Page 61 of Ordinary Girl

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

“I don’t give a fuck what you think, Joel. We hit first.”

“It’s not like you to be reckless, Skip.”

“Yeah, well, a lot’s fucking changed.” He drags a hand through his hair as he paces the floor. “We end this shit before it becomes something it doesn’t need to be, and then I’m getting out of here.” He stops pacing and looks at me. “I’m passing the baton onto you, Joel.”

“Come on, Skip. You can’t make those kind of decisions–”

“We talked about this, remember?”

“Years ago, for Christ’s sake! And I never really thought you’d ever leave this life.”

“I never thought I would, either. But Sofia changed all of that.”

“Sofia isn’t here anymore. She’s gone.”

When he looks at me this time, his eyes are dark. Hard. Cold. “I know she’s fucking gone. That’s why I want those fuckers hit, and if Renard gets caught in the crossfire, I’m not gonna lose sleep over that… Why thefuckdoes he care what happened to Sofia, anyway? He walked out on them, left them with all that fucking debt, it washisfucking fault she’s dead, not mine. Not this club’s. The fucking Hawks were the bastards who shot her: who almost raped his daughter, so why thefuckis he targeting us?”

“I don’t know. But he must have his reasons. Look, we don’t even know if heisAna’s father, it could all just be coincidence.”

“I’ll get Rik onto it. See what else he can find out.”

“Okay… Skip, can I ask you something?”

He looks at me. “Yeah. What?”

“If you’re really serious, about leaving this life behind…” I stop talking as I try to think of a way to word this question. “Do you honestly think of Ana like a daughter?”

He narrows his eyes slightly. “She’s all I have left of Sofia. She’s family, and I don’t mean club family, she’smyfamily.” He leans back against the huge oval table in the center of the chapel, crossing his arms, one ankle crossed over the other. “I know how you feel about her, Joel. I’m not blind. And that lot out there, I know every one of their fucking dicks stands to attention when she’s around, but you…” His gaze holds mine, and I can’t read his expression. “She’s my family, Joel. When I go, she comes with me. I want to give her a better life, the kind of life Sofia would’ve wanted for her. All this giving her a shop and getting Cady to help her, it’s nothing but a stop gap, something to keep her occupied while I finish whatever shit I need to get done here.While I get justice for her mama. I’m going nowhere until I’ve had payback.”

“What about Renard? What if heisher father?”

“I don’t give a shit. I don’t fucking care. She’s coming with me.”

Hearing him say those words, with so much conviction, it’s difficult to ignore, and it fucking hurts.

“And if she doesn’t want to go with you?”

“She wants to see the back of this place as much as I do.”

“You think?”

His eyes narrow, the darkness deepening, and I’m all too aware I’m pushing him, but all of a sudden this shit means something to me.Shemeans something to me.

“Back off, Joel.”

“Backoff?”

“From Ana. I don’t want her getting close to any of you fuckers, that isn’t what Sofia wanted for her, so I’m trusting you to make sure that doesn’t happen.”

I can’t stop the laugh from escaping, “Are you fucking kidding me? I’m back on babysitting duties?”

He comes over, stands right in front of me, his eyes now black as coal. “Do as you’re fucking told. You hear me?” He turns around. Walks over to the window. “Get out of here.”

Anger’s rising, but I push it down. Fighting Skip won’t help anything, but he’s fucking deluded if he thinks I’m running Ana’s life for her.

“One more thing, Joel.”

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