Running From Their Choices

2. Shawn

God dammit!

Why did they have to ignore me? Why did they think they could keep seeing each other and not suffer a kickback?

Fucking idiots.

Now Estella is pissed, and who knows how long that will last. She isn’t quick to anger but she can hold a b***h of grudge and right now I am the lucky recipient of that anger. I don't blame her for being angry, I did after all shoot Wes, but it was a necessary evil to get them to see that this is no joke.

I knew they were sneaking around seeing each other even after they have been worn by both MCs, but I had never actually caught her and neither has anyone else. I taught her too f*****g well. At least once a week I make time to train her at the gym because even though she always has someone watching after her from the club, my job is to protect her, even when she only has herself. That means I need to train her to fight and defend herself in case she ends up in a situation where she only has herself to rely on.

When I saw Stella sneaking out of her window, I knew to follow because it was better for me to catch her than anyone else. Anyone else in the club, other than Shane, Creed, and myself, would have gone after them and used it as a reason to start this stupid f*****g war. Estella doesn't understand how her actions can affect the way things are in this city and it is my job to keep her safe even if it is from herself.

Stella’s right though. I don’t even know why there is such deep hatred between The Dead Men and the Royals. She f*****g hit the nail when she asked if I even knew why we don’t cross paths knowing I couldn’t answer.

Uncle James came to me when I was sixteen to discuss me patching in so I could take over when he steps down. He has no sons, no kids, and has never had a relationship. He sticks to the wenches for a good time, and even though they try to become his ole’ lady he has made it clear that it’s not for him. So he wanted me to step up as Prez when the time came for him to step down.

Pops’ support is everything, so I didn’t commit until I had it. That day he went straight to Uncle James and ripped into him about approaching me without talking to him first. After a heated discussion, Pops left the decision up to me and said he would support me like he always had under one condition, and that was that I finished high school.

Five years later, I am patched in as a Dead Man and finished high school. Doing a lot of different jobs, learning from all the old-timers, seeing what it is I should expect from each member of the club, and always being present have earned me the club’s respect. However, I am still kept in the shadows of some things and this is one of them. I f*****g hate it.

I had to send the message to them today, that we were past warning them to stay away from each other. So I f*****g shot Weston. Ya, I know I am an asshole. Better to be clipped by me, than gunned down by another member, or to have a Royal go after my sister.

Then there would be a war. I would make the streets red with their blood if anything happened to Stella. No one touches my family, especially not my sister. Not because she is the club princess, but because she is my sister and my responsibility. Ever since our parents' death it was better for me to focus on keeping her and Shane safe than to acknowledge the pain of losing them. I have spent my whole life watching out for my family and I will always will.

Taking a deep breath and running my hands through my hair, I turn down our street and see Pops’ house. It’s not more than a traditional three-bedroom home with a long front yard, garage, and a bigger fenced back yard, but it is home. I see Shane and Creed already on the porch waiting for us, and I feel Stella tense next to me so I know she is getting ready for a fight. She knows Shane is going to lay into her about her being reckless. I am the one that protects them, but he is the one that is entune with her, but lately, she has been keeping herself guarded and that is putting a strain on him. He doesn’t like that he isn’t able to read her like he used to and that she isn’t allowing him in.

Fuck the past. If those three really cared about Estella, they wouldn’t keep putting her in these situations. They would stay away from her like they started to, and let her start building a life without them in it.