#IF YOU TOOK A WALK AROUND SONOMA AND TOOK A SHOT EVERY TIME YOU SAW A WINE TASTING PLACE???

[continuousmeowing]

the first one is actually real btw. and kind of insane??? it feels like the setup for a shitty horror movie???

stories in local newspapers in the US are always something like “local high school has tradition where they haze the freshmen by chasing them with paintball guns for several miles. this must be stopped.” “a lot of pitbulls have been violent lately” “county hires lawyer famous for encouraging police brutality in court case after police officer kills innocent man in mental distress”

[sebbybooks]

Never Mine

Sebastian Stan x Fanfiction

Part One

"With my dog as my witness, to whoever was riding my ass if they didn't back off my bumper I was going to stop in the middle of the road and rip their windshield wipers completely off!"

That type of anger coiled around me like a snake, because there was nothing that bugged me more than someone driving bumper to bumper. The long and exasperated breath I just released helped ease the tension out of my body temporarily. Just in time for reason to settle in. Though in reality it wasn't like I was actually going to jump out of my car and confront this road demon. Who clearly needed to take a course on etiquettes of the road. What I did know was that whoever was behind the wheel of the car had headlights that were so blinding I am sure extraterrestrials in space could spot them.

Trying to find the calm in the situation I focused on the road ahead of me. What little road I could see for that matter. Which wasn't exactly much. I had checked the forecast earlier in the day with the report of it showing that there was to be only clear and blue skies. By the amount of downpour before me you would think there was a tear in the sky if that was how rain fell. I just needed to hang tight for a few more miles until I reached my exit to stop for the night.

I had been driving for nine consecutive hours and it wasn't until the third hour I realized I was not cut out for long distance driving. The plane ticket I turned down from my father was starting to look like a missed opportunity. I opted out for Cooper's sake. I just rescued the little guy a few short weeks ago and I didn't have the heart to leave him alone so soon.

Despite having only six more hours of this painful drive I needed out of my car. A hot shower and a bed was calling my name like a siren's call was to a dazed sailor at sea. I was fervidly drawn to it. Granted, I wasn't exactly going the speed limit in my own defense. Simply because I chose to be a cautious driver not a careless one unlike the dip shit behind me. Cooper and I were going to get to Sonoma, California in one piece if I had anything to do with it! I had no intention to speed in the rain even if it annoyed the person behind me. After all I was driving down a one lane road there was literally nothing else I could do but drive forward.

Taking a glance up at my trusty Garmin my gps projected that at this rate I wouldn't make it to my hotel for another hour and a half. Ahead of me the sky was starting to look like a terrifying shade of gray and to top it off the dismal weather was becoming more and more hard to drive in. I could barely see the paint on the pavement. My defrosters seemed to have given up on me as I began to notice that my rearview mirror fogged up as though it was twilight hour.

I needed to pull over to try to wait out the heavy rainfall. The only problem was that I did not know where I was nor could I see where the road even had an end. The cheap gas station coffee was starting to wear off and the pep talks could no longer motivate me. The words of encouragement quickly transitioned into self deprecating quips of "I can not fucking do this!"

I was too far from home to turn back now and hearing a lecture from my dad despite being well beyond the ages of even receiving one, certainly would not stop him from scolding at my absence. I am more than certain that fiancée number three would not mind if I missed their prenuptial celebration. Especially if arriving on time meant I would be showing up dismembered. It was official I was going to die in this storm.

All of sudden like I called upon a bad omen my tiny Kia Forte jerked forward. I thought I accidentally stomped on the gas pedal too hard without realizing it. When it happened again I knew exactly what it was. Clearly the driver had mistaken this for a game of bumper cars. I laid the palm of my hand on the center of my steering wheel and relentlessly pressed my horn. Not sure what that was going to necessarily ward off , but I had to try something in the efforts that they would leave me alone.

Cooper's head shot up from his bed in the backseat. He looked just as displeased and annoyed as I felt. Why wouldn't they slow down? Is the question I could not figure out. I don't know if it was all the Stephen King that I read, but my paranoia was increasing as I started to settle on the possibility that they were now following me.

Maybe I was tired?

Maybe my imagination truly was getting the best of me?

Or maybe whoever that person was also suddenly decided to take the same random exit as I was taking.

I didn't think. I veered my car off to the right and got on the first breakaway from this seemingly endless road. I had no idea where I was headed at this point and neither did my Garmin. It made multiple attempts to reroute itself, but even that could not locate where I was. I took an unexpected detour by driving off into the middle of nowhere with a now stalker in my midsts.

Adrenaline now filling up my bloodstream. I gave my steering wheel the death grip and drove as fast as the tire tracks of my car would guide me. On a midsize billboard to my left I saw a logo for a gas station and a non franchised bed & breakfast saying it was right up the road. I was taking a chance by trusting that the establishment was clean and safe. I just needed to go where a crowd of people would be. The battery on my phone was likely dead and yes this was now becoming the opening sequence for a King novel. I'd laugh if my heart wasn't fluttering as fast a hummingbird's wing.

I managed to make out lights ahead as I neared the petrol station first. However, it just about looked abandoned. The dim white lights flickered around the desolate parking lot. I saw only two freight trucks parked side by side and I immediately thought

. . .hell no.

I kept driving forward in the hopes that the bed and breakfast sign wasn't last updated in the early nineties. I nearly combusted from relief when I finally saw it. Several cars and mini vans lined up with people inside of them probably doing the same thing that I was. I didn't plan on staying the night I just planned on staying long enough to hide out from the rain and from the trouble that still followed my trails.

Luckily there were free parking spaces close to the entrance. It was still hard to make out what the place truly looked like. From my view in the car the rain made it look like it was a melting oil painting. In a swift motion I put my car in park, turned my ignition off, reached in the back to grab Cooper and grabbed ahold of my purse in the other arm. I bolted out of my car for the door.

It felt as though I was running through a hurricane. I was completely drenched. I could barely keep my eyes from closing as I ran up the slippery steps in my worn Toms praying that I wouldn't eat concrete. There was an awning over the door that offered relief from the storm's cruel embrace . Looking down at the fuzzy brown welcome mat I noticed a quote was scribbled out on it.

"some beautiful paths

can't be discovered without getting lost."

