Tara closes her mouth and rubs her forehead with her right hand.

“I can… try to let you stay, but you’ve got to be quiet. No wandering around. You need anything you text me.” She explains and relief runs through my veins. My shoulders feel less strained and they sag back down from their tensed position.

“Thank you.” I mutter before she ushers me back into the hospital room.

“Close the blind, keep the noise down and I’ll be the nurse to come check up on Tommy.” Tara then leaves and closes the door behind her.

I turn back to Tommy as he slept in the hospital bed. Mom had brought me a bag of stuff from home, a few items being Tommy’s blanket and teddy bear. I had tucked him in with blanket and he cuddled his teddy with his left arm, resting his cast upon a pillow beside him. He wasn’t in any pain and after his last check up by Tara, everything will be fine. The cast will just be a constant reminder of how I didn’t protect my baby.

Fillip.

God I wish I could hear his voice right now. Feel his hand brush my hair while he whispers “tha’ everything will be fine.”

Not lay near enough comatose in a hospital bed with a hole stitched up in his head.

I didn’t know what to do. Still don’t. I had visited the room that Tara wrote down when she handed me the piece of paper earlier today. I walked up to the door, looked through the small window and froze.

There lay his shell.

It wasn’t my Fillip.

He was lifeless, hooked up to a machine that beep, beep, beeped away.

I stood for a while next to him, my knees locked and my calves and feet felt like TV static. I can’t begin to describe the feeling I held in my chest, but I can begin with that I can’t lose him. I never had closure with George, I never got to say goodbye or say one last ‘I love you’. I didn’t want to have that a second time.

But I wasn’t going to say goodbye because he was going to make it. We were going to see each other again. We’d say hello again.

***

I spent the night wide awake watching over Tommy. I concluded that the explosion had to have been Zobelle; which means that Clay is going to retaliate no matter what anyone thought. This was all the fuel Clay needed to have a full on blood bath in Charming – which could mean someone is going to either end up dead or behind bars. Watching Tommy sound asleep made me panic that that someone could be me. Was being a part of the club worth risking my baby?

The next morning the doctor came as Tara had already clocked off, it was easy to lie and say I’d only arrived moments before him. He gave Tommy a once over and deemed him fit enough to return home and rest there.

“Will everyone sign my arm mommy?” Tommy asked as I drove the truck back home. “Elliot had a cast in school and we all drew on it for him. Miss Harrison said it would make his arm better. Will it make my arm better mommy?”

“It will baby,” I assured him and smiled. “You can get all your friends to sign it at school.” With that Tommy seemed to beam the rest of the drive, happy to be able to get his cast signed by everyone.

We spent majority of the afternoon watching movies and playing with Tommy’s dinosaurs. Tommy had wanted me to sign his cast and I did so with purple heart and wrote ‘mommy’s soldier’. He beamed all afternoon about being a brave soldier, ready to fight the bad guys to protect his mommy.

The club hadn’t called or visited which most likely meant they weren’t going to consider me as a prospect in their decisions today. Which I am grateful for because I didn’t want a minute away from my son. Any chance I could grasp onto him and hold him in my arms, feel his little heartbeat in his chest, blow raspberry kisses on his cheeks, all moments that assured me that he was alive and well.

Coming up to dinner I still hadn’t heard anything from the club or even Jax. Silence is never good – with children or with men. Tommy had asked to call Half-sack at the hospital, after he had his surgery Tommy had been missing one of his favourite babysitters – I couldn’t lie and say I don’t miss him too. So whilst I prepared spaghetti and meatballs, Tommy sat on the floor against the fridge with my phone rambling on about his new cast to him.

“Mommy said I can get it signed by everybody!” Tommy falls silent for a moment, then nods his head. “I made a square for you to sign, next to Chibby!”

Filip…

I jolt as the door knocks. I wipe my hands on the kitchen towel before leaving Tommy still chatting away on the floor and go to greet my new guest.

