"What're you doing back so early?" AK asked his nephew as Zane slipped out of the driver's seat of a pickup truck. "I thought you were going to get your dance on."

"I did, but..." Zane ducked his head shyly then moved to the passenger's side door.

AK followed him with a curious frown on his face. As soon as Zane had the door open, AK let out a surprised laugh. He pat Zane on the back proudly saying, "No shame in that, my man."

"What?! Oh... oh no..." He carefully lifted the sleeping girl into his arms. AK's eyes widened in shock when he saw her head flop back because now, he could tell that she wasn't JUST sleeping, she was passed out. AND if he didn't know any better, he'd say that it looked like she had been drugged. What the fuck? Zane kept his sad eyes on the girl he was carrying as he quietly said, "do you know if Rider's around?"

"Should be in the clubhouse stitching up Smiler. Why?"

Hearing the heat in his uncle's tone caused Zane's eyes to jump to the older man's face. "I... I don't know what they slipped in her drink, but she went down hard. I... I think she might need stitches or something."

"What?"

Zane gently turned her head by the chin to show AK the cut above her right eyebrow. The blood was still flowing out of it at an alarming rate over her closed eye and cheek. For a fleeting moment, AK thought it almost looked like crimson tears spilling down her cheek. But that thought was quickly replaced with the realization that Zane was probably right. If it was bleeding that badly, she most definitely would have to have it sewn up to let it heal.

"Yeah... Looks like," AK mumbled. "Come on, let's go find Rider."

AK pulled open the door to the clubhouse and followed his nephew inside. He kept a hand on the younger man's shoulder to help guide the Prospect through the crowd in the clubhouse to lead him to Smiler's room.

"Holy shit! Zane's brought home a bitch to bone!" Viking yelled out triumphantly as he held his drink up as a salute.

AK turned to silence his brother with a withering glare. That actually worked to silence the whole room. Viking shrugged with a confused "What?". Ky gave his wife a soft kiss then got up to follow the three of them down the hall to find out what the story was behind the girl with the bloody cheek.

Rider looked up from bandaging Smiler's arm when he heard the door open. "Hey guys. What's up?"

"Do...? Uhh... Could you patch Lou up?"

"Yes, of course, Zane. May I ask what happened?"

"Yeah... I'd like to hear about that too," Ky said from his spot leaning against the door jamb.

Zane moved to stand beside the bed after he gently placed his friend on the mattress. He watched Rider while he nervously fidgeted with the tie he was wearing and answered, "I... I overheard a couple of the meathead football playing talking about all the shit they were going to do to her when they got her back to one of their places. When I saw them leading her out to the parking lot, I followed them because she... Lou... She doesn't hang out with any of those assholes, so it seemed weird, so..."

"How'd the bitch get the gash on her forehead?" Ky asked when Zane trailed off.

"She... uhh... She sort of just dropped when she got outside. Neither of those assholes even tried to break her fall, so she smacked her face on the corner of a dumpster. They... Fuck... They laughed their asses off and I... I lost it. I told them to get the fuck away from her and picked her up to bring her here. I... I hope that's okay, VP."

"Yeah, of course. You're more than welcome to brine your bitch here."

"My...? Oh... No... No, she..." Zane blushed and chuckled uncomfortably. "Lou's just a friend. We... We aren't like that."

"Lou?" AK asked. "As in the buddy that helped you pass English?"

"Yeah, she's the one I've told you about. She tutored me in English, and I helped her in the automotive shop."

"You told me about your buddy 'Lou'. I had no idea Lou was a girl."

"Well, yeah, she... uhh she is. That... uhh... That's okay, isn't it?"

"It sure is. But tell me more about these cunts that have to drug a bitch, so she'll fuck them," Ky demanded as he stepped into the room. "What'd they do about you taking her?"

"Nothing." When Zane saw the disbelieving looks on the four members of the Hades Hangmen MC, he hastingly added, "When they saw it was me telling them to fuck off, they backed off right away and took off running."

AK and Ky shared a look then AK turned to ask, "For real?"

Zane chuckled answering, "They know I'm a Prospect and no one... well no one sane fucks with the Hangmen."

"Damn straight they don't," AK replied proudly. "Or our friends neither. Alright, why don't we go talk about how we're going to teach them a lesson for messing with your bi- friend?"

