Page 22 of Ordinary Girl

“You know the deal. You know exactly why you came on board. And you know what’ll happen if you mess this up.”

He narrows his eyes as they once more meet mine. “You threatening me?”

“Do your job, Rik. And leave us to do ours.”

I step back, watch as he and the armed officers leave the clubhouse. And then I look at Kasper, jerk my head toward the door and Kasper follows them. It’s done. The necessary police visit is over. But the shit that went down tonight, that’s far from over. Rik wants the Blackhawks taken down just as much as we do, and I got a feeling that tonight those assholes just signed their own death warrant.

Ten

Ana

When I wake up, just for a second, everything feels normal. And then I remember – the gunshots. The screaming. Mama dropping to the floor. Mama’s dead…

I push the covers off and look down. I’m dressed in a black T-shirt and denim shorts that aren’t mine. I’m in a bed that isn’t mine, in a place I wish I’d never come to, and I close my eyes, screwing them tight shut as the nightmare starts up in my head, replaying over and over. It’s my fault, that mama’s dead. My fault. She came looking forme…

I sit up and draw my knees to my chest, dropping my head, squeezing my eyes shut even tighter to try and block out the memories. Stem the tears. There’s a pain inside me I can’t cope with. Can’t deal with.

“Hey.”

I hear it, the voice coming from the doorway, but I don’t look up. Don’t lift my head. I just want to stay like this, eyes closed, curled up, as I attempt to block out the nightmare.

“You hungry?”

“Leave her, Joel. She barely slept last night, she’s too tired for this.”

I recognize the female voice. Elise. Wife of one of the older bikers, I can’t remember his name. She’s one of the many women who’ve been here, in this room, throughout the night. All of them are kind, all of them make me grateful I’m not alone, but I don’t want to be here. I want to be at home. Do I evenhavea home anymore? Now Mama’s gone…?

I slowly raise my head and look at Elise, ignoring the man standing in the open doorway. “Where’s my phone?”

“Your phone is safe, sweetheart. Don’t worry about that.”

“I need to call Lars and Lea. I need to speak to my friends. They need to know about Mama.”

“The police have been in touch with them–”

“I want to see my friends.”

Lars and Lea are the only people I have left now. I have no grandparents. No siblings, no other family, just Lars and Lea.

“You need to stay here. You need to rest.”

“I want to go home.”

I turn my head to look out of the window, and I hear them talking, Elise and this man, their voices hushed, but the man’s – his voice is slightly agitated, I can tell that much. I don’t care. They can’t keep me prisoner here.

“What about the funeral?” I turn my head back to face them. “Mama’s funeral.”

Elise sits down on the edge of the bed, a woman who, I’m assuming, must be in her late forties or early fifties, there are small signs of age on her face. Faint lines around her eyes. She’s exceptionally pretty, her dark-brown hair piled up on top of her head, her kind eyes staring deep into mine.

“Your mama’s funeral is being taken care of, Ana.”

“By who?”

“You ask too many questions–” The man in the doorway starts speaking, until Elise throws him a look that silences him immediately.

“She has every right to ask about her mama’s funeral, Joel.”

I glance quickly at the man… his face… I recognize his face, did I talk to him? Last night? Before the gunfire started? Before my mama died in front of me…?

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