Justin sat down at their makeshift chapel room in their warehouse wondering how he was going to handle all this by himself. With Paul missing and Lynn still in a coma everything was falling on his shoulders and he felt it. The whole world was crashing down on him and only Shift understood.

Sure he was tough and had thick skin but Shift was his rock. The very foundation on which he stood. He could lose his parents, he could lose the club, he could lose his hogs but he couldn’t lose her. He didn’t tell her nearly as much as he should how much she meant to him but as long as he lived he would always need her.

Once everyone took a seat Justin looked around the stainless steel table and realize this would be his club now if his parents didn’t make it. He took a deep breath as he drummed his fingers on the table to get everyone’s attention.

“Everyone like my drum solo since Trace didn’t grab the gavel when he was saving his ass?” Justin asked as everyone let out laughs that were desperately needed at a time like this, “Okay, so…” Justin said as everyone turned serious, “Paul wouldn’t want us to trade Dirk for him. He would want business to resume as normal. Dirk’s man are scared, they don’t have a clubhouse to go back too. I think they’ll give him back soon.”

“I agree. Let them contact us. They’re the desperate ones not us,” Shift said as she gave everyone a sly smile, “Besides I don’t mind spending some alone time with Dirk,” she said as everyone laughed.

“So…about the AK47s, I got a buyer in Georgia…problem is he wants some hand held grenades too…and we don’t have any.” Ben said as he looked around the table.

“What kind of grenades?” Shift asked as she leaned forward interested in the conversation now.

“I don’t know…grenades.” Ben said as Shift rolled her eyes.

“Yeah I know grenades but fragmentation grenades? Percussion grenades? Gas grenades? Smoke grenades? Flash grenades? There’s lots of types so if I’m going to get them then I need to know what kind they want.” Shift said as everyone looked at her in amusement.

That was the thing about Shift, she knew her weapons. She had contacts in about every military force known to man. She liked guns and knives…obviously, but she was just as knowledgeable in hand to hand combat due to her sniper training and any other military grade weapon.

“I don’t know he said grenades that start fires or some shit like that.” Ben said as everyone laughed except for Shift.

“Okay that narrows it down some…” Shift said as she leaned back in her seat, thinking, “I can get some AN-M14 TH3s from my contact in Saudi Arabia.”

“What are those?” Justin asked, getting turned on by listening to Shift talk about weaponry.

“They’re incendiary hand grenades. Military uses them to destroy equipment and…start fires. They’re great for blowing up warehouses full of ammo. Some really heavy shit that I wish we had with us in Texas.” She told them all and they could see the excitement in her eyes.

“Okay so I’ll talk to my buyer and we’ll set up a run.” Ben said as they all agreed.

“Another thing we need to talk about is the charity toy run coming up,” Shift said as the guys all groaned, including Justin. “Don’t give me that shit. We’ve been doing it for years. Remember other clubs will be there too so mind your p’s and q’s. Just because Paul and Lynn aren’t here doesn’t mean we don’t uphold our civic duty. Plus it helps us launder our money. We got Feds sniffing close with that Shane guy and then they sent Teak…we’ve got to cover our asses.” She told them as they all reluctantly agreed.

“Everyone knows the drill, raise money, get toys donated and we’ll give some of the money and all of the toys to the hospital.” Justin said as everyone nodded.

“So this Shane asshole isn’t sticking around. ATF dealt with that themselves. We don’t have to worry about him right now but I’m going to keep my eye on him.” Trace said as he grabbed Teak’s hand and gave it a small squeeze.

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*At Shift’s house*

She leaned against the doorway of Kale’s room watching quietly as her son slept. The past days events catching up with her tired body as she let out a sigh. She liked peaceful times like these when she was just a mother and a lover, nothing else. How do you get out of a life when you live for that danger too?

She knew that this wasn’t a great life to raise a kid in but she did it for Justin. She did it so he wouldn’t have to choose between their family and the club. The other wives understood that but they weren’t out there on the runs with their significant other…she was. As much as she hated being torn she knew that her and Justin were destined to take over the club and part of her liked that power. Part of her secretly wished that Paul and Lynn wouldn’t make it…now she just had to find out if Justin felt the same way.

