Chapter 17

Max

The hard wood under me creeks as I lift my body off the cold bench. I rub my shoulders as I sit all the way up and adjust my eyes to my surroundings.

It's cold, and foggy and I can feel a little wetness on my cut, most likely laying in the damp grass all night long.

It's been two days since I have been released and from the moment I got out and got away from Onyx, I've been completely drunk. It's ironic that I wound up at a park that I used to imagine bringing my kids to. It's the same one mom used to take Austin and I to before we would go and visit dad at the compound. Often times Shane would be there with us, but right now, it merely feels like a lonely, cold, desolate place.

I hate that I have returned back to the pathetic drunk that would drink each and every time something bad would happen, but after the news I got two days ago, I think I'm about due for this.

Two days before

"So it's your cocaine huh Stone?"

"Yep."

"And since when have you been doing cocaine?"

"All my life, started when I was six." I know Timmons is just doing his job, he told me as much when he drove me to the precinct where I was uncuffed and fingerprinted. I've been sitting here for the last two days waiting on someone to walk through the door of this small six by six white box, they put me in.

After letting me rot in that shithole cell, they finally brought me in this room where I suspect they plan on integrating me.

"Max, I'm not stupid. I know it's not your drugs, so why are you covering for one of your brothers."

"If you know so much, then you would know we would never be back in the drug business and even if we were, we would never be using our own supply. We certainly wouldn't hide it in a damn obvious spot. Someone is clearly setting us up Timmons."

"Great." He claps his hand and swivels in the small back chair. "Now prove it Max. Prove that some mystery person is out there trying to get your club arrested and to do that they chose the dumbest thing to do. Why set you up with something that would only make us suspect you from now on?"

Fucker has a point here. I don't know why someone would do this. If it's the same person who managed to get passed Austin's security and beat up the girls, the same guy who was able to get into a heavily guarded compound and plant drugs, then the guy is smart. So why just put a bag of cocaine on the bed in a random room at the compound? He had to know it wouldn't do much.

"I don't know, but we aren't in that shit anymore. Haven't been for years."

"Or maybe that's what you want people to think. Maybe you guys want everyone to think you're the good guys and then we wouldn't suspect you."

"That makes no damn sense. We aren't the only club in the city." Timmons eyes twinkle when I say that and I casually lean back.

He was hinting at something. Something I just said. I just don't know why. Other clubs in the city. That's what I mentioned, but what the hell does that have to do with anything?

"If you're not going to talk, then I've wasted enough time here." He leans in and turns off the recorder then looks back over to me while grabbing his coffee that he never once drank out of. "You shouldn't have volunteered Max."

I narrow my eyes and turn my chin. What the hell does he mean? Timmons knows something, and someone is using him to play with us, I just don't know why or who.

Ten minutes later, I lay my head down the table confused but attempting to plug in the holes, when the door opens once again. I hear heavy footsteps but don't look up. I assume it's the officer to come and retrieve me so I can get back to my cell.

"It's a shame isn't it? To be punished for something you certainly did not do, and yet, not be punished for something that was entirely your fault." I look up and nearly fall out of my chair.

His blonde hair, same brown eyes, he's taller than I remember and I don't remember the scar across his face, but it's him.

"Matthews?"

"Yes." He says sitting on the now empty chair Timmons had just vacated. "But, not the one you are most likely hoping it is." I look up with confusion while my entire body shakes with anticipation. He's alive.

"My name is Julian. Robert was my brother, many mistook us for each other, and before you try to make any more assumptions, my brother never made it out of that desolate land. He was killed and his body destroyed, while they went out of their way to rescue you, he was left in pieces."

His anger spills out at each word he spits at me. I don't know this man, but it seems like he blames me for the death of his brother. Well, that's just fine because I blame myself as well. But that doesn't explain why he's here, unless.

Shit.

"Inette here works for a local newspaper and has recently started on an article that Chief of Police Timmons is the center of. She took these pictures of some guy that has been showing his face around more and more."

"Who the fuck are you?" If this asshole is the one that has been causing problems for our club and the same one that hurt the girls, I'll kill him. I'm already in jail so it won't even make a damn bit of difference.

"Like I said, my name is Julian Matthews. I am the one person in the world, that can put you and your pathetic little club into the ground successfully. You took everything from me, and in turn, I will take everything from you. I wasn't expecting you, merely someone I could deliver a message through, but this is better. To be able to see your face and watch as you realize exactly how this is all going to go down, is worth it."

"I didn't take shit from you."

"That is where you are wrong my friend. My brother and I, were all each other had after our parents were killed. When he joined the force, I was happy for him, I knew how it felt to do something for your country and wanted him to accomplish that, but then he decided to go and save your life and never come back."

