Page 7 of Piston

The MC is really big in this part of New York. They do a lot of good, though there are murmurs of them dabbling in guns and drugs as well. It that’s true, I’m not sure I’ll be spending any time with him again.

I’m the product of too many drugs and unprotected sex, an unwanted one at that.

“Alright, Piston. Whyareyou here? You made it clear you don’t do seconds, and I haven’t seen anything that belongs to you in my room, so….” I shrug, and he just grins wider. He pushes off the doorframe and presses his body against mine, his hands going to my hips just below my dark blue V-neck sweater.

“Actually, Diamond, I have a proposition for you,” he replies, and I raise a brow as he pushes me into my room, kicking the door shut with his foot. I allow him, my lustful brain taking over, not realizing how much I’m about to fall, then crash and burn, because that’s what happens to me.

Everyone in my life hurts me, and Piston, well, he hurts me the most.

2

Piston – Twenty-One Years Old

I chuckle and dodge Acid’s fist coming toward my face, before crouching and swiping out my leg, causing him to fall on his ass. I jump up and lift my arms in victory, shouting, “Yes!” fucking glad Steal installed a boxing ring in the basement of the clubhouse. After Halliwell’s Gym closed, the gym my brothers and I frequented, we bought the building.

I woke up fucking sweaty and panting from a nightmare this morning, or more like memories of my father trying to fucking drown me over and over until I gave in to his demands. He wanted me to steal some guy’s fucking Porsche when I was eleven.

Acid was at school, and I was home sick, and our father took advantage, wanting more money for booze, not giving a shit that I had a fever of 102.

The car alarm went off as soon as I tried to place a long screwdriver between the glass and door, scratching the whole thing, and I bolted, hiding in the park until I knew Acid wouldget off the bus, knowing our father wouldn’t touch me with him home.

He preferred beating us separately, not risking the chance of us to ganging up on him, since we were tall for our ages. This time, though, Acid didn’t get off the bus; he was stuck in detention.

Dad knocked me out as soon as I walked through the door, and I woke up, drowning in the tub, my body bent over the side as it dug into my chest, leaving a whopper of a bruise. I was gasping for air when my brother finally ran into the bathroom, throwing my father off me before he barricaded us in our shared bedroom.

I’ve been in the ring since I woke up from that nightmare this morning, trying to rid my mind of the past, and deciding not to attend my classes today.

I always feel off kilter when I have nightmares, even though they don’t come too often now, but when they do, I spend fucking hours kicking the shit out of the bag or, well, my big brother, to get centered again. I’d much rather hit my father, but I haven’t spoken to him since turned eighteen and got the fuck out of there.

Acid didn’t question me when he walked in the gym this morning, most likely being called in by a brother or prospect, concerned when I stormed in here at five this morning. Acid climbed into the ring and started sparring with me.

“Fuck,” Acid groans, slowly rolling over, and then lifting himself.

“Beaten by your little brother; you’ll never live this down, Acid,” Canine, a brother and our blood uncle chuckles from the other side of the ropes, and I grin, crossing my arms over my chestlike a proud peacock. Suddenly, I’m falling backward, my feet knocked out from beneath me. I land on my back with athump, and this time it’s me groaning.

Canine laughs while I glare at my big brother, who grins wide. “You were saying?”

He pushes his sweaty blonde hair out of his face before leaning down. He offers his hand, which I accept, allowing him to help me up.

I groan. “Fuck, I’m getting too old for this shit.”

My uncle laughs, and I look his way. There are bags beneath his green eyes, but he still smiles.

“Kid, you're only twenty-one; you’re in your prime,” he says then chuckles, and I grin.

After Acid joined the club, Canine came forward and admitted he was Mom’s brother, and it's why Hammer, Steal’s father, allowed Acid to join the club instead of killing him.

Our dick of a father refused to let him have any contact with us, but I guess that may be because Canine would have killed our father if he knew how we were brought up—black and fucking blue.

Acid shakes his head. “You’re off your game, little brother….”

I snort. “Not really, you’re the one who cheated. I won fair and fucking square,” I reply, punching his shoulder before accepting the bottle of water from Canine. I ask, “What time is it?”

Acid snorts, but I ignore him as our uncle shows me the time on his phone, and I curse.

“Somewhere to be, kid?” Canine asks as I jump over the ropes and off the edge of the ring.

“Yep,” is all I say, refusing to allow them to get in my head like always.

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