Rivals ? - Chapter 39: Chapter 39

Raine decided to park his Harley away from the others. He wasn't sure if he was afraid that they would take it as a sign of disrespect or that he felt the need for a distinction from them himself. He waited until Juice had climbed off his bike before Raine did the same and headed to the clubhouse.
Juice didn't say a word. Raine could feel how much he hated being here now, but Raine believed this needed to happen. This shit needed to end before it even started. He opened the front door and was met by smoke and loud music. Young guys — hang-arounds who hoped to be part of the club one day — were gathered around the pool tables. The Sons were divided in two groups; some of them were sitting at the bar and others talking at the couches, each of them with a chick on their lap.
Conversations fell silent as they saw who entered the clubhouse. Juice went to walk beside him. His shoulders back, although Raine knew he was feigning confidence. He felt the urge to stroke his back as a sign of support, but he didn't do it. He rather let his boyfriend believe that he was looking confident and that Raine was drawing strength from him.
Raine's eyes shot through the room until they found the president. He was sitting on the couch, raising his eyebrows as he saw them. Raine looked him briefly in the eye. Without slowing down, he headed to the sitting area. The bald man sitting next to him sat up straight and his shoulders tensed.
There was a stab in his stomach as he recognized the man; it was the guy who had shot him. The tattooed snake on his scalp seemed to smirk at him. With his dark eyes the Son stared at him, as if he wanted to judge how much of a risk Raine was to his president. Even though his eyes didn't leave Raine's face, he didn't speak a word.
Raine tore his glance away from the man and turned to the grey-haired president. "I heard you had some questions for me."
The man clenched his jaw and gave Juice an accusing stare. "What's he doing here? When I told you to suck my dick when you needed one, it wasn't an offer to that plaything of yours."
Anger flared up. That asshole had said what to Juice? Clenching his fists, he took a step forward to lash out. Juice however grabbed his arm. As he looked over his shoulder, his brown eyes begged him to tone it down. Raine gritted his teeth. It wasn't in his nature to tolerate insults like this, but his boyfriend was right. They needed to rise above this. That asshole was only trying to hit a sore spot.
"I like 'em a bit tanner," he mockingly said, "and not as wrinkled as a prune. Anyway, if you're done with your infantile humor, I rather hear what you wanted Juice to pry out of me."
With a cold look in his eyes, Clay stared at him before he turned to Juice. "Seriously? Gathering intel is your job as Intelligence Officer and you do it in such an obvious way that your boyfriend comes here to complain?"
Raine believed his own president had treated him harshly, but there was something about Clay's attitude that appalled him even more. Alvarez had punished him, but that was over now. But Clay... He had a feeling he would keep looking for ways to punish Juice, but in such a sneaky way that no one would consider it a punishment. In one movement, Raine tore the bandages off his arm and showed the Son the mark. "This is how happy my brothers are with my relationship with Juice," he said. The skin was glowing, with a little bit of imagination he could still smell his burnt flesh. "A reminder to my loyalty to them. If I ever betray them, they will melt all my flesh of my bones." He stared into the older man's pale eyes. "I don't know if you have a wife but I assume you don't want her to be filleted, just like Juice doesn't want such a fate for me. If you got questions you can ask them. Juice and I don't talk about our clubs."
Clay didn't say anything. He didn't even look at him; instead he stared at Juice who shuffled his feet awkwardly. This felt like another lack of respect and Raine shook his head in anger. He looked around, searching for the blond VP. He looked much more reasonable. The man stood a few steps away from them, his arms crossed in front of his chest. Yet, he nodded slightly. At least he did acknowledge Raine's presence.
"Clay wants to know what decision the Mayans will make."
The fact dat he only mentioned Clay's name, showed Raine that Jax was neither supportive of Clay's action. It made him relax a little. About what decision were they talking? Should he play along to figure out what was going on? No, he decided to be honest.
