Prologue #2
I nod slowly as the day Dad got arrested for hitting Judge Reynolds comes back to me.
I think I was roughly five, and the old fucker wanted to have access to me.
Dad snapped, punching the man in the face after he called Mama a whore, and was locked up until Judge Jones could get him out of the slammer.
“Luca,” Mama chokes, and I glare her way, my childhood suddenly feeling like a fucking lie, and the thought of even looking at this woman, this lying, deceitful woman who wanted to fucking abort me out of spite, makes me want to fucking kill someone.
“Did Dad cheat?” I ask coldly, making her flinch, “Did he flirt with a club whore or with any woman? Did he put you behind any woman?”
“No,” she chokes, “he just wasn’t home enough for my liking…”
I scoff, “He was working more because you wanted a lavish lifestyle, so basically you’re just like every other patch chaser?”
“Luca!” Dad snaps, but I shake my head and storm past them, shoving her outta the way, making her gasp, “Luca please…”
Lies, my whole fucking childhood, the so-called love I thought they had, all fucking lies.
I storm through the common room, Doc’s, “Ace?” just hitting my ears as I knock over a chair, but I ignore him.
I got my road name because I always aced it with the ladies, always got what I wanted. One and done is the only way I’m going to fucking go, because as far as I’m concerned, all fucking women are liars, just like my fucking mother!
I storm out of the clubhouse and rush to my bike before my father follows me, and I quickly climb on, my mind not able to comprehend what I’ve just heard, not able to understand the fact that my father may not have been my father, and I spin outta my spot.
“You were the one who threatened to abort my fucking son if I left you!”
Dad's words ring out in my head, and I speed off down the road and promise never to give a woman a chance.
Molly – Twenty Two Years Old
“Alright, class, I want to finish off what we started last week. If you were absent and didn’t catch up with a peer, I suggest you catch up quickly.
We’re going over possible situations where an abused child asks for help,” Professor Marks states and some people groan, the ones who thought sleeping in after a party last week was better than coming to class despite the fact that they knew this will count as our final grade.
If we fail and haven’t got the marks we need for next semester, then we’ll have to repeat the class, one that won’t be funded if you’re on scholarship, especially when for most of the students in this class, is our last year.
Thankfully, even though I’m caught up, I already have the marks to pass my Social Welfare Policy class.
I’m studying to become a social worker, to help kids like me, and I should be graduating with my bachelor's at the end of the year, even if it isn’t what my heart wants to do.
“Your dad is dead,” a scream echoes, and I frown and look towards the door along with all of my peers, and my eyes widen seeing my step-mother looking wrecked.
Wait did she just say…
“Mom!” Abby cries out and rushes over to Ruth, who collapses, and her words choke me.
My Daddy is dead?
I swallow my emotions that I want to let out and look down at my books as I grab my laptop.
I was sixteen when my step-monster, who absolutely hates that she got stuck with me, decided that the best way to tell me that my father had passed away from an apparent blood clot in the brain was to scream it in front of my whole class before falling apart, not considering me one bit.
I sigh as some guy in front of me bitches about still being too hungover for this class today, realizing he’ll most likely have to repeat, and I bring up my notes.
For the first eight years of my life, it was always me and my dad, my best friend.
My mom died when giving birth to me, so I never got to meet her, but I heard the stories, heard how in love my dad was with her, how he was her world.
So, imagine my shock when he brought home this woman who looked more like a plastic Barbie and her bratty daughter in tow, claiming he married her while I was at school.
I think I didn’t speak to him for nearly a year, especially when Abby did everything she could to upset me, including tearing a picture of my mom and me.
I only have four photos left, no thanks to her, that I got my dad's lawyer to hold on to.
“Fuck, I don’t want to fucking repeat this class, my dad will kill me!” a guy behind hisses, and I roll my eyes but don’t stop typing, trying to get everything that the professor is saying down, so I know exactly what I have to do later.
I’ve got work tonight until two in the morning, but I can make it work before work and then before my first class at nine tomorrow.
My phone buzzes against my upper thigh, where it's in my pocket, but I ignore it, just as I have for the past few hours.
"There’s nothing left, darling," Mr. Chimes, my father's lawyer, whispers as I watch my dad’s burial completely numb.
Ruth screams, clutching grass, while Abby flirts with my cousin, making me want to punch her like I did last week after she tried to take my bedroom because she thought with Dad gone, she’ll get her own way.
She learned the hard way that I’m no push over, and here I am, at sixteen, now being told Ruth spent everything, that she basically tried to bankrupt my father.
“The house?” I ask quietly, my heart pounding, my mind still not understanding the fact that I lost my daddy, my best friend.
My step-monster keeps me constantly occupied, I’m essentially her servant and haven’t even been able to mourn yet.
"It was under foreclosure—no thanks to Ruth.
