Elizabeth Alvarez, or Ellie as she preferred with her family, sat in her office watching the small digital clock on her computer. 2 more minutes she thought to herself. Last night she felt restless and couldn't sleep, kept turning over and over. Today had been a long day having to go in and out of the office to show different properties. She was ready to walk out at 5 O'clock and meet Karla at the bar around the corner. She would get a drink maybe something to eat and go to bed. As soon as 5 hit she grabbed her black purse and walked out of the office waving to a couple of her coworkers goodbye and wishing them a good weekend.

"I will have a Mango margarita on the rocks" she asked as soon as she sat in the surprisingly comfy bar stool. She pulled out her phone and text Karla letting her know she was at the bar and asking her if she wanted her to order a drink.

"Here you go Ellie" said Jose, the bartender and friend of the family as he sat the drink in front of her

"Thanks Jose. Can you give me a Smirnoff" He nodded his head and walked to the back

"Hey Ellie" Elizabeth stood and hugged her best-friend

"How are you? I feel like I haven't seen you in a while" said Elizabeth to Karla

"Girl! I know. It's been crazy at the center, but now a new girl started so we should be better"

" I'm glad to hear that, they over work you" said Elizabeth with a laugh. Karla worked at the local center as a speech therapist she was only into the job a couple of months and was working her ass off. It made Elizabeth happy to know her friend was doing what she loved.

"How was the date with what's his name?" asked Elizabeth as Jose came back and placed the drink in front of Karla

"It's George" Karla laughed "It was good. We went to dinner and got a better chance to talk"

"More than the 100 texts a day?" Karla gave a small smile and blushed

"Whatever, he told me he had a son, but hadn't said anything because he didn't want to scare me"

"How do you feel about that?" Elizabeth asked

"I think I'm okay with it. I have realized that we are getting older and that I will most likely end up being someone's step mom"

"What? We are not old?" said Elizabeth in mock out rage

"I know Ellie" Karla got a serious face "But look around us, you just turned 26 and I will be 27 next month and everyone our age is married and having kids. I just realized that I need to be okay if I get with someone that has a kid and so should you"

"I don't know about that" responded Elizabeth. She felt they were both still young and she was not ready to be anyone's mother.

They turned to lighter topics, talking a bit more about the date and what Karla had worn. But everything fit Karla she was petit about 5'2 with pale skin and dark brown eyes with small slim athletic body. They had a round of appetizers and another drink. They decided to skip drinks next Friday and settle for going shopping Saturday Morning.

They separated at the door as Karla parked in front of the Bar while Elizabeth was still parked in front of the office. She walked back to her car grateful she had worn comfortable dressy sandals. She got in her car and turn the key, but the car wouldn't turn on.

"Fuck" Elizabeth said out loud

She tried again but nothing. She opened the hood but decided it was pointless. While her dad taught her how to check the fluids in the car there was nothing much she could do. She didn't want to call Karla knowing she had to be early at the center tomorrow morning.

"Hola Maria" she said to the receiver

"Hola Ellie, Como estas?" Answered Maria, Elizabeth's cousin.

"Bien, but do you think you can pick me up? I am at work, but my car won't start"

"Mija, I don't know why you didn't call- "Elizabeth cut her off before she could finish

"Maria you know I don't like owning them any favors. If your tired, it's fine. I can catch a taxi" Said Elizabeth regretting calling Maria

"I will be there in 15. Stay in the car" Elizabeth sat in her car waiting for Maria to pick her up. She normally would try not to bother anyone, but all she could think about was getting home and falling into bed. She pulled her phone out to go over her schedule for Monday at work. She had a couple of shows, but it was the end of the month and there was a lot of paperwork due soon.

Honk…honk

Elizabeth turned back and saw Maria's white Jeep Wrangler. Elizabeth grabbed her purse and locked the door behind her. When she was walking to the Jeep, she noticed the motorcycle behind it.

"Thank you Maria, but did you really need a chaperon" asked Elizabeth a little annoyed.

"You need to get over it. They're family and he's my husband" Maria said. She knew Elizabeth had problems with the MC, but she thought Elizabeth needed to get over it. They both had grown up with the club, but the older Elizabeth got the more she withdrew from it and the family. It really bothered Maria they had been close in school with only 15 months apart in age. She missed Elizabeth.

"I know. How is Jackie?" Asked Elizabeth changing the subject. Jackie is Maria's oldest and only girl. She was 9 going into 10 in a few months.

"She's good. She's doing so well in school. She wants to try out for the soccer team this year" and they kept talking about Maria's kids all the way to Elizabeth's apartment. They said their goodbye's after Maria made Elizabeth promise to try to make it to Sunday Family dinner. Elizabeth watched the motorcycle follow the jeep.

She went into her 1-bedroom condo glad to be at home. She has been living here for about 2 years and found it wonderful. It was small with a simple floor plan, but it was hers and it was home. She changed into a large oversized shirt and fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Elizabeth woke up the next day feeling relaxed. She laid in bed enjoying the feeling of being well rested. She got up and took a shower feeling refreshed. She dressed in dark navy shorts and a white t-shirt, and a pair of simple nude sandals. She pulled her phone and googled to the local mechanic shop and was about to dial when her phone rang.

"Hello?" she answered without looking at the caller Id as she was going thru her purse to see if she had cash knowing the shop will require a partial payment.

