Knowing that Opie would be at the clubhouse for a bit longer, Macy felt comfortable heading home with Shane to compose themselves and talk. There would be no awkward and possibly violent as long as they were gone before morning.
"I am so sorry, Shane," Macy said again. She leaned against the doorframe, watching as he cleaned himself up in the downstairs powder room, their eyes meeting in the mirror every so often.
"Sugar," he sighed, "None of that was your fault." Shane turned to look her in the eyes, rather than her reflection. "What happened? I only saw you trying to get away."
Macy shook her head. "It was nothing until it was something," she mumbled. "He came in after me, tried to talk me into giving him a pass, another shot, he told me he loves me and that he's scared," she slowly trailed off. "Then he grabbed my arm, kissed me, and you saw the rest."
"I don't want you going back there," he told her.
"I don't wanna go back," she admitted.
"Are you scared he'll do something?" Shane asked, growing even angrier.
Macy actually laughed. "Opie? No, not at all. I've never been scared of Ope in my life, I just don't want the guilt trip and the awkward shit. I gotta find a place fast."
"Stay with me," he offered. "I'm closer to the firehouse than your parents anyway," he winked.
"I...I don't know," she shrugged.
"What?" He asked, crossing the bathroom and taking her hand in his.
"I don't want to fuck this up," she laughed sadly. "We did the whole crazy about you thing earlier but I'm in love with you, Shane and the last guy I fell in love with crushed me."
"I love you too," he said, his voice a raspy whisper. "I'm not gonna crush you, Mace."
Shaking her head, Mace stepped back. "I don't know."
"Alright," he said. Raising his hands in surrender and putting more space between them, he began to clean up the used gauze and bandages. "Whatever you wanna do, whenever you wanna do it, you just let me know."
Macy huffed, realizing she was letting Opie dictate her life and as stubborn and proud as her parents, she wouldn't let that continue. "You know what, let's do it," she said with a smile.
Shane turned, a wide, sunny grin on his face. "Spite?"
"Not exactly," she laughed. "I just don't want to let him take any more of my time."
Shane hurried back to her and, snaking his arm around her waist, kissed her ardently. Bending her back slightly he felt his heart flutter as she giggled into his mouth.
"We should go," he mumbled. "I don't want to be here when he gets back."
"Mm-hmm," she smirked. "Let me grab some stuff."
Tossing his trash into the small trash can, Shane chuckled a little. "I should thank him," he yelled to Macy, "If it wasn't for him I don't think we woulda admitted all that."
Macy stopped at the bottom of the steps, one of the places she and Opie shared an early, clumsy kiss, and shook her head. "I wanted to. I didn't like the ambiguousness, if you didn't feel the same, I had to know."
"I do," he nodded.
Smiling, she nodded and bolted up the steps. They were back in his car within five minutes and heading to Shane's. Opie, meanwhile, sat angrily while Clay ripped into him over his behavior but toward Macy. It was a harsh lesson that he'd learn again when he eventually found out about Macy moving.
"Get outta here," Clay said angrily. "Get your goddamn head right, Ope."
—
No one saw Macy for a few days until Wednesday when she popped into her parents' house, still in her dark blue work uniform, spouting a phrase no one wants to hear.
"We have to talk," Macy said, taking a deep breath.
Gemma's face turned and she nodded. "Let me get your father, he's in his office with Jax."
"Oh, great," Macy grumbled.
Jax and Clay joined them in the dining room, taking their usual spots at the table, and Macy reluctantly sat beside her mother.
"What's going on?" Clay asked.
"I just wanted to let you guys know I'm moving in with Shane," she didn't waver or hesitate as expected.
"Lincoln Village?" Gemma asked, drawing her head back. "That's almost an hour away."
"Yep," Macy nodded.
"Why can't he move to Charming?" Clay asked.
"What, into Opie's place?" Gemma asked him with a laugh. "He's already got a nice place," she said quickly.
Clay assumed Gemma was so supportive because of the underlying resentment she carried for years.
"There's plenty of places for sale," Clay said defensively.
Macy rolled her eyes. "His place is great and it's closer to work."
"Mace," Jax sighed, "I think it's too soon."
