Pull

The room was spinning when I made an attempt to open my eyes. Groaning, I turned onto my side slowly and leaned my head over the side of the bed. It took me a moment to register where I was, but it all slowly came to me. Luckily, I was in my own bedroom in the clubhouse, all tucked in with my new pajamas from Gemma and a bottle of Jack empty on the floor. 'Please tell me I didn't drink that whole fifth,' I whined to myself. The empty bottle indicated otherwise, however. As did the massive headache, and the feeling of being hit by a mack truck. I rolled slowly out of bed, examining the pajama's and hoping it wasn't Tig that had undressed me. That would make the already fuzzy memories of the evening even more awkward.

I vaguely remember challenging Tig to a pool match, but the outcome was lost on my liquor logged brain. Apparently I remember less of the evening than I thought. I stood as slowly as I could, stretching, listening to all of the cracks and pops my body made from being confined to one position for my slumber. Gathering a new set of clothes and the toiletries, I headed to the attatched shower to wash the alcohol out of my pores, and to get myself ready for the day. I finished my showering business and applied a small amount of eye makeup to my chocolate brown eyes, tossing my black hair into a low sideways messy bun, and tossing on the long sleeve, low V-neck dark gray shirt, and my dark wash ripped skinny jeans. I walked out into the room and found my almost knee-high biker boots and tossed those on as well. They had been a christmas gift from Ace from years ago, and I loved the hell out of them. Even though they were very worn, I couldn't bring myself to get rid of them.

After making sure I looked decent enough for public, I headed down to the main area of the clubhouse. It was silent except for Half-Sack mopping the floor. Normal prospect duties, I mused.

"Mornin', Sack," I greeted. He looked like he jumped out of his skin.

"Oh, uh.. Hi Shiloh," he muttered shyly.

"Dude, if you're ever gonna get by in this club, you're gonna have to quit being shy," I said, chuckling.

"Yeah, I know. You uh...look real pretty today," he stammered.

"Thanks, man. I appreciate it," I smiled as I walked to the door to head to the garage.

It appeared that Opie was the only one there, though I knew Gemma was in the office probably working on backed up paperwork. I slowly approached the large man in the Teller-Morrow uniform and leaned up against the purple volvo he had his head under the hood of.

"Hey Ope," I said nonchalantly. He almost hit his head as he jumped up in shock and stared at me like I was a ghost. I suppose to him, I might as well have been.

"They told me you were back, but I thought they were just yanking my chain," he said, closing the gap and enveloping me in a bone crushing hug which I did my best to return.

"I'm really back," I laughed. "Thankfully Clay didn't kill me for my little... slip-up," I finished.

"He was pretty mad, but you're like a kid to him, and a little sister to all of us. You covered your tracks pretty well, so he's fine. Plus, Gemma pulled some strings too," he said.

"I kinda figured that," I smiled. "Any idea on when that piece of crap ford Escorts gonna be done being repaired?" I enquired.

"I think you're better off finding a new car," he said, wincing. "What'd you pay for that, 10 dollars?"

"300," I shrugged. He winced.

"Waste of money," he responded.

"Probably," I admitted.

"I'll check out some auto mags for you, see if I can find anything cheap, but worth the money. You should probably grt a job in the meantime before Gemma decides you need a Lamborghini and goes off the hook," he said, a small smile on his bearded face.

"Definitely. She's done enough already. I have to be able to support myself. Thanks Ope," I said, hugging him again.

I wandered off to try to find someone who could give me a lift into town, but it appeared that all of the Bikes were off the lot. I checked the office to no avail. Not even Gemma was around. Ah well. I went back to the clubhouse and grabbed a pool stick to entertain myself. Shooting balls around was better than nothing, I figured. As I practiced my technique, I lost myself in thought again. I couldn't get a certain pair of ice blue eyes out of my head. I realize that they had been lodged there since I returned here. It was beginning to freak me out a little bit that someone like that was stuck on my mind. I wished I could pass it off as me being intoxicated, but I wasn't so sure that was it.

If I were being honest with myself, I had soberly been noticing little details about him. The way he moved. Like a predator, stalking his kill. His sick sense of humor. For some reason I wasn't convinced that he was really like that. It had to be a front. I mean sure, he's done some sick stuff, but there had to be something more to him. The question was 'did I want to figure it out?' I couldn't find an accurate answer to that. Part of me wanted to say yes, to make it my personal project to unravel everything that made up Alex Trager. But part of me was telling me, begging me to stay away. Telling me that he was dangerous and it would be a mistake to get mixed up in someone like him.

I wasn't sure which side would win. The pull toward him was almost too much to refuse. Ace trusted the dude with his life, considered him a best friend at one point. Ace would have throttled me if he knew what I was thinking. He would have ripped my head off and banned me from ever setting foot on this property if he had any idea that I had taken a slight interest in Tig. I was so torn. On one hand I thought that maybe the reason I got stuck back in Charming was because I was supposed to be here. On the other, I wasn't sure I knew where I belonged. I sighed heavily and sank my last ball without really realizing that I had gotten that far. I gazed blankly at the table for a moment before putting my stick away and turning to leave, only to run head on into Bobby.

