Welcome Home

Chapter One

It was a hot summer's day when a beat up, blue pick up truck rolled into town. The truck caught everyone's attention when it pulled into the bar and autoshop shared parking. Men wandered forward, cleaning their hands or rags and wiping the sweat from their brows, curiosity consuming all of them.

To everyone's surprise, a woman in a white sundress jumped out, looking around with a strange look on her face. To anyone seeing her, they’d think that it was confusion but to her… she was reliving memories, it was like deja vu. One of the guys in the auto shop walked forward with a friendly smile.

“Hey, I’m Gunner, can I help you?” He asked and she smiled at his road name, there was always a ‘Gunner’. She shook her head slightly with a thankful smile.

“I’m meeting a friend.” She told him, just as the bars door opened and a middle aged man with dark skin, wearing a hat with greying facial hair rushed out, a smile gracing his face when he saw her standing there. He opened his arms and she laughed, racing into them. 

“Uncle Kalvin.” She spoke, more to herself than anyone in particular as he lifted her into the air, laughing with joy at having her there.

“Welcome home, Princess.” Kalvin placed her down as she looked to the voice that spoke the nickname that she almost forgot that she had. There he stood, looking just as lanky with salt and peppered hair and facial hair that was more on the grey side now, with a crooked smile that took her back to her childhood.

“Uncle Dennis.” She whispered, leaping into his arms. He stumbled slightly, catching her and holding her close. His eyes were scrunched closed as he thanked whatever higher power there was for bringing her home.

Once they pulled apart, they realised how many eyes were on them and she chuckled as Dennis glared at them before she was guided inside.

“Who is she?” Gunner questioned to the other men in the garage as they watched their tough Club Prez and VP become softies for this young woman. The guy who managed the garage smiled, throwing his rag down.

“Y’know the old Prez, Prez’s older brother - Blade’s best friend?” He asked and they nodded, confused “That’s his daughter.” Then he took his jumpsuit off, heading into the bar.

The three of them sat at a table in the bar, just smiling at eachother.

“I guess you’ll be wanting these.” Cage, the Prez said, holding out some keys. She smiled, slowly taking them and turning them over in her hand. Keys to the house that she would always call home, that she spent the first twelve years of her life in, that she grew up in, that reminded her of him.

“Scar!” A voice called and she looked around to see Kalvin’s son - Dexter rushing over to them. She stood up, just in time to be lifted into his arms. He held her so tight, kissing her temple “It’s so good to have you back, it wasn’t the same without you around here.” He placed her down and she smiled, kissing his cheek. Dexter was a few years older than Scarlett and as kids, they always told people that they were cousins which would confuse people due to their opposite skin tones but people don’t realise that family doesn’t end in blood. Dexter was always protective of her as he was raised to be, she was the clubs Princess, their light and she was a delicate flower.

“Well, I promise to catch up soon but I’ve got to go and set the house up, mama’s flying in on Thursday so I’ve only got a couple of days.” She told them and they nodded.

“Well, if it’s alright with Prez then I’ll come and help?” Dexter suggested, looking over to Cage who smiled, nodding.

“Sure Gears, take more guys if you need to,” Cage said before kissing his nieces forehead “Whatever you need, just ask.” She nodded before hugging Kalvin goodbye and setting off.

The two cousins began putting furniture together and catching up lightly. They ordered pizza and sat on the floor.

“Why now?” Dexter asked, suddenly “After everything, after ten years… Why now? Why come home?” She sighed, placing her pizza slice down and sipping her beer with a frown.

“I don’t really wanna talk about it but some stuff happened and I guess mama and I just wanted to come home, be surrounded by family, feel closer to Dad…” she trained off, frowning down at her pizza. Dexter nodded, placing his hand over hers.

“Well, I’m glad that you did,” He paused and she smiled lightly at him “If you ever need anything, even if it’s just to talk then I’m here, you know that, right?” She nodded.

“I know.” She said and they went back to eating their pizza.

The next day, Scarlett pulled up at the auto shop, wearing a long blue skirt and white crop top with sandals.

“Hey,  you looking for Gears?” A voice called, Scarlett noticed he was the one that spoke to her yesterday as well.

“Hey Gunner, I was just gonna see if I could borrow a drill.” She said and he smiled, nodding before a motor bike roared in. Scarlett looked over to see the guy dismount his bike, back to her as he removed his helmet. She saw the way his cut sat on his wide shoulders, she could only imagine the amount of muscle that was hidden behind that and his t-shirt as his tree trunk like biceps were fit to burst with muscle. She saw Cage walk over and the man turned to him. Scarlett saw his face and froze, he was handsome, so handsome that she forgot how to breathe. He was taller than Cage, maybe a few inches so he had to be at least six foot, three. He was rugged, tattoos of all kinds on his arms. She wanted to take time to study them but before she knew it, Gunner was beside her, clearing his throat. She looked over at him to see that he was beyond amused by her checking out the new arrival. She looked slightly embarrassed, opening her mouth to speak before closing it again.

“That’s Breaker, he’s been here about four years when he got back from overseas, he’s our best weapon,” He paused with a smirk “want me to introduce you?” She quickly shook her head.

“No, thankyou.” She said, taking the case that had the drill in. She walked over, putting it in the bed of her truck before a woman came running out of the bar. Scarlett recognised her immediately as the woman her uncle married when she was a toddler, she loved the woman who was like a sister to her mother. She was a skinny woman, always had been, the body of a runway model still intact due to being unable to conceive children of her own… so she took the club on as her baby.

“Cupcake!” She yelled, racing to embrace the young woman. She smiled into her mousy hair, feeling blessed to have her girl back.

“It’s good to see you, auntie Jen.” Scarlett whispered, pulling away.

“Now, where are you off to?” Jen asked, holding Scarlett's face. The girl chuckled at the woman's frown. They hadn’t seen each other in months, Jen wasn’t about to spend less than five minutes with her and be satisfied with that. 

“I just came to get a drill, was gonna put some stuff together to get ready for mum.” Scarlet told her. Jen smiled, clapping her hands together.

“Perfect, I’ll help and then we can fill up your fridge and cupboards and tomorrow we can go shopping!” Jen suggested or more like ordered. Scarlet chuckled, nodding. The smile would not stay off her face.

“That sounds great.” Scarlett said and Jen cheered a little, looking around.

“Denny!” Jen called, catching her husbands attention, he smiled upon seeing his wife, stood beside his niece… the two women he loved the most in the whole world. But, Scarlett’s eyes weren’t on her uncle, they were on the man that stood beside him, their eyes holding each others. “I’m gonna hang out with Cupcake today!” Cage smiled, nodding, laughing when his wife blew him a kiss before getting in Scarlett’s pick up truck.

Breaker watched her figure disappear into the truck before she drove off. He heard his brothers talking about how the beautiful princess had returned but he believed that they were exaggerating this beauty… Now that he’d see her, he now knew that beauty didn’t even come close to her. There was something delicate about her, yet he could see how strong she was behind those baby blues.

“That’s my niece, Scarlett,” Cage told his most intimidating man as he caught him looking at his niece “She’s gonna be around a lot more. If she asks for anything, you do it.” Braker nodded silently before heading into the bar, thoughts on those blue eyes.