Fallen Bast*rd

Ax/Weston – 28 Years Old

Current Day

The ride back to the compound was quieter than the ride out. Not because the brothers had nothing to say.

Because everyone had the good sense not to poke the bear currently 'riding b***h' on my bike, as she so eloquently put it.

Surprisingly enough, Willa hasn't uttered a word since we'd left the bar, which she'd made us stop at after repeated threats to throw herself off into traffic.

She hasn't punched me, threatened to stab me, or even muttered under her breath.

And that worries me more than if she'd spent the whole journey trying to climb off the back of my bike.

When the Fallen Sinners' gates rolled open, the familiar sight of the compound came into view.

Floodlights bathe weathered timber buildings, rows of parked bikes and the brothers scattered around the yard with beers in hand.

Home.

Usually, rolling through these gates settles something inside me. Not tonight; tonight I have a feeling the peace isn't going to last.

*

I kill the engine.

One by one, the rest of the bikes follow suit until only ticking engines and distant laughter fill the night.

The second Willa's boots touch the gravel, she unclips her helmet and throws it at me.

"I'm leaving!"

I barely catch the helmet before it hits the ground. "No, you're not."

"I'm not asking Ax!" she spits out.

"I noticed."

She barrels towards the gate. "You've had three rums."

"I drank enough to survive being in your company." She mutters. "Barely."

Waving me away, she continues to the gate. "And anyway, I like walking."

"It's six miles, Will," I smirk.

"I know, I have legs!"

She reached the gate just as one of the prospects moved to open it.

"Open it!"

The kid looks at me. I don't even have to raise my voice. "Shut the gate." The steel groans. And the heavy gate slides closed with a loud clang.

Willa stops, and very slowly she turns to look at me.

"You've locked me?" She asks bewildered.

I sigh. "No, I've stopped you from doing something insane."

"I just want to go home," she almost whines. It'd be adorable if she weren't glaring at me.

"It's six miles an' you're in biker boots. You'd have made two miles and survived the other four on nothing but rage."

She folds her arms and glares at me like 'yeah, that was the plan'.

"I really can't stand you!"

I nod. "I'll take it; usually you tell me to get fucked."

"The nights still young."

A few brothers snort into their beers. Byte wisely heads in the opposite direction.

Nobody wants to be standing too close when Mount Willa blows.

Around us, brothers quietly begin finding reasons to be elsewhere. Tiny heads to the workshop to help Butch. Byte suddenly remembers a promise to help unload in the bar, and Remi leaves without so much as a backwards glance.

Cowards.

A black VW rolls through the gates, its headlights sweeping across the yard.

Ruby, one of the Fallen club girls, climbs out. She crosses the yard with easy confidence of someone who believes they belong in this moment. She doesn't.

"Prez." She purrs out.

I nod once, keeping my eyes on Willa. "Ruby."

Her smile widens. "I've been looking for you."

"I gathered."

She’s barely acknowledged Willa. That, more than anything, bothers me. My shoulders tighten.

Ruby isn't stupid; she'd know Willa got off the back of my bike. One of the other girls would have told her, which is why she chose now to arrive.

I notice her noticing the silence or the way every brother is pretending not to watch. She's choosing to ignore it.

"I was thinking about what happened earlier."

She's referring to yet another failed attempt at getting me alone in my office when I received the call from the nomad.

"Mmm."

She steps closer. Close enough that the scent of her perfume replaces the engine oil.

Then her fingers settle against the leather covering my chest. Not my skin. And not by accident.

Her eyes flicker to Willa.

"I was thinking, West, that we could finish it."

Around the compound, conversations stop dead. Byte slowly lowers his beer.

And Tiny pinches the bridge of his nose.

From somewhere behind me, I hear Butch mutter. "Stupid."

Ruby smiles. "What? She gets to call him West or Weston?" she says, her hand still on my chest covering my patch.

"I don't see why the privilege can't be extended to a Fallen woman."

Nobody breathes; Ruby looks around. Watching every brother for movement.

A tiny smile tugs at the corner of her mouth. "If Prez has a problem," she grinned, moving her fingers over my cut, "he'd move my hand."

Butch sighs loudly. "No lass, he wouldn't"

Ruby glances at my dad. "Why not?" she smirks.

Every eye in the compound suddenly shifts to Willa. She hasn't moved, though.

She's just staring at Ruby's hand, then at Ruby and back again. She almost looks confused.

Like she doesn't quite understand why someone would be stupid enough to test the line every other woman has respected.

Ruby mistakes the silence for victory.

She smiles. "So..."

Her eyes return to me. She's not smart enough to notice I've been standing stock still.

"Weston."

My name echoes across the yard like a pistol shot, no one flinches or interrupts. The compound collectively holds its breath.

Because every officer and patched brother already knows how this is gonna end.

*

Willa finally speaks, her voice calm, dangerously so. "Take your hand off him."

Ruby doesn't even look at her. "Why?"

"I won't ask a second time."

Ruby's smile grows wider. Instead of listening, she looks me in the eyes. "She touches you... calls you by your name, then why can't I?"

The question hangs heavy in the air. "Because." Offers Butch

Ruby laughs. "That's not an answer."

"You know the club rules." He asks.

