Behind Blue Eyes by Jordan Abbott

It’s after midnight, and they attack. The full patch members were in on it, too. They had guns, which were firing blanks. The prospects and hang arounds had on blood patches. It was scary as hell, very realistic. Everyone was in on it.”
    “You have got to be shitting me,” Holden said and forced himself to sit up straight, giving her his full attention.
    He noticed that Jasmine was practically beaming as she continued with the story. Obviously she was remembering a better time with Nuke. Not the man that had given her the bruises on her neck.
    “People were being eaten, or so I thought. The patch members and almost everyone there had on these pieces of fake skin. So when they were bitten, it looked like the flesh was being ripped off of people. When they first attacked, I started laughing, then for a minute, I honestly thought this shit was real!
    “The first thing that popped in my head was that guy in Florida who ate that man’s face. I’m not thinking everyone is a Zombie as in ‘The Walking Dead’ but more like people took some kind of drug that’s fucking them up in the head. I mean, who knows what crap people are taking nowadays. Plus I’m seeing guys who are always calm and in control freaking out. Like Mitch, he doesn’t panic and that night he fooled me.
    “They all should be up for an Oscar after that performance. Anyway, Nuke grabs my hand and tells me that we need to try and make it to his bike. He’s got a gun in his hand and he’s shooting toward these things. We get to his bike and he can’t start it. By this point I’m honestly about to have a heart attack.
    “I’m shrieking my head off. He gets off the bike and looks at me all serious and says ‘I don’t think we’re going to make it. Before we die, will you marry me?’ and he gets down on one knee and takes out the ring. I found out that it took over two months for them to plan everything out.
    “Anyway, common sense came to me and I started crying because he popped the question. Everyone started clapping. Then we had the biggest party ever. It lasted four days. The party is pretty much a blur,” she laughed softly.
    “Wow, now that shit should be on the Internet,” Holden said, shaking his head in disbelief.
    “Tech recorded it all. They watch it all the time, laughing at stuff in the video. It is pretty funny, though. I was screaming like a little bitch!”
    “I hid behind the bar,” Zoe added. “I figured that would be the realistic thing to do.”
    “I guess you and Nuke are made for each other,” Holden said, paying no attention to Zoe. “Most women would have wanted something more romantic.”
    “I thought it was romantic. He went into great detail to plan it out. Getting everyone to keep quiet and participate. Romantic is how you look at it.” Jasmine paused as she held Holden’s gaze. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for Nuke and I know he feels the same way about me. I’m not going to let him get hurt either. You understand what I’m saying to you?” Jasmine walked over and placed her hands firmly on the kitchen table. Her posture brought the conversation back to being serious. “Don’t fuck him over because it’s going to be me you need to worry about not him, not the club! No one,” she said and shot a glance at Zoe, “is going fuck things up for us. You got me?”
    “You’re loyal. That’s good.” Holden nervously chuckled as he realized that he was going to have to play it safe around Jasmine if things were going to go as he had planned. She had the fear of Nuke in her and his intimidation was making her loyal to the core. He winked at Zoe and she squirmed in her seat. It would have been much easier if Nuke had been hooked up with her; she was easier to fool. “I got you, Jasmine, loud and clear!”
     
    ***
     
    Zoe helped Holden over to the chair in the corner of the main room. He plopped down into the seat as the chosen ones, aka the officers of the club, walked into the meeting room. He