“Got room for one more?” Mom asks as she holds up a bottle of whiskey. She has shadows under her eyes, her hair still styled to perfection but her shoulders hold onto an invisible weight as they slump.

“Meatballs almost done,” I step back and let her in. We walk back to the kitchen after I close the door. Tommy sees mom and almost drops the phone as he runs up to her to cuddle.

“Grandma is here. Okay. Bye Eddie!” Tommy beams up at mom and I take my phone back and put it on the counter.

Dinner is eaten in the living room with mom and I on the couch and Tommy sat on the floor and his plate on the coffee table. Scooby Doo and the gang run around trying to solve another mystery as I eat my meal and sip the whiskey mom brought. Tommy gasps when the monster is revealed to the previous owner of the land. Mom is silent. She greeted Tommy with warmth and a smile and she answered him anytime he spoke to her, but other than that it’s as though she’s lost in her own little world.

I don’t press her on what’s wrong; that’s a first class ticket to being berated about my own problems.

By the time Tommy is settled in bed and hugging his teddy bear, my own fatigue was creeping up on me. I walk into the kitchen just as mom opens a window, her other hand holding a pack of cigarettes and her lighter.

“Spare one?” I ask as I walk over to the counter below the window and sit on it. Mom passes me a cigarette and lights it for me. With my first inhale I realise that this has been the first one I’ve had in two days.

Mom lights up her own and we sit and stand in a comfortable silence.

“I never did get to say goodbye to your father,” Mom begins, exhaling smoke as she looks at me. A haunted shadow in her eyes fluttered by and said goodbye before I could question it.

“Only got to hear the words come from the sheriff where they found parts of his skull.” I shuddered. I took another drag and let it’s burn itch at my chest.

“I don’t remember the last thing I said to George,” I muttered. Mom shifts next to me, turning in to listen as she did when I was younger.

“I just remember we were shouting; I was trying to get him to come with me. To run back here and get help… but he didn’t want to run. I remember seeing blood and putting Tommy in the truck. But I don’t remember if I told him I loved him.” I sniff back the coarse feeling in my throat. My chest burns a deeper hole. The last thing I asked Fillip to do was take Jax’s side.

“The last thing Fillip said to me was my name. He called out to me before the van blew up. He saved my little boy. Now I don’t know if I’ll get to help him.” My head falls, I stare down at my feet. Mom wraps an arm around me and pulls me into her, her chin resting on my head.

“Does it ever stop?” I ask – beg.

“No, it’s okay, I'll be fine. Just going to need to ask Juice if I can use one of his many laptops for a few days so I can work on switching my nursing license over. Being a bartender isn't going to support me and one baby, let alone two.”

“Yer no’ alone in this Torri. I will have a good amount of money coming in with this new deal we are making in the club, and I can work extra hours at the garage. Gemma has been practically begging me te, seeing as she cannae stand the new prospect.” He laughed as he looked over at me, “and ye said it yerself, Mike can track ye if yer license gets changed over,” he added, a hint of worry breaking through his previously calm and reassuring tone.  

“Chibs, I can't ask you to support me and them.” I started to rub my belly as I looked over at him when we stopped at a red light. I could see the look in his eyes, the one where he is going to repeat his earlier speech about how he is not going anywhere.

“Okay okay, I'll stop. You're a hard man to get rid of,” I joked.

“Ye wan’ me gone, jus’ say the word,” he laughed.

“I wouldn't know what to do without you,” I told him as we pulled into the driveway. Feeling my phone vibrate, I pulled it out and saw a number I didn't recognize. This wasn't the first time I got a call from a random number so I shoved it back in my bag.

“Why don't ye go lay down, I’ll make breakfast.” Chibs held the door open for me then followed me in the house. When he closed the door I turned around and faced him. Wrapping my arms around his neck I stepped up on my tip toes and placed a gentle kiss on his lips.

“Wha’ was tha’ fer?” he asked as he leaned down and place another kiss on my lips.

“Just… thanks. For being here for me, really it means more then you could know.”

