some days you’re the Beamer

At least once during the day, Jeremiah took a loop around the town on his bike. Breezing along the streets made it harder for people to ask him questions, look to him for guidance on things he had no plan for yet. Plus, sitting in his office at the shop got boring. So he put faith in his club that the place wouldn’t be on fire when he got back from a trip that usually took ten minutes, and left. Clearing his mind would hopefully bring Jeremiah some sort of next path. But instead, it brought him to his older brother. 

A confusing sight - Anthony carrying a case of Heineken away from a delivery truck - made Jeremiah pull over. Standing and taking his helmet off in one fluid motion, a greeting was forming in his mouth when he saw someone on the ground right next to where the truck was open. Approaching the president of the Primordials, Jeremiah pointed behind his brother as the puzzle pieces stared clicking together. “Ant, what the fuck?” 

Beer was fucking attacking me. Jeremiah knew that Anthony was going through a lot of shit at the moment but he wasn’t following this thought process at all. It was a lame excuse, considering the scene behind them and the younger Thane grabbed his older brother’s arm and stared at Anthony’s face hoping for some sort of answer. “What’s going on with you man, are you alright?”

Of course, his brother pulled up. That was just Anthony’s luck. He looked at his younger brother, unsure of what he even wanted him to say. There was no excuse for his actions but then when was there ever any justifiable excuses? His brother wouldn’t get it. He hadn’t gone through all of the shit that Ant had been through. He expected no one to get it. 

Are you alright? 

Shit. Was it that obvious? “I’m fine.” He insisted, not wanting to get into the details. “Shit’s fine,” Maybe if he said it was fine, it’d actually be fine. “Look, man, you wouldn’t get it. I just got a lot going on, alright?” While his brother was a newlywed, Anthony was a newly divorcee. He had nothing to lose at this point. 

“Just pretend you didn’t see anything, alright?”

Jefferson had seen the entirety of the altercation, watched Anthony walk up to the man and his beer truck, and then punch him in the face and proceed to steal a case of beer. “The beer was attacking you,” he repeated— not as a question, but to process the amount of sheer stupidity that those words contained. “Unfortunately, that’s not gonna cut it.” Anthony had proved to be, somehow, too stupid to manipulate how quickly he wanted to. But blackmail was always a nice backup to get what Jefferson wanted.

“Hands against the car,” he said, as he procured a set of handcuffs, nodding towards the nearest car. “We can either do this peacefully without the cuffs, or everyone in town is gonna see Anthony Thane getting dragged into custody.”

Of course Jefferson was watching, that was just his luck. Most people would just hold their anger back and not take it out on others. Anthony, however, was different. There really was no impulse control with him. He couldn’t help but smirk when he was told to put his hands against the car. A part of him was ready to resist arrest. That’d at least be more entertaining. 

"You think I’m afraid of you cause you’re the law?” What did he have to lose at this point? “I ain’t afraid of nothin’,” At the mention of a peaceful arrest, Anthony raised his brows in curiosity. What the fuck did this guy want? “No one would be surprised by it,” He said with a shrug, “Just do whatever the fuck you gotta do.” He didn’t want to get arrested, obviously, but if this was gonna happen, he’d have to resist a little. “You really think this is gonna be enough to get me arrested? Beating up some nobody?”

"It ain’t what it looks like,” He finally spat out. “The beer was fuckin’ attacking me. I think t’s got a problem with me cause it ain’t my favorite.”

There was almost a wince at the question, something that completely tore him up about this question. He had started this war, and now shit was really fucking bad between the two MC’s. But he’d never admit that maybe he could use some help since his life was falling apart. “Fuck yeah,” Anthony replied, “I’m the best guy for the job. I’m a Thane after-all.” He pointed out before taking a swig from his glass. “I’m gonna be honest, being president is hard but I think I’m the only one that can handle it.”

Jefferson resisted the urge to sigh in exasperation, still ensuring to make as good of an impression as he could on the president. The more Anthony liked him, the easier it would be to manipulate him— and Jefferson wasn’t one to take his eye off the prize. “I’m named after Thomas Jefferson. You know- the third president of the United States?” He wouldn’t be surprised if Anthony didn’t know. He wouldn’t expect a man who thought peeing on a fire hydrant like a bitch in heat was the same thing as shaking hands. “I’m here with some coworkers to help make sure Olympus is safe, that’s all. Though as I hear it…it’s the Trojans who are the ones who should be in trouble.” It was never to early to prey on the animosity between the two clubs, painting himself as something of an ally to the Primordials.

“I know who the fuck he was,” Although it was probably a good reminder for him. He didn’t really know names without context. “Does your family have some ties to him or somethin’?” He didn’t realize how stupid of a question that was until after he said it. “Cut the bullshit. No one comes to Olympus voluntarily. Why are you actually here?” Anthony agreed with his statement, knowing that was actually very true. “Tell me ‘bout it. I dunno why those motherfuckers are still allowed ‘round here.”

