Chapter 3

Sniper

"Dude, what's up with you?" Ink asks, smacking my arm. His already tatted-up arm continues to elbow me while he laughs. I shake my head, ignore him, and keep watching the front doors of the school. "You looking for your new girlfriend?" Ink teases. I reach out and grab him, making his eyes widen. "Hey!"

"Shut up," I advise, pushing him away. He stumbles back into the lockers, and our friends laugh.

"I think Sniper's got a crush," Hawk chuckles, making everyone laugh again. I roll my eyes and pull my eyes away from the doors.

"She hasn't been here since her first day. Why'd she come for one day and not the next?" I ask, looking at the guys.

"Maybe you scared her away," Ink laughs, and I punch his arm. I'm serious about this, and he's joking, but sometimes those jokes get old. Trust me.

Wolf shrugs, running a hand through his hair. Hawk's face scrunches up like he's thinking of reasons she wouldn't be here. Ink shrugs and rubs his bicep where I hit him. Drax just crosses his arms over his chest and leans against the wall. Reaper just stares with a blank expression.

"A lot of help you guys are," I mutter.

"How are we supposed to know, man?" Drax asks, then his eyebrows rise. "She's new, and we know nothing about her. Maybe she needed more time." He shrugs, throwing his arms up in annoyance.

Then, he stops and thinks about it for a second. "You think something happened?" I shake my head, then shrug. Like he said, we know nothing about her.

"I don't know," I say just as the bell rings. I sigh. It makes little sense that she'd skip two days at a new school unless Stuart scared her enough to tell her parents. I guess they could've kept her home to make sure she didn't get hurt. I wouldn't blame her, or them, with the way Stuart pinned her down. She'd looked so scared, and I'd been furious.

When she comes back, I'll make sure he doesn't touch her again.

On the other hand, I hope I didn't scare her away, like Ink joked.

I glance at the guys- the only people at school I hang with because we're in the same motorcycle club. My parents joined when King formed the club years ago. Hawk, Wolf, and I all grew up in the club. Then Reaper, Drax, and Ink joined after that. Since we're all about the same age, we became friends.

I turned eighteen during the summer. Working in a mechanic shop during the past few summers helped me bulk up, but so does fighting and sparring with my friends. We're all fairly tall, around five-ten and five-eleven with more room to grow. Queen always replies that we're, "her big, growing boys."

Hawk, whose birth name is Dominic, has brown hair and brown eyes. His build is slightly broader than mine, and he's eighteen, like me. His dad, King, is the President of Black Hawk Motorcycle Club, and Hawk's mom, Queen, is King's Old Lady- which means she's his one... his soulmate or whatever you want to call it. King always told us everyone has their 'one' out there.

Next is Wolf, or Axel. Wolf has red-brown hair and blue eyes, a mirror image of his parents, who have the same Scottish coloring. Wolf's dad, Iron, is the club's Vice President, and Ginger, Wolf's mom, is Iron's Old Lady. They came over from Scotland when they were in high school and returned to Redwater after graduating. They still have thick accents, but while Wolf's is noticeable, it isn't as prominent since he grew up in America.

We grew up together, and even though Wolf is a year younger than Hawk and me, he's close to us- a little under six feet and probably almost two hundred pounds. It's mostly muscle because we worked out and bulked up during the last couple of years, as I've said before.

Reaper's dad was a member who left after Reaper's birth, which was when Reaper's mother moved them both back to Italy. Years later, when we were teenagers, King invited them back to the club after tracking them down. He said they were still family, even if Wrecker left them.

Reaper came, but his mom split her time between Redwater and Italy, where they're from. Reaper is the biggest of us, standing at six foot one or two, I think. He spends a lot of time in the gym with weights, so his arms are basketballs. Also, he's the quiet character in the group because of his surly attitude and constantly neutral expressions. Then there's the black hair, olive tanned skin, and dark clothing that also adds to the image.

Then there's Ink, who joined a few years ago when King went looking for someone to work at the tattoo parlor. Ink's parents sent him away to boarding school and didn't bother to raise him, so he went kind of wild and got kicked out, which is when King found him on the streets tagging walls with art. King offered him a job and a home with the club. Ink was only fourteen, but the short probation period soon turned into a full-time job that he still works after school.

Now, Ink helps a senior member manage the tattoo parlor. He tends to be the comic relief of the group, always cracking jokes and lightening the mood. He's got blonde hair, blue eyes, a frame like mine- not too lean, but not bulky like Reaper, and he has tattoos all up one arm, and I'm sure he'll ink the other arm too.