“It’s really no problem lass.” He put his hand on my face and rubbed my cheek gently. “Ye been through enough shite, you deserve to be taken care of,” he added before turning around and heading towards the kitchen.

I walked over to the couch, kicked off my shoes and grabbed the remote before laying down pulling the black fuzzy blanket that had the Harley Davidson logo on it over my body before clicking on the TV.

The annoying noise of my phone buzzing drew my attention to my purse, I reached on the floor, fumbling around my bag and grabbed my phone. It was another random number. I don't know how anyone could have gotten the number of this burner phone so I knew was not my family calling.

“Babe, is it okay if I text Juice and invite him over for breakfast? I’m going to ask him to bring his laptop over so I can at least start looking up the process to transfer my nursing license here.”

“Yeah that's fine, Juicy boy is always hungry,” he laughed as he peaked his head out of the kitchen, keeping a watchful eye on the stove. “Jus’ please dinnae request the license change right now, we have to figure ou’ how te do it without tha’ arsehole finding out about it.”

“I won't, I promise I just want to see what I have to do. It sucks going to school for four years and not being able to use my degree and do what I love because of him,”  my voice faltered, mixed with emotions. Knowing Mike still had this hold over me scared the hell out of me and also angered me to no end. I'm so sick of living by someone else’s rules.

“I know, we will figure this ou’, I promise.” His voice held a reassuring tone.

Hey, wanna come over for breakfast? Chibs is cooking now. Also, I was wondering if I could use one of your old laptops for a while? And I’ve been getting calls from random numbers If I write them down can you run them and see who it is calling? Please don't tell chibs about that last part. Thanks!

Pressing send, I turned my attention back to the TV, smiling as I saw the show Friends was on. I watched all of five minutes before my tired body took over and I fell asleep. It was incredible how tired I have been. I guess growing two babies will do that to you.

I woke up to the sound of someone knocking on the door and Chibs opening it. I felt my stomach grumble as the smell of bacon and eggs drifted around the house.

“Hey Torri, I brought that laptop for ya,” Juice said with a smile before turning his attention to Chibs, “damn, that smells good,” he said before walking into the kitchen.

“Told ye tha’ boy is always hungry,” Chibs chuckled then watched as I slowly rose from the comfy spot on the couch.

“Hungry?” he asked as I followed him into the kitchen

“Very,” I replied placing my hand over my stomach as it growled loud enough for everyone to hear. This caused Juice and Chibs to bust out laughing.

“Shut up. I'm eating for three now,” I laughed. I saw Juice’s head shoot up and look at me. Oops.

“What does that mean?” Juice asked I could see the corners of his mouth tug into a smile.

“I'm pregnant, it’s twins. I haven't told anyone but Chibs and Gemma figured it out weeks ago.”

“Can’t hide shit from Gemma,” Juice laughed. “Well congrats Torri,” he said, looking back over at me, then facing Chibs. “You're going to be a dad again Chibs?”  I could see Chibs face turn red as he looked over at me then back to Juice. It was kinda cute to see him flustered, “oh come on man, everyone knows you two are together,” Juice added.

He was right, we haven't exactly put a label on us but we haven't really been discreet about it either.

“Aye, I’m not the babies biological father, but I'm going to be their da’.” He couldn't even contain the smile he held on his lips and honestly neither could I. Chibs had already told me that, but hearing him say it to another person made it more real.

“Well, I'm happy for you both.” Juice smiled looking back and forth at us. “Now can we eat please, I'm starving,” he added as he grabbed a plate and started piling up bacon, eggs, and pancakes on it.

Chibs and I laughed then followed Juices actions. We all sat around the table talking about various things while we ate.

“Hey Juice, can you not tell anyone about the babies, please? I wasn't planning on telling anyone for a couple more weeks,” I said as I shoveled another fork full of eggs in my mouth.

“Yeah, don't worry, I won't tell anyone.” I could hardly understand him as he had a mouth half full of pancakes.

After we finished eating, I started to do the dishes. Chibs quickly took over after telling me to go lay on the couch. Juice followed me into the living room and popped open his laptop.

