Not your honey (Leila Series #1) {IN PROGRESS}

1. Veni Vidi Vici

The tattoo artist finished the last swirl and another tattoo adorned my body. I got up from the chair and walked up to the mirror to inspect the new masterpiece on my thigh. 'Veni Vidi Vici' stood there with large incisive letters. It is Latin for 'I came, I saw, I prevailed'. Which summarizes my last year’s quite well. I was 16 years old when my so-called mother died, and I have survived by myself ever since. It is possible to bypass the social system if you are smart enough and have a plan to survive, which I had. I had finished high school and was now in my final year in college, last semester to be exact. Two weeks left and I have been fighting like a pig all the way here. Well, I did not make it all on my own. But my knowledge and my academic success had been achieved by being stubborn.

I turned towards the artist and gave him a thumbs up while smiling big. Once again, he had made something amazing from a simple description. I would never get a tattoo anywhere else, 'Tyler's tattoo parlor' was my 'go at'.

"Thanks, Ty."

He smirked at me in a silent way meaning 'told you so'. He is one of the crew members, forever loyal to me in every way possible. He never lies or keep things from me, he is pure. I put my tank top back on my body and snatch my leather jacket from the coat hanger by the door.

"Will I see you at the headquarters later?" I asked while putting on my jacket. He nodded.

"Of course, Hale would go nuts if I did not show up. The patcher is tonight and I am going to enjoy seeing that jackass Paul lose his. It must hurt like a b***h to be kicked out like that." he said in a faked sad manner and held a hand over his heart. I snorted at that.

"He stole from us and should be glad that he just gets rid of his mark and then get to walk out of there with his life preserved. Hale might as well have decided to shoot him in the head when he found out. Paul should buy a ticket for the lottery, the chance that he wins that hundred million is greater than that he gets such a chance anywhere else. Any other club would have got rid of him before he could say 'Oops'."

Tyler nodded his head again. He knew that I was right. The only reason Paul would be able to walk out of those doors’ tonight was because of his relationship with Hale. He had been Hale's friend for many years and had put himself in some serious money s**t, which made him steal from us. He had explained the reason why he had acted like he did, and Hale had taken the merciful path towards him for one reason, which was precisely that old friendship. For me it was a too kind way out for the bastard, he deserved a bullet piercing in his head and nothing else. You do not steal from the devil's blood angels and, above all, not from the president himself, and then walk away unharmed. If you throw your money away at poker tables in Las Vegas without having any knowledge about the game and rundown strippers along the highway, you get to blame yourself if you cannot support your family.

"I hear you, Lei. If it were up to me, he would not even be alive right now."

"You and me both... See you later."

I walked out of the parlor and jumped on my shiny black-pink motorcycle. I had worked extra to be able to renovate it to the amazing vehicle it was now. With the lesson I received from Hale over the years, I could now everything that had to do with vehicles. Everything from changing a tire to rebuilding an engine. 

I started the engine and smiled at myself when I heard the roar loudly between the cultivation buildings. With my padded helmet on my head, which of course also was pink, I accelerated, and the motorcycle tore away along with the chapped asphalt.

I dropped off the motorcycle outside the dark brown building and walked in. Some members were present and sat in groups with their beers in fists, speaking in hushed voices, probably talking about Paul. When they saw me, they gave me a nod of acknowledgement. That is the respect you get from the minions when the president treats you like his biological daughter. I do not even have time to get to the bar before Gary, our bartender has pushed a glass of whiskey to me, he knows me without and before when it comes to my drinking habits. I raise the glass in a salute to him before I continue further into the building and knock on the big oak double doors. Without waiting for answers, I step in and sit down at the table next to my president, flinging my feet up on the table. He smiles at me and looks amused at my manners.

"Hello Lei, I see that your manners are becoming worse. I wonder who could have been teaching you such things?"

"The same old man that teaches me how to ride when I was underage." I answered with a smirk and took a sip. He laughed at me and held his stomach.

"He sounds very wise." he said and smiled before his expression changed. "I know what you think of this whole Paul situation, but I am asking you to accept my decision as your president."

"I cannot accept that from my president, but I can from my papa." My words make him smile with gratefulness.

"That is all I ask, my princess." he says and pinches my cheek.