"I've been here long enough to pick up a few things," she shrugs.

Butch looks at her as if to say, 'Is she touched?' I shrug.

Ruby's eyes trained on Willa, she strokes my Prez patch. "I think I like using your name... Weston."

Without warning, Willa moves three strides. Rips her hand from my chest so fast it causes Ruby to stagger.

"Don't," Willa sneers.

"Or what?" Ruby smirks, reaching for my cut.

The c***k of Willa's hook to her jaw rings out across the yard. And Ruby goes down like a bag of bricks. Splayed across the gravel, legs a kimbo.

Byte takes a sip of his beer. "I had thirty seconds."

Bax sighs heavily. "I said forty-five."

"I win." Smiles Byte.

Not a single person offers Ruby a hand, because everyone, including me, saw it coming.

We all knew who'd move her hand, and she didn't disappoint.

*

Climbing to her feet, Ruby brushed gravel from her jeans. "You bitch."

Willa ignores her. Ruby doesn't hold her attention anymore; I do.

"I can ignore the stupid," Willa says, breathing hard, her chest rising and falling in rapid succession. "I can even ignore desperation."

She takes one step forward. And then another. "But you need to keep your hands off what's NOT yours."

Silence. The words hang dangerously heavy in the air.

Willa frowns, and her eyes widen.

"Oh for fucksake."

Yep, realisation hits her harder than she hit Ruby.

Slowly, very slowly, she looks around the compound. At every patched brother staring at her.

A slow clap breaks out, Butch. Then someone joins.

"Well..." He folds his arms, trying and failing at not grinning. "I'd say that settles it."

Willa crosses her arms. "Settles what?"

Byte raises a hand like it's a gavel. "Your public declaration."

Tiny nods, his expression thoughtful. "As witnessed by patched brothers."

Bax lifts his beer. "Removal of a rival female." He grins.

Another brother adds, "Use of possessive language."

"Protectiveness and clear territorial intent." Butch nods with seriousness. "All textbook examples of a public claim."

"I did not claim him!" Will shouts

"Yeah, you did. You punched out a club girl."

Willa goes to speak, but nothing comes out. She tries again, "I..."

Butch smiles. "Exactly."

Willa throws her hand in the air. "Hate every single one of you," she snaps, spinning back towards the gate. It's still closed.

She looks back at me "You! This is all your fault. If you'd just left me at the Soulless compound, none of this would have happened."

I lift an eyebrow; can't argue with that.

"Oh God... why didn't you stop me?"

I look at Ruby still pitifully rubbing her jaw and then back at Willa. "Wanted to see if what I thought was gonna happen actually would."

The brothers laugh—even Bucth.

*

The sound of tyres crunching over gravel echoes from the gate; everyone turns as another car rolls into the compound.

Georgie climbs out of the passenger seat, followed by Lilly, who was gracefully balancing a takeaway coffee tray and bags of shopping.

Georgie stops dead as she sees Ruby rubbing at her jaw. Willa is standing in the yard, looking murderous, and the brothers are loosely gathered around.

She looks at me. "What'd I miss?"

Nobody answers, butch clears his throat. "Willa claimed West."

Silence. Georgie blinks, then lets out an exaggerated laugh. "About time."

Willa rounds her. "They're lying."

Georgie looks genuinely confused. "So what's all this about?" she says, gesturing at everyone.

Willa says nothing, because nothing will help.

Mum approaches, handing Dad a coffee. "What have I missed?" she asks gleefully.

Grinning, Dad accepts the coffee. "Our future First Lady, putting Ruby in her place."

Mum's eyes drift to Willa, then me and then to Ruby. Her eyes widen as understanding dawns. "Oh.."

She smiles into her coffee and takes a sip. "Oh.."

"God, I hate our family sometimes." The words escape before Willa can stop them.

Georgie smiles; Dad's eyebrows raise, and Mum gives her a knowing look.

"I didn't mean." She huffs and throws her hand again.

Butch speaks first. "Too late," he deadpans. "You said our."

"I meant.." she looks around desperately, hoping someone will intervene.

Bax laughs. "Second declaration of the night.

Byte nods in agreement.

Willa glances at everyone, trying not to laugh. "I hate you all," she sneers, storming off to the clubhouse.

"And Ax, don't follow me!" she calls over her shoulder.

"Wouldn't dream of it."

The clubhouse door slams shut, then my room light flickers on. Everyone turns to look at me. "Did... she just... in your room?" Bax asks.

Byte laughs "She always does go where she pleases."

Butch smiles, "It's technically her room too now."

Clapping my dad's shoulder, I make my way towards the clubhouse.

"She'll rip your balls off." Butch barks out. Mum slaps his chest. I smirk.

"Maybe, but it'll be worth it," I say, banging through the door. I make my way up the stairs and to the officers' floor.

I try my door. It's locked. Too bad for her, I have a master key.

Pushing open the door, there she stands, her brown skin glowing and freshly showered.

Her tired eyes meet mine. "Why are you here?"

"My room, remember."

She narrows her eyes, then sighs. "You let her touch you, say your name," she states, pulling my favourite T-shirt off the bottom of my bed.

"When you claim you’re mine…"

Before she can finish, my mouth crashes into hers.