"Whoa, there girly, where you headed?" he chuckled, grabbing my by the arms and holding me steady.

"Jesus, Bobby, you scared the shit out of me," I gasped.

"I'd think I was the least scary of the bunch wandering around here," he said, smiling.

"You're all equally dangerous, I'm no fool," I responded.

"Ah. we'd never hurt you , kid, you know that," he said.

"I wish you gentlemen would quit calling me kid. I'm almost 28 years old," I said, playing anygry.

"You're a kid compared to me, Shiloh," Bobby said seriously.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm still almost 30 though," I responded.

"When is that birthday of yours? It's coming up if I remember correctly," he questioned, looking at me over the rims of his glasses.

"I forgot?" I lied

"I don't believe it," I scolded.

"Okay, okay... But I don't want Gemma to go overboard or anything. It's this Friday... like... 2 days from now Friday," I said.

"I thought it was. I'm sure Gemma already knows, dear," Bobby said, smiling and patting me on the head. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some paperwork to get done for the club," he said before walking over to the computer and booting it up.

"I was hoping maybe she'd forget," I muttered.

"Don't count on it, sweetheart. Gemma don't forget anything," Bobby replied, his back to me.

"I know," I replied. "Just wishful thinking."

_________________________________________________________________

After an hour or so more of me hanging out in the clubhouse, listening to Prospect do his various chores, and Bobby typing away at his computer while making small talk, Juice entered the clubhouse and sat down next to me on the couch, propping his booted feet up on the end table. It took me a moment to realize that he was wearing nothing but what looked like a diaper. I gave him a strange look before he held up a hand.

"Don't ask me, man. I woke up like this," he muttered.

"You should probably not piss your MC off," I retorted.

"Tig told me they were vitamins," he explained.

"There are no circumstances under which I would ever ingest anything given to me by Tig. You're an idiot," I replyed.

"I thought it was speed," he said sheepishly.

"I have even less sympathy for you, you drug addled dolt," I said, swatting him in his tattooed head.

"Aw come on, Shi, I just do it occasionally," he responded, rubbing his head where I had hit him.

"I don't agree with drugs and you know it. I never have and I never will," I said. "And again, next time Tig hands you something, I suggest you flush it. It's only going to cause trouble,"

Juice at least had the decency to look ashamed. "Yeah, I know," he muttered.

"It's all good, Juicy," I said. He rolled his eyes at the term of endearment before walking towards the hallway leading to the dorms. I figured he was going to clean himself up. From what I could gather, someone had either stapled or safety pinned something to his chest, and he was bleeding a little. Bobby had finished whatever he was doing just in time for the rest of the group to enter the clubhouse. Clay went straight for the church, which I was assuming meant business. Jax came over to give me a hug and assure me that he didn't let Tig anywhere near me last night. I wasn't sure If I felt relieved or upset at that. I suppose those were thoughts for a later time.

The guys all headed into church one by one, Juice being the last one in. Half-sack continued about his business, knowing that church was only for patched in members. I watched as the door closed, catching only a glimpse of Tig, but not realizing I was watching him. Shit. It's becoming second nature. I had to stop this. I rose from my perch on the couch and walked back out to the parking lot to cross the expanse to reach the garage office, hoping this time, Gemma was there. Luckily, she was, leaning back in her chair with her feet propped up, glasses perched neatly on the bridge of her nose and she read the backed up paperwork.

"Hey, Gem," I greeted, taking the seat opposite her.

"Hey sweetheart, what's going on?" she asked, taking her glasses off and putting the paper down.

"Not a whole lot. Hey, can you maybe drive me into town later so I can grab some job apps? Opie suggested I just scrap the Escort and get a new ride," I said.

"I can front you the money," Gemma suggested.

"No, it's alright. If i'm going to be in Charming, I need to take care of myself. I can't just stay cooped up in the clubhouse all day, I'll go mad," I said.

"You always were the independant one. I know the woman who owns the Charming Diner, I can put in a word for you there, plus, I have a lot of paperwork backed up here, you can help out with. These men know nothing of filing," she said, smiling.

"I was thinking more along the lines of CaraCara," I said, looking down and twiddling my fingers for added effect.

"Shiloh, you better be kidding or I'll give you a beating you will never forget," Gemma said, glaring at me.

"Of course I'm kidding, Gem. The diner is fine, I guess. It's a job, right?" I said, halfheartedly. I wasn't too much of a people person, but I could fake it till the cows came home.

"It is that. I'll put in a word as long as you can promise me that there isn't going to be any more homocides," she replied jokingly.

"That debt was paid," I replied.

"Alright. I'll let you know what she says. Good work is hard to find around this town," she said and went about looking for the number to the diner.

Now I just had to occupy myself until I got word of the job.