This may sound strange to you. How can a motorcycle club president behave this softly towards another member? Simple, I am not just a member. Ever since he found me six years ago, banging the s**t out of a dude who looked at me the wrong way, he has been my role model. My father figure. He gave me a purpose in life and gave me work. I was not just manpower to him, he wanted to see me develop and succeed. Which I have. He has never put a buck in my education, I have always paid for it myself with the money I earned from the assignments he awarded to me. I owe him my life. All those who once spoke ill of me and did not care if I heard or not, are now afraid of me. They stay away and respect me. I am not the broken and neglected Leila, the daughter of the failed Henrietta Towler anymore.

I am Leila, the unbiological daughter of the city's most feared man. It brought a lot of respect, but the respect within the club I had earned on my own. Since I was young and a girl, I had to work twice as hard just to take me half as far. I took on the jobs that the other members did not want to do for various reasons, it created services and favors between us. In this world, everything is about fear, respect, services, weapons, and money. And I, I had it all. That is why we were here today. We would take Paul's cutt away from him, but we would also nominate and vote for our new vice president. I have been looking forward to this the whole week, I already knew who I was going to nominate. Tyler, my best friend, and right hand. No one suited and earned that chair more than him. 

The members came in one by one and eventually everyone was there. Paul stood in the corner, his head immersed in shame, waiting for us all to throw him out on his ass through the door. When everyone had found their seats, Hale was in 'president mode' and slammed the mallet down at the table, declaring the meeting opened.

"Devil's blood angels, we are here today to take away the cutt from a member." everyone's glances turned towards Paul when Hale said that. "But we are also going to vote today." cheers erupted.

Hale raised a hand which made us all quiet down before he continued.

"Paul McKenzie, please step forward and place your vest on the table."

Paul walked up to Hale and gave him a sad look but did as he was told. Hale took a knife and ripped away the 'vice president' patch before throwing the vest into a metallic bucket. Someone gave him a match box. He lit one of them and dropped it into the bucket and watched it burn. No one said a sound. We all know better than canceling our president before he's done. There's not much that pisses him off, but interrupting, it makes you run for life. This is hard for him; it is visible long way. I put a hand on his forearm and squeeze gently in a way to bestow on him my support. He smiles gratefully before his focus once again lands on the kickout.

"Paul McKenzie, I hereby declare you kicked out of the devil's blood angels. You are not welcome as a member anymore and must immediately remove all tattoos connected to us. If you do not, we will do it for you. Even if it is not voluntary on your part. Do you understand?"

"Yes, pres.." Paul answers with tears in his eyes.

If he were not such a damned fool, I would probably have felt bad for him. But since I know that he put himself in this position, he gets no sympathy from me. Hale hugs him hard and gives him some brotherly pounding in the back before he lets go. Paul waves to us before he steps out of the room and closes the door behind him. We wait until we can hear his motorcycle drive away before we start talking again.

"And now to the second point of the agenda. The vote for the new vice president. Everyone has the right to nominate a person and to cast a vote. We start from the right and go around the table with the nominations before everyone puts their votes."

The nominations go pretty fast, there are not many who nominate. 

"I nominate Tyler." I answer.

"I nominate Leila." Hale said which made us all look at him.

What?! It is no secret that me and Hale are close, but this was over the top. Does he not understand what this will send out for signals to the other members? They are going to think I am getting special treatment. Even if that is not the case. Strange enough is it that no one seems to look displeased or disturbed about it. I nominated Tyler because I know that he would be an amazing VP. He just did not see his own potential.

"Okay, we have two nominations. First of all, I have to ask you. Tyler, are you okay with your nomination?"

"No. I do not want to be VP."

"Alright. Leila, do you accept your nomination?"

"Yes, I do pres.."

I know better than to go against Hale's wishes. He would not have nominated me if he did not have a plan with it. That is why I might as well accept it.

"Now, for the voting. Everyone who is 'for' Leila becomes vice president, say 'aye'."

"Aye." Everyone said in unison.

To say that I am surprised, is an understatement. I have worked hard to get where I am both inside and outside the club, but I could never guess in my wildest fantasies that I have this much respect within the club and its members. Hale smiles and reaches for my vest. I take it off and hand it to him. He sews on the 'vice president' patch and helps me put on the cutt again. His big arms envelop me, and he whispers that he is so proud of me. We break apart and turn against the other members who all smile.

