Dana sat on the couch in the club house, with a mug coffee in her hands. She'd just faced the rest of the club. She'd told them going back had seemed the best solution, but her words had only led to judgmental looks. Not everyone was as understanding as Juice – probably because Kozik and he were the only ones knowing how deep her guilt went. Kozik hadn't spoken a single word to her, he'd only looked at her with a cold glance in his eyes. More than once she'd promised him not to leave and he wasn't as easy forgiving as Juice.
She sighed softly and sipped from the hot drink, being aware of the fact the club found her a real liability now. Juice had everyone lined up at 5 AM this morning and she'd even heard Clay grumble she was a stubborn bitch.
She couldn't disagree with him, but she did feel bad about it.
Suddenly the couch sank. Dana startled and moved her hand so wildly the coffee flowed over the edge of the mug, burning her hand. Before she could put away the mug while cursing, a loud slap sounded and her cheek was burning.
Dazed she turned her head to the side, where Cherry was glaring at her with a furious face. "You're the worst friend I've ever had!" the girl snapped, her cheeks flaming red. "If you consider me as a friend at all, bitch!"
With a sigh Dana put her coffee on the table and wiped the drops on her pants. Her hand was burning, but she couldn't walk away now to hold her hand under the faucet. Cherry was fueled with rage – and she was absolutely right. Dana had treated her like shit, she knew that very well.
"I know I let you down," she sighed, while her fingers absently stroked her cheek. The skin was glowing. "I don't deserve your friendship."
"Well, that's at least something we agree on! But unfortunately I lack other friends, so you better make things right. How the hell could you think going back to Maddox would be a good plan?"
With a sigh Dana bowed her head. That question was asked her at least hundred times the past hour. It wasn't something she could just explain. She knew Maddox, she knew she could persuade him to leave the club alone. But if they really wanted to avenge Opie's death... then she could no longer protect them. She felt stupid for not having thought about that before, but for some reason she'd believed Clay would realize this was an enemy they couldn't handle. He had already lost three of his men.
"I just don't know what to do anymore, Cherry," she muttered. With her fingers she clawed through her hair desperately. "My life in exchange for that of all of you... that was a sacrifice I was willing to make. After all I am the reason who started this mess."
"Don't be ridiculous. That shit started at the moment Maddox refused to let you go."
Dana answered her words with silence. She thought about it for a while and then changed the subject. "I'm sorry about before. I was afraid you would see right through me. That's why I was avoiding you."
Cherry snorted, but still laid an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. "If Juice hadn't placed a tracker..." She shook her head. "Then things would have been really messed up. And Opie's funeral..."
"I hoped you would find that more important than me."
"You're a dumb-ass, Dane. We loved Ope. But he's dead. And you're not. Not yet. Nobody would have stood next to his grave if there was a chance to get you back."
A tear ran down Dana's cheek. "That's not how it's supposed to be. Opie was their brother."
"And you're the little sister of one of their other brothers. Imagine what Happy would have done if he ever left jail. He would've held all of them responsible and after that, the club would probably have counted only two members. Himself and Tig."
Dana sighed. Happy's release was nothing but an illusion. Suddenly she missed him like crazy. Would he ever find out what had happened today? How helpless would he feel, behind bars, while he thought someone had gone after her without Opie being able to protect her? Would she ever see him again, ever speak to him again?
She clenched her fists until her finger nails cut into her flesh and took a deep breath. Again fear crept inside her body. Their payback for Opie's death, would that send all other Sons to prison next week? Or would Maddox just take them out one by one? Maybe he would let her choose, time and time again. Between Juice and Kozik, between Kip and Cherry...
She squeezed her eyes as she started to cry again. On the background she heard Cherry whisper soothing words, but the fear wasn't going away. Cherry didn't know what she was going through. Nobody did. Not even Juice and Kozik knew how it felt to face such a horrible dilemma.