“Okay, what’s one of the numbers that have been calling you?” Juice said quiet enough so Chibs couldn't hear over the running water of the kitchen sink. I watched as he opened a program on his computer, handing him my phone so he could see the numbers.

I turned my attention back to the TV, which still had Freinds on. I heard Juice typing away as he sat next to me.

Setting the laptop down he got up and walked into the kitchen without saying a word, he walked back in seconds later with Chibs. I picked up the laptop and stared at the name on the screen. Michael Smith.

“I need to show you someth-” I heard Juice say to Chibs as they walked in the room but I quickly cut him off.

“How did he find this number? It's a burner phone, I did everything right; I paid cash and everything. Does he know where I am?! How did-”

“Torri, Wha’s going on?” I felt Chibs arms around my waist as I pulled my knees into my chest. Tears started streaming uncontrollably down my cheeks. How the hell did Mike get this number?

Thank you for reading =)

I hang my helmet on my bike and lean back to get comfortable. Chibs’ hand pats my knee and I look at his face. Giving me a reassuring smile before saying:

“Don’t worry, I’m sure it’s goin’ to be fine.”

I don’t reply verbally. I just smile and nod my head before we go back to being silent and waiting for Clay to return. Bobby was the next one to get my attention as he stood in front of my bike, leaning on the bars.

“Clay is gonna pull you pair up in the next meeting.” He informs me and catches the attention of Chibs too. “He found out through Opie.” We all look over to the frowning bastard that leant against his bike. As though he felt our eyes on him, he turned to look me dead in the eye. I shake my head at him before huffing and turning back to Bobby.

“I know you told Jax.” I mutter. Bobby again gives me an apologetic look, but I put my hand over his on my bike. “Thank you.” He raises an eyebrow in amusement at my sudden thanks and I smile. Nothing else is said as Clay walks out of the shop. He throws everyone a box of cigars, expect for Jax and I.

“Chibs,” Clay looks over to us both. “You’re with me and Opie. Rest of you head back to the clubhouse.”

At his words, I look back over to Chibs and he shares my look of worry but also frustration. Without another word to another, everyone rode off. I pulled off from the others as they headed back to the clubhouse. Cutting the engine and swinging my leg over the frame, I took in the sight of the graveyard.

I walked to the familiar headstone and smiled in greeting to it.

“Hey brother.” I sigh as I sit on the grass next to the headstone. Resting my head against its side and placing my right hand on the ground above where my brother would be lay to rest.

“Been a while since I’ve sat here and spoke to you like this.” I continue as I look up to the sky. It was a nice day; the clouds weren’t heavy or darkened. It seemed like Thomas was listening to me.

“I have a son now. Called Tommy. I know, ironic right?” I huff a gentle laugh to myself. “I named him after you. When I saw his little blue eyes and I felt like you were with me there. He is great, you’d love him. Jax adores the bones of him. If I’m honest, I think he just enjoys that he was made an uncle first.” I smiled at the thought of how Jax is with Tommy. He loved him like his own. He always let him say hello to Abel, let him hold his cousin. Letting him gain that connection to his family even more, after I stupidly didn’t come home for seven years.

“I’m prospecting too. Though, with becoming public with Filip I may not last very long.” I look at the inscribing on the stone and sigh. “Hopefully the club can get behind us, though I have a feeling two or three of them might not.” I look back towards my bike when I hear the familiar rumble of a motorcycle. Seeing Bobby pulling up besides my bike and cutting off his engine.

I turn back to my brother’s headstone and stand up. Putting my hand to rest on top of the marble before pressing a kiss to it.

“See you soon, brother.” I whisper and make my way to Bobby.

“Thought I’d find you here.” He greets me and offers a cigarette over. I take it and he lights it for me. Inhaling the smoke, holding it in for a second then exhaling it gave me the small nicotine rush I needed for the day.

“Am I in trouble or something?” I huff as I lean against the body of my bike.