"I have no idea what kind of decision you mean. Like I just told you: my brothers don't trust me anymore. You really think they tell me something that could end up at your table? If you want to know what decision my club makes, I suggest you call Alvarez. Openness provides answers." With squinted eyes, he looked at Clay. "Sneakiness doesn't."
The man snorted in contempt. Nevertheless, he seemed to be unable to come with a reply. Raine wasn't in the mood to stay longer. He had his say. He doubted it would keep Clay from pulling this another time, but hopefully he realized that the Mayans would keep Raine in dark about matters in which the Sons were involved.
Juice's fingers laced with his. He might have been silent the whole time, but this gesture was even so a statement. No Son or Mayan would ever come between them. Turning his head aside, he looked his boyfriend in the eye and squeezed his hand.
"Yeah, let's go."
They'd lost enough time due to club bullshit. There was always something shortening their time. Hand in hand, they left the clubhouse. Juice's gaze was beaten down, although he was holding Raine's hand firmly. It wasn't easy. They did have each other, but most of their time they were standing all by themselves in their clubs. Choosing each other, meant choosing against the others. So much was clear. Raine had never regretted their relationship, but fun was different. They felt displaced in a place that used to mean everything to them. They both had the feeling they no longer belonged in their clubs and yet they couldn't simply detach themselves from their old lives.
Raine grabbed the handlebars and swung his leg over his Harley. After climbing on the back, Juice placed his hands on his hips. Raine looked over his shoulder, leaning back until his back leaned against Juice's chest and he gave him a long, slow kiss. After the kiss, he searched for his eyes and offered him a smile. His hand glided across the side of Juice's leg and he squeezed his knee. Letting go of him, Raine put on his helmet as Juice wrapped his arms tighter around him.
Raine didn't return to Juice's home. He enjoyed the embrace of his boyfriend too much and he had the feeling that a ride would help them both to give their sorrows to the wind. It didn't take long before he left Charming behind and pulled up on the highway. Juice had never been on the back of his bike and although the reason for it was painful — assault by his brothers — sitting so close created an intimacy they both craved for. It felt as if the adrenaline that was rushing through their veins flew together, making their hearts beat as one.
Yet, he stuck to a short ride, knowing Juice's body needed to relax. Turning into a small road, he rode up the hill until there was a beautiful view. Juice groaned as he slipped off the bike. Guilt pooled in his stomach; had he driven too far? As he turned toward his friend, Juice quickly forced a smile on his lips that made him look exhausted.
Locking his bike, Raine put the key in his pocket. "You feel stiff?" he asked. "You wanna go for a walk or sit?"
"Walk," Juice muttered. "Feel like I've been sitting all day."
"Okay."
With laced fingers they walked up the hill at a leisurely pace. The wind rustled through the trees and far behind them sounded the roar of traffic, but apart from that it was silent around hem. Raine realized they had never taken a walk before. They knew each other for months and yet they had barely done things together. It felt like they were only dealing with club shit. He thought back to the festival they had gone to a few weeks ago, on the day that they had decided to give their love a chance. Raine had liked it — and yet, their life was so hectic they hadn't done it more often. He was going to change that. Soon, they would go out and do something nice. Juice and him together, and with Juice and Sasha as a family.
"What's on your mind?" Juice asked quietly. "That deal?"
The deal Jax mentioned. If both clubs had to make a deal with a third party, it was obviously the organization who was behind the kidnappings. He didn't give a shit about a deal. All he wanted, was leaving this life behind without his loved ones getting hurt.
"No," he answered. "The club is wasting more than enough of my time." He brushed his thumb across Juice's. "I thought of something nice. You'll find out soon enough." Leaning towards Juice, he kissed his jaw.
A smile crossed his face. The sight of it awoke a swarm of butterflies in his stomach and he stood still, turned towards his boyfriend and softly pressed his lips against Juice's. Shutting his eyes, he surrendered to a kiss that made him forget about everything. He tasted and felt nothing but love; a love healing wounds that had been caused by that same love.
It was worth it. Every tear, every scar, every insult.
He was all worth it.