'The fights, the falls, the scars and broken bones

Beneath it all, the cracks begin to show'

After the five of us got dressed, Flynn began talking about business; but I couldn't focus. I lit a smoke and tried to take everything in but couldn't. Luckily whatever was being said will be recorded, and now I know that my little lighter can record safely.

Before I know it, Flynn is leaving, and people are talking again. "Tyson!" Mormon calls. He is making his way over to me with two other guys, maybe only a little older than me.

"You're with us tonight," he says but I just look at him confused. "Didn't you hear Ace?"

I cough. "Yeah sorry."

"This is Diesel and Buck."

I shake both their hands, desperately trying to grasp a memory of what Ace just spoke.

"Let's hurry up so we can go for a drink," Buck says.

I follow them to the back of the clubhouse and into a garage. "Prospect start loading," Diesel says as he opens a car trunk.

I turn to the direction he pointed and see the white bags stacked up. We are moving drugs.

I do what is asked without complaint, but I feel like I need to speak for the sake of evidence. "Do you guys every try the supply?" I try to ask confidently but there is a hesitation to my tone.

They all pause to look at me and I just stare back helplessly.

"Fuck sake, are you a junkie?" Diesel asks.

"No-"

"Don't touch that shit, ice fucks you up," Buck puts in.

"I won't," I feel like I have got enough and continue to work in silence.

We spend the next few hours driving around, dropping off bags to different suppliers. We collect money, sometimes intimidate before moving on to the next.

"Let's go get some pussy," Diesel says.

"Well Mormon can just watch," Buck chuckles.

"Prospect, come have a drink with us."

"Sure," I say, knowing that I don't really have a choice.

We walk into a bar that must be owned by The Lost Souls, because drinks are immediately poured for us as we approach the bartender. A second later two girls are clinging to Buck and Diesel, I guess they know Mormons reputation.

"Is this a prospect?" One of the girls ask.

"Yeah," Diesel answers as the girl comes up to me, slowly licking her lips.

"When you are a full member, I'm going to suck your dick all night," she bites the bottom of her lip.

I take a sip of my whiskey. "I'm good, thanks."

Buck spits his drink out as Diesel and Mormon laugh.

"It will be the best blow job you've ever had," the girl says defensively.

I sigh. "Doubt it."

"OH SHIT!" Buck laughs, and the girl shoots him a glare. "Don't worry, you can suck my dick all night," he says to try and cheer her up.

"Looks like we have another Mormon," Diesel says.

For some reason this seemed to be the icebreaker for us, I found it easy to talk to them after; and even enjoyable. As Buck and Diesel are occupied with their girls, Dane and I talk. "This must be hard for you," he says.

"Hmm?" I sip my drink.

"Not really having a choice but to join, we've never had anyone like you before. A lot of people would kill to be a part of this club."

I know that I need to choose my words carefully. "I think the hard part is that no one will ever trust me because of it, I can tell Mole doesn't."

"Mole is a tosser. Pretty much only Ace likes him. It might be hard for a bit, but you will see the brotherhood soon enough. These guys will take a bullet for you eventually."

For the first time I feel something I was never expecting. A pang of guilt. Dane has done nothing but be nice to me and all I've done is gather incriminating evidence on him.

"What made you want to join?" I ask changing the subject.

He shrugs. "I love to ride; I wanted brothers, and I can knock someone out with one punch."

I smile at this, he doesn't look like a fighter but then neither do I. "Plus the perks are pretty good," he clinks his glass against mine.

Buck and Diesel come back over. "You guys keen to get out of here?" Buck asks.

Mormon downs his drink. "Angie will be missing me."

Diesel rolls his eyes with a smile, he is about to make a comment- no doubt a smart ass one, when the bar door is opened aggressively. Three guys walk in, all with black leather jackets. For a moment I think they are a part of The Lost Souls, but then I see the bones patch and know that this is a rival gang.

The two girls seem to disappear as quickly as they came, and Mormons hands tighten at his side. The three of them stride up to us and then order with the bartender, who hesitates and looks between our groups.

"This isn't Bones territory," Diesel says calmly.

"Just like those drugs you delivered weren't in your territory," one spits back. His eyes hold nothing but coldness, while the other two look angry.

They are ready for a fight.

