Chapter 5
APRIL
“You don’t have to leave for school for another few days,” Twister grumbles, arms crossed, watching me closely.
After my birthday yesterday, I decided to head back to school earlier than I had planned.
Not that I really wanted to be anywhere near Samuel longer than I need to, but I have things I need to get done.
By going back early, I can hopefully avoid my tormentor and his friends while focusing on what I need to.
“I know, but I’ve got to get some projects done,” I tell him, seeing Horse, Thorn, and Hades closing in. It’s bad enough having to explain to Twister, but if some or even all of them get in on it, it makes it that much harder to do.
I’ve seen all of these men as father figures, especially Twister and Horse, while the others are like uncles. All protective. All opinionated. But in the best way possible.
“You can do that shit here,” Twister declares. “We haven’t had a chance to look over the car yet. Remember, you’re supposed to have it looked over when you’re home.”
“I know, but it’s only for a few more months.
I think my car will be fine for the time being.
It’s not like you guys don’t keep her in prime condition.
Besides, if something does happen, I know how to work on her.
” Between what my dad taught me and what these guys taught me, I’m pretty knowledgeable about cars.
I can change my own tire, do oil changes, and even transmission flushes.
“What’s really going on?” Horse demands, brow cocked, eyes assessing.
“Nothing.” Okay, I didn’t mean to say it that quickly, but it just came out. “I need to be able to go to the library for research. My project counts for half my grade, and if I can get it done early, I won’t have to stress about it when graduation comes.”
“Fine, I don’t like it, but I know how you are about your grades,” Twister says, giving in, still laser-focused on me. “You know the rules. You call when you get there.”
“You know I will.” I nod, smiling at them. “Just think, soon I’ll be done with school, and you guys won’t have to worry anymore.”
“Darlin’, we’re all gonna worry about you no matter where you are.” Hades grunts and shrugs. “It’s a dad thing.”
The very fact that Hades would say this makes something inside me ache. I wish more than anything, no matter how much I love my dad, that I’d been born a kid to one of these guys.
I give each of the guys a hug and go in search of Kayla and Mercy.
I told them last night, after we finally made it back to our room, about going back to school.
I thought about it a lot yesterday after the call from Samuel.
I knew going back would be easier. Mostly so I could get things done ahead of time and make it so I have to spend less time anywhere near where Samuel might find me.
But more than that, being here puts me too close to someone figuring out that things aren’t quite right at school.
On my way, I run smack into Fool—the man who haunted my dreams last night.
“Oh, um, sorry,” I tell him, taking a step back. “I didn’t mean to . . . you know, walk right into you.”
“It’s all good,” Fool rasps, clears his throat, and grants me a beautiful smile. One I doubt he shares often. “Don’t apologize for walking into me. Though you should pay more attention to where you’re goin’.”
“Right.” I nod, doing my best to keep my breathing steady. “Um, see ya later.”
“Yeah, later,” he grunts back.
I wish I could take the time to stick around and maybe talk to him more.
But I can’t. I need to get out of here before I end up breaking down and saying screw it all.
I don’t need or want my problems to become the club’s problems. If they were to find out, I’ve no doubt that one or all of them would come to my aid and raise all kinds of hell.
None of which I need.
The way I look at it, I’ve got only a couple more months of my hell to live through, and then I’m done. No more.
TWISTER
Watching April, I feel a strong urge to punch something. She’s holding something inside and not revealing it, and this has been going on for some time. Overhearing her yesterday confirmed my suspicions. However, like my girl, she’s stubborn and won’t let anyone share her pain.
“We gonna just let her go back to school early?” Horse grunts, eyes fixed in the same direction.
“It’s what she wants, and we gotta let her,” I tell him. I don’t like it, but I won’t hold her back.
April might be my daughter’s best friend, but she’s just as much a daughter to me as Mercy is.
Same with Horse. With the three girls so close, it’s impossible not to think of her as one of ours.
The three girls have always been inseparable, except when they went off to school.
It wasn’t easy to let my daughter go off to college, but for a while I had someone tailing her every move before my woman convinced me to pull back and let her live her life.
Doesn’t mean I don’t still keep an eye on them best I can.
As for April, though, we haven’t done as we should have.
If we’d had eyes on her, we might have caught what was going on with her sooner.
Maybe we’d have been able to talk her into sharing her troubles.
Something she never does. Not even when she was a little girl, we all know this.
She didn’t share when she still lived under the same roof as her cunt of a mother.
Nor did she ever share the pain of her dad not being around for her.
All of us here at the club know her dad and didn’t have a problem with him as a person. But we sure as fuck do when it comes to him being a dad and constantly leaving his girl.
That’s why Horse and I took it upon ourselves to treat her like one of ours.
She was always at either one of our houses, sleeping over with one of the girls or both, depending on where the sleepover was.
More than once, Izzy mentioned taking her away from her home for good and giving her a good life, but April always said she was fine there, and I knew it was a lie.
Watching her now as she bumps into Fool, a plan begins to form in my head.
The guy had only just patched into the Grave Prowlers MC, but I’ve known Cannon for a while.
Same with Hazard. They were younger than me, but they were good guys.
Solid. Thinking about April’s reaction to Fool and the way she becomes even shyer tells me one thing.
She’s got a thing for the guy.
I don’t like the idea of her crushing on anyone any more than I like the idea of Mercy doing it.
A moment passes between the two, and I look toward Horse to see him watching them as well. Horse shifts his gaze to me and shakes his head, but he knows me. Knows exactly what I’m gonna do.
If we can’t understand what’s happening with her, maybe we should try someone who can. Fool might be just what we need to help April open up and release the shadows consuming her. I’m tired of watching my daughters lose themselves little by little.