Guardian

Chapter 2

Tig

"Two...," Jax yells toward The Guardians. My trigger finger is itching to take these fuckers out, and my aim has never been better. It doesn't take long for them to scatter as Jax gets to zero. They jump on their sorry excuses for bikes and peel out of the lot, my pistol following them the entire way down the street. Once they are out of sight, I tuck my pistol into the small of my back before motioning Rat to move my bike. All I can think about right now is getting to her. Three years has been far too long and all I want to do is make sure that she is whole.

I can see she's shaken up from across the lot. Piney is ushering her back inside. She glances over her shoulder and sees me approaching before she dips inside the clubhouse. She's sitting on one of the couches when I get inside. This is the first time I've seen her in three years and I can feel the anger building inside me. She has a black eye, and there is blood splattered on her face.

I get down on my knees in front of her, placing my hands on her knees. She looks up, meeting my gaze.

"What the hell happened doll"? I ask as I run my thumb across her swollen lip, red staining my thumb.

"It's not mine, well not all of it anyway. Apparently biting someone's ear when they are trying to kidnap you is frowned upon in Arizona" she smiles, showing off her bloody gums.

I can't help but laugh at my signature move being carried out by this tiny woman in front of me.

"Is wonder where you learned that from" I laughed as the guys come in a little closer to Skye.

"Let me get a look at the lass Tiggy" Chibs voice calls out from behind me. I quickly get to my feet but don't stray from her. Chibs is going over her various cuts and calls for a bag of ice for her swollen eye.

"You're going to be sore for a few days lass, but nothing a few shots cant handle" Chibs states as he runs an alcohol wipe over a cut on her cheek. I see her wince at the sting, but she handles it like a champ.

"Well, one thing hasn't changed, you still know how to make an entrance darlin" Jax laughs as he sits down on the arm of the couch.

"Yeah you know me, always the life of the party" Skye stammers as she Chibs finishing with her face, and hands her an ice pack.

"So what brought all this down on you're shouldering Skye"? Bobby asks from the other side of the Couch.

Skye is quiet for a minute, almost like she wants to avoid Bobby's question. She takes a deep breath, adjusts the ice pack on her face, and glances down at her chest, where my crow still proudly sits. It's wings coming up to touch both if her collar bones.

"Guess they needed some leverage and they thought it was me."

My brothers and Skye and sitting at the Reaper Table. I'm standing in the corner, arms crossed over my chest, listening to Skye inform them what's been going on in Arizona. That feeling of anger is bubbling inside of me again. Those bastards are going to pay for hurting her.

"It's been going on for a few weeks now. They've been coming into the diner, riding by my house. I just thought that they were trying to fuck with me ya know? Put me on edge or whatever. Then when I was pumping gas last night on the way home they tried grabbing me. Obviously I fought back."

I followed her gaze to her hands. She was picking at her nails. Something she did when her anxiety was fucking with her. Next, she would be biting her lip. It's crazy how much I still remember about her. The little ticks, and habits you pick up on when you've known someone since high school. I'm drawn out of my thoughts when I hear Jax scooting his chair back.

"Until we get things figured out the clubhouse is you're darlin. All the rooms are taken though, so the couch by the pool table is all yours."

"Nah man, she can have my bed. I'll sleep on the couch in my room or the bar or something." I told everyone as I uncrossed my arms and opened the chapel doors.

"Tig you don't..." was all I heard before I was out the door, heading toward the bar. Gabby is already pouring me two shots. I can feel her smiling at me as she wipes the bar down.

"What's so funny?"

"Nothing Tiggy, just saying, you haven't been able to take your eyes off of her since she came back through that door."

"I don't know what you're talking about Gabs" I state before I down my shots.

"All I'm saying is you haven't been the same since you made her go. Don't let her leave again hun." and she walks away to help Bobby.

I down my shots and head toward my room.

I feel her before she even opens the dorm door. I'm changing the sheets and the pillowcases. I can't even remember the last time they were washed, and ill be damned if Skye is sleeping on the same sheets I've had so many croweaters on.

My door opens and I hear her huff.

"You don't have to do that Alex, I am perfectly capable of sleeping on a couch." I continue to change the pillowcases.

"Doll, you are not under any circumstances sleeping on filthy sheets, or on that disgusting fucking couch."

"I'm not some high-class broad Trager. I've slept on that clubhouse floor more times then I can count. In case you've forgotten, I wasn't always your old lady! I was out there sucking dick just like the rest of those Crow Eaters before you claimed me as yours."

Her words hit a little to close to home.

I turn around to throw my old comforter and one of the pillows onto the couch, before going to my dresser and pulling out an old Harley shirt and a pair of my boxers.

"I know you didn't bring any clothes with you so here. Go clean yourself up, use whatever you need." I nod toward the bathroom. Before she can say anything to me I'm out the door.

"Alex please tell me what's going on"! Skye is begging me to explain as I am dragging her toward her cage. I have to get her out of here. It's too dangerous, and I will not lose her like I lost so many important people already.

"Skye, you need to get out of this piece of shit town, and never come back" he ordered his heartbreaking at the pain in her eyes.

"Alex don't do this! I need you, please baby, don't push me away"!

I put her in her cage, clipping her seat belt in place. I handed her a wad of cash, hoping it is enough to get her set up someplace nice.

"You need to cover that crow up doll. Keep your head down, and don't say anything about the club. You know you are my heart baby, you always will be, but I need you to go. you need to get out of here"! I'm screaming at her now, pleading with her to understand that she is in danger and I can't lose her. I would rather know she's alive and away from here, then to know she's buried twenty minutes away. I'm fighting the tears that are now falling free as I watch her pull out of the parking lot, and my life for the last time

"Ye okay Tiggy" Chib's voice brings me back to reality. I'm sitting at the clubhouse bar, a bottle of Vodka s in front of me, over half of it gone now. I turn to my best friend and catch the look of concern on his face.

"Yeah brother, just chasing ghosts".

Chib's nods, knowing all too well what it's like to be without the women you loved. He clapped his hand down on my shoulder.