Page 19 of Cage's Downfall

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Shit was doing my head in. Club shit. I thought tonight I could turn it all off, and while Autumn had distracted my brain from it, it wasn’t the case now. Back at the club, where all my problems dwelled.

Hawk had gone on a bender. Something was wrong with him- fuck if I knew what.

I lit up a smoke, sitting in the common room of the club. Autumn had disappeared as soon as she got off the bike. Leaving me in an empty club with my thoughts.

As a Vice I had to step up when the President disappeared. However, stepping up when the club was nearing a crisis wasn’t expected.

The club wasn’t earning. We were down numbers, barely able to pay weekly wages. We needed a new source of income. Or needed to increase our current deals- to allow for the new members we had taken on.

Our current income was floating the club, but we were slowly going under. Our books were in the minus as we paid off everyone on our payroll.

The cops.

The council.

And now a lead detective who had just opened up a case on the club.

Like I said, we were barely keeping above float. The club was nearing a crisis.

I heard the stairs creak, and considering I was the only one here, I reached for my gun. Perfect time to rob the MC would be when the members were out partying with the gangsters.

I lowered the gun, when I saw it was Autumn who rounded the corner.

Her blonde hair was in a ponytail. Looked like she had showered, but the look on her face, caused me to frown. You would think I had pissed her off or something? She was basically glaring at me.

Maybe she was regretting earlier?

God knows I wasn’t regretting it. “You alright?” I asked, sort of glad I was the one with a gun in my hand- and she didn’t have one.

“I care.” She crossed her arms.

“Okay?”

Her eyes sharpened on me. “I care okay! You said I didn’t care, but I do.”

What was she going on about? Oh. Right. It hit me. She didn’t care about fighting, cause she didn’t care about the outcome. Or at least that is what I said.

“Okay. You care.” I said off handed and butted a cigarette out to light another one. God knows I’ll need it, if Autumn was in this mood.

“Hawk’s disappeared. Why?” Autumn stepped into the room more, slowly heading towards me sitting on the lounge.

“Fuck if I know.” I blew out a mouthful of smoke. “Why? You suddenly care about freezing him out?” I gave her a pointed look. “Again.”

“He killed my father.” Her words had some heat on them. “This club that you love, Jacob loves, and he loves, killed my father.”

“I told you Autumn. I can’t do shit about the past, but I can shape the future for the club.” I really didn’t feel like having this argument. Was she going to force me to stand up for the club, again? Cause that went down so well the first time. “What can I say Autumn, the strong survive in this world.”

Our eyes were locked- I expected to see her temper rise. But it didn’t. Instead she walked towards me, lowering down on the couch beside me. I was expecting her to freak the fuck out, yell and run- like she normally does.

“I know,” she said so softly. “I’m starting to learn that the weak will fall for anything but the strong stand tall when everyone is trying to tear them down.” She gave me a sideways look. “You’re one of the few men I know that stand taller when challenged.” She gestured a hand around the room. “This, is all a game of strengths. The strength to break the laws. The strength to keep your mouth shut. The strength to kill.” Her eyes remained locked with mine. “The strength to rise in a world that wants you dead.”

I remained silent just staring at her. Fuck, she could be wise when she wanted to be.

“At the end of the day, the club is made up of lions and sheep.” Her fingers took the cigarette from my fingers. “Guess you can never tame the wild ones, can you?”

She didn’t realize she was giving me answers to questions I had been asking myself. I watched her inhale on my cigarette, exhaling, she looked at me.

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