As I reached for the doorknob I couldn't help but notice the intricate design. I'm aware of how wrong the timing was to fawn over something so utterly mundane. I just could not conceal the fact that I was a sucker for antiques roadshow and architectural designing. Growing up with a dad that built and reconstructed vintage furniture one might pick up on the interest. It was a white privacy doorknob with hand painted roses, with a Victorian long plated silver keyhole. The sound of distant car door slamming snapped me out of my daze. I turned my head in the direction of the sound low and behold it was that same car. Crazy thing is I didn't see anyone by it.

Instinct guided me forward considering my brain was scrambling with worry. I ushered myself inside and it was as though I fell into a pink wonderland. From the pink carpet to the multicolored pink pinstripe wallpaper. Hot pink roses seemed to have been the main theme for the lobby. There were various black and silver picture frames with photos of pink roses hanging on every wall. On every surface my eyes could catch, red and pink plastic roses sat in circular olive green vases. It was certainly....something. I thought I was doing the most logical thing by coming inside, but it quickly dawned on me that I saw no one around.

"Hello?" I cautiously called out.

I paced myself as I walked up to the front desk, simultaneously looking around for any potential red flags. My right arm was going numb, my little guy was tiny but felt like I was lugging around a sack of potatoes. I wandered away from the desk to poke my head around the place. There was a entry way that led to a dinning area with a handful of seats adorned with of course pink table settings. I was standing next to a spiral staircase to what I assumed led to the rooms. There was only one door that held a sign for a bathroom. Perhaps there was a power outlet I could use long enough to charge my phone to call my dad.

The same door I walked in swung open and droplets of rain was blown in by the wind. A shiver rolled down my spine, sending a myriad of sparks that shot through my body. Turning around a strange sensation filled the pits of my stomach. It felt like butterflies and moths had taken up space there. Excitement and fear. I just stood completely mute like I had never seen a man before. Well to my defense I hadn't seen ones that look like him in my town. Without even seeing my reflection I had an inkling as to the state of my appearance. I was utterly perplexed by how he pulled off the kissed by an ocean look. To embarrass myself further of course my dog chose that moment to shake water off of his fur on to me.

"Really Coop?" I tried to hide my disgust, but he got it around the corner of my mouth! The good looking stranger offered a half smile that probably pitied my overall state.

"Is the black Kia parked out yours?" Even his voiced oozed sex appeal. He angled his frame so he could face me. There was about an arm length of distance between us. His eyes practically bore into my face I suppose waiting for me to say something. Must have been the buzzcut, the facial scuff, or the fact that some creep was still parked outside waiting to do who knows what. But my thoughts were not where they should have been.

I blinked and straightened up my posture. "Yeah why?" I finally answered.

It was a causal question, yet it felt completely random like there was something else to it.Neither of us spoke for a few seconds.The silence was so thick it would take a hacksaw to cut through.

"Well I'll be damned! I didn't think I would get to see you until after you got back from your trip in California." A woman most likely in her late sixties came rushing down the stairs for him. She draped her arms around his body clearly taking him by surprise. Her cotton candy colored pink bouffant made up for most of her height. Sebastian returned her embrace. Although it looked extremely awkward considering he stared at me the whole time and I stood there watching.

"Moe's old truck didn't give you too much trouble did it?" She asked.

"No it still got some life left in it." Sebastian's jaw went slack and he looked from her to me once more. Only this time he was looking at me with a cold glare. Realization suddenly crashed into me like a wild horse.

[oceteva]

Caught In The Middle | Mayans MC ~ Welcome Home, Ezekiel

Info | Chapter 1 | Chapter 2

Word Count : 6,725

Victoria Miller tightened her messy brunette bun on the top of her head while she sat in her air conditioned car for a moment once she was parked outside of the familiar butcher shop; Carniceria Reyes. The brunette woman knew as soon as she stepped foot onto the street of her hometown that a heat wave was going to hit her, so Victoria tried to absorb all of the cold air that she could. It had already been a long day for the woman as she had just finished working a 12-hour shift in the Pediatric department at Santo Padre Medical Center.

However, Victoria didn't mind stopping by the butcher shop. Carniceria Reyes had always been like a second home to the nurse as a child since Felipe and Marisol Reyes had taken care of her and made sure that she was well fed while her father; John, was off dealing meth through the neighborhoods and her mother; Stacey, was off stripping at the local clubs or they were both in jail.

Finally, after about four more minutes of cool air streaming on her face, Victoria, sadly, turned off her red Hyundai Accent and exited out of the vehicle to face the sunny weather of California. The brunette nurse immediately released a heavy sigh at the hotness but knew it wasn't anything new before she locked her car and placed her keys into the front pocket of her light blue scrubs. Victoria then looked both way before she quickly crossed the street and entered the cool butcher shop.

"Pop!" Victoria shouted like she usually did when she would stop by while she gave the customers a small smile once she was in the presence of the smell of fresh meat. The Miller woman then headed towards the back when she didn't hear the gruff voice of the owner of the shop before she continued, "hey, where are you? I'm here so you can go take a break for a couple -" However, before Victoria could finish telling Felipe to go rest, she was surprised when she walked into the backroom and saw someone that she hasn't seen in eight years.

"EZ!" The brunette nurse shouted in shock before a small smile shined across her pale pink lips. "Look what the cat dragged in," Victoria joked before she held her arms out as she waited for her hug. Victoria was honestly surprised that Ezekiel was here. The last time that they had talked, which was a couple of weeks ago, EZ didn't say anything about getting released from prison.

Ezekiel let out a deep chuckle before he stood up from the metal chair and quickly walked over to his best friend. The younger Reyes then pulled Victoria into a tight hug before he twirled the brunette woman in the air for three long circles. Ezekiel listened to one of his favorite sounds as Victoria laughed once he placed her sneakers back onto the ground before he asked with a smile on his own face, "what are you doing here? I thought you would have left this town like you planned when we were younger."

Victoria gave her best friend a bright smile as she couldn't help but to be happy that Ezekiel was here in person. It had been forever since she had seen his face. Ezekiel had made it a rule that she wasn't allowed to visit him since he didn't want to upset her. But they did speak over the phone once a week, so they were still close. However, the one thing Victoria never did tell Ezekiel is where she was living. Victoria knew if she had told Ezekiel that she had decided to stay in Santo Padre then he would have worried about her, so she always kept that a secret during their talks.

