5-Crow
1071 Words
The following week passed in a blur of spilled beer, late nights, and pages of the Biker’s Code, as well Crow avoiding me. However, I found myself enjoying the rhythm of the bar, the roar of the motorcycles that signaled the Renegades members arrival, and even the grumbling of the old regulars who had seen it all. They had started to grow on me, like a tattoo that you hate at first but learn to love for the stories it tells.
Mel tried to keep her curiosity at bay, but I could see it in her eyes. She knew I was in deep, but she also knew that the less she knew about my feelings for Crow, the better off she was. She wasn’t blind though, and could see Crow’s gaze following me, hot and hungry.
On one such occasion, as we stepped outside for a break, sharing a cigarette, and she asked, “You doing okay?”
I nodded, taking a drag. “Yeah, just a lot to take in.”
“You don’t have to do this, you know,” she said, her voice gentle.
“I know,” I said, exhaling smoke. “But I can’t just sit back and watch Leo suffer. I have to try everything, even if it means...compromising a bit of who I am.”
Mel took the cigarette from my hand, taking a drag. “That’s not what I’m talking about. I mean Dad. And you’re not compromising, Oce. You’re fighting for your little brother. And that’s all anyone can ask of you.”
We sat in silence for a while, watching the nightlife of the small town unfold before us. The sound of laughter and music spilled from the bar as I finally murmured, “Thank you.” My words were meant for both her comment about Crow and for Leo. Afterward, pushing off the wall, I murmured, "Well, gotta get back at it."
Mel nodded. "Just..be safe, okay?"
"Always." I gave her a wink before heading back into the chaos of the bar, feeling the comforting thump of the bass from the jukebox as I pushed through the swinging doors. The night was in full swing, and the air was thick with the smell of leather and whiskey. Rouger was holding court at the pool table, his laughter rumbling like distant thunder. The sight of him, so at ease and in his element, made me smile. Despite his rough exterior, he had become a surprising source of comfort in this new, intimidating world.
The night grew later, the conversations more hushed, and the tension stronger. The Renegades were planning something big, something that could change the game between them and the Serpents. And I had a sinking feeling that I was going to be a part of it, whether I liked it or not.
"You're looking thoughtful," Rouger said, sliding up beside me, as reaching into the cooler, he handed me a cold beer, his eyes searching my face.
"Just...thinking," I said, popping the cap and taking a swig.
He leaned against the bar, his gaze following mine to the Biker's Code laying open on the counter. "You're taking this all pretty seriously, huh?"
"Someone has to," I joked with a small smile. "I can't be riding off into the sunset without knowing how to tie a proper knot."
He chuckled, a rare sound that made the room seem a little less tense. "You're something else, Oceano."
"So I've been told," I replied, raising the bottle to him in a silent toast before returning to my work.
I knew I was a wildcard in their world, a variable that could either tip the scales in their favor or bring them all crumbling down. But as the clock ticked closer to closing time, and the Renegades began to file out into the night, I realized that I didn't want to just survive this world—I wanted to conquer it. For Leo. For Crow. And maybe, just maybe, for the fiery legacy of the man they called Phoenix.
The next day, the sun was a harsh slap in the face after a night of little sleep and too much caffeine. I stumbled into the kitchen, the smell of coffee already thick in the air. Mel was sitting at the table in my little apartment above the bar, her eyes bloodshot, a mug cradled in her hands.
"You okay?" I asked, pouring myself a cup.
"Yeah," she said with a sigh. "Just...worried."
"They're going to be okay," I assured her, though the doubt in my own voice was clear.
She looked up at me, her eyes searching mine. "What if they're not?"
"Then we deal with it," I said, my voice stronger than I felt. "Together."
Mel gave me a small smile, and for the first time, I saw the weight of the world on her shoulders. She was Crow's daughter, just as I was the daughter of the man who had torn their family apart. But here we were, two sides of the same coin, fighting for the same cause.
We sat in silence, sipping our coffee, as the house grew louder with the sounds of Leo getting ready for school. His laughter was a balm to our weary spirits, a reminder of why we were both willing to dance with the devils.
As I watched Mel interact with Leo, I knew that I had found my place in this tumultuous world. And as the day progressed, and the hours ticked by, I grew more determined to stand by their side, to be the beacon of light in a world of shadows.
The days turned into a routine of sorts—work, home, and late-night visits from Crow. He would sit at the kitchen table, his eyes haunted, and I would listen as he spoke of the war brewing between the Riders and the Serpents. I didn't always understand the politics, but I understood the pain in his voice, the fear for his daughter and his gang.
And every night, as he would leave, the weight of his gaze would linger on me, a silent promise that hovered in the air like the scent of his leather jacket. The tension between us was growing, a live wire ready to snap at any moment. But we both avoided it at all cost. We knew the risks—his position, my friendship with Mel.
- Writer
