Storm (SBMC Savannah, Ga #3)

Prologue

“You better eat all of that,” my dad tells me, nodding toward the meal that he worked so hard on. I smile up at him and nod my head, shoveling food into my mouth.

“You did good, Daddy,” I say, earning a smile in return.

“Yeah, I watched those damn videos on how to make it. It better be good,” he rambles as I giggle at his curse word. Daddy knows that every time he says one, he owes me a dollar, and every other word that comes out of his mouth is a bad one. That makes me one rich, little seven year old.

“Put it on the table,” I tell him. He huffs out a breath and pulls his wallet out, pulling a ten from it and setting it on the table.

“That’s more than a dollar.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m pretty fuckin’ sure I’ll be sayin’ more words before the night's over,” he chuckles, making me laugh again.

I grab the money and slide it into my pocket before going back to my food. It’s just Daddy and me. Mom didn’t want us, that’s what Daddy says. He says that she was a whore who loved drugs more than us and that she ran off the day I was born.

I see the other kids and wonder what it’s like to have a mom, but Daddy says not to worry about it.

He says that we don’t need one around, and if he ever found one to settle down with, she would be my new mom.

I don’t know what all that means, really, and I don’t care too much.

All I know is that Daddy and I live in this house, and sometimes he has sleepovers with women.

They make all kinds of noises in his room, but he just tells me to turn up my audiobooks and get some sleep.

“Can we go to Build-A-Bear next week?” I ask, wanting to get that new bear that just came out. Daddy gives me whatever I want as long as I know how to act right.

“Yeah, we can. You’ve been a good girl.”

“I’m always a good girl. I’m the club princess,” I remind him as he smirks at me.

“That you are. You know how lucky you are to be the princess?”

“Very lucky! I have a big family there, right, Daddy?”

“That’s right you do. And you have people that will always love you and take care of you. You never have to worry about anything, Kenzee.”

“I don’t worry about anything, Daddy.”

“Not yet, but when you get older, you might,” he reminds me.

I nod my head, although I don’t know what I could ever have to worry about.

Daddy gives me anything and everything I need, and so does the club.

I even have my very own cut that says Soulless Bastards across the back and a little Harley that I get to ride.

After we finish dinner, Daddy and I clean up the mess. I help him load the dishwasher when I hear a loud noise.

“What’s that?” I ask, looking up at him. My daddy pulls the gun that he keeps in the back of his jeans out and crouches down to my level.

“Stay behind me, Kenzee.” I nod my head as we make our way into the living room.

Daddy stands up and peeks through the curtain when even more loud popping sounds rip through the room and shatter the glass.

I scream even though I know I’m not supposed to.

Daddy always said if something happened, I had to be quiet.

“Fuck,” he roars as he falls back and onto the floor.

“Daddy, you’re bleeding,” I tell him, pointing at the front of his shirt. He looks down and sees it before shoving himself up with a groan.

“Kenz. I need you to listen to me right now, okay?”

“Okay.”

“You remember what we practiced? Where I taught you to hide?” I nod my head. “Daddy’s gotta go for a little while, okay? I need you to go and hide and stay there until you hear the guys, okay?”

“No. I want to stay with you, Daddy!” I cry out. I don’t want to leave him. I don’t want him to leave me.

“I know, baby, but Daddy has to go. I need you to go hide, Kenzee. I need you to do this for me,” he says, trying to remain calm. More sounds pop around us, and my daddy curses under his breath.

“Kenzee, run, baby. Go hide and don’t come out!” he says, sounding angry this time.

“But, Daddy! I want to be with you,” I cry once more.

“I love you, Kenzee. Be a good girl for Daddy. Go. Run and hide until you hear the guys, okay? Just do it, Kenzee.” I rush toward him and drop to my knees, hugging him with all my might.

He turns his head and presses a kiss to my cheek before shoving me away from him as more sounds come all around us.

I jump to my feet and take off, looking over my shoulder at my daddy one last time.

He nods his head, and I turn, running up the stairs and into my bedroom.

I close the door and lock it, rushing over to the trunk that Daddy made me.

I open the top and climb in, lying on the pillow and blanket that’s inside and pulling the top closed.

Then I click the lock into place, and I lie here being as quiet as a mouse. That’s what daddy taught me to do.

I close my eyes tightly when I hear more noises and screams. I hear my daddy screaming, and I reach up and cover my ears, being as still as I can be.

Daddy taught me how to hide in case something bad ever happened. I guess this is what he was talking about.

After a while, all the sounds stop. It’s just me in here waiting.

I don’t know how long I wait there, until I hear people yelling and some are calling for me. I know the rules. Don’t come out until someone from the club shows up. Don’t come out for anyone that I don’t know and who doesn’t know the secret knock.

“Kenzee?” I hear some of the guys yelling for me, but I stay quiet, just like I was taught to do. Then I hear it.

Knock.

Knock, Knock, Knock.

Knock.

I reach up and undo the lock, shoving the top of the trunk open when I see Uncle Jenson. He stares down at me with hurt in his eyes, but all I can do is smile. I knew they would come get me and take me to my daddy.

“You’re okay?” he asks. I nod my head as he stands and lifts me out of the trunk.

“Are you going to take me to daddy?” I ask as Uncle Jenson holds me tightly.

“Princess, your daddy is gone.”

“When will he come back?”

“Kenz. I’m sorry, baby. Daddy isn’t comin’ back.”

And those four little words are what broke the sweet little girl that I used to be.