Next, we have Drax, who has short, dirty blonde hair and dark blue eyes; he has what people call a 'fighter's body-' muscular and lean. He's a little more clean-cut than the rest of us due to his upbringing.

His dad used to be military and now runs a security company, so Drax grew up learning to protect people. It's a big focus in his family. They even have a family motto: Protect those who can't defend themselves. I think it's one reason King brought them into the club, to help keep us on the right track. To protect people, not hurt them like some other clubs.

Drax's dad also taught him to fight from a young age, so they are in charge of training members who want to learn to fight. There's even been talk of self-defense classes for the Old Ladies.

If you haven't noticed, there's a pattern here: good looking, muscular, and awesome- that's us.

"Let's go to class, man." Hawk pulls me from my thoughts before walking away. I glance back at the doors again, wondering where she is. The petite redhead burrowed in my mind so deep that I went to Queen about it. She's like the mother of the club; kind, understanding, and classically beautiful. She treats everyone equally, and she's been a mother to me since I was a child.

My parents aren't around, so if I ever have a problem, I go to Queen.

After years in the club, my parents just left. Left the club. Abandoned me. King and Queen pretty much took me in after that. If it weren't for them, I'd most likely be on the streets. And I honestly don't know what happened to my parents after they left, but I don't care. I love the family that accepted me with no questions.

Heading to class was more challenging than it usually is. I spend the walk trying to force my mind away from the image of Ruby with her bright red hair falling in perfect curls past her waist. Her shimmery brown eyes holding all of her emotions. Her fair skin, beautifully unblemished and perfect.

I had to speak to her as soon as I saw her. Don't know what it was. I've never needed to talk to a girl before, but it slammed into me like that itching need for sunlight after days of rain. I've always kept to my group and spoke to no one else. Call it close-minded or antisocial if you want. I don't care.

The few times I spoke to girls, I just didn't feel it. That palpable connection that's between the men and their Old Ladies. It wasn't there. I've seen how King and Queen interact and usually could tell when I won't get that from any high school girl I met.

But this girl... she's- I don't know.

"Dude, class," Drax says, pulling me out of my thoughts. I didn't even realize that we made it to the classroom. Shaking my head, I take a seat and lean back. The teacher moves to the front of the room and takes roll. Anastasia's name is called, and again, the teacher gets no reply. It grates on my nerves, fraying them.

Silently, I sit through class, wondering what to do about this situation. The teacher drones on and on about last night's reading. It wasn't until my teacher stopped by my desk to collect my work that I forgot to do it. Jeez. I was so busy thinking about Ruby that I'd completely forgotten about homework.

"What're you thinking?" Drax asks from beside me. I glance over to find him watching me intently, his gaze curious yet also knowing. He didn't have to ask because he knows exactly where my mind is. I can see it in his eyes as I shrug and run a hand through my sandy brown hair.

"Don't know. She could've just gotten sick, right?" He nods and sits back in his seat while I turn back to the front and try to listen to the teacher.

~*~

After school, we all make our way to Hawk's house, one of our usual hangouts. She never came. I've thought about it all day and can't figure out why I'm drawn to her. I talked to her once, and she won't leave my mind. How does one person get so stuck in your head?

"Boys, come inside. I made snacks," an airy voice calls out, stealing my attention. I dismount and find Queen standing in the front doorway. She's pulling her long brown hair up into a ponytail and smiling at each of us. For the millionth time, I wish she was my real mom as I walk toward her. Hawk reaches her first and kisses her cheek. Then she smiles as we all similarly greet her with a kiss on her cheek or hand.

"I made sandwiches because I know you boys are always hungry," she chuckles, gently pushing us through the door. My friends rumble in agreement, and I smile as we follow her like a row of ducks following their mama to food.

Their house is probably the largest I've ever seen, with three levels and at least twenty rooms. King had it built when he and Queen got married. They'd planned to turn it into a new compound, but the members and their Old Ladies established they were comfortable enough in the compound- which used to be a small hotel.

So now they use extra rooms here in the house for when we all stay over- almost every night- or when guests need additional rooms or if the club is full.

Queen isn't kidding when she says she has snacks. A whole platter of sandwiches sits on the kitchen counter with a pile of chip bags next to it and a case of cokes. Queen walks around the island and stops beside me. "Did you see your girl today?" I shake my head, which makes her frown. Her dainty hand pats my arm before she walks away. Most likely to find King.