"It's been a year," she laughed, "And I'm a grown woman."
"I'm very happy for you," Gemma said, reaching to give her daughter's hand a supportive squeeze. "You deserve this."
Macy smiled and nodded, "Thanks, Ma." Looking at her brother and father, Macy shook her head. "I'm sorry but I think it's time I put some space here. After everything last weekend, it's just, it's too tense."
No one said anything for a minute or two so Macy huffed, standing up so quickly the chair squeaked against the floor and left without a goodbye.
"What are you doing?" Clay asked Gemma angrily.
"Me?" She scoffed. "Opie is the one you should be talking to. This happened because he got drunk and manhandled Macy."
"I dealt with Opie," Jax cut in. "You have to change her mind, Ma. Shane is a cop. Dirty or not, he's a goddamn cop."
"I want her to be happy," she said through clenched teeth.
"You want her gone," Clay growled. "After all these years you still see John? You still look at her as John and Maureen's kid?"
"Don't you dare," Gemma shouted. "I never wanted to keep her. I did it for John, when he died," she shook her head.
"Enough," Jax slammed his fists down on the table. "Mom, you need to get over that shit. Macy is your daughter, she's my sister," Jax said earnestly.
"I love her like she was my blood," Clay said quietly. "I don't want her so far with him. They come here, I can keep an eye, fine but I don't want her leaving Charming."
"I don't like him and I don't trust him," Jax said, "But other than that, I agree with Clay."
Gemma stood up and glared at them. "She wants to go? Let her go," she said before storming off.
Macy left one tough discussion, having no idea how heated it would get, and headed to have another. Shane told her just to call or text Opie but she couldn't and she didn't want to. It was a face to face conversation they had to have. She drove to the house, wanting to grab a few things, and was surprised to see he was there. She assumed the conversation would happen at the clubhouse but was relieved they'd have more privacy.
"Ope?" She called out, using her keys to open the door. "You home?"
"Mace?" He popped out from the kitchen with an astounded look on his face. "Hey."
"Hi," she gave him an award wave. "You got a minute?"
He nodded, wiping the oil from his hands, and walked into the living room. "Working on the old Panhead," he explained.
"Cool," she wore a tight smile. "I just wanted to tell you I'm going to be moving out."
"Why?" He asked urgently.
Mace laughed a little, "Uh, that whole thing at the clubhouse is a big reason. Shane lives closer to work anyway and it's been a year, we're happy, and we want to live together."
"You're moving in with him?" Opie asked with disgust.
"You're not even gonna apologize," she said, about to turn and leave.
"I'm sorry," he moaned. "I'm sorry I did what I did to you. Fuck, I'm sorry I ever even did that job and I'm sorry I grabbed you."
Macy nodded. "Thank you."
"Thank you?" He scoffed.
"I can't forgive you, the job is one thing, you don't have to apologize for that but your behavior since you were arrested and since you've been released," she shook her head. "I can't forgive you for that shit."
"I can fix it," he pleaded.
"No," she snapped. "You either don't realize or don't care how badly you hurt me, Opie. If you really love, let me be happy."
Opie reached out to stop her from leaving but pulled his arm back, not wanting to hurt her again, and watched heartbroken as she left. The door slammed, hard, and she squealed away from the house.
—
The Next Day*
Shane and Vic stood over Kyle's body, deliberately disposed of in their jurisdiction, sharing an exasperated look
"Kyle Hobart," Vic sighed.
Nodding, Shane pulled out his pad of paper. "This should be a fun one."
"An easy one," Vic grumbled. "You know about this shit?"
Shane looked up from his paper. "Me?" He scoffed. "They don't tell me shit."
"He was just released," Vic mused. "Prison dispute settled on the outside?"
"How often does that shit happen," Shane wondered.
"I don't think there's statistics on that," Vic laughed. "Club or next of kin? He asked Shane.
"Shit I think I want next of kin," Shane laughed.
"Me too," Vic complained. "I'll talk to the family and we can go to the clubhouse tonight. Do that shit together. Maybe there's an easy answer and this time we won't be dishonoring the badge."
"Somehow I doubt that," Shane huffed.