“Just wanted to see if you were okay.” Bobby replies, exhaling smoke from his own cigarette. I shake my head and look down at my boots. “Wanna talk about it?”

“Wouldn’t know where to start.” I sigh in defeat. I take another drag and exhale the smoke. “I mean… I finally have something going for me. I have a great son; I’ve got a partner who adores both me and my son. I’ve got the club.”

“But?” Bobby pushes.

“I don’t know.” I shrug and run a hand through my short locks. “I feel like shit from the past ain’t done with me yet.” And that was the truth. I was getting unsettled by the fact that those loan sharks hadn’t come knocking for their money. Ever since they followed me from Tommy’s school, I haven’t been able to keep from looking over my shoulder.

“Shit has a habit of biting us in the ass.” Bobby chuckles and throws his burnt cigarette bud to the ground. My own following suit. “But you’ll be okay. You’re stubborn. You’re strong. You got us.” I nod my head at Bobby’s words and grab my helmet to put on.

“We better get back to the clubhouse before Clay has us both hung from our ankles.” I joke and Bobby chuckles as I reeve my bike to life.

***

I had been helping out Piney in the office of the garage when Jax rode back in. I stood up from the desk and walked outside to meet him as he got off his bike.

“What’s going on, Jax?” I ask him. He shakes his head and puts his helmet onto the handlebars on his bike.

“Otto got attacked by Zobelle’s men.” He replies, his lips setting into a tight line once he finished. My eyes widened at the news.

“How the hell is the club going to react?” I press as we both head inside the clubhouse.

“Clay’s going to want an instant retaliation.” He responds.

“But that’s too risky.” I interrupt as I start to put the pieces together. “You’re gonna need the votes.”

“I know. Shame I can’t have your vote in this.” Jax frowns down at me. I shake my head and smile.

“You’ll get the numbers over Clay.” I assure him. My head turns when the sound of a Harley rumbles through the lot. Seeing Filip pulling up into the lot made some of the worries on my shoulders fade – but they still lingered when I remembered the club meeting that would be tonight.

“Convince your old man to be on our side.” Jax pats me on the shoulder before he walks over to where Bobby had been sitting.

I walk across the lot, watching as Filip pulled his bike up alongside my own. He didn’t look up at me at first as he cut off the engine, but once I was only a couple steps away he smiled up at me.

“You alright?” I ask him, coming to a stop just in front of his bike. He removes his helmet and tosses it to me. I catch it and put it on his handlebar as he gets off the back of the bike.

“Was fine. Then Opie opened his mouth.” He scowled as he came to wrap his arms around my midsection. Pulling me into his embrace and his lips pressing to my own. My hands came up to rest on his shoulders as I returned his affection. When he pulls away I raise an eyebrow at him.

“Can’t I kiss my woman?” He grins and I roll my eyes at him before pecking his lips again.

“Did you hear about Otto?” I ask him and he responds with a nod.

“Clay got a call after we finished talking to Oswald.” He replies and we pull away to start walking back to the garage. Piney had returned back into the garage itself to speak with one of the guys, so it was just the pair of us in the office.

“Zobelle isn’t messing around. But if we lash out in response, god knows what will happen.” I tell him. Filip collapses onto the chair behind the desk and reaches for my hand, pulling me so  that I sat on the desk in front of him.

“Jax doesn’t want to retaliate?” He asks as his thumbs rub against my jeans along my thigh.

“I don’t think we should. But I don’t get a vote in this.” I reply and he looks up at me. My hand subconsciously reaches out and cups his cheeks. My thumbs tracing the scars that lined each of his cheeks. Filip inhales deeply as he closes his eyes at my touch.

I really wanted to retaliate against Zobelle – especially after he hurt my mom. I’ve wanted to put a bullet through the man’s skull the moment I had saw her cry. But I needed to support Jax in this situation. I had to follow my brother so that the club could go back to the ideal that our father had for it and somehow get out of the gun business.

“I’ll back Jackie boy.” Filip tells me and reaches up to take my hands from his face. Holding them in my lap after he had kissed the backs of them.