"You think this shit is going to bring your brother back to life? You think I haven't thought of him every single day since I came out of that hospital in Germany? I swear to God, if you are the one that hurt my girl."

"Yes, let's talk about Shawna. She's a beautiful girl, I must say, but she's loved by you and loves you in return. By definition, that makes her apart of you, unfortunately it's the part of you must now be destroyed."

I launch myself off the seat and go to attack him but with my hands behind my back Julian manages to shove me right back on my chair and cover my throat with his hand. I try and shove him away with my body but with my hands out of commission and most of his weight on me, I can't move. I can feel my air supply cutting off slowly as he moves in to whisper in my ear.

"You will be released shortly Max, because I don't need you in here, I need you out there. I want you there when I destroy everything you hold dear. I want to see your eyes when I tear your brothers limbs off one at a time until he dies of blood loss. I want you there when I put a bullet in your mothers forehead after she is done watching all of you suffer. And I want you there Maximus, when I tear Shawna's delicate skin from her body only after I have had my way with that tight hole. You will understand pain, and then and only then, will you be allowed the peace of dying."

Julian releases my throat and I begin coughing. Just before he gets to the exit, he turns back to me and says something that nearly tears me apart. "Oh, and by the way Max. Thank you for your service."

By the time I look up and clear my vision from the blurry spider webs, he's gone. Panic begins rushing through my body as I think of this man. Whoever he is, he has power, and that alone is enough of a threat.

Timmons quickly runs in the room after and looks me up and down. I catch his eyes they fall on the recording device and then narrow mine on him.

"What's he got on you Timmons." My voice sounds groggy from the pain in my throat. "There has to be something. We were on your side for years man, tell me what he has on you and I will make sure it's made right, but I can't do anything with you on his side."

Timmons looks at me and unless I'm seeing things, he has tears in his eyes. He writes something on a small note and passes it to me. He then turns on the recording device and leaves the room once more. I lean forward and my breath catches in the pit of my stomach.

My son

Christ.

I spill the contents of the last two days of mostly alcohol in a nearby trashcan.

My vision is still blurry and my head feels like someone beat me with a mallet.

Confusion and anger find its way into my head as I think about that fucker and what he said two days ago. I've been using my body as a human disposal system for alcohol since I found out what his plans are and what he intends to do about his pain. I know Austin will protect Shawna and he's had men on mom since the day we found out someone was trying to frame us, but I hate that this is more to do with me than the cub.

I never knew Matthews had a brother. They looked to be not only the same age but looked just like twins. How could he not mention having a brother to me in the entire time we knew each other. When you're thousands of miles away from family and friends, and have nothing to occupy your time, you talk, it's just one of those things. We saw each other morning, noon and night, so naturally he knew everything about me and my life back at home.

If he didn't mention having a brother, I wonder if it's because he wished he didn't. Julian made it seem like Rob was everything to him, if that's the case, then why in the hell did Matthews not mention him?

Thinking back on all the conversations I've had with Matthews; his family never really came up. I knew his parents were gone, but I wasn't going to pry in the guy's life. All he ever talked about was Ellen and his newborn daughter.

Fear pulls me into more dread when I picture Ellen and Emma hurt by this asshole. Julian mentioned not having anyone else. Does he not know about Robert's wife and kid?

I head out of the park, intent on going to my brothers house and straightening this whole thing out. I've had my phone off with the chip out, knowing Torque could find me if I left it in but when I power it back on I see I have over a hundred missed calls and about fifty text messages. I ignore them all as I mount my bike and drive off.

Arriving at Austin's house I immediately notice the dozens of bikes and cars lined up outside. The house is decorated in a Vegas theme and I scald myself for forgetting about Candice's birthday party. Parking the bike, I head up the steps and stop when I see the porch decorated in bright greens and reds. There are green lanterns hanging on the pillars of my brother's house, along with a red carpet that leads to the door. Looking up, I spot a banner that says Happy Birthday Candice.

I drag my feet to the front door and open it slightly. There are a few brothers milling around and they each narrow their eyes on me as I pass them. I can briefly see Chance speaking with Abby and her boyfriend, but can't see Candice, Austin, or Shawna.

The inside of the house is just as ungodly as the front. There are tables all over with green felt on top of each. I can see a few hired dealers and even more poorly d¨¦cor. On the walls are neon lights flashing Vegas icons and more of those damn green and red lanterns. To the right is a food table that is surrounded by Vegas props like dice and show signs. To the left are dozens of black, red, and white balloons that enclose around a giant three tier cake.

