"Oh my god," Macy groaned, "My body is fucking aching."
"Was I too rough?" Opie asked, rolling over to see her pained expression looking back at him.
"Oh, honey, no," she laughed. "I was thrown into a ditch the other night, remember?"
"Yeah," he grumbled, pulling her against his chest. "I'm sorry. Still."
"I know," she sighed. "Let's just...forget about it. Forget about Jax and Donna and all that shit. Move forward."
Opie took a deep breath. "What's moving forward look like?"
Burying her face in his chest she mumbled, "I don't know."
"We should have ground rules," he suggested.
"Ground rules," she chuckled, "That might work."
"Keep shit in the house," he said. "Everyone else can go on thinking you hate me."
"Not like you don't deserve it," she said only half kidding.
"I get what I deserve," he remarked, pausing to kiss her, "And you get what."
"Back rubs and orgasms?" She asked with a sunny smile.
Opie nodded. "I can do that." He kissed her again, deeper this time, but slowly pulled away as she pressed her body against his.
"What?"
"I gotta go, I'm already on Clay's shit list," he complained.
"And my mom's," Macy reminded him, "Probaby Jax's too."
Opie slowly nodded on his way into the bathroom. He had momentarily forgotten about the mess that awaited him at the clubhouse. He was still in the shit, he knew it, and he had a debt to pay but being able to disappear in bed with Macy was a relief.
"Mace," he said from the bathroom, "We gotta talk about what happened." He wasn't surprised when she didn't respond. Joining her again in the bedroom, Opie got on his knees beside what was slowly becoming her spot on the mattress so they were almost eye level. "You think they were gym guys?"
"Yeah," she said quietly. "I think one of them was this guy Mike. He doesn't have many friends."
"Alright, we'll take care of it," he assured her. "Mace, I don't know what this is but I like it."
Macy giggled. "All we've done differently is finally have sex, Ope. We always talked."
He smirked a little. "Feels different."
"Yeah it does," she agreed. "You should go."
"You doing anything today?" He asked he, getting back to his feet to get dressed.
She watched as he stepped into his jeans and pulled a shirt over his head, her lips curling into a toothy smile.
"Laundry, maybe," she sighed. "I gotta call LaRoy, I don't think I can work like this. I'm so sore."
"Take a bath," he suggested. "It'll help. One time I really got my ass kicked I just fucking laid in the bath. It was great."
Macy laughed. "I can see your legs hanging out of the tub you big monster. You don't fit in tubs, Ope."
"Whatever, just trying to be nice," he shrugged.
"It's very sweet," she said, rolling over with a groan. "Now let me sleep."
Opie was last to arrive at the clubhouse that day. It was disconcerting to see Clay waiting by the boxing ring.
"Hey," Opie said coolly. "Got one name, Mike, Lumpy should know the others."
"Already got someone on that," Clay said. "This shit with Macy, how long?"
"It wasn't anything," Opie said quickly. "Just flirting' bullshit."
"I trust you, I love you like a son," Clay explained, "I had one request, don't touch my daughter."
"I didn't, Prez," Opie said staunchly.
"You sure?" Clay asked, leaning in closer to Opie.
Opie didn't respond immediately, unwilling to out Macy and uncomfortable with Clay's question in general. "You feel like I went behind your back, I did with the Dom shit. Looks like you wanna get right with that, with me," Opie gestured to the ring. "We can do that."
"We are," Clay said with a nod. He whistled loudly, an ear piercing shriek, calling Jax and a few of the others out of the clubhouse.
"Like this?" Opie huffed. "With an audience?"
Clay shrugged. "We all feel slighted," he said sarcastically by way of explanation. Really though, Clay just wanted the others there to add to what essentially was Opie's punishment.
"Alright," he huffed, taking off his rings and placing them on the table, "Let's do it."
They both climbed into the ring, Opie's stance more relaxed than Clay's knowing he basically had to take the beating. He wasn't really concerned, thinking Clay's arthritis would lessen the intensity of the beat down. He wasn't entirely correct though.
The first punch connected with Opie's jaw sending him stumbling bald into the ropes. He shook his head, recovering from the blow, just as Clay landed a roundhouse. Opie's eye puffed up quickly, a few drops of blood trickling down from his eyebrow.
"Shit," Opie grumbled.
"Come on," Clay taunted him. "Don't make it so easy."
Opie obliged, throwing two jabs back to back into Clay's jaw. They went back and forth for almost twenty minutes before Tig finally stepped in.
"Alright boys," he said, getting between them. "I think that's enough."
"You got rocked by an old man," Jax chuckled as Opie hopped down from the ring.
"Had to go easy on him, he thinks I've been banging his daughter," Opie said as they made their way into the kitchen.
"How is she?" Jax asked leaning against the counter with a cigarette in his mouth.
"Sore...and pissed," Opie said. "Won't really talk to me." He felt exceptionally guilty lying to Jax, more so than he thought he would.