Reina narrows her eyes at his comment, his cocky attitude doing nothing to prove her wrong in calling him a pig. “God, you’re so arrogant,” she all but spits the words at him, and even though at one point there was part of her that liked his arrogance, that part is now gone and glazed over by the hatred towards him that’s been bubbling up inside of her. She is blinded by it, so deep into that hole that she’s not sure she’ll ever dig herself out. “The house is clean and nice because you’re not there to throw your temper tantrums or leave your shit laying around. You’re not a man, Anthony, you’re a child.” It’s her favorite insult to throw in his face but it’s the truth, more often than not he’s acting like a toddler instead of a fifty year old man.

There’s no chance she’s ever going to agree with him on this matter, even if he’s not entirely wrong. There’s a clear difference in the way she treats Iris over the boys already and it’s only going to get worse over time, but Reina will eat glass before she admits that so he can use it against her. “I want them because regardless of what you think, they are my children, and they deserve to live in their home with their shit, not at your mother’s.” In reality, she just wants full custody because she knows it’ll wreck him, and honestly that’s something she can’t wait to see. His last comment has her seeing red, her fist clenching at her side and she has to dig her nails into her palms just so she doesn’t deck him. “I think we both know it’s the other way around, sweetheart. You wouldn’t be fuck all if I wasn’t there to push you and you know it.” She has always been the driving force of the things he’s done, it’s no secret she’s the brains behind the operation, and his implication of that not being the case has her seething. “You are so goddamn pathetic, you can’t even fucking feed yourself. There is not a shot in hell you’d be president of the club if it weren’t for me.”

“Shut the fuck up,” He spat out, “I’m not a child. You were lucky to have me.” He didn’t care whether she believed that or not. He could’ve been worse. He could’ve been a Cronus Thane, but he wasn’t. He had flaws, sure and lots of them, but he was also not as bad as she was saying and he knew that. 

Bullshit. That was all bullshit. He may have been dumb but he wasn’t that dumb. Anthony knew she didn’t give a fuck about them. Anyone within a thirteen-mile radius could see that. “Yeah? Stop preachin’ shit you don’t even believe,” Fuck her for not giving a fuck about them. “They might like my mom better than you.” It was a low blow, he knew that. And yet, he didn’t give a fuck. “Don’t fuckin’ sweetheart me.” He managed to get out through gritted teeth. “Guess what? I ain’t takin’ shit from you now and I’m still the god damn president.” He wanted to shove that in her face. “I’m still fuckin’ alive sweetheart without you takin’ care of me. I’m more than sure I can run a club successfully while you’re what? Knitting your time away.” 

Azure’s learned to love the dive bars that most people who pass through town don’t normally frequent, the ones with the crappy torn apart seats and rough around the edges patrons. It wasn’t always her scene, but it was a ‘right of passage’ growing up in the rougher part of the city. 

“I’ve been coming to this bar since I’ve been seventeen and this is the first time-” Her dark hair falls in front of her face as she snorts, “I’ve actually been carded at the door and I just turned twenty-nine!”

There wasn’t much Anthony did nowadays besides drink and cry. It probably wasn’t a good mix but what else was he supposed to do when his life was turning to shit? He wasn’t gonna be celebrating and fucking every chick he could find. 

There is a lot that can be said about Anthony Thane, but he loves his family. Rowan, better than anyone, knows that – and she has never had any doubt about him being more than welcoming when she and Andy brought Benny home. So to have him showing up to the house in the middle of the afternoon, eager to meet him isn’t a surprise. A smile tugs up on the corners of her lips, head shaking just a little bit as Anthony stumbles over his words.

“You’re fine,” she laughs, head tilting. “I’m pretty sure two minutes into meeting me he heard me dropping F bombs.” It’s not something she’s encouraging, but she doesn’t want Anthony to feel bad about a slip up in a moment of excitement. “Besides, he’s not really talkin’ yet. Mostly just baby babble.” Fingers crossed his first word isn’t ‘fuck’ but in their family, who knows.

“You’re not gonna scare him,” she laughs at the notion. Anthony is a scary man when he needs to be but he’s soft for their family, whether he’ll admit it or not. “Come sit,” she pats the spot on the couch beside her, helping to move the curious baby into his lap when he’s sitting. “I dunno how much Ma told you. His name’s Benjamin – Benny, we call him.”

He was always different with kids that weren’t his. He knew he could drop Rhett or AJ and be fine cause they were his kids. But this wasn’t his: he was Rowan and Andy’s. That felt weird to even think about. They had wanted this for so damn long. “You droppin’ f bombs in front of him? I’m surprised, Ro.” He joked, knowing it was super hard to stop once you had started. “You’re gonna be shook when he starts talking. It’s like whoa, this little human can sorta talk and walk. It’s gonna be fuckin’ nuts.” This was gonna be such an exciting time for them. They have a kid now. His baby brother has a kid. 

Anthony happily agreed to sit and let out a soft smile as Benny went into his life. “Sorry, Ma didn’t tell me much. She’s still mad at me ‘bout the whole divorce thing so we don’t go much to say to each other.” Rhea loves her boys, that’s for sure. But Anthony was a stubborn piece of shit still. “How’d you end up in your arms?” He wasn’t sure how else to put it.

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