Page 109 of Ordinary Girl

“Does he?” I change my mind, pick up the whiskey bottle, and pour myself a large measure. “Does he know where my father is?”

Cady just looks at me. “It’s under control.”

“Then why am I here? Why can’t I just stay at Dag and Freja’s?”

“You know why, Ana, don’t be naïve.”

“I’m scared, Cady, that’s what I am. I thought he was dead, I thought he was out of my life. I don’t want anything to do with him.”

“I know. And hewillbe out of your life, soon.”

“She’s right.” Joel comes into the room, casting a quick glance in my direction. “Because I’m personally going to take the bastard down. And this time I’ll make sure the job’s finished.” He pours himself a whiskey and downs it on one. “This house is safe. You two will be safe. And this will all be over soon, okay?”

Cady nods. I drop my head and take a deep breath.

“Ana?”

I feel him move closer, I can smell his cologne; a deep, almost woody scent that’s comforting and familiar. And I lift my head, our eyes locking. And I nod; smile slightly. He tucks a finger under my chin, tilts my head up and kisses me, and it’s another moment I try to enjoy, but there’s a fear bubbling away inside of me that I’m not going to be able to shift until this is over.

“Just, be careful,” I whisper, and he smiles a smile that reaches his eyes but that still doesn’t make me feel any better.

“Always, kiddo.”

He turns away and says something to Cady that I don’t hear, because I’m not really listening anymore. And then he’s gone. Cady heads out into the hall, and I hear her check the front door and pull the chain across.

“Fancy watching a movie?” she asks, her voice light and bright and I decide I’ve got no other choice but to go with this. “I brought popcorn.”

I smile and shrug. “Why not?”

Their biggest mistake was trying to kill me and yet, now, they’re about to make a bigger one. Shielding Ana won’t work, I know where she is. Where they’ve hidden her. They think she’s safe now, and she was, safe, with her friends. She should’ve stayed there. She really should have tried to make it work, but she thought the right thing to do was to leave; go back to that place. That club. And they accepted her back into their fucked-up family when they should have encouraged her to return to Lars and Lea. They would have all, eventually, settled into a new life in their now very different world, they just needed time. None of them were willing to take that time, they gave up too early, but I’ll make sure they take all the time they need. Ana is not staying with a club I’m about to bring to its knees. They lured my wife to her death, they will not do the same to my daughter, and anyone who stands in my way, they’ll pay for that.

I have an army. Men who are loyal to me to the very end, I’m one of the most powerful men in northern Europe, and they need to understand that. The Balke family is under my rule now, I own those people. They need me. They were weak, before, but I’ll make them stronger. With both the Blackhawks and the Vikings out of the picture I’ll move in on their territories; I’ll take over, their town will become mine. A just punishment for trying to take me out, that really was quite stupid. Joel Madsen thinks he deserves my daughter, he doesn’t. She needs to be with a man who can truly keep her safe, and she will be. Lars is perfect for her, they’ll see the light,one day, something else I’ll make sure of it. But for now, I need to rid this world of men who threaten my very existence; a club that is trying to take my daughter from me. I need to make Ana see sense, and until Joel Madsen is no more, she is never going to do that…

Forty-Four

Joel

There wasn’t a part of me that didn’t want to stay with her because, in reality, that’s the only thing that can truly keep her safe. We think we’ve got everything covered, but Emil Renard is one clever, fucked-up son-of-a-bitch. Every second of every day since we found out he was still alive we’re looking over our shoulders. It’s a game of cat and mouse now, but I can’t tell Ana that.

“I leave you for five fucking minutes and all hell breaks loose.”

I jump up from my chair at the head of the table in the chapel as Skip saunters in, like he’s never been away. “Jesus, Skip, what the fuck are you doing here? I thought you were in Sweden?”

“I was. And now I’m back.” He looks around him, hands in his pockets, and sighs. “I miss this fucking place.”

“What are you doing here?”

His slightly narrowed eyes meet mine. “You think I can settle when Ana might be in danger?”

I throw my head back, and it’s my turn to sigh. “Somebody fucking told you, huh?”

“I might have left the club, Joel, but the grapevine is still well and truly up and running.”

“I’ve got everything under control.”

“I’ve no doubt you have. As under control as it can be. Right?” He lifts an eyebrow, and I sigh again, a little heavier this time.

“Shit, Skip, are you fucking kidding me? Do you know what this looks like? It looks like you’ve come back to bail me out because I can’t fucking cope.”

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