"Sounds good, but..." Zane turned to look at Rider to ask, "How's she doing?"

Rider continued cleaning the blood off her face answering, "Head's stitched up and the cut on her knee only needed a Bain-Aid. Any chance you know what it was that they gave her?"

"I think it was a roofie… uhh… GHB, but I'm not sure. Does…? Does it matter?"

"No, it isn't the most important thing. She'll sleep it off safely here. I would like to keep watch over her for a little while to make sure there are no other complications."

"That's awesome. Thanks Ride. Later… When she wakes up, is there anything I should do for her?"

"She will need to hydrate, so bring her lots of water to drink. She'll probably have a pretty nasty headache, so I'll make sure someone brings you some painkillers and an ice pack."

"Thanks so much, Rider. I REALLY appreciate all your help."

"I'm more than happy to be of assistance."

AK pat Rider on the shoulder saying, "Appreciate it man. Holler if you need Zane to come back." He moved to follow Ky and Zane back out to the clubhouse but stopped suddenly when he saw Smiler standing at his dresser. "Fuck man. We didn't even…"

"It's fine, brother," Smiler cut in. He placed a t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants by Lou's feet saying, "If she wants somethin' comfortable 'til she gets home."

Rider nodded. "I will let her or Zane know."

AK wrapped an arm around Smiler's shoulders saying, "I appreciate it, brother."

Smiler fell into step with AK and just nodded in reply.

"Now… Let's go plan how we're gonna teach those motherfuckers a lesson so they'll never mess with another bitch ever again."

I let out a soft groan as I rolled over and started to wake up. My head was pounding, so I didn't want to open my eyes. Yeah, maybe I'd just curl back up into a ball to fall back asleep.

"I have Tylenol or Advil if you want."

My eyes flew open at hearing my friend's voice. Even though I regretted it instantly, I forced my eyes to stay open while I ignored the blinding lights in the room that made the throbbing in my head even worse. While I forced my body to move so that I could the owner of the voice. "Zee? What…? Wait… Where am I?"

He passed me a glass of water with a pill answering, "The Hades Hangmen's clubhouse. Well, in one of the guys' rooms at the clubhouse."

"WHAT?! Oh my… But how'd…? How'd I…?"

I started rubbing my temples to try to ease the pounding in my head. My question had trailed off because my headache was making it impossible for me to think properly.

"I drove you here."

"You did? I… I don't… OW."

My hand hit a stitched wound on my forehead and I completely froze. Zane gave me a kind smile as he passed me an ice pack. "Rider said you'd be hurting. The Tylenol and ice should ease some of it for you. Smiler said you could use his shower to wash up and borrow those."

I picked up the clothes at my feet and hugged them to my chest. "Thanks. But Zee…? How…? I mean, what happened?"

"Have your shower and I'll tell you about it over breakfast."

"Oh… okay." I got up to start towards the bathroom when another thought hit me. "Wait! Zee…?"

"Turn left out the door and keep walking 'til you hit the clubhouse."

"Oh… Sure. Thanks again, Zee."

I locked the door to the bathroom and nearly became paralyzed when I saw my reflection. First, there was an ugly cut that someone had obviously stitched over my right eyebrow. Second, all of my make up was either washed off or smeared across my face. I looked beyond hideous after my best friend had worked so hard to make sure my hair and makeup went perfectly with the dress she…

"Oh no!" I dropped the clothes I was holding to check the state of the dress I was wearing. It looked like it made it through the night unscathed but I had to be sure. If it had been my own clothing, I wouldn't have cared but Stella had loaned it to me for the night so I would feel as terrible as I looked if I wrecked it.

I carefully slipped it over my head and hung it on the hook on the back of the door. Thankfully, it only looked wrinkled from me sleeping in it, but that was all. Thank goodness the steam from my shower should fix that predicament in no time.

As I stood under the hot water, I closed my eyes to try to force my brain to remember how I got here. How did I cut my forehead? Who stitched it for me? Why did Zee bring me here? Why don't I remember Zee driving me here?

I combed out my near waist length blond hair while more questions ran though my head. "Zee said he'd explain everything over breakfast, so hurry up and you'll find out."

