Renegade Riders:Forbidden Flame

11-Crow

The day stretched before us, a canvas of doubt. The sun’s rays above seemed to be watching, indifferent to the battle that was about to unfold. And in that moment, I realized that family wasn't just about blood—it was about the people who were willing to fight for you, the ones who knew your secrets and still called you their own.

As we sat there, clutching our fears like talismans, we were both acutely aware that the line between love and danger had blurred beyond recognition. And all we could do was hold onto each other, hope, and wait for whatever was left of our world to come home.

The one sure thing in the uncertainty was that Leo depended on me.

That evening as I stared at the fading neon sign of the Murder of Crows, I whispered to myself, "How did you love?" The lyrics of the song echoed through my thoughts. The words resonated with the tumultuous emotions swirling inside me—my love for Leo, the burgeoning attraction to Crow, and the loyalty to a gang that had become my refuge.

Minutes later, as I pulled the apron over my head and started the opening routine, Mel wandered in, her eyes red and swollen from crying. She threw her arms around me, and I felt the tremble of her body. "They're going to be okay," I assured her, though my own voice wavered.

The bar was unusually quiet, the tension thick as the smoky air that hung above the pool table. The regulars spoke in hushed tones, their eyes darting to the door with every creak of the floorboards. The Renegades were out there, fighting my battles, fighting for Leo, fighting for a legacy that was as much mine as it was theirs.

And as the hours passed, as the night grew longer and the shadows became a deeper purple, we waited. We waited for news of the war outside, for the Renegades to come home, for the dust to settle on our lives. And in the quiet moments, we found solace in each other's company, sharing stories of the men we loved who had been consumed by this gang life.

As the sun began coming up, painting the sky with a fiery glow, I couldn't help but feel a sense of déjà vu. This was how it must have felt for my mother, waiting for my father to come home from a ride that might have been his last.

And then, like a chorus of thunder, the bikes roared up the drive. The back door swung open, and the Renegades filed in, weary but victorious. Crow's eyes found mine, and in that moment, the feelings that had been building between us were laid bare. It was emotions that could either save us or destroy us, but in the chaos of the biker gang, it was all we had to hold onto.

~CROW~

I'd grabbed a couple hours of sleep and now sat on a barstool. Oceano's eyes searched mine, a silent question in them, and I knew what she was looking for. I couldn't help the way my chest tightened every time she was near, the way her fiery spirit reminded me of her father. But this was my world, and the dangers were as real as the steel bars of the jail cell I'd once called home.

As I watched her move behind the counter, the words of the song Darkside echoed in my head: "I'm not an angel, but I've got a side that I've never shown." It was a warning and a truth, a reflection of the man I was and the one I had to be for her. Phoenix's daughter didn't deserve to be pulled into the chaos of gangs and the darkness that threatened to consume me. But she was here now.

Oceano's laughter floated over the murmurs of the patrons, a sweet sound that pierced the armor I'd built around my heart. I found myself smiling, a rarity these days, as she told a joke to one of the regulars. The sight of her, her eyes sparkling with mischief, made me want to believe that there was a future beyond the next ride, beyond the feud with the Serpents.

Could I really let her into this life? Would she still want to be here, to know the darker parts of me, the parts that had sent her father running? The thought of losing her was unbearable, but the thought of her getting hurt because of me was worse.

The door to the Murder of Crows swung open, the chill of the night seeping in. Rouger sauntered in, his eyes scanning the room before landing on me. He nodded, and I knew the moment had come. The Serpents had made their move, and it was time to settle the score once and for all.

I stood up from the barstool, the music fading into the background. Oceano's gaze found mine, and I knew she knew what was happening. She didn't need to say a word; the concern etched on her face was enough. I stepped closer, my hand brushing hers as I leaned in. "I'll be back," I murmured, hoping it wasn't a lie.

The scent of her hair, the warmth of her skin, it was all I could focus on as the shadow of the outside world grew closer. I had to keep her safe, even if it meant pushing her away.

With a heavy heart, I turned and followed Rouger out into the night, the rumble of the bikes the only sound in the stillness. The town was in shadows, the streetlights casting pockets of light. The wind in my face was cold, but the fire inside me was anything but.

The battle I'd been preparing for my whole adult life was here. But as I swung my leg over the bike, the thought of Oceano made me pause. I'd seen the way she looked at me, the hope in her eyes that I could somehow be the hero she needed. But I was a Renegade, and this was my destiny.

The engine roared to life beneath me, the vibrations a comforting hum as we rode towards the inevitable. The song Darkside played in my head, a constant reminder of the choice I'd made. No, I wasn’t a saint, but I was trying. It was a promise to her, to myself, to find the good in the dark. To be the light she needed, even if it meant facing the darkest parts of my soul.