Author's note - Thanks so much for your guys continued support and reviews! This chapter is a long one and is when the story really starts to kick into things. So please read and review and I promise to update ASAP :)
As Ana and Mark sat on one side of the booth, with EZ and Angel on the other, Ana was happy to find the dinner was shaping up to be a relatively normal one.
Sure, Angel was quick to throw in as many snarky comments directed towards Mark as possible (what else is new), but EZ and Mark were getting on really well… that is until EZ let the couple know what his plans were now that he was back home and Ana was less than impressed.
"So EZ, now that you're back home, what're you planning on doing?" Mark asked once their food was out.
After staring at Ana and Mark hesitantly, EZ looked at Angel before responding, his older brother giving him a nod as he put his fork down.
"Well… now that you mention it…heh" EZ chuckled as he looked down at his food, whatever he was about to say Ana knew she wasn't going to like it. EZ pulled the collar of his shirt down, as if he was feeling hot despite it being freezing, before continuing.
"I'm actually going to start prospecting for the MC," EZ finally admitted, with Angel clapping him on the back before adding, "Yeaaah, my hermanito is gonna be in the MC with me," he said, pulling EZ into a headlock as if they were kids again.
Ana, in a mixed state of shock and anger was at a loss for words. EZ could tell by the look on her face that she was ready to slap him the first chance he got, and he wasn't surprised. The only person he was more scared of telling about the MC than Ana was his pops.
"Ana… I know what you're gonna say…" He began but was cut off just as fast.
"Oh do you now Ezekiel?" Ana said while EZ tried to avoid making eye contact, he was not ready to be ripped a new one.
"Oooh full name, that's when you know you're in trouble bro," Angel chuckled, drawing Ana's attention to him.
"What the fuck Angel?! You're gonna fucking sponsor him? EZ you JUST got out of prison! Early! From a 20 year goddamn sentence, you have your life back! Why the hell are you going to do something as reckless as joining the MC?" Ana asked, running her hands through her hair to keep from strangling the brothers sitting in front of her.
"Ana, babe maybe now isn't the time…" Mark cut in as he laid a hand on Ana's shoulder, noticing the look on Angel's face as Ana began questioning EZ. As much as he knew Angel loved Ana, her disapproval of the club had always caused friction between them.
In fact, Mark was pretty certain that if Ana actually had a taste for the dangerous lifestyle, her and Angel's relationship would be very different.
"No no Marky Mark let her talk," Angel cut in, "Come on Ana, you were saying? You don't want EZ to throw his life away like I did right? Follow in his dumb big bro's footsteps?" Angel questioned, irritated at Ana's reaction.
"That is not what I said Angel," Ana bit back, nudging Mark's arm off her shoulder as he tried calming her down. She knew how EZ felt about the club, at least she thought she did and he never let on he wanted to prospect. This was all Angel.
"But it's what you meant… you think EZ is too good for this life." Angel stated.
"I think EZ has never once mentioned nor THOUGHT about prospecting for the MC. And for whatever fucking reason he thinks now is the perfect time to do it," Ana said before turning her attention away from Angel and back to EZ, who remained silent throughout the entire exchange.
"EZ…seriously where is this coming from? You've got to know that joining the Mayans isn't the only thing you can do now that you're out? I mean have you even told your dad?"
Taking a moment before answering, EZ took a deep breath as he reached over the table to grab Ana's hands in his own. "Ana, I get what you're saying but trust me… I've thought a lot about this okay. I mean, what else is there for an ex-con like me to do? And the MC isn't bad! It's a family, look at Angel? I know the risks but I want to be a part of something bigger than just myself. And I don't want to work some 9 to 5, I know what I'm doing Ana. You can't change my mind so you're just gonna have to accept it." EZ explained firmly, now looking Ana directly in the eyes.
Ana didn't know how to respond, this had come out of nowhere for her. Stupidly, she always imagined EZ would come out of prison and just straight back into his normal life – well as much as he could. Sure, Emily was married now and he was no longer a football star, but he was EZ and he was not meant for an MC life. The things he's going to have to do for the club, he just isn't built for that. But for the first time, Ana started to see that the EZ that went into prison may not be the EZ in front of her now.
Clearing her throat, Ana brought her right hand up to EZ's cheek.
"Okay EZ, fine. If you think this is the right move then I'll support you," she paused, turning to look at Angel "And at least now there's someone to watch over Angel and make sure he doesn't do anything too stupid, right?" Ana finished, an unspoken memory being shared between Ana and Angel of his first year as a member of the club eliciting a warm smile from the older Reyes.
Ana pulled back into Mark who was silent throughout the entire exchange. He'd never seen Ana feel so passionately about something before, he realised just how deep her bond with the brothers was and that there was a lot he didn't know. Part of him was jealous, of the fact that they knew her in a way that he perhaps never will.