"Pop needed the help with the shop," Victoria stated with a shrug of her shoulders before she explained, "besides, I still got to do what we talked about when we were in high school. I'm a nurse." The Miller woman then shot her best friend a small smirk as she added, "I just have some private clients during the night and the kiddies during the day."

Felipe loudly scoffed at Victoria's description of her job to his younger son before he told Ezekiel with resentment in his voice, "she's working with the MC." The older Reyes still hated, after two years, that Victoria was around the Mayans thanks to his older son. Felipe cared for the young woman like his own children, so he showed his disgust every chance he got for the fact that Victoria was running with the motorcycle club.

Ezekiel's brown eyes instantly widened in surprise at this new information. He had been back in Santo Padre for three weeks and he hadn't heard about any of this. Ezekiel had made sure his brother nor his father told Victoria that he was in town just yet as he was more focused on prospecting for the aforementioned motorcycle club. But now Ezekiel is pissed that Angel didn't tell him anything about his best friend hanging around the club and is also worried that Victoria could get mixed up with the wrong things. "What the hell, Victoria?" The prospect snapped as he couldn't hold in his emotions, "are you trying to get yourself killed?"

Victoria let out a heavy sigh as she knew that she would get this reaction if Ezekiel knew the truth. It was the same way Felipe reacted but with more yelling. Victoria understood why Ezekiel was worried but there really wasn't any reason to, so the brunette nurse opened her mouth to explain that she was being safe. However, before Victoria could even utter a single word, the older Reyes brother came strutting into the backroom with his loud boots and his MC colors on his back.

"Hey, Pop," Angel greeted his father with a single nod of his head along with his brother with a simple, "EZ," before he headed over to  Victoria. The older Reyes then titled the brunette woman's pale chin towards the ceiling and looked into her hazel eyes with a lazy smile before he placed a soft kiss onto her smooth lips. "How was work?" Angel inquired once he took a small step back from Victoria.

Victoria gave Angel a small smile as she stared into his brown eyes before she murmured, "it was good." The Miller woman then moved her eyes over to her best friend, where she noticed the wide-eyed Ezekiel. The brunette nurse couldn't help but let out a heavy chuckle at the clueless Reyes. "I think we need to have a talk," Victoria told her best friend as she knew she needed to explain a lot of things to Ezekiel. The Miller woman then turned her attention onto Pop once Ezekiel nodded his head in agreement before she asked, "will you be okay while I take EZ out to talk?"

The elder Reyes silently walked over to Victoria instead of answering her question and placed a kiss onto the top of her head like he always does when he knows that she's about to leave before he grumbled under his breath as he stomped his way back to the front of the butcher shop, "I've been running this place for thirty plus years and never needed any damn help. Chica Loca."  

The two Reyes brothers and the Miller woman all let out soft chuckles at the older man as it wasn't anything new that they weren't used to while growing up. They were all used to his small English to Spanish rants and his storming outs. The backroom of the butcher shop then grew silent after a moment or so before Angel turned his attention onto Victoria with a deep pout. "I thought you were gonna join me tonight for drinks at the clubhouse," Angel mumbled as he lazily wrapped his arms around the brunette's small waist.

Victoria shook her head in amusement at Angel's clingy attitude before she promised, "I'll stop by later." The Miller woman gave the older Reyes a small smile as she stated, "I just need to talk to EZ for a bit." She then stood onto her tippy toes and placed a quick kiss onto Angel's lips before she looked over at EZ and nodded her head towards the door. Victoria knew that there was going to be some tension between the brothers since they never really gotten along, so she wanted to hurry EZ out of the door before they started a fight.

Thankfully, Ezekiel understood Victoria's memo as he was only a couple of steps behind her. "Hey, uh, do you mind if I ride with you?" The younger Reyes questioned as he scratched the back of his head once they were standing outside of the butcher shop. Ezekiel didn't want to ride his new motorcycle just yet as he wanted to tell Victoria first that he was prospecting with the Mayans. He felt it would be easier than if his best friend saw him on the back of a new Harley with his kutte on his back.

Victoria glanced over to her best friend for a moment before she shrugged her shoulders and mumbled, "sure." The Miller woman felt like it was obvious that Ezekiel would be riding with her as she didn't see Pop's truck anywhere on the street, but she didn't push her confusion any further. Victoria figured Ezekiel was just still trying to get used to the outside world after being inside prison for eight years.

Once the childhood best friends were settled into the Miller woman's red Hyundai Accent with the soft sound of rock music coming from the radio, they drove the short drive to Mama's Tacos, where Victoria and Ezekiel would come to eat everyday after school. They ordered their signature order of al pastor and barbacoa tacos before they settled into the back corner of the small restaurant, where they instantly began to eat before Victoria decided it was time to explain somethings to Ezekiel.

"After all that shit that went down after high school," Victoria began as she decided not to actually speak the day that they lost the lovely Marisol Reyes as she knew Ezekiel already has that day branded into his brain, "I decided to help out Pop with the shop while I went to college. So I went to Sonoma State University about an hour away for six years and got my Master's degree." Victoria took another bite out of her taco before she continued, "I got a job at SPMC about two years ago which was around the time I got my second job."

Ezekiel took a sip of his cold Dr. Pepper and shook his head in confusion at his best friend's story before he voiced his puzzlement, "where does Angel come into all this?" The younger Reyes just couldn't put everything together from what he saw earlier at the butcher shop. "I mean, you guys act like you are a couple or some shit," Ezekiel mumbled as he took a large bite of his taco.

Victoria shrugged her shoulders as she wasn't exactly sure how to answer that. "Ange was dealing with the stress of losing mama M and stuff with the club and I was trying to help out the family while juggling college and losing you and mama M. So, we got closer by consoling one another and the next thing I know I'm best friends with the guy that used to make fun of my hair and glasses as a kid," Victoria explained, "and then one thing led to another, we ended up sleeping together." The Miller woman then let out a sigh when she saw Ezekiel's same confused expression before she tried once more, "I don't know what to tell you, EZ, we're friends but we are there for each other. If we need to relieve some stress, we call each other up and we greet and care for one another like you saw. We just don't put any labels on it."