"Table," Chibs bellowed to the brothers scattered around the lot.
They went toward the clubhouse, Opie sighing heavily, and the entire club took their spots at the table.
"LaRoy said there were three white boys looking for Macy," Clay announced. "Came in, asked if she was working that night and left. He said she's caught the eye of a few of the white local kids so he didn't think it meant anything."
"This arrangement is already going bad," Jax remarked.
"But it's not club shit," Juice said. "Right? This is some domestic shit."
Clay looked at Opie and nodded. "Domestics gone wrong."
"I went with Opie," Chibs announced. "He asked me to go with him, teach him not to fuck with one of our own. I'm sorry, Clay."
"You're good," Clay said quickly. "You were helping a brother, having his back," Clay looked at the others, "No more of this shit. Anything happens, you tell the club personal or otherwise."
Everyone nodded briefly before they continued on with business.
"Lumpy said he knows the guys, Mike Laughlin, Samuel Taylor and some asshole who calls himself Babe Lapinski," Jax chuckled.
"Babe?" Opie asked, pulling a face while the others laughed.
"His boxing name," Juice added with a chuckle.
"What are we doing?" Tig asked eagerly, always in the mood for a little mayhem. "That's four bodies."
"We sure it's them?" Bobby asked. "Can't go killing three guys over associations."
"They see is coming back in the gym," Chibs remanded motioning to Opie, "Their reactions will tells us."
"We'll be waiting out back," Clay said with a devious smile.
It was the perfect mixture of dumb, roided out cocky guys and fairly competent seasoned criminals that made for such a smooth grab. The Sons were good at what they did but the sheer stupidity of their targets made it that much easier.
Opie and Chibs strolled into Lumpy's, ignoring the entire side of the gym where the boxing ring was, and moved right into the office. Mike, Samuel and Babe were there, of course, huddled by the bags while Dom was changing in the lockers.
Watching from Lumpy's office, Chibs and Opie watched their demeanors change as their conversation looked to be turning more dramatic.
"Fucking guilty," Opie growled. "Look at em'."
"Not the brightest ones, aye?" Chibs asked causing them both to laugh. "It's dangerous, Ope. This shite with Macy."
"What?" Opie looked at Chibs with confusion.
Chibs smirked and shook his head. "I've known you too long boy," he sighed, "The lass too."
"I don't know what the fuck you mean," Opie said with a scoff.
"Aye," he said knowingly, "If you ever wanta talk I can keep a secret."
Opie looked at Chibs and nodded, a grateful smile on his lips. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Dom approach the others then the group quickly heading for the alley exit.
"They're all so fucking stupid," Opie groaned. "Come on, let's go."
Chibs and Opie followed the four men at a distance, noticing them pause at the back exit. Two of them turned to see Opie and Chibs, smug smiles on their faces, and the realization that they were trapped hit them hard.
"Go," Chibs told them.
"What are you gonna do?" Dom asked Opie. "There's way more of you than us."
"Get in the van and you'll find out," Opie growled.
"No way, man," Mike said.
Chibs shook his head, seeing the steel door behind the men open slowly and knowing the wjag the new plan would be. Just then Tig and Jax grabbed the men closest to them while Opie and Chibs grabbed the other two. With swift solid pistol whips the four offenders were unconscious and zip tied before being thrown into the van.
"Chigger Woods," Clay announced. "There's plenty of space up there."
Opie knew he wouldn't get a chance to take out any of them himself, it would be Clay and Jax, and he doubted they'd have him handle one himself.
They arrived and dragged the men out, lining them up along a log.
"Should we wait?" Bobby asked with annoyance.
"Anyone got some water?" Jax huffed. "A good splash would get them moving."
"I'll wake em' up," Tig said. Unzipping his fly he proceeded to pee on their faces which raised them rather quickly.
"Yo, what the fuck?!" Mike hollered angrily.
Struggling against the cableties, Dom protested, "That's fucking sick."
"This one liked it," Tig said pointing at Babe. "Didn't ya?"
"You're gonna kill us?" Babe asked, truly shocked.
"Over that shit with Macy?" Mike seemed equally surprised.
"You didn't tell em' did you?" Jax asked, leaning into Dom's face. "Lay a hand on that girl, you're gonna pay with your shitty life."
"No one touches my daughter," Clay growled, pulling his gun. "You should have caught a bullet the first time," he said, shooting Dom in the stomach.
Dominic wailed and howled, the others beginning to panic at the sight. Sam, the silent one, struggles over the log and attempted to flee. Clay shot, hitting him in the back and sending him to the ground.
"Jax," he said, nodding at Babe. "Deal with this one."
Smiling sickeningly, Jax pulled his gun and pressed the barrel against Babe's head. He paused, wanting to prolong the moment for Babe, before firing a single shot and killing him instantly.
Clay shot Mike unceremoniously then Dom. "Deal with that one," he told Jax, pointing to where Samuel laid.