"Elizabeth" came the stern voice of her Father "explain to me why Arnie came in telling me that he and Maria had to pick you up last night because your car did not start"

"Dad- "

"You should have called me. I would have picked you up and had one of the guys bring your car to our shop"

"Dad, I was about to call you to ask you to pick up the car" Lie "I didn't want to wake you or mom up"

"Okay, that's good" Marcus knew his daughter was lying, but let it slide.

"The car is already here, and Arnie is looking at it. Want me to send a guy to pick you up?" he asked but knew most likely she would decline.

"No, its fine Dad, it will do me some good to walk. I'll see you soon" she said hanging up the phone.

Marcus looked at the phone in his hand after the line disconnected. He didn't know what was going on but over the last few years he felt like he was losing Ellie. He didn't know what or why. He didn't want to push the issue knowing that would only push her further away. But he knew that after today he may lose her anyway.

Elizabeth was tired she had been walking for over 30 minutes and was half wishing that she would have taken the ride. But she knew she also needed the exercise. She knew she was a little overweight with thick thighs and a soft belly. She wasn't ugly she thought to herself. She had a pretty face with large round eyes, but plain brown eyes. Dark black hair that was usually in a pony tail. With tan skin that her mom called honey. She was 5'6 and a size 10/12. And double DD breast that showed up in 6th grade. It bothered her because all her family was slim. She was working and becoming more comfortable in her skin but not quite there yet.

"Hey Dad" Elizabeth greeted her dad a little out of breath. Man, she really needed to get in shape she thought to herself

"Elizabeth" Marcus shook his head "Youshould've let one of the guys pick you up"

"I'm fine, did Arnie find what's wrong with my baby?" she asked kissing her dad in the cheek and sitting next to him.

"Yeah, looks like it was your battery. Has been leaking for awhile and completely drained. He is out getting a new one" Elizabeth nodded her head glad it was something easy and cheap.

"How's Mom and Joey?" Asked Elizabeth after her Mother and her youngest brother who was only 8 years old.

"She's good. She's worried about you kids" Marcus said with a small smile. After all these years he still loved that woman with everything in him.

"Joey is good, he's excited to go camping with a couple of friends next month" Finished Marcus with a frown.

"What's wrong?" she asked worried

"Anna fucked up" Marcus said with a frown "She was apparently sleeping with a white Nazi and they got into an argument and he hit her, and she stabbed him" Unlike Elizabeth who looked Hispanic with her tan skin color. Anna took after her mom and could pass off as white and made a point to never speak Spanish

"Is she okay?"

"She's hiding for now, they want retribution. The guy apparently is someone important in their organization. The SONS found out about it and stepped in" Marcus wanted to stop and look at Elizabeth rather than at the table, but he felt like a coward and had to get through this. "Clay approached me offering to placate them, but in return he wants peace with us"

"That's good right?" Asked Elizabeth unsure why her dad was not looking at her

"I agreed to it immediately, but he wants something more permanent. He wants one of the Sons to marry my daughter"

"Arranged marriage? This is not the 13th century?" said Elizabeth not believing what she heard.

"Who is Anna supposed to marry?" She asked

"He didn't think it was a good idea to marry Anna"

"Me?" she asked in disbelief. He simply nodded his head. Elizabeth gave a laugh without humor.

"Sure, because why not throw me under the bus to save your real daughter?" Marcus stared at her in disbelief.

"You are my daughter Elizabeth" he said. Marcus had always made sure to treat them the same. To him Elizabeth was his daughter from the moment he met this sweet and shy 7-year-old.

"No, I'm not Marcus" she had never called him by his name not even when she was a bratty teenager and they would argue "You want me to give up my life for a step-sister that has always treated me like crap. Has stolen from me and doesn't even like me"

"What do you want me to do?" he was angry and hurt by her words." I would ask her to do the same for you"

"You would never have to"

"You don't think I know that" he shouted. "I can't let them kill her"

"It's not like I ever had a choice, right? Does mom know?" asked Elizabeth with a tear in her eyes.

"No, she doesn't but Ellie..." she walked away from him. He slammed his fist on the table. "I'm sorry" he whispered to the empty room.

Elizabeth walked out of the room. She was hurt and so angry she couldn't believe her dad, no Marcus had done that. All her life she tried to make him feel proud to have taken her in. She tried to not get in trouble, not to ask for anything. She started working when she was 15 so she was not a burden, but all the while Anna, her step sister from Marcus previous relationship, would get in and out of trouble and had been an rehab twice before turning 21. She had put her parents through so much crap and here was Elizabeth having to sacrifice herself.

It was not fair.

"Ellie" she turned to the voice and found Sam looking at her with worried eyes.

"You knew" she stated. He gave a small nod. "thanks for the heads up" she said walking away from him. She was angry at him. They had been fuck buddies behind her dad's back and he could have least prepared her for the shit she had walked into.

She grabbed the spare key for the ford truck they kept and drove out of the scrap yard. She needed to get away and fast. She pulled to the side of the road once she couldn't see the scrap yard in the rearview mirror and let herself cry. She had done everything she could to stay away from the MC life. She had pushed her family away little by little because she knew if she got too close, she would get stuck in the life. After all she had done she was still going to get stuck. She didn't have a choice. She might not like Anna, but at the end of the day they were sisters, and Elizabeth's mom loved Anna. She wouldn't let her mom have to bury a kid if she could help it. She wiped her tears away and started the truck. She needed a long drive to calm her down.