"Me too," Vic rolled his eyes. "You should tell the girl, you know she's gonna hear about it from them the second we roll in."
Thinking he knew better, Shane decided not to tell Macy beforehand. She told him she'd be packing Thursday and Friday in hopes of being fully moved in by Sunday, she was distracted and busy. Shane's plan was to surprise her with takeout and break the news that way once he knew what they were dealing with. There was no doubt Macy would freak out, he knew she would, but it was better than her panicking needlessly.
Before dark, Trammell and Shane arrived at the lot. The presence of any law enforcement brought all members out of the clubhouse.
"Can't even get out of the car," Shane complained.
"To what do we owe the pleasure?" Clay asked with an overly sunny grin on his face.
"Still healing?" Jax asked with a cocky smirk.
Vic looked at Shane and Jax but held his tongue, he'd get to that layer. "Kyle Hobart."
Clay and Tig shared a confused look, Opie, and Jax doing the same. The entire club all wore the same expression and shrugged nonchalantly.
"Who?" Clay asked.
"We going to play games or we gonna try to deal with this dead club member?" Shane barked angrily. "Cause his body is at the morgue, his wife is blamin' you, and we're trying to help but y'all just playing games."
"You saying we murdered one of our brothers?" Clay asked, his eyes focused on Shane.
"Thought you didn't know him," Shane went back at Clay.
"Jesus Christ," Vic complained loudly. "Walsh get back in the car."
"No," Opie spoke up. "Let him stay."
Shaking his head, Vic motioned for Shane to stay with the group. "Whatever shit you got going on, can we ignore it while I deal with this fucking murder?" Vic said to his deputy in a harsh whisper.
"Yes sir," Shane said, his eyes focused on the asphalt.
"We don't know what happened to him," Jax said. "I'm sure April is just lashing out at the easy target."
Trammell nodded. "Any prison beef?"
Clay looked at Jax for a second.
"We had a problem," Opie announced. "Couple guys, unaffiliated. They got out before we did."
Shane laughed and nodded, running his hand down his face. "Lemme guess, you don't know their names?"
"Nope," Opie said, deadpan.
"There were two," Tig said. "One was real tall, about Ope's size, the other guy was short, like your height," he chuckled.
Shane rolled his jaw. "Y'all are real funny. This a joke?"
"We're funny?" Jax laughed.
"I think you're the joke," Opie said harshly.
"Let's go," Trammell groaned.
"Me n' you," Shane glared back at Opie, pointing at him accusingly, "One of these days, we're gonna mix."
"I hope," Opie said ominously.
"What is this shit?" Macy hollered, charging out of the clubhouse with a few broken-down boxes.
Opie smirked at Shane. "Harassment. As usual."
"I told you to call her," Vic said under his breath.
"Work, sugar," Shane said.
"What happened?" Her anger lessened as she walked closer to Shane.
"I can't comment on an ongoing investigation, miss," he said playfully.
Macy cracked a smile. "You shoulda fucking told me," she whispered.
"I know," he grumbled.
"I'm mad but I won't give them the satisfaction," she said.
"I love you," he crooned.
"See you at home, Deputy," she winked, sauntering by him.
"Are you shittin' me?" Opie grumbled.
Macy pulled out of the lot in her mother's SUV and a few minutes later, after some whispers between Clay and Trammell, the officers did the same.
Disappointed, Opie followed the others into the clubhouse again where an important discussion concerning April Hobart was beginning. Gemma, with other plans in mind, sat beside Opie at the bar.
"You okay, darlin'?"
Opie shook his head.
"Want some advice?"
"Sure," he huffed. "Whatever you think will help, Gem."
"You need to move on," she advised. "The pining, the pouting," Gemma grimaced, "It's not very attractive. Show Macy she's not the only one who can nab someone else. That might make her stop and think."
Nodding, Opie got up and gave Gemma a kiss on the cheek. The others were heading into chapel and he, distracted as ever, had to join them.
"Thanks, Mom." He smiled.
"I saw Donna at the bank," she added quickly, "Still single."
Opie chuckled and nodded. "Never change, Gem."
Gemma smiled and said quietly to herself, "I don't plan on it, darlin'."
--
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