Page 66 of Ruckus

“What?” Peyton steps forward looking up at Raze in horror.

“Is she coming willingly?” Eden asks her brother, and when he doesn’t answer she steps forward too.

“I asked you a question?”

“Hey babe, don’t speak to him like tha?—”

“Don’t you talk to me.” Eden turns her anger on Wrath when he tries to calm the situation and I swear I ain’t ever seen him back down so fast.

“Darlin’, why don’t you and me take Freya inside and wait for the girl to get here.” Vex takes a turn in trying to defuse things, placing his arm around his daughter’s shoulder.

“Raze, is she coming here willingly?” Eden keeps her eyes on her brother.

“I don’t know.” He speaks up. “But she’s coming here regardless. We all voted, and we’re gonna take care of her and the boy, if that's what she wants. Today we’re taking her out of the firing line and making sure she’s safe. Once that's taken care of she’ll be free to leave if she wants to.” Raze explains, moving past his sister to place a kiss on his old lady's cheek. She stands static at first, but when he starts walking away to saddle his bike, she rushes over to him and kisses him back.

“You better come home to me.” She points her finger at him warningly, before heading back to comfort Freya.

“You too.” Eden is standing in front of Wrath now and I look the other way when she kisses him like they're starring in one of those films she makes costumes for. “Remember I love you, butthat doesn’t mean I won’t still be mad when you get home.” She releases him, then turns to look at me. “Take care of him.” She orders, before joining Peyton and Freya, and as I move to my bike I look up past the wall to the second floor balcony and see Freya watching with her arms resting over the railings.

She looks so sad, I wanna run up to her and kiss her goodbye. I want her to tell me to come home too. I look away when Raze starts his engine, and as we all do the same, the noise that fills the yard pumps my blood full with adrenaline. This right here is the shit men like us live for, it’s the reason I joined the club, and what's kept me all this time.

And for the first time in my life I feel fear as I follow my brothers out the gate.

Not a fear of the fight, or of getting hurt, it’s of never seeing her again.

“Times like this I wish I wasn’t pregnant. I’d be drinking’ those sons of a bitches, bar dry right now.” Alicia paces the floor of the clubhouse furiously. While all I think about is Ruckus. He didn’t even look sorry when I questioned him about the Lifeguard tower, and it makes me wonder if he meant any of the things he’s been filling my head with for the past two weeks. Am I really different from all the other girls? Did I really expect the Souls biggest player to keep his dick in his pants for little old me? None of it makes sense, but I guess it makes things easier.

I don’t want to go to Arizona with Cam, he may not be as brutal as Chop, but that doesn’t mean he’s not dangerous. How can my dad still be so in control, even after death? I never thought I’d see the day that Cam would frighten me, he was always so gentle and kind. There was a time I thought he’d never make the cut because of it. Now, hescaresme, just like Chop and my Father used to.

But the thought of everyone here knowing the truth about me, scares me so much more.

“Lettie!” Alicia rushes to the door when it opens and a girl with long dark hair, carrying a baby in her arms gets guided inside by Finn. “My God, are you both okay?” She hugs themboth tight then looks at Finn furiously. “You better have treated them with respect.” She scowls.

“What do ya take me for? Of course I did.” He shakes his head like he’s offended and comes over to take the barstool beside mine. “You heard from the boys yet?” He reaches over and grabs a bottle of whiskey before taking the Stetson off his head and placing it down.

“Nothing.” I shake my head, and focus my attention back on our guest. She’s a pretty girl, I can see why Saul would have put everything at risk for her. But she’s also the daughter of the man who killed my sister. For a split second those thoughts that must have run through Tawk’s head when he went to her house with a gun, run through mine, and I quickly snatch the bottle from Finn’s hand to chase them away.

“Finn was perfectly friendly, they both were.” She looks between him and Rocco with a smile, but still keeps her son tight to her body as Alicia shows her to a chair.

“Lettie, did they explain that no one's gonna hurt you. Raze just wanted to make sure you were safe when the club…” Alicia looks to me to explain when she realizes it probably isn’t what the girl wants to hear.

“The club are about to make your father regret what he did to my sister and Saul,” I tell her without polishing it and it earns me some judgmental looks from the other girls.

“I’m sorry.” Alicia goes to comfort her

“Don’t be sorry. My father had Saul killed, he took my little boy’s dad from him and then he upped and left. I haven’t heard from him since it happened. Far as I’m concerned, when you guys get to him. They can do what they want.” She kisses the top of her baby's head and everyone looks a little deflated when we realize the boys could have left here for a lost cause.

I can’t help feeling sorry for the girl as she rocks her baby in her arms and battles with all the emotions inside of her.

I know how she feels, once I learned who my dad really was and what he did. I wanted someone to kill him too.

Eight Years Ago

“Chop, you know I can’t do that yet?” I hear Dad talking in the kitchen when Cam drops me off after college and I linger by the stairs so I can listen.

“I’m tellin’ ya Cliff, Jimmer is on to me. I need to get out of Colorado, start putting our plan into action.” Chops sounds agitated and despite him giving me the creeps I stay put so I can figure out why he’s here.

“It’s far too soon. And Jimmer ain’t on to you, he’s clever, but he ain’t that clever. I need you in Colorado, you're the only person Verretti trusts, and if we are gonna build and get stronger, we need that connection.” My dad sounds on edge, but he always does when Chop’s around. He’d never admit it, but I get the impression that he’s a little intimidated by him.

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