I managed to pay it off with everything your dad had left, without touching your college fund.
Now, the house and the Mustang are yours.
Not Ruth's, not Abby's," Mr. Chimes explains quietly.
"The only way they get to stay in the house is if you complete high school and go to college, a course of your choosing, but the only way you will have full power to kick them out if you wish is if you graduate and to be able to stay in the house until then, you will have to maintain everything, all the bills, the furniture and if you end up arrested for any reason, the woman gets everything.
Ruth has already been told. That is probably why her theatrics are more out there than they should be. "
“She wants me to feel bad for her?” I confirm, and he hums in agreement, and I sigh.
“Molly,” Mr. Chimes whispers, and I look his way, tears trailing my cheeks, “she or Abby touches the car, even scratches it, they will be out, and you will have to go into care until you are eighteen, and the house and the car will be placed with me until you are of age. If they damage it, a bill will be court ordered for when you graduate.”
I nod and look back at the gravesite.
If Dad knew what kind of person Ruth was, why did he marry her after going through this much trouble to ensure she gets nothing?
“Maybe Molly will help us?” I hear someone whisper, and I shake my head so they know I heard them, and one groans.
"She works nights, idiot. She needs to focus on her own work," another snaps, and I smirk as my phone buzzes again.
I know it’s Ruth. Most likely, she either wants money or is demanding that the house be cleaned again today because her daughter is lazy.
Since it’s my house, they don’t lift a finger.
According to Ruth, it’s down to me to even fill the kitchen cabinet, because Dad ensured my college was paid for, not her daughter’s.
I’m basically a modern-day Cinderella, forever scrubbing after them both and covering all the household bills.
For a year after Dad died, she was nice, but her daughter got upset when I wouldn’t let her borrow my mustang for a party and the step-monster flipped the switch when I threatened to evict them rather than let them ruin what my father left me.
It’s bad enough they changed things after Dad and Ruth married.
“Hey Molly?” Kay whispers from behind me, “Can I pretty, pretty, please have a copy of your notes, please, I did screw Abby to keep her away from you.”
I chomp down on my bottom lip, trying not to laugh.
I prefer being a loner since losing my father, but Kay and Clay—twin brothers—are okay for players.
Besides, Kay’s right, Abby comes here often and demands financial help.
Since Ruth's plan to take my college funds failed, Mr. Chimes threatening to not only evict her but also have her arrested for attempted theft when she tried to access my funds.
Abby has had to make do at community college while I go to Wincher University.
She tried to manipulate me, claiming I got the house and the car while she was left with nothing, and her car got sold to pay off the debts that her mother accumulated before Dad died. According to Mr. Chimes is what Dad figured out, and quickly wrote a will, so I wasn’t left with nothing.
The woman is opportunistic and wanted an easy life so she latched onto my father.
I’m just shocked Abby didn’t hit on a Rebels brother, men in the local MC who the town loves. They’d give her everything and heck, even step-monster as well.
Professor Marks calls the end of class as I shake my head at the two groaning idiots behind me, I quickly send over a copy of my notes to Kay before I pack up.
“You are a fucking angel!” Kay gasps, and I chuckle as I stand and wave to them before descending the stairs.
I give a wave to the professor before walking out and checking my phone, only to sigh at the dozen messages.
Step-Monster:
Answer your phone, I need to speak to you.
Step-Monster:
Molly, this is out of line. Answer me!
Step-Monster:
Look, your stepsister needs some new clothes for college, and you need to buy them.
I scoff at that one and mutter, “Maybe she should get a job, or better yet, you get a job,” as I walk out of the building and head towards my mustang.
Step-Monster:
Molly, I swear to God, answer your damn phone right now!
Step-Monster:
Where are your father's watches? Where have you put them?
I’m not surprised she’s hunting for Dad’s valuables, though I am surprised it’s taken her this long.
Step-Monster:
What have I told you about the locks on your room and the attic?
I shake my head and put my phone away, ignoring her messages, knowing I’ll just get an earful when I get home anyway, before my shift at eight.
I’m not sure why she’s acting shocked about the locks.
She knows I won’t remove them after Abby destroyed the photos of my mom.
And as for the attic, that is where all my mom's things are which she knows because even Dad had banned her and Abby from going in there. My father’s valuables are with Mr. Chimes because Dad wasn’t stupid.
I just wish he hadn’t thought I needed a mother figure.
I had Dad, his stories of Mom baking, and his guidance.
Cooking is my dream, but I'm stuck in a degree I don't enjoy just to keep the house Dad left me.
Shaking my head, I pick up speed towards my car, ready to get some of this essay done before my shift.
I won’t lose my parents' home because of that woman for it to just end up with her. I refuse, and I can’t wait until I graduate and can kick both leeches out.
“Dad never should have remarried.”