HARDCORE: Storm MC(127)

“Yeah, but your ribs, an' your arm...” Hunter began.



Before Cain could reply, Missy jumped in. “He's actually been doing a lot better over the past day or so, Hunter. He's moving around a lot more easily, he's doing more for himself without my help, and he hasn't even needed the pills as much. As long as he's got Gooch's bike, I'd say he's got as much right to be part of this thing as anyone.”



Cain stole a glance at Missy, and she could see the gratitude in his eyes.



“He's still not a hundred percent better yet,” Hunter replied, “an' a firefight ain't no small thing to walk into without the use of both arms. It's a hell of a risk.”



“It's my risk to take,” said Cain.



Hunter sighed. “Okay. Fine. I don't like it, but if you feel like this is how it's gotta be, I accept that.”



“Thank you,” Cain answered.



“Good, so that's settled,” Missy said. “Now, when we head to the Teepee, I'll need something to ride. Since Cain's going to be on Gooch's old hog, I figured I could ride Cain's regular bike...”



“What are you, fucking nuts?” Cain balked. “You're not going.”



Missy stared at him, gobsmacked. After she'd gone out of her way to vouch for Cain and ensure he was included in this raid, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. “The fuck I'm not!” she yelled. “I've got just as much right to be there as you do. More, even, since I've got two working arms.”



“You've still never been involved in this stuff before,” Cain said. “It's too dangerous. You'll get hurt.”



“Oh yeah?” Missy shot back. “What about the club prospects, huh? A lot of them haven't been part of brawls and shootouts before either, but you won't be telling them to sit this out, will you? No, because they're fucking men! Well, I can ride, I can shoot, and like you just said to Hunter, you guys need everyone you can get!”



“Every Eagle, I said,” Cain answered stoically. “You're not an Eagle. This isn't your fight.”



“Hey,” Hunter said to Cain sternly. “Maybe she's not a fully-patched Eagle, Cain, but after the way she's handled things over the past few days, I gotta say, she ain't exactly not an Eagle, either. She's got more balls than half the dudes I've seen come an' go in this club, an' even though I don't love the idea of people tossin' bullets in her direction, there's still no one I'd rather have watchin' my back 'cept maybe you. So if she wants in, then that's it, end of discussion.”



Hunter paused for a moment, then added, “Personally, I'm gettin' pretty fuckin' sick of the idea that good people got no place in clubs like ours just 'cause they happen to be girls. But screw it. That’s a topic we can save for when we ain't about to get ourselves killed.”



Missy expected Cain to speak up again, but instead, he simply looked at the floor and nodded. She could see that he was sorry he'd spoken up against her, and her anger began to dissipate. It had been a betrayal, true, but at least she understood that it came from his concern for her.



“Sis, can I talk to you in the next room for a minute?” Hunter asked.



Missy nodded, following him into the bedroom. He shut the door behind them, then turned to look at her with a playful smile.



“So, you an' Cain, huh?”



Missy was taken aback, and felt herself stammering. “Um, what do you mean, 'me and Cain?'”



Hunter stifled a laugh. “Come on, you've got that same look on your face from when you were twelve an' I found your diary an' read about your crush on Tony Molinari. You had it the second I showed up. You guys were gettin' it on before I got here, right? That's why you had the curtains drawn, huh?”



Missy sighed. “Okay, look, I'm sorry. I know that wasn't how things were supposed to go while I was here...”



“Hey, hey, hey,” Hunter said reassuringly, “you've got nothin' to apologize for. I guess it was weird for me to ask you to stay here an' take care of him without thinkin' anything like this might happen. An' besides, we've all had death hangin' over our heads since the thing at the Teepee, an' I know how that can make people do crazy things.”



“Thanks for understanding,” Missy replied, relieved.



“Sure. I ain't dad, y'know? You're a grown woman. You can do what you like with who you like an' it ain't none of my business. Just tell me this, though—is this, like, some kinda random thing between you two, or is it more serious than that?”



Missy opened her mouth, then closed it again, unsure of how to respond. Finally, she said, “I don't know. I think it could be kind of serious, though.”