***  

“Mommy!” Tommy cheers as the elevator opens, he runs towards me as I step out with Jax. I catch him in my arms and hold onto him as he giggles. “Grandma hit aunty Tara.”

“She what?” Jax demands as he looks at Tommy. Jax takes off to find Tara as I look at Tommy in surprise.

“Where’s Grandma now?” I ask him when I don’t see mom anywhere in the waiting area.

“She said I had to stay with aunty Tara. Then she left.” Tommy explains and frowns. “Am I in trouble with uncle Jax?”

“No baby.” I reassure him and brush his hair off his face. “He is just worried, that’s all.” I put him down on his own feet and take his hand. I look at Tommy’s hair and realise that he could really use with a haircut.

“How about we go get a haircut today?” I ask him and he nods his head with a smile. He quickly runs back over to his bag and picks it up along with his teddy, Toby.

***  

The ride to the barbers was fun with Tommy cheering the entire time. He really loved riding the motorcycle. When I pulled up, I noticed Clay, Tig and Opie were here too. Looking inside and seeing the trio, I decided to distract Tommy from the barbers.

“Do you want ice cream, bud?” I ask him as I point to the ice cream truck just down the road. When he nods his head, we get off the bike – but the trio were walking out of the barbers.

“Hi uncle Tig!” Tommy waves, but he is ignored by the man as he was looking across the street. Turning my head, I was quick to clock onto Zobelle’s thugs standing there. I pulled Tommy closer to me and looked back at the three men. Opie had saw them and had began walking towards them.

“Tommy stay here.” I demand as I put Tommy back on the bike. I quickly catch up to Opie and put my hands on his chest.

“Opie, stop!” I shout as he tries to push past me. Each time he stepped away I was quick to get back in front of him. “Ope! You can’t just be starting fights!” I yell again, only for him to ignore me. I look to the left to see Jax riding up behind me. He hops off his bike and makes Opie come to a standstill. I move away from Opie just as Zobelle’s right hand man pushes Jax’s bike over.

“Son of a bitch!” Jax shouts and then swings for the guy. I step back when the brawl begins and head back over to Tommy. He was watching the chaos and I could see he was getting upset. I hug him into me and turn my head to Clay.

“Happy now?!” I shout at him and he glares daggers into my skull. I don’t look away until Hale pulls up with some other deputies to start arresting the ones in the fight.

“Mommy, why did uncle Jax hit the man?” Tommy asks me as he looks up to me with tear brimmed eyes. I look where Jax was being put into a cruiser and shake my head.

“I’m not sure baby.”

***  

“What do you mean they have footage of me?” I demand. After the street brawl, I had returned back to the clubhouse with Tommy and mom. Mom had been the other side of the mess and when she saw us, she was quick to come over. Jax and Clay were released not long ago with the others and now I was standing in the clubhouse at the bar. Whilst my brother told me about Hale having a disc with my face as evidence on the explosion at one of Darby’s meth labs.

“They gave Hale the disc, but Hale seems to see things our way.” Jax tells me and I run a hand through my hair.

“Fuck.” I sigh and look over at Tommy and Filip playing on the pool table. “Where is it?” I ask Jax.

“I’ve got it. Gave it to Juice to wipe.” He reassures me. I nod my head. The settling worry of what could have happened if Hale had been on Zobelle’s side. I could have risked my entire life and the thought of losing Tommy made my heart bleed. I won’t lose my son.

“Look, Clay isn’t going to bring up you and Chibs in the meeting.” Jax tells me and I frown up at him. “I think he is more focused on the retaliation at the moment. But just talk to the guys and make sure that they’re on your side with this. It’s bound to come up sooner or later.”

“Yeah, I will.” I sigh and look back at Tommy.

“Let’s go!” Clay calls as he walks through the clubhouse to the chapel. Jax taps my shoulder and head into the chapel. Filip high fives Tommy before he enters the chapel too. Because it was a committee vote, I had to stay out the chapel for now. I walk over to join Tommy at the pool table as he rolled the white ball across the table.