I wasn't exactly sure on all the protocols, but I did know how easily wars could start between gangs, but surely no one rivalled us- that seemed insane.

"You should leave." Mormon says his tone is calm, but his fist is still clenched.

"Or what fuckface?"

"You really want to do this?" Buck says.

"The Lost Souls think they can get away with everything," he spits on the ground.

Diesel smirks. "That's because we are the fucking best," he says arrogantly.

Their guy moves his tongue to the other side of this cheek before smiling, then he shoves Diesel back with such force; he hits the bar.

I know my rules well enough to know what needs to be done.

I jump at the guy, fist first, smashing into his mouth.

Buck then headbutts the second guy as Mormon moves to the other. I reach into my pocket, sliding my fingers into the knuckle dusters, but I'm greeted with a knife. His cold eyes daring me to make the first move, as his tongue darts out to lick the blood on his lip. He smiles dangerously, and I grip my weapon tighter.

He slashes quickly to my right but I dodge, then he does the same to my left. I block his arm before smashing the knuckle duster into his face. He stumbles back, but I continue to hit him over and over. He falls to the ground, still clutching the knife. I stand over him, pinning his arm down with my foot before I continue to lay into him.

One of my members pull me away from him, and when I look around; I notice one knocked out and the other groaning on the ground. "You can't fucking kill him," Mormon says as he clutches to me, trying to calm me down.

I breath heavy, staring at his fucked-up face. I push Mormon away from me. "I'm good," I breathe.

Was I though? Would I have stopped? I make my way outside, needing to taste clean air. He came at me with a fucking knife, what else was I meant to do?

"Let's go before more rock up," Diesel says as we all head for the car.

Mormon drives as Buck begins to laugh. "Prospect, you are a fucking psycho!"

"Did you see how quickly he had my back?" Diesel laughs too.

"I see now why they call you Buck," I say as I remember his headbutt. To this they all burst out into laughter, and I find myself joining in. The adrenalin pumping so quickly, I felt like I could do just about anything right now.

It wasn't until we all get back to the clubhouse and see an angry Mole waiting for us, that the adrenalin starts to wear off.

"He wants to see you," Mole says seriously.

The three of us head to Ace's office with Mole trailing behind, shutting the door behind us as we step in.

Ace looks collected but he doesn't offer a smile. "I just had a phone call from the leader of Bones," he says as Mole moves to stand beside him. "He says a prospect started a fight with some of his members," Ace's eyes fall to me. "He is calling for blood."

"He's a fucking agitator!" Mole says accusing me. "I told you that he is a fucking rat and now he is trying to start a war with a gang- a gang we only just managed peace with!"

"Shut the fuck up Mole," Diesel says.

"What the fuck did you just say?" Mole returns but Ace holds his hand up to silence everyone.

"What happened?" Ace directs his question to Mormon.

"Three of their members came into our pub, claiming we delivered drugs in their area. We asked them to leave but they pushed Diesel, Tyson then punched him. Then everyone started throwing punches. Tyson did as he was meant to, a prospect must protect a member no matter the circumstance."

"That's right!" Diesel puts in.

"You had your bothers back?" Ace turns his head to me but I just nod. "You're bleeding," he says pointing to my hand. I look down and see the blood dripping from my fingers, then notice the slice in my leather jacket.

Ace sighs. "They started it?"

"Without a doubt," Buck says.

Mole looks like he is about to explode, his eyes never leave mine; and all I want is to round the desk and smash him in his stupid face. "Leave it with me," Ace says, waving us away.

We turn to leave, and I try and hide my smirk to Mole. "Tyson you stay, everyone else out."

Mole death stares me as he passes me. "Take your jacket off," Ace says. Then he points to the seat. I sit down, feeling extremely confused. He pulls out a plastic box from one of his drawers.

He rounds the table with a needle and some sort of thread. He examines the slice on my arm with a serious expression. "Needs stitching." I flinch as the needle moves into my skin. "You didn't feel this?"

"I can now," still confused about this small act of kindness.

"Adrenalin," he smiles. "The best feeling. Unfortunately, it can become a drug, and the fix will be harder and harder to reach."

"Adrenalin is overrated, you and I know that better than anyone," I say.

He pauses. "So it was instinct?"

"What do you think?" I ask seriously.

He bites the end of the thread and hands me my jacket. "I think you've always been the protector, and one day it will get you killed."