“Hey you. Get off of that doorway and let’s go to bed. I’m fucking tired and mom can wait.” Justin said as he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

“Yeah I know. He’s just so…peaceful. I don’t think we were ever like that.” Shift said as she leaned back into his embrace taking comfort in his arms.

“No we weren’t. Our childhood and his are completely different though. We were born with that hunger for this. Come on baby…let’s go.” He told her as he pulled her to their room, shutting the door behind them.

Shift pulled off her shirt tossing it into her hamper before facing Justin. He was sitting on the edge of his side of their bed with his back to her and his head hung low. She admired his guardian tattoo on his bare back as he sighed. She could tell he was stressed but he didn’t need to be…he had her. She crawled across the bed, running her hand up his back, across his tattoo before her other hand joined in on the fun and started massaging his shoulders and neck.

“Damn baby girl, that feels good.” Justin sighed as he closed his eyes and tilted his head back resting against Shift’s chest.

He could feel her lace covered breasts pressing against his back as her strong hands worked out the soreness in his muscles.

“JT,” She whispered as he hummed in response, “What are we doing about Papa Paul.”

“Sticking to the plan.” Justin told her as he groaned as her fingers weaved their way into his short curls and massaged his scalp.

“What if the plan doesn’t work?” Shift asked as she pulled his head back to meet her gaze.

“Then you know what to do.” He told her as he reached behind him and grabbed her thighs and pulled causing her to fall back on the bed as he rose and climbed over the bed until he was above her, “What are you doing with your jeans still on?” He asked as Shift giggled and pulled him on top of her.

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*Two weeks later*

She stalked through the dense forest that surrounded the building she was headed too, stopping every couple of steps to listen for any followers. The sniper rifle on her back getting heavier and heavier with every step she took. Sticks and leaves squished underneath her boots, remnants of the beginning of fall and random rain showers. She had been walking through these woods for the past week making sure her tracks were covered.

But now she had found her spot, her angle and she would wait there as long as needed. She climbed up into the deer stand she had set up and covered in camouflage netting to disguise her location. She sighed as she leaned her rifle against the wall of the stand and took a seat on her small stool. Waiting was never fun especially when you had to pee yet you were waiting for that one perfect shot. That shot where God Himself lines up everything for you…the angle, the wind, your eye, your target, and the right time.

Today was the day were everything would line up. Today was the day she would do what she was trained to do nay…born to do. She heard commotion coming from the building in the woods she was watching with a close eye. She grabbed her Watther WA2000 sniper rifle and attached the scope as she kicked her stool into the corner. She set up her rifle’s tripod, attaching it effortlessly as she laid on her stomach and brought her eye to the scope.

She could see her targets clearly, every laugh, every smile, every wrinkle, and every blink scattering across their unaware faces. Her finger balanced softly on the trigger biding her time, waiting patiently. She watched as his chopper came speeding down the dirt road that led to the building in the woods. She smiled at the shock that registered on her target’s faces. She wasted no time in taking aim and pulling the trigger as one of her targets fell to the ground. She quickly turned her rifle to the right taking aim again and taking out her other target. All before her lover’s feet even touched the ground.

She quickly pulled on her sunglasses and climbed out of her deer stand. She would come back for her rifle but right now she needed to join him. She ran through the dense forest already havin’ memorized the path to the building in the woods. She was by his side in an instant, smiling at him as they stood on either side of the front door. She pulled out a knife as he put on a latex glove and picked up a gun from her dead targets.

He kicked open the door, holding the gun out in front of him with his finger on the trigger. She followed him as they moved from room to room, looking for Paul. As they reached the last room they heard the scraping of metal against concrete and they knew he was in there.

Her lover kicked in the wooden door causing it to hang on one hinge alone from the force of his kick. They stood in place in front of Paul tied to a metal chair.

“Justin…Shift…is it that time?” Paul asked as they stood in front of him.

“Yes Papa Paul. You choose…Justin or I?” Shift told him as he looked back and forth between them.

“I’d like to have my son do it.” Paul told them as Shift walked up to Justin and kissed him before leaving the room.

“Tell Kale that his grandpa loves him. Take care of my club and Shift,” Paul started to say as Justin shook his head.

“Don’t.” Justin ordered as he cocked the gun and aimed at Paul, “I love you dad but don’t. It’s our club now.” Justin said as he pulled the trigger shooting Paul in the head.