"Devil's blood angels, let me introduce you all to our new VP, Leila Towler!"

The whole room erupts in loud hollering and applause. I grin and laugh when Tyler hugs me. We all walk out and end up at the bar. Gary is working hard on getting everyone's orders out. We celebrate, laugh, sing, and have fun together. 

I'll talk to some members when Hale walks up to me. He asks me to come with him to the office to discuss something important. I put my beer at the bar and walk with him there. He sits down in the worn desk chair and sighs soundly. It is only now that I see how old he has become. He looks so tired with bags under his eyes and his now gray hair.

"I asked you to come here because we need to discuss my will. You have the right to know what is in it and what will be expected of you if I would die. If I die, then the club is yours, you are the president without any voting on the matter. I started the club over forty years ago and I know you can modernize it. You can take care of the club as well as the members the day I disappear."

"What are you talking about, papa? You are not going to leave the club, are you?"

That thought scared me to death. Yes, it is true that I know this club from the inside out. But it is a big difference between working for someone and run the whole place. Besides, it is not right to the other members. They should have a say in this. Hale cannot just snap his fingers and say on a piece of paper that I am going to take over. It is not right to the other brothers. He smiles sadly at me.

"You know about the rules, right?"

"Yes. If you cannot ride, you cannot lead."

"That is correct. My body is getting weaker and weaker every day, Lei. And our rivals are going to notice that too. I cannot do this much more. That is why I need to make sure that you take control once I am gone."

I could not believe my eyes. Was he serious? No, this must be some kind of joke. Right? No matter how much I waited and watched him, hoping that he was just f*****g with my head, he remained serious as death. Oh my god, he meant it!

"Are you delusional, old man? I have no experience in leading others!"

"But yes, you do. That time when the AK-47's got stolen, you led the other members and you came back with our guns without any problems. You even got compliments on your reasoning skills."

"It is not even comparable in this situation! The difference between one task and the future of our club is huge!"

I had now started to pace back and forth in the small office. How could he put this burden on me just like that?! The others are never going to accept this, no way!

"What are you rebelling at?"

"What do you have?"

"Watch your tone, Lai." he says and narrows his eyes at me. "I understand that it is much for you to swallow right now. That is why you have a mission tonight, maybe that will help you calm down."

"What is the mission?"

"A guy named Roy threatened one of the guys old lady and needs a little reminder of who he is f*****g with. Can you do that?"

That made me grin. I loved to fight and was extremely good at it! When I got to have a one on one fight with someone, that was my definition of heaven. Because of me being short and a girl, my opponents always underestimated me. I had learned to fight from the best, Hale himself. And that fucker may be old now, but he won the championships in boxing many times when he was younger. Besides, I have been taking kick boxing lessons for many years now. I can take care of myself just fine.

"Where?"

"F*ck-hole. Down the 24. About fifteen minutes from here. Do not start any big bar fights. Keep it simple, make him regret what he did and leave. 'Wham-bam-thank you ma'am', that sort of thing."

That made me laugh out loud.

"I do not think you know what that expression is used for."

"Whatever, you know what I mean. Now, get going. I will pay you good money for this."

"See you, papa."

I walked out of the office, still annoyed at the burden Hale had put on my shoulders. My beer remained where I left it and I chugged it without hesitation before I slammed it into the bar. The other members stayed away; it was an advantage for me. I may be small in size, but I had a temper like a lioness. I waved to the members before I went out to my motorcycle. I took off my vest and changed back to my leather jacket. It is not really smart to showcase who the beating is sponsored by. That little bit of information was between him and me. I turned the key and put on my helmet before accelerating from there. My hair was whining through the air as I got out on the highway, away from the small town. My grip on the handles was tense. The anger, or rather the sadness that the person who matters most to me is going away, stung deep in my soul.

Hopefully, I was able to get some out of this aggression when my clenched fist hits this asshole's face repeatedly. Within the criminal world, women traffickers, rapists, and pedophiles were horrific creatures to be wiped out. This guy had threatened a woman and not just any woman, but one of the members of Devil's blood angel’s old lady. That is a big no no. I continued to grin for myself as I rushed through the night towards my goal of getting to bang the s**t out of a parasite who called himself a man.