Cutting the sweet but intense moment short, Mark felt the need to make his presence felt and share some news of his own with the two brothers. "Well I'm glad that's sorted now especially since it seems like Ana hasn't told you guys about our plans yet!"
"Plans? What plans?" Angel spoke up now, sitting up straight next to EZ.
Ana, on the other hand was not ready to share what Mark was talking about, especially since nothing was set in stone. "Babe… we talked about this, not yet," she said firmly, picking at her food now.
"What is it Ana?" EZ asked curiously. In the two days he'd been back they'd spent so much time talking about him, he didn't even think to really ask Ana if there was anything new with her since the last time she'd visited him in Stockton.
"Well! We might be moving at the end of this year!" Mark shared, elated at the prospect of finally leaving Santo Padre.
Feeling like he'd been hit by a truck, Angel looked at Ana for confirmation, "Excuse me? When the fuck did this happen?"
"It didn't…and it hasn't." Ana began. "It's just, Mark may be getting a move up to the US Attorney's office in DC…"
"DC?!" EZ interrupted.
Ana dropped her fork and held her hands up in defence, "'Might' okay? And if he does… I don't know. This all came up before you got out and I just, circumstances have changed and I didn't want to say anything until I knew for sure. So for now… it's just a possibility okay?" Ana finished, looking between Angel and EZ, who were both in a state of shock.
"Well um… I can't say that I'm gonna want you to leave Ana but if its what you want then I get it," EZ began, he had just gotten out and wasn't ready to see his best friend off to another state but he wasn't about to stand in her way.
Touched by his response, Ana felt like grabbing her best friend in a tight hug. "EZ…. It isn't set in stone okay. I've got too much here to take it lightly right? I love my job, I have you guys…" she said before being interrupted.
"Yeah but you can work in a bar anywhere babe, and the guys could visit, we could still visit," Mark said, determined to have things go to his plan.
"Oh it's just that simple for you Mark is it? You may not have family or a life here outside of Ana but she does," Angel cut in, livid at the idea of Mark taking Ana away and insinuating it would be so easy for her to just leave.
"Guys, lets just calm down okay… babe why don't you go order a round of beers at the bar okay?" Ana said to Mark, wanting to get him away from a seething Angel. Noticing she wanted to speak to her brother alone, EZ took the opportunity to leave as well, "Hey man, I'll help let's go," he said, exiting one side of the booth as Mark exiting the other, the two men walking over to the bar together.
Now, Angel and Ana were alone for the first time in months. Staring across the table from one another, Ana was the first to speak.
"Angel, I need you to calm down -" she said, leaning forward.
"Ana what the fuck?" Angel bit back instantly, leaning forward with her, their heads only a few inches apart.
"EZ has just got out and you wanna up and leave? With him?! Like come on, I never took you for the kind of girl to leave her life to follow some shmuck around."
"Angel I haven't decided anything, it's just on the table at the moment. And I love him, he's my boyfriend and this is the sort of sacrifice you make for the ones you love," she said poignantly.
"Even if it's not what you want?" Angel asked, leaning back into his seat, his arm draped over the back of his chair, his Mayans tattoo peeking out of his cut.
"I don't know what I want okay! All I know right now is that Mark has been making some really great leaps at work and he's getting noticed now by higher ups okay? Who am I to stand in the way of his career?" Ana answered, not knowing what else there was to say.
"But what about you? You know ever since you two have been together you're the one making all the sacrifices, you've put your entire life on hold because he needed to work on his career and needed your support and shit but what about you? You can't say that you're happy anymore, you're just comfortable."
"You don't know what you're talking about." Ana bit back, Angel was beginning to hit too close to home when all she wanted was a night out with her favourite people.
"Nuh-uh I think I fucking do. You see you like to ignore the fact that I know you JUST as well as my little brother does, maybe more since he's been inside. I remember you wanting to teach, wanting to give kids the help you never had, open up your own tutoring business, maybe go into social services. Make. A. Goddamn. Difference. Now? Now you're gonna just follow some guy anywhere he fucking goes. You're not that girl Ana," Angel spit out.
Ana at a loss for words, was numb. She sat silent in her seat, avoiding eye contact with Angel because as much as she hated to admit it, there was a lot of truth to his words and her anger was at an all-time high.
She was angry at EZ for thinking prospecting was the only option, angry at Angel for inserting himself into her life. But most of all she was angry at Mark, for voicing something they'd only been treating as hypothetical as if it were a sure thing.
Back at the bar, EZ and Mark were waiting in line to grab drinks in mutual silence, neither knowing what to say to each other until Mark couldn't handle the awkwardness any longer.
"So, you managed to make Angel think you joining the MC was his idea huh?" Mark said in a hushed tone.
"Yeah, I did. Though I gotta say you failed to mention that this little deal you offered me up would score you a move to DC?" EZ bit back, annoyed that his freedom possibly meant Ana would be leaving California.
