Father Knows Best

Chapter 10

It was just after dusk when Michael knocked on Abel's door, watching the hall for any neighbors or prying eyes. When Abel answered, bleary eyed and yawning with messy hair, Michael scoffed and looked at his younger cousin dismissively.

"I honestly figured you'd be up. Don't you have to keep up appearances and do some kind of work at the shop? Do you just sleep all day until it's time to play outlaw?"

Abel huffed, "Dude, blow me. What do you want?"

"You told Jax," he growled. "Got me this," Michael gestured to his black eye. "And now I don't think I can get in touch with Alice."

"Good," he laughed, "I'm pretty happy about both."

"You're a fucking suck up," Michael shoved Abel further into his apartment. "We're family, Abel, we're blood. You sold me out to get in good with a bunch of criminals. You were probably thinking you could get your dick wet too, two birds with one backstabbing stone. Alice will never go for you, cousin trust me, and Jax is gonna get you killed or locked up."

"Fuck you," Abel spat, suddenly very awake. "You wanna be family when it's convenient. What now, you want me to help you get that land?"

"No," Michael growled. "I don't give a shit about the land. I want Alice."

The flash Abel saw was disconcerting and allowed him a glimpse into how serious his cousin was about the betrayal. He drew his head back and pointed to the door. "Get out, Mikey or you're gonna have more than a shiner to worry about."

"You little piss ant, you don't scare me."

"Maybe not," he shrugged, "But I know my friends do. So if you won't listen to me maybe I'll give Knox and Ash a call."

Michael smirked, "I didn't think they were both home yet."

"I'll call their dads then," he shrugged. "They'll scare you and I'll kick your ass."

Laughing, Michael took off his suit jacket. "I kicked your ass when we were kids and I'll do it again." With a grunt, Michael tackled Abel to the floor and proceeded to rough him up. He wasn't too harsh but Abel was left with enough bruises, cuts and pain to receive his cousin's message not that he'd really take heed.

--

*Meanwhile*

"How many do you see?" Happy asked quietly.

Through squinted eyes, Tig counted the guards they had with Asher. "Three, shit, no, there's four."

Happy nodded, pulling the ski mask over his face, but Tig stopped him as he went to stand. "What?"

"Hap, Emma's there," Tig said darkly.

Furious, he stood up and saw Emma as she chatted with one of the Mayan guards. His heart sped up but a strange sense of pride watching his daughter draw more attention away from her brother.

"What do we do?" Happy asked, truly unsure as to how he could capitalize on the distraction she was providing as well as keep her safe.

"I"m gonna take them," Tig said, already aiming in Emma's direction. "Go round back and get the other two. Easy."

"That's my kid," Happy growled. "You miss and she catches a goddamn bullet."

"I'm not gonna miss," Tig said defensively. "I never miss."

"It's dark," he said forcefully. "You go around back," Happy said somberly. "I'll kill them."

"Hap," Tig said cautiously. "I think I should. These are your kids, brother. You got too much on your shoulders."

He nodded, "If she gets hurt I'll kill you myself."

"Not before Ror would," Tig said as a joke despite there being a good chance she would. "Go, as soon as you hear the shots go for em'."

"I know what I'm doing," he spat. Happy scurried back around the side of the building, his feet crunching on paint chips that had peeled off the walls. Instead of listening to Tig though, he crept up to the Mayans and, practically simultaneously, Happy killed them. He punctured the first one's carotid artery from behind, and as the second man turned Happy sliced his throat as well.

Staring at them as they died, luckily for them it was a quick death, Happy heard two Tig's gun fire twice barely forty five seconds apart. He smiled, intent on freeing Asher, and hurried around to the entrance but before Emma or Tig came into view there was a third and fourth shot. Happy's heart almost exploded as he raced around to see one extra dead Mayan and Emma on the ground bleeding while Tig tried to slow the blood loss.

"It wasn't me," Tig stammered. "He just got here and went for her. I'm sorry Hap."

"Call 911," he said as he pushed Tig away from Emma, "Now."

"Daddy I'm sorry," she sputtered. "I shouldn't be here."

"No," he tried to remain calm. "It's okay. You did good, baby. Just relax. We're gonna get you patched up. I promise."