“Today you should be with people who love you Kid, you should be with family. And we are your family.”
He led me easily toward his bike. There were so many people here. So many bikes on the street that for a second I froze. Had all of these people come out for my dad?
“He was a good man Chelsea.” Wicked’s hands came down on my shoulders hard, drawing my attention back to him.
Tears swam in my eyes. “No, he wasn’t. He was an asshole but he was…. you know?” I shrugged.
“He was your dad, I get it. But you aren’t alone Chelsea. You have family around you.”
I let my eyes drift upwards to meet his. “I love Ruin… but.”
“I’m not talking about Ruin, Chelsea. I am talking about the Black Aces. Each person here is your big brother now. We will make sure you are ok.”
***
The ride was good, although the heavy police presence seemed a little excessive but it was nothing absolutely nothing compared to watching my father’s coffin being lowered into the ground.
My whole body started to tremble as I blinked back the tears. I wouldn’t break down and cry and show Ruin up. I wouldn’t embarrass my father’s memory by being the hysterical woman. I was made of tougher stuff than that.
So I just stood there and trembled. It felt like my whole body was being electrocuted. And still, I could not cry.
Not a single tear would fall even though my eyes were stinging with them.
This was it. The last time I would ever be able to say goodbye to my dad. Soon he would go to his final resting place and the dark earth would cover him.
The dark earth with all of the creepy crawlies that lived in it. Would they crawl over him? Or would they do worse?
I choked back the sob. Almost instantly Ruins arms went around my shoulders. His tone was soothing as I hid my face against him.
“Daddy,” I whispered it and I continued to shake. And my brother continued to try and comfort me. And he did try.
So did Wicked.
His hand curled around mine as Ruin held me against his side. He didn’t do or say anything else. He just stood next to me and held my hand and that was the biggest comfort. The fact that when I needed him, he was there.
He didn’t even let my hand go when I began to sob. He didn’t even let go then.
Chaclubhouse
Chelsea
,
The wake, if you could call it that was little more than a bunch of rowdy bikers congregating on the clubhouse. And like anytime they started drinking en masse it quickly went from sober and melancholy to loud and rambunctious.
It would have pissed me off if it hadn’t given me the perfect opportunity to sneak off into a lonely corner with a bottle of vodka I had squirrelled away.
I had never really been a big drinker, mainly because my father had always frowned upon it but now seemed a good time to take it up. Hell, I might even take up smoking.
Ruin was to busy to really notice me. He had his own family. An old lady and a kid as well. As much as he loved me, he didn’t really have time to babysit me. I was too old for that anyway. Old enough to drink and drive. Hell, I was old enough to get married if I wanted to. Which I didn’t.
All I had to do was get today and tonight out the way and then I would step out into the world by myself. I would be an adult instead of a princess. If that meant dropping out of school and getting a job then so be it. Cooks was down a bartender with Gemma running away guiltily. I could get a job there. I mean how hard could it be? And then I could find a place to live. Because was I hell staying with Ruin or in the clubhouse any longer.
Yes, tomorrow I would start to stand on my own two feet but today?
I tipped a large slosh of clear liquid into my glass and knocked it back in one. My face twisting as it burned a trail down my throat.
Today I would drown my sorrows in this vodka bottle. I would rebel a little. Cause a little hell, just like my father would want me to do.