Page 63 of Ruckus

“Freya, you keep that to yourself. Ya hear? Grunt, get her a water.” He looks over the bar to Josh who’s serving.

“Don’t call him that, he’s better than anyone of you fuckers. Josh has never lied to me. He didn’t run away and leave me here to deal. He never pretended to be dead, making people mourn him and be riddled with guilt.”

“Hey… Hey, Freya, it’s fine,” Josh assures me, placing a glass of water on the bar beside me. It’s so strange seeing him wear a Dirty Souls prospect cut, but I’m glad Raze has seen the potential in him. It just sucks that he has to endure a probation, those things can be brutal.

“Freya, drink the water, you're drunk.” Finn lifts it to my mouth.

“I can do it!” I snatch the glass from his hand and down it in one, slamming it on the bar and smiling at him.

“Happy, now?” I wipe the back of my hand over my mouth and look around for Ruckus. There’s no sign of him, and there hasn’t been since he stormed out of here. He’s been gone ages, at least long enough for me to have gotten myself wasted.

“It’s a start.” Finn seems to have loosened up again, and when he looks to Josh and nods, he takes the glass and refills it.

“Look, Freya.” Finn takes both my hands in his. “It hasn’t been kept a secret to hurt anyone. Raze just doesn’t want you girls to worry any longer than you have to. Don’t take it personally. I know this means just as much to you as it does your brother, and if ya had a bike you’d be ridin’ to San Diego with us." We both laugh as he takes the glass from Josh and hands it to me. “Drink up, darlin’, you’ll thank me for it in the mornin’.”

“Freya, can I get a word?” Cam stands beside me, looking all tall and powerful. He’s young to be a president, but it suits him.

“Sure.” I smile up at him as I hop off the barstool and follow him outside.

“I’m sorry if I got you in trouble. Ruck can be a litt?—”

“You ain’t gonna get me in no trouble, I’m a goddamn president.” He laughs, and when the cold air hits me I go unsteady on my feet and he catches me.

“How could I forget?” I’m so proud of him.

“Which room is yours? I’ll get ya to it.” He keeps me upright and moves me toward the motel.

“Second floor,” I tell him, figuring that I really should get some sleep. I need to be strong for Alicia tomorrow, Ruckus should know where to find me once he’s done being mad at me.

“Will you tell Ruckus where I am?” I let Cam help me climb the stairs. “He takes care of me… for Wrath,” I add, not wanting to give our secret away.

“I’ll let him know,” Cam assures me, and I laugh when I think that Ruckus got jealous over something so stupid. It’s kind of cute, but I also suspect that it wasn’t the jealousy that got him so fired up.

He knows I’m not telling him everything, it annoys him and we’re never gonna get past that.

“Here, one step at a time.” Cam helps me all the way to the second floor and when we get to my door, he lingers in the frame of it while I stumble inside.

“What are you staring at?” I ask when I realize he’s just standing there, watching me.

“You’re beautiful,” he tells me, making me fold over and snort with laughter. “What’s so funny ‘bout that?” He laughs with me, stepping inside and closing the door behind him.

“Just those words coming from your mouth. Cam, I thinkyou'rebeautiful,” I slap my hand at his chest.

Cam may be president of an outlaw biker club but he is a beautiful soul, and there should be more presidents like him.

“I meant it, I think you're beautiful. I always have. I just never had the courage to tell you.” He laughs at himself and looks a little bashful.

“Scared of my daddy, I’ll bet.” I point my finger at him to call him out.

“You know…” He’s still laughing as he steps closer, scratching his fingers through his beard. “You got a real nerve laughin’ and flirtin’ with Finn the way you were just then.”

“I wasn’t fli?—”

“Especially since you're the reason his daddy’s dead.” I feel my stomach flip, as his eyes turn cold.

“I don’t know what you're talking about.” I shake my head, and when his hand reaches up and grips around my throat, I gasp as he slams me hard against the wardrobe.

“I know everythin’. Every fuckin’ detail, and I will tell every fucker here unless you give me what I want.”

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