Page 19 of Ruckus

“Anytime, big boy.” She presses her lips against his before she sees herself out. I notice how his eyes follow her, and I clear my throat while I try to ignore the jealous flicker in my chest.

“Did you not want to tell your girlfriend that you kissed me last night?” I smile sarcastically. Ruckus saw enough of my weakness last night. Being back with him reminded me a little of who I used to be, and that’s who he’ll be seeing from me until I figure out what I’m going to do.

“Mya,” Ruckus laughs. “She ain’t my girlfriend, darlin’.” He unzips the bag she brought and peeks inside at its contents.

I’ve forgotten the way girls always seem to lose their better sense of judgement when they’re around Ruckus. I should know, I was one of those girls. I roll my eyes and tut loudly.

“You could be a little more grateful, ya know.” He shakes his head at me and tosses the bag onto the bed beside me.

“Grateful for having my morning coffee interrupted by one of your little fan girls.” I laugh.

“Actually. Mya’s a regular here, I asked her to sort out some stuff for you. Figured you wouldn't want to show up in the club in my sweats or your…” He looks at the costume that's laid out on the chair beside the bed.

“I don’t want to go to the club at all,” I admit, staring into the coffee I’m drinking. I had to leave the show last night, not just because Ruckus forced me to, but because of what would have happened after. Drew isn’t dead, no doubt he will recover, and when he does he’ll want to serve me a punishment for hishumiliation. Being here is one thing, but going back to the club… I vowed I’d never do that.

“The club is your home, why are you so afraid of it?” he asks me, looking concerned.

“You remember who my dad is, right?” I laugh some more, it’s always been the way I deal with discomfort.

“How many times do I have to tell yo?—”

“Everyone’s gonna hate me,” I interrupt him when he goes to tell me how amazing the club isagain. It doesn’t matter to me what's changed, the place will always hold bad memories.

“No one's gonna hate you, Freya.” Ruckus looks at me as if I’m being dramatic. I always hated the way he did that.

“I’m Cliff Adams’ daughter,” I remind him.

“Ain’t no one gonna hold that against you.” He smirks at me, reaching into the bag and tossing a pair of jeans at me. “We got a lot going on right now, the brothers are far too busy to give a shit, and the girls… they’re real nice, they’ll take good care of you while you find your feet. You can stay at the motel. Raze has had some of the rooms refurbished.”

“I won’t be staying anywhere.” I snatch up the jeans and size them up. Mya, or whoever she is, looked way skinnier than I am, and when I get up and hold them to my waist, I suddenly realize how thin I’ve got.

“Freya, you gotta stick around a while, if not for your own sake, for Aaron’s… I know he’s got Eden but?—”

“Eden.” Just hearing her name again shocks me. I assumed she was dead.

“Are you telling me that Aaron and her are together?”

“Darlin’, they’re married.” Ruckus smiles, and him calling me that, almost distracts me from what came after.

“Married?”

“I told ya, a lot’s happened since Raze took over.” I watch him dig through the bag and pull out a sweater.

“And what about you, do you have someone?” I hate myself for allowing that question to slip out. What the hell does it matter anyway?

“Me?” Now he’s the one who’s laughing

“Yeah, you.” I take the sweater from his hand.

“I don’t believe in all that shit.” He clears his throat and picks up his phone, pretending to scroll through it so he can avoid me.

“You don’t believe in it.” I shake my head. “You clearly just never found the right person.” I notice the way his eyes keep flicking up at me. It feels just like old times again, him trying not to look at me, while I try to tell myself I don’t like it.

“Maybe, or maybe I know better than to get myself into that kinda situation.” He shrugs, sliding his phone back into his pocket.

“What situation?” I frown.

“The kind where you have to consider someone else in every decision you make. I see the way Raze and Wrath are always worrying about their girls, and it don’t look like fun.”

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