Ezekiel slowly nodded his head as he began to piece everything together. The younger Reyes understood since he was locked up and his family was falling apart behind him while his best friend and brother slowly migrated towards one another. Ezekiel was just more pissed at Angel for never mentioning it during the last twenty-one days that he has spent at the clubhouse. "So, is that how you got messed in with the Mayans?" Ezekiel couldn't help but ask with anger in his voice for the fact that Angel not only stole his best friend but has also endangered her life by bringing her around the clubhouse - the sole reason why he hadn't reached out to Victoria since he's been back in Santo Padre.

Victoria waved her hand carelessly as she tried to push away Ezekiel's blame on Angel. "It just sort of happened," the brunette woman uttered before she explained how she got involved with the motorcycle club, "Ange came by one night with a bleeding Coco and I fixed him up. Bish then had Angel bring me down to the templo the next day." Victoria shrugged her shoulders as she commented, "I guess Bishop wanted to know if he could trust me after patching up one of his men." The Miller woman took another bite out of her taco before she continued, "anyway, Angel explained to Bish that I've been his close friend for years and explained how I've been helping out with Pop, so he accepted me. Now, whenever the club needs anything medical, they just call me to the house so they don't have to go through the hospital system or the tunnels."

The younger Reyes let out a heavy sigh as he stared into his best friend's hazel eyes. "Are you at least being safe and careful, Vic?" Ezekiel questioned as he still didn't like that Victoria was getting involved with the club that he's prospecting for. He knew how dangerous things can get by only being around them for a short while but he didn't want his childhood best friend to get involved in all the guns and drugs. Victoria is the only sane thing in his life and he didn't want to ruin that.

Victoria rolled her hazel eyes at her worried best friend before she exclaimed, "yes, EZ." She shrugged her shoulders and explained, "whenever I show up, it's just the club so I'm never around any of the Mayans' connections or enemies." Victoria then gave Ezekiel a small smile as she knew what was running through her best friend's mind before she stated, "you should give Angel some credit. He makes sure I'm never in the middle of the club's problems or in any danger."

"Oh, I'll give him something," Ezekiel mumbled under his breath as he shoved the rest of his taco into his mouth. The younger Reyes was still pissed that his brother was involving Victoria into the club and it wasn't because of their relationship either. Yeah, Ezekiel didn't like the relationship Victoria and Angel had but he thought his brother would be smart enough to not involve Victoria with the motorcycle club. It's dangerous as it is for them but now his best friend goes to the clubhouse on a basis which puts a big red target on her back.

"What's your problem with the club, EZ?" The Miller woman couldn't help but ask once she tossed her napkin into the plastic red basket. She had noticed the hostility towards the Mayans ever since she had ran into her best friend at the butcher shop. Victoria knew it was different from Pop's usual disgust with the club, but she just couldn't put her finger on why Ezekiel is so pissed off with her helping out the club. Victoria knew it could be dangerous for her but she and Angel make sure that she's safe, so she didn't see what Ezekiel's issue was.

The younger Reyes pressed his knuckles into his forehead with a heavy sigh at Victoria's question as he knew that he needed to tell her the truth. Victoria was the only one in town that didn't know about his involvement with the club and now that she knows that he's back, Ezekiel can't keep hiding it any longer. "Listen," the younger Reyes began as he messed with short nails, "the reason why I don't like you going around the club is because I'm prospecting and I know how dangerous it is, Vic."

The Miller woman's hazel eyes instantly widened in surprise at her best friend's confession before her brows furrowed a second later. "How are you already prospecting when you barely just got back to S'Padre?" Victoria inquired in confusion. She didn't know much about the process of becoming a club member for the Mayans but Victoria figured it would take more than just a couple of hours to be an official prospect.

"Uh," Ezekiel mumbled as he nervously scratched the back of his head before he confessed his other secret, "I've actually been home for three weeks and I've been prospecting for the last two weeks and a half." The younger Reyes knew he was going to be hit with a mouth loud of yelling from his best friend but he would do again and again. Ezekiel knew it was keeping Victoria safe by not telling her but, of course, Angel forgot to mention that Victoria already comes to the clubhouse and is also involved with a member of the Mayans. No wonder Angel makes me leave when someone's injured, Ezekiel realized as he waited for the blow from his best friend.

"Are you kidding me, Ezekiel?" Victoria snapped as she reached across the small table and slapped her best friend's black and red plaid shirt covered arm. "Do you not fucking realize how worried I've been for your ass?" The angry Miller woman ranted, "I got so worried when I didn't talk to you for the past two Thursdays for our weekly phone call. I thought something happened to your ass on the inside!" Victoria couldn't believe that her best friend not only didn't tell her that he was out of prison but he is also involved with the club. "Wait," Victoria paused with anger still steaming from her ears before she interrogated, "did Angel know all this time?"

Ezekiel nodded his head before he quickly explained before Victoria could go on a hunting party for his brother, "I told him and Pop to keep quiet until I was ready to tell you." The younger Reyes ran his hand through his short hair with a loud huff before he tried to convince his best friend that he needs to do this as he questioned, "who's going to hire an ex-con, Vic?" He shook his head and mumbled, "no one, that's who. At least with the club, I know that my skills will be put to use."

Victoria grumbled under her breath as she knew Ezekiel is right. No one in their right mind would hire a cop killer/ ex-con no matter the fact that he has a degree from Stanford. The Miller woman knew this is Ezekiel's best option at a normal life. At least he'll have Angel, the brunette thought as she knew the older Reyes wouldn't let Ezekiel do anything too stupid. "Fine," Victoria finally mumbled as she rolled her hazel eyes before she exclaimed once she stole a jalapeno from Ezekiel's basket, "I'm still gonna give Angel hell for this, though."

Ezekiel let out a thankful chuckle at the fact that Victoria wasn't too mad at him and the fact that his brother was going to get part of the blame as well. "I wouldn't expect anything less from you, Vic," the younger Reyes told his best friend with his signature, toothy grin. The best friend duo then grew silent for a few minutes as they both enjoyed the familiar atmosphere of Mama's Tacos and the soft music playing in the background before Ezekiel opened his mouth and curiously wondered and bit down on his bottom lip, "do you still talk with Emily?"

Victoria gave her best friend a sad smile at the question about his high school sweetheart before she shook her head and uttered, "we stopped talking about a couple of weeks into your sentence." The Miller woman shrugged her shoulders as she recalled what happened back then, "she showed up at the butcher shop one day in tears and said that she was going off to some Ivy League school and said that she was never coming back." Victoria took a sip of her cold water before she continued, "Em sends birthday and Christmas cards every year, though, so there's that. I also heard that she comes into town a couple days a month but I've never ran into her with how busy everything is around here these days."

