I sat around the six-person wooden table in Gloria's dining room trying to figure out how I had gotten here.

Drew played his part really well.

I didn't know whether to be impressed, or feel extremely played and pissed off at him. I guess I would make up my mind when I saw him depending on how I felt.

I looked over to Cole who was leaning on the L shaped countertop that was between the dining room and kitchen. He was looking out of Gloria's window through her cream colored curtains.

He was no longer the tender Cole who had just asked me to marry him. His eyes were dark and his jaw hardened. He was back to President Thomas, ice cold, scary and calculating. His whole face changes when he becomes this Cole...The Cole that scares and kills people.

Instantly my stomach dropped. I got a sick feeling, like the time outside the club, right before we got the call that Cole had been shot.

I pushed it to the back of my mind and chalked it up to anxiety of the hard road ahead of us. While Cole and I had sorted our issues, we still had shit to deal with and my anxiety was heightened.

"Can I getcha anything to drink Hailey?" Gloria asked in her southern drawl as she poured herself a shot of silver tequila.

"Sure, tequila's fine, thanks" I nodded to the bottle as I stood from the chair.

She poured one for me and held her hand up to me. I took the shot from her, throwing it back easily.

"Another? You probably need it with what's coming" my stomach lurched when she said that

"Probably" I half smiled at her and gave my glass back to her for another shot.

She poured two this time, handing me one and holding the other up to cheers.

I took the clear shot glass and held it, following her lead.

"Welcome to the crazy ass family" she winked and smiled before clinking the small glass in my hand.

"Thank you" I shyly smiled

"Cole must have told you?" I asked quietly

"Where do you think that beautiful ring came from?" She featured to my hand.

"It's gorgeous" I really didn't want to talk about this.

Luckily I heard bikes rumbling and Cole came over to the table rescuing me.

"Ready to do this?"

I felt Cole grab my wrist and pull me to him. I wrapped my arms around his torso and rested my head on his chest for a second before I tilted my head up to him allowing him to lean down and kiss me softly on the lips.

"I love you Hail"

"I love you" I whispered

"She's ready" we both looked over to Gloria when she said that. I was a little surprised she said that, she doesn't even know me. She gave me a long look, like she was staring into my soul through my eyes.

"She's a lot tougher than you think son"

"Oh I know, don't go freaking her out with your voodoo hoodoo ma and making predictions"

I'm sorry...What was that?

That's interesting. Cole never talked much about his mom, maybe that's why, she's bat shit crazy. We will probably get along great.

I heard a few bikes pull up and shut down, then heavy footsteps up Gloria's wooden steps, before just walking right in the door.

Ghost was the first in the door, he smiled at me and shrugged his shoulders, as if to say 'sorry I had to'

Next was Drew, who hurriedly made his way over to me.

He was met with my fist once he reached me. It was a fucking hard connect to his nose, I heard a crack,

I was so fucking pissed.

I screamed so loud it hurt my throat

"Fuck!" both of his hands flew up to his face and he stomped his foot down as he doubled over.

"Oh shit" I heard Ghost say through a laugh.

"Whoa babe" I felt Cole wrap his arms around me, lift me up and hold me to his chest so I couldn't move, restraining me.

"Get your hands off me Cole, this bitch" I kicked a leg at Drew since Cole didn't have my legs tied up. Drew was upright again and someone threw him a towel for his nose.

"Heeey knock it off, Drew was doing what I told him to do" he told me sternly.

"Why did all of you do that, why didn't you just-"

I was defeated and slumped down in Coles arms. He let me go and turned me to look at him.

"Because when I told you I had nothing to do with the night at Lana's you didn't believe me. You had Lana not trusting Ghost too. I knew you'd only come back to me and trust me if you did whatever it was you needed to do to get your mind right. You have been through trauma that most people will never know and your mind plays tricks on you. There wasn't anything anyone of us could have said to you to make you believe and trust us. The easiest way was just to let you discover on your own the truth we already knew, that we didn't have anything to do with that night. It's all been my old man. There is so much you don't know, that I haven't been able to tell you, but you know the night I came home soaked in blood?" He paused and I nodded

"I think Rex set me up for something he can hold over me later. My father used to love me more than anything, his only son. He taught me to ride and run a club. Supported me when I wanted to leave Cali and start my own charter here. I never thought I'd be thinking about doing what I've been thinking about doing, but now that he's coming for you too, I'm thinking it"

Cole's eyes were sad and almost tormented.

"I'm sorry"

"Baby? Why are you sorry? My father tried to kill you and steal your money. He's trying to set me up. You have nothing to apologize for. This is another conditioned learned response from your experience with Ryan. You have nothing to be sorry for"

I blocked out everyone else in the room and kissed Cole so hard for what he had just said.

My arms went around his neck, hands in his hair. His arms wrapped around me and held me tight to him. It was a little much in front of a room of people but I didn't care, they were my family.

"If y'all keep it up I'll have me a grand baby soon" Gloria quipped

That broke us up

"Ma" Cole's voice went high pitched.

Don't think he's ready for a baby.

I'm pretty sure I was blushing. I focused back on the previous discussion.

"I get why you did it, it's just" I looked from Cole to Drew

"I really thought you were my friend" I glared at him.

Drew's face fell

"I am your friend Hail, I wanted to help you and keep you out of trouble on the way. Rex is a real threat and he is at the house. It was the only way to get the money. Cole knew Rex wouldn't question me or Ghost being out there and we'd get in and out quickly" he tried to explain himself.

I sighed

"Yeah I get it. I just don't like being made to look like a fuckin fool but I forgive you" I gave Drew a hug

"Is it broke?" I looked at his nose

"Feels like it"

"It ain't broke, it would be gushing blood, not just trickling. Phoenix spared your pretty face" Bennie teased him.

Bennie was here?!

"Alright" Cole announced to the room bringing all eyes to him.

"The only people I can trust in the club right now is pretty much everyone in this room. Doesn't mean that the rest aren't, just not 100% sure" I looked around because I didn't see who walked in after Drew.

The magnificent seven...

Duck, Bennie, Ghost, Lana, Drew, Seven, Cole. Diesel was also there and Gloria.

"Lana!" I rushed to her and hugged her

"I didn't know, Ghost explained everything after you and Drew left Cole's place" she whispered

I squeezed her tight

"I know it's okay"

From the beginning these were my people in the club.

"We don't have a lot of time because I know he's moving something big. We move tonight to finish this" Cole addressed the room.

———————————

Author's Note:

Hey! It's been forever since I've updated, I know, sorry 🙁I had the biggest block ever with this story. I just couldn't get where I wanted it to be. I re-wrote it a couple times, scrapped it and started over. I'm happy with where it's at now and I'll be able to make regular updates again🥳

Exciting news! Starting Over In Sin City has been entered into the Watty's 2019!🤯

I'm pretty new to here, so I'm not really sure what that means, but thank you all so much for the 5k views that got me here❤️💋

If you love Sin City and Hailey and Cole as much as I do, please vote ⭐️ because I think that's how it works. I'm really not sure. If any of my readers know please let me know 😂

Again, so sorry it's been forever. Flying to take care of family for 2 out of 3 months messed my brain up but...

She back!

Love A💋