I carefully folded the dress then went into the bedroom. I debated what to do with my clothes while I ate. It felt presumptuous to leave it in here after someone had loaned me their room for the night. So, I placed my borrowed heels on my borrowed dress and started towards the clubhouse barefoot.

I didn't have to question if I was headed in the right direction because the music getting louder told me I was nearing my target. My feet unconsciously slowed to a stop just before I entered the noisy room. Holy geez! This is the Hangmen's clubhouse. Mom and dad would DIE if they knew I was here. My heartbeat started to speed up at that thought. No one would believe I was here. This SO wasn't something I would normally do. Then again, me going to a school dance really wasn't the norm either. Guess I was trying a lot of new things lately.

"Holy shit! Your bitch is hot, Zee."

Zane glared at his uncle causing Phebe to giggle. "He's not wrong. Your friend is quite stunning."

"Even in Smiler's sweats?" Zane questioned skeptically. Phebe didn't reply beyond pointing towards the sport where Lou was standing. After he had turned around in his seat, Zane's jaw dropped at seeing her long blond hair hanging loose around her torso. The clothes were definitely a few sizes too big, but you'd never know it unless you were looking hard enough. Lou had tied one side of the t-shirt in a know so that he cotton material hugged her ample braless bosom tightly. She had pulled the legs of the sweatpants up over her calves and just under her knees so that she wouldn't trip over the fabric when she walked. That also highlighted how toned and tanned her long legs truly were.

AK leaned over the table to close Zane's mouth with the tips of his fingers. "Stop gawking and call her over."

"Fuck you," Zane grumbled as he stood up and waved at Lou.

"Ooh touchy about your hot bitch," AK teased.

"Please stop it," Zane quietly replied watching Lou make her way to their table. It wasn't lost on him how everyone's eyes following her movements was making her self conscious. "She's the biggest tomboy I know, so just lay off about her being hot and shit, okay?"

"You mean she is not aware of how beautiful she is?" Phebe asked with a smile on her face so Lou wouldn't suspect they were having such a shocking conversation about her.

Zane shook his head answering, "No, she usually wears a large flannel shirt and ball cap to blend in with us guys at the auto shop."

"Shit! Really? It should be illegal to hid that hot body."

"Please, Uncle X? Please don't say shit like that to her… Please?"

"Hey, chill out, man. I'll behave."

Zane rolled his eyes at his uncle's nonchalant tone. Phebe elbowed AK in the side saying, "I'll make sure he behaves."

"Thanks Aunt Phebe."

I kept my eyes focused on the back of Zee's head as I hurried towards his table. It felt like every eye was laser focused on me as I made my long trek across the room. Thankfully, my hair was drying enough that I could use it to hide my face. Goodness, what I wouldn't give to have one of my many baseball caps with me so I could hide under its brim.

When I reached Zee's side, he lifted his hand up to pass me a hair elastic without saying a word. I took it with a grateful, "You're a lifesaver, Zee."

A soft blush colored Zee's cheeks as he replied, "Figured you'd wanna pull it back since I've never seen you wear it down like that before."

"You're not wrong," I quickly pulled my hair up into a bun. "I hate it being this long."

"Why don't you just cut it?" Zee asked as he passed me a mug of coffee.

I added milk and sugar to it while shaking my head. "My mom likes it long and would freak out if I ever cut it off. She doesn't get why I think it's such a pain when I'm in the field or on our machines. But it makes her happy so I just braid it or whatever to keep it out of my way."

"It must warm her heart that you honor her by keeping it las long as you do."

I dipped my head shyly when I felt my cheeks heat up. Thankfully I didn't have to come up with a lie because jumped in. "Shit, sorry Lou. This is my Uncle X and his old lady Phebe."

"Really?" He nodded with a familiar, cheerful smile lighting up his face. I reached out across the table shaking each of their hands. "It's such an immense pleasure to meet both of you. Zee has told me so much about you that I almost feel like know you."

"Same for you, Lou," Zee's uncle replied with a cheeky smirk on his face. "But he didn't tell us 'Lou' was short for Lou-Ellen not Louis."

I snorted in a laugh and almost choked on my coffee. "Except that my name isn't Lou-Ellen."

Zee rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Ignore him, Lou. How's your stomach feeling? Rider said we should try to get you to eat if you're up for it."

"I think I can handle toast and maybe some jam."

"Ya sure? No bacon…? Eggs?" Zee asked with a cheeky grin as he stood up.