"Well hey did you really think there wasn't anything in it for me? What you figured I just thought up this deal for your benefit only?" Mark replied back sarcastically as he finally ordered drinks for the four of them.
"And here I was just thinking you wanted to help take down the Galindo cartel and make Santo Padre a better place?" EZ said, the time for playing coy was now over. EZ was less than impressed that Mark's motives for helping orchestrate a deal for EZ to get out of Stockton early came at a price.
"Hey man of course I do... but I saw an opportunity, and I took it. Plus I was just the one to voice this idea, the rest of it came from people higher up than me and if it works the way it should, provided of course you don't fuck up everything is gonna be just fine," Mark said with a smile, clapping EZ on the back before heading back to the table with their drinks and a livid EZ following.
Back at the table Ana and Angel were sitting in silence, Ana avoiding eye contact while Angel stared straight at her, waiting for her to say something. When EZ and Mark sat back down she wasted no time in announcing their departure, not wanting to spend another second in public.
"Well guys, this has been REAL fun," Ana opened, the sarcasm loud and clear, "But I'm calling it a night. I've got things to do tomorrow before my shift at El Toro and I no longer feel like eating."
"Ana, please don't go," EZ pleaded, standing up with her.
"EZ I'm fine, I just need to get home. Mark let's go." Ana said, not even looking at the brothers across from her.
As Mark slid out of the booth with her, EZ stopped Ana to give her a hug and whisper an apology in her ear. As angry as she was, Ana hugged her best friend back with all her might, looking over her shoulder to see Angel staring back at her.
She couldn't tell what Angel was thinking in that moment, but she gave him a slight nod goodbye. As harsh as he had been with her earlier, she couldn't deny that Angel was right. Ever since she found out about Mark's possible job offer, she had been avoiding Angel. Because she knew he would be the one person, even more than EZ who would make her question whether following Mark to DC was the right move to make.
As Ana and Mark walked out of the restaurant, EZ immediately turned to Angel, "What the fuck did you say to her?!"
Once Ana walked through the door, she began taking her shoes off and walked into the kitchen. Mark entered soon after and went to pull her into a hug but she was quick to dodge him.
"What's wrong?" Mark asked, confused.
"What's wrong?", Ana asked mockingly, "What's wrong is that at dinner you went completely fucking rogue and decided to go and tell the guys about something we haven't even decided on yet." Ana answered, now that she was home she was ready to fight.
"Babe, come on. I didn't think it was that big a deal okay? I mean we've talked about it a fair bit and I thought since we were sharing and everything -"
"No! Here's what actually happened Mark. You ruined what was supposed to be a great night by telling two of the people who mean the MOST to me that I may be moving. That I may be abandoning EZ when he JUST got out. That was not yours to tell, especially since we haven't actually decided yet. This is my life that we are talking about. You may be happy to move the minute that job comes up but you know what Mark, I've got a lot here that I don't want to leave," Ana spilled out, finally admitting what she'd been hiding for months now.
"Like what? Your job? You're a bartender Ana you'll be fine anywhere and you don't speak to your dad so if it's just EZ you can visit and - "
"Don't do that, don't you dare diminish the life I have simply because you don't have the same connections to this place that I do. Por el amor de dios, ¿no piensas en alguien más?" Ana practically screamed back, tears now forming in her eyes. She couldn't believe what she was hearing, she knew Mark loved her and only wanted her to come with him to DC but this was not the way to go about it.
"Oh seriously now you're gonna start yelling in Spanish?" Mark bit back, knowing Ana was really angry now.
"Well I'm sorry Ana but I just don't get it! Like the only thing tying me to this place is YOU. Okay? If you told me tomorrow that you wanted to move across the WORLD I would follow you. But you? Why is leaving this fucking place so difficult? What the hell is keeping you here?" Mark said, trying to walk towards Ana who only moved back into the hallway.
"You know what Mark I am done talking about this for tonight okay? I am absolutely exhausted by this entire conversation. I feel like I haven't even had my voice heard all I've had is you and Angel tell me what I should or shouldn't do when all I wanted was to have a nice fucking meal!" Ana yelled, her hands now bundled up in her hair from irritation.
"I'm going to bed, and you know what I think you should sleep on the couch tonight," Ana continued, glaring back at the man she loved before walking up the stairs and not looking back.
Author's note - Okay guys! That was chapter 3. Please please continue to read and review and let me know what you think! I absolutely love hearing your thoughts each chapter. You guys have been so great with reviewing and letting me know what you want/are after.
Please continue to do so as it means I update more frequently. I'm hoping this story can have a sequel and maybe even be the first of a trilogy. But that'll only happen if you guys continue to be amazing and review! If you don't like something or want more of something let me know. I also hope you noticed the little hints of Ana and Angel's relationship while EZ was in prison that I dropped...
Next chapter is going to have more Ana and Angel alone ;) so keep an eye out :)