Candice may never have had a birthday party, but I don't think this is exactly compensating for that. I walk further into the room and spot Shane. He sees me immediately and comes waltzing over, looking like he is ready to throw down some blows with me.

Can't blame the fucker.

"The fuck you doing here?"

"Not trying to be a dick her Shane, but I don't need your mouth in my goddamn ear. I need to see Shawna." It's been too long since I've held her in my arms.

"Oh, now you fuckin' care about her?

"Fuck you Shane. Don't you dare tell me I don't care."

"Got a funny way of showin' it man." His eyes soften when he sees I'm barely hanging on as it is. No one knows the news I have received from Julian and as VP of this club that was a mistake. I should have immediately came out and told Austin and the others everything. Instead, I'm playing catch up when I didn't need to. Julian is most likely ten steps ahead of us at the moment and here I am just now seeing everyone.

Shane sighs loudly then rubs his face and look over in the corner of the room where Lyla sits on a small newly installed bar sipping her drink.

"Just don't hurt her man."

"Could say the same thing to you brother." I say then continue my search for Shawna.

I find her not ten minutes later and I wish I hadn't. She is sitting in one of the chairs at yet another bar they set up but she isn't alone. She looks different, she's wearing a long white sleeveless sundress and brown sandals. Her hair long and flowy with lots of big curls in it. The man she's next to, the one that keep fuckin' laying his ugly mit on her thigh, is one I've never seen. He's blonde, tall, that much I can see from only seeing the back of his head, but that's not what gets to me. What gets to me is the fact that she is smiling at this fucker.

"Getting' cozy?" I ask as I move closer to them. Shawna stands up excitedly and smiles at me. Before she can wrap her arms around me, I hold her off at arm's length and return my stare at the douchebag and his fuckin' hands.

"You must be Max. This lady hasn't stopped talking about you." Douchebag explains and when he smiles I want to punch him in his teeth.

"I bet. You want to explain why you have your fuckin' hands on my girl?" I ask.

My mind continues to flash different images into my brain. I can see glimpses of Matthews as he yells towards me just before blackness meets my eyes. I can see Julian threatening me in the precinct and lastly, I can see Shawna crying out for me to help her, only to see that she never needed me in the first place.

"Max, what the hell is your problem? This is Jamison, he's works with Candice and Layla." Shawna tries to explain but my rage blinds me. I can't breathe, too many nightmares coming to light and all in the center of each is Shawna needing me.

"Don't give a fuck who this clown is. I go to jail for a few fuckin' days and you think you can pull this shit? We haven't even figured our shit and yet, here you are going into your old habits huh?" I know I'm being a dick but I can't help where my anger is going. I need to destroy, I need to kill, and I need to keep her safe.

"What the hell man, you're getting the wrong idea here, but if this is your girl, you have a funny way of respecting her."

Fuckin' asshole.

"Max, we need to talk, there is a lot we need to discuss and you're drunk. Come with me and we can talk. Let's go somewhere more private."

"Why? So you can explain how you're moving on? No fuckin' thanks. I can handle all this shit on my own."

Shawna tries to grab one of my arms but I pull my arm away and get into Mr. perfect's teeth face.

"I respect her just fine asshole. Don't talk to me about me and my girl's problems." The asshole has enough common sense to simply shake his head, turn and drink his sissy pussy drink.

I grab Shawna's arm and drag her over to a small corner. I can see Austin in the corner of my eye and when he spots me he immediately heads where we are. Shit. I don't have long.

"Max, stop. You need to calm down and listen to me. Everything you think you know, you have no idea."

"Oh yeah?" I get in her face. All I want to do is bring her into my arms but I can't stop the pain I feel behind her betrayal. I hate how this is exactly what Julian wanted and I'm the one making it happen.

"Max, stop. Let's go outside." Austin says from behind me.

Gunfire and yelling enters my mind and I close my eyes and shake my head.

"Max, listen to Austin. Let's go have a talk."

"No. No one talks but me. We need to go over everything I learned Austin."

"I agree, so let go of Shawna and we can." I look down haven't noticed before that I am still holding onto her arm. I drop it immediately hating that I put my hands on her. Fuck.

"I'm sorry Shawna, I. I didn't meant to.."

"Max, it's okay."

"Max? is that you, where the hell have you been?" Bone yells out from the background.

"Max, stop whatever the hell you are doing right now and let's go talk."

"Boss, Candice is looking for you."

"Give me a goddamn minute, Max let's go now."

I close my eyes and try to get rid of the all the voices and noises consuming me. Gunfire ignites in the back of my skull as I turn and no longer see the party with the cheesiest theme, but now see the desolate lands of Afghanistan. I look down and see I am in my jeans with a plain tee and cut.

