Page 98 of Ordinary Girl

“She tells me she is.”

“Do you believe her?”

“She’s been through a lot. I’m not sure she’s adjusted to her new life just yet.”

Skip gets up, starts pacing the floor, taking rapid, successive drags on his cigarette. “Look after her, Joel. And I’m not going to lie, I wish she was coming with me, she doesn’t need any of this shit. But if you promise me you’ll look after her…” When he looks at me there’s a whole lot of hope in his eyes, but we both know I can’t promise her anything. “Take care of her.”

“You know I will.”

“Get her pregnant, give her a reason to stay home and away from this shithole.”

He’s smiling now, his tongue in his cheek, it’s a way of lightening a tense mood that’s been floating around this place since the meeting yesterday, when Skip announced he was leaving: told everyone I was taking over as President. Word’s slowly getting around the other charters too, they need to know who they’ll be dealing with once Skip steps down.

“I’ll do everything in my power to keep her safe, Skip. That Icanpromise you.”

Skip nods. “I know.” He comes over to me, and we hug like the brothers we are. I’m going to miss him. “It’s a new era,” he says, patting my shoulder. “Make this place better, Joel.”

It’s my turn to nod. “We should make a move.” And we should. Timing is crucial today. We can’t afford to mess up.

“You got everything we need? You got silencers for the guns?”

“Everything’s the car.” We’re not taking bikes. It makes us too conspicuous. Ana’s old house, it’s in the kind of suburban street that doesn’t see too many people of our ilk. Bikers roaringinto the cul-de-sac would bring far too much attention. A small, unremarkable hatchback, not so much.

“Good.” He leans over to stub out his cigarette, and heads for the door. “Let’s get this fucking party started.”

Thirty-Nine

Ana

Idid wonder if Freja and Dag were going to hang around the house all day, to make sure I didn’t leave, but I guess I’ve given them enough reason to trust me. They left soon after breakfast, said they were heading into Copenhagen for a day of shopping and to visit Dag’s brother. He has a restaurant in the city, more than likely funded by club money, but I don’t know that for sure. I’m just assuming.

I waited a while after they’d gone before I did anything. I watched a bit of TV. Scrolled through my phone. Spoke to Cady at the store, just to let her know I was okay; that I was spending my day off internet shopping and catching up with a Netflix drama I’d started watching last week. All lies, of course, but maybe it’s enough to make her think I’m complying with the instructions I’ve been given. And I was, going to comply, but I changed my mind. Something happened, and I don’t know when, I’m not even sure why… No. I know why. I took a step back and saw my future. And I wasn’t sure I was strong enough to survive it.

I took the bus, getting off two stops before I needed to because I wanted a little bit of time to make sure I was doing the right thing, and I’m still not completely sure that I am, but the thought of seeing Lars and Lea again: the idea that I could have some kind of normality back, it’s become too strong to ignore. And I could be making the biggest mistake, doing this, but I have to know if he – my dad, even though I will never call him that: I need to know if he’s really telling me the truth. Until I do that, I know I will never settle. I won’t.

Grabbing a coffee from a little café a block away from the house I’d used to live in, with Mama, I make my way up the street I’d once called home. Everything still looks the same, despite the fact my entire world has been turned on its head. It was always a quiet street, all of our neighbors, they pretty much kept themselves to themselves, but it was a friendly place. A safe place. It doesn’t feel much like that anymore, to be honest. The fact my dad bought the place: who he is, it’s cast a darker shadow over this once-comforting little cul-de-sac.

His car is parked outside, and I stop for a second, take a breath, make sure I really want to do this, because this is exactly what Joel told me not to do. But I think, if I leave it any longer, think about it anymore, I won’t do it at all. Or, I don’t know, maybe I would. But today seems like the perfect opportunity, when everyone thinks I’m safe at home. When they’ve all got other things on their minds.

I take another, deeper breath and walk up the path, and I can’t help but notice how neglected the front yard is beginning to look. The lawn needs mowing, and the two potseither side of the front door could really do with some water while the hanging basket is beyond any help at all. It makes me sad and angry and I almost turn around and walk away. But this man, as much as I don’t want him in my life, he’s told me knows where Lars and Lea are. I need to find out if he was telling me the truth, or lying to me. And if heistelling me the truth, what the hell do I do next…?

I knock quietly on the door, because there’s still a small part of me that’s wondering if this was the right thing to do. But I don’t have time to think about that anymore as the door is opened, and my dad’s henchman stands there, looming over me, his heavy frame taking up almost all of the doorway.

He looks at me, then back over his shoulder. “Emil! Visitor!”

He doesn’t invite me in, he remains standing in the doorway, his gaze focused on the road outside, his eyes scanning the area. He’s making sure I’m alone, because his job is to protect my father, a man who, quite obviously, has enemies. And I know I’ve placed myself in the middle of something I don’t fully understand – the relationship he has with the Vikings isn’t one I’m dwelling on – but I need to do this. And Joel will understand, when I tell him. I just don’t know exactly what I’m going to tell him yet. I don’t have a clue how this is going to pan out, and that scares me. But it’s too late to back out. I’m here now. I just, maybe, should’ve put a bit more thought into this…

“Ana!” My dad stands in the doorway now, a smile on his face, a mug of coffee in his hand. He looks like any other ordinary, middle-aged man, but that isn’t who he is. “I’m so happy to see you. Please, come on in.”

I step tentatively over the threshold, into my old home. And the more I come here, the less it feels like the safe place it once was. The furniture, the decoration, it may all look the same but this house carries a very different atmosphere now; a darkness that was never there when Mama was here.

“Would you like something to eat or drink?”

My dad’s voice cuts through my thoughts as I follow him into the kitchen. “No, thank you. I want to talk. About Lars and Lea. That’s the only reason I came here.”

He leans back against the breakfast bar and sips his coffee, his eyes never leaving me. “What would you like to know?”

“Are you telling me the truth? Have you really seen them? Did you really speak to them?”

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