Page 75 of Greased

Do I need to get out of here? Fuck yes. But I can’t.

Even though my father hasn’t said anything, I know this is a test. He needs to see if I can handle this life and what better way to findout than quite literally put me on display for the entire club to hold judgement towards me.

Instead I suck in a sharp breath, as I blink up at Nicky. He gives me a nod, barely viable to the eye.

I turn back around, smiling as I do. Feigning a confidence I don’t have. Building myself up to be someone I know I’m not but someone these people need me to be. Someone that I want to be for them.

“As the majority of you may remember the devastating events that occurred that fateful day in November ten years ago. The day of my children’s eighth birthday, we were ambushed by an enemy that didn’t care who was caught in the crossfire. My own daughter was taken that day. The tragedies she suffered haunt me to this day. Thankfully, we were able to find her. But the damage was already done.” He pauses, leaning against the table as he takes a breath.

I shuffle over in my seat, wrapping an arm around him knowing he needs support at this moment. He’s only human and no matter the hurt I feel towards what he and Mum had to do, the decisions I don’t necessarily agree with, I can’t help but at least give him this. He lifts his head from where it was hanging between his shoulders. His smile is tight as he wraps his arms around me, bringing me tight to his chest.

“My daughter had been tortured. Beaten beyond recognition. When we got her to the hospital, she was placed in a coma. The damage to her body was unfathomable.” I can feel him shake his head as he places it on top of my own. I hear him suck in a breath as he tries to compose himself.

Eventually, he continues, “It didn’t look good for a really long time. Things got worse on the streets. The last thing Bonnie or I wanted was for Scarlett to be caught in the crossfire again. We made the decisionfor Bonnie to take Scarlett over to Australia where she would be able to receive the best medical care she needed.

“She wasn’t meant to stay there for long. Just until she got better. But when she woke, she had no memories. She didn’t remember Bonnie. She didn’t even remember her own name. We both knew we couldn't drag her back into this life again. Not until she was old enough.

“We also didn’t know if and when her memories would return. They have not, unfortunately. Once she turned eighteen and with the influence of a few individuals,” Dad turns his head. I lift my head from his chest and follow his gaze towards the boys. I frown. What does he mean by that?

The guys seem sheepish as they look down at their feet as Dad continues, “We knew our girl had to return home. It was time for her to claim her position. To train and become the next president of The Thunderbirds.”

I look up at my father as he looks down at me. Pride shines over his face. He looks back at the rest of the room then down the table, “It was also time for Bonnie to come home. Ten years was too long.”

The men all seem to chuckle as his lip quirks at my visible cringe.

He instantly turns back to the stone cold president within the blink of an eye, only allowing a little snippet of my father to shine through.

“I expect you all to ensure that you welcomed Scarlett appropriately. She will be undergoing training with the other prospects and, from my understanding, is ready for her initiation on Friday night.”

This time, it's my father's turn to cringe at the thought of what I need to do for my initiation as a few of the men hoot and holler. I chuckle at the disgusted look on his face. Payback’s a bitch.

Idrown out the majority of the rest of the meeting. Every now and then I tune back in to make sure I grasp some of what they are talking about but for the most part, nothing is retained. The exhaustion has slowly been creeping up on me over the last few days and I know that if I don’t focus on staying awake, I will fall asleep sitting up. The thought of anyone hearing me chop down an entire forest gives me enough incentive to keep my eyes open.

“Any more questions?” My father’s voice booms through the room as he looks around at each member before down the table. After a couple of seconds of silence, he slaps his hand down on the table, making me sit up taller.

“Alright. That concludes tonight. I expect to see you all at Pinks’ on Friday night. Initiation attendance is mandatory.”

I let out a sigh, slumping back down in my seat as the room slowly begins to empty. Relief fills me as they retreat. I know I should feelkinder towards the people I’m meant to lead one day but I swear their looks were starting to give me hives.

The only people that don’t leave the room are members of the leadership. Sonny leads the guys standing behind us around to the front of the table, lining up almost like soldiers.

“Thank you for staying behind,” Dad says, finally breaking the silence, “I wanted to confirm with each of you just how important Scarlett’s training is. I know just how capable she is but having to relearn everything, I want her to know she has a panel of men standing behind her in support.”

Each of the guys nods.

“Dawson, Nicky and Jethro. I want the three of you to rotate Scarlett’s combat training. Dacre and Wyatt, I want you to assist in her weapons training.”

Dad then moved onto Pike, “Pike, I want you to sit down with Scarlett and go through the ins and outs of our businesses and the workings of what we do both legitimate and not so much,” he laughs, making the guys all chuckle.

Leaving Sonny for last, he finally turns towards him, “Sonny, I’d like you to run Scarlett through our policies and laws. She needs to knoweverything.”

Sonny nods before turning his head towards me and smiling. His smile is soft and so very unlike him that I can’t help but return it.

“Even though I don’t mind stepping in and helping Scarlett to train, can I ask why we are the ones tasked with doing it?” My head snaps to Jethro. His brows are drawn in a frown which from what I can tell seems to be his normal facial expression. His arms are crossedover his chest as he leans against one of the tables. His eyes are locked on me.

I arch my eyebrow at him. He looks at me as if assessing me, like he is working out all my weaknesses. I hold eye contact with him. With the way he is looking at me, I know that he's trying to intimidate me and I already know that our training sessions will go much the same.

I don’t let it show that he’s bothered me, because he hasn’t. I can see right through him. I can read just from his expression alone just what he thinks of me being my Dad’s successor.

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