Where is my uniform?

Matthews walks over to me but he looks different, his eyes are a dead blue instead of their usual brightness and he looks more pale. He has a cut around his neck and he is completely filthy.

"Max, snap out of it." Matthews says with an echo surrounding our area.

"What?"

Matthews mouth doesn't move as I hear more and more voices shouting at me. I'm brought back to the party and I'm in a corner while my brother and Shane hover over me.

"Max, you okay?" Austin asks.

"Shawna? Where is Shawna?" I yell out. Am I too late? Has Julian already gotten to her?

"Shawna's outside man, Abby and Jason are with her, we need you to calm down." Austin says.

I shake my head once more, still trying to rid my mind of the constant sounds I can still here. I can feel the heat of the land I lost my brothers in, I can feel the depth of the sand and the exhaustion from simply walking a few miles. I can feel all of it as if I were there, yet when I look up, I'm home. I'm surrounded by my family and friends.

Surrounded by my brothers.

"I need to get to her Austin. Let me go." Austin's grip on my shoulder tightens and I attempt to get up. Shane is on the other side and together they manage to keep me in place but this is not a good idea. I can feel my mind slipping into defense mode and when that switches on, it won't switch back off.

"You can have her as soon as you calm down Max."

"You don't fucking understand, none of you do. I have to get to her. It was my fault. It was all my fault and now he's after her because I failed him, I failed them all Austin." Tears weld at my eyes as I try to explain to my brothers but it's not coming out right, only causing more frustration to bubble over the surface of my mind.

"Austin what's going on?" Candice calls out from the background.

It's hot, it's too hot and I can't breathe while these men are on me. Austin makes a move to turn towards his girl and I take that opportunity to slam my head into the side of his causing him to immediately fall to the ground clutching his head. Shane tries to block my body but I break from his arms and punch him right in the jaw. I can hear screaming and shouting, which only amps up the voices and machine gun echoing in the background.

I can hear it, I can hear them screaming for me to save them.

"Max, stop." I don't. I pick up one of the tables made for people to sit and throw it towards the crowd of people surrounding me.

I have to escape. My training teaches me to escape and kill if necessary. Kill anything that moves towards me. I pat at my pants but come up with no gun. I look around at all the concerned faces but ignore them. Shawna needs me, I have to get to Shawna. Matthews needed me and I failed him. I won't fail her.

A feel a few bodies on me and with the extra weight I collapse to the ground. My vison blurs in and out and when it all becomes clear, I look around the room. I see poker chips and cards all over the ground. There is liquid spilled over the tables and gifts scattered everywhere. I look up and see Candice with a small gash on her arm and guilt hits me hard.

"Max?" Austin says and the brothers holding me help me up. He has a gash across his nose, most likely from my headbutt. "Let him go."

"You fuckin' kidding me? It took three of us to get him down Prez."

"I said let him the fuck go." Austin says calmly. I feel the release and tears brim at the edge of my eyes. I've done it again. I've hurt everything and everyone in my wake. "You good?"

"Austin I." I pause to swallow the large ball I have in my throat. "I'm sorry man. I need. I need help."

"We're going to get you help man, you have to tell us what you see. Tell me what you see." Austin's breathing heavy but his demeanor is calm. I trust him, I have to.

"We were all there Austin. We were only a week away from coming home. We were told to do one more patrol around the city. We figured it would be easy because it was empty it was empty Austin."

My voice grows groggily and someone behinds me pulls up a chair for me to sit. I look around at all the debris but Austin catches my attention back to him by stepping up closer to me. I stare at his cut, remembering the moment our father gave it on him. The pride showing through his face was one I would never forget.

"Keep going Max. Ignore everything else but me and you." I take a deep breath and sit down at a nearby chair. I continue speaking about the one night I never thought I would ever want to relive.

"We were in the Humvee. Talking about going home, talking about our loved ones. Peterson, Wells, Jones, Tolino, and Matthews. They were my brothers. My brothers Austin." Tears begin running down my tears as everyone around us starts disappearing. Austin never takes his eyes off me. He never stop listening.

"Jones was the leader, he thought he saw something and wanted to check it out. We exited the Humvee and went in search for whatever it might be. We didn't think we would find something Austin, but we did. We split up, Matthews was with me, he was my at my six when he saw something. A doll, some weird felt doll. I'll never forget what it looked like, what if felt like."

I still remember thinking he was going to take it with him for his newborn daughter. Not having witnessed his daughter's birth because she went into early labor and then having to stay out there when his daughter went through the few surgeries nearly killed him.

