Juice wished Alex could go with him to Chapel, he knew for sure he would have felt more comfortable than he did now. Right now she was however working at the garage. Before Juice had entered the clubhouse, Chibs had told him that Bobby wanted to assert himself as their new president because he disagreed with Clay's decisions. The whole thing took Juice by surprise; there was barely room in his head to think about such an issue. He still didn't like their collaboration with the cartel, but it was too late to step away from that anyway. 

Well, maybe he wouldn't even have to vote. Maybe he had to hand in his cut soon and get the hell outta here. 

Juice tried to direct his thoughts in another direction. He had to stay positive. While he waited until everyone was seated, he looked at the carved Reaper and thought back to Alex's words; that she wanted to do it with him on this table. The corners of his mouth curled up and his pants tightened. He imagined himself on top, his fingers laced with hers above her head; or her on top, biting her lip as she looked down on him, her fingers stroking his chest as she rode him, the tattoos on her arms shining in the amber lamp light.  He imagined how her small breasts would wobble, how her moaning would sound...

And then he heard his name. 

Dazed, Juice looked up, a hot glow spreading across his cheeks. Everyone was staring at him and for a very brief, but foolish moment he was afraid he had been jerking off without realizing, as Chucky had done so many times before his fingers had been cut off. After a second he saw he wasn't, and thanking god he looked around awkwardly. "Uhm sorry, I was deep in thought."

Usually his brothers would have been chuckling about it, but today everyone was tensed. 

Clay gave him a penetrating look. "I told 'em we'll start with your case and then with Bobby's."

Juice nodded nervously and when Clay kept silent, he realized he had to tell them himself what was going on. Scratching his neck, he tried to gather courage. Although he had no choice, not anymore. 

"Ehm, well, my dad is black, you know." He hadn't prepared a speech, knowing he would be too nervous to stick to a plan anyway and he just threw it on the table. Fidgeting with his finger nails he continued: "Roosevelt picked me up for a piss test yesterday. In reality he tried to blackmail me; he threatened to give you intel about my dad so that you would kick me out. He wanted me to take a sample of the drugs – just like he had ordered Miles to do." He took a deep breath. "So before Roosevelt stops by, I figured I could better confess it myself; my old man is black. I'm not, but..."

"There's still black blood flowing through your veins," Piney grumbled. 

Juice bent his head. If he had been expecting resistance from anyone, it was from Piney; he knew how much he hated black people. "You all know my old man abandoned us. The only thing he ever gave me, is this shit." He rubbed his head, aware of every heartbeat. "I don't wanna lose the club because of him," he said quietly. 

"I got nothing against you, son," Piney mumbled. "But if we start abandoning our own rules, then what? What will be the next step? Allowing women?" He snorted mockingly. 

Laughter arose around them. A bit awkwardly Juice's lips curled up. Oh, if you only knew...

"We don't need to abolish the rule," Jax said. "Just bendin' it a little, limiting it to skin colour. That will never lead to a discussion."

With a grunt, Piney gritted his teeth. "As long as we ain't makin' a habit of it."

Juice wanted to breathe in relief. Right at that moment, there was a rattling sound. Bullets shattered the windows and everyone dove to the ground. Outside there were more gun blasts. 

Alex. 

Alex. 

Bent over, he sprinted to the door, pulling his gun. Hasty footsteps and curses followed him, but he barely paid attention to them. All he could hear, were the gunshots. The shattering glass everywhere around him. 

Right before he reached the front door, a hand closed around his upper arm, holding him down. 

"Don't do anything stupid, Juicy." Chibs gave him an intrusive look. 

Like storming outside blindly, Juice thought. Exactly what he had been willing to do. He nodded nervously and stepped outside. A red truck raced across the lot, there were at least two shooters in the back. Alex and Phil where partly hiding behind a car while shooting, close to the fence. One of them hit the enemy, making him fall off the car. 

Juice ran outside, towards the two prospects who were right in the path of the shooters who wanted to leave the terrain. Someone threw something at them. Juice's heart hammered in his chest. What was in it? An explosive? His ribs almost felt bruised because his heart was racing so wildly in his chest. With squealing tires the truck left the premise. Some of his brothers ran to the man who had been shot, but Juice had only eyes for Alex. 

His stomach twisted as he saw that she was bleeding. Right in front of her he stood still, panting. 

"I'm okay," she said softly, pressing a hand against her arm. "It's just a graze, I'll put a bandage on it and I'm fine. I just hope it doesn't ruin my tattoo."

Juice couldn't stop himself, he wanted to pull her in his arms, convincing himself she was safe. Before his hands however touched her shoulders, she turned away from him and gave him a withering stare. Juice felt his cheeks burn. Shane, she's Shane now, he reminded himself. 

She said nothing, picked up the black duffel bag and unzipped it. A shock went through her body and she stumbled backwards. "Holy fuck," she stammered. 

Juice laid a hand against her back to keep her from falling. As his eye caught three severed heads, he felt sick. In a reflex he wrapped his arm around her waist, squeezing her side, although he didn't know if he wanted to ease her or himself. 

"That's... that's Armando," he stammered– he had seen the man alive and well a week ago.

Alex looked to the side. "You know him?"

"SAMTAZ's president," he muttered. 

Chibs walked past them, picking up the bag and looking inside it. "And two Mayans."

With the bag in his hand he walked away, to the others who had gathered around the guy that was shot by Alex or Phil. 

When Juice saw that the other prospect also headed for the others, he looked at Alex. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Juice." An expression of annoyance crossed her face and she stepped aside, so his arm slid off her waist. "Stop treatin' me like I'm some fragile little girl."

"You just saw three severed heads," he stammered. He felt so shocked that he was almost knocked off his feet himself and he couldn't even imagine how a newbie like her would feel. 

"I've seen more mutilated bodies than you can ever handle." She turned away from him and walked to the others.

Juice suppressed a sigh. She was tough – tougher than he. But before today he hadn't known that she was a girl and that had made it easier to accept. 

As soon as he stood next to her again he felt the need to apologize, but with all the others around them he knew better than saying sorry. 

The black van stopped next to them and Happy and Chibs lifted the body in the trunk. 

"Find out what he knows," Clay told them, where after he walked away. A few men went inside the van, but Chibs turned towards them as the others were gone. 

"This was Lobos Sonora. Go to the studio and make sure nothing happens there," he said. He looked from Alex to Juice and back, then his lips bent into a smirk. "It's your lucky day, heard they're doing gay porn today." He winked. "Maybe you'll get inspired."

Juice felt his cheeks flame up. 

"Bet even an old goat like you can learn some new tricks from that," Alex answered with a smirk. 

Chibs chuckled. "You think? Maybe I'll join to watch the show, if the party with that asshole is over." He nodded to the moaning man in the van. 

"You should do that." Alex glanced at her arm. "Think this needs to be stitched?"

The man grabbed her upper arm and took a look at it. "Might be wise. Come on, I'll patch ye up." He pushed her towards the clubhouse. 

Alex nodded and walked to the building. Awkwardly Juice kept standing where he stood. Chibs' comment raced through his head and nestled in a uncomfortable way in his stomach. 

"Tell the other prospects to clear up the place," Chibs told him. "And make sure they say nothing stupid to the cops," he added as the first police car rolled up the parking lot. 

Juice nodded coyly, having the feeling that Chibs wanted to be alone with Alex purposely and it made his nervousness flame up. Was he expecting things, now Juice had almost wrapped his arms around her?