Ezekiel's brows furrowed at the new information before he apologized, "I'm sorry that the shit that happened back then caused you to lose one of your closest friends, Vic." The younger Reyes instantly knew what day Victoria was talking about as it was the day that he told Emily that they were done - which obviously caused a strain in Emily and Victoria's friendship. That was the last thing Ezekiel wanted as he knew Emily and Victoria were always close during high school as it was Victoria who had introduced him to his high school sweetheart.

Victoria shook her head as she lightly waved her right hand in the air. "Don't worry about it," the Miller nurse assured her best friend, "it's just life. Some people come and go, no matter how close you were, and some people are stuck in your life." Victoria threw Ezekiel a smirk as she joked, "and I'm one of those stuck people in your live." The brunette nurse didn't blame Ezekiel at all like he was obviously doing. Emily Thomas was just someone she would say 'hey' to if they were walking down the street and saw each other instead of someone that Victoria would call to hang out and catch up on gossip. They just lost touch like many high school friends do.

The Miller woman let out a silent sigh as she watched as Ezekiel avoided looking into her hazel eyes and didn't laugh at her teasing. She knew he was lost in their past life, so she decided to get his mind off of his old high school sweetheart. "So Angel and Pop have been trying to teach this white girl Spanish while you've been gone," Victoria uttered with an easy smile shining on her pink lips. The brunette shook her head with a chuckle and muttered, "growing up in S'Padre for twenty-seven years and six years of private lessons from them and I still suck at it."

A toothy grin finally lifted onto Ezekiel's lips at his best friend's confession before he commanded in his native tongue, "escuchémoslo entonces." [Let's hear it then.] Ezekiel remembered all through junior high and high school that he used to try to help Victoria with her Spanish since she was always around his Spanish-speaking family but it would always end up with them just messing around like teenagers would. However, there was a few lessons when Victoria would come by and his mother, Marisol, would make the young girl speak short sentences while she helped make dinner as the older woman was always willing to help make Victoria feel more at home in their house when she would stay over while her own parents were gone.

"Deja de ser un gilipollas," [Stop being an asshole.] Victoria roughly uttered in Spanish with a wide smirk plastered across her face before she and Ezekiel busted out into a heavy laughter in the middle of Mama's Tacos at what she had said. "Pop taught me that one, so I could tell Angel off when he'd annoy me," the Miller woman explained the first sentence that she proudly showed her best friend - which happened to be quite vulgar.

Ezekiel rolled his brown eyes with a chuckle before he murmured, "of course Pop did." The younger Reyes knew he shouldn't be surprised that his father taught Victoria that statement. He and Angel never really had a close relationship to begin with along with the fact while they were growing up, Pop would always tell Victoria all these Spanish phrases to keep teenage boys away - sometimes phrases he wouldn't explain to the young girl to scare away the hormonal teenagers like Ezekiel would do for his best friend during high school as no one was good enough for her.

The Reyes man and the Miller woman both laughed together as they enjoyed each other's company for the first time in over eight years for a couple of minutes before Ezekiel opened his mouth to see what else his father and brother has been teaching his best friend. However, before the younger Reyes could ask, they were soon interrupted when his cell phone began to ring in the front right pocket of his jeans. Ezekiel gave his best friend a quick, apologetic smile as he pulled out his device before he looked down and noticed a text message. "It's Angel," the younger Reyes mumbled before he told Victoria, "they need me on a run."

Victoria instantly nodded her head in understanding as she was used to these random calls from the club whenever she would be around Angel. She has been dealing with it for the last six years while having fun with the older Reyes so Victoria is quite familiar with what needs to be done. "Where do you need me to drop you off at?" Victoria asked her best friend like she usually would with Angel if he rode with her as she stood up from the table and laid the payment for their meal plus an extra fifteen dollars for Mama Silvia - the owner of her childhood restaurant.  

Ezekiel tiredly and slowly stood up from the red cushioned seat of Mama's Tacos before he lifted his arms in the air and stretched out his long body. The younger Reyes was feeling a mixture of sleepiness and fullness from one of his favorite 'meals-away-from-home' for the first time in eight years. Once Ezekiel had shook the tiredness from his mind and body, he turned towards his awaiting best friend with his signature toothy grin and finally answered her question in a fake, stern voice, "the prospect is needed at the butcher shop."

Victoria rolled her hazel eyes at her best friend's voice that sounded like a drunk Angel before she waved goodbye to Mama Silvia and followed Ezekiel out of the small restaurant while they playfully shoved each other around with the familiar sounds of their laughter echoing out of Mama's Tacos like they used to when they were still in school. The two best friends then headed towards Victoria's red Hyundai Accent before they took the short drive back to Carniceria Reyes.

Once they were back in the same parking spot from an hour or so ago, the younger Reyes instantly jumped out of the car and jogged towards the back of the butcher shop. Ezekiel knew he needed to hurry since Angel wasn't here yet, so he quickly slipped on his Prospect kutte from the compartment on the right side of his motorcycle before he started up his aforementioned ride and slowly drove it back to the front street.

"Looking good, Reyes," the Miller woman exclaimed with a smirk as she watched her best friend drive his brand new ride by the door of Carniceria Reyes. Victoria then walked across the street once she locked her car to get a closer look at the motorcycle before she released a low whistle. "Softtail Deluxe with 22-inch ape hangers," the brunette nurse listed off as she gently ran her finger across the shiny black paint job before she looked up at Ezekiel with a nod of her head and exclaimed, "she's a beauty."

Ezekiel lifted up his right eyebrow in surprise at Victoria's description of his motorcycle that he barely knew anything about. There had never been a time when Ezekiel knew his best friend liked motorcycles, so this was definitely a shock to him. "You know your bikes?" The younger Reyes questioned as he held his Harley up with the left leg while he placed his leather gloves onto his hands at the exact same time as the older Reyes parked his motorcycle next to the other bike.

The newly arrived Angel Reyes took off his helmet and laid it onto his right handlebar and took off his sunglasses before stuck them into the pocket of his Mayans kutte. The older man shot the brunette woman a large smirk once he was comfortably sitting on his motorcycle before Angel answered his brother's question for Victoria, "of course she does." Angel then nodded his head towards the right before he murmured, "come here, princesa."