"We heard Jones and Wells speaking to people. Met them on the other side and saw a group of women. Women there, they don't do what the men do, so we let own our guard. It was a big mistake. It was all a mistake."

"Keep going Max. Keep talking to me."

"They were everywhere. Before we could even make a move, there were men everywhere. I don't know where they came from, only that we were outnumbered and I needed to do something. I had to Austin. I walked slowly over to the woman that had a little girl behind her, she was holding an RPG. I had to take her down."

"Don't move." I say to her knowing damn well she can't understand what I'm saying.

Everyone is shaking, including me as more yelling and cursing fling around the air. The woman in my clutches begins thrusting, attempting to get free and I use one of my hands to try and push her back towards the knife. Her burqa comes lose and her long flowy black hair comes down around my eyes. I push it away while still pushing the knife up to her throat and that's when she turns around and I lose everything.

"Shawna?"

"Stone, do not let go of her, it's the only leverage we got, do not let go!" Someone shouts but my mind is too focused on the person I practically have my hands around. She looks so much Shawna, same black hair, same eyes, fuck.

I immediately let go and back up, causing me to lose my footing and fall into the sand. The woman moves forward and suddenly everything goes in slow motion. Her hands grab hold of the RPG and she fires. The blast hits the sand and some bricks and suddenly the entire area goes black. I can hear ringing in my ears as I lay on the ground and rub my eyes clean of it.

I can hear a few shouts and even more bullets as the dust settles. I begin rapidly looking for my weapon but still can't see anything out of my eyes. Pain ignites in my head as I try to blink away the sand and blood. I'm still on the ground and begin crawling towards the cursing, groaning and bullets. I can feel a heaviness settle in my lower abdomen but fight against it and continue looking for any signs of my brothers.

"Matthews? Tolino? Wells?" I shout but get no response back. I find my weapon and keep shouting their names but get nothing. The dust begins to clear enough to see figures as they approach me. I stop moving and ready my gun.

A bullet whizzes past my head as I perch down and clock my weapon.

"Matthews." I yell out once more, causing an abundance of bullets to go past my head and body. One of them lodges into my shoulder and I bite down on my tongue to keep from screaming out.

I clutch my shoulder and begin moving backwards until I hit a wall and await my fate. I don't want to waste my bullets but there is no way they are taking me alive. Especially if all my brothers are gone.

Shawna, I'm sorry baby.

I line up my weapon to my eyes, blinking a few times to get more sand out. Before I can make a move, something zooms in front of me and begins firing into the shadows. I hear more grunting and yelling and that's when I see him, Matthews, with a badly bleeding leg is barely standing and begins firing right in front of me.

"Go Stone. Go." He throws his arms towards me but I don't move. He has a little girl and a wife at home waiting on him. "Go Max. You have to go now." He runs back towards me as more bullets zing past us and hit corners of building and bricks. More dust comes up as he ducks into me.

"Robert, come on, let's get you out of here."

"No man, it's you, it has to be you. I'm gone brother." He says and that's when I get a good look at him. He has two bullet wounds, one through his chest, the other in his stomach. His face is burned on the right side and his right leg is shredded."

"No, Rob, they can help you man, they can fix you." I try and grab his jacket but he fights my hands off. We both have tears in our eyes when he aligns his forehead to mine.

"Take care of them for me Max. Take care of my girls. Please." Before I can blink and fight for him, he pushes me and I fall down a small enclave knocking myself unconscious.

"I woke up in a hospital. They wouldn't tell me shit at first, only that I was the only survivor. I stayed there for a few weeks, healed up, and was sent home. Everyone was dead in my unit, and I just went home, as if nothing happened."

I have tears rolling down my eyes as I sit there and relive the final moments of my brothers. I never saw them die, never saw them fight back against the enemy and thanks to me, they all died that night. I will never forgive myself for taking away their lives. I will never forgive myself for not fighting when they needed me to. It took one look to cause my training to fly out the window and the moment I got back, I saw her again, only she gave me some news, I don't think I could ever forgive.

"Max, I'm so sorry." I look up at Austin's voice. His face is haggard and exhausted. His gash is still bleeding but he ignores it as he lowers his head in respect.

"I don't want your pity Austin. I want Shawna, I need to see her."

"You need to wait brother. I understand why you feel the need to make sure she's good, but she don't need to see you this way. Give her until tomorrow, go home and sober up, then come and talk to her. You can't force her to listen to you while you treat her like garbage."

"No, you don't understand." I shout as I stand, letting the chair fall back behind me. "You don't understand shit. I'm going to find my girl and no one can stop me."

I see Shane walk up behind me and as soon as I turn I'm met with his fist to my face.

Darkness consumes me.