I shook my head meekly replying, "I would rather not chance it."

He gave me an apologetic look then turned to go to the kitchen. I watched him until I felt someone gently stroke my forearm. I forced myself not to flinch away and listen to Phebe saying, "I can get you tea if coffee is too much for you."

Phebe's kindness nearly brough me to tears. "I'm okay with coffee but thank you. I do appreciate the offer."

She smiled and inclined her head in reply. AK placed a filled glass of water beside my coffee mug. "Rider says you need to hydrate, so you need to drink lots of water."

"Oh… Okay. Thank you but…"

I paused as Zee placed a plate of toast with peanut butter and jam in front of me. "Eat up and I'll explain." I just stared at Zee for a moment because I had never heard him being so forceful and commanding. Usually, we muddled through a conversation meekly unless one of us was tutoring the other on a topic. "Please Lou? You need to eat so the pain pill doesn't fuck up your stomach."

"Okay." I bit into my toast then said, "I'm eating."

"Dude, I don't need to see the food in your mouth." I smirked around my second bite of toast which made him chuckle. "So? What do you remember from last night?"

"Last night?" I questioned dumbly. Zee nodded, so I took a drink from my glass of water while I cleared my mouth and thoughts. "Stella ditched the dance and I was ready to call a cab not longer after that until…"

"Until what?" All three of my table companions asked at once.

"Until the Smash… Until Jason and Pete brought me a glass of punch and started chatting with me."

"The Smash what?" Zee's uncle asked in a heated tone.

Phebe moved closer to her boyfriend's side to hug one of his arms into her chest. I felt my cheeks burn hot so I was beyond grateful when Zee saved me any further embarrassment by answering, "They're called the Smash Brothers. They say it has a double meaning or some shit."

"Smash Brothers? What kind of shit school am I paying for you to go to, Zane?"

Zee shook his head and ignored his uncle's questions to turn his attention back to me. "Anything after that?"

"Yeah. They… uhh… They asked if I was going to the after part. When I admitted I didn't even know about an after party, they… they said…" I frowned as I tried to recall the events of the previous evening. "They said that as a travesty so they'd have to take me. I was… I was kinda surprised they knew the word travesty and I… I wasn't sure about their offer but… well that's when everything gets sort of hazy. Sorry."

"Sorry? Why the fuck are you apologizing?" AK asked in an incensed tone.

"AK," Phebe chastised softy. I just stared at them in disbelief prompting her to say. "Please enlighten you friend, Zee. She deserves to know the truth."

Zee nodded then turned to face me. "Lou, things get hazy because they slipped a roofie into your punch. I won't repeat what they said they wanted to do to you because it's disgusting. But it is why I followed them as they led you into the parking lot. And then… When they did nothing to help you as you blacked out and hit your head on the corner of a dumpster, that's when… fuck those assholes actually laughed so I told them to fuck off and then brought you here."

"OH… MY…. Goodness. That… That's… I don't even have the words…" I gently punched Zee's upper arm. "Thanks for being such a good friend."

He playfully punched my arm replying, "Dude, I've always got your back. Now eat up."

Phebe chuckled and shook her head, amused by our antics. "You two are very cute together." Zane and I blushed making her and his uncle laugh out loud. "Are you sure you have not thought about becoming more than just friends?"

"Aunt Phebe," Zane groaned out as he buried his face in his hands.

I reached over to give Zane's forearm a comforting squeeze. "No, our relationship isn't romantic at all. He's one of my dearest best friends and we're happy to keep it at that."

I shared a sly look with Zane because I knew he had a crush on one of our classmates, who happened to be my best friend since childhood. We hadn't really discussed it at all, but I could see how she affected him. Whenever she was in the room, his eyes never strayed off of her. I had been trying my best to talk him up any chance that I had with her because I thought that they would make a really cute couple.

"So, Lou…?" AK started with a playful smile tugging at his lips.

I turned my attention to him, but he didn't get a chance to finish his thought because he was interrupted by someone loudly gasping out, "Chloe…? Chloe-Faye, is that you?"

I slowly turned towards the voice and just stared at her for a couple of breaths. My vision blurred as tears welled up in my eyes. I had to swallow more than once so that I could speak, but it still came out as a sob when I replied, "Suze?"