Teaching Aleck (The Last Hangman MC #2)(3)

I eventually stop fighting and wait for the final blow, but it never comes.

I fall to my knees, breathless, not having the strength to keep myself upright.

After what seems like forever, Anthony walks over to me and extends his hand. I look up and take it. He helps me up, but doesn’t let go of my hand.

“You might not think you need a friend to listen to why you are in such a state and letting whatever it is eat you up, but when you do, I’m here.” He nods at me once and lets go of my hand before walking to his bike and driving away.

I’m left standing by my car in the parking lot, confused and in pain, both physically and mentally.

I stare at the ground for long minutes and get in my car, driving home as safely as I can.

******

After that night, I stopped doing drugs. I threw what I had left down the toilet and tried to get better. I was done feeling like shit. I needed to get my life back on track. If not for me, for Cas, I owed it to her.

It was difficult, but I knew I was heading down a really dangerous path if I didn’t change. The fight with Anthony made me realize how bad I had let things go.

Showing up to work the next day was fun, needless to say as soon as they saw my busted lip, black eye, bruises all over my face and plastered knuckles, I was fired from the firm before even officially starting. Weirdly, I was okay with it. I never thought I’d make a good lawyer. I never wanted it, but when it came to me picking a career path, my parents didn’t give me the choice, I had to bust my ass to do something I hated for two years.

I took a couple of days, shutting myself off from the world, to focus on myself and get in better shape.

Stopping heroin cold turkey wasn’t easy, but I managed. I also trashed my place in the process, but cleaning up the mess kept me busy.

It took me a couple more days after that to have the balls to call Anthony, but I did and spilled my guts to him, not once did he judge me. He listened to me and weirdly, it felt good to let it all out. It didn’t help with the pain of losing my sister, but it felt like a weight had been lifted and I wasn’t alone anymore. He promised he would never tell anyone and that whenever I needed a friend, I could call him.

It was hard at first, I’ve never had many friends and even then, I couldn’t really call them friends. I ended up calling him again a couple of days later and we started to hang out pretty frequently. He never usually brought me to the compound, but one day Cabe had apparently asked him to bring me there. I was scared shitless, to say the least. I finally had my shit together, I was clean, only drinking the occasional beer with Ant when we were hanging out, but never going overboard. I was in better shape, working out whenever I got the chance. Let’s just say, I didn’t want trouble with them.

I’ll always remember that day…

I follow Ant’s Harley in my truck to the compound. Everybody is staring at me as I walk with Ant inside.

I have no idea what to expect. I’ve never been in a compound. I don’t know how they will treat me or what will happen. I hate to admit it, but I’m shitting my pants.

Ant motions for me to walk in a room where the door is open and Cabe is sitting at the head of the table.

“Sit down son,” Cabe says. I can’t help the mixed feelings I get from him calling me son. I let it go and sit down. I start to get really nervous when Ant closes the door behind me with him still on the other side. Now, I’m not a *, but I’m not one to mess with bikers. Even if I tried to beat one up a couple of months ago…

“I don’t know what you’re going through, but obviously, it was bad enough for you to try to pick up a fight with one of us. I know you and Ant have been hanging out a lot, and patched things up.” I nod, not sure what to say to him. “Don’t be so nervous, nothing bad is going to happen.” He chuckles.

“Well, can’t blame me for being nervous.” I shrug and chuckle nervously.

“True, Ant talked a lot about you, didn’t share your story, but told me it was bad enough for you to put yourself in such a state. Are you clean now?”

“Yes, I am, haven’t touched drugs since that night. Can’t say the same for alcohol though.” I chuckle softly.

“Not blaming you there. As I was saying, I know you’ve been hanging out a lot with Ant and have been quite curious about the MC.” He looks at me very seriously.

“Ah, yes.” There’s something about Cabe, when he looks at you as seriously as he is looking at me right now, that turns your blood to ice.

“Why?”

I sigh and rub my face. “I don’t know how much Ant has told you, but I was brought up in a lifestyle 100% different from yours. No love, no real family but my sister. Sure, we had money, but it doesn’t bring you happiness. Can’t say I wasn’t jealous of the family he has, blood related or not. I wanted to know how the dynamic worked, and maybe how to become a member of said family. I know I’m nothing like your guys out there, but it was worth asking.” I hold his gaze, he knows I’m nervous, but I also want him to see how serious I am about this. Even if I now have my shit together, I could slip back into my old habits at any moment.

“We are indeed one big family, blood related or not, we care about our members and their friends. I’m not sure you would fit in with the lifestyle of the club but if you want to hang around and just spend time here and make friends, you can. Not sure how it would work out for you, but if you feel at home and enjoy it, we can consider making you a prospect.” I’m pretty sure I look totally stupid right at this moment or maybe like a kid who’s been promised the best present ever if he behaves. I stare at him in disbelief and excitement at the promise of maybe getting something that would look like a family.