"Come on," Jax said to Opie, "Lets go."
Opie went with Jax, waiting for him to put the last one out of his misery but he didn't.
"Do it," Opie grumbled, "Tired of hearing him cry.
"Go ahead," Jax offered. "Take the shot."
Opie didn't hesitate. He shot Sam in the head and felt immense satisfaction. Looking at Jax, Opie raised an eyebrow.
"What was that about?"
"I know you care about her, you went after this asshole for her in the first place," Jax shrugged. "Thought you'd like your pound of flesh."
Opie nodded. "Thanks."
"Still don't want you touching her," Jax added. "Too messy, too dangerous. Okay?"
His guilt didn't keep him from agreeing. "Got it, brother."
"Let's go," Tig hollered. "We gotta start digging."
Covered in dirt, his bruises having darkened through the day, Opie returned home looking a mess. He found Macy in the kitchen, beer in her hand, and smiled to himself.
"Hey," he sighed.
"Hi," she turned to smile at him but was taken aback by his current state. "Jesus Christ. Are you okay?"
"Yeah," he nodded. "Your dad," he gestured to his face.
She frowned and shook her head. "Typical. The mud and dirt?"
"We killed Dom and his friends, buried them up in Chigger Woods."
"Oh," she drew her head back. "I'm not sure why but I'm surprised."
He laughed. "You expected less?"
"No," she laughed. "What can I do for you?"
"Just be here when I get out of the shower," he requested.
"My pleasure," she said, moving to kiss him. "You fucking stink," she laughed. "Get outta here dirtball."
He went home the steps and immediately Macy began to cry. She knew they'd die but it still invoked an intense sadness in her. There was no doubt they deserved it, at least according to the life they lived, but it disturbed her. Four men, dead, because of her.
"Oh shit," she was shaken from her thoughts when Opie's heavy footfalls creaked above her. Macy was planning on making him something and greeting him, in her underwear, but she lost track of time.
"I talked to Jax," Opie said as he joined her again. "He said we're too messy and it's too dangerous."
"Did he?" She remarked from the fridge. "Pretty sure I'm alive and four men are dead."
"Men that hurt you," Opie reminded her.
"True, but they didn't hurt me because of my involvement with the club, seems like Jax has it all backwards."
"Don't," Opie huffed. "We don't even know what this is or what it'll be. Jax's opinion doesn't matter."
"I just feel guilty."
"Probably a good thing," he said stilling her hands as she began to make him a sandwich. "Not hungry."
"No?"
"Did you take a bath like I said?"
She smiled and shook her head. "No.
"Go," he ordered her.
"Wish it was big enough for the both of us," she winked.
"Me too," he kissed her. "Now go."
Macy went up to run herself a bath while Opie rolled her a joint at the kitchen table. She was already in the water when he made his way up to the bathroom.
Seeing the deep bruises he hissed, his anger flaring again, and sat on the closed toilet. He lit the joint for her and handed it over.
"Think we both need this," she said, gratefully accepting it.
"Your old man did some goddamn damage," he complained.
"I'm kind of surprised," she remarked.
"I was too," he looked at her naked body and groaned, "You look good."
"Even with the bruises?"
"Yeah," he nodded.
Macy pulled the drain and stood up, turning the shower on. "Come here," she held her hand out to him.
"I just got dressed."
"I don't care," she complained. "Do you?"
"No," he laughed, leaving the joint on the counter and stripping down. When he got under the water he kissed her, groaning into her mouth, and pulled her close.
"I was scared it would suck," she admitted, "When we finally had sex but I can't stop thinking about it."
"You think about it in bed when I was gone?" He asked her, his hands wandering down between them.
"Yeah," she whimpered. "I was getting off, thinking about you, while you were murdering my ex-boyfriend."
Opie growled when she said it, hooking his arm behind her knee and lifting her leg. "Want the real thing?"
"Yes," she said eagerly, "Please, Ope."
Opie gave her what she was begging for, nothing in his head but how good she felt, while Clay and Jax had nothing in their heads but Opie and Macy.
"How can we make damn sure this doesn't happen again?" Clay asked LaRoy as they sat in the roped back section of the bar.
"We'll keep a closer eye, didn't think we had to worry about asshole wannabe boxers. I was looking for ink, other crews."
"We didn't know either," Jax admitted, "But that shit is gonna change."
"I got you," LaRoy said. "I like her, she brings in the stupid white folk who were too scared before."
"She's making you money?"
"She is," LaRoy nodded, "But you ain't getting a cut of that."
Clay and Jax laughed. "I don't mind the arrangement, just wanted you to know what happened."
"I understand," LaRoy said, shaking their hands. "She's off this week, just while she heals."
Clay nodded. "We appreciate it."
Jax and Clay strolled out of the bar and back to their bikes with two sets of the eyes on them. Their visit painted a large target on their backs and they completely unaware.