“Want to play mommy?” Tommy asks as I stand next to him and nod my head in response.

We spend another five minutes playing pool, aka me trying to practise my shots for when I play with the others and Tommy rolling the ball and cheating as a child does. The worry of the disc was still plaguing my mind – now being added to it was the possibility of having to retaliate against Zobelle. Which could be bloody.

“Mommy?” I look down to my left to see Tommy looking up at me, his head tilted to the left.

“Sorry baby.” I apologise as I realise I let my thoughts get the best of me. I look down at him again and my chest pulls as I worry about the thought of him being taken from me. Could I keep doing this? In supporting Jax, I risked my whole world. But coming back into this world, I didn’t have an escape. I need the help of the club and Jax needs my help. I need to be careful with whatever the decision is.

“Tommy.” I say as I kneel down to match the height of my son. His attention turns to me as I put my hands on his shoulders. “You know that mommy loves you and I would never let anything happen to you.”

“Yeah. Mommy is a superhero. Like Wonder Woman!” Tommy replies. Beaming with his usual joyous smile, he looked at me. A smile made its way onto my lips after his words.

“I don’t think I can compare to her sweetheart.” I ruffle his hair up before standing back onto the heels of my feet. I turn as the chapel doors open and everyone starts to file out. Jax and Filip come over to me and Tommy – Tommy jumping into Filip’s arms.

“What was the verdict?” I ask Jax as the anticipation of whether I’d be preparing to be apart of something bloody was building up an anxiety I haven’t felt for years.

“We wait on retaliation.” Jax smiles and I sigh in relief. A smile creeping its way onto my face as we all walk outside the clubhouse. Tommy’s giggles fill my ears as Filip lifts him up over his  shoulder and running across the way with him.

“Careful boys!” I shout after them, earning a wink from Filip as he brings Tommy back to the floor.

“He really loves that kid.” Jax smiles as we watch Filip crouch down to Tommy. I give Jax a quick hug before walking to where my bike had been parked.

“Mom, can I help fix a car with Chibs?” Tommy asks as Filip instructs one of the guys to back up the truck being brought in. I nod my head and he runs back over to Filip. Tommy starts to copy Filip’s hand that was signalling for the pick-up to back the van up. Filip laughing at the copycat actions and ruffles my son’s hair. I shake my head and go to lean against my bike.

Noticing a piece of paper stuck to the back end of my bike, I frown. Moving over to it, I pull it off from where it had been taped to metal frame. Lookin over the envelope, I don’t recognise the writing on the front that said my full name in black ink. I tear my thumb through fold to get to the letter inside. Unfolding the paper, my hands begin to shake. A picture of George’s body at the side of the road was what greeted me. His bullet wound to the head looked fresh and the words scribbled at the bottom saying ‘you’re next’ cutting the air I was trying to gasp for.

“Riley!” The deep wave of heat blows the image from my hands as my body is flung backwards into my bike. Knocking the bike onto its side and causing the other bikes to clatter to the ground.

I gasp in pain as my hand grips my side, the still fresh bruises slamming against the concrete from the fall. My ears were ringing with a high pitched screech, as I tried to understand what had happened. How had I ended up on the ground? Remembering the feeling of being pushed, I look towards to the direction that the force came from. My eyes widening in horror when I see the van in a fiery inferno. My ears still ringing as I frantically push myself up, feeling hands on me as I try to balance myself.

Where’s Tommy?

My mouth widened with my cries as I saw my son on the concrete. His eyes closed as he clung to the body of Filip, as he had his arm hanging loosely around him. They were both unconscious. There’s blood. My legs wobble as I fight against the arms around me. I hear screaming. Not sure whether it was my own or someone else. I run over to where my son lay.

Jax was already trying to wake up Filip as I came crashing down to Tommy. My hands shaking as I reached out to my baby’s face. There was still a flush in his cheeks and his chest was uneven with breath.