Victoria rolled her hazel eyes at the older Reyes brother with a soft chuckle before she turned her attention back onto Ezekiel and explained about her interest in motorcycles, "when Ange and I were first becoming closer, he would take me on rides so I learned quite a lot over the last six years and I just got into all the details after that." The Miller woman then walked over to the impatient Angel after she saw Ezekiel nod his head in understanding before she was instantly wrapped in Angel's arms once she was close enough to reach.

Angel smiled slightly when he heard the giggling come out of Victoria's mouth before he uttered as he rubbed his fingers along the brunette's back side that was covered by her light blue scrubs, "we gotta make a run over in Nevada but I'll call you when we get back." The older Reyes then pulled Victoria closer so she was pressed up against his chest and motorcycle before he uttered softly with a smirk shining across his lips, "maybe instead of drinks at the clubhouse, we can do something fun... alone."

Victoria instantly threw her head back and let out a heavy chuckle at the older Reyes brother's obvious command that usually met sex for them. The Miller woman then patted Angel's cheek with her own smirk on her face before she whispered as she teased Angel, "in your dreams, mi querido."

This was usually how their routine went. She or Angel, usually the later, would start the teasing about wanting to spend time with the other before they would end up in bed together. But every time wasn't the same as sometimes they would be out at a party and they would both want each other or sometimes it would just happen naturally like a normal couples relationship would. That is what usually confused people since they would have these moments of being a couple but the friends-turned-bed-buddies would just push that away. They love each other like best friends but they never went further than that. They just never needed to push it any further as they were happy just by being there for one another since neither of them were interested in other people and there was no competition of other people in the way.

Angel let out a deep, throaty laugh at the brunette woman's statement as he slowly ran his right hand up and down her back. "Tu español esta mejorando," [Your Spanish is getting better.] the older Reyes complimented with a cheeky grin before he lifted his hand up to Victoria's right cheek and pulled her into a needy kiss. Angel then pulled away from their embrace after a minute or two before he whispered against the nurse's soft lips, "we all know I'm already in your dreams, princesa."

Victoria instantly ducked her head into the chuckling Angel's chest as she felt the redness reach her cheeks from his teasing like she usually did. It didn't matter that they had been fooling around with each other for the past six years, Victoria always felt this thrill in her chest when she would hear Angel's deep, bed voice. Finally, after about two minutes of standing there, Victoria felt the redness go away from her face so she lifted up her head and looked at the older Reyes with a small smirk. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Ange," the Miller woman exclaimed as she shot back her own teasing.

"Oh, Dios mío," [Oh, my God.] Ezekiel groaned as he threw his head back in annoyance at watching his best friend and brother flirt with each other. "Can we go already?" The younger Reyes grumbled under his breath as he couldn't stand to watch this any longer. Ezekiel didn't even like this relationship or friends-with-benefit thing that they have going on, so seeing it play out in front of him was the last thing in the world Ezekiel wanted to do right now.

"Paciencia, hermanito," [Patience, little brother.] Angel told the younger Reyes with a deep chuckle before he placed his matte black helmet back onto his head and buckled it tightly against his chin. He then turned his attention back onto the woman in front of him and lightly placed his gloved hand on her right cheek. "If you get into any trouble while we are gone, call Pop or call the clubhouse, alright?" Angel ordered as he stared into Victoria's hazel eyes with seriousness in his brown ones. He may not be in a real relationship with Victoria, but Angel had promised himself a long time ago that he was going to make sure that Victoria would always be protected and that wasn't going to change anytime soon.

Victoria held in her eye roll that she wanted to do at the worried Reyes as she knew that this is Angel's usual routine when he goes off on a run for the club. Instead, she nodded her head and murmured, "I'll be fine." Victoria then slowly and silently raised her hand to the back of Angel's kutte, where she knew his gun was resting, before she assured him, "I have mine if I need the protection."

Angel had given her the weapon the same day that Bishop had called her into the clubhouse after she patched up Coco and Angel had also taught her how to keep herself safe since she was going to be involved with the club. Victoria understood why Angel wanted her to have the gun since being around the club is dangerous, so she didn't really have a problem with having the weapon on her. It was just added protection for her when Angel wasn't around.

However, there was someone that didn't agree with Angel's form of protection for the Miller woman as the younger Reyes brother growled as he glared over at the person that caused his anger, "what the hell, Angel? You gave my best friend a gun!" Ezekiel couldn't believe that his brother actually gave Victoria a weapon. She couldn't possibly know what to do with it, Ezekiel thought as his best friend was never involved in that shit while growing up. She always stayed focused on school and volunteering instead getting messed up with all the gangs, drugs, and guns when they were teenagers.

Angel rolled his brown eyes at his brother before he easily told him, "relájate, hermanito." [Relax, little brother.] The older Reyes threw his arm protectively around Victoria's waist before he explained to Ezekiel, "you've been gone a long time, EZ. She's not the same little girl that you grew up with anymore. Besides, I needed to keep her safe from all of our enemies and this is how I decided to get shit done during the off chances that I'm not around to keep her safe." The older Reyes then pulled the aforementioned woman into a passionate goodbye kiss before he told his brother in an emotionless voice, "now let's go, prospect."

Victoria couldn't help but let out a heavy sigh at the obvious tension between the two brothers. She knew it would be coming with the different ways that Ezekiel and Angel both chose to protect her and the two different relationships that she has with them. However, Victoria knew it wasn't the time for this talk when they were about to go on a run with each other and they definitely didn't need anymore issues, so the brunette woman rubbed her hand across Angel's leather kutte covered heart and ordered softly, "be careful and take care of EZ."

Angel gave Victoria a cheeky grin as he focused his dark eyes solely onto her hazel ones before he murmured in his deep, sensual voice, "sí, señora." The Reyes brothers both then started up their motorcycles and gave one of the most important woman in their lives a small nod before they took off down the street of Santo Padre to meet the rest of the MC at their check-in spot so they could head to Nevada for their run.

