Page 19 of Ordinary Girl

“You told him that, have you?”

“He knows the score,” she repeats.

I light up a cigarette. “Yeah, well, for your sake, sweetheart, I hope he does.” I take a long drag, keeping my eyes fixed on her as she turns her head away from me. “Anyone know you’re here?”

Her head shoots back around, her eyes burning into mine. “Don’t talk to me like I’m a child.”

“Then stop acting like one.” I start to walk away. She’s pretty, but she’s way too naïve for this.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” She shouts after me.

I stop, and slowly turn back around. She really is one beautiful pain-in-the-ass. “You like a bad boy, huh?”

“I like men who challenge me.”

“Is that right?”

“Who the fuckareyou, anyway?”

“Anything from your best friend to your worst nightmare, kid. That’s why you should know what you’re walking into, we aren’t bad boys, baby girl. We’re evil bastards.”

She narrows her eyes, but she doesn’t break the stare.

“You want to end up as one of them, huh? A club girl? ’Cause the women who hang out here, that’s usually what they are. And you don’t look like one of them.”

“You know nothing about me.”

“I know your mama doesn’t want you anywhere near us.”

She holds my gaze for a second or two more, shakes her head, and walks away. Over to Kasper.

I turn around and grasp the edge of the pool table, bow my head and smile to myself.

She likes men who challenges her? Man, she’s gonna learn the hard way.

Sofia

I can’t believe she’s done this. Put herself in danger, like this, after everything I asked her not to do. For an intelligent young woman she’s suddenly acting incredibly stupid.

My heart’s banging hard against my ribs as I pull the car into the compound and try to find a space to park in between the bikes and the trucks already here. There seems to be some kind of party going on, and that only serves to increase my anxiety. I swear to God, if anything’s happened to her: if she’s gone anywhere, with any of these men…

I slam the car door shut and make my way across the yard, I’m terrified of what my daughter might be doing now. What she might be involved in.

Weaving my way through the crowd of bikers and people who like to hang around them, I finally reach the clubhouse. It’s just as busy inside, the air thick with smoke and the smell of alcohol and cannabis. My stomach tightens as I crane my neck: try to see through the mass of people, I can’t find Ana anywhere. But I seehim. Skip. And I start to push my way toward him, but he sees me before I get to him: says something to a tall, bearded man beside him who nods and heads off into the back of the clubhouse.

“Where is she, Skip? Is she here?” I can’t keep the panic out of my voice.

He reaches out and lays a hand on my hip, which I quickly brush away. I’m slowly beginning to regret ever getting involved with him, physically. If I want my daughter to stay away from these men then surely I shouldn’t be seen to be involved with one of them so, yeah. I really am going to have to take a stepback from it. Fromhim. But tonight isn’t the time to have that conversation.

“She’s fine. Quit worrying.”

“You knew she was here, and you didn’t tell me?” Now I’m angry. I’m fucking angry.

“Hey, sweetheart, it’s not my job to watch over your kid. You’re worried about where she is? Maybe you need to keep a closer eye on her.”

I’ve turned away before he finishes the sentence, but he grabs hold of my hand and swings me back around, and I’m this close to slapping his smug face. This fucking close.

“She’s fine. Okay? She’s not stupid, and that’s probably got a lot to do with you, so just quit worrying about her and calm the fuck down. I won’t let anything happen to her, no fucker’s gonna do shit with me here. You got that?”

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