Page 67 of Ruckus

“You promised me that I’d be runnin’ my own Charter, You promised me the gi… I ain’t close to having either.” Chop’s voice seems to be getting louder.

“You can’t pin all that on me Chop, you know Jimmer has the last word on who runs his charters, and you don’t exactly make yourself a desirable candidate. I can work on the brothers in Arizona, I can put whispers in Jimmer’s ear, but you gotta do some of the work yourself. Try being more like that brother of yours, everyone seems to like him.”

“And the girl, what about her. She’s of age now, Cliff, and boys are starting to notice her. You promised that?—”

“Boys have always noticed Freya.” My dad laughs, and hearing my name traps my breath in my throat. That girl they’re talkin’ about is me. “No one's gonna touch her, I got the prospect seeing to that.”

“You mean Cam?” Chop’s laugh sounds wicked. “Kid’s just a prospect. He couldn’t fight his way outta a wet paper bag, let alone protect my assets.” Hearing Chop talk about me that way makes me shiver.

“Wel,l she seems comfortable being around him, which is more than I can say for you. You’ll come to learn that things with Freya are much more manageable when she’s happy.” That must be his final word because I start to hear footsteps coming from the other side of the door and panic.

“Ahhh, there she is.” Dad catches me when I’m halfway up the stairs.

“Come here, darlin’,” he calls me down with his hand and after I take the steps back down he kisses my cheek.

Chop’s eyes scrutinize me, and hearing everything that was just said makes me want to run for the door.

But where would I go? My father runs this town there's no one I can fully trust. I have no idea where Aaron is and I can’t leave Willow, she’s lost so many people in her short little life.

“Chop here was just stopping by to check in on us. Ain’t that gooda him?” Dad curls his arm around my hips as if warning me to play nice.

“Tobias,” Chop corrects him, stepping closer, and my dad does nothing when he takes my hand and kisses it. “She knows I prefer her to call me by my real name.” His smile sends a cold chill down my spine and when I pull myself away from him, he chuckles. “I’ll be seein’ ya, little darlin’.” He makes his way out the door and I wait until I hear the bike that was parked up beside my dad’s ride off before I confront him.

“I heard what you were talk?—”

“You should be nicer to him,” My dad tells me firmly.

“Nice? Dad, he’s a monster, and to think that you would?—”

“We’re all monsters, darlin’, and that monster is a big part of my plan. So are you.” He laughs as he flicks the end of my nose with his finger.

“What plan?” I feel so helpless, and I know that if Aaron was here none of this would be happening.

“I’m gonna take over this club sweetheart, one charter at a time. Jimmer’s too soft, I’ve found a better way for the club to earn, and I know he ain’t gonna go along with it.”

“Those women, are they the way you earn?” I fear his answer.

“Don’t worry ‘bout it, Princess. You’re gonna be taken care of, you’re gonna have everythin’ you need.”

“Taken care of by him?” I look back toward the door. “Dad, I hate Chop, he gives me the creeps.”

“You don’t have to like him sweetheart. You just have to use what you've got to keep him in line.” I gasp in disgust when I feel his hand grip firmly between my legs and force me against the wall. “I need Chop to stay loyal and not let any power I give him go to his head. He’s gonna need a strong old lady. You can do that for Daddy can’t you?”

I nod my head back at him, too petrified and shocked to argue.

“Good, because I’d hate to have to send you to where I sent those other girls. You're far too clever and pretty to be passed around like a little cockwarmer, Princess.” He releases me and taps the side of my cheek.

“Freya?” Eden is looking at me and I have no idea what she’s waiting for. “Yes.” I shake myself out of hell and back to reality.

“I was just explaining to Lettie, that you and her aren’t so different.” Eden looks concerned as she watches me blink.

“Unfortunately, we’re not.” I look over to her and smile

“I knew your father, he came to the clubhouse in Sacramento a few times.” She takes the coffee Polly just made her and thanks. Her little boy is in Alicia’s arms now and I notice she’s smiling for the first time since she found out her brother was dead.

“Did you ever see my sister, Willow?” I ask, putting myself through more torture. I knew when I left here with Drew that there was every chance Dad would have Willow take my place in his plan for the future. What kind of sister does that?

I tried so hard to convince myself that she was different, she was always his favorite, but I knew what he was capable of, and I left her to fend for herself. I’m the one who should be dead.

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