Page 4 of Cheshire

I watched in horror as my father’s fist connected with Maria’s face, sending her sprawling onto the floor. His men joined in, their cruel laughter echoing off the walls.

Anger boiled within me, but I was helpless. They continued to torment Maria while I hid. I heard every punch, every kick, every blow. I wanted to scream, to fight back, but I couldn’t. All I could do was curl up inside the cupboard and pray for it to be over.

As dawn approached, they finally left. Silence hung heavy in the air once they were gone.

Shaky and weak, I pushed the cupboard door open and stumbled over to where Maria lay motionless on the floor.

“Maria,” I choked out, gently shaking her. She groaned in pain but didn’t open her eyes.

“I’m so sorry,” I sobbed as guilt washed over me. This was all my fault. All this pain and suffering was because of my inability to stand up to my father.

But as tears streamed down my cheeks, something deep within me stirred -- a spark of determination that hadn’t been there before.

I wouldn’t let him win.

Maria needed help, but who could I call? My hand shook as I reached for her phone and pulled up the number for one of her family members. They didn’t answer so I left a message. Until someone arrived, I’d wait with her, and do what I could. Getting up, I went to fetch warm, damp towels to clean her up. Maybe the damage wasn’t as bad as I feared.

Why do I have to be so useless?

Chapter Two

Cheshire

The sound of leather creaking and boots shuffling filled the air as Hatter’s voice rang out, steady and authoritative. “Everyone listen up!”

I stood near the back, watching as the room settled into a hushed silence, every pair of eyes locked on our president. The weight of the moment hung heavy, but Hatter wore it like a well-tailored suit.

“First order of business,” he continued, not wasting any time. His words were sharp and clear, slicing through the tension like a razor blade. It was that same commanding tone that had gotten us through more scrapes than I could count.

“Rabbit, Carpenter, March -- you’ve got that run to Ironwood coming up. But I have a feeling we’ll be postponing it.” He eyed each of them. “Next, we need to address the situation with Sheriff Holmes.”

That name sent a ripple of anger through the crowd, like a match tossed into a pool of gasoline. During our recent ordeal with Eddie Lewis, we’d discovered just how deep the corruption ran in our town.

“Cheshire’s got something for us on that front.” Hatter turned to me, his eyes narrowed in anticipation.

“Damn right, I do,” I muttered under my breath. Everyone focused on me, their loyalty burning hotter than hellfire. This wasn’t just about taking down a corrupt sheriff -- it was about protecting our town, our people. And nobody messed with Underland MC.

“Then let’s hear it,” Hatter commanded, gesturing for me to step forward.

As I moved toward the center of the room, I felt the unyielding strength of the brotherhood behind me. United by blood, sweat, and chrome, we were a force to be reckoned with. And together, we’d bring that bastard Holmes to his knees.

“All right,” I began, taking a deep breath. “Here’s what we’re going to do… We gather evidence against that son of a bitch. We expose his dirty deeds. We make sure everyone in Warren knows what kind of monster they’ve got wearing a badge.”

I could feel the weight of their attention on me, their trust a hot brand searing into my skin. But I knew what had to be done, and I’d do whatever it took to finish what we’d started.

“Rabbit, March, and Carpenter… I have some key jobs for you. I’ll give you the details in a minute.”

“Got it, Cheshire,” Rabbit replied, his voice steady as he nodded in agreement. The others echoed his sentiment, their determination burning bright in their eyes.

As I looked around the room, I knew we were more than just a bunch of bikers. We were family, bound by blood and loyalty. And together, we’d tear down the corruption that had infected our home.

“Remember, boys,” I warned, my voice low and deadly, “this won’t be easy. Holmes won’t go down without a fight. But we’ve got something he doesn’t -- the power of brotherhood. It’s going to take all of us to see this through.”

“Damn straight,” Hatter chimed in, his gravelly voice bolstering our resolve. “We’re with you all the way, Cheshire.”

“Then let’s get to work,” I said, clenching my fist in determination. “For Underland MC. For Warren. And for every single person that bastard has hurt.”

“Underland!” the club roared as one, their voices shaking the very foundations of the clubhouse.

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