A Bartender in Charming

Chapter 10: Skulls to Crack

Chibs:
    He woke up so early, it was still dark out. Fucking Christ. He silenced his alarm roughly and then flopped back down into bed, glancing over at Lily who shifted and sighed in her sleep. The sheets clung to her, sloping down from her shoulder to her waist and back up over her hips. Funnily enough, she had the sheets tucked up to her chin. As Chibs stood and headed about his business, exhausted as he was, he also noticed that she was sleeping curled up in a ball, her knees nearly drawn to her chest.
He'd never seen anyone sleep like that. Well, except for Kerriane, but that was when she was still a wee little girl. Lily's unconsciously guarded demeanor was so completely unlike what he usually found lying next to him after a night spent rolling in the sheets. It tickled his brain, just like it had back at her apartment during the lockdown. Chibs felt the strongest urge to figure this girl out, dismantle the workings of her mind like he dismantled those Harley's sitting out in the Teller-garage.
For this reason, perhaps, he sat on the edge of the bed next to Lily's balled-up form. He needed to get a better look at her...
He must have jostled her because her eyes fluttered open. She frowned up at him sleepily.
"Chibs?" She murmured.
"Don't worry, love, go back to sleep," Chibs stood quickly.
Lily yawned and stretched, her body uncoiling itself.
"Come back to bed," She whined, still half-asleep, "It's still night time."
"Don't I wish," Chibs chuckled wistfully. "I've gotta go on a run with the boys, unfortunately."
"But... You need your sleep..." Lily argued drowsily.
Chibs laughed aloud. "I need my sleep, eh? You didn't care very much about that last night, did ye?"
"Aw, sorry, Chibby..." Lily pouted. Chibs was incredibly amused. So this was what Lily, the put-together working girl, was like when she was half-asleep. He could only imagine how silly she would be if she got drunk.
"Don't be sorry, love," Instinctively, Chibs bent over and gave her a kiss on the forehead. He stiffened, wondering how she would receive that. She, of course, was too far gone to really respond. Lily just smiled with her eyes still closed and turned back onto her side. Then, she was sound asleep again.
Chibs smiled to himself. Damn it she was cute.
Lily:
When I woke up, it was light out and the bed was empty next to me. It took me a good second to remember where I was, and then another to half-remember that Chibs had left on a run.
I took advantage of being alone and stretched luxuriously. There was a not-unpleasant soreness at the apex of my legs. Chibs had been thorough... Oh, God, that had actually happened! I rolled over and giggled into the pillow. Me? Sleeping with a biker? I recalled all my previous adamant denials and it made me laugh again.
I pulled myself together eventually and got up to take on the day. A shower and a change of clothes later, I was behind the bar making mimosas for the croweaters. Without the Sons around, they seemed a little calmer and less aggressive than usual. Well, for now. Surely that was going to change once they found out I slept with Chibs, I thought to myself darkly as I poured more champagne.
"Y'okay, Lil?" A familiar voice asked me. My eyes flicked towards the bar and, sure enough, Gemma was leaning on the counter, a wryly mischievous look in her eyes.
"Just fine, Gemma," I said brightly, giving her a look that would hopefully deter her from saying anything incriminating in front of the croweaters.
"Got a good night's sleep, then? Telford's bed wasn't too uncomfortable?" Gemma asked-- way too loudly-- as she searched her bag for cigarettes.
I sighed quietly as a I got a couple of glances from the girls seated at my bar.
"Coffee or mimosa, Gem?" I asked tightly. The couple of croweaters who had been sipping their champagne and orange juice decided at that moment to stand and chatter elsewhere-- probably to talk shit, if I knew them at all.
"Coffee would be fine-" Gemma began, but, now that we were alone, I cut her off.
"Or how about a new drink I'm coming up with? Something with fucking arsenic in it," I told her, tossing the rag I was using to dry glasses down and putting my hands on my hips.
Gemma raised an eyebrow and lit her cigarette. "You've really got to loosen up, honey."
"Oh, come on, why'd you have to say anything about it? You know how they are..."
Gemma leaned forward, a stern look in her eyes. "Listen, those girls will talk shit no matter what. You've gotta assert yourself if you're gonna be with Chibs. Let 'em know he's yours."
"Well, it's a little too soon to be saying he's mine, don't you think? We've only slept together once and I don't know-"
Gemma exhaled a cloud of smoke almost directly into my face. I waved it away, pursing my lips.
"Girlie, there's a certain way we do things around here. You better figure out how you feel and lock down that Scotsman ASAP-- oh, and a little cream in that coffee. Thanks."

