Ruckus (Dirty Soul MC: Long Beach #3)

Chapter 4

“ W hat the fuck was that shit about?” Drew grips me under my chin and slams the back of my head against the bathroom door. “Did you call your brother, tell him you were scared?” He laughs at me cruelly.

“I didn’t call anyone, I swear.” Trying to push him away only makes him hold me tighter.

“Then what the fuck was he doing here, Freya? Him, and that jumped up friend.” I’d like to know why Ruckus was here too.

“Aaron came to tell me something… Something awful,” I try to explain, feeling the rage rattling in his fingertips. “Please don’t be mad, not tonight. I need…”

His fist slamming into my jaw, silences and shocks me all at once, and I know he’s hit me hard when I taste my own blood.

“Don’t tell me how to fucking feel. I run this fucking show. Everyone here depends on my performance. If I wanna be mad, I’ll be mad. Now pull yourself together. And, Freya, if I ever see your brother and his friend here again. I’ll kill ‘em both.” He backhands the other side of my face to ensure I get the message, before checking himself in the mirror, smoothing back his hair and heading back out to join his friends.

I wait for the door to slam before I fall to pieces, dropping on the floor and hugging my knees tight to my chest. My face is throbbing but it’s nothing compared to the pain I feel when I think about Willow.

Sweet, innocent little Willow. There was a time when her momma, Amber, took care of us all, she nurtured us the way a mother should. Made sure we ate right and never got in trouble. But Dad screwed it all up for us by treating her the same way he did every woman in his life.

Amber left when Willow was eight. Or at least that's what we were told. Aaron and I both knew that Amber would never have left her daughter behind willingly.

Willow was my little sister, it was my responsibility to protect her, and when I ran from Long Beach, I ran from her too. I let that sink in as I sob on the floor.

The trailer door opens a few minutes later and when Josh steps inside and sees the mess I’m in, he sinks onto his knees in front of me.

“Freya.” His head shakes as he touches his hand against my face. “Fuck, what has done to you?”

“I’m fine,” I lie, attempting to stand up, but feeling too dizzy. “You can’t do a show like this, he’s busted your lip open.” Josh looks horrified by my appearance, but that’s the least of my worries.

“You’ve seen me in worse states than this. The show must go on,” I say cheerily, but when I try to smile, it stings too much and I flinch.

“He’s gone too far.” Josh’s head shakes as he stands back up and starts marching to the door.

“Josh, wait.” I force myself up on my feet, holding onto the table for leverage. “Don’t you dare, you know what’ll happen,” I remind him before he can leave. “Josh, he’ll beat you senseless, then he’ll come back here and make me pay for it too. You going at him is not gonna help anyone,” I tell him sadly.

“You think I care if he beats me? I’m not scared of him anymore.” He tries to sound brave but we both know he’s kidding himself. Before I became Drew’s human punchbag, it was his brother who took all the weight of his anger. As soon as Josh started performing, Drew started turning it on me. “This ain’t nothing some makeup won’t fix.” I touch my fingers to my lip. “Go get ready for the show, Josh.” I smile convincingly despite feeling that sting again.

“You should have left here with your brother,” he tells me, ripping the door open and heading out.

I sink into the stool in front of the mirror and look at the mess Drew’s made of my face, holding back tears as I take Ruckus’s coin from my jewelry box. I’m more convinced than ever that it’s his and he was at the show two years ago. Rubbing it between my thumb and my finger, I picture his face. I saw the way he looked at me when he left, the rage in his eyes could have set this whole place a blaze. I’d willed him in that moment to save me. To drag me away from here and take me back to that motel room, where we’d laughed together and fucked. It felt good being carefree and reckless, even if it was only for one night.

I get to work, fixing my face as best I can. Then after re-styling my hair, I stand up and head back outside.

“There she is.” Drew steps up beside me and wraps his arms around my middle proudly. I hate that all his friends act as if they don’t see the mess he’s made of my face. I’ve gotten better at makeup, but I’m not that good. “Tonight’s gonna to be a good one, boys. I can feel it.” He squeezes his arms tight, crushing my tender ribs and making me hold my breath.

“You feel it too, baby?” he whispers.

“Yeah,” I assure him, hoping that tonight’s the night that I get locked in that sphere for the last time, and give this crowd a real fucking show. Suddenly, death doesn’t scare me anymore. Waking up tomorrow and still being stuck in this hell seems far worse of a deal.