A/N: sorry for late update, been having trouble thinking of what to create and where I wanted to go with this chapter. I try to take time with my work because I do not wish to write something that feels forced and rushed. By the way, thank you to allfor
the lovely reviews, you guys are wonderful, can't wait to hear more.

I was out of the clubhouse the second dawn broke through, I threw my hoodie up and sneaked out; I needed to be away for a short while. I walked to the suburbs and climbed on top of the roof of a two story deserted house; I always loved high places. Nonot
for some reason like 'I felt free' or 'no one could touch me', I liked it because of vertigo. That strange feeling you get when you look out above a cityscape or get that light headed feeling when you look down. I watched the sun rise and lightenvelope
the town, like water running over rocks on the beach; new dawn, new day, wonder what this day will bring. I should probably talk to Clay today, I don't what that attack was about but I want to know, I don't like not knowing; who was thatCal-whatever.
Hmmm I wonder how things went with his wife.

…

I saunter back to the clubhouse, not particularly giddy about seeing Clay, but at the same time I didn't want to be away from the Clubhouse, I was very cautious about my surroundings; even the low rumble of a car begged me to glance. I walked into the
lot and Clay was on his bike but the second he saw me, he switched off the ignition and unclipped his helmet; he stood off his bike and approached me. "Where the hell were you?"

"Out"

"Where?"

"I don't know, some suburban area?" I shrug, he points a finger in my face,

"If you leave the lot again, you are to take someone with you", I couldn't say anything, I just rolled my eyes and walked away. I'm not exactly sure if that's his way of caring, but at least I'm getting somewhere. Before I could reach the door to theclubhouse,
I felt someone tap my shoulders; I turn to see a very pale blonde boy, with no logo on his vest, only the word Prospect on the back. He points to an office "Gemma wants to talk to you", I nod and politely smile inacknowledgement. I walktowards
the office and see the same woman from yesterday, brown hair, and blonde streak, middle aged, sitting behind a desk with glasses balanced on her nose. She peers up at me over her spectacles, I sit down across from her, and sounds of silence

fill the room, nothing but the sounds of tools in the garage at work. "So what did he tell you? I'm his cousin?" I pipe up,

"You don't lookvery much like him"

"Yeah, thank god she look like her mother, right?"

"You've got his eyes though" she crosses her arms,

"Maybe, I haven't really had the years to observe the resemblance between me and my father"

"Yeah I suppose so"

"So what else has he told you?"

"That apparently you wanted to 'reconnect'"

"I just wanted to know the other half of me"

"Yeah and you expect me to believe that"

"I don't care what you believe. You may be married to Clay but you don't know where I'm coming from, so you're opinion is invalid to me"

"And where are you coming from?" she leans on her desk, I scoff,

"Just wanted to meet my Dad, I want to know why he didn't come find me as a kid, I want to know why he swept me under the rug after four years" I explain, she just sits there staring at me, observing me, "I don't expect you to get it, but if it's that
/much of a burden, I'll leave" I stand and as I'm about to leave the office,

"Dinner" she says, I look at her

"Dinner?"

"Yeah, I'm having adinner tomorrow night,all the guys are going to be there, should really introduce yourself to the family, if you're going to be apart of it" she hands me piece of paper with an address on it,

"Should I bring the ambrosia salad?" I joke, "What time?"

"Be at the house by6:00pm"

"Okay, see you then", this will be interesting.

…

To pass the time, I play pool on my own; which I severely suck at. The table is covered in strikes of chalk from where I've continuously missed the ball, Opie and Jax walks in, Jax walks in with a baby cradled in his arms, a woman with long dark brownhair
follows through with a carrier. I observe how they are that busy family, both parents looking after the needs of a small infant, giving it both love and attention; Jax makes amusing gooey faces at the kid. "Hey, you okay?" Opie pulls me out of
/my trance,

"Yeah I'm fine, just I didn't know observing. Is that his kid?"

"Yeah, that's Abel"

"And the woman with him is?"

"Tara, that Jax's old lady"

"Old? Christ I've got to get the number of her surgeon", Opie laughs,

"Nah it's a term we use for girlfriend"

"Why not just say girlfriend"

"Old ladies are the woman of the club members who have a kind of standing and respect from other members and such"

"Oh okay, reminds me of Queens in medieval ages" I chuckle, he smiles and looks at the pool table,

"You want a game?"

"Oh I'm afraid I won't be much competition, I'm fucking awful at this" I demonstrate by aiming for a ball and as usual, miss. Opie throws his head back in laughter at my failure,

"Here, I'll show you how to do it properly", I stand at my usual stance, he lowers my torso, "Your stance is off, you need to be at eye level with the ball and your hands are to close together", with his firm hands he pulls my hands further apart and
/he flattens my palm on the table and turns it on an angle and wraps my first finger around the top, "this will help you cradle the cue more steadily" his hands are rough but firm and structured, each finger with a large ring, he lowers himself closer
/to me, his body close to being flush against me, he turns me to aim at a stripe ball, I pull the stick back and forth and strike the white ball to which it hits the striped ball and sinks it! "Nice", I feel him breathe in my ear, I stand as calmly
/as possible,

"Thanks" I chuckle, "I'll take you up on that game I guess" I smile.

…

Well Opie kicked my ass 3 times, so instead of going through more humiliation, I decide to have a drink with him. We both sip at whiskey talking about silly things, he told me about his deceased wife and the fact that he's got two kids, apparently his
/Dad is one of the original members of this club, "What is it you guys do exactly? Besides fixing automobiles" I ask but he just stares at his drink,

"Not sure if I'm the right guy to tell you about that"

"If you aren't then I'm guessing it's not a very legitimate business"

"So why'd you leave Texas" he changes the topic,

"I left Chicago, my mum lives in Texas but I stayed in Chicago"

"So why'd you leave Chicago"

"I wanted to meet my Dad"

"Besides that. You don't seem to have the desire to want to move back"

"I don't really have anything back in Chicago"

"No friends or family?"

"The only other family is my Mum, friends? Nah. I don't have friends anymore"

"Anymore?"

"Yeah, I guess you can say I got in a bit of trouble with them"

"How come?" he enquires, I probably shouldn't say too much. I don't really need them knowing more about me than what's absolutely necessary.

"Don't really want to talk about it, sorry" I say as sorrowful as possible, hopefully manipulating him into thinking that I don't really want rehash painful memories, that sort of crap. He throws up his hands in surrender, "That's okay, I won't push you"

"Thanks" I smile, he takes a sip from his glass, "thank you for everything you've done by the way Opie" I lean forward to kiss him on the cheek but his head angled slightly towards me which turned into a brief kiss on the lips. The second they make contact,I
lean back and cover my lips with my four fingers, my mouth hangs agape and my eyes wide "I am so sorry Opie, I didn't mean to-" I am interrupted by one finger under my chin as he softly places his lips on mine, giving me a long and gentle
he pulls back, his stares at my face in surprise and subtle bliss, he looks backs to my lips and leans in slightly until I kind of turn my head, "I'm sorry Opie, but I can't do that" I mutter under my breath and walk down to my room. I can'tafford
to have a connection or at least feel like I have a connection and cling onto foolish hope, I can't have very many ties to this place, the less ties, the easier it'll be to leave when I do.