"You've only talked to her once," Ink says, making me look up. "What's so special about her?" I glance around and notice several sets of curious eyes trained on me.

"I don't know. She's odd," I reply. "She was quiet and timid, more shaken up than she probably should've been when that prick hurt her in the hall," I growl, thinking back to when I had to help her breathe. I didn't know if I could calm her down. My heart had been racing in my chest, seeing her hyperventilate. It was awful.

Hawk steps forward and grabs my arm and my attention.

"WHO?"

"Stuart," I answer, and he knows. We've had issues with him before. He's mouthy. "I didn't tell you, but on her first day, Stuart had her pinned against the wall, and he was about to hit her. I don't think I've ever seen anyone so scared," I tell them. Hawk hums as set after set of eyes harden with anger. None of my friends like when men hurt women; it's one thing that none of us put up with.

"Did you deal with him?" Drax asks, standing straighter. I sigh. I didn't have a chance. I needed to help Ruby.

"No," I answer. "I was worried about Ruby and needed to make sure she was okay. When I looked back, he disappeared, so I left it alone."

Hawk turns to look at us, cracks his knuckles, and smirks. "We should pay him a visit then."

Just in time to catch the conversation, King and Queen enter the room. "Son, what's this about some boy putting his hands on a girl?" He asks, his usual deep voice sounding angry. We turn. They must've been right outside the door, listening.

One thing the club and King have taught me is that women are not things to use or abuse. They're to be cared for and loved- treasured, even. He and Queen explained early on how people would look at biker traditions. We just have to prove the cynics wrong.

"There's a new girl in school," I repeat. "I found a football player laying hands on her in the hallway. Had his hand around her neck when I interrupted," I explain. "I got some punches in before I had to make sure she was okay." King hums and crosses his arms. Queen leans against his chest, a worried expression in her pretty eyes and a sound of protest on her lips, which pulls King's attention from us. He kisses her forehead, whispering something we don't hear.

Anyway, I look away because I feel as if I'm interrupting an intimate moment.

"We'll teach him a lesson," Hawk speaks up. When I look up again, his parents aren't kissing anymore, and King nods. Queen takes mine and Hawk's hands in hers with a light squeeze.

"You show him what happens when he hurts a woman," she spits, venom in her tone. We both nod. Queen isn't usually violent until you hurt one of her cubs. Then all hell breaks loose. She's very protective of us. It's nice to see and again makes me wish she was my mom instead of the woman who abandoned me.

"Come now, Isaiah," she says, grabbing King's hand. He chuckles and allows her to lead him out of the room. Hawk fake gags, and we all laugh. His parents are always like this, loving and soft with each other. If you separate them, though, they're like wolves that lost their mate; vicious.

Apparently when King first met Queen, she was alone. When we were old enough to understand, he told us the story of how he found Queen alone on the road. She'd just gotten kicked out of her house for no reason by her parents. He saw her, thought she was beautiful and sad, then went to talk to her. Queen told us King offered her a place to stay, and the rest is, as they say, history.

King made sure we all knew that we should cherish our woman and treat her like a Queen when we met her. He also told us that when we found her, we'd know, like how he knew with Queen.

"Let's go," I announce. All this is making me want to know where Ruby is even more. The guys all make sounds of agreement and follow me out of the kitchen. When we reach our bikes, we mount up. If Stuart thinks he can get away with hurting Ruby, then he's dead wrong.

The ride back to school is short. Stuart should be here because the football team has practice most days after school. After confirming the team is here, we hang around the parking lot, waiting for practice to be over. We don't want to march onto the football field because I'm sure there's at least one coach out there with them.

It'll be better to wait.

"You wanna take him alone?" Wolf questions, leaning against his bike. I nod, and they send me interested and curious stares. I can't explain it. A need to defend her swells in my chest. She looked so scared huddled against the wall the other day. It wasn't just that time, either. During class, there was something off about her. Her eyes held emotions I didn't want to see from her again. Sadness, exhaustion, fear, and hopelessness.

"Here he comes," Ink sings, rubbing his hands together. I roll my eyes and look to the left, where Stuart exits the field house with a duffle bag slung over his shoulder. He notices us and immediately stops in his tracks when I narrow my eyes and step forward.

"We have unfinished business."

Stuart's face changes from surprised to scared quickly, his face pales, he drops his bag, and his eyes widen. He goes to take a step back, but before he can move, I grab him and throw him against the wall, like he did with Ruby.