle this or you got her?" I know Shane doesn't always have the best ways of dealing with women, especially women who have done him wrong. Besides the horrible break up between him and Lyla, his ex-wife put him through shit that is just plain fuckin' wrong.

"I got her."

"Try not to scare the hell out of the patron's Shane. In the meantime, I'll keep an eye out." I give him a chin lift and watch as he heads to the office. I send a silent prayer that she doesn't make a scene. With everything going on with the MC, last thing we need is to start losing business because some crazy bitch says someone fired her for no reason.

I order a drink from one of the bartenders and once I get my jack, I turn around and survey the place again.

The music changes suddenly and a mix of girls come out to dance on the dance floor. The squeals are loud and I smirk at the sound. My smirk turns quickly into a frown when I see none other than Shawna walking towards me wearing a small black dress and heels.

At first I think she is here to enjoy herself but that thought rushes out of my mind the moment I realize she has a serving tray in her hand and is bending over to place a drink into some asshole's hand.

You have got to be fucking kidding me.

Shawna stands back up and heads to another patron. This douche thinks it's cute to smile and place his ugly mit on her back while she listens to his drink order. My fist shake with anger and that's when I decide I've had enough of this shit. I make my way over to her and stand behind her just as she is getting some girls order. When she turns to no doubt head to the bar and kitchen area, she shrieks and jumps when she realizes it's me right behind her.

"The fuck you doin' here?" I yell out causing everyone around us to see.

Shawna rolls her eyes, then moves past me and heads to the bar. I watch her ass shimmy in that tight ass dress and I don't know if I want to kick her ass out of here and tell she can't work here or have her meet me in the utility closet so only I can enjoy her in it.

"Well?" I say when I reach her. She places the serving tray down, then gives her order to the bartenders. She looks back over to me and crosses her arms which only makes her tits lift up.

Damn it Max, concentrate. This girl boke you.

"Austin told me you normally never come here and if you did, then you came in the morning."

"Austin? He let you work here?"

"It was his idea." She turns around and grabs her order of drinks then pushes past me.

Shock registers through my mind and then comes the ugly realization. The day she was here to speak with Austin, it was about her getting a job here. Fuck. I never got it out of him and knowing the prick kept it from me has me feeling anger. He is not only my brother but my president, and he shouldn't have kept something like this from me.

Rage consumes me and I rush over to Shawna who is once again leaning with her delectable ass hanging out. Before I could reach her, someone's arm pulls me back and I stumble into their body. I look up, ready to fight whoever the hell thinks they can get in my way, and see Shane's ugly mug. I pull his arm off me and attempt to swing but someone else blocks my fists.

I turn to see Lucky, the member who technically owns the club and is behind the bookkeeping of each of our legit establishments.

"Don't do this brother. She needed this job."

"You all fuckin' knew?"

"Not me, but that don't mean I can have you scarring all the girls in here. Most of them are running from fuckers that did this to them in the past and you know it." Lucky says and that fact calms me a little.

He's right. Most of the women that work here are one's Lucky's personally helped. Lucky was a lot like Shane, bit hard by his ex-wife, but not for obvious reasons. He nearly lost his teenaged daughter because of her boyfriend beating her. She told her mother over and over but her mother was too far gone with how much money the douchebag earned. Once lucky found out, he killed the guy and nearly did the same to his ex. Lucy is now doing well, but it took her a few years to get over what she lived with every single day.

I lower my arms right in time for Shawna to see me. Her face screams irate but I know she is also fighting back tears. Shawna was always too strong for her own good. My presence is doing the same thing it always did when she was just trying to work. Although I still don't understand why she keeps taking these shitty job, I don't want to keep making her regret having to do it.

Shane drags me away from the small crowd that surrounds us. They probably assumed we were about to fight and couldn't wait to video tape it and throw it on social media. When we get outside, he pushes me against the wall of the club but I shove him right back. Shane is a big guy, bigger than me, but I've had training for this very scenario.

"Did you know?" I yell at him. Now that we are in the quiet night air I lower my voice.

"Yes."

"Fuck you."

"Max¡­"

"No. You all are supposed to be my fuckin' brothers and you think you could keep something like this behind my back? What if I did that to you Shane? What if I snuck around your back with Lyla?" At my words his body tenses and I see he finally understands where I'm coming from.

