Chapter 29 : The Night That Wasn't — Part 1
[Opie's House — June 28, 2008, 11:15 PM]
The street stayed quiet.
An hour had passed since we sat down. The beers had multiplied—Opie's tolerance for silence was remarkable, but he kept fetching more instead of telling me to leave.
"She wants me out."
The words came without preamble. Opie staring at the street, bottle loose in his hands.
"Donna?"
"Yeah." He took a long pull. "Every night. Same conversation. 'When are you leaving the club?' Like it's that simple."
I didn't respond. Sometimes people needed space to fill.
"Five years in Chino. Five years of keeping my mouth shut, protecting my brothers. And when I get out, she looks at me like I'm already dead."
"That's fear talking."
"Maybe." He turned his head, met my eyes. "You got anyone? Woman, family?"
Had one, in another life. Maybe. The memories are fuzzy, like they belong to someone else.
"Working on it. There's someone."
"The nurse? Bobby mentioned you took personal time."
"Sarah. Yeah."
"She know what you do?"
"She knows enough. Grew up here, father worked at TM. She understands the arrangement."
Opie nodded slowly. "Donna grew up different. Thought she could save me. Thought I'd leave for her." He finished his beer. "Can't get out. This life's all I know."
The words hung between us.
I know. I've seen what happens when you try to leave—the pull, the obligations, the violence that follows you no matter how far you run.
"Some things are worth fighting for," I said. "Even when you can't win."
"That supposed to be advice?"
"Just observation."
The front door opened.
---
[Opie's Porch — 11:45 PM]
Donna stood in the doorway.
She was smaller than I'd expected—the show had never quite captured her physical presence. Dark hair, worried eyes, the kind of exhaustion that came from years of waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Her gaze moved from Opie to me. Tension in her shoulders.
"You staying?"
Directed at Opie. Not hostile, just tired.
"Just finishing up." He gestured at me. "This is Cole. Works with the club."
Her expression didn't soften exactly, but something shifted. "You're the new prospect. The one who's been watching out for him."
She noticed. Of course she noticed.
"Just trying to be useful."
"Thank you." The words came quiet, sincere. "For being his friend. He needs more people who aren't..." She stopped. "Just thank you."
She went back inside. The door closed softly.
I felt the weight of those words settle on my chest. A wife thanking me for caring about her husband.
She doesn't know what I know. Doesn't know how close she is to dying. Doesn't know her gratitude is the only thanks I'll ever get for trying to save her.
"She's a good woman," Opie said.
"Yeah."
"I don't deserve her."
"Maybe not. But you've got her anyway."
---
[Street Outside Opie's House — 11:58 PM]
The wrongness hit without warning.
Not the system—something older, more primal. The sensation of being watched. The feeling that something in the darkness had shifted.
I scanned the street. Left, right, shadows between houses.
A car.
One block away, parked under a dead streetlight. Dark sedan, no lights, engine silent. It hadn't been there when we sat down.
Or had it? I'd been focused on Opie, on the house, on the immediate perimeter.
"Something wrong?"
Opie had noticed my tension.
"That car. One block down. You see it before?"
He squinted into the darkness. "Which one?"
"Dark sedan. Under the broken light."
A pause. "I don't think so. But could be anyone."
Could be Tig. Could be Clay's order being executed. Could be the moment I've been waiting for, the trigger that starts the cascade.
I reached for another beer, keeping my body casual while my mind raced. "Stay a few more minutes?"
"It's late."
"Five minutes. Just want to make sure you're settled."
Something in my voice made him look at me differently. Not suspicion exactly—more like recognition.
"You really think someone's out there?"
I know someone's out there. I just don't know if tonight's the night they pull the trigger.
"I think Stahl made enemies. I think the club's been under pressure. I think nights after big runs are when people let their guard down." I met his eyes. "I think your wife just thanked me for keeping you safe, and I'd rather not let her down."
Opie was quiet for a long moment.
Then he settled back on the steps.
"Five minutes."
A mosquito landed on my neck. I slapped at it, missed. The tiny annoyance grounded me—life going on in small moments, even when everything might be about to end.
The dark car hadn't moved.
Neither had I.
MORE POWER STONES And REVIEWS== MORE CHAPTERS
To supporting Me in Pateron .
with exclusive access to more chapters (based on tiers more chapters for each tiers) on my Patreon, you get more chapters if you ask for more (in few days), plus new fanfic every week! Your support starting at just $6/month helps me keep crafting the stories you love across epic universes like [ In The Witcher With Avatar Powers,In The Vikings With Deja Vu System,Stranger Things Demogorgon Tamer ...].
By joining, you're not just getting more chapters—you're helping me bring new worlds, twists, and adventures to life. Every pledge makes a huge difference!
👉 Join now at patreon.com/TheFinex5 and start reading today!