Even long after she'd had her coffee and left, what Gemma had said still had me thinking. Which, as always with Gemma, was a bad thing. I hadn't even considered a relationship with Telford. I'd just gotten swept up in how bad I'd been wanting to fuck him and had let that guide my actions. But it wasn't like my attraction was purely physical, he was funny and sweet... Still, that didn't necessarily mean he was dating material. I didn't mind dating a mechanic, but what about everything I'd heard whispered around town? Rumors about criminal activity, deaths, drugs, prostitution... I felt like these people were beginning to be my friends, but how much did I know, really? I tried to shift my focus away from the MC and back to just Filip. Given what I did know about him, I tried to think hard about how I felt. Did I want a relationship? Even if I did, would he? Was all of this stupid and premature? Probably. I had no idea what to do. The normal adult in me was screaming for me to have a little chat with Chibs and figure it out. I spent the rest of the day arguing with myself about it—talking myself in and out of that adult discussion I knew deep down I needed to have with him.
    All for nothing, it turned out. I was behind the bar mixing drinks with my head still in the clouds when I heard the now-familiar thunder of Harley's pulling up to the MC. The Sons were back.
    They rushed into the clubhouse with all the energy of a swarm of fire-ants. The joking and good-natured yelling was gone. They completely ignored the bar—a first in all my time working there. Tig, Happy, Bobby... passed right by, eyes sliding over me like I wasn't there. They looked pissed as all hell. Even Juice, who was usually the most puppy-ish of the bunch stalked by, tension rolling off of him in waves. I noticed, yet again, the knives strapped to their waists. The holsters under their kuttes. I spotted Chibs in the maelstrom.
I got out from behind my bar, not wanting to yell for his attention. I touched his shoulder.
"Chibs-"
He whirled around with a jerk. I took a step back, wide-eyed. His expression softened instantly.
"Sorry, love. Now's not a good time," He said, putting a hand briefly on my shoulder. His gaze went instantly above and behind me. I frowned.
"Wait, what's going on—" I began.
"Chapel, now!" Clay barked behind me, walking straight at me as though he didn't see me. I rushed out of the way, back to the safety of the bar as the bikers streamed past to go to church.

Chibs:
We settled into our chairs around the table. Those who didn't have a seat, stood. Everyone was here now, after what had happened. Everyone.
Clay banged his gavel.
"Shut the fuck up." He growled. "In case anyone here hasn't been paying attention, they took another one of our girls. Juice has some intel. Care to share with the class?"
Juice cleared his throat next to me. I gave him a strong pat on the back and he stood up.
"They sent us a video of the girl they took. They had terms for release..." The mob of bikers began to yell. Clay banged his gavel.
"What were they?" He prompted.
Juice cleared his throat. "Videos from the officers of SAMCRO containing confessions to several... alleged crimes that have happened over the past decade."
The yelling began again. Questions and angry commentary fell from everyone's mouth. Chibs, however, stayed quiet, thinking. They'd been wondering who these people were but they hadn't really bothered to ask what they wanted. They'd assumed it was retaliation, like it always was. But this...
"Will all of you shut the hell up?" Juice exclaimed angrily. "I traced the fucking email! I know where they are!"
The room quieted. Chibs looked up at Juice, slightly shocked. Talented kid. Across the table, Happy slowly stood up with a frightening, violent glint in his eyes.
    "Then..." He began quietly, breathing heavily. "...let's go fucking get them. I've had enough of this bullshit it's time to crack a few skulls."
The volume of his voice had slowly increased as he spoke until he was roaring rather than talking. The room yelled their agreement. No need to raise hands or to second. No vote. Clay banged his gavel.
"Give us the address, Juice. Let's end this."
    Chibs stayed quiet for a little longer as information was shared and plans began to be made. He had so many thoughts in his head about this situation... things that didn't quite add up, but that perhaps would if he could just work through all of it. He shook his head clear of this as his attention was called back to the meeting.
They had a girl to save and, as Happy had mentioned, a few skulls to crack.