"We had to man. She needed a job, and it's not like we don't fuckin' owe her one." I narrow my eyes but remain quiet. He's right, I've gotten her fired from that bartending job she had. I hated myself when I found out but nearly did the same thing again a few months later.

As far as I knew, she still had that job, but if I was the one that caused her to get fired from that one too, then I would leave her be. I now understand why she came to us. If the club owned the place, she wouldn't be fire because one of the members was being an ass.

Smart, but fuckin' stupid.

"She asked to work here?"

"No. Just said she needed a job. Austin had only one job like that. Gave it to her. Didn't want it at first, but eventually took it. Don't think she had much of a choice."

I wonder for a moment if the reason behind the odd hours was because of her studio, or because of someone she was seeing. I never thought that after the two years we have been apart, that she could have moved on. As much as it pains me and I want to now murder someone, I know I have no right.

"Go home Max." Shane says then walks back inside.

Before I can turn back around and head to my bike, I hear the door open again and my body stiffens. I can always tell when she is near me, my body reacts to her.

"What the hell was that about Max?" She says storming over to me looking for a fight.

"Didn't know you worked here." I say keeping my voice tight. I don't want her to see what she does to me. How much I wish I could just hold onto her. Tell her how sorry I am.

"So when you find I do, your instinct is to act like a dick?" I close my eyes at her words. I know I had no right to come off like an ass.

"Look, I'm sorry Shawna. I don't want to get you fired from another place." She looks panicked when I tell her this. Did she not know I knew?

"Forget about it Max. And if it helps, forget I work here too. Don't come back here on the nights I work." She leaves to head back inside, but my mouth stalls her from going in.

"You act like you have the right to hate me. You cheated on me, remember?"

She stops mid step and stares at the door. I know I have hit a nerve but I could no longer control the anger I felt at her words she spouted off at me the night I ruined us. The night I saw someone else other than her.

"Fuck you Max." She says under her breath then heads through the door.

I want to destroy something. I want to kill someone. My anger knows no boundaries right now. I hop on my bike, start it up and peel off out of there.

I make it to my brother's house in less than twenty minutes and see not only is his bike here but so is Candice's mustang.I run up to the door and walk right in, knowing damn well Shane or Lucky has already called him.

Austin is standing in the kitchen drinking a cup of coffee like some fuck. I walk right up to him and want to snatch the mug out of his hands.

"Why do you have to act like a prick with her?" He says smugly.

"Why the fuck did you not tell me Austin?" Candice turns the corner, most likely coming into see what all the noise is. She walks in between us, pushes the dining room table to the side where the wall is and grabs anything off the counter that might break.

Fuck, I love this woman. Austin better appreciate her.

"Just in case." She whispers to us then walks back into their bedroom.

"Won't be a need for that, right Max."

"Don't know yet." He sighs loudly then puts his mug on the counter.

"I gave her a job because she needed one, and I didn't tell you because¡­."

"Because you're an ass?"

"Because I know what you would have done. You would have ran over there and told her she couldn't work there. You would have been a selfish asshole."

"Fuck you."

"Is that what you did tonight Max? Did you do your typical bullying bullshit."

"I am warning you Austin."

"Why did you guys break up anyways? Ever since you've been back you have been different. The Max I know, would have never treated her that way."

I lose all my focus as I go in and take a fist right to my brothers jaw. I reach back and get ready to go again but he stops my fist and connects his with my face. I growl and grab his arms spinning him to the ground. My fight instincts come in and my training takes over my mind. I am no longer fighting my brother, but my enemy. I am turning into the soldier they made me.

I connect my fist to Austin's face three times before he throws me off him and shoves me into the cabinets with his body. Pain ignites in my spine but I push it down. I claps my hands together and use my elbows to hit his back and he immediately releases my body.

Austin is a bloody mess and I can only imagine how I look right now. We have gotten into our fights in the past, but never like this.

I spot his gun on the table before I go in to attack once more, and suddenly I am transferred somewhere else. My mind conjures me to grab the gun and end the life of the person trying to hurt me.

It's either him or me.

Before I can make up my mind on what is real is what is not, Candice lets out a yell, snapping me back to the present.

"Jesus guys."

I narrow my eyes on Austin right before I leave and head back to my bike. I hear Candice call my name a few times but Austin stops her from getting to me. Did he see what I was staring at? What the hell was I going to do if I had it in my hands?

I need a drink.