Rivals 🌈 ✔

31 - Hour of Truth

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. . .

Raine felt like a schoolboy, as he was sitting there sniveling on the couch, admitting that he had fallen madly in love with his rival and that they really wanted to be together but that their clubs would never approve.

Diana let him talk without interrupting him, stroking his back soothingly. It was nice to let it all out. Of course he had vented to Angel as well, but since he was a Mayan too, he hadn't been completely honest.

"Do you love him more than you love the club?" Diana asked softly.

In silence, he stared at his knees. He couldn't simply ignore the fact that he was talking to the Old Lady of his president.

She squeezed his shoulder. "You can be honest with me, Raine. I know how important the club is to guys like you, but I also know what it's like to love someone very much. I'm a wife, a mother."

He sighed softly. "The club has definitely been a great support. But Juice... It feels like he's making me whole again. I would never betray the club," he stressed after a pauze. "But I also understand that I can't be with a Son and stay a Mayan. I don't mind handing in my kutte if it means I no longer have to hide my relationship, if Juice and I can openly love each other." He bit his lip. "But I don't know if they're gonna give me that chance. They might as well hurt him... to punish me."

A tear slid down his cheek as he voiced his deepest fear. He was ashamed because he thought about a scenario in which his club would willingly want to hurt his partner, but he couldn't shove away that fear.

"And does he want to give up his club too?"

Raine nodded. "I think so."

Diana grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "Then I believe Marcus will give you his blessing. Maybe not right away — I know my husband, he needs time to deal with this. But he loves you like a son, Raine. He wants you to be happy. And if the club can't give you that happiness, then I believe he'll support you in taking another path."

Raine pursed his lips. He wanted to believe her, but he was afraid that she was only trying to cheer him up. She hadn't seen the disappointment on their faces, hadn't felt their anger. They were all convinced that he had betrayed them. They couldn't see Juice apart from his club. In their eyes, the fact that he loved Juice meant that he loved the Sons. Instead of his own club.

Diana leaned towards him and kissed his cheek. "Why don't you check up on your sister and go back to your boyfriend?" She squeezed his hand once more. "You sound like a powerful couple that can overcome this. Have faith in each other, in yourself and in your clubs, and remember that everyone makes mistakes — especially when it comes to love." She caught his glance. "And I don't mean that your love for that boy is a mistake, but it might have led to wrong decisions."

Raine nodded slowly, although he still believed that Juice and he had taken the right steps during their relationship. The only decision he regretted was sending Juice to Sasha. If not, he could have informed the club about his relationship. They probably still wouldn't have liked it, but at least they wouldn't have beaten his lover to pulp.

The memory of Juice's bruised body caused a pang in his chest. Before anger would take over control, he stood up and went upstairs to the guest room where he had spent many nights when he was younger. The two girls were in bed together, Sammy had wrapped her arms around her niece. From the doorway he stared at the two. He realized all too well that their father was in danger because he was involved in a gang. What if they had caught one of the girls? If he wanted to protect what was left of his family, he should either break with the gang life or cut ties with his family. And he would never do the latter.