The Miller woman silently watched as her best friend and her Angel drove off until she couldn't see them anymore before Victoria released another heavy sigh at the long day that had all transpired in the last couple of hours. Victoria knew now that Ezekiel is back in Santo Padre that everything is going to get more difficult - especially her relationship with the older Reyes. She knew Ezekiel was going to have something to say about it unlike everyone else, who had just grown to understand the relationship between the two adults. Victoria and Angel just had that easy going friendship that sprung to life after all of the shit hit the fan in their lives. Sure, them sleeping with each other was from a night of sadness but they still loved and cared for one another like two close friends and sometimes even lovers should. It was just how it went after sleeping with each other for seven years. There had to be feelings but Victoria and Angel just never brought them up. There was no need to when there was no man or woman in each other's lives that would cause things to get complicated and that's the way that Victoria and Angel liked it.

The other issue that Victoria is concerned about is the fact that her best friend is prospecting with the Mayans. Victoria trusts the motorcycle club with her life but it just made her worry about Ezekiel since he never wanted anything apart of that life like Angel always did while they were growing up. Ezekiel always wanted a future away from Santo Padre, so it was still a little hard for Victoria to wrap her mind around the fact that her best friend wants to join the Mayans. It is just so unlike Ezekiel to want to stay here and join the MC, but Victoria knew she had to remember that it's been eight years and people change. She surely did from the young girl who always dreamed of living in New York with a loving husband and a couple of kids of her own. She instead lives in the same town that ruined her parents with drugs and stripping and is in a sort-of-relationship with a guy that she used to couldn't stand as a teenager while helping out the local motorcycle club.

"Ugh, I need a drink," Victoria grumbled to herself once she jumped out her thoughts when she heard the sound of someone honking their horn as she still stood in front of the same spot that the Reyes brothers left her in. The Miller woman ran her fingers through her messy bun with a heavy sigh before she finally turned around to head into Carniceria Reyes, so she could help Pop close up shop for the day. Hopefully Pop has some beer, Victoria thought as she was definitely going to need something to help calm her nerves from Ezekiel's first run and this splitting headache that she had recently been sporting from the long day in Santo Padre, California where nothing is ever as normal as it seems.

[ohstylesno]

Well, I think now would be a good time because then I can get her all pumped with all the awesome things we can do :)

1. Walk around Haight-Ashbury during day time. It’s the coolest neighborhood ever, I used to live there and every day was an adventure. 💜The neighborhood is known for its history of, and being the origin of, hippie counterculture and you can still feel that. Janis Joplin, The Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane - they all lived there at one point. Map out a couple of hours here at least to walk the streets (Esp Haight St), visit the shops and people watch. 

2. If you’re into it, China town in SF is gigantic. Fun to walk around in. 

3. Fisherman’s Wharf is very tourist-y, but nice when the weather is good. By Pier 39, the infamous sea lions chill out. 

4. You should def take a ride on the old cable cars in SF. ☺️

5. If you appreciate art, the MOMA in SF is fantastic. 

6. The Mission area is another eclectic and fun neighborhood to walk around in. Looots of street art and cool little shops. Walk down the Clarion Alley for amazing street art! (The burritos are good in Mission too.) 

7. Take an uber and go see the Women’s building. Amazing. 

7.  Rent a bicycle, and bike over the Golden Gate bridge. Or walk across it, whichever you prefer. 

8. Bike/walk through Golden Gate Park. So many stunning areas. Here’s also the Victorian-era glass-ensconced Conservatory of Flowers - so beautiful. The de Young Fine Arts Museum (nice one again if you like art), and the Academy of Sciences. (The latter has a living rain forest you can walk in.) 

9. AT&T Park, watch a Giant’s game. Cool regardless if you like sports or not!

10. Castro is another fun neighborhood! SF is the birthplace of the rainbow flag, and Castro is like the LGBTQ communities epicenter. So much to see. And a few historic landmarks are here as well. Oh, and if you like music and movies, you should sing along to a movie at the Castro Theatre. We went and saw Grease. So much fun lol. 

11. Try salted caramel ice cream at Bi-Rite. Yum. 

12. The Painted Ladies! You have to see it when you’re in SF, haha. *cue Full House intro*

13. Lombard Street. Very typical tourist place. It’s enough to just take an uber there and view it. Fun to see, but not a place you hang out for long haha. 

14. Visit a beach! Ocean Beach for watching surfers and sunsets and Baker Beach for amazing views of the Golden Gate Bridge. (also gorgeous at sunset..) 

15. Twin Peaks for a good view of the city. (Just uber up there!)

16. The 16th Avenue Tiled Steps. (Just take an uber there as it’s a bit outside of the city center. Gorgeous mosaic steps.)

16. Palace of Fine Arts. Beautiful to walk around in. (I took a picture here and it got picked by hundreds of other candidates to be viewed in this art gallery in SF. SO IT’S NICE HERE.) Brides go there for their wedding shots…

17. If you have an extra day off, it’s worth hopping on one of those buses that takes you to Muir Woods, Napa and Sonoma ++ for wine tasting! Gorgeous places. 

19. Alcatraz. Not a must imo, but def interesting!

20. Attend a concert at The Fillmore. Iconic venue. 

21. WALK AROUND THE DIFFERENT AREAS IN SF AND LOOK UP. It’s honestly the most beautiful city. 😭

22. Have a drink at the bar on top of the San Francisco Marriott Marquis hotel in the evening. Nice view :)

23. Souvla for the best greek food ever. (Try the lamb salad and the greek fries)

24. Patxi’s for pizza, in Hayes Valley! (You should also walk around here a bit. Some nice shops.) 

25. I have to stop now lol 

[errarose98]

Darling...

Random one shot about what would happen if James and Becky broke up during the season.

Hope you like it!! _______________________________________________________ It happened three weeks in to his season on Dancing With the Stars, it was a Friday night and he had been spending a lot of hours at rehearsal with Sharna to get ready for their face-off ChaCha against Ryan. So when he got home to his rental apartment at almost midnight he was exhausted and ready to take a shower, eat some food, and climb in bed. He expected Becky, his girlfriend, to be asleep like she had been when he got home every night that week, so he was surprised to see her sitting in the couch when he walked in the door. “Hey, what are you doing up?” He kicked off his shoes and dragged his feet closer to the couch. There relationship had been a bit awkward since Sharna came to Sonoma, they had gotten much closer since the last rehearsal she had been at so it was a surprise to for Becky to see how much her boyfriend had already bonded to his dance partner. “I was waiting for you. I think we need to talk.” She said is with a distance that surprised James. He could tell she was upset since he’s know her for so long, but he could also tell that she wants going to give in to her emotions until after they talked. James sat in the chair across for the couch since he didn’t think sitting next to her was a smart move at the moment. Before James had a chance to speak she turned her head from the window and locked eyes with him. “Your in love with her. Don’t tell me you aren’t. I’ve known you a long time, and not once have you looked at me the way you look at her. I’ve been with you through everything, through your crash, everything. You’ve known her a month.” Her voice was starting to get shaky but before James could say anything, she took a deep, quivering breath and kept talking. “I thought maybe it was just the show, being together everyday, it made feelings seem more than then are but that’s not what this is. No other paring spend as much time together or get along as well as you too. Seeing you with her, hurts, because I know that know matter what, you will always want her, even if you refuse to admit it. You love her, more than me.” James was shocked. He had no words to say, and that was not like him. He wanted to be able to say that she was wrong, that he wanted Becky, that falling for someone he’s know for a month was crazy, that she was reading in to things that weren’t there, but he just couldn’t. She was right. He had fallen in love with Sharna, and as much as he wanted to deny it, he really couldn’t. He couldn’t imagine not seeing Sharna everyday or hearing her laugh. He always knew what she was thinking without her saying a word, and she knew what he was thinking. Becky was right she had been there through every up and terrible down in his life, and he did love her, but he wasn’t in love with her, not any more. “I never wanted to hurt you. I’m so sorry. I’m not gonna deny it because that would hurt you more. I do have feelings for her that I can’t control. I never meant for this and I don’t know what to do to make it better.” Becky now had tears in her eyes. She looked at him and gave him a very small smile before nodding her head and wipping her eyes. “I will always care about you. I will always love you and I want you to be happy. If that’s not with me than I guess I have to move on. We need to be over because I can’t be with someone who loves someone else and you should be with her. I can tell by the way she looks at you that she feels the same. So go get her. I’m gonna go, I already booked a flight back to my parents house.” James hadn’t noticed her bags by the door until she mentioned leaving. Becky stood from the cough and walked to James, she put a hand on his check and pressed a kiss to his lips, said a whispered goodbye, walked to the door picked up her bag and left. James sat there for a while. He hadn’t expected that when he came home tonight. A part of him felt horrible for hurting Becky but he was also relived that he didn’t have to lie anymore. He knew he would tell Sharna he loved her but he was going to give the break up time to settle in before saying anything to Sharna. But he knew he was excited to go to rehearsal tomorrow.

Week 9: It’s been six weeks since Becky broke up with him and James was happy with his life. He was going to tell Sharna today that he was in love with her and that he wanted to be with her. Becky had moved on to a new guy, an actor, a couple weeks ago, so James knew he wouldn’t be doing a horrible thing by moving on. James and Sharna had been rehearsing for almost four hours already and they only had an hour until they had to stop for master interviews. They where currently having a bit of a break and where taking the time to say lunch. They were seated in the corner with James resting against one wall with his legs stretched out and Sharna was sitting against the other with her legs resting on top of his. Other people where in the room but neither or them cared, they where to focused on each other. They where taking about random things and having fun laughing. Sharna was laughing and James couldn’t stop smiling and staring at her, he had an arm around her waist and he used it pull her closer. She looked at him and all James did was grab her face with one hand and pressed an passionate and slow kiss to her lips. It took her about a second before she noticed what was happening and kissed back. They pulled away and smiled at each other while resting there foreheads together. Everyone in the room saw what happened between the partners and looked at each other before quietly leaving the room.

Indy 500: After all was said and done it was an amazing day. He had come in 10th but at least he was okay. The crash was nerve wreaking an it made Sharna feel sick to see it. She was so happy to find out that he was totally fine. She couldn’t even fathom what her life would be like with out him in it, she needed him in her life. Ever since week nine of there season, James and Sharna had be together and they where happier than either had ever been. They have been together over nine months and with the jobs they have, they do have to deal with long distance, but they make it work. James tries to make it to tour stops and Monday night live shows whenever he can, even if he’s only with her for a few hours. Sharna tries to make as many races as she can, she is honest and says that he visits her more, because it’s easier for him to take a day off, but she goes to as many as possible and when she’s not there she watching and having a hard time breathing until she hears his voice on the phone once he’s out of the car. To be at the biggest race of the season meant a lot to both of them. James loved knowing she was in the crowd cheering him on and he loved knowing she would be in his arms once he was of the track. Sharna loved seeing him do what he loved in person and she loved knowing that she would be able to see him in person and be held by him to reassure herself that he was fine. Once the race was over and all the press was done, James and Sharna where back at James house in Indy. They had both showered and where curled up together on the couch watching reruns on tv. It was late and if had been a long, exciting, tiring day. Sharna had her head on his chest and was slowly falling asleep with his arms around her which was her favorite place to be, he was lying with his head on the arm rest with both arms wrapped around her, playing with her hair. He was wide awake and knew he wouldn’t be sleeping for a while, since he always had a hard time sleeping after a race. He turned his head so his nose was pressed against Sharna temple and pressed a kiss to her head. “I love you so much. I’m so happy to have you in my life like this. Thank you for coming being here.” He knew she wasn’t completely asleep when he felt her shift. “I love you too. I wouldn’t be anywhere else.” James hadn’t planned to do this now, but lying here with her he knew he wouldn’t want anyone else. He had carried the silver ring with him since he saw it in a shop window a two months ago. It was beautiful with a red stones and diamonds. It reminded him of Sharna so he bought it with out a second thought. Now lying here with her, he just knew. He pulled it from his pocket and held it. “I love you and can’t imagine life without you. You haven’t been together long but I don’t care. Darling, will you marry me?” Sharna sat up when those words came from his month. She had tears in her eyes and her hand in front of her month. She saw the beautiful ring and the huge smile on her face and immediately knew her answer. “Babe, of course! Yes, a million times!” Sharna leaned down and kissed him with so much love and felt James smile in to the kiss. He pulled back and slid the ring on her finger before kissing her again and pulling her flush against him. They kissed with the knowledge that they would be together forever.

(Engagement ring)⬇️

https://7febc9fe268df71667b7-896976b2622ee8e9164af2ca41565389.ssl.cf2.rackcdn.com/white-gold-princess-white-diamond-engagement-wedding-ring-with-red-ruby-in-prong-bezel-